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1 April 2026
Convicted Felon Sentenced in Possessing Two Loaded Revolvers and Resisting ArrestRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Phillip Alphonso Mayes, 74, a previously convicted felon residing in the District of Columbia, was sentenced today to 10 months in prison for unlawful possession of two handguns and ammunition and 6 months in prison for resisting arrest, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Mayes pleaded guilty on Dec. 1, 2025, before Judge Trevor N. McFadden to unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon and to resisting arrest. In addition to the prison term, Judge McFadden ordered Mayes to serve 1 year of supervised release.
According to court documents, on Aug. 22, 2025, a Metropolitan Police Department officer was dispatched to a multiunit housing building in the 3800 block of W Street SE, where a .38 Special revolver had been found in a mailbox. While the officer was guarding the firearm, Mayes descended the stairs, attempted to retrieve it, and stated “that’s mine” before the officer forcefully removed it from his grasp. The officer attempted to place Mayes under arrest. Mayes struggled with the officer, pushed her against a wall, and pulled her up two flights of stairs before she broke free and returned to the ground floor, sustaining scratches to her right forearm and the right side of her face.
Following his arrest, officers executed a search warrant at Mayes’ unit and recovered a second loaded firearm, a .357 Magnum revolver, concealed in a bag in a closet. Mayes admitted both weapons belonged to him.
Mayes was prohibited from possessing any firearm due to prior felony convictions: a 2001 conviction for possession of a controlled substance in Illinois for which he was ultimately sentenced to two years in prison, and two 1992 convictions for retail fraud and being a habitual offender in Michigan for which he was sentenced to a prison term of between 16 months and two years.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Blake J. Ellison and John Parron.
This case was prosecuted under the Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful initiative. Make D.C. Safe Again is a law enforcement initiative in support of President Trump’s Executive Order to crack down on gun violence, prioritize federal firearms violations, pursue tougher penalties for offenses, and seek detention for federal firearms violators.
Still Photo of Mayes Holding the Firearm After Taking It from the Mailbox
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Convicted Felon Indicted for Allegedly Possessing a Firearm as a Restricted Person Following a Shooting in Downtown Salt Lake CityRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A federal grand jury in Salt Lake City returned an indictment today charging a previously convicted felon of a firearm crime after he allegedly opened fire outside a downtown Salt Lake City bar where two people were shot.
SLCPDAngelo Mark Garcia, 40, of Salt Lake City, was initially charged by complaint on March 19, 2026.
According to the allegations in court documents, on March 14, 2026, at approximately 1:15 a.m., officers with the Salt Lake City Police Department (SLCPD) responded to a shots fired call outside a bar in downtown Salt Lake City. Upon the officers’ arrival, they located a victim with a gunshot wound. At approximately 1:17 a.m. a Utah Highway Patrol trooper stopped a white SUV near 400 South State Street in Salt Lake City for a traffic violation. The trooper noticed the driver, identified as Garcia, and his passenger had red-brown stains on their clothing and appeared to have been in a recent altercation. During a preliminary search of the vehicle, the trooper observed a firearm underneath the front passenger seat. Subsequently, a search warrant was obtained, and SLCPD detectives seized a Glock 19 9mm semi-automatic pistol. At the scene of the shooting, multiple 9mm casings were recovered. Detectives also obtained video of the incident from multiple sources, and Garcia is allegedly shown firing into the air before firing multiple rounds in the direction of several individuals. Investigators later learned a second person had been shot during the incident. As a previously convicted felon, Garcia is restricted from owning or possessing a firearm and ammunition.
Garcia is charged with felon in possession of a firearm. His initial appearance on the indictment is scheduled for April 3, 2026, at 1:15 p.m. in courtroom 8.4 before a U.S. Magistrate 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 Salt Lake City Police Department’ Patrol Division and Gang Unit is investigating the case. Valuable assistance was provided by the Utah Highway Patrol and FBI.
Assistant United States Attorney Victoria K. McFarland 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.
Colorado Springs Man Sentenced to 46 Months After Being Convicted on Charges Arising from Hate Crime HoaxRead the Press Release
DENVER – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Derrick Bernard, 36, of Colorado Springs was sentenced to 46 months in federal prison, three years of supervised release, and a $200 special assessment after being found guilty by a federal jury for conspiring to threaten or convey false information about a threat when he burned a cross in front of a Black political candidate’s campaign sign defaced with a racial slur and publicized the threatening activity. The cross burning took place on April 23, 2023, just over three weeks before the Colorado Springs mayoral runoff election was being held.
Evidence presented at trial demonstrated that ten days before the cross burning, Bernard sent a message to the threatened candidate in which he explained he was “mobilizing my squad in defense. Black ops style big brother” and then immediately texted co-defendant Ashley Blackcloud, “I got a plan.” After the burning occurred, Bernard and Blackcloud then worked together to send an email to the candidate, media outlets, and other local, state, and national organizations. Attached to the email was a short video of the cross burning and a still photograph. The email falsely blamed the candidate’s political opponent for the crime. The defendants then worked together to maliciously convey false information about the cross burning via social media platforms.
The conspiracy was uncovered when the Colorado Springs Police Department (CSPD) gathered surveillance footage around the scene of the cross burning. The CSPD’s extensive review of the footage revealed three people prowling through the darkness between 2:30 and 3:30 in the morning to stage the crime. Additional investigative work by the CSPD and exhaustive efforts by the FBI ultimately identified Bernard and Blackcloud, self-declared activists and social media personalities, as two of the culprits.
United States District Judge Regina M. Rodriguez presided over the sentencing.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI Denver Field Office, with substantial assistance from the Colorado Springs Police Department.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Bryan Fields and Candyce Cline.
CASE NUMBER: 24-cr-00320-RMR
Cleveland Man Who Led Large-Scale Drug Trafficking Operation Gets More Than 24 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – After a multi-year federal investigation, a 38-year-old man has been sentenced to prison for his role as the leader of a drug trafficking organization (DTO) that distributed deadly controlled substances throughout Northeast Ohio.
Jerone Tate, 38, of Westlake, Ohio, was sentenced to 292 months in prison by U.S. District Judge John R. Adams after pleading guilty in July of 2025 to the following offenses:
- Conspiracy to Distribute and Possession with Intent to Distribute Controlled Substances (fentanyl and cocaine)
- Distribution of a Controlled Substance (cocaine)
- Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance (fentanyl)
- Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance (cocaine)
Tate was also ordered to serve five years of supervised release after imprisonment.
According to court documents, in 2021, federal agents began an investigation into a large-scale drug trafficking organization suspected of being led by Tate. During the investigation, it was discovered that Tate was responsible for organizing and distributing large quantities of cocaine and fentanyl throughout Northeast Ohio. Agents executed multiple search warrants related to the DTO and raided a residence in Cleveland, Tate’s personal residence in Avon Lake, and a restaurant he owned in Richmond Heights.
Throughout the investigation agents seized:
- Approximately 1,902 grams of cocaine
- Approximately 494.2 grams of fentanyl
- Approximately 112.53 grams of fentanyl analogue
- Approximately 19 kilograms of marijuana
- Approximately $63,111 in cash
- A drug press, cellphones, drug ledgers, and other drug paraphernalia.
Co-conspirator Terrill Colbert, 40, of Cleveland, previously pleaded guilty to his role in the DTO and is currently serving a 10-year prison sentence.
This investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Payum Doroodian for the Northern District of Ohio.
Cleveland Armed Drug Dealer Sentenced to More Than 24 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – A 43-year-old man has been sentenced to prison for selling illegal narcotics throughout Cuyahoga County and the surrounding areas.
Omari Clifton, of Garfield Heights, Ohio, was sentenced to 292 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Patricia A. Gaughan for the following offenses:
- Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl
- Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine
- Felon in Possession of a Firearm; previous convictions include Drug Trafficking in 2021 and 2018; Drug Possession in 2015; and Felonious Assault in 2013
- Possessing a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime
Clifton was also ordered to serve four years of supervised release after imprisonment.
According to court documents, in October 2024, a local drug task force began an investigation into suspected trafficking of crack cocaine in Northeast Ohio. Clifton was identified as a drug trafficker. In December 2024, a search warrant was executed at his residence in Garfield Heights, where task force officers seized distribution quantities of fentanyl, cocaine, cocaine base (crack), scales, baggies multiple cellphones, and cash. Two loaded firearms— a Smith & Wesson 9mm handgun and a Glock 23 .40 caliber handgun —and ammunition were also seized.
This investigation was conducted by the Southeast Area Law Enforcement Task Force and the FBI Cleveland Division Cartel, Gang, Narcotics, and Laundering Task Force.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Payum Doroodian for the Northern District of Ohio.
Chester man pleads guilty to child pornography chargesRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS – A Chester man accused of possessing images and videos depicting child pornography admitted to charges yesterday, Acting U.S. Attorney Tim Racicot said.
The defendant, Brandon Wayne Roos, 35, pleaded guilty to one count of receipt of child pornography which carries the following penalties: a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of 20 years, a $250,000 fine, and not less than five years to a lifetime of supervised release.
U.S. Magistrate Judge John T. Johnston presided. U.S. District Judge William W. Mercer will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing will be set for a later date. Roos was released on conditions pending further proceedings.
The government alleged in court documents that on September 24, 2023, Brandon Wayne Roos attempted to cross into Montana from Canada at the Sweetgrass Port of Entry. Acting on a tip, officers from Customs and Border Protection's Office of Field Operations (CBP-OFO) seized Roos’ cell phone and searched it, finding several videos depicting minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. The investigation revealed the images were downloaded to Roos’ phone via the Telegram application and officers found a total of 151 images and 49 videos of child pornography. When interviewed, Roos admitted purchasing and downloading child pornography images via Telegram to both his phone and computer at his home in Chester.
Law enforcement traveled to Roos’ home and seized his computer. A forensic examination revealed 50 images and eight videos of child pornography.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Lowney prosecuted the case. Homeland Security Investigations, CBP-OFO, and the Liberty County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
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Brook Park Man Sentenced to 14 Years in Prison for Trafficking Nearly 2,000 Child Sexual Abuse ImagesRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – A 53-year-old Cuyahoga County man has been sentenced to federal prison for trafficking thousands of Child Sexual Abuse Materials (CSAM) across the internet.
Ernest A. Fuller II, of Brook Park, Ohio, has been sentenced to 168 months (14 years) in prison by U.S. District Benita Y. Pearson, after pleading guilty in December 2025, to Receipt and Distribution of Visual Depictions of Real Minors Engaged in Sexually Explicit Conduct. He was also ordered to serve five years of supervised release after imprisonment and pay $71,500 in restitution to victims.
Court documents show that throughout a nearly three-year period, Fuller was regularly distributing CSAM using peer-to-peer computer applications. During a search warrant executed at his residence, Fuller’s electronic devices were seized. A forensic analysis of his devices revealed hundreds of saved images depicting the rape, torture, and abuse of children ranging from toddlers to teenagers. Most of the nearly 2,000 files in the defendant’s possession were of minors who were under the age of 12. In addition, investigators found evidence that Fuller regularly deleted CSAM files using a program to optimize speed and disk space. Along with the electronic devices, agents also found CDs that contained CSAM and a child-sized sex toy.
The investigation leading to the indictment was led by the FBI Cleveland Division.
Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer J. King for the Northern District Ohio led the prosecution.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. The initiative is led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices throughout the country and marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit justice.gov/PSC.
To report child exploitation, please visit cybertipline.org, or call 1-800-843-5678, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Aviation company employee attempted to take proprietary information to ChinaRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. – An Oklahoma man pleaded guilty after lying to U.S. customs officials while attempting to board a flight to the People’s Republic of China with proprietary information belonging to his employer.
According to court documents, Junjie Zhang, also known as Jeff Zhang, 57, of Tulsa, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty to one count of making a false statement.
