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2 April 2026
Nicholas County Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Jonathan Wayne Vickers, 35, of Summersville, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on February 13, 2024, Vickers possessed a SCCY Industries model CPX-2 9mm pistol in the Summersville area.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Vickers knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony convictions for burglary and grand larceny on March 10, 2021, and conspiracy to commit breaking and entering on March 12, 2015, both in Nicholas County Circuit Court.
Vickers is scheduled to be sentenced on July 16, 2026, and faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000.00.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Nicholas County Sheriff's Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney D. Keith Randolph is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-185.
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New Orleans Man Sentenced for Federal Weapons ViolationRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA –NOLAN LONG (“LONG”), age 34, was sentenced on March 24, 2026 by U.S. District Judge Darryl J. Papillion to 15 months in prison followed by two years of supervised release, along with a $100 mandatory special assessment fee, after previously pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8).
According to court documents, on January 10, 2023, New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) detectives observed a group of individuals, including LONG, exhibiting signs that they were carrying concealed firearms. When marked NOPD units arrived in the area to investigate, LONG fled on foot and discarded a loaded Walther P22, .22 caliber pistol before being apprehended. LONG is prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his felony conviction for simple robbery and a prior felony conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Orleans Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney David Berman of the Violent Crime Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
New Orleans Man Guilty of Two Counts of Firearm Possession in Furtherance of Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA –TYRONE WHITTINGTON (“WHITTINGTON”), age 40, pleaded guilty on March 26, 2026 before U.S. District Judge Carl J. Barbier to two counts of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A)(i).
According to court documents, WHITTINGTON was arrested by New Orleans Police officers on August 19, 2023, and by Louisiana State Police troopers on December 30, 2024. For each of those arrests, WHITTINGTON was in possession of fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine that he intended to distribute, as well as two handguns that furthered those drug-trafficking crimes.
As to each conviction, WHITTINGTON faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and up to life in prison, which must run consecutively to each other and any other sentence, up to a $250,000 fine, up to five years of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Louisiana State Police, and the New Orleans Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney David Berman of the Violent Crime Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
New Orleans Man Guilty of False Statements, Conspiracy to Commit Mail Fraud, Money Laundering, Possessing a Stolen Vehicle and Wire FraudRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – HARDELL MACK (“MACK”), age 54, of New Orleans, pleaded guilty on March 25, 2026 before United States District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo to a four count indictment charging him with making false statements related to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), conspiring to commit mail fraud, money laundering, and possessing a stolen vehicle. Additionally, MACK plead guilty to wire fraud, a matter transferred from the Middle District of Louisiana, announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle.
According to court records, in Count One, MACK fraudulently obtained a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP”) loan, which was authorized during the pandemic by the CARES Act, by making a false statement on or about July 24, 2020. This resulted in a loan in the amount of $20,284. He also obtained three other fraudulent PPP loans resulting in a total loss to the Small Business Administration of $79,356. Count Two alleged that MACK also conspired to file false tax records by interstate mail in order to obtain an Employee Retention Credit from the Internal Revenue Service, that was funded by the U.S. Treasury. This resulted in a loss to the government of $625,310. Using the funds from the mail fraud, MACK committed money laundering as alleged in Count Three by sending over $10,000 to an investment company in Florida. In Count Four, MACK also pleaded guilty to possessing a McLaren automobile that was stolen from Connecticut.
Concerning the Middle District matter, MACK pleaded guilty to Count Two of the indictment, charging him with wire fraud for defrauding an investor in a concert promotion scheme.
Sentencing will occur on June 24, 2026. MACK faces up to five (5) years imprisonment for Counts One and Two, and up to ten (10) years imprisonment for Counts Three and Four in the Eastern District of Louisiana. MACK may receive up to twenty (20) years of imprisonment for his plea to Count Two in the Middle District of Louisiana matter. All the counts include up to $250,000 in fines or the greater of twice the gross gain to the defendant or twice the gross loss to any person, and up to three years of supervised release along with a $100 mandatory special assessment fee per count due after conviction.
For more information on the Department of Justice’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
This case was investigated by an agent assigned to the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee (PRAC) Fraud Task Force. The PRAC was established to serve the American public by promoting transparency and facilitating coordinated oversight of the federal government’s COVID-19 pandemic response. The PRAC’s 21 member Inspectors General identify major risks that cross program and agency boundaries to detect fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement in the more than $5 trillion in COVID-19 spending. The PRAC Fraud Task Force brings together agents from 15 Inspectors General to investigate fraud involving a variety of programs, including the Paycheck Protection Program. Task force agents who are detailed to the PRAC receive expanded authority to investigate pandemic fraud as well as tools and training to support their investigations.
U.S. Attorney Courcelle praised the work of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs - Office of Inspector General (a member of the PRAC), the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation in investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward J. Rivera from the Eastern District of Louisiana and Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth White from the Middle District of Louisiana are in charge of the prosecution.
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New Orleans Businessman Charged with Covid-19 Relief FraudRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – WELLINGTON BROWN (“BROWN”) age 53, of New Orleans, was charged by bill of information on March 31, 2026 with providing a materially false statement to the Small Business Administration in an application to obtain a government sponsored loan designed to assist small business owners during the COVID-19 pandemic, announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle.
The maximum penalty for false statements to a federal agency is five years imprisonment and/or a fine of up to $250,000, up to three years of supervised release, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee.
U.S. Attorney Courcelle reiterated that the Bill of Information is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
U.S. Attorney Courcelle praised the work of the Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney, Richard R. Pickens, II, of the Financial Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
For more information on the Department of Justice’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
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New Kensington Felon Pleads Guilty to Possession of Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of New Kensington, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of violating a federal firearms law, United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced.
William Jermaine Rodgers III, 29, pleaded guilty before Senior United States District Judge Arthur J. Schwab to a one-count Indictment charging Rodgers with possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon.
In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, on July 1, 2025, law enforcement reported to a home in the Knoxville neighborhood of Pittsburgh after learning that Rodgers—who had been a fugitive since at least February 2025—may be staying there. Upon arriving at the home, law enforcement discovered Rodgers in a second-story master bedroom. After taking Rodgers into custody, law enforcement recovered a .45 caliber pistol and ammunition stowed between the mattress and box spring of the bed in the room in which Rodgers had been staying. Rodgers was previously convicted of numerous federal felony drug offenses in Indiana, Westmoreland, and Allegheny counties, and had also been previously convicted of a felony offense for issuing terroristic threats in Westmoreland County. Federal law prohibits possession of a firearm or ammunition by a convicted felon.
Judge Schwab scheduled Rodgers’ sentencing for July 30, 2026. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 15 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Kelly M. Locher is prosecuting this case on behalf of the United States.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Rodgers.
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.
Muskogee Resident Pleads Guilty to Assault with Dangerous WeaponRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Jaxson Clayton Vaughn, age 19, of Muskogee, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to Do Bodily Harm in Indian Country, punishable by up to ten years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The Indictment alleged that on November 22, 2024, within the Eastern District of Oklahoma, in Indian country, Vaughn knowingly assaulted a victim with a dangerous weapon with intent to do bodily harm.
The crime occurred in Muskogee County, within the boundaries of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Muskogee Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The Honorable Jason A. Robertson, Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Vaughn will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Pippin represented the United States.
Muskogee Resident Pleads Guilty to Aggravated Sexual Abuse in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Jaxson Clayton Vaughn, age 19, of Muskogee, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Aggravated Sexual Abuse in Indian Country, punishable by up to Life in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The Indictment alleged that on November 14, 2024, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma, in Indian country, Vaughn knowingly caused the victim to engage in a sexual act by use of force and by threatening and placing the victim in fear of death, serious bodily injury, and kidnapping.
The crime occurred in Cherokee County, within the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Tahlequah Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The Honorable Jason A. Roberston, Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Vaughn will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Pippin represented the United States.
McCurtain County Resident Sentenced for Failing to Register as Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Allan Wayne Hilton, a/k/a Alan Wayne Hilton, a/k/a Terry L. Leonard, a/k/a Allen Wayne Hilton, age 67, of Broken Bow, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 33 months in prison for one count of Failure to Register under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act.
The charge arose from an investigation by the U.S. Marshals Service Violent Crimes Fugitive Task Force.
On September 9, 2025, Hilton pleaded guilty to the charge in federal district court. According to investigators, Hilton was required to register as a sex offender after being convicted of three counts of Rape in Miller County, Arkansas, on February 25, 1993, and from June 20, 2023, until June 10, 2025, Hilton failed to register and update his registration despite entering, leaving, or residing in Indian country, within 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. Hilton 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 Emily Wittlinger represented the United States.
Massachusetts Man Sentenced to Prison for Wildlife TraffickingRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Reading, Mass. man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for trafficking in wildlife parts from endangered and protected species.
Adam Bied, 40, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV to eight months in prison, to be followed by two years of supervised release. Bied was also ordered to pay a $75,000 fine to fund wildlife enforcement efforts. In January 2026, Bied pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy to smuggle goods into the United States, specifically, illegally imported wildlife parts, and two counts of violating the Lacey Act, which prohibits trafficking in wildlife. The wildlife that Bied unlawfully imported and conspired to import was protected by the Endangered Species Act (ESA) as well as the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). None of the wildlife Bied imported was declared as required by law. Bied was charged in June 2024.
“Trafficking in the remains of endangered and protected animals is not a collector’s hobby – it is a crime that fuels the exploitation of vulnerable species around the world,” said United States Attorney Leah B. Foley. “As the Department of Justice has made clear, protecting animal welfare and enforcing our wildlife laws is a priority. This defendant knowingly smuggled and profited from the killing of protected animals – some of which were slaughtered at his direction – undermining global conservation efforts. Today’s sentence holds him accountable and sends a clear message: those who traffic in wildlife will be investigated and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
“Our agency works diligently to combat the illegal international trafficking of wildlife parts due to its devastating effect on a wide variety of vulnerable species,” said Assistant Director Doug Ault, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Office of Law Enforcement. “In their quest for quick profit, wildlife smugglers push critically endangered animals toward the edge of extinction and undermine global conservation efforts. Halting this illegal trade remains one of our highest priorities and together with the Department of Justice, we will bring those responsible to justice.”
Beginning in at least January 2018 and continuing until at least June 2021, Bied bought, sold and traded in wildlife parts and products from threatened and endangered species knowing that many of the transactions violated U.S. laws and regulations, including the ESA and the Lacey Act. Bied also knowingly failed to declare the wildlife to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) upon importation into the United States.
Specifically, Bied placed orders with individuals in Cameroon and Indonesia who were in the businesses of killing and acquiring wildlife, including endangered and protected species, received the parts in the United States unlawfully and then resold or traded the wildlife to customers in the United States.
In text messages, Bied and a co-conspirator in Cameroon (CC-1), a person Bied knew to be a poacher of native species, discussed hunting and killing wildlife. For example, in June 2018 when CC-1 told Bied that he was unable to obtain bullets for hunting wildlife due to the ongoing civil war, Bied offered to send him bullets. After CC-1 said he could go to jail if he is caught receiving ammunition during the ongoing civil war, Bied offered to send him money for bullets in exchange for skulls including, as they discussed, chimpanzee skulls. Bied also requested a gorilla skull. Both gorillas and chimpanzees are endangered, and most gorilla species are critically endangered. Bied also sought to purchase skulls from elephants, lions, hippos and other “rare” and “large animals.”
Bied repeatedly instructed CC-1 not to send him skulls with bullet holes, writing “stop sending me skulls with holes” and “Just send me a lot of big skulls. Also no skulls with bullet holes.” In various messages with CC-1, Bied referred to his customers, advising CC-1, “I need rare things for my customers.”
Bied was aware of the laws protecting wildlife and governing wildlife importation and that it was illegal to trade in endangered and protected species. For example, on Dec. 26, 2019 Bied took photographs of an educational exhibit at a zoo about illegal wildlife trafficking, that prominently featured pangolins as the “most heavily trafficked wild mammal.” Later that day, Bied texted CC-1, “I'd like to buy the pangolin skull – I'd like to buy this pangolin still.” All subspecies of pangolins are protected under CITES.
Bied and his conspirator in Indonesia (CC-2) exchanged electronic messages about the acquisition, purchase, and sale of wildlife, and protected wildlife. Among other wildlife, Bied purchased multiple orangutans and Javan leopard skulls from CC-2. Both species are critically endangered.
Bied later sold two illegally imported leopard skulls to an undercover federal agent. During the negotiations over one skull, Bied lied about its origin, falsely claiming to the agent that the leopard skull was at least 60 years old, that he had purchased it at an auction, and that he believed the sale of this skull to be legal. In fact, the skull had been recently illegally imported from Indonesia. Bied neither sought nor obtained the necessary USFWS import/export licenses or CITES permits before importing these items, nor did he declare the wildlife to the USFWS upon import as required. Instead, Bied and his co-conspirators took steps to conceal the wildlife parts from U.S. authorities by falsely labeling them as “decorative masks” and “rodents,” among other things. Bied unlawfully imported skulls from the following wildlife species, among others: baboon, chimpanzee, pangolin, orangutan and leopard.
