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Thursday 12 February 2026
Leader of Jacksonville Drug Trafficking Organization Sentenced to 35 Years for His Role in Drive-By Shooting on I-95Read the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – Nathaniel Hatcher III (30, Jacksonville) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Harvey Schlesinger to 35 years in federal prison for conspiring to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute marijuana, conspiracy to commit money laundering, committing a drive-by shooting in furtherance of a major drug offense, and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence. The court also entered an order for forfeiture in the amount of $2.2 million, the proceeds of the drug trafficking conspiracy. Hatcher entered a guilty plea in September 2025. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents, Hatcher operated and led a Jacksonville-based drug trafficking organization (DTO). For eight years, Hatcher’s DTO trafficked bulk amounts of marijuana from Northern California to Jacksonville by smuggling the drug on commercial airlines, shipping it through the U.S. mail system, and transporting it by vehicle across state lines. Once the marijuana arrived in Jacksonville, Hatcher and other DTO members transported the marijuana to various short-term rental homes throughout Jacksonville. Hatcher and members of the DTO rented these homes to store, package, and distribute marijuana. Hatcher and other members of the DTO carried and possessed firearms at these residences to protect themselves, their drugs, and their drug proceeds during drug sales.
In addition to trafficking, transporting, smuggling, and selling marijuana, Hatcher was also responsible for carrying out violence on behalf of the DTO. Hatcher used the assistance of former corrections officer Desmond Maxwell to unlawfully buy firearms on behalf of Hatcher and members of the DTO.
Hatcher, with the assistance of Yaquasia Delcarmen, would collect drug proceeds from the DTO’s members. Hatcher and Delcarmen would then launder the proceeds back into bank accounts controlled by Hatcher. During the conspiracy, Hatcher and others used sham business accounts that were formed for the purpose of laundering illicit proceeds. Hatcher and Delcarmen laundered over $2 million and spent the drug proceeds on lavish lifestyle items.
On September 18, 2023, Hatcher, James Toney, and other DTO members arranged a bulk marijuana transaction with subjects whom they had met that evening in Jacksonville. The drug transaction, which occurred at a gas station along Old St. Augustine Road, failed. The other subjects never provided the promised marijuana, and instead, stole approximately $45,000 in cash from Hatcher and Toney. After the failed drug transaction, Hatcher contacted a former police officer, who illegally accessed law enforcement databases to provide Hatcher with the names and home addresses of the subjects who stole the money. For nearly a month, Hatcher and other DTO members tracked, surveilled, and cyber-stalked the other subjects and their family members. In text messages, Hatcher and others discussed and plotted retaliation for the robbery, including committing acts of violence.
On October 15, 2023, Briyhon Johnson and Toney traveled to the Jacksonville International Airport to break into a rental car lot. Johnson and Toney stole two cars from the rental car lot with the intention of using one of the stolen cars in the planned retaliation. The theft had been coordinated by Johnson and Toney through text messages.
Two days later, on October 17, 2023, Toney traveled to the Duval County courthouse in Jacksonville, Florida, for a scheduled court date in an unrelated pending criminal matter. Toney and other DTO members knew from reading the public court docket that one of the subjects from the September 18 drug deal also had court that day at the Duval County courthouse for a separate criminal matter. After court concluded, Hatcher and other DTO members surveilled this subject as he exited the Duval County courthouse, accompanied by a female subject, and entered his Mercedes sedan.