Zhang, a naturalized United States citizen originally from China, worked for an aviation company in Wichita. His position as a senior material and process engineer provided him access to confidential data and proprietary information. In 2018, Zhang’s employer reported him to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) after an incident during a work trip to China where he displayed suspicious behavior.
In September 2019, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) stopped Zhang at an airport in Dallas, Texas, as he was attempting to board a flight to China. During an interview, agents asked if he had any work-related information on his electronic devices to which he responded, “no”. Zhang told the agents the thumb drive and laptop he carried only contained personal information. However, when CBP agents examined the devices, they discovered documents belonging to Zhang’s employer marked “Proprietary” and “Confidential” along with graphs and blueprints associated with the aviation company’s work. Zhang then changed his story to say that his employer had given him permission to have the documents.
CBP alerted the FBI who contacted Zhang’s employer. The company informed the FBI that Zhang was not authorized to have confidential documents on his personal devices or to leave the country with that information.
“Americans invest heavily into technological research and development. Intellectual property theft causes U.S. companies across numerous sectors to lose billions of dollars a year. Often that cost ultimately falls on consumers. Not only are Internet hackers a risk for this theft but so are insider threats from rouge employees,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser. “The Department of Justice works tirelessly to safeguard the hard-earned intellectual property of Americans and their companies from theft.”
The proprietary data on Zhang’s devices is estimated to be valued at more than $100,000.
Zhang is scheduled to be sentenced on July 23, 2026. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Scott Rask and Taylor Hines are prosecuting the case.
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Associate of Motorcycle Gang Drug Trafficking Ring Sentenced to 12 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
BOSTON – An associate of the Unknown Bikers Motorcycle Club was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for his role in a conspiracy to distribute crystal methamphetamine.
Daniel Loughman, a/k/a “Swiss,” 40, of Wakefield, Mass. was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge F. Dennis Saylor, IV to 12 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. In December 2025, Loughman pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute 50 grams and more of methamphetamine and one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 50 grams and more of methamphetamine.
Loughman was one of four individuals charged in a large-scale methamphetamine trafficking ring operating in Eastern Massachusetts by members and associates of the Unknown Bikers Motorcycle Club.
In approximately October 2023, Loughman was identified as a drug trafficker who distributed methamphetamine to customers throughout Eastern Massachusetts. Investigators conducted controlled purchases of methamphetamine from Loughman, as well as from his co-conspirators James Snow, of Tewkesbury, Danielle Steenbruggen, of Peabody, and James Adams, of Byfield. Approximately 10 pounds of methamphetamine and four firearms were seized throughout the investigation from controlled purchases, motor vehicle stops and search warrants.
Loughman is the fourth and final defendant to be sentenced in the case. Steenbruggen pleaded guilty in August 2025 and was sentenced to 93 months in prison in November 2025. Snow pleaded guilty in December 2025 and was sentenced to 90 months in prison on March 23, 2026. Adams pleaded guilty in December 2025 and was sentenced to 151 months in prison on March 20, 2026.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Thomas Greco, Special Agent in Charge of the Boston Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge for Homeland Security Investigations in New England; Jarod A. Forget, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration in New England; Jason Buckley, Acting Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Boston Division; Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; and Chief Steven A. Skory of the Wakefield Police Department made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Newbury, Newburyport, Haverhill, Peabody and Hampton (N.H.) Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Dawley of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit prosecuted the case.
Albuquerque Man Sentenced to Life Plus 60 Months for Violent Kidnapping-for-Ransom SchemeRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – An Albuquerque man was sentenced to life in prison plus 60 months after a federal jury convicted him on kidnapping charges stemming from a 2018 abduction, following nearly seven years on the run from law enforcement.
There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, in 2018, just weeks after his release from prison for a felony firearm conviction stemming from a high-speed police chase, and while under court supervision and wearing a GPS ankle monitor, Jose Ramirez, 47, engineered a calculated and violent kidnapping-for-ransom scheme targeting his former employer, a 68-year-old business owner who had fired him years earlier for theft.
On July 25, 2018, the day before the kidnapping, Ramirez met with his co-defendants in Albuquerque and enlisted them in the scheme, which he described as a plan to retaliate against his former boss and “take him for all he had.” One co-defendant further recruited a third participant, who acted as the primary enforcer during the attack. In the early morning hours of July 26, after stealing a vehicle from a family member, cutting off his GPS monitor and discarding his phone to conceal his movements, Ramirez and his co-defendants traveled to the victim’s residence in Placitas.
At approximately 6 a.m., the defendants ambushed the victim as he exited his home. Ramirez restrained the victim in a chokehold and held a knife to his throat. During the ensuing struggle, the victim was pistol-whipped multiple times before being subdued. The defendants forced the victim into his own Ford Ranger and drove him to a remote location, where they robbed him of cash and a check, bound him, and transported him to a dilapidated shed in Albuquerque.
Ramirez held the victim captive for approximately 15 hours, during which the victim endured additional beatings. Throughout the day, Ramirez made multiple ransom calls to the victim’s daughter, demanding $9,600 and directing her to wire money to a bank account in Mexico. Despite his previous efforts to avoid detection, Ramirez used his personal cell phone to make the calls, which were traced by investigators, and he spoke directly to the victim’s daughter during a recorded call, further identifying himself.
The scheme ultimately unraveled when Ramirez failed to provide the necessary banking information required to complete the international wire transfer. After obtaining only $600 from the victim, Ramirez abandoned the ransom attempt. That evening, the victim was released in southwest Albuquerque and walked to a nearby gas station, where he called for help.
In the aftermath, Ramirez attempted to profit further by using a stolen check bearing his fingerprint, which led to an additional bank fraud conviction for an associate. He then fled New Mexico, traveling to California, where he lived under aliases and continued engaging in criminal activity. Ramirez evaded law enforcement for seven years before being apprehended in California.
On December 12, 2025, a federal jury convicted Ramirez on multiple charges, including conspiracy to kidnap, kidnapping, conspiracy to carjack, carjacking, using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, and extortion. Due to his more than thirty years of criminal conduct and the particularly violent and calculated nature of the crime, the government requested—and the court imposed—a sentence of life in prison plus 60 years.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Valencia County Sheriff’s Office, Albuquerque Police Department and New Mexico Corrections Department Probation and Parole. Assistant United States Attorneys Jack E. Burkhead and Sarah Mease are prosecuting the case.
31 March 2026
Wilbraham Man Sentenced to 32 Months in Prison for Threatening Public Officials, Private Individuals and ChildrenRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Wilbraham, Mass. man was sentenced today in federal court in Springfield, Mass. for making numerous violent threats on social media targeting public figures, private individuals, children in Wilbraham and Boston, and an elementary school in Springfield, Mass.
Funwayo Mbilini Nyawo, a/k/a “Jonathan Funwayo Nyawo,” a/k/a “Michael Jacobs,” a/k/a “Robert Jacobs,”a/k/a “Carl Fields,” 37, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni to 32 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. In July 2025, Nyawo pleaded guilty to 13 counts of interstate transmission of threatening communications and one count of stalking through facilities of interstate commerce. Nyawo was indicted by a federal grand jury in March 2025.
Between July 30, 2024 and Oct. 1, 2024, Nyawo posted various threatening communications on X (formerly known as Twitter). These threats explicitly referenced killing, shooting, or bombing; targeted a wide variety of public figures, private individuals and sensitive public locations such as shopping malls and an elementary school; and often urged Islamic terrorist groups or holy warriors to commit these acts of violence.
Nyawo’s threats included threats to kill an elected United States official (and their family); a former United States official (and their family); a former member of a Massachusetts police department (and their family); two private individuals; local officials and their family members; the children of Wilbraham and Boston; members of the Wilbraham Police Department and Wilbraham Fire Department (and their families); and targeted two shopping malls and an elementary school in Springfield, among others.
In addition, between Aug. 17, 2024 and on or about Oct. 1, 2024, Nyawo used X to engage in a course of conduct with the intent to harass and intimidate the elected United States official, their spouse, their child, their child’s spouse and their grandchildren.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and J. Thomas Manger of the United States Capital Police made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Wilbraham Police Department, the Hampden County Sheriff’s Department and the Miami-Dade Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven H. Breslow of the Springfield Branch Office prosecuted the case.
Vermilion County Business Owner Sentenced to Jail for Tax FraudRead the Press Release
URBANA, Ill. – A Danville, Illinois, man, Howard Keith Wilson, 73, was sentenced on March 30, 2026, to three years of supervised release, during which he will serve thirty consecutive weekends in jail, for failure to pay employment taxes to the Internal Revenue Service and failure to file federal income tax returns.
On July 24, 2025, Wilson pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Eric I. Long to fifteen separate counts of collecting employment taxes from his employees, which included taxes for his employees’ Social Security and Medicare payments, but then failing to turn over those taxes, or pay the employer’s portion of those taxes, to the IRS. At the time of his plea, Wilson admitted that he had failed to pay those taxes from 2013 through 2020. Wilson also pleaded guilty to three counts of failing to file a personal federal income tax return from 2018 to 2020.
At the sentencing hearing, the government presented evidence establishing that Wilson was the sole owner of Wilson’s Body Shop, a collision repair and car painting business located in Danville, and employed several individuals. Wilson generated and distributed Forms W-2 to his employees whereby he deducted federal employment tax withholdings from their salaries, but then failed to pay those taxes, or the employer’s share of those taxes, to the IRS. Wilson failed to pay employment taxes from at least 2013 through 2020, totaling an employment tax loss of $351,152. Moreover, Wilson failed to file a personal federal income tax return or pay federal taxes for 2018, 2019, and 2020, despite income of $698,354, $1,058,401, and $772,603, respectively, resulting in an additional federal income tax loss of $505,871. The evidence showed that Wilson has a substantial net worth and continues to operate Wilson’s Body Shop in Danville.
U.S. District Judge Colin S. Bruce ordered Wilson to serve one day in jail (time served), to be followed by three years of supervised release, and to pay a $1,575 mandatory special assessment. As a condition of supervised release, Judge Bruce ordered Wilson to pay restitution of $614,411.26 to the IRS and to serve 30 consecutive weekends (known as intermittent confinement) in a local jail where the United States Marshals Service has a contract to hold federal inmates. Judge Bruce also ordered Wilson to pay 50% of his disposable income each month towards his restitution obligation.
The statutory penalties for each count of failing to pay employment taxes are up to five years of imprisonment, three years of supervised release, full restitution, and a $10,000 fine.
The case investigation was conducted by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations Division. Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Eugene L. Miller represented the government in the prosecution.
Two Illegal Aliens Arrested with More than 100 Pounds of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – Two illegal aliens were arrested and charged with conspiring with a cartel to distribute more than 100 pounds of methamphetamine in the Northern District of Oklahoma.
Perfecto Alejandro Lopez, 33, a Guatemalan national, and Christian Bernardo Zamora, 26, a Mexican national, are charged with Drug Conspiracy and Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute.
During an investigation, DEA agents obtained two search warrants. One was for a home, and the second was for a vehicle. On March 28, the vehicle was pulled over for a traffic violation. DEA agents notified the law enforcement officer that they had a search warrant authorizing a search of the vehicle. When agents searched the vehicle, they found approximately 105 pounds of methamphetamine.
Shortly after the traffic stop, agents executed the search warrant on the home in east Tulsa. Inside the home, agents recovered a large amount of cash, a loaded firearm, and a digital scale.
Lopez and Bernardo Zamora were both arrested and admitted that they entered the United States illegally.
The Drug Enforcement Administration Tulsa Resident Office is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Niko Boulieris is prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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.
Two Foreign Nationals Sentenced to Prison in March for Illegally Reentering the United States After DeportationRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that two foreign nationals convicted separately of illegally reentering the United States after prior deportations were sentenced to prison this month.
Jorge Adalberto Dejesus Rondon, aka Jorge Garcia, Henry Matos, and Edwin Carrillo, 38, a Dominican national, was sentenced by United States District Judge Gerald A. McHugh to 40 months in prison for illegal reentry. Upon completing his sentence, he will be removed from the United States again.