Bied has consented to the civil forfeiture of over 100 wildlife parts from endangered, threatened, or protected species seized by the USFWS in July 2021 from Bied’s residence, storage unit and vehicle.
The wildlife parts identified in the civil forfeiture complaint include:
- Orangutan skulls
- Tiger skulls
- Leopard skin, skulls and a claw
- Jaguar skin and skull
- African lion skulls
- Polar bear skull
- Narwhal tusk
- Otter skeleton
- Harp seal skull
- Pangolin skull
- South American fur seal skull
- Elephant seal skull
- Babirusa skulls
- Mandrillus skulls
- Wallaby skull
- Jackal skull
Federal wildlife statutes and regulations prohibit international and illegal trade in vulnerable wildlife species. The ESA, the Lacey Act and CITES, as well as the accompanying regulations, prohibit the import, export, possession, transport, purchase and sale of protected species. The restrictions apply to live and dead wildlife specimens, as well as the skins, parts and products made in whole or in part from listed species. Additional documents are also required for wildlife protected by the CITES treaty, which regulates trade in endangered or threatened species through permit requirements.
The lawful importation of vulnerable wildlife species requires a CITES permit. The lawful importation of any foreign species requires a USFWS wildlife declaration. Individuals are also required to have a USFWS import/export license to import wildlife for commercial purposes.
U.S. Attorney Foley and USFWS Assistant Director Ault made the announcement. This case was worked jointly with the United States Marshals Service and the Department of Justice’s Environment and Natural Resources Division’s Environmental Crimes Section. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jason Casey and Carol E. Head are prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carol E. Head, Chief of the Asset Recovery Unit is prosecuting the civil forfeiture case.
Mason City Man Pleads Guilty to Child Exploitation and Gun CrimesRead the Press Release
A man who sexually exploited children, possessed child pornography, and possessed a stolen firearm pled guilty today in federal court in Cedar Rapids.
Parker Jon Thompson, age 20, from Mason City, Iowa, was convicted of sexual exploitation of children, possession of child pornography, and possession of a stolen firearm.
Evidence at a prior court hearing demonstrated that in June 2025, Thompson helped his friends plan a burglary at a gun shop in Mason City. His friends stole several guns and gave at least two of the guns to Thompson. Law enforcement officers searched Thompson’s phone while investigating the burglary. Officers found child pornography on the phone. Additional investigation revealed that Thompson recorded multiple children engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Thompson also asked a child to send him depictions of the child engaging in sex acts.
At a plea hearing, Thompson admitted that between March 2024 and September 2025, he used, persuaded, induced, and enticed minors to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing visual depictions of such conduct. Between June 2024 and April 2025, Thompson possessed depictions of child pornography. In June 2025, Thompson possessed a stolen firearm.
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. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
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.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Thompson remains in custody of the United States Marshal. Thompson faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of 50 years’ imprisonment, a $750,000 fine, $77,300 in special assessments, and a lifetime term of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Devra T. Hake and Kyndra Lundquist and was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Mason City Police Department, the Cerro Gordo Sheriff’s Office, the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, and the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file numbers are 25-CR-2054 and 26-CR-3011.
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Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing A Machine Gun Used in November Bronx ShootingRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, announced that DAVID MALDONADO pled guilty today before U.S. District Judge Jed S. Rakoff to possessing a machine gun in connection with a November 14, 2025, daytime shooting during which MALDONADO fired 12 rounds from a machinegun on a public street in the Bronx, New York.
“The illegal possession of a machine gun is unacceptable and will not be tolerated,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “The families of New York City deserve to live free of fear from the type of gun violence these weapons can unleash. The women and men of this Office will never tire in their efforts to root out and hold accountable those who would bring this type of violence to our communities.”
As alleged in the Indictment, and in public statements made in court proceedings:[1]
On or about November 14, 2025, at around 4:00 p.m., MALDONADO, who has been previously convicted of multiple felony offenses, discharged a machine gun in the vicinity of East 170th Street and Third Avenue in the Bronx, including two shots that struck a nearby vehicle.
Detectives of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), who were in the vicinity of the gunshots, spotted and promptly apprehended MALDONADO, who was in possession of an un-serialized Polymer 80, model PF940C, 9x19mm caliber firearm, also known as a “ghost gun.” During the shooting, MALDONADO used a semi-automatic handgun with an illegal machine gun conversion device installed, which converted his firearm into a fully automatic machine gun capable of shooting more than one shot with a single pull of the trigger. Photographs of the firearm and magazine seized from MALDONADO and the conversion device that was installed on the pistol slide are below:
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MALDONADO, 53, of New York, New York, pled guilty to one count of possession of a machine gun, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.
Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding investigative work of the NYPD and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Violent Organizations & Crime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon D. Harper is in charge of the prosecution.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and the description of the Indictment set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Major Meth Supplier Linked to a Mexican Cartel Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
MACON, Ga. – The final of 20 defendants, a Georgia man described as the second-in-command to a Mexican national leading an illegal drug pipeline in the state, was sentenced to prison for supplying kilograms of methamphetamine and heroin resulting from a multi-agency investigation into a drug trafficking ring centered in Milledgeville, Georgia.
Noe Canela, 37, of Lilburn, Georgia, was sentenced to serve 260 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release on April 2, after he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances on Jan. 6, 2026.
“Noe Canela is being held accountable for trafficking large quantities of dangerous drugs from a Mexican cartel into Georgia. This case proves that justice will prevail, no matter how long it takes,” said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes. “Thanks to the collective efforts of law enforcement agencies at every level, significant quantities of dangerous drugs have been kept off Georgia streets, and the offenders have been brought to justice.”
“Those who distribute methamphetamine pose a grave danger to the community. These traffickers can no longer deliver dangerous drugs on the streets and must now face the consequences of their actions,” said Jae W. Chung, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division.
“The dangers associated with methamphetamine remain one of the most significant drug threats facing our community,” said Robert Gibbs, Senior Supervisory Resident Agent of FBI Georgia’s Macon office. “With the help of our federal, state and local partners, this is a significant amount of poison that will not make it into our communities, driving crime and violence.”
“Illegal drugs are dangerous and threaten the safety of Georgia communities,” said GBI Director Chris Hosey. “The GBI is committed to getting these drugs off the streets by bringing to justice all those that take part in the illegal drug trade, from the supplier down to the dealer.”
"Noe Canela evaded justice while maintaining his criminal enterprises and ties to a Mexican cartel," said Baldwin County Sheriff Bill Massee. "We are grateful he has been taken into custody, brought before the court and held accountable for his crimes. Baldwin County and Georgia are safer as a result."
The following co-defendants have been sentenced:
Jarvis Havior, aka “J Bo,” 34, of Milledgeville, was sentenced to serve 360 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release on July 13, 2023, after he pleaded guilty to one count of possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute on Feb. 16, 2023;
Nicholas Cuevas-Flores, 40, of Lawrenceville, Georgia, was sentenced to serve 260 months in prison to be followed by two years of supervised release on July 13, 2023, after he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances on Feb. 28, 2023;
Anrico Taylor, aka “Rico,” 38, of Milledgeville, was sentenced to serve 160 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release on July 11, 2023, after he pleaded guilty to one count of possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute on Feb. 28, 2023;
Matthew Cameron, 50, of Milledgeville, was sentenced to serve 150 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release on Oct. 31, 2023, after he pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine on Oct. 5, 2022;
Dawn Carey, 50, of Milledgeville, was sentenced to serve 121 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release on April 6, 2023, after she pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine on Oct. 13, 2022;
Bruce Harrison, 43, of Milledgeville, was sentenced to serve 120 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release on Nov. 2, 2022, after he pleaded guilty to one count of possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute on Aug. 31, 2022;
Arturo Marshall, aka “Turo,” 44, of Milledgeville, was sentenced to serve 100 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release on July 13, 2023, after he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances on Feb. 28, 2023;
Tyrone Hitchcock, aka “TY,” 51, of Milledgeville, was sentenced to serve 85 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release on Jan. 4, 2023, after he pleaded guilty to one count of possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute on Oct. 12, 2022;
Paul Collins, 63, of Milledgeville, was sentenced to serve 57 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release on June 18, 2024, after he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances on Feb. 28, 2023;
Annie Collins, 24, of Milledgeville, was sentenced to serve 63 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release on July 13, 2023, after she pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine on March 7, 2023;
Paul Bentley aka “Old School,” 59, of Milledgeville, was sentenced to serve 60 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release on Aug. 6, 2025, after he pleaded guilty to one count conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine on Feb. 20, 2025;
Alicia Nugent, 41, of Milledgeville, was sentenced to serve 60 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release on July 13, 2023, after she pleaded guilty to one count of possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute on Feb. 28, 2023;
Lamont Jackson, 51, of Milledgeville, was sentenced to serve 48 months in prison to be followed by one year of supervised release on July 13, 2023, after he pleaded guilty to one count of the unlawful use of a communication facility on Feb. 28, 2023;
Perry Miller, 43, of Milledgeville, was sentenced to serve 48 months in prison to be followed by one year of supervised release on July 13, 2023, after he pleaded guilty to the unlawful use of a communications facility on Feb. 28, 2023;
Dwight Turner, aka “Wight,” 60, of Milledgeville, was sentenced to serve 48 months in prison to be followed by two years of supervised release on Jan. 11, 2024, after he pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of methamphetamine on Aug. 30, 2023;
Ryan Rickard, 53, of Milledgeville, was sentenced to serve 41 months in prison to be followed by one year of supervised release on Feb. 14, 2024, after he pleaded guilty to one count of the unlawful use of a communication facility on Feb. 16, 2023;
Amber Vanclief, 35, of Milledgeville, was sentenced to serve 15 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release on May 3, 2023, after she pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine on Feb. 9, 2023;
Macarthur Reeves, aka “Mac,” 70, of Milledgeville, was sentenced to serve three years of probation on May 3, 2023, after he pleaded guilty to one count of the unlawful use of a communications facility on Feb. 16, 2023; and
Paris Binion, 32, of Milledgeville, was sentenced to time served to be followed by one year of supervised release on Nov. 9, 2023, after she pleaded guilty to one count of the unlawful use of a communications facility on Feb. 28, 2023.
U.S. District Judge Marc Treadwell presided over the case. There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court documents, agents with the DEA, the GBI and the Ocmulgee Drug Task Force received credible information in June 2020 from multiple confidential sources that Havior was leading a multi-kilogram methamphetamine drug trafficking organization in the Milledgeville community. An investigation determined the location of his distribution “trap” houses and “stash” houses for bulk narcotics and cash that Havior and his criminal associates maintained. For more information about the Havior drug trafficking network, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-mdga/pr/milledgeville-based-meth-distribution-leader-sentenced-30-years-prison.
Investigators found that Canela was the source of supply for Havior and that Canela would often use Flores as a go-between, who would meet with Havior and his associates to deliver the drugs. Havior would obtain bulk amounts of methamphetamine from Canela and Flores and then sell the drugs to local dealers.
On Oct. 28, 2021, Flores was stopped and arrested in Atlanta after a controlled delivery of 15 kilograms of methamphetamine. State search warrants were immediately sought and executed for a Rockbridge Road residence in Stone Mountain, Georgia, where Flores resided. When law enforcement entered the home, Canela was found inside wearing gloves, appearing as if he was cleaning out the house after learning of Flores’ arrest. Inside the home, agents found 67 pounds of methamphetamine (approximately 30.39 kilograms), one kilogram of heroin and a handgun.
The same day, authorities executed a search warrant on Canela’s Lilburn, Georgia, residence on Bailey Drive. Multiple pounds of marijuana were seized, and evidence of a methamphetamine laboratory was discovered in the basement. Agents found Canela’s cell phone used to communicate with Havior about drug transactions along with his passport and several plane tickets showing his recent trips to Texas.
On January 11, 2022, a 17-count federal indictment was issued in the Middle District of Georgia, charging the co-defendants with multiple offenses related to the Milledgeville drug trafficking ring investigation. An arrest warrant was issued for Canela, who remained a fugitive until the U.S. Marshals took him into custody on Aug. 5, 2025, in the Northern District of Georgia. Canela is being held account for supplying at least 17,069 grams of methamphetamine directly to the Havior drug trafficking organization, which was obtained in six controlled purchases conducted by law enforcement, as well as approximately 30 kilograms of methamphetamine, 2,020 grams of heroin, multiple pounds of marijuana and a Polymer80 firearm with an extended magazine (also known as a “ghost gun”) that was seized at the Stone Mountain residence in October 2021.
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.
This case was investigated by the DEA, the FBI, the GBI, the Ocmulgee Drug Task Force, the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office, the Laurens County Sheriff’s Office, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, the Georgia Department of Corrections, the Milledgeville Community Supervision Office, the Wilkinson County Sheriff’s Office, the Jones County Sheriff’s Office, the Atlanta-Carolina’s HIDTA Office and the Gwinnett Metro Task Force with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service.
Criminal Chief Leah McEwen prosecuted the case for the Government.