Toney traveled to meet with Johnson, who provided Toney with a firearm. Johnson, Toney, Hatcher, and Tavarius Blue were operating multiple vehicles, including a stolen red Dodge Charger sedan and a gray Audi SUV, and followed the Mercedes sedan from downtown Jacksonville to I-95, traveling southbound toward St. Johns County. Darion Jerido was driving a separate sedan, acting as the lookout for the others and to keep pace with the Mercedes sedan. Johnson was driving the red Dodge Charger, with Toney traveling in the passenger seat. Blue was driving the gray Audi SUV, with Hatcher traveling in passenger seat. At approximately 11:20 a.m., during the pursuit along I-95 South, the red Dodge Charger and the gray Audi SUV boxed the Mercedes sedan into the left lane of traffic. Then, Toney from the Dodge Charger and Hatcher from the Audi SUV discharged dozens of rounds of 7.62 caliber ammunition at the Mercedes sedan. According to witness interviews, Johnson and Toney were both wearing masks. Following the shooting, the red Dodge Charger and the Audi SUV fled the scene.
Officers with the St. Johns County Sheriffs’ Office and emergency medical personnel arrived on scene within minutes. The driver of the Mercedes sedan, who was the male subject from the courthouse, sustained one gunshot wound but survived and was air-lifted to a trauma unit. The front passenger of the Mercedes, the female subject from the courthouse, did not sustain any gunshot wounds but did suffer injuries from broken glass. Emergency personnel also transported her to a nearby hospital. The Mercedes sedan sustained gunshots to the passenger side, the rear, the front and hood, the front windshield, the interior, and the engine block. On scene, deputies recovered approximately 25 spent 7.62 caliber shell casings. According to ballistics analysis, two different firearms were used during the shooting.
Following Hatcher’s arrest in February 2024, Delcarmen continued the drug trafficking activities on Hatcher’s behalf and at Hatcher’s direction. Hatcher tampered with multiple witnesses and co-conspirators, directing them to flee from, or lie to, law enforcement. Hatcher also directed co-conspirators to destroy evidence.
Status of Hatcher DTO Co-conspirators
Name
Status
Tavarius BlueSentenced to 12 years federal prisonYaquasia DelCarmenSentenced to 8 years in federal prisonAl’Donta EasterlingSentenced to 10 years in federal prisonDarion JeridoSentenced to 6 years, 6 months federal prisonBriyhon JohnsonSentenced to 14 years, 3 months federal prisonJavon DavisPled guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 100 kilograms or more of marijuana; faces a minimum penalty of 5 years, up to 40 years, in federal prisonChristian GuytonPled guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 100 kilograms or more of marijuana; faces a minimum penalty of 5 years, up to 40 years, in federal prisonDesmond MaxwellPled guilty to straw-purchasing firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; faces up to 25 years in federal prisonJahson HatcherPled guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 100 kilograms or more of marijuana; faces a minimum penalty of 5 years, up to 40 years, in federal prisonJames ToneyPled guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 100 kilograms or more of marijuana, committing a drive-by shooting in furtherance of a major drug offense, and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence; faces a minimum penalty of 15 years, up to life, in federal prison“Hatcher and his drug crew planned and executed a brazen drive-by shooting in broad daylight on I-95, putting dozens of law-abiding Americans in danger of losing their lives,” said Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche. “Now, he will spend decades in federal prison where he can no longer terrorize the Jacksonville community thanks to the combined efforts of federal, state, and local law enforcement partners who investigated and prosecuted this case.”
“The tenacious work by our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners in this case ensured that the members of this drug trafficking organization were brought to justice,” stated U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe. “We will continue to leverage our resources, whenever necessary, to protect our communities from violence and harm.”
“This case demonstrates the unwavering commitment of HSI to protect our communities from the dangers posed by drug trafficking and violent crime,” said HSI Jacksonville Assistant Special Agent in Charge Tim Hemker. “The dismantlement of this violent drug trafficking organization and the sentencing of these defendants will have a lasting impact on the safety of our community.”
“The judge delivered a punishment that matches the danger this defendant posed to communities,” said Ron Loecker, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Florida Field Office. “The message is simple: profit from poison, and you pay for it. IRS CI and our partners will follow the money across jurisdictions to shut down traffickers and every coconspirator who launders their profits.”
This case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, and the Florida Highway Patrol. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Elisibeth Adams.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).