Dejesus had previously been removed from the U.S. three times: in February 2011, following his conviction and sentencing on drug charges in the Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas; in June 2015, after serving the sentence imposed for his first illegal reentry conviction in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania; and in August 2019, after serving sentences for illegal reentry in the Southern District of Texas and violating his supervised release in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
After Dejesus eluded an attempted arrest in April of last year, law enforcement officers located and arrested him in June in a Philadelphia residence.
The defendant was charged by indictment with illegal reentry in July and pleaded guilty in November.
Warlin DeJesus Arnaud-Salcedo, 41, a Dominican national, was sentenced by United States District Judge Mary Kay Costello to 14 months in prison for illegal reentry. Upon completing his sentence, he will be removed from the United States again.
Arnaud-Salcedo had previously been removed from the U.S. in May 2016.
In May of last year, ICE encountered the defendant on the 6100 block of Hegerman Street in Philadelphia, while searching for other individuals. He provided identification and was permitted to leave the area. Shortly thereafter, ICE personnel determined that Arnaud-Salcedo had reentered the country illegally. They located and took him into custody the following day.
Arnaud-Salcedo was charged by indictment with illegal reentry in June of last year and pleaded guilty in October.
These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The cases were investigated by ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Mark Dubnoff and Mark Sendek.
Tugboat Captain Charged in Biscayne Bay Collision Resulting in Deaths of Three ChildrenRead the Press Release
MIAMI – A tugboat captain has been charged with seaman’s manslaughter after operating a barge with obstructed visibility and without a proper lookout, resulting in a fatal collision in Biscayne Bay that killed three children.
“Our hearts are with the families of the children who lost their lives in this tragedy,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “This information alleges a preventable loss of life on our waterways, including the failure to follow basic maritime safety rules and cellphone use during transit at or near the time of the collision. We will present the evidence in court with care and professionalism. As in every case, the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.”
According to court records, Yusiel Lopez Insua, 46, of Miami, was piloting a tugboat pushing a barge loaded with construction debris across Biscayne Bay on July 28, 2025. The vessel’s forward view was obstructed by a deckhouse and crane, and no one aboard was assigned as a lookout.
At the same time, a children’s sailing camp was operating nearby. A sailboat carrying one counselor and five children lost wind and stalled in the path of the tugboat and barge. Due to the obstructed visibility, and lack of a lookout, Insua did not see the stalled sailboat before the barge struck it.
A forensic review of Insua’s cellphone revealed internet activity during transit, including at or near the time of the collision.
The counselor and two children escaped after being dragged under the barge. Three children were trapped in the wreckage and drowned.
Insua is charged with seaman’s manslaughter. If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in federal prison.
U.S. Attorney Reding Quiñones; Special Agent in Charge Edward L. Songer of the U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service (CGIS), Southeast Region; and Captain Frank J. Florio III of U.S. Coast Guard (USCG), Sector Miami, made the announcement.
CGIS, Southeast Region; USCG, Sector Miami; and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) are investigating the case. U.S. Attorney Reding Quiñones commends the valiant rescue efforts of the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office, the Miami Police Department, and the Miami Beach Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Gilfarb and Daniel Rosenfeld, along with Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Tanner Stiehl, are prosecuting the case.
An information is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 26-cr-20122.
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The United States Attorney’s Office Welcomes New Members of the Civil DivisionRead the Press Release
The United States Attorney’s Office Welcomes New Members of the Civil Division
CONCORD – U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan announces a number of new additions to the United States Attorney’s Office Civil Division.
Sam Martin joined the Civil Division for the District of New Hampshire in January 2026 as an Assistant United States Attorney. He previously worked at the Portsmouth office of a national labor and employment law firm. In this role, he represented public and private employers in state and federal courts in New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Vermont, and Maine. He also represented employers before the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and state EEO agencies. The cases he handled included claims arising under Title VII, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the Fair Labor Standards Act. Sam has also served the people of New Hampshire as the Chair of the Executive Branch Ethics Committee. He has also served as a Director of the New Hampshire Bar Foundation, a charitable foundation established by the New Hampshire Supreme Court and affiliated with the New Hampshire Bar Association, which supports civil legal aid and education throughout the state and administers the New Hampshire IOLTA program. He is a graduate of Boston College Law School and Fordham University, where he earned a degree in Political Science and Theology and practiced debate.
Bridget Davidson joined the Civil Division for the District of New Hampshire in February 2026 as an Assistant United States Attorney. Before joining the District of New Hampshire, Bridget worked as an Assistant Corporation Counsel for the City of Boston in the litigation division. There, Bridget defended the City and its employees in numerous cases that involved torts, negligence, employment, civil rights, and wrongful convictions in both the federal and state courts as well as administrative agencies. She is a graduate from Suffolk University Law School and earned her bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Mount Ida College. Bridget is currently a First Circuit Representative for the Young Lawyers Division of the National Chapter of the Federal Bar Association.
Jesse Renauld-Smith joined the Civil Division for the District of New Hampshire in February 2026 as a Special Assistant United States Attorney from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), where he serves as Assistant Chief Counsel. Prior to joining DHS, Jesse was a Juvenile Justice Legal Supervisor at the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services. He has also served as an Assistant Concord City Prosecutor and a prosecutor for the Tilton and Sanbornton police departments. Prior to his legal career, Jesse served as a police officer for the Plymouth State University and Tilton Police Departments. He is a graduate of University of New Hampshire School of Law and Plymouth State University, where he earned degrees in Criminal Justice and Spanish Language and Literature.
AUSAs Martin and Davidson and SAUSA Renauld-Smith join Civil Division Chief Raphael Katz and fellow AUSAs Anna Dronzek and Kasey Weiland to complete the office’s team of civil litigators. “Our civil litigation team is a dream team,” said U.S Attorney Creegan. “These litigators represent the United States in protecting the public fisc, reclaiming taxpayer dollars, defending federal law and civil liberties such as religious freedom, and preserving the immigration system established by Congress. New Hampshire is a better place because these advocates stand and represent their country in our court system.”
Sudbury Man Pleads Guilty to Carrying Out $7.8 Million Embezzlement SchemeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Sudbury man, formerly of Hudson (Mass.), pleaded guilty today in federal court in Worcester to carrying out a scheme from at least 2015 to 2024 to steal money from his two former employers, both medical practices.
Adam Gentile, 39, pleaded guilty to three counts of wire fraud. U.S. District Judge Margaret R. Guzman scheduled sentencing for July 16, 2026. Gentile was charged in December 2025.
In or around 2014, Gentile was hired as an administrative assistant for a medical practice. He was promoted to the role of office manager shortly thereafter. In his capacity as office manager, Gentile processed payroll and oversaw other recordkeeping and administrative responsibilities for the practice. Beginning in or around 2015 and continuing through November 2020, Gentile embezzled more than $4.5 million from his employer by issuing himself extra paychecks, sometimes labeling the payments as “bonuses.” Gentile also paid off personal credit cards with the practice’s bank account.
In 2021, Gentile was hired as an officer manager for a second medical practice, for which he similarly had sole responsibility for processing payroll. From in or around April 2021 through May 2024, Gentile executed a similar scheme in which he caused extra payroll payments to be issued to himself – sometimes recording these payments as “bonuses.” Gentile used the employer’s bank account to pay off his personal credit cards; purchase and upgrade his home in Hudson; and put toward a side business he ran while employed by the medical practice. Gentile embezzled more than $3.3 million from his second employer.
The charge of wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gross loss involved. 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 Leominster Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kaitlin J. Brown is prosecuting the case.
Suburban Chicago Woman Indicted for Allegedly Defrauding Multiple Victims out of $3.5 MillionRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A federal grand jury in Chicago has indicted a woman on fraud charges for allegedly swindling multiple victims out of at least $3.5 million by falsely claiming their money would be used to support immigration services, projects in Ukraine, and other supposed needs.
TATIANA BAZER falsely represented to victims that their money would be used in various ways, including, among things, projects in Ukraine, immigration services, or as loans to Bazer to help resolve her purported arrest for shoplifting, according to an indictment returned in U.S. District Court in Chicago. Some of the victims entrusted Bazer with hundreds of thousands of dollars, the indictment states. Bazer spent much of the victims’ money in a manner other than what she had represented, including for her own personal use, the indictment states. Bazer concealed the fraud by sending the victims false records, including bogus wire transfer receipts and fraudulent checks, the indictment states.
Furthermore, after learning that federal law enforcement was investigating her fraud scheme, Bazer pretended to be FBI agents, a prosecutor, and a criminal defense attorney to lull victims into believing that her case would be resolved and that victims would receive their money back, the indictment states.
Bazer, 40, of Buffalo Grove, Ill., is charged with seven counts of wire fraud and two counts of impersonating a federal law enforcement officer. Bazer pleaded not guilty to the charges during her arraignment in federal court in Chicago. A status hearing is scheduled for April 21, 2026, at 10:30 a.m.
The indictment was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. The Illinois Secretary of State’s Securities Department provided valuable assistance.
The public is reminded that an indictment 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. Each count of wire fraud carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison, while each count of impersonating a federal law enforcement officer is punishable by up to three years. If convicted, the Court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
If you or someone you know may be a victim of fraud allegedly committed by Tatiana Bazer, you are encouraged to report it to the FBI by clicking here.
bazer_indictment.pdfStore Owner Admits to Multi-Million-Dollar SNAP Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The owner of a small convenience in Boston has been convicted of fraudulently obtaining millions of dollars’ worth of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. The defendant’s monthly SNAP redemptions in his 150 square foot store ranged from $100,000 - $500,000 per month, far outpacing full-service supermarkets which redeem approximately $82,000 per month in SNAP benefits.
The defendant also sold liquor and emergency food supplies intended for food-insecure children overseas.
Antonio Bonheur, 74, of Mattapan, pleaded guilty yesterday to one count of food stamp fraud and one count of wire fraud. U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani scheduled sentencing for July 8, 2026. Bonheur was arrested and charged in December 2025. As part of today’s plea, Bonheur agreed to forfeit nearly $400,000 in fraudulently obtained proceeds that were seized during the investigation.
Bonheur owned Jesula Variety Store, which operated as a small variety store within a single street-facing storefront in the Mattapan neighborhood of Boston. Jesula Variety Store occupied approximately 150 square feet.
According to the charging documents, despite the store’s limited size, inventory and food offerings, Jesula Variety Store exhibited extraordinarily high SNAP redemption volumes, far beyond what could reasonably be supported by legitimate food sales. Transaction data revealed that the store had exceptionally large and anomalous average monthly SNAP redemption rates when compared to similarly situated businesses of the same size, type and location. Specifically, Bonheur’s monthly SNAP redemptions for Jesula Variety Store regularly exceeded $100,000 – with many months exceeding $300,000 and, at times, $500,000. By comparison, one full-service supermarket in the same area redeems approximately $82,000 per month in SNAP benefits.
Additionally, transaction-level data showed that only approximately 10% of SNAP transactions were for amounts under $40, while more than 70% of transactions exceeded $95. Such transaction patterns are typically associated with large supermarkets, not small variety stores with limited food inventory.
During undercover operations conducted over the course of the investigation, SNAP benefits were trafficked for cash from Jesula Variety Store on four occasions. In each instance, the defendant worked the cash registers and personally exchanged SNAP benefits for cash. Bonheur also sold liquor in exchange for SNAP benefits.
Additionally, Jesula Variety Store also sold MannaPack meals, a donated food product manufactured by the nonprofit Feed My Starving Children. These meals are paid for entirely by charitable donations intended for shipment and distribution to food-insecure children overseas and are never authorized for retail sale. Bonheur sold donated MannaPack meals in his store for approximately $8 per package, profiting from food intended for humanitarian relief.
Jesula Variety Store carried little legitimate food inventory and generated minimal lawful revenue, therefore Bonheur relied almost entirely on USDA-funded SNAP redemptions as his source of income. To conceal the nature and source of these funds, Bonheur maintained numerous secondary bank accounts through which SNAP proceeds were transferred, withdrawn as cash and redeposited to create the appearance of legitimate business activity while obscuring the true source of funds.