London Man Sentenced for Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
LONDON, Ky. – A London man, Jimmy Barrett, 47, was sentenced on Wednesday to 220 months by U.S. District Judge Robert Wier for possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine.
According to his plea agreement, on September 13, 2024, Barrett was driving back to London, Ky., after meeting with his source of supply in the Louisville, Ky., area, where he obtained approximately six pounds of methamphetamine. Law enforcement attempted to execute a traffic stop on Barrett’s vehicle, but he refused, leading police on a high-speed chase through Laurel County. Barrett ultimately wrecked his vehicle from the police chase, a search of which led to the location and seizure of the six pounds of methamphetamine. Barrett admitted to intending to distribute this methamphetamine to other mid- and lower-level methamphetamine traffickers in the London and Corbin areas.
Under federal law, Barrett must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for 10 years.
Jason Parman, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; John Nokes, Special Agent in Charge, ATF, Louisville Field Division; and Phillip J. Burnett, Jr., Commissioner of the Kentucky State Police, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by ATF and KSP. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sam Dotson is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
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Lexington Man Convicted of Conspiracies to Commit Healthcare Fraud and Violate the Anti-Kickback Statute at Sober HomesRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky.- A Lexington man, Dashawn Dawkins, 34, was convicted on Wednesday by a federal grand jury in Lexington for conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud and conspiracy to receive kickbacks. Dawkins was convicted of the charges following a 3-day trial.
Dawkins was a peer support specialist at Serenity Keeper’s, LLC (“Serenity Keepers”), a sober home company based in Fayette County, Ky., that purported to provide mental health and substance abuse treatment services and housing for individuals enrolled in its program. The evidence at trial showed that Mr. Dawkins received $62,750 in illegal kickbacks for the ordering of urine drug testing at Serenity Keepers that cost Kentucky Medicaid and Medicare a combined $2,569,946. The evidence further showed that the urine drug testing was fraudulent in that it was not ordered by a treating medical provider, nor were the results reviewed by a treating medical provider. Instead, more than 9,000 urine drug tests were ordered under the stolen identification number and forged signature of a Nurse Practitioner who was briefly associated with Serenity Keepers.
The evidence also showed that Serenity Keepers billed for fraudulent peer support services that were not provided at all and were not supervised by licensed professionals, as required by Medicaid regulations. The company billed for 6 hours of peer support services a day for every patient in their care regardless of whether that was provided, including services purportedly provided by Dawkins. Medicaid paid Serenity Keepers $9,077,260 for behavior health claims that were not provided in accordance with Medicaid regulations, or were not provided at all.
Dawkins was the fifth defendant convicted as part of the investigation into Serenity Keepers’ scheme. Delores Jordan, the owner of Serenity Keepers, and Jerome Davis, her boyfriend, both pled guilty to their role in the kickback conspiracy. Lily Bell, who paid the kickbacks to Dawkins, Jordan, and Davis, and who facilitated the abuse of the Nurse Practitioner’s stolen identifiers, pled guilty to aggravated identity theft. Ernest Williams, who ran several of the sober homes for Serenity Keepers, pled guilty to a health care fraud conspiracy involving fraudulent urine drug testing and fraudulent peer support services.
Jason Parman, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Olivia Olson, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office; and Russell Coleman, Kentucky Attorney General, jointly announced the conviction.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI and the Kentucky Attorney General, Office of Medicaid Fraud and Abuse. The U.S. Attorney’s Office was represented in the case by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kate K. Smith.
Dawkins will appear for sentencing on July 9. He faces a maximum of 10 years in prison and any restitution determined by the Court. However, the Court must consider the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the applicable federal sentencing statutes before imposing a sentence.
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LeFlore County Resident Pleads Guilty to Assault with the Intent to Commit Murder of Webbers Falls Police OfficerRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Billy Wayne Williams, age 47, of Wister, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to charges relating to the shooting of a Webbers Falls police officer in March of 2025.
On April 1, 2026, Williams pleaded guilty to one count of Assault with Intent to Commit Murder in Indian Country, punishable by up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine; one count of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country, punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine; one count of Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury in Indian Country, punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, one count of Use, Carry, Brandish, and Discharge of a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence, punishable by no less than 10 years consecutive to any other sentence imposed and a $250,000 fine.
The Indictment alleged that on or about March 16, 2025, Williams assaulted the victim with intent to commit murder.
The Indictment further alleged that on March 16, 2025, Williams assaulted the victim with a dangerous weapon intending to do bodily harm; that Williams assaulted the victim resulting in serious bodily injury; and that, during that crime of violence, Williams knowingly discharged a firearm.
According to investigators, on March 16, 2025, Williams pulled his firearm and shot a Webbers Falls, Oklahoma police officer in the face during a routine traffic stop. Williams fled the scene and law enforcement issued a statewide Blue Alert for Williams, cautioning that Williams was armed and dangerous. The Webbers Falls officer was taken to the hospital and treated for non-life-threatening injuries. In the early morning hours of March 17, Grants, New Mexico Police received a BOLO for Williams’ car. At 7:42 a.m., Grants officers picked up Williams’ plates on their traffic cameras and apprehended him a short time later in an area Walmart parking lot.
The crimes occurred in Muskogee County, within the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Webbers Falls Police Department, the Muskogee County Sheriff’s Office, the Cherokee Nation Marshal Service, the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Lighthorse Police Department, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, and the Grants, New Mexico Police Department.
The Honorable Gerald L. Jackson, Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Williams will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Conway represented the United States.
Las Vegas Man Convicted at Federal Trial of Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine and Conspiracy to Commit Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a jury has convicted Quantiae Harris, age 49, of Las Vegas, Nevada, of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance – Methamphetamine, Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance – Fentanyl, and Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering following a 5-day jury trial in federal district court in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Harris was indicted by a federal grand jury in September 2024. The verdict was returned on March 27, 2026.
The two charges for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance each carry a mandatory minimum sentence of 25 years and up to life imprisonment, a $20 million dollar fine, and at least 10 years to life of supervised release. The charge for Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison, a $500,000 fine or twice the value of the monetary instruments involved (whichever is greater), and three years of supervised release.
In 2023 and 2024, Harris was the leader of a California and Nevada-based drug trafficking organization responsible for bringing large quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl to the Sioux Falls area. Harris and his underlings sent packages of drugs through the U.S. mail and used rental vehicles with hidden compartments to drive drugs from California to South Dakota. They began operating out of hotel rooms before switching to short-term rental properties, typically Airbnbs, in Sioux Falls, which they used as bases of operation to distribute the drugs to local sub-distributors.
The organization was careful not to conduct their sales at the places they were staying. When a customer needed to purchase more drugs, they would call or text one of the members and be directed to meet up at public location close to wherever the organization was staying at the time. The meetups were brief, often only lasting a matter of seconds. Customers were directed to pay either in cash or using an online funds transfer service, which was typically Cash App.
Testimony at trial established the drug trafficking organization sold over 100 pounds of methamphetamine and tens of thousands of fentanyl pills during the time it was operational. The criminal syndicate is also attributed to having been the first to introduce powder fentanyl—an even more potent and lethal form of the drug than the pill form—to the Sioux Falls market. Thanks in large part to Harris and his subordinates, powder fentanyl has since become the predominant illegal opioid in the local market.Harris or the drug dealers who worked for him would vacuum-seal bags of collected cash to be hidden in rental cars on return trips to Nevada and California, as well as deposit some of the illegal proceeds in local banks. Harris was specifically linked to over $1.2 million in money laundering transactions during the time his drug trafficking organization was operational in Sioux Falls.
“This was a major bust of significant figure in the lurid underworld of illegal drugs. I’m incredibly proud of the team of federal, state, and local law enforcement officers and our federal prosecutors who made this case and secured the conviction of this Las Vegas drug dealer, responsible for so much misery and suffering in the Sioux Falls area,” said U.S. Attorney Parsons.
“The Trump Administration has designated fentanyl a weapon of mass destruction due to its extreme lethality in extremely small amounts,” U.S. Attorney Parsons continued. “In its pure powder form, it truly is a chemical weapon. If a member of your family used fentanyl in Sioux Falls over the past few years, this defendant is one of the primary drug dealers likely to have brought it here. The jury listened carefully to the evidence and returned a guilty verdict on every count. He is now out of business for good.”
Below are photographs of some of the fentanyl and methamphetamine seized during the investigation and admitted at trial.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the IRS-Criminal Investigation, the Sioux Falls Area Drug Task Force, the Sioux Falls Police Department, and the South Dakota Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Joyce prosecuted and tried the case to a successful jury verdict. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paige Petersen assisted in the preparation of the case.
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 Minneapolis comprises agents and officers from FBI, HSI, DEA, ATF, USMS, USPIS, SD DCI, SFPD, MCSO, and SDHP with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of South Dakota.
A presentence investigation was ordered, and sentencing is set for June 15, 2026. The defendant was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Kansas City Man Sentenced to 4 Years for Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., Man was sentenced in federal court for illegally possessing a Beretta, PX4 Storm, .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol.
Craig D. Monks, 48, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Beth Phillips to 4 years in prison without parole for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
On Oct. 2, 2024, Independence, Missouri Police Department officers conducted a traffic stop on Monks’s vehicle due to expired tags. A patrol officer noticed a firearm lodged between the driver’s seat and center console and asked Monks if there was a firearm in the vehicle. Monks responded that there was a firearm “right here.” The officer asked Monks to exit the vehicle and then the officer secured the firearm for officer safety. The officer conducted a subsequent criminal background check and discovered that Monks had a prior felony conviction. Later, the officer learned Monks was a convicted felon. In a subsequent interview, Monks admitted to possessing the firearm and stated that he thought it was a “dumb” rule that felons could not possess firearms. It is against federal law for a convicted felon to knowingly possess a firearm.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Trey Alford. It was investigated by the Independence, Mo. Police Department and further assistance was provided by the Kearney, Mo. Police Department.
Operation Take Back America
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.
Justice Department Seeks to Shut Down Florida-Based Return PreparerRead the Press Release
Note: View complaint here.
The United States filed a complaint today in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida seeking to enjoin a Florida-based return preparer, Glicerio D. Mirambel, from preparing federal income tax returns for others.
The complaint alleges that Mirambel prepares federal income tax returns that underreport the tax his customers owe and claim inflated refunds. Specifically, the complaint alleges that Mirambel attaches Schedules C for fictitious businesses to his customers’ return and claims fabricated business expenses to reduce his customers’ taxable income and claim credits to which they are not entitled. The complaint also alleges that the IRS has assessed tax return preparer penalties against Mirambel, but the penalties have not deterred his abusive conduct.
According to the complaint, the IRS estimates a tax loss of more than $16 million since 2023 from returns prepared by Mirambel.
Deputy Assistant Attorney General Joshua Wu of the Civil Division’s Tax Litigation Branch made the announcement.
Taxpayers seeking a return preparer should remain vigilant against unscrupulous tax preparers. The IRS has information on its website for choosing a tax return preparer and has launched a free directory of federal tax preparers. The IRS also offers 10 tips to avoid tax season fraud and ways to safeguard their personal information.
In the past decade, the Department of Justice Tax Division has obtained injunctions against hundreds of unscrupulous tax preparers. Information about these cases is available on the Justice Department’s website. An alphabetical listing of persons enjoined from preparing returns and promoting tax schemes can be found on this page. If you believe that one of the enjoined persons or businesses may be violating an injunction, please contact the Tax Division with details.
Mirambel Complaint.pdfJustice Department Intervenes in Lawsuit Accusing Missouri State High School Activities Association of Race and Sex Discrimination in Selecting Board MembersRead the Press Release
The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division (“DOJ”) intervened in a lawsuit today against the Missouri State High School Activities Association (“MSHSAA”), accusing MSHSAA of illegally classifying prospective board members based on race and sex MSHSAA is a nonprofit association of schools that governs interscholastic competitions in Missouri. MSHSAA’s constitution provides that board members for at-large seats “shall be filled by a candidate representing the under-represented gender of the current Board, or an under-represented ethnicity.” Dr. Merlyn Johnson, a white male, sued MSHSAA after he was nominated for the board, and MSHSAA disqualified him because of his race and sex.
"MSHSAA refused to allow Dr. Johnson to run for the board of directors solely because he is a white male,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Racial and sexual quotas are offensive, demeaning — and most importantly, illegal. They are especially harmful when they exclude qualified candidates such as Dr. Johnson from public service.”
The lawsuit alleges that MSHSAA has violated the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment by discriminating against Dr. Johnson. DOJ argues that MSHSAA is a state actor that lacks a compelling interest in having a “diverse” board of directors. DOJ asks the court to enjoin MSHSAA from disqualifying board candidates on the basis of race or sex.
Justice Department Announces Operation Not Forgotten 2026Read the Press Release
The Department of Justice and FBI announced today a personnel surge in support of Operation Not Forgotten 2026, the latest deployment under Operation Steadfast Promise demonstrating the FBI's sustained commitment to addressing violent crime and improving public safety in Indian Country.
In its fourth year, Operation Not Forgotten focuses on unresolved cases in Indian Country with a priority placed on cases involving violence against women and children, including those who are missing or murdered.