Leader of Jacksonville Drug Trafficking Organization Sentenced for Role in Drive-By Shooting on I-95Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON — Nathaniel Hatcher III, 30, of Jacksonville, has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Harvey Schlesinger for the Middle District of Florida to 35 years in prison for conspiring to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute marijuana, conspiracy to commit money laundering, committing a drive-by shooting in furtherance of a major drug offense, and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence. The court also entered a $2.2 million order for forfeiture, the proceeds of the drug trafficking conspiracy. Hatcher pleaded guilty in September 2025.
“Hatcher and his drug crew planned and executed a brazen drive-by shooting in broad daylight on I-95, putting dozens of law-abiding Americans in danger of losing their lives,” said Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche. “Now, he will spend decades in federal prison where he can no longer terrorize the Jacksonville community thanks to the combined efforts of federal, state, and local law enforcement partners who investigated and prosecuted this case.”
“The tenacious work by our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners in this case ensured that the members of this drug trafficking organization were brought to justice,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe for the Middle District of Florida. “We will continue to leverage our resources, whenever necessary, to protect our communities from violence and harm.”
“This case demonstrates the unwavering commitment of HSI to protect our communities from the dangers posed by drug trafficking and violent crime,” said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Tim Hemker of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Jacksonville. “The dismantlement of this violent drug trafficking organization and the sentencing of these defendants will have a lasting impact on the safety of our community.”
“The judge delivered a punishment that matches the danger this defendant posed to communities,” said Special Agent in Charge Ron Loecker of IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS CI) Florida Field Office. “The message is simple: profit from poison, and you pay for it. IRS CI and our partners will follow the money across jurisdictions to shut down traffickers and every coconspirator who launders their profits.”
According to court documents, Hatcher operated and led a Jacksonville-based drug trafficking organization (DTO). For eight years, Hatcher’s DTO trafficked bulk amounts of marijuana from Northern California to Jacksonville by smuggling the drug on commercial airlines, shipping it through the U.S. mail system, and transporting it by vehicle across state lines. Once the marijuana arrived in Jacksonville, Hatcher and other DTO members transported the marijuana to various short-term rental homes throughout Jacksonville. Hatcher and members of the DTO rented these homes to store, package, and distribute marijuana. Hatcher and other members of the DTO carried and possessed firearms at these residences to protect themselves, their drugs, and their drug proceeds during drug sales.
In addition to trafficking, transporting, smuggling, and selling marijuana, Hatcher was also responsible for carrying out violence on behalf of the DTO. Hatcher used the assistance of former corrections officer Desmond Maxwell to unlawfully buy firearms on behalf of Hatcher and members of the DTO.
Hatcher, with the assistance of Yaquasia Delcarmen, would collect drug proceeds from the DTO’s members. Hatcher and Delcarmen would then launder the proceeds back into bank accounts controlled by Hatcher. During the conspiracy, Hatcher and others used sham business accounts that were formed for the purpose of laundering illicit proceeds. Hatcher and Delcarmen laundered over $2 million and spent the drug proceeds on lavish lifestyle items.
On Sept. 18, 2023, Hatcher, James Toney, and other DTO members arranged a bulk marijuana transaction with subjects whom they had met that evening in Jacksonville. The drug transaction failed; the other subjects never provided the promised marijuana, and instead, stole approximately $45,000 in cash from Hatcher and Toney. After the failed drug transaction, Hatcher contacted a former police officer, who illegally accessed law enforcement databases to provide Hatcher with the names and home addresses of the subjects who stole the money. For nearly a month, Hatcher and other DTO members tracked, surveilled, and cyber-stalked the other subjects and their family members. In text messages, Hatcher and others discussed and plotted retaliation for the robbery, including committing acts of violence.
On Oct. 15, 2023, Briyhon Johnson and Toney traveled to the Jacksonville International Airport to break into a rental car lot. Johnson and Toney stole two cars from the rental car lot with the intention of using one of the stolen cars in the planned retaliation. The theft had been coordinated by Johnson and Toney through text messages.