Despite receiving millions of dollars per year in SNAP redemptions through Jesula Variety Store, Bonheur was issued a SNAP card for himself by the Massachusetts Department of Transitional Assistance. In applying for his SNAP benefits, Bonheur made multiple false statements concerning his income and assets.
The charge of food stamp fraud greater than $5,000 provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. 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 statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Charmeka Parker, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations – Northeast Region; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Mallard of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The remaining defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.
San Jose Man Pleads Guilty to Robbing and Assaulting A U.S. Postal Service Letter CarrierRead the Press Release
SAN JOSE –Robert Cordova, also known as Robert Cordona, pleaded guilty in federal court to one count of Robbery of a United States Mail Carrier and one count of Assaulting a Federal Employee.
Cordova, 49, of San Jose, was indicted by a federal grand jury on January 23, 2025, on charges of robbery and assault. He pleaded guilty to both counts of the indictment. In connection with pleading guilty, Cordova admitted that he went inside a United States Postal Service (USPS) mail truck with the intent to steal mail. A USPS letter carrier approached him as Cordova was taking mail. Cordova punched the letter carrier in the face, knocking him to the ground. Cordova then got on top of the letter carrier and continued to punch him several times in the face and head.
United States Attorney Craig H. Missakian and U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) San Francisco Division Inspector in Charge Stephen M. Sherwood made the announcement.
Cordova’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for June 2, 2026 before U.S. District Court Judge Beth Labson Freeman. Cordova faces a maximum statutory penalty of 25 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for Robbery of a United States Mail Carrier in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2114(a) and 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for Assaulting a Federal Employee in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 111(a) and (b). Any sentence will be imposed by the court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Neal C. Hong is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Sahib Kaur. This prosecution is the result of an investigation by USPIS and the San Jose Police Department.
Salvadoran National Sentenced to 15 months in Prison for Illegal Presence in United States and Resisting ArrestRead the Press Release
URBANA, Ill. – A Salvadoran national, Edwin Bonilla Mendoza, 39, who previously resided in Kankakee County, Illinois, was sentenced on March 30, 2026, to 15 months of imprisonment for being a removed alien found in the United States and resisting a federal officer.
At the sentencing hearing, the government presented evidence that Bonilla Mendoza had been removed from the United States in 2018 but returned. After that illegal return, he strangled a family member and was convicted of Aggravated Domestic Battery in Kankakee County Circuit Court in 2023. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in marked police uniforms located him in Kankakee County in June 2025 and apprehended him after he tried to flee from arrest.
Also at the hearing, U.S. District Judge Colin S. Bruce found that Bonilla Mendoza created a substantial risk of death or serious bodily injury while fleeing from ICE. He found that Bonilla Mendoza tried to drive away from agents and accelerated his vehicle into a police car twice before fleeing into a residential area.
Bonilla Mendoza pleaded guilty to his offenses. It is anticipated that he will be removed from the United States at the conclusion of his sentence.
The statutory penalties for being a removed alien found in the United States are up to two years of imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to one year of supervised release. In this case, resisting a federal officer carried penalties of up to one year of imprisonment, up to a $100,000 fine, and up to one year of supervised release.
Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney William J. Lynch represented the government in the prosecution.
Registered Sex Offender from Minnesota Sentenced to 27 Years for Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – Robert James Levi, a registered sex offender from Minneapolis, Minnesota, was sentenced to 324 months’ imprisonment for production of child pornography after exploiting a minor victim for years, announced U.S. Attorney Daniel N. Rosen.
According to court documents and court proceedings, for a three-year period starting in February 2022, defendant Robert Levi coerced and enticed a then-12-year-old girl in another state into producing child sexual abuse material and sending it to him over the internet. Levi “catfished” the victim, posing as a 16-year-old boy, exchanging over 112,000 messages with the victim, and convincing the victim she was in a “relationship” with Levi. In fact, Levi was an adult man and, later, a convicted sex offender. In February 2024, Levi was convicted of Criminal Sexual Conduct in the Second Degree in Stearns County, Minnesota, and was required to register as a sex offender. The state conviction did not stop Levi—he continued to exploit the victim during the pendency of that case and after he was placed on probation.
This case is the result of an investigation by the FBI.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristian Weir prosecuted the case.
Portland Man Charged in Drug and Firearm OffenseRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—A Portland, Oregon, man has been charged by criminal complaint with possession with intent to distribute cocaine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Aaron Nathaniel Gabbert, 50, made his initial appearance on Friday before a U.S. magistrate judge.
According to court documents, on March 25, 2026, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office conducted a search warrant for Gabbert’s residence after identifying Gabbert as a narcotics distributor. During the search warrant, investigators seized 34 firearms, including rifles, a shotgun, and handguns, many of which were loaded. Investigators also located a ballistic helmet and vest, along with approximately one pound of cocaine.
The majority of the cocaine was located in the basement along with multiple firearms, over $11,000 in cash, and an apparent 3-D printed firearm suppressor, also known as a “silencer.” Investigators also located what appeared to be two destructive devices.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office- Special Investigation Unit- Dangerous Drugs Team are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Scott M. Kerin and Kemp Strickland are prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The Oregon-Idaho HIDTA program is an Office of National Drug Control Policy sponsored counterdrug grant program that coordinates with and provides funding resources to multi-agency drug enforcement initiatives.
This arrest 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 Portland comprises agents and officers from multiple agencies with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon.
Philadelphia Man Sentenced to 10 Months in Prison for Threats to Kill Election OfficialRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced to 10 months in prison and ordered to pay a $5,000 fine on his conviction of threatening to kill a Pennsylvania poll watcher from the Western District of Pennsylvania, United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
Chief United States District Judge Cathy Bissoon imposed the sentence on John Courtney Pollard, 63, also ordering Pollard to serve one year of supervised release following his prison term.
According to information presented to the Court, on September 6, 2024, Pollard sent Victim 1, a Regional Election Integrity Director, four iMessages over the course of about 10 minutes. Victim 1 had previously posted online, in Victim 1’s capacity as an employee of a state political party, that Victim 1 was recruiting volunteers to help “observe at the polls on Election Day” and included Victim 1’s phone number. Pollard texted Victim 1 that he was “interested in being a poll watcher” and included Victim 1’s first name. Pollard then texted Victim 1 three threats: • “I will KILL YOU IF YOU DON’T ANSWER ME!”
• “Your days are numbered, B****!”
• “GONNA F***ING FIND YOU AND SKIN YOU ALIVE AND USE YOUR SKIN FOR F***ING TOILET PAPER, YOU F***ING KKK**T!”“This prosecution, and the Court’s sentence of incarceration in the Bureau of Prisons, sends a clear and unmistakable message that threats against election workers and other public servants will be met with swift, certain, and just punishment,” said United States Attorney Rivetti. “Our office and our law enforcement partners remain committed to protecting free and fair elections.”
“Among the FBI’s highest priorities is protecting the freedom and integrity of our election system,” said FBI Pittsburgh Special Agent in Charge Richard Evanchec. “Threatening those tasked with upholding this process by weaponizing fear carries very real consequences. Our country relies on free and fair elections, and the FBI and our partners will hold accountable anyone who thinks they can impact it.”
An impact statement from Victim 1 read in Court detailed how Pollard’s “threatening texts began a year-long ordeal filled with fear and constant vigilance” for the victim, and urged the Court to “send a strong message to the country—that there is zero tolerance for making death threats against anyone, especially those serving in political or civic roles. Many of us are simply fulfilling our civic duty, yet we are becoming targets of a kind of hatred that is difficult to describe.”
Prior to imposing sentence, Judge Bissoon noted that the victim suffered greatly as a consequence of what Pollard did and that the sentence balanced the defendant’s lack of criminal history and acceptance of responsibility with the very serious nature of his action and the need to protect the public. Judge Bissoon firmly rejected the defense request for a sentence of probation, stressing that “political violence is real,” and that “death threats” such as those made by the defendant will not be tolerated.
Assistant United States Attorney Nicole A. Stockey prosecuted this case on behalf of the United States, with valuable assistance from the Department of Justice Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section (PIN). PIN oversees the investigation and prosecution of all federal crimes affecting government integrity, including bribery of public officials, election crimes, and other related offenses. PIN handles cases independently but also often works in partnership with the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices on investigating and prosecuting these crimes.
United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Pollard.
Philadelphia Man Convicted at Trial of Manufacturing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Harry Dallas, 44, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was convicted today at trial of manufacturing child pornography, specifically, videorecording himself engaged in sex acts with an underage girl.
In June 2023, in Center City, Dallas, then 40 years old, encountered a runaway teenager, who had been reported missing from her home state for several weeks. The evidence at trial established that the 15-year-old girl had no money or shelter, a situation that Dallas used to his advantage. Dallas drove the minor to his home in Northeast Philadelphia, where he sexually abused her over the course of several days and filmed videos of himself and the minor engaged in various sex acts. He also took photos of her, including one that depicted the girl while fully nude and asleep.
Dallas used a cellphone to film the videos and take the explicit photos. In 2024, FBI Philadelphia executed a search warrant on Dallas’ cloud-based account, which revealed the videos and images Dallas had taken of the minor in June 2023.
The defendant is scheduled to be sentenced on June 8 and faces a maximum possible term of 90 years in prison.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit projectsafechildhood.gov.
The case was investigated by the FBI and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Justin Ashenfelter and Amanda McCool.
Ohio Man Charged with Distributing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Robert Clark, 45, a resident of Ohio, was charged in a complaint filed today in U.S. District Court in the District of Columbia with Distribution of Child Pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Joining U.S. Attorney Pirro in the announcement was FBI Assistant Director in Charge Darren B. Cox of the Washington Field Office.
According to court documents, starting on Feb. 2, 2026, Clark communicated with another user on a fetish website. Clark stated that he had a sexual interest in children. The other user told Clark that he had a young daughter, and Clark asked the user to record himself sexually abusing his daughter.
During the communications, Clark distributed eleven videos depicting the sexual abuse of children, including a video that depicted a toddler. After sending one of these videos, Clark told the other user, “U should try that with ur daughter.”
This case is being investigated by FBI’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Kelley.
This case was brought as part of the Department of Justice's Project Safe Childhood initiative. In February 2006, the Attorney General created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse.
Led by the U.S. Attorney's Offices, 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 identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Charges in a complaint are merely allegations, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Nigerien National Indicted in Connection with Role in Romance Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland announced today, that a federal grand jury indicted a Nigerien national, residing in Frederick, Maryland, in connection with a romance fraud scheme.
Ali Habou Maman, 58, is charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to launder monetary instruments, and wire fraud. Maman and his co-conspirators allegedly assumed fictitious identities, posed as love interests, and developed what victims believed were romantic relationships to further the scheme.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the indictment with Special Agent in Charge Christopher R. Heck, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) – Maryland, and Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office.
According to the indictment, beginning in October 2022, Maman and his co-conspirators allegedly colluded to commit wire fraud to personally enrich themselves. Maman and co-conspirators attempted to fraudulently obtain money and property from victims for their own personal benefit through romance, investment, and other fraudulent schemes. Maman and co-conspirators exchanged messages via WhatsApp about creating accounts with U.S. banks to receive funds from the victims.
On January 5, 2023, Maman filed articles of organization with the Maryland State Department of Assessments & Taxation for DDK Logistics LLC. In the articles of organization, Maman identified himself as the only authorized person and resident agent for DDK, and provided his Frederick, Maryland, home address as DDK’s business address. Maman opened 13 bank accounts for DDK at multiple different financial institutions.
Additionally, Maman identified himself as DDK’s owner, or chief executive officer, who had 100-percent beneficial ownership interest in the company. When financial institutions inquired, Maman told them DDK provided computer chips for vehicles and engaged in trading automotive parts. But DDK did not have significant physical operations, engage in legitimate business activities, earn gross revenues, incur costs for goods sold, incur administrative expenses associated with business operations, report wages for employees to the State of Maryland, nor employ a significant number of workers.