Operation Not Forgotten is a major initiative under FBI’s Operation Steadfast Promise, a comprehensive surge of resources to address a wide range of violent crime threats including gangs and criminal enterprises, violent crimes against children, and fugitive apprehension cases, while working to improve public safety measures impacting Tribal communities. The FBI, in coordination with U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, the Bureau of Indian Affairs Missing and Murdered Unit, Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Tribal and other federal law enforcement partners, is working across multiple territories to bring investigative aid to cases and resolution for victims and their families.
“We will never accept the high rates of violence suffered by American Indian and Alaska Native people,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “This surge will comprehensively address Indian Country violent crime – from gangs, guns and drugs, to domestic and sexual violence – while strengthening partnerships and public safety in Tribal communities.”
“For far too long our tribal partners have been forgotten while their communities suffer unacceptably high rates of violent crime,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “Last year’s Operation Not Forgotten was a tremendous success in delivering the resources long needed in Indian Country – and we are just getting started. This FBI will continue working together with our Tribal and federal partners to again surge personnel to block violent actors who think they can act lawlessly within these revered communities.”
“This surge represents the federal law enforcement at its best; coordinated, intelligence-driven, and focused on delivering justice,” said the ATF Deputy Director Rob Cekada. “ATF is proud to stand alongside our partners to bring the full weight of our investigative and forensic capabilities to fight violent crime in Indian Country. This initiative underscores our unwavering commitment to ensuring that no community is overlooked and that every victim receives the justice they deserve.”
“Operation Not Forgotten reflects the Department of the Interior’s unwavering commitment to Native families and the strength of our partnership with the FBI to deliver justice where it is long overdue,” said Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum. “Established during President Trump’s first term, the Bureau of Indian Affair's Missing and Murdered Unit has brought national focus to the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons crisis—driving stronger investigations, tighter coordination across jurisdictions, and renewed attention to cases that for too long were left unresolved. That work continues with urgency and purpose today, as we stand alongside the FBI to pursue answers for families and uphold our trust responsibility to Native communities.”
Building on prior deployments that have provided investigative support to more than 700 cases, resulting in the recovery of child victims, arrests, and federal indictments, Operation Not Forgotten 2026 represents the Bureau's continued commitment to ensuring that the most serious unresolved violent crimes in Indian Country receive the full weight of federal investigative resources.
Surged personnel, including investigative, intelligence and victim service support, will be deployed on rotating temporary duty assignments across Indian Country in eleven FBI field offices, in Albuquerque, Billings, Detroit, Denver, Jackson, Las Vegas, Minneapolis, Oklahoma City, Omaha, Portland and Phoenix. Working in close coordination with Tribal law enforcement agencies, the BIA Missing and Murdered Unit, and U.S. Attorneys' Offices, together law enforcement will work to advance open investigations and pursue accountability for victims and their families.
At the start of this fiscal year, the FBI's Indian Country program carried approximately 4,100 open investigations including death investigations, child abuse cases, and domestic violence and adult sexual abuse investigations underscoring the persistent and urgent need for sustained resource investment in these communities.
The FBI remains committed to standing alongside Tribal communities, federal partners, and local law enforcement to address the violent crime threats that continue to impact Indian Country. To learn more, visit fbi.gov/investigate/violent-crime/indian-country-crime.
The FBI encourages anyone with information related to unresolved violent crimes in Indian Country to contact their local FBI field office or submit a tip at tips.fbi.gov.
Jamestown woman sentenced for her role in narcotics conspiracyRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Anabell Santiago, 53, of Jamestown, NY, who was convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, 40 grams or more of fentanyl and cocaine, maintaining a drug involved premises, and being a user of a controlled substance in possession of firearms, was sentenced to serve 84 months in prison by U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua A. Violanti, who handled the case, stated that in November 2023, a search warrant was executed at a Van Buren Street residence, during which law enforcement seized cash, a quantity of fentanyl, pills, and drug paraphernalia. As law enforcement was securing the apartment, Anabell Santiago’s husband and co-defendant Santos Santiago attempted to destroy his fentanyl causing a large amount of fentanyl to go airborne. Two officers inhaled the cloud with one experiencing physical effects requiring medical attention.
In March 2024, investigators made a controlled purchase of fentanyl from Anabell Santiago. In April 2024, investigators executed a search warrant at the Santiago’s Whitley Avenue residence, seizing fentanyl, crack cocaine, oxycodone, two loaded pistols, ammunition, $30,369.00 in cash, and drug paraphernalia. The defendant admits the seized U.S. currency converts to at least 300 grams of fentanyl. Anabell Santiago admits that at the time of her possession of the firearms, she was an unlawful and habitual user of fentanyl. On January 15, 2025, Anabell Santiago pleaded guilty in Chautauqua County Court to possession of more than four ounces of fentanyl.
Santos Santiago was convicted and sentenced to serve 132 months in prison.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Farhana Islam, New York Field Division, and the Jamestown Police Department, under the direction of Acting Chief Scott Forster.
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Indianapolis Man Sentenced to 21 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS – Dedrick Brown, 32 years old, of Indianapolis, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Sarah Evans Barker after pleading guilty to threatening a federal employee, announced United States Attorney Adam L. Mildred.
Brown was sentenced to 21 months in prison.
According to documents in the case, on March 25, 2025, Brown appeared at a supervised release revocation hearing in the Southern District of Indiana. During the hearing, Brown made several threats against his probation officer, who had just testified against him, including that he would shoot his probation officer and that he would “make it his job” to find and kill him when he was released. Brown then attempted to spit on his probation officer.
“Federal employees who take an oath to support and defend the Constitution should never have to fear that performing their jobs faithfully will provoke an attack,” said U.S. Attorney Mildred. “This office takes such threats seriously and will continue to hold those accountable who threaten and intimidate public servants. My thanks go out to the dedicated federal agents and prosecutors who brought Dedrick Brown to justice.”
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with valuable assistance provided by the United States Marshals Service and the Federal Bureau of Prisons. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Steven J. Lupa and Thomas M. McGrath, who were appointed as Special Attorneys in the Southern District of Indiana.
Illegal Alien from Mexico Indicted for Drug and Immigration Crimes 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 Mexican national for alleged drug trafficking after detectives with the Utah County Major Crimes Task Force seized approximately 11,000 individual fentanyl pills.
Brajhan Luna-Vazquez, 24, residing unlawfully in Millcreek, Utah, was initially charged by complaint on March 23, 2026.
According to the allegations in court documents, beginning in November 2025, the Utah County Major Crimes Task Force initiated a criminal investigation into a group believed to be distributing fentanyl in the District of Utah. A controlled purchase of fentanyl was conducted and during the controlled purchase a male, later identified as Luna-Vazquez, arrived in a white sedan and sold fentanyl. A search warrant was obtained for an apartment in which Luna-Vazquez was residing at in Millcreek, and a white sedan. On March 18, 2026, detectives stopped the white sedan pursuant to the search warrant. Luna-Vazquez was the driver and sole-occupant of the vehicle. A search warrant was also executed on the apartment in Millcreek. In total, detectives found approximately 1,111 grams of fentanyl pills, which field tested positive for fentanyl. Luna-Vazquez was previously removed from the United States on September 5, 2025.
Luna-Vazquez is charged with possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute, and reentry of a previously removed alien. His next court appearance is scheduled for June 9, 2026, 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 U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Pete Reichman of the United States 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.
Illegal Alien Sentenced to 8 Years for Meth TraffickingRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Mexican national was sentenced in federal court today for possessing more than 56 pounds of methamphetamine and for entering the United States illegally after deportation.
Apolinar Gocovachi Pacheco, 26, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann A. Ketchmark to 8 years in prison without parole for possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute and for unlawful reentry after removal.
On Sept. 3, 2024, a Missouri State Highway Patrol trooper pulled over a gray 2011 Acura MDX on Interstate 29, near the N.W. 112th Street exit in Kansas City, Mo. An adult male, identified as Pedro Alberto Quiroz Ayala, who did not have a valid driver’s license, was driving the Acura, with a female juvenile in the front passenger seat and Pacheco and another adult male, identified as Pablo DeJesus Peralta Anguis, in the back seat.
When the trooper searched the vehicle, he found a large duffle bag in the third-row seating area that contained approximately 55.6 pounds of methamphetamine. He also found a grocery bag that contained approximately one pound of methamphetamine on the floorboard where the female juvenile had been sitting, and a loaded firearm in the driver’s door pouch.
When the four occupants got out of the vehicle for the search, Ayala and Anguis fled on foot. A manhunt ensued and both were apprehended a short time later.
Pacheco told investigators that he arrived in the United States approximately two weeks earlier from Nogales Sonora, Mexico. Pacheco said he entered the United States illegally and paid $6,000 to cross the border. Pacheco said he was asked to travel from Kansas City, Kansas, to Omaha to pick up drugs by Anguis. Pacheco said he was promised to receive a significant amount of U.S. currency by Anguis for assisting with the transportation of the drugs from Omaha to the Kansas City area.
Officers with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) confirmed that Pacheco had previously been found illegally in the United States by Border Patrol Agents near Nogalez, Az. on Aug. 22, 2024. Pacheco was removed from the United States to Mexico that same day.
Co-defendants Ayala and Anguis have each pleaded guilty to possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute, and Anguis has also pleaded guilty to unlawful reentry after removal. Both await sentencing.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brad K. Kavanaugh. It was investigated by the FBI, DEA, Jackson County Drug Task Force, Kansas City, Missouri Police Department and the Missouri State Highway Patrol.
Operation Take Back America
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.
Illegal Alien Facing State Murder Charge Now Charged in Federal Court with Illegally Possessing Firearm in ChicagoRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — An illegal alien unlawfully residing in the United States, who is charged in state court with murdering an 18-year-old Loyola University student, was charged today in federal court with illegally possessing a firearm in Chicago.
JOSE MEDINA-MEDINA illegally possessed a handgun on March 20, 2026, according to a criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Chicago. Chicago Police officers discovered the firearm during a court-authorized search of his residence in the Rogers Park neighborhood on Chicago’s North Side, the complaint states. The search was conducted as part of a state investigation relating to a homicide that occurred in the neighborhood the day before, the complaint states. Chicago Police officers arrested Medina-Medina after the search, and he was subsequently charged in Cook County Circuit Court with murder and other offenses related to the homicide, the complaint states.
Medina-Medina is a citizen of Venezuela and has no lawful status in the United States, the complaint states. As an illegal alien unlawfully residing in the United States, Medina-Medina was legally prohibited from possessing a firearm.
The federal complaint charges Medina-Medina, also known as “Jose Gregorio Medina,” “Jose Gregorio Medina-Medina,” and “Jose Medina,” 25, with one count of illegal possession of a firearm, which is punishable by a maximum sentence of ten years in federal prison. Medina-Medina is currently detained in state custody without bond. His initial appearance in federal court has not yet been scheduled.
The federal complaint was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Christopher Amon, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Valuable assistance was provided by the Chicago Police Department. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jill Bhalakia and William Dunne.
“Given the senseless, cold-blooded nature of the murder of a young student with a bright future ahead of her, the Chicago U.S. Attorney’s Office will take no chances that this illegal alien perpetrator will be released back into our community,” said U.S. Attorney Boutros. “The Chicago U.S. Attorney’s Office applauds the excellent work of the Chicago Police Department and Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office to quickly identify, apprehend, and charge the culprit and hold him accountable for the murder in state court. Our Office will be ready to move forward with the federal charge as needed.”
“ATF will pursue all applicable federal charges to ensure that those who commit acts of violence are held accountable, and I am grateful for the strong investigative work conducted by the Chicago Police Department and the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office," said ATF SAC Amon. "The addition of federal charges in this case further ensures that the defendant is held fully accountable under the law.”
The federal investigation is being conducted in coordination with ATF’s Crime Gun Intelligence Center of Chicago. The CGIC is a centralized law enforcement partnership that focuses exclusively on investigating and prosecuting violent offenders who utilize firearms in commission of their crimes in Chicago and throughout northern Illinois. Every firearm-related case in Chicago is processed through the CGIC on a daily basis.
The public is reminded that a complaint is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
medina-medina_complaint.pdfHuntington Beach Woman Sentenced to 2½ Years in Federal Prison for Embezzling Nearly $3 Million from Noodle CompanyRead the Press Release
SANTA ANA, California – An Orange County woman was sentenced today to 30 months in federal prison embezzling nearly $3 million from her employer, a Southern California-based noodle company for whom she worked as an account manager.
Tae Miyaji Jones, 50, of Huntington Beach, was sentenced by United States District Judge Fred W. Slaughter, who also ordered her to pay $2,894,441 in restitution.
Jones pleaded guilty in October 2025 to seven counts of mail fraud and three counts of wire fraud.
According to her plea agreement, from December 2017 to July 2023, Jones was an account manager for her employer in Garden Grove. In this role, her responsibilities included administering the company’s accounting and financial operations. She had access to and control of the company’s financial systems, corporate accounts, and records and had check-signing authorities on the company’s bank accounts.