On Oct.17, 2023, Toney traveled to the Duval County courthouse in Jacksonville for a scheduled court date in an unrelated pending criminal matter. Toney and other DTO members knew from reading the public court docket that one of the subjects from the September 18 drug deal also had court that day at the Duval County courthouse for a separate criminal matter. After court concluded, Hatcher and other DTO members surveilled this subject as he exited the Duval County courthouse, accompanied by a female subject, and entered his Mercedes sedan.
Toney traveled to meet with Johnson, who provided Toney with a firearm. Johnson, Toney, Hatcher, and Tavarius Blue were operating multiple vehicles, including a stolen red Dodge Charger sedan and a gray Audi SUV, and followed the Mercedes sedan from downtown Jacksonville to I-95, traveling southbound toward St. Johns County. Darion Jerido was driving a separate sedan, acting as the lookout for the others and to keep pace with the Mercedes sedan. Johnson was driving the red Dodge Charger, with Toney traveling in the passenger seat. Blue was driving the gray Audi SUV, with Hatcher traveling in passenger seat. At approximately 11:20 a.m., during the pursuit along I-95 South, the red Dodge Charger and the gray Audi SUV boxed the Mercedes sedan into the left lane of traffic. Then, Toney from the Dodge Charger and Hatcher from the Audi SUV discharged dozens of rounds of 7.62 caliber ammunition at the Mercedes sedan. According to witness interviews, Johnson and Toney were both wearing masks. Following the shooting, the red Dodge Charger and the Audi SUV fled the scene.
Officers with the St. Johns County Sheriffs’ Office and emergency medical personnel arrived on scene within minutes. The driver of the Mercedes sedan, who was the male subject from the courthouse, sustained one gunshot wound but survived and was air-lifted to a trauma unit. The front passenger of the Mercedes, the female subject from the courthouse, did not sustain any gunshot wounds but did suffer injuries from broken glass. Emergency personnel also transported her to a nearby hospital. The Mercedes sedan sustained gunshots to the passenger side, the rear, the front and hood, the front windshield, the interior, and the engine block. On scene, deputies recovered approximately 25 spent 7.62 caliber shell casings. According to ballistics analysis, two different firearms were used during the shooting.
Following Hatcher’s arrest in February 2024, Delcarmen continued the drug trafficking activities on Hatcher’s behalf and at Hatcher’s direction. Hatcher tampered with multiple witnesses and co-conspirators, directing them to flee from, or lie to, law enforcement. Hatcher also directed co-conspirators to destroy evidence.
Status of Hatcher DTO Co-conspiratorsNameStatusTavarius BlueSentenced to 12 years in prison.Yaquasia DelCarmenSentenced to 8 years in prison.Al’Donta EasterlingSentenced to 10 years in prison.Darion JeridoSentenced to 6 years, 6 months in prison.Briyhon JohnsonSentenced to 14 years, 3 months in prison.Javon DavisPleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 100 kilograms or more of marijuana; faces a minimum penalty of five years in prison and a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison.Christian GuytonPleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 100 kilograms or more of marijuana; faces a minimum penalty of five years in prison and a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison.Desmond MaxwellPleaded guilty to straw-purchasing firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; faces a maximum penalty of 25 years in prison.Jahson HatcherPleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 100 kilograms or more of marijuana; faces a minimum penalty of 5 years in prison and a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison.James ToneyPleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 100 kilograms or more of marijuana, committing a drive-by shooting in furtherance of a major drug offense, and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence; faces a minimum penalty of 15 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison.HSI, IRS Criminal Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the FBI, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, and the Florida Highway Patrol are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Elisibeth Adams for the Middle District of Florida 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.