Through the conspiracy, Maman and co-conspirators used DDK’s bank accounts to receive funds from victims. Co-conspirators used email, phone, and messaging applications to induce victims to turn over money and property.
While posing as romantic partners, co-conspirators told victims that they suffered various crises that required urgent financial assistance. Then the co-conspirators used other ruses, such as false investment and business opportunities, to fraudulently obtain funds from victims.
Maman and his co-conspirators created fictitious documents, websites, and other records to support the claims they made to their victims. Co-conspirators then directed victims to send money to Maman via the DDK Accounts, including by personal check, cashier’s check, and wire transfer. After Maman received the victims’ funds, he made outgoing wire transfers from DDK’s accounts to bank accounts belonging to third parties in several different countries, including the United States, China, India, and Indonesia. Maman retained a portion of the funds as a fee.
An indictment is not a finding of guilt. Individuals charged by indictment are presumed innocent until proven guilty at a later criminal proceeding.
If convicted, Maman faces a maximum of 20 years in federal prison for each of the charged counts. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative, which seeks to end the presence of criminal cartels, foreign gangs, and transnational criminal organizations through a collaborative and comprehensive response to the growing threat to public safety and national security. The HSTF integrates personnel, including law enforcement agents, intelligence analysts, and professional staff, from federal agencies to combat crime in our communities.
U.S. Attorney Kelly O. Hayes commended HSI and the FBI for their work in the investigation. U.S. Attorney Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alexander Levin and Adeyemi Adenrele who are prosecuting the federal 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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Nigerian Fraudster Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, N.C. – A federal judge sentenced a Nigerian man, Saheed Sunday Owolabi, to 15 years in federal prison for his role defrauding victims from the United States and laundering over $1.5 million to Nigeria. A jury convicted Inmate Owolabi of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
“Who hasn’t suffered some form of the ‘Nigerian Prince’ schemes. Inmate Owolabi, no prince, stole from our vulnerable citizens. This case shows that if you try to defraud the citizens of the Eastern District of North Carolina, our office will bring you to justice no matter where you are. Cheaters. Never. Win,” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle.
"This conviction underscores the FBI's unwavering commitment to identifying, disrupting, and dismantling international fraud and money laundering networks who target victims across the United States. The defendant’s role in coordinating complex cyber-enabled schemes demonstrates both the sophistication and global reach of these criminal enterprises." said Charlotte Special Agent in in Charge Reid Davis, "Together with our law enforcement partners, we will continue to pursue anyone who targets the U.S. to commit fraud and ensure they are brought to face justice in our U.S. Courts."
Inmate Owolabi pretended to be a woman to build online relationships with men in the United States, a scheme known as a romance scam. He and his co-conspirators used these fake relationships to cheat victims into sending money and personal information. Inmate Owolabi and others used bank accounts provided by the victims to launder money from other fraudulent operations and stole more than $120,000 from a victim in the EDNC, among many other victims.
In sentencing Inmate Owolabi to 15 years in prison, Chief Judge Myers determined that Inmate Owolabi was a leader or organizer within an extensive organization, engaged in sophisticated money laundering, and caused substantial financial hardship to victims from his schemes. At sentencing, the prosecution highlighted images discovered on Inmate Owolabi’s phone at the time of his arrest showing how he greedily blew this stolen money.
Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after sentencing by Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II. The FBI investigated the case, and Assistant United States Attorney Brad DeVoe is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on our website. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:22-CR-137-2M.
New Orleans Man Sentenced to 138 Months Imprisonment for Possession of over 100 Glock and AR-15 Machine Gun Conversion Devices, Possession with Intent to Distribute Marijuana, Attempted Obstruction of Justice, and Receiving ExplosivesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – United States Attorney David I. Courcelle announced that on March 26, 2026, the U.S. District Judge Barry W. Ashe sentenced KODY SEVERIN (“SEVERIN”), age 28, a resident of New Orleans, to 138 months imprisonment.
SEVERIN pled guilty to the following offenses:
Count 1-Possession with intent to distribute marijuana, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(D);
Count 2-Possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1);
Count 3-Felon in possession of firearms, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8);
Count 4-Possession of machine guns, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(o) and 924(a)(2);
Count 5-Possession of an unregistered firearm, in violation of Title 26, United States Code, Sections 5841, 5861(d), and 5871;
Count 6-Felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8);
Count 7-Attempt to obstruct justice, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1512(b)(1); and
Count 8-Receiving explosive materials, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 842(a)(3)(A) and 844(a).
The Court sentenced SEVERIN as follows:
Count 1: Sixty (60) months imprisonment, two (2) years supervised release, $100 special assessment fee;
Count 2: Sixty (60) months imprisonment, five (5) years supervised release, $100 special assessment fee; and
Counts 3-8: Seventy-eight (78) months imprisonment, three (3) years supervised release, $600 special assessment fee.
The Court ordered that Counts 1, 3-8 be served concurrently. However, Count 2 must be served consecutive to all counts.
According to court documents, on December 12, 2022, law enforcement received consent to search an apartment in the 1400 block of Milan Street. Inside, law enforcement located and seized the following items: (1) Glock Model 17L, nine-millimeter caliber pistol; (2) Glock Model 24, .40 caliber pistol; (3) Ruger model Security-6, .357 magnum caliber pistol; (4) Glock Model 21, .45 caliber pistol equipped with a device to convert this pistol to a fully automatic machinegun (more commonly referred to as a “Glock switch”); (5) Masterpiece Arms Model Mac 11, nine-millimeter caliber pistol; (6) Privately Made Firearm (“PMF”) semi-automatic handgun, .40/.357 caliber (more commonly referred to as a “Ghost Gun”); (7) upper receiver with bolt carrier group of a rifle; (8) Several PMF parts; (9) Approximately one hundred (100) machinegun conversion devices in various stages of completion, to include drop-in auto sears to convert AR-Type firearms to fully automatic machineguns and “Glock switches;” (10). One clear plastic bag containing suspected marijuana with a total package weight of approximately 81.2 grams; (11) One clear plastic bag with the word “Politics” containing suspected marijuana with a total package weight of approximately 339.8 grams; (12) Multiple completed silencers; (13) Several silencers in various stages of completion; (14) One industrial milling machine covered in metal shavings; (15) Two explosive devices; (16) Quantities of various caliber ammunition; (17) Several extended magazines; (18) SEVERIN’s mail, clothing; and several cellphones.
On December 13, 2022, law enforcement encountered SEVERIN at the apartment. After establishing verbal and visual contact with SEVERIN, law enforcement observed SEVERIN throw a black Smith and Wesson Model 36, .38 special caliber revolver from the apartment’s second floor balcony. SEVERIN eventually opened the door to the apartment and was taken into custody without further incident. Law enforcement booked SEVERIN on active NOPD warrants and for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Law enforcement verified that SEVERIN had been previously convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year. Specifically, on February 25, 2019, SEVERIN pled guilty to the felony charge of possession of methamphetamine in the 24th Judicial District Court for the Parish of Jefferson.
U.S. Attorney Courcelle praised the work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the New Orleans Police Department in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorneys Duane A. Evans of the General Crimes Unit and Lynn E. Schiffman of the Narcotics Unit are responsible for the prosecution.
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 Illegally Possessing Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Dallas Charles Driskell, age 40, of Muskogee, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Felon in Possession of Firearm and Ammunition, punishable by up to 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The Indictment charged Driskell with knowingly possessing a revolver and a shotgun on July 1, 2025, after having been previously convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year imprisonment.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics, the Muskogee Police Department, the Muskogee County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
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.
Driskell will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Olivia Staubus represented the United States.
Multiple Indictments, Arrests for Drug Distribution and Firearms Violations as a Part of Homeland Security Task Force InvestigationRead the Press Release
Oxford, MS – U.S. Attorney Scott Leary announced today that a federal grand jury returned separate indictments on March 25, 2026, charging eight individuals with drug distribution and one of those including charges as a felon in possession of firearms. All of these defendants were arrested today.
According to court documents the following individuals were indicted by a federal grand jury in the Northern District of Mississippi:
- Gary “Rooster” Ransom, 49, of Clarksdale, Mississippi, indicted for drug distribution and felon in possession of firearms
- Daniel Baker, 40, of Cleveland, Mississippi, indicted for drug distribution
- Madeline Tonos, 31, of Cleveland, Mississippi, indicted for drug distribution
- Patrick Smith, 34, of Cleveland, Mississippi, indicted for drug distribution
- Valerie Ingram, 42, of Cleveland, Mississippi, indicted for drug distribution
- Joshua Fulton, 40, of Cleveland, Mississippi, indicted for drug distribution
- Londyn Todd, 23, of Cleveland, Mississippi, indicted for drug distribution
- Merrick Smith, 47, of Dallas, Texas, indicted for drug distribution
The U.S. Marshals Service and Cleveland Police Department provided invaluable assistance in today’s arrests. The FBI is investigating the case.
U.S. Attorney Scott Leary stated, “Last year the administration established the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF), a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating the scourge of drug cartels and the resulting drug trafficking and violent crime that affects our communities. HSTF is comprised of federal and state law enforcement professionals who conduct dangerous work protecting the citizens of our state. These selfless officers do a heroic job identifying and dismantling drug trafficking organizations in North Mississippi. This HSTF operation stemmed from a months-long multi-agency investigation. A special thanks to Cleveland Police Chief Dudley Tribble. His cooperation with the FBI made this investigation possible.”
Indictments are only charges and not proof of guilt. Our constitution guarantees that defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty. If convicted, a federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. There is no parole in the federal system.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Chad Doleac and Sam Stringfellow are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Moville, Iowa, Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for KidnappingRead the Press Release
Floyd Garcia, age 51, from Moville, Iowa, was sentenced March 27, 2026, to 20 years in federal prison for kidnapping.
Evidence showed that in August 2020, Garcia tricked a young woman into leaving her home with him in his pickup truck, ostensibly for a painting job. Instead, he isolated her, held her against her will, and repeatedly sexually assaulted her. He then threatened her life and her family to keep her from reporting the crime to police. On February 23, 2021, Garcia tried to trick her out of her house again, but she told her family and refused to leave.
In a November 19, 2025, plea agreement, Garcia admitted to kidnapping and sexually exploiting the young woman in August 2020 and to attempting to do so again in February 2021. He also admitted to a September 2005 sexual assault in North Dakota that had been unearthed during the investigation.
Garcia was previously convicted in 2005 in Bexar County, Texas, of aggravated kidnapping, assault, burglary, and a number of alcohol-related offenses.
“Thanks to the bravery of these two women, a kidnapping rapist is off the street for the next two decades,” said United States Attorney Leif Olson. “Their courage in the face of this convict’s violence and his threats against their lives was key in the investigation and prosecution. The public’s trust in the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law-enforcement partners is crucial to our ability to hold criminals accountable in cases like this, which is why we work every day to be worthy of that trust.”
Garcia was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand to 240 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a 5-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Garcia is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was investigated by the Woodbury County, Iowa, Sheriff’s Department and the United States Department of Justice’s Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Forde Fairchild.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-4038.
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Mexican National Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Fraudulently Obtain Visas for Alien ‘Victims’ of Staged CrimesRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Mexican national in the Kansas City area has pleaded guilty in federal court before U.S. District Judge Beth Phillips for his role in a conspiracy to stage numerous armed robberies so that the purported victims of these crimes, who were illegal aliens in the United States, could use their status as crime victims to fraudulently obtain visas.
On Jan. 30, 2025, Oscar Gutierrez, 36, of Kansas City, Mo., a citizen of Mexico, was charged in a criminal complaint filed under seal in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo. The federal criminal complaint, which was unsealed and made public following Gutierrez’s arrest and initial court appearance, charged Gutierrez with participating in a conspiracy to fraudulently obtain immigration visas. On February 6, 2025, a federal grand jury indicted Gutierrez and co-defendant Jose Luis Morales Salgado on the same charges.