Without her employer’s knowledge or consent, Jones transferred company funds from her employer’s corporate accounts to her personal bank accounts to finance personal expenses. These expenses included home mortgages, jewelry, car loans, and personal credit card charges.
To conceal her scheme, Jones falsified her employer’s account records to hide her unauthorized takings of company money. She used the mail to send and deposit company check into her various accounts.
For example, in July 2023, Jones mailed a $42,600 check from her employer’s bank account to American Express, to be applied to her own credit card balance. To deceive her employer, Jones falsely represented this payment in her employer’s records as a payment to a company vendor for material costs.
In total, Jones defrauded her employer out of approximately $2,894,441 in funds she used for her personal benefit, including buying luxury items and real estate in Alabama and Hawaii. Jones forfeited to the government the luxury items and the Alabama and Hawaii properties she purchased as part of the scheme.
“[Jones’s] crimes were not the result of a momentary lapse of judgment,” prosecutors argued in a sentencing memorandum. “Her conduct lasted for a period of
years and was carefully planned in order to mask her conduct. And [Jones] was able to successfully mask her conduct for years without consequence.”
The FBI investigated this matter.
Assistant United States Attorneys Clifford D. Mpare of the Major Crimes Section and Alexander Su of the Asset Forfeiture and Recovery Section prosecuted this case.
Haverhill Man Pleads Guilty to Investment FraudRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Haverhill man pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to fraudulently obtaining $350,000 in investor funds.
Luciano Schipelliti, 28, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud. U.S. Senior District Court Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV scheduled sentencing for June 24, 2026. Schipelliti was charged in March 2026.
In the fall of 2018, Schipelliti established the Superstars Fund and raised roughly $275,000 to invest in cryptocurrency. By 2019, through a series of bad investments, Schipelliti lost all the money in the Superstars Fund. He did not, however, tell any of the investors that he had lost the money. Instead, beginning in approximately November 2020, Schipelliti began sending monthly newsletters to investors that falsely reported that the Superstars Fund continued to grow in value.
Based on the misrepresented performance of the Superstars Fund, in approximately February 2021, Schipelliti launched a new fund, the TTM Fund, through which he raised approximately $350,000 to invest in cryptocurrency. Schipelliti lost all the money in the TTM fund by September 2021. According to the charging documents, Schipelliti lost most of the money in the TTM Fund investing in cryptocurrency and also used some of the money in a manner inconsistent with the terms of the TTM Fund’s operating agreement.
The charge of wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin A. Saltzman of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case.
Guilty Plea in Federal Murder Case for Killing of U.S. Air Force ReservistRead the Press Release
Pensacola, Florida – Charles Carson-Dowdy, 31, of Mobile, Alabama, pleaded guilty in federal court for cyberstalking, interstate domestic violence, murder through use of a firearm, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon in relation to the death of Starmichael L. Tucker in Pensacola in early-2025. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Thanks to the excellent investigative work of our state and federal law enforcement partners, and the aggressive prosecution by my office, this offender will be held accountable for the anguish he has inflicted on the victim’s family through his vicious, deadly, and cowardly violence that stole an innocent life. This case underscores the deadly threats posed by dating and domestic violence, and it is more important than ever to obtain justice for the victims, like Ms. Tucker, to ensure this can never happen again.”
Court documents reveal that Carson-Dowdy, who resided in Mobile, Alabama, and the victim, Ms. Tucker, who resided in Pensacola, Florida, began dating in or about October 2024. During the dating relationship, Carson-Dowdy used cellular telephones, the internet, and a ridesharing business to engage in a course of conduct with the intent to harass and intimidate the victim. At the end of December 2024, Ms. Tucker flew to California to visit family for the holidays. During her trip, Ms. Tucker and Carson-Dowdy had a series of escalating arguments via text message.
On January 1, 2025, as Ms. Tucker traveled back to Florida from California, she and Carson- Dowdy had a conversation via text message during which the victim attempted to end the relationship with Carson-Dowdy. In response, Carson-Dowdy, who was at his residence in Mobile, Alabama, used his cellular phone to hail a ride via the Uber ridesharing service and traveled to the victim’s residence in Pensacola, Florida, to confront her. Carson-Dowdy brought a Taurus handgun and an extra loaded magazine with him as he traveled from Alabama to Florida.
Carson-Dowdy entered Ms. Tucker’s home without her permission. She returned home to Carson-Dowdy waiting for her in the apartment. At approximately 8:00 pm on January 2, 2025, Carson-Dowdy followed Ms. Tucker as she left her apartment and he fired an initial volley of approximately four shots at her using his handgun. The victim was struck from behind by the bullets and collapsed in the apartment parking lot. Carson-Dowdy walked over to Ms. Tucker, who was lying on the ground, and shot her approximately ten more times. Carson-Dowdy then entered the victim’s vehicle parked nearby, and deliberately ran over Ms. Tucker with the car, reversing the vehicle over her body, and then driving forward, running over her again. Carson-Dowdy then fled from the scene in the victim’s vehicle. Ms. Tucker died from the injuries inflicted by Carson-Dowdy.
Carson-Dowdy was ultimately located by law enforcement in the victim’s vehicle in Spanish Fort, Alabama. He was taken into custody, and the Taurus handgun used to murder the victim was found inside the car.
Carson-Dowdy faces up to life imprisonment at his sentencing, which is scheduled for August 25, 2026, at 9:00 am at the United States Courthouse in Pensacola before United States District Judge T. Kent Wetherell, II.
The case involved a joint investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, the State Attorney’s Office for the First Judicial Circuit, and the Spanish Fort Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David L. Goldberg, Kaitlin Weiss, and Jordane New.
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.
Guatemalan National Sentenced to 12 Months in Prison for Illegal Reentry; Faces DeportationRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Favio Rodas Cardona, age 32, a citizen of Guyana, was sentenced yesterday to 12 months’ imprisonment by Senior United States District Judge Malachy E. Mannion for illegally reentering the country after having previously been removed.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, Rodas Cardona was indicted by a federal grand jury after being arrested for sexual abuse of children and related charges in Lebanon County, Pennsylvania, on November 5, 2025. Rodas Cardona had previously been removed from the United States pursuant to a court order in 2013. Rodas Cardona pleaded guilty to illegal reentry before being sentenced.
The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Kelley K. McGraw 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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Guatemalan National Charged with Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG-The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Miguel Mejia Tum, age 27, a citizen of Guatemala, illegally residing in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, was indicted on April 1, 2026, by a federal grand jury on the charge of illegally reentering the United States after having previously been removed subsequent to an aggravated felony conviction.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, the indictment alleges that Mejia Tum illegally reentered the United States and was found in Franklin County, Pennsylvania, on March 15, 2026. Mejia Tum was removed from the United States through Alexandria, Louisiana, on October 28, 2020, and reentered without having obtained permission to do so.
The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Kelley K. McGraw is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF York comprises agents and officers from the Department of Homeland Security with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania.
The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is twenty years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following the finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Fort Totten, ND, Man Pleads Guilty to Assaults and Voluntary ManslaughterRead the Press Release
Fargo – United States Attorney Nicholas W. Chase announced today that, Kolby Jae McKay, also known as Kolby Woods, age 33, from Fort Totten, North Dakota, appeared in United States District Court for the District of North Dakota. and pled guilty before Chief Judge Peter D. Welte to charges of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon, Assault of a Spouse, Intimate Partner, or Dating Partner by Strangulation, and Voluntary Manslaughter. McKay is detained pending sentencing, set for July 22, 2026.
McKay’s guilty pleas were entered in two separate cases. McKay pled guilty to Assault with a Dangerous Weapon and Assault of a Spouse, Intimate Partner, or Dating Partner by Strangulation related to an incident on March 13, 2024. McKay became upset with a woman, identified in the case as “Jane Doe,” with whom he was in a dating relationship. McKay grabbed a knife and held it to Jane Doe’s neck. Jane Doe pushed the knife away and McKay strangled Jane Doe by placing his hands tightly around Jane Doe’s neck until she almost lost consciousness.
McKay also pled guilty to voluntary manslaughter as a result of an incident a few weeks later. McKay killed Monte Ray Herman Sr. on April 3, 2024.
Both incidents occurred on the Spirit Lake Reservation.
McKay fled after killing Herman and was at large for several days, prompting the Spirit Lake Tribal Council to issue a community curfew and offer a reward for information leading to McKay’s whereabouts.
This case was investigated the Bureau of Indian Affairs and Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the Benson and Eddy County Sheriff’s Department, North Dakota Highway Patrol, North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation, and the Lake Region Narcotics Task Force, and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Samantha Schmidt and Lori Conroy.
# # # # # #Former Suffolk County Corrections Officer Pleads Guilty to COVID Unemployment and Loan FraudRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A former corrections officer employed by the Suffolk County Sherriff’s Department pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to submitting fraudulent information in an effort to obtain loans through CARES Act programs like the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program and the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).
Jasmine Murphy, 39, of Boston, pleaded guilty to seven counts of wire fraud and one count of making a false statement to a financial institution, arising out of PUA and PPP loan benefits obtained prior to her employment at the Suffolk County Sherriff’s Department and Unemployment Insurance (UI) benefits obtained prior to, and during, her employment there. U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns scheduled sentencing for July 9, 2026. In December 2025, Murphy was indicted along with another officer Christnel Orisca.
Murphy had been a Corrections Officer with the Suffolk County Sherriff’s Department from approximately January 2022 to December 2024. Prior to her employment with the Suffolk Sheriff’s Department, Murphy fraudulently applied for pandemic unemployment and small business loan benefits while working for trucking and workforce services companies. While working at the Sheriff’s Department, Murphy fraudulently collected UI benefits for a brief period of time early in her tenure. In total, Murphy obtained approximately $44,346 in unemployment benefits and small business loan funds to which she was not entitled.
In their PUA applications, both Murphy and Orisca made fraudulent representations about their employment status and thereafter falsely claimed, on a weekly basis, that they did not work and did not receive any income during the prior week. In their PPP loan applications, Murphy and Orisca submitted false statements to SBA-approved lenders, including about the income and/or payroll of their purported small businesses, in order to obtain their loans. According to the charging documents, they also made false representations on forms submitted to request that their PPP loans be forgiven.
Orisca pleaded guilty in November 2025 and is scheduled to be sentenced on May 12, 2026.
The charge of wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. The charge of making false statements to a financial institution provides for a sentence of up to 30 years in prison, five years of supervised release and a $1 million fine. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Anthony P. D’Esposito, Inspector General, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General; and Inspector General Joseph V. Cuffari, Ph.D., U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspector General made the announcement today. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Police Department and the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department provided valuable assistance with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dustin Chao, Chief of the Public Corruption & Special Prosecutions Unit, is prosecuting the case.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus and https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus/combatingfraud.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline via the https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/webform/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Former Milford Resident Sentenced to 30 Months in Federal Prison for Fraud and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that MARC ANTHONY ALEXANDER, 45, formerly of Milford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Sarah F. Russell in New Haven to 30 months of imprisonment and two years of supervised release for fraud and firearm offenses.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in 2022, a business known as “Traveling Graces, LLC” was registered with the State of Connecticut with Melanie Ham as its registered agent and “Dr. Marc Anthony Alexander” as its manager. Between July 2023 and December 2023, Alexander and Ham misrepresented to a Connecticut resident (the “victim”), who Alexander had met on a dating app, that Traveling Graces was a legitimate business and they were looking for investors. The victim provided two bank checks totaling $167,000 to Alexander and Ham, which they used for their own purposes.
In May 2024, Alexander met with an employee of the residential community in which he resided and claimed to be an FBI agent who required additional parking spaces assigned to him for professional reasons. He wore clothing that falsely identified him as an FBI agent, showed a fake FBI identification badge, and possessed a Hellcat 9mm pistol in a holster.
Alexander’s criminal history includes convictions for fraud and other offenses. In April 2017, he was sentenced in New Haven federal court to 96 months of imprisonment and three years of supervised release for his involvement in a scheme related to the theft and negotiation of postal money orders that defrauded the U.S. Postal Service of more than $300,000, and his role in a separate scheme that involved the fraudulent sale of financed vehicles, which defrauded lenders of more than $1 million. Alexander was released from federal prison in February 2023.
In February 2024, while he was on supervised release, Alexander was arrested by Stamford Police for illegal operation of a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol/drugs, illegal operation of a motor vehicle under suspension, illegal operation of a motor vehicle without minimum insurance, and failure to drive in a proper lane. In November 2024, Alexander is alleged to have used a bank statement he manipulated with false information to facilitate the purchase of a vehicle from a car dealership in Dartmouth, Massachusetts. Alexander also falsely reported his address to his probation officer, left Connecticut without permission, and opened nine new lines of credit, all in violation of the terms and conditions of his supervised release.
Alexander has been detained in federal custody since January 13, 2025. On February 26, 2025, he was sentenced in Hartford federal court to two years of imprisonment for violating the conditions of his supervised release from his prior federal conviction. On January 29, 2026, he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon.
On November 19, 2025, Ham pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. She awaits sentencing.
This matter has been investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ray Miller.