Knox Place Defendant Pleads Guilty in Wide-Ranging Narcotics Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Darryl Dacota Riley, Jr, 39, a previously convicted felon residing in the District of Columbia, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in connection with his role in a drug trafficking conspiracy that reached across the United States and sold PCP, cocaine, and fentanyl in the 2900 block of Knox Place in Southeast D.C., announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Riley, aka “Slice,” pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute one kilogram or more of phencyclidine (PCP), 500 grams or more of cocaine, and 40 grams or more of fentanyl. In addition, Riley pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon. Judge Timothy J. Kelly, who accepted the plea, scheduled sentencing for May 14, 2026.
“Thanks to our prosecutors, a 10-time convicted felon and drug-trafficker is off the streets and behind bars,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “Jackson went so far as to target drug addicts seeking rehabilitation by selling drugs outside of rehabilitation and treatment facilities in Southeast Washington D.C., but now he won’t be bringing down this community anymore.”
According to court documents, in the summer of 2024, FBI agents initiated a long-term investigation of a drug trafficking conspiracy centered around the 2900 block of Knox Place, SE, where law enforcement had identified an alleged fentanyl and PCP trafficker with a stash house. Over the course of their investigation into the trafficker’s narcotics suppliers, agents determined that Riley served as a bulk PCP supplier within the conspiracy.
Riley is the third defendant to plead guilty thus far after a years-long investigation that culminated in the arrests of fourteen individuals in August 2025 after the FBI executed 20 residential search warrants across the District, Maryland, and Los Angeles. Investigators at the time seized 20 firearms, more than two kilograms of suspected cocaine, crack cocaine, and fentanyl, a kilo press commonly used to compact kilogram-quantities of powdered narcotics, and over $100,000 in cash.
The Knox Place neighborhood has experienced at least five homicides in the past year, among other violent crimes. According to court documents, the D.C. traffickers who operated around Knox Place sourced their narcotics through a Baltimore-based co-conspirator, who in turn was importing narcotics from California. One of the shipments from California included 17 gallons of PCP that was intercepted last year by law enforcement outside of Topeka, Kansas.
On Aug. 26, 2025, investigators searched Riley’s residence on the 1900 block of Naylor Road, SE, and recovered about 900 grams of cocaine, about 11 grams of crack cocaine, 120 grams of fentanyl, more than 7 grams of methamphetamine, and $20,097 in cash. In addition, agents recovered a loaded Taurus 9mm handgun, a loaded and chambered Glock 21 45mm pistol; and a loaded privately manufactured AR-style .223 caliber firearm with no serial number.
Joining U.S. Attorney Pirro in the announcement was FBI Assistant Director in Charge Darren B. Cox.
This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office with valuable assistance from the DEA and the MPD. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew W. Kinskey, Sarah Akhtar, and John Crabb of the Violent Crime and Narcotics Trafficking Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
25cr241
Kansas City Man Sentenced 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 9mm caliber handgun.
Sergio Marquez, 35, was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Judge Brian C. Wimes, to almost 13 years (155 months) in prison without parole for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
On Dec. 12, 2024, Independence, Mo., Police Department officers noticed a Mercedes vehicle that had been spray-painted black, had tinted windows, and had tags assigned to a different vehicle. Police officers attempted to pull over the vehicle for further investigation and a high-speed chase ensued. The Mercedes vehicle went westbound on U.S. 24 highway and reached speeds in excess of 120 miles per hour. On Independence Avenue near the Winner Road intersection, the Mercedes vehicle crashed while attempting to avoid stop-sticks deployed by police. Marquez had difficulty exiting the vehicle after the crash and was seen by multiple officers tossing a firearm under the vehicle while he was on his hands and knees. Marquez had a large laceration on the right side of his neck. Officers provided medical assistance until EMS arrived. Law enforcement officials later recovered the Glock 19 semi-automatic handgun that Marquez had thrown under the Mercedes vehicle. Marquez had previously been convicted of a felony offense. It is against federal law for a convicted felon to knowingly possess a firearm.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Trey Alford It was investigated by Independence, Mo. Police Department.