On March 31, 2026, Gutierrez pleaded guilty to conspiring to fraudulently obtain immigration visas for aliens. Gutierrez admitted that immigrants contacted Salgado to arrange for themselves to become “victims” of staged robberies so they could submit applications for U-Visas, which are granted to crime victims. These immigrants, who were either illegally present in the United States or in the United States legally through work visas, paid Salgado thousands of dollars to participate. In exchange, Salgado directed them to the location of a planned staged robbery on a particular day and time.
Salgado previously pled guilty to his role in the conspiracy on March 23, 2026. In his plea hearing, Salgado admitted that he recruited individuals to pose as robbers during the staged robberies and provided directions to those individuals. One of the persons Salgado recruited to pose as a robber was Gutierrez.
Salgado admitted that each robbery involved aliens who later told police they had car trouble and pulled over and got out of their vehicle to diagnose the car trouble. Soon after stopping, another vehicle would arrive and park next to, or in front of, the purported victim’s vehicle. The robber, wearing a medical mask over his face and brandishing a firearm, would strike the purported victims in the head or face, take their cash, and typically fire two rounds into the purported victim’s vehicle. In today’s guilty plea hearing,
Investigators with the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department initially identified 11 incidents in which the reported robberies followed this pattern. These cases were linked to each other, based in part, on leads generated from the National Integrated Ballistics Information Network (NIBIN). NIBIN utilized ballistic imaging technology to compare cartridge case markings on the expended cartridges from each crime scene. Detectives determined there was likely one firearm used in the commission of all of the robberies. Detectives gathered information from city cameras and license plate readers to identify the vehicles used in the robberies, the affidavit says, which led them to Gutierrez.
Salgado instructed the aliens to falsely report to law enforcement officials how the robberies occurred, and advised them how to make these false reports in an effort to bolster their applications for U-Visas.
The Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act was designed to strengthen the ability of law enforcement agencies to investigate and prosecute certain crimes while also protecting victims of crimes who are willing to help law enforcement authorities in the investigation or prosecution of the criminal activity. A foreign national is eligible for a U-Visa if he/she was the victim of qualifying criminal activity, suffered substantial physical or mental abuse as a result of having been a victim of the criminal activity, possessed information about the criminal activity, and was likely to be helpful to law enforcement in the investigation or prosecution of the crime.
During today’s guilty plea, Gutierrez admitted that he engaged in several of these fake robberies to bolster fraudulent U-visa applications for aliens.
According to court documents, a source told investigators the number of purported victims involved in the scheme was well over 100. Court documents also indicate that investigators identified 11 robberies involving 33 purported victims that occurred as part of the conspiracy between Dec. 29, 2021, and July 13, 2024. Of those 33 immigrants, 18 submitted U-Visa applications falsely claiming to be victims of violent crimes.
An undercover federal agent and a law enforcement source met with Salgado on Jan. 22, 2025, and recorded their meeting. The undercover agent made arrangements to pay Salgado $4,000 for a robbery to be staged in order to fraudulently obtain a U-Visa. Salgado told the undercover agent he would “put on a grand show.” Once the plans were agreed upon, the undercover agent paid Salgado $500 with a promise to pay the balance later. The undercover agent met with Salgado again on Thursday, Jan. 30, and Salgado was arrested.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Trey Alford. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and Homeland Security Investigations.
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.
Maryland Woman Admits to Role in Drug Trafficking OperationRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – A Cumberland, Maryland woman has admitted to her role in a drug trafficking operation from Maryland to the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia, U.S. Attorney Matthew L. Harvey announced.
Alyssa Ellen Hockenberry, 23, pled guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute cocaine, cocaine base, methamphetamine, and fentanyl. According to court documents and statements made in court, Hockenberry was one of the suppliers and distributors of controlled substances, illegally distributed in Mineral County, West Virginia and elsewhere.
Hockenberry faces up to 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine the sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government.
Investigative agencies include the Drug Enforcement Administration; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Maryland State Police; the Hagerstown Police Department (MD); and the Washington County Sheriff’s Office (MD).
Fentanyl has been designated by President Donald Trump as a weapon of mass destruction due to its extreme lethality which poses a grave threat to public safety, even in trace amounts. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime, and repel the invasion of illegal immigration.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert W. Trumble presided.
Man Pleads Guilty in Federal Court to Cyberstalking Iowa ResidentRead the Press Release
Shaninth Michael Ray, age 38, from Chicago, Illinois, pled guilty today in federal court in Sioux City to Cyberstalking.
In a plea agreement, Ray admitted that between April 2023 and October 2023, he continuously threatened to kill an Iowa resident and members of their family, after a no contact order was issued against Ray. Ray made his threats via telephone, text message and video, through numerous platforms, stating he would, “end” the victim’s life and “bash [the victim’s] face in with a rock,” as well as threatened to kill the victim in other various ways. In one of Ray’s videos he sent, he explicitly threatened to end the victims’ life and displayed a firearm.
Ray was arrested in Minnesota in October 2023 for possession of a firearm as a convicted felon. Ray continued to contact the victim while in custody in Minnesota and Iowa. Ray’s criminal history also includes numerous domestic abuse convictions, violations of protection orders, interference with emergency communications, assault causing bodily harm, possession of controlled substances, harassment, and obstruction.
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Ray remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Ray faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 1 year imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and 3 years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
This case is being investigated by the Mason City, Iowa Police Department and is prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Ron Timmons and Ashley Corkery.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-3015.
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Lexington Man Sentenced for Wire Fraud and Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
FRANKFORT, Ky. – A Lexington, Ky., man, Ronald Jerome Woolfolk, Jr., 27, was sentenced on Tuesday to 34 months by U.S. District Judge Gregory Van Tatenhove for wire fraud and aggravated identity theft.
Woolfolk was employed as a licensed mortician apprentice at a funeral home in Fayette County. In his position, Woolfolk had access to the personal identifying information of clients and deceased persons, as well as the funeral home’s email address. According to his plea agreement, from on or about August 15, 2022, through October 16, 2023, Woolfolk defrauded a charity that financially supported families affected by the tragedy of losing a child. Using the funeral home’s email address, Woolfolk submitted approximately 23 requests to the charity seeking financial assistance on behalf of both real and fictitious deceased persons and their families. The requests contained false information and fictitious documentation to support the requests for funding, including fake invoices for funeral expenses, fake cremation certificates, and fabricated letters using the funeral home’s letterhead. Woolfolk directed the payments to a fake company he created. Of the approximately 23 fraudulent requests for assistance, Woolfolk sought assistance with funeral expenses for three real deceased babies/toddlers and two young adults. Neither the funeral home, nor the family members of the deceased, knew of Woolfolk’s actions.
In total, Woolfolk fraudulently obtained $11,929.49 from the charity.
Under federal law, Woolfolk, Jr., 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 three years.
Jason Parman, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, and Robert Holman, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Secret Service, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Secret Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrea Mattingly Williams is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
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Lena Man Pleads Guilty to Assault on the Choctaw Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
Jackson, MS – A Lena man pleaded guilty on March 31, 2026, to the charge of assault with a dangerous weapon and use of a firearm during a crime of violence on the Choctaw Indian Reservation, announced U.S. Attorney Baxter Kruger of the Southern District of Mississippi and Special Agent in Charge Robert A. Eikhoff of the Jackson Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
According to court documents, Jarvis Ficklin, 37, of Lena, used a shotgun to shoot a tribal member on the Choctaw Indian Reservation which resulted in serious bodily injury to the victim.
In March of 2022, a federal grand jury indicted Ficklin on the assault and firearms charges. Ficklin pleaded guilty to the charges and is scheduled to be sentenced on July 29, 2026. Ficklin faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison on the assault charge and not less than 10 years on the firearms charge. The sentence for the firearms charge will be served consecutively to the sentence for the assault charge. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Baxter Kruger commended the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Choctaw Police Department of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians, who investigated the case. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kevin J. Payne, Brian K. Burns, and Special Assistant United States Attorney Kalleigh McCoy.
Kansas City Man Sentenced to 20 years for Drug Trafficking and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for his involvement in drug trafficking and the illegal possession of a firearm.
Brandon R. Haywood, 47, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to 20 years in federal prison without parole for possessing with the intent to distribute cocaine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, and felon in possession of a firearm. Haywood was convicted of those offenses at the conclusion of a jury trial held in September 2025.
On Feb. 4, 2023, law enforcement officers were dispatched to a store in Independence, Mo., regarding a sexual assault, for which Haywood is charged in Jackson County, Mo., Circuit Court. On Feb. 15, 2023, Haywood returned to the same store and was arrested by officers. His vehicle was towed from the scene in anticipation of a search warrant. When the state search warrant was executed on his vehicle, investigators located a Glock, Model 23, .40 caliber firearm; the defendant’s wallet; and approximately 30 grams of cocaine in the center console. Prior to this incident, Haywood was convicted of the felony offense of Voluntary Manslaughter in Jackson County, Mo., Circuit Court.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ashleigh Ragner and Jessica Jennings. It was investigated by the Independence, Mo., Police Department.
Kansas City Man Sentenced to 11 Years for Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for illegally possessing a Glock .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol.
Daniel E. Lablance, 46, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to 11 years in prison without parole for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
On Dec. 10, 2023, officers were called to E. 59th St. and U.S. 71 Hwy., Kansas City, Mo., regarding a stranded motorist. When officers arrived, they saw a silver Infiniti with a Missouri temporary tag in between two lanes of traffic. The vehicle was not moving with a green traffic light at the intersection. When officers approached, they observed the driver, Lablance, who appeared to be passed out in the driver’s seat. Lablance had a Glock, Model 27, .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol on his lap. As officers tried to remove Lablance from his vehicle, Lablance put the vehicle in drive and fled the scene, running over stop sticks and deflating some of the vehicle’s tires. During the police pursuit that followed, Lablance ran over a second set of stop sticks, deflating the Infiniti’s remaining tires. Lablance was eventually stopped and taken into custody at Meyer and U.S. 71 Hwy. When arrested, Lablance was wearing a shoulder bag that contained 38 alprazolam pills.
Lablance, who is a convicted felon, had been found guilty of nine prior felony offenses before today’s hearing.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brad K. Kavanaugh. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department.
Justice Department and U.S. Attorneys’ Offices Reach $3 Million Settlement with Georgia Professional Licensing Boards for Alleged Violations of the Servicemembers Civil Relief ActRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that it has entered into an agreement with 42 Georgia state licensing boards (“Georgia Boards”) to resolve allegations that the Georgia Boards failed to recognize the out-of-state professional licenses of servicemembers and their spouses, in violation of the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (“SCRA”).
This settlement is the first of its kind and will provide up to $3 million in compensation to servicemembers and military spouses whose applications for licensure were improperly denied or delayed. The settlement also requires the Georgia Boards to adopt new policies that comply with the SCRA and provide a streamlined application process for servicemembers and military spouses who are already licensed in another state.
“Members of the military and their families already make great sacrifices to defend our nation – they should not have to sacrifice their professional careers or financial well-being because the military requires them to move,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This groundbreaking settlement ensures that servicemembers and their spouses stationed in Georgia can have their out-of-state licenses recognized without facing unnecessary hurdles. Licensing authorities in other states should take note of this settlement and ensure they comply with the SCRA.”
“The agreement we are announcing today allows servicemembers and their spouses to focus on what is most important when military service sends them to Georgia,” said U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia Theodore S. Hertzberg. “Federal law requires every state to recognize hard-earned professional licenses when our warfighters must uproot their families in service to our country. This settlement ensures that servicemembers and military spouses can work in their chosen and trained professions free from bureaucratic hurdles, unnecessary costs, and burdensome waits. I am proud that my office, alongside the Justice Department and the two other U.S. Attorneys’ Offices in Georgia, worked together with our state partners in the Secretary of State’s office, the Attorney General’s office, and the Governor’s office to make it easier for our brave fighting men and women to call Georgia home.”