Former Member of the Air Force Pleads Guilty to Multi-Year Bid Rigging Schemes and Conspiracy to Defraud U.S. Air ForceRead the Press Release
HONOLULU – A former active-duty Master Sergeant of the U.S. Air Force pleaded guilty yesterday to fraudulently inflating the cost of information technology (IT) contracts for the U.S. Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) by at least $37 million — and using the excess funds to enrich himself, enrich co-conspirators, and channel bribes to a federal public official in PACAF whom the conspirators nicknamed “Godfather.”
The defendant, Alan Hayward James, 51, of Texas, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, bribery, and conspiracy to rig bids. James also agreed to pay over $1.4 million in restitution to the U.S. Department of War.
“Over thirty-seven million dollars — that’s how much the U.S. Air Force overpaid because of the scheme that the defendant admitted to, under oath and in open court,” said Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Daniel Glad of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “Criminals who rig bids and commit fraud on government contracts steal from taxpayers and threaten the public’s confidence in government institutions. The Antitrust Division’s Procurement Collusion Strike Force will detect and prosecute those who rig bids and defraud their government customers.”
“Through this bid-rigging scheme, the defendant not only stole from American taxpayers and harmed companies seeking to compete honestly for government contracts, he also ultimately harmed essential military services designed to keep our nation safe by diverting resources away from other services,” said U.S. Attorney Ken Sorenson for the District of Hawaii. “Bid-rigging and anti-competitive behavior in government contracts erodes trust in our institutions, harms taxpayers, and will not be tolerated. We will continue to investigate and prosecute any and all who would seek to manipulate markets and undermine fair competition for their own personal gain.”
“James’s guilty plea acknowledges his role in a long-running conspiracy to rig bids and defraud the U.S. government for personal financial gain,” said Special Agent in Charge John E. Helsing of the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), Western Field Office. “DCIS, along with our law enforcement partners and the U.S. Department of Justice, will aggressively investigate those who seek to enrich themselves through fraudulent schemes targeting the U.S. Department of Defense and American taxpayers.”
“This case highlights the capabilities and strength of joint investigative efforts to defend and protect sensitive Department of War (DoW) acquisition systems,” said Special Agent Nicole Vanourek of the Air Force Office of Special Investigations (AFOSI), Procurement Fraud. “Ensuring companies adhere to robust contracting requirements is integral to maximizing the Air Force’s lethality and readiness to address evolving security challenges.”
“Bribery, bid rigging, and wire fraud are not victimless crimes; they erode public trust, distort fair competition, and harm honest businesses who play by the rules,” said Special Agent in Charge Christopher Bjornstad of the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) Office of Inspector General (OIG) Western Investigations Division. “GSA OIG special agents and our law enforcement partners remain committed to pursuing those who engage in procurement fraud.”
According to a plea agreement and information filed in the U.S. District Court in Honolulu, Hawaii, from at least April 2016 until about April 2025, James and his coconspirators falsely inflated the cost of IT contracts serving U.S. Air Force installations across the Pacific. James and his coconspirators agreed to use the excess funds to pay James, James’ family members, the family of an Air Force civilian employee, and other co-conspirators. As part of this scheme, the conspirators diverted government funds to pay for an all-expenses-paid multi-day stay at a luxury resort on the North Shore of Oahu in 2023. Also, from at least May 2019 until about October 2022, the defendant directed co-conspirators — who were supposed to be competitively bidding against one another to win government contracts — on the amounts they should bid to circumvent the competitive bidding process. As a result of the defendant’s actions, the government overpaid for IT contracts by at least $37 million.
The maximum penalty for conspiracy to commit wire fraud is 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The maximum penalty for bribery is 15 years in prison and a fine of either $250,000 or three times the monetary value of the bribe, whichever is greater. The maximum penalty for a conspiracy to rig bids in violation of the Sherman Act for an individual is 10 years in prison and a $1 million fine. The fines may be increased to twice the gain derived from the crime or twice the loss suffered by the victims of the crime if either amount is greater than the statutory maximum fines. James agreed to pay a restitution of at least $1,451,656.80 to the Department of War. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The Antitrust Division’s San Francisco Office and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Hawaii are prosecuting the case, which was investigated with the assistance of DOD-OIG-DCIS, AFOSI, and GSA-OIG. Rebecca A. Bers, Don Daniel, Matthew Chou, and Albert B. Sambat of the Antitrust Division’s San Francisco Office, and Darren W.K. Ching of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Hawaii, are prosecuting this case.
The Justice Department’s Procurement Collusion Strike Force (PCSF) is a joint law enforcement effort to combat antitrust crimes and related fraudulent schemes that impact government procurement, grant and program funding at all levels of government — federal, state and local. To learn more about the PCSF, or to report information on bid rigging, price fixing, market allocation and other anticompetitive conduct related to government spending, go to www.justice.gov/procurement-collusion-strike-force.
Whistleblowers who voluntarily report original information about antitrust and related offenses that result in criminal fines or other recoveries of at least $1 million may be eligible to receive a whistleblower reward. Whistleblower awards can range from 15 to 30 percent of the money collected. For more information on the Antitrust Whistleblower Rewards Program, including a link to submit reports, visit www.justice.gov/atr/whistleblower-rewards.
Former Member of the Air Force Pleads Guilty to Multi-Year Bid Rigging Schemes and Conspiracy to Defraud U.S. Air ForceRead the Press Release
A former active-duty Master Sergeant of the U.S. Air Force pleaded guilty yesterday to fraudulently inflating the cost of information technology (IT) contracts for the U.S. Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) by at least $37 million — and using the excess funds to enrich himself, enrich co-conspirators, and channel bribes to a federal public official in PACAF whom the conspirators nicknamed “Godfather.”
The defendant, Alan Hayward James, 51, of Texas, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, bribery, and conspiracy to rig bids. James also agreed to pay over $1.4 million in restitution to the U.S. Department of War.
“Over thirty-seven million dollars — that’s how much the U.S. Air Force overpaid because of the scheme that the defendant admitted to, under oath and in open court.” said Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Daniel Glad of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “Criminals who rig bids and commit fraud on government contracts steal from taxpayers and threaten the public’s confidence in government institutions. The Antitrust Division’s Procurement Collusion Strike Force will detect and prosecute those who rig bids and defraud their government customers.”
“Through this bid-rigging scheme, the defendant not only stole from American taxpayers and harmed companies seeking to compete honestly for government contracts, he also ultimately harmed essential military services designed to keep our nation safe by diverting resources away from other services,” said U.S. Attorney Ken Sorenson for the District of Hawaii. “Bid-rigging and anti-competitive behavior in government contracts erodes trust in our institutions, harms taxpayers, and will not be tolerated. We will continue to investigate and prosecute any and all who would seek to manipulate markets and undermine fair competition for their own personal gain.”
“James’s guilty plea acknowledges his role in a long-running conspiracy to rig bids and defraud the U.S. government for personal financial gain,” said Special Agent in Charge John E. Helsing of the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), Western Field Office. “DCIS, along with our law enforcement partners and the U.S. Department of Justice, will aggressively investigate those who seek to enrich themselves through fraudulent schemes targeting the U.S. Department of Defense and American taxpayers.”
“This case highlights the capabilities and strength of joint investigative efforts to defend and protect sensitive Department of War (DoW) acquisition systems,” said Special Agent Nicole Vanourek of the Air Force Office of Special Investigations (AFOSI), Procurement Fraud. “Ensuring companies adhere to robust contracting requirements is integral to maximizing the Air Force’s lethality and readiness to address evolving security challenges.”
“Bribery, bid rigging, and wire fraud are not victimless crimes; they erode public trust, distort fair competition, and harm honest businesses who play by the rules,” said Special Agent in Charge Christopher Bjornstad of the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) Office of Inspector General (OIG) Western Investigations Division. “GSA OIG special agents and our law enforcement partners remain committed to pursuing those who engage in procurement fraud.”
According to a plea agreement and information filed in the U.S. District Court in Honolulu, Hawaii, from at least April 2016 until about April 2025, James and his coconspirators falsely inflated the cost of IT contracts serving U.S. Air Force installations across the Pacific. James and his coconspirators agreed to use the excess funds to pay James, James’ family members, the family of an Air Force civilian employee, and other co-conspirators. As part of this scheme, the conspirators diverted government funds to pay for an all-expenses-paid multi-day stay at a luxury resort on the North Shore of Oahu in 2023. Also, from at least May 2019 until about October 2022, the defendant directed co-conspirators — who were supposed to be competitively bidding against one another to win government contracts — on the amounts they should bid to circumvent the competitive bidding process. As a result of the defendant’s actions, the government overpaid for IT contracts by at least $37 million.
The maximum penalty for conspiracy to commit wire fraud is 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The maximum penalty for bribery is 15 years in prison and a fine of either $250,000 or three times the monetary value of the bribe, whichever is greater. The maximum penalty for a conspiracy to rig bids in violation of the Sherman Act for an individual is 10 years in prison and a $1 million fine. The fines may be increased to twice the gain derived from the crime or twice the loss suffered by the victims of the crime if either amount is greater than the statutory maximum fines. James agreed to pay a restitution of at least $1,451,656.80 to the Department of War. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The Antitrust Division’s San Francisco Office and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Hawaii are prosecuting the case, which was investigated with the assistance of DOD-OIG-DCIS, AFOSI, and GSA-OIG. Rebecca A. Bers, Don Daniel, Matthew Chou, and Albert B. Sambat of the Antitrust Division’s San Francisco Office, and Darren W.K. Ching of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Hawaii, are prosecuting this case.
The Justice Department’s Procurement Collusion Strike Force (PCSF) is a joint law enforcement effort to combat antitrust crimes and related fraudulent schemes that impact government procurement, grant and program funding at all levels of government — federal, state and local. To learn more about the PCSF, or to report information on bid rigging, price fixing, market allocation and other anticompetitive conduct related to government spending, go to www.justice.gov/procurement-collusion-strike-force.
Whistleblowers who voluntarily report original information about antitrust and related offenses that result in criminal fines or other recoveries of at least $1 million may be eligible to receive a whistleblower reward. Whistleblower awards can range from 15 to 30 percent of the money collected. For more information on the Antitrust Whistleblower Rewards Program, including a link to submit reports, visit www.justice.gov/atr/whistleblower-rewards.
Former Medicaid Provider Sentenced to Federal Prison for Health Care Fraud and Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Alabama, the Alabama Attorney General’s Office, and the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) announced today that an Anniston, Alabama, man has been sentenced for health care fraud and identity theft offenses.
On April 2, 2026, a federal judge sentenced 54-year-old Hasan Jermel Pulliam to 54 months in prison. The court also ordered Pulliam to serve three years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment and to pay $718,967.20 in restitution to the Alabama Medicaid Agency. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Health care fraud diverts limited resources away from the patients and families who depend on programs like Medicaid,” said Acting United States Attorney Kevin Davidson. “This sentence holds the defendant accountable for abusing his position of trust and sending false claims to obtain money he was not entitled to receive. Our office will continue to work closely with our federal and state partners to protect taxpayer-funded health care programs from fraud and abuse.”
“This sentence reflects our commitment to protecting taxpayer resources and upholding the rule of law in Alabama,” said Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall. “I commend our Medicaid Fraud Control Unit for their excellent work on this case, and I thank our federal partners at the U.S. Attorney's Office and HHS-OIG for their collaboration in holding Mr. Pulliam accountable for defrauding Alabama taxpayers of over $700,000. We will continue this collaborative effort to root out fraud and ensure justice is served.”
“Health care providers who fraudulently bill Medicaid for services not rendered and exploit personal information for their own gain will be held accountable,” said Kelly Blackmon, Special Agent in Charge at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG remains committed to working with our law enforcement partners to safeguard the integrity of Medicaid and other federally funded health care programs.”
According to his plea agreement and other court records, Pulliam was a child and family therapist who enrolled as a provider with Alabama Medicaid in October 2018. After enrolling, Pulliam received referrals from other medical providers that included Medicaid beneficiaries’ names, dates of birth, Medicaid Recipient Identification Numbers, and other personally identifying information.
The Alabama Medicaid Agency’s Program Integrity Unit identified questionable billing activity associated with Pulliam and referred the matter to the Alabama Attorney General’s Office Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU) in Montgomery and HHS-OIG in Birmingham for investigation.
The subsequent investigation revealed that Pulliam submitted numerous fraudulent claims to the Alabama Medicaid Agency for counseling services that were never provided. In submitting those claims, Pulliam used Medicaid beneficiaries’ identifying information without their consent, or, in cases involving minor beneficiaries, without the consent of their families. This fraudulent conduct continued through November 2023.
As a result of Pulliam’s fraudulent claims, the Alabama Medicaid Agency issued payments totaling $718,967.20, to which he was not entitled.
On October 25, 2025, Pulliam pleaded guilty to health care fraud and aggravated identity theft.
This case was investigated by the Alabama Attorney General’s Office Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, in coordination with the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General. Assistant United States Attorney Joel Feil prosecuted the case.
The Medicaid Fraud Control Unit is a division of the Alabama Attorney General’s Office and 75 percent of its funding is provided by a grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General. That amount was $1.14 million for fiscal year 2025.