Operation Take Back America
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
KC Man Sentenced to Four Years’ Imprisonment for Firearms TraffickingRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man was sentenced to four years imprisonment in federal custody today for conspiring to traffic firearms to prohibited persons.
Michael Dewayne Hardy, 23, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Beth Phillips, to 48 months in federal prison without parole, to be followed by 3 years of supervised release. The court also ordered Hardy to pay a criminal forfeiture money judgment in the amount of $6,500.
On April 7, 2025, Michael Dewayne Hardy admitted that he knowingly and willfully joined in an agreement to sell firearms to individuals who were prohibited from possessing them under federal law and he admitted to illegally trafficking a machinegun. According to the plea agreement, the conspirators trafficked at least 22 firearms to persons who were known felons or they sold firearms that were converted into unregistered machineguns in violation of federal law. Michael Dewayne Hardy admitted that on at least three occasions he worked with co-conspirators to sell seven firearms to a prohibited person. One of the firearms Hardy sold had been converted into an unregistered machinegun.
On Feb. 21, 2024, co-defendant Dejohuan Mietz Huntley, 27, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to traffic firearms to prohibited persons, one count of possessing an unregistered machinegun, and one count of knowingly being a felon in possession of a firearm. On June 26, 2024, Huntley, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Beth Phillips, to 70 months in federal prison without parole, to be followed by 3 years of supervised release.
On April 14, 2025, co-defendant Antonio Manning, Sr., 23, pleaded guilty to his involvement in the conspiracy to illegally traffic firearms. Pursuant to the plea agreement, Antonio Manning admitted that he was personally involved in illegally selling at least nine firearms and one of those firearms was an unregistered machinegun. On Aug. 7, 2025, Antonio Manning was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Beth Phillips, to 48 months in federal prison without parole, to be followed by 3 years of supervised release.
On Jan. 22, 2025, co-defendant Sheron Manning, 22, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to traffic firearms to prohibited persons and to one count of illegally trafficking a firearm that had been converted into an unregistered machinegun. On May 21, 2025, Sheron Manning was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Beth Phillips, to 57 months in federal prison without parole, to be followed by 3 years of supervised release.
On Apr. 17, 2025, co-defendant Fedo Manning, 24, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to traffic firearms to prohibited persons. On Aug. 21, 2025, Fedo Manning, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Beth Phillips, to 66 months in federal prison without parole, to be followed by 3 years of supervised release. One of the recovered firearms originally purchased by Fedo Manning and later trafficked to an unknown individual was discovered at the scene of the shooting that occurred during the celebration of the Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl victory on Feb. 14, 2024. The recovered firearm was an Anderson Manufacturing AM-15, .223-caliber pistol. The loaded pistol was found along the wall with a backpack next to two AR-15-style firearms and backpacks. Because the pistol was in “fire” position and there were 26 live rounds in the magazine, which is capable of holding 30 rounds, it may have fired several rounds before it was discarded.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Trey Alford. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
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.
Jury Finds Virginia Man Guilty of First-Degree Sexual Abuse of a Minor and First-Degree Sexual Abuse of a StudentRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Mark Williams, 59, of Virginia, has been found guilty by a jury of four counts of first-degree sexual abuse of a secondary education student and four counts of first-degree sexual abuse of a minor, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Williams was the victim’s high school teacher in 2014, when the abuse occurred.
The verdict was returned on February 12, 2026, following a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The Honorable Michael Ryan scheduled sentencing for April 17, 2026. The defendant remains held without bond pending sentencing.
According to the government’s evidence, in the spring of 2014, Williams was the victim’s high school teacher at Duke Ellington School for the Arts. Williams began an independent study with the victim, who was 17 years old at the time. Their independent study met in a locked, windowless room in the basement of Duke Ellington. Williams then initiated a romantic and sexual relationship