“As a U.S. Army veteran and reservist, it is a particular honor to announce that our servicemembers are guaranteed the full protections of the SCRA,” said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes of the Middle District of Georgia. “I am grateful for our strong partnership with state officials in reaching this resolution, which ensures that servicemembers and their spouses with professional licenses can relocate to Georgia and continue their careers and lives here more smoothly.”
“This settlement will provide monetary relief to military spouses whose professional employment opportunities have been limited because of the state of Georgia’s unnecessary delays and red tape,” said U.S. Attorney Margaret “Meg” Heap of the Southern District of Georgia. “More importantly, this settlement clears a path now and in the future for military spouses to pursue continued employment when they move with their servicemember to our community. We are grateful for the work of our staff in the Civil Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Georgia, and to the staffers in the Northern and Middle Districts and the Civil Rights Division for their tireless, detailed work on reaching this settlement. All of our communities are stronger today because of their efforts.”
An investigation led by the Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia, with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Middle District of Georgia and the Southern District of Georgia, uncovered multiple complaints from servicemembers and military spouses regarding the Georgia Boards’ previous refusal to recognize out-of-state professional licenses. As a result, servicemembers’ spouses were unable to work in their professional fields or earn money for their families after relocating to Georgia on military orders. One military spouse, for example, had to drive to a neighboring state to work because the Georgia Board did not recognize her professional license as required by federal law.
Since January 2023, the SCRA has required state licensing authorities to recognize the out-of-state professional licenses of servicemembers and military spouses who relocate to a new state due to military orders. The law is intended to remove barriers to employment and improve the financial readiness of military families. Many military spouses work in fields that require licenses and must move across state lines every two to three years due to their spouses’ military orders. The SCRA provides that if a servicemember or military spouse holds a covered license, the new state must recognize the license as valid and may not impose requirements beyond those set forth in the statute.
The United States estimates that up to 5,000 servicemembers and military spouses may be entitled to compensation under this settlement. The professions covered by this settlement include teachers, nurses, electricians, plumbers, cosmetologists, barbers, opticians, massage therapists, physical, occupational, and speech therapists, pharmacists, social workers, and many more.
The investigation and resolution of this matter were led by attorneys from the Civil Rights Division and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Marissa Fallica and Aileen Bell Hughes of the Northern District of Georgia in partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Middle and Southern Districts of Georgia.
Any servicemember or military spouse who applied for a professional license from one of the Georgia Boards after January 2023 and who may have been wrongfully denied rights guaranteed by the SCRA should contact the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia at [email protected] or (404) 581-4626.
The Department’s enforcement of the SCRA is conducted by the Civil Rights Division’s Housing and Civil Enforcement Section in partnership with U.S. Attorney's Offices throughout the country. Since 2011, the Department has obtained over $487 million in monetary relief for over 149,000 servicemembers through its enforcement of the SCRA. For more information about the department’s SCRA enforcement efforts, please visit www.servicemembers.gov.
Justice Department and U.S. Attorneys’ Offices Reach $3 Million Settlement with Georgia Professional Licensing Boards for Alleged Violations of the Servicemembers Civil Relief ActRead the Press Release
ATLANTA, Ga. – The Justice Department announced today that it has entered into an agreement with 42 Georgia state licensing boards (“Georgia Boards”) to resolve allegations that the Georgia Boards failed to recognize the out-of-state professional licenses of servicemembers and their spouses, in violation of the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (“SCRA”).
This settlement is the first of its kind and will provide up to $3 million in compensation to servicemembers and military spouses whose applications for licensure were improperly denied or delayed. The settlement also requires the Georgia Boards to adopt new policies that comply with the SCRA and provide a streamlined application process for servicemembers and military spouses who are already licensed in another state.
“As a U.S. Army veteran and reservist, it is a particular honor to announce that our servicemembers are guaranteed the full protections of the SCRA,” said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes of the Middle District of Georgia. “I am grateful for our strong partnership with state officials in reaching this resolution, which ensures that servicemembers and their spouses with professional licenses can relocate to Georgia and continue their careers and lives here more smoothly.”
“Members of the military and their families already make great sacrifices to defend our nation – they should not have to sacrifice their professional careers or financial well-being because the military requires them to move,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This groundbreaking settlement ensures that servicemembers and their spouses stationed in Georgia can have their out-of-state licenses recognized without facing unnecessary hurdles. Licensing authorities in other states should take note of this settlement and ensure they comply with the SCRA.”
“The agreement we are announcing today allows servicemembers and their spouses to focus on what is most important when military service sends them to Georgia,” said U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia Theodore S. Hertzberg. “Federal law requires every state to recognize hard-earned professional licenses when our warfighters must uproot their families in service to our country. This settlement ensures that servicemembers and military spouses can work in their chosen and trained professions free from bureaucratic hurdles, unnecessary costs, and burdensome waits. I am proud that my office, alongside the Justice Department and the two other U.S. Attorneys’ Offices in Georgia, worked together with our state partners in the Secretary of State’s office, the Attorney General’s office, and the Governor’s office to make it easier for our brave fighting men and women to call Georgia home.”
“This settlement will provide monetary relief to military spouses whose professional employment opportunities have been limited because of the state of Georgia’s unnecessary delays and red tape,” said U.S. Attorney Margaret “Meg” Heap of the Southern District of Georgia. “More importantly, this settlement clears a path now and in the future for military spouses to pursue continued employment when they move with their servicemember to our community. We are grateful for the work of our staff in the Civil Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Georgia, and to the staffers in the Northern and Middle Districts and the Civil Rights Division for their tireless, detailed work on reaching this settlement. All of our communities are stronger today because of their efforts.”
An investigation led by the Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia, with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Middle District of Georgia and the Southern District of Georgia, uncovered multiple complaints from servicemembers and military spouses regarding the Georgia Boards’ previous refusal to recognize out-of-state professional licenses. As a result, servicemembers’ spouses were unable to work in their professional fields or earn money for their families after relocating to Georgia on military orders. One military spouse, for example, had to drive to a neighboring state to work because the Georgia Board did not recognize her professional license as required by federal law.
Since January 2023, the SCRA has required state licensing authorities to recognize the out-of-state professional licenses of servicemembers and military spouses who relocate to a new state due to military orders. The law is intended to remove barriers to employment and improve the financial readiness of military families. Many military spouses work in fields that require licenses and must move across state lines every two to three years due to their spouses’ military orders. The SCRA provides that if a servicemember or military spouse holds a covered license, the new state must recognize the license as valid and may not impose requirements beyond those set forth in the statute.
The United States estimates that up to 5,000 servicemembers and military spouses may be entitled to compensation under this settlement. The professions covered by this settlement include teachers, nurses, electricians, plumbers, cosmetologists, barbers, opticians, massage therapists, physical, occupational, and speech therapists, pharmacists, social workers, and many more.
Any servicemember or military spouse who applied for a professional license from one of the Georgia Boards after January 2023 and who may have been wrongfully denied rights guaranteed by the SCRA should contact the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia at [email protected] or (404) 581-4626.
The investigation and resolution of this matter were led by attorneys from the Civil Rights Division and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Marissa Fallica and Aileen Bell Hughes of the Northern District of Georgia in partnership with Assistant U.S. Attorney Taylor McNeill of the Middle District of Georgia and Civil Division Chief Bradford C. Patrick of the Southern District of Georgia. The Department’s enforcement of the SCRA is conducted by the Civil Rights Division’s Housing and Civil Enforcement Section in partnership with U.S. Attorney’s Offices throughout the country. Since 2011, the Department has obtained over $487 million in monetary relief for over 149,000 servicemembers through its enforcement of the SCRA. For more information about the department’s SCRA enforcement efforts, please visit www.servicemembers.gov.
Justice Department and U.S. Attorney's Offices Reach $3 Million Settlement with Georgia Professional Licensing Boards for Alleged Violations of the Servicemembers Civil Relief ActRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - The Justice Department announced today that it has entered into an agreement with 42 Georgia state licensing boards (“Georgia Boards”) to resolve allegations that the Georgia Boards failed to recognize the out-of-state professional licenses of servicemembers and their spouses, in violation of the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (“SCRA”).
This settlement is the first of its kind and will provide up to $3 million in compensation to servicemembers and military spouses whose applications for licensure were improperly denied or delayed. The settlement also requires the Georgia Boards to adopt new policies that comply with the SCRA and provide a streamlined application process for servicemembers and military spouses who are already licensed in another state.
“The agreement we are announcing today allows servicemembers and their spouses to focus on what is most important when military service sends them to Georgia,” said Theodore S. Hertzberg, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia. “Federal law requires every state to recognize hard-earned professional licenses when our warfighters must uproot their families in service to our country. This settlement ensures that servicemembers and military spouses can work in their chosen and trained professions free from bureaucratic hurdles, unnecessary costs, and burdensome waits. I am proud that my office, alongside the Justice Department and the two other U.S. Attorneys’ Offices in Georgia, worked together with our state partners in the Secretary of State’s office, the Attorney General’s office, and the Governor’s office to make it easier for our brave fighting men and women to call Georgia home.”
“Members of the military and their families already make great sacrifices to defend our nation – they should not have to sacrifice their professional careers or financial well-being because the military requires them to move,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This groundbreaking settlement ensures that servicemembers and their spouses stationed in Georgia can have their out-of-state licenses recognized without facing unnecessary hurdles. Licensing authorities in other states should take note of this settlement and ensure they comply with the SCRA.”
“As a U.S. Army veteran and reservist, it is a particular honor to announce that our servicemembers are guaranteed the full protections of the SCRA,” said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes of the Middle District of Georgia. “I am grateful for our strong partnership with state officials in reaching this resolution, which ensures that servicemembers and their spouses with professional licenses can relocate to Georgia and continue their careers and lives here more smoothly.”
“This settlement will provide monetary relief to military spouses whose professional employment opportunities have been limited because of the state of Georgia’s unnecessary delays and red tape,” said U.S. Attorney Margaret “Meg” Heap of the Southern District of Georgia. “More importantly, this settlement clears a path now and in the future for military spouses to pursue continued employment when they move with their servicemember to our community. We are grateful for the work of our staff in the Civil Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Georgia, and to the staffers in the Northern and Middle Districts and the Civil Rights Division for their tireless, detailed work on reaching this settlement. All of our communities are stronger today because of their efforts.”
An investigation led the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia, with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Middle District of Georgia and the Southern District of Georgia, and the DOJ Civil Rights Division uncovered multiple complaints from servicemembers and military spouses regarding the Georgia Boards’ previous refusal to recognize out-of-state professional licenses. As a result, servicemembers’ spouses were unable to work in their professional fields or earn money for their families after relocating to Georgia on military orders. One military spouse, for example, had to drive to a neighboring state to work because the Georgia Board did not recognize her professional license as required by federal law.
Since January 2023, the SCRA has required state licensing authorities to recognize the out-of-state professional licenses of servicemembers and military spouses who relocate to a new state due to military orders. The law is intended to remove barriers to employment and improve the financial readiness of military families. Many military spouses work in fields that require licenses and must move across state lines every two to three years due to their spouses’ military orders. The SCRA provides that if a servicemember or military spouse holds a covered license, the new state must recognize the license as valid and may not impose requirements beyond those set forth in the statute.
The United States estimates that up to 5,000 servicemembers and military spouses may be entitled to compensation under this settlement. The professions covered by this settlement include teachers, nurses, electricians, plumbers, cosmetologists, barbers, opticians, massage therapists, physical, occupational, and speech therapists, pharmacists, social workers, and many more.
The investigation and resolution of this matter were led by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Marissa Fallica and Aileen Bell Hughes of the Northern District of Georgia in partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Middle and Southern Districts of Georgia and attorneys from the DOJ Civil Rights Division.