Former International Trucker Sentenced to Federal Prison for Conspiring to Traffic Guns Purchased in Florida and Found at Canadian Crime ScenesRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – Erhan John Er (35, Sarasota) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Mary S. Scriven to four years and three months in federal prison for his role in an international firearms trafficking conspiracy. Er pleaded guilty on December 19, 2024. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents, from February to September 2022, Er worked as a cross-border truck driver, based in Sarasota. Er agreed to purchase firearms for a Canadian co-conspirator and smuggle those firearms into Canada. In July and September 2022, Er bought a total of 28 guns from firearms dealers in Sarasota and Naples, Florida. He took the firearms across the Canadian border and sold them to his conspirator in exchange for his expenses and $1,000 (CAD) per gun.
Canadian investigators have since recovered 10 of those firearms from crime scenes in Ontario and Quebec. All of the firearms recovered thus far have had obliterated serial numbers. Investigators have restored the serial numbers and traced them back to Er’s purchases in Florida.
“Er falsely claimed to gun dealers that he was buying guns for himself, only to smuggle the guns into Canada, where they were used in multiple crimes,” stated U.S. Attorney Kehoe. “Working together with our local, federal, and international partners, this scheme was uncovered and Er has been brought to justice.”
“This investigation demonstrates the effectiveness of cross border partnerships in protecting our communities. The OPP remains committed to working closely with our Canadian and U.S. law enforcement partners to disrupt organized criminal networks, enhance public safety and prevent illegal firearms from crossing our shared border.” – OPP Chief Superintendent Mike Stoddart, Organized Crime Enforcement Bureau.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, including ATF’s Attachés in Ontario and Quebec and ATF’s Buffalo and Rochester, New York Field Offices; Homeland Security Investigations, including HSI’s Toronto Attaché; with the assistance of the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs; U.S. Customs and Border Protection; the Canada Border Services Agency; the Durham Regional Police Service; the Halton Regional Police Service; the Hamilton Police Service; Ontario Provincial Police; the Sûreté du Québec; the Thunder Bay Police Service; the Toronto Police Service; the York Regional Police; the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office; and the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam W. McCall.
Former Farmer Sentenced to Federal Prison for Lying to His Bank to Get a Line of CreditRead the Press Release
A former farmer who lied to a small-town Iowa bank to get a farm operating line of credit was sentenced April 1, 2026, to six months in federal prison.
Mashon Van Mill, age 41, from Shell Rock, Iowa, received the prison term after an October 15, 2025, guilty plea to making a false statement to a financial institution.
In a plea agreement, Van Mill admitted he lied to the bank he had been banking at for nearly two years. Van Mill applied for a $1,000,000 farm operating line of credit with the bank. To secure the loan, Van Mill provided the bank with a balance sheet purporting to show assets he owned to use as collateral for the loan. The balance sheet showed he possessed over $2,000,000 worth of corn in storage. Van Mill lied about the corn. He did not possess any corn in storage.
An employee of the bank got suspicious and began checking whether Van Mill had lied. In doing so, he sent a letter to the owner of an elevator in which Van Mill had claimed to be storing corn. The bank employee received a letter back, which was purportedly signed by the elevator owner indicating Van Mill had corn in storage. When law enforcement officers later showed the letter to him, the elevator owner denied sending it and said he had never seen the letter from the bank. He also confirmed Van Mill had no corn in storage at the elevator at the time of the lie. Law enforcement officers determined Van Mill had also lied about money he was owed and farm equipment he owned.
By the time his deceit was discovered, the bank had lent Van Mill $873,118.71 on the line of credit. Van Mill defaulted on the entire amount, as well as on several other loans from the bank.
Van Mill was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Van Mill was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment. He was ordered to make $873,118.71 in restitution to the victim bank. At the time of sentencing, the victim bank had recovered $258,110.17 from Van Mill by garnishing Van Mill’s wages and Van Mill’s sale of various pieces of property. Van Mill must also serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Van Mill was released on the bond previously set and is to surrender to the United States Marshal on April 27, 2026.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Morfitt and investigated by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation – Office of Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-cr-76.
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Former Employee of National Industrial Company Pleads Guilty to Crimes Related to Hacking Computer Networks and Extorting EmployeesRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – A Missouri man has pleaded guilty to crimes related to his hacking of computer networks and extortion of employees, U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer announced.
Daniel Rhyne, 59, of Kansas City, Missouri, pleaded guilty on April 1, 2026 before U.S. District Judge Michael A. Shipp in Trenton federal court to an information charging him with extortion in relation to a threat to cause damage to a protected computer and intentional damage to a protected computer.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Rhyne, then a New Jersey resident, worked as a core infrastructure engineer at a U.S.-based industrial company headquartered in New Jersey (“Victim-1”). In or around November 2023, Rhyne took steps to execute a scheme to hack Victim-1’s computer network and extort Victim-1 into paying a ransom. Specifically, and among other things, Rhyne initiated unauthorized remote desktop sessions and prepared for the attack by scheduling tasks that would trigger damage to Victim-1’s network. These tasks included deleting network administrator accounts, changing passwords to certain other Victim-1 accounts, and shutting down multiple Victim-1 servers. On November 25, 2023, Rhyne began deploying the scheduled tasks and, on the same date, sent an extortion email to Victim-1 employees in which he threatened to continue shutting down Victim-1 servers unless and until he received approximately 20 bitcoin, which, at the time, was valued at approximately $750,000.
The extortion charge to which Rhyne pleaded guilty carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison, and the intentional damage to a protected computer violation to which Rhyne pleaded guilty carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. Each violation also carries a maximum fine of $250,000 or twice the gross amount of gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greatest.
U.S. Attorney Frazer credited special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Newark Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy, with the investigation. He also thanked the FBI Kansas City, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Stephen A. Cyrus, for its assistance.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Taj Moore of the Cybercrime Unit in Newark.
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Defense counsel: Jonathan F. Marshall, Esq.
Former Computer Systems Administrator at Federal Public Defender’s Office Charged with Stealing Government PropertyRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Noah Fallon, Acting Investigations Branch Chief for the Federal Protective Service, today announced that a federal grand jury in New Haven has returned an indictment charging PETERSON BERNADEL, 39, of Meriden, with offenses related to the theft of government property.
The indictment alleges that Bernadel was a Computer Systems Administrator (CSA) at the Office of the Federal Public Defender for the District of Connecticut (FDO). As a CSA, he had physical access to the FDO’s inventory of digital and electronic devices, including computers, tablet computers, cellular telephones, and other devices. He also had the ability to add, remove, and edit information contained in their digital inventory record-keeping system. Bernadel stole property from the FDO, including iPads, Apple and Dell computers, a Mavic drone, and a Canon digital camera, and exchanged the items for cash at pawn shops. He also falsified an inventory record related to an Apple laptop computer that he had stolen and pawned.
The indictment, which was returned on March 24, 2026, charges Bernadel with eight counts of theft of government property, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years on each count, and one count of falsifying records and information, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of five years.
Bernadel was arrested on April 1, 2026. He is released on a $50,000 bond pending trial.
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 matter is being investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Protective Service. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel George.
Former Census Bureau Program Manager Pleads Guilty to Kickback SchemeRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – A former supervisory official with the U.S. Census Bureau pled guilty in federal court today, to conspiring with a subcontractor to receive $790,000 in kickbacks.
Camille T. Jones, 47, of Upper Marlboro, Maryland, is charged with conspiracy to commit bribery and honest services fraud in connection with a procurement fraud scheme.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty plea with Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva, Department of Justice Criminal Division, and Special Agent in Charge Eric Arcand, U.S. Department of Commerce Office of the Inspector General (DOC-OIG).
According to court documents, as part of her guilty plea, Camille Jones admitted that she steered a large employee assistant program contract to a prime contractor and a subcontracting company, YMJ Consulting, which is owned by Camille Jones’s relative, Yolanda M. Jones. The contract was worth millions of dollars. In exchange for steering the contract and modifications, Jones received kickbacks from YMJ Consulting and Yolanda Jones.
Additionally, Camille Jones attempted to obstruct the investigation by drafting a service agreement between YMJ Consulting and a mental health company that she owned to make the kickbacks appear like legitimate consulting payments between the two companies. Both Camille Jones and Yolanda Jones signed the agreement in 2024 but backdated it to 2020. Yolanda Jones then provided the document to law enforcement during the investigation.
Camille Jones further admitted that she used her official position to share the Census Bureau’s confidential procurement information with another government contractor. While receiving preferential treatment, the contractor hired another one of Camille Jones’s relatives for a minimal-work job. Camille Jones largely performed the work but the relative received $83,000.
Sentencing is scheduled for Thursday, July 16, at 10:30 a.m. Camille Jones faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. Additionally, on August 14, 2025, Yolanda Jones pled guilty to conspiracy to commit bribery and honest services fraud. She is awaiting sentencing. A federal district court judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the DOC-OIG for its work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan S. McKoy and Acting Chief Edward P. Sullivan, DOJ Criminal Division Public Integrity Section, who are prosecuting the case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, please visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/report-fraud.
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Former BIA Officer Pleads Guilty to Sexual Abuse of a Minor and Lying to InvestigatorsRead the Press Release
Murrell Deela, a former Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) officer, pleaded guilty today to sexual abuse involving a minor and to lying to federal investigators.
“Rather than serve and protect those within the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation, the defendant used his position of power to sexually assault a minor entrusted to his care, and then he lied and attempted to conceal his crime,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The minor victim suffered harm that cannot be quantified, but this Justice Department will hold accountable those who violate positions of public trust and prey on the citizens they have sworn to protect.”
“The outcome reflects the victim’s courage in coming forward,” said Special Agent in Charge Jutin Gerken of the FBI Billings Field Office. “Any abuse of authority, especially against a minor, causes lasting harm and is a betrayal of everything law enforcement stands for. The FBI will continue working to ensure accountability for those who exploit positions of trust to harm others.”
According to records filed in the case, on Aug. 7, 2024, Deela, then 29 years old, was on duty and acting in his official capacity as a BIA officer in the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation, when he encountered the minor. The minor victim was apprehended and placed in the back of Deela’s patrol vehicle. Instead of driving the teenager to her family’s house, Deela drove the minor to an alternate location. Deela then proceeded to engage in sexual acts with the minor victim without the victim’s consent. The minor victim disclosed the victimization the following day, and the FBI’s analysis of the evidence provided additional facts that corroborated the minor’s outcry.
Several days after the incident, Deela was instructed to bring his patrol vehicle to the BIA station for evidence collection. Hours prior to the scheduled report time, Deela reported that his patrol vehicle was on fire. The patrol vehicle and its video system were severely burned. An investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) determined the patrol vehicle was set on fire intentionally.
Following the incident, Deela wrote a false report omitting that he had driven the minor victim to the alternate location. When interviewed by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Deela falsely told agents that he drove the minor directly to her family’s home and had not made any other stops. When confronted with evidence, Deela later admitted that he had driven the minor to an alternate location.
The case was investigated by the FBI and ATF. Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Lee for the District of North Dakota and Senior Sex Crimes Counsel Tara Allison and Trial Attorney Taylor Payne of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division are prosecuting the case.
Fifth Circuit Affirms Former Amory School Teacher's Conviction and 192 Year Sentence for Abusing StudentsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, La. – The United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit has affirmed the conviction and sentence of Toshemie Wilson, 50, a former educator in the Amory School District who was sexually abusing students over a ten year period. Wilson was found guilty of eight counts of sexual exploitation of children by a federal jury to which he was given 24 years for each count by United States Chief Judge Debra M. Brown.
Testimony at trial revealed that the defendant exploited his students for his sexual pleasure. Seven victims testified at trial that the abuse spanned from 2007 until at least 2016. The conduct was exposed by one former student coming forward to report the conduct.
Wilson challenged several aspects of the trial including his argument that he did not produce the child exploitation material for anything but to “conduct scientific research.” The Fifth Circuit dismissed that argument and stated that the jury “evidently believed the victims.” Wilson will continue to serve the remainder of his 192-year sentence at a federal prison.
The investigation was a joint effort by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Mississippi Attorney General’s Office, and many state and local officers.
United States Attorney for the Northern District of Mississippi, Scott F. Leary, made the announcement. Additionally, Leary said “Our motto, found on the Mississippi Coat-of-Arms, is the Latin phrase “Virtute et Armis” – Virtue and Arms. Virtue is a trait of character exhibiting inner strength and personal integrity, resulting in morally good conduct. The Latin phrase “armis” refers to military equipment and is often used in phrases indicating force. As citizens of this great country, we must vigilantly protect the vulnerable from injustice, at times through “Armis”. No self-respecting nation should ever submit to wrongs committed against its children. In this case a victim came forward and courageously reported this crime. State and federal authorities then worked together and ended a reign of terror perpetrated by a predator teacher. A 192-year sentence is justice. Hopefully the victims of this crime can move on with their lives knowing justice was served. The Mississippi Attorney General’s Office and the FBI did an excellent job investigating this case. Our prosecutors are pros, convicting the defendant at trial and seeing the case through appeal. Well done all.”
Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Jackson Field Office Robert Eikhoff said, “The justice system got it right. Wilson’s conviction highlights the FBI’s and our law enforcement partners’ unwavering commitment to protecting minors from predators. Those who exploit positions of trust to harm children will be held accountable.”
“This case serves as a reminder that those who abuse positions of trust will be prosecuted to the fullest extent,” said Attorney General Lynn Fitch. “We are grateful for the Court’s decision to uphold this conviction. Thank you to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their partnership and diligent work on this case. My hope is that these victims and their families can move forward and find healing.”
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Parker S. King and Clyde McGee 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.
Farmington Man Admits Supplying Fentanyl to Man Who Died of OverdoseRead the Press Release
CAPE GIRARDEAU – A man from Farmington, Missouri on Thursday admitted supplying fentanyl to a man shortly before the victim's overdose death.
James B. Link, 31, pleaded guilty Thursday in U.S. District Court in Cape Girardeau to one count of distribution of fentanyl. He admitted that in messages with the victim on June 14, 2025, he discussed bringing fentanyl pills to the victim. Link’s vehicle was spotted leaving the victim’s home shortly before the death. The next day, investigators interviewed Link, who admitted delivering blue and yellow pills containing fentanyl to the victim shortly before he died. Investigators found those same blue and yellow pills in Link’s house.
Link is scheduled to be sentenced on July 9. The charge is punishable by up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine or both prison and fine.
The Ste. Genevieve County Sheriff’s Office, the Mineral Area Drug Task Force and the Missouri State Highway Patrol investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Shelton is prosecuting the case.
Eastern District of Virginia prosecutes 19 child exploitation cases under Project Safe Childhood in the previous monthRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Project Safe Childhood is 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.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia brought seven new Project Safe Childhood cases during March while achieving seven convictions and eight substantial sentences, including a life sentence for a repeat offender.
Indictments
On March 3, a federal grand jury indicted David Brent Timberlake, 65, of Henrico, on charges of receipt of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and possession of CSAM. Case no. 3: 26-CR-26
On March 11, a federal grand jury indicted Joseph Downing Barnes Jr., 35, of Virginia Beach, on charges of production of CSAM and transportation of CSAM. In 2016, Barnes was convicted of receiving CSAM. Case no. 2:26-CR-29
On March 11, a federal grand jury indicted Tucker Lee Martin, 31, of Norfolk, on charges of production of CSAM, attempted production of CSAM, and attempted coercion and enticement of a minor. Case no. 2: 26-CR-32
Charges
Nicolas Antonio Lainez, 19, of Hawaii, was charged on March 12 by criminal complaint with production of CSAM and transportation of CSAM. Lainez was living with a family on Fort Eustis when he allegedly recorded himself sexually exploiting a six-year-old victim. Case no. 4:26-MJ-15
Pleas
Bahamian national and illegal alien Rian Wayne Johnson, 38, possessed on his cellphone CSAM depicting his sexual exploitation of an 11-year-old child. Johnson pled guilty on March 3 to sexual exploitation of a child. He is scheduled to be sentenced on June 9 and faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years and up to 30 years in prison. Case no. 4:25-CR-59
Stephen Chadwick Howell, 26, of Arlington, sexually exploited a 15-year-old victim and produced multiple sexually explicit videos and images of the abuse, which he later distributed. On May 7, 2025, as law enforcement executed a search warrant at Howell’s residence, Howell urinated on his laptop in an attempt to prevent the FBI from accessing its contents. On March 4, Howell pled guilty to coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity and destruction of property to prevent seizure. Howell is scheduled to be sentenced on July 15 and faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison. Case no. 1:25-CR-235
On several occasions from February 2025 to March 2025, Mexican national and illegal alien Samuel Flores De Dios sexually abused a 12-year-old victim and recorded the abuse in his apartment in Fredericksburg. On March 6, Flores De Dios pled guilty to production of CSAM. He is scheduled to be sentenced on June 24 and faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years and up to 30 years in prison. Case no. 3:25-CR-158
In June 2024, John Joseph Chanel, 37, of Sterling, uploaded and then requested and received CSAM via an Internet platform. Chanel possessed 38 videos and 12 images of CSAM. On March 13, Chanel pled guilty to receipt of CSAM. He is scheduled to be sentenced on July 16 and faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 20 years in prison. Case no. 1:26-CR-44
Kemp Jermaine Nelson, 33, of Newport News, filmed himself having sex with a 15-year-old victim who was a runaway and posted a video of the encounter on social media. On March 17, Nelson pled guilty to coercion and enticement of a child to engage in sexually explicit conduct to produce CSAM. Nelson is scheduled to be sentenced on June 23 and faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years and up to 30 years in prison. Case no. 4:25-CR-68
Alex Tyler Buenaga, 32, of Suffolk, a former Newport News firefighter, recorded himself sexually abusing a three-month-old infant over 90 times and, on at least one occasion, recorded himself blowing methamphetamine smoke in the infant’s face. Buenaga pled guilty on March 25 to production of CSAM and coercion of a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity. He faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years and up to life plus 60 years in prison when sentenced on Sept. 22. Case No. 2:25-CR-31
On Oct. 1, 2025, law enforcement searched the Arlington residence of Patrick Wanamaker, 35. Investigators found CSAM on Wanamaker’s cellphone and laptop. Wanamaker also emailed to himself several Mega links that contained 279 images and 777 videos of CSAM, including images and videos of the sexual abuse of infants and toddlers. On March 25, Wanamaker pled guilty to receipt of CSAM. He is scheduled to be sentenced on July 22 and faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 20 years in prison. Case no. 1:26-CR-53
Sentencing
On June 11, 2024, FBI agents searched the Norfolk residence of Douglas Edward Steele, Jr., 41. On his electronic devices, investigators found thousands of videos and images of CSAM. Steele estimated that he probably had approximately 5,000 stored CSAM files. On Nov. 24, 2025, Steele pled guilty to receipt and possession of CSAM. On March 5, Steele was sentenced to six years in prison. Case no. 2:25-CR-111
On March 31, 2015, David Christopher Schaefer, 38, was convicted of possession of CSAM and was sentenced to over eight years in prison and a life term of supervised release. In 2025, a probation officer searched Schaefer’s residence and located nine unauthorized or unreported devices that Schaefer used to access, view, download, and exchange CSAM. Schaefer was attributed with over 25,000 CSAM images. On March 5, Schaefer was sentenced to 15 years in prison. Case no. 4:25-CR-51
Retired Navy Chief Petty Officer Cory Richard Hambley, 43, worked as a program analyst for the Missile Defense Agency and held a Top Secret security clearance. In November 2022, Hambley contacted his former girlfriend and encouraged her to provide CSAM depicting her abusing two minor children, ages five and nine, which she did. On March 11, Hambley was sentenced to 35 years in prison. The former girlfriend, Grace Elizabeth Paradis, 43, of Virginia Beach, pled guilty on Oct. 23, 2025, to conspiring to produce CSAM. She is scheduled to be sentenced on May 21 and faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years and up to 30 years in prison. Case no. 2:25-CR-44
On Nov. 5, 2013, Nicholas Wayne Hanlon, 40, was convicted in the District of Columbia for receipt of CSAM and attempting to meet with a purported 12-year-old girl for sex. Following his release from prison, from November 2020 through July 2024, Hanlon used SnapChat and Instagram to contact and request CSAM from at least seven minors across multiple states. Investigators found approximately 150 child pornography images and 20 child pornography videos depicting Hanlon’s victims on his cellphone and numerous additional videos and images in his SnapChat and Instagram accounts. On March 11, in the Eastern District of Virginia, Hanlon was sentenced to life in prison. Case no. 1:25-CR-151
Skylar James Duvall, 24, made arrangements with the guardian of a minor, including a determined amount of time and payment to the guardian, for certain sex acts to be committed against the victim. On Jan. 15, 2023, Duvall recorded a live stream of the abuse. On Duvall’s electronic devices, investigators found additional CSAM, including over 500 images and 700 videos, as well as thousands of files of potential CSAM and CGI/animated child exploitive videos and images. On March 12, Duvall was sentenced to 17 years in prison. Case no. 4:25-CR-25
William Michael Webb, 41, of Chesapeake, used the BitTorrent application to download CSAM to his electronic devices, on which he possessed over 8,000 images and 800 videos of CSAM, as well as over 3,300 images of child erotica. Webb pled guilty on Sept. 25, 2025, to receipt of CSAM. He was sentenced on March 13 to five years in prison. Case no. 2:24-CR-102
Devin Sinclair Buries, 49, shared his vast CSAM collection with other users on BitTorrent. Buries possessed over 200 videos and over 19,000 images of CSAM. After his arrest, Buries fled to Ukraine. He was returned to the United States and arrested on Sept. 22, 2025, and pled guilty on Dec. 18, 2025. Buries was sentenced on March 18 to 10 years in prison. Case no. 1:24-CR-252
Michael J. Machonis , 30, of Bridgewater, New Jersey, and Asia Tamara Billups, 20, of Gloucester, Virginia, met online and discussed minors and the exchange of CSAM. On May 31, 2024, and June 1, 2024, Billups used a cellphone to produce four sexually explicit videos of a three-year-old toddler and a four-month-old infant. Billups transmitted the videos to Machonis. Billups pled guilty on April 14, 2025, and was sentenced on Sept. 19, 2025, to 15 years in prison. Machonis pled guilty on Oct. 24, 2025, and was sentenced on March 19 to 17 years in prison. Case no. 4:24-CR-70
For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Indictments and criminal complaints are merely accusations. Defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Duxbury Man Pleads Guilty to Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Duxbury man pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to distribution of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
Daniel Debreczeni, 35, pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of child pornography. U.S. District Court Chief Judge Denise J. Casper scheduled sentencing for July 16, 2026. Debreczeni was arrested and charged in August 2025.
Between Nov. 29, 2023 and Dec. 12, 2023, Debreczeni distributed three videos containing CSAM in a private chat room dedicated to child sexual abuse on the Kik Messenger platform. The children in the three videos appeared to be between approximately two, three and eight years old. During a subsequent search of Debreczeni’s residence, five images and 19 videos depicting CSAM were located on Debreczeni’s Kik account.
The charge of distribution of child pornography, provides for a sentence of at least five years and up to 20 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police and the Duxbury and Quincy Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Tobin of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Dominican National Sentenced to Prison for Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dominican national unlawfully residing in Lawrence, Mass. was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for unlawfully reentering the United States after deportation.
Jose Alberto Tejeda Turbi, 46, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs to 18 months in prison, to be followed by two years of supervised release. The defendant is subject to deportation upon completion of the imposed sentence. In March 2026, Tejeda Turbi pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien. In January 2026, Tejeda Turbi was indicted by a federal grand jury.
In July 2015, Tejeda Turbi was convicted in federal court in Boston of heroin distribution and conspiracy, for which he was sentenced to five years in prison and four years of supervised release. Tejeda Turbi was deported from the United States in March 2020 upon his completion of the sentence imposed.
Sometime after his March 2020 removal, Tejeda Turbi illegally reentered the United States without permission.
In June 2024, Tejeda Turbi was sentenced in Lawrence District Court to two years in prison for assault and battery resulting in serious bodily injury and three years of probation for remaining charges.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and David T. Wesling, Acting Field Office Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations in Boston made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brad A. Rocheville of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit prosecuted the case.
Dominican National Pleads Guilty to Illegal Reentry, Misuse of Social Security Number, and Benefits FraudRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A Dominican national illegally residing in the United States has pleaded guilty in federal court in Rhode Island for engaging in a years-long scheme in which he used stolen identities to fraudulently obtain Medicaid, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and unemployment benefits, announced United States Attorney Charles C. Calenda.
Jesus Matos Perez, 52, pleaded guilty today to illegal entry, false representation of a Social Security number, health care fraud, and wire fraud. He is scheduled to be sentenced on July 8, 2026. The sentence imposed will be determined by a federal district court judge after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
According to court documents, for approximately ten years, Matos Perez used the stolen identities of two American citizens, including dates of birth and social security numbers to obtain $75,000 in combined Medicaid SNAP, and unemployment benefits. Matos Perez was taken into custody on October 1, 2025.
The case is being prosecuted by First Assistant United States Attorney Dulce Donovan.
The matter was investigated by the United States Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General, Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General, United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, and Homeland Security Investigations
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.
Dominican National Charged with Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dominican national residing in Boston has been charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after deportation.
Angel Daniel Cruz-Sanchez, 40, is charged with one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien. Cruz-Sanchez was arrested on April 1, 2026 and made his initial appearance in federal court in Boston. A detention hearing is scheduled for April 7, 2026.
According to the charging documents, Cruz-Sanchez is a citizen of the Dominican Republic who was deported in 2019 and 2023. In 2003, 2008 and 2018, Cruz-Sanchez was convicted in separate drug trafficking cases.
The charge of unlawful reentry of a deported alien provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The defendant is subject to deportation upon completion of any sentence imposed. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and David T. Wesling, Acting Field Office Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations in Boston made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Suzanne Sullivan Jacobus of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.