Any servicemember or military spouse who applied for a professional license from one of the Georgia Boards after January 2023 and who may have been wrongfully denied rights guaranteed by the SCRA should contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia at [email protected] or (404) 581-4626.
The Department’s enforcement of the SCRA is conducted by the Civil Rights Division’s Housing and Civil Enforcement Section in partnership with U.S. Attorneys’ Offices throughout the country. Since 2011, the Department has obtained over $487 million in monetary relief for over 149,000 servicemembers through its enforcement of the SCRA. For more information about the department’s SCRA enforcement efforts, please visit www.servicemembers.gov.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Justice Department Secures Agreement with American Giants Museum in Atlanta, Illinois, to Improve Access for People with DisabilitiesRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – The Department of Justice announced today it has reached a settlement agreement under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) with the American Giants Museum, located in Atlanta, Illinois, to resolve alleged violations of Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act. The Department reached the agreement with the Atlanta Betterment Fund, which owns and operates the museum.
The settlement resolves an ADA complaint alleging that the Museum does not comply with the ADA and has safety concerns for people with disabilities. The complaint prompted an investigation by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Central District of Illinois. The investigation revealed that the museum’s front entrance, bathroom, and outdoor exhibits are not accessible as required by the ADA and that some injuries to visitors had been reported.
Under the agreement, the Museum will make twenty-four improvements to its building and facilities, including construction of a new entrance, modifications to its bathroom, and improvements to its outdoor exhibits to expand access.
The Museum, which opened a brand-new building to the public in 2024 near the historic Route-66 highway, showcases a collection of giant fiberglass statutes. As a place of public accommodation, the ADA requires the Museum to be accessible to people with disabilities and provide full and equal enjoyment of its goods, services, and facilities.
“Places of public accommodation like museums must be accessible to all citizens, including people with disabilities, said Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua I. Grant for the Central District of Illinois. “We commend the Museum for its cooperation and prompt action to renovate its facilities to expand access for all.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney Grant represented the government during the investigation and settlement process. For more information about the ADA, please visit www.ada.gov, or call the Department of Justice’s toll-free information line at (800) 514-0301 or (800) 514-0383 (TDD). Information about filing a complaint, including instructions for filing a complaint online, can be found at https://www.justice.gov/crt/how-file-complaint.
Jefferson Parish Man Sentenced After Pleading Guilty to Cocaine Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – CHARLES WHITE (“WHITE”), age 34, a resident of Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, was sentenced on March 12, 2026 by U.S. District Judge Nannette Jolivette Brown to time served, three (3) years of supervised release, and a mandatory $100.00 special assessment fee after previously pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute cocaine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C), and 846, announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle.
According to court documents, in June 2022, Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office (JPSO) and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents initiated a joint investigation into WHITE as a member of a cocaine distribution organization with co-conspirators. As part of the investigation, agents utilized multiple controlled purchases of cocaine through an intermediary WHITE believed was a legitimate seller.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office. The prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorney André Jones of the Narcotics Unit.
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Jefferson County Woman Indicted for Distribution of Illegal DrugsRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A federal grand jury has indicted a Jefferson County woman on drug charges, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Catherine L. Crosby
A three-count indictment filed in U.S. District Court charges Lekeria Antionette Toles, 26, of Mount Olive, Alabama, with distribution of methamphetamine and fentanyl. The incidents allegedly occurred between October 2024 and January 2025 in Jefferson County, Alabama.
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.
The FBI investigated the case along with the Bessemer Police Special Operations Unit. Assistant United States Attorney Alan S. Kirk is prosecuting the case.
An indictment contains only charges. Defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Jefferson County Man Admits to Firearms ChargeRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – A Shepherdstown, West Virginia man has admitted to illegally having firearms, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew L. Harvey.
James William Jacobs, 63, pled guilty today to unlawfully possessing a firearm. According to court documents and statements made in court, Jacobs is prohibited from having firearms because of a prior domestic battery conviction and a felony fleeing conviction. Officers responded to a call of shots fired and a domestic altercation at Jacob’s home. A lawful search was conducted, and two firearms and ammunition were seized.
Jacobs faces up to 15 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine the sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle Kane is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office investigated.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime, and repel the invasion of illegal immigration.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert W. Trumble presided.
Illegal alien sentenced to federal prison under Homeland Security Task Force for trafficking methamphetamine in the Eastern District of TexasRead the Press Release
SHERMAN, Texas –A Mexican national illegally living in the United States has been sentenced to five years in federal prison under the Homeland Security Task Force for trafficking methamphetamine in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Sergio Uriel Munoz-Rodriguez, 44, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to manufacture and distribute methamphetamine and was sentenced to 60 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Amos L. Mazzant, III on March 31, 2026.
According to information presented in court, in 2020 federal agents identified Munoz-Rodriguez while investigating drug trafficking activity in the Metroplex area. Munoz-Rodriguez admitted to being involved in a conspiracy responsible for distributing at least 15 kilograms of a substance containing methamphetamine in the Eastern District of Texas. It was also determined during the investigation that Munoz-Rodriguez is a citizen of Mexico and illegally in the United States.
This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew T. Johnson.
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Illegal Alien from Vietnam Pleads Guilty to Drug Trafficking and Illegal Firearms PossessionRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Hieu Trung Vu, 37, a previously convicted felon and illegal alien from Vietnam, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in connection with drug trafficking from a Georgetown Airbnb as well as being a previously convicted felon in possession of two guns, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Vu pleaded guilty before Judge Amit P. Mehta to one count of unlawful possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, cocaine, cocaine base, amphetamine, and fentanyl, and to one count of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon. Sentencing is scheduled for July 30, 2026. Because of his illegal status, Vu is subject to deportation to Vietnam following the completion of his sentence.
“Vu was operating a drug trafficking scheme out of a Georgetown Airbnb while armed with two loaded pistols. He had no legal right to be in this country, no legal right to possess firearms, and no right to endanger our communities with these deadly narcotics,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “This prosecution will reinforce that he has no right to victimize our citizens ever again.”
According to court documents, on Dec. 4, 2025, Metropolitan Police responded to an emergency call from a woman who reported that a man in her Airbnb had narcotics in his possession. Officers obtained a search warrant for the residence on the 1400 block of Wisconsin Ave. NW.
Officers executed the warrant that afternoon and discovered a tan backpack in the rear bedroom containing two handguns. In the kitchen, officers found a black backpack containing, among other items, a black and tan Coach bag. Inside the Coach bag were narcotics packaged in multiple bags, drug paraphernalia, and a debit card bearing Vu’s name.
Lab testing confirmed the drugs were methamphetamine (about 48 grams), cocaine (about 14 grams), cocaine base (about 2 grams), amphetamine (about 6 grams), and fentanyl (about 10 grams). Vu admitted that he possessed all five substances with the intent to distribute them.
The two handguns were a Glock 43X, 9mm pistol, and a CZ Model 27, 7.65mm pistol. The Glock was loaded with nine rounds in a 10-round capacity magazine. Vu admitted that both firearms belonged to him.
Vu was previously convicted in 2022 in Fairfax County, Virginia, of possession with intent to manufacture or sell narcotics and sentenced to five years in prison with two months and four months of the sentence suspended. As a convicted felon, he was prohibited from possessing any firearm.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Washington Field Division. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David B. Liss and Caelainn Carney.
This case was prosecuted under the Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful initiative.
Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful is a law enforcement initiative in support of President Trump’s Executive Order to crack down on gun violence, prioritize federal firearms violations, pursue tougher penalties, and seek detention for federal firearms violators.
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Hartford, Connecticut Men Charged with Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine Base, Cocaine, and FentanylRead the Press Release
Burlington, Vermont – The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that on March 26, 2026, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Harold Sterling, 33, and Isaias Ramos, 31, both of Hartford, Connecticut with possessing with intent to distribute controlled substances, specifically, more than 28 grams of cocaine base, cocaine, and fentanyl. The indictment additionally charged Ramos with being an unlawful user of a controlled substance in possession of a firearm.
Sterling and Ramos entered pleas of not guilty to the charge during an arraignment on March 30, 2026, before United States Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle. Judge Doyle had previously ordered that Sterling and Ramos be detained during the pendency of this matter.
According to court records, on March 12, 2026, U.S. Border Patrol spotted the vehicle Sterling and Ramos were driving in at approximately 11:45 p.m. near North Troy, Vermont. The Border Patrol agent suspected the vehicle to be involved in potential human smuggling across the Canadian border into the United States. When the Border Patrol agent activated his lights to initiate a stop, the vehicle sped away. As the vehicle sped away, a plastic bag was thrown out of the vehicle’s window. Border Patrol later recovered the bag and found it to contain, with packaging, approximately 82 grams of fentanyl, 23 grams of cocaine powder, and 107 grams of cocaine base. Border Patrol also later found the vehicle, which Sterling and Ramos had abandoned in a nearby parking lot. Inside of Ramos’s backpack in the vehicle, Border Patrol found a .22 caliber revolver. Border Patrol tracked footprints from the vehicle to a residence in North Troy, Vermont. On March 13, 2026, law enforcement from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Vermont State Police, and the Newport Police Department assisted Border Patrol to locate and arrest Sterling and Ramos at that residence.
The United States Attorney’s Office emphasizes that an indictment contains allegations only and that Sterling and Ramos are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. If convicted, Ramos faces up to 40 years’ imprisonment, and as a result of a prior conviction for a serious drug felony, Sterling is expected to face up to life imprisonment. The actual sentence, however, would be determined by the District Court with guidance from the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines and the statutory sentencing factors.
First Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan A. Ophardt commended the investigatory efforts of the U.S. Border Patrol, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Vermont State Police, and the Newport Police Department.
The government is represented by Assistant United States Attorney Andrew C. Gilman. Ramos is represented by Sarah Puls, Esq., and Sterling is represented by Assistant Federal Public Defender Samuel Ansell.
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.
Guatemalan Illegal Alien Sentenced for Helping Other Illegal Aliens Obtain Counterfeit Identity DocumentsRead the Press Release
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN – U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Timothy VerHey today announced that Edgidio Vasquez-Mencho, 41, a citizen of Guatemala, was sentenced to 6 months in custody for conspiracy to transfer false identification documents.
U.S. Attorney VerHey said, “Vasquez-Mencho deserved to be prosecuted and punished. It is bad enough that he has repeatedly violated our immigration laws by crossing the border without permission. Worse than that, once he got here, he operated an illegal document business that allowed others like him to illegally obtain employment and claim taxpayer-supported public services. This conduct must stop.”
Vasquez-Mencho is the second of three defendants charged with and convicted of participating in a scheme by Guatemalans illegally present in the United States to advertise, manufacture, and sell fraudulent Social Security and Permanent Resident cards, as well as other false identification documents, to other persons illegally residing in the Grand Rapids area during 2024 and 2025. The conspirators profited by receiving payments for the counterfeit documents, and the recipients benefitted by using the documents to obtain employment and access to services intended for citizens and immigrants legally in the United States. Vasquez-Mencho’s role was primarily to deliver the counterfeit documents to and collect payments from the purchasers.
This is the third time Vasquez-Mencho was found in United States illegally. The first time he was located here, he was allowed to voluntarily depart and the second time, he was removed by immigration authorities to Guatemala. After the completion of his sentence, he will again be removed to his native Guatemala.
“This sentencing sends a clear message: Homeland Security Investigations will aggressively pursue and dismantle criminal organizations that traffic in fraudulent identification documents and exploit our immigration system,” said HSI Detroit Special Agent in Charge Jared Murphey. “We remain steadfast in our mission to protect our communities, uphold the integrity of our nation’s laws, and ensure that those who undermine public safety face the full consequences of their actions.”
The Grand Rapids office of Homeland Security Investigations investigated this case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Don Daniels prosecuted it.
This case was investigated and prosecuted by the Michigan Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) as part of Operation Take Back America. HSTFs, which were established by President Trump in Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion, are joint operations led by the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security. Operation Take Back America is a nationwide federal initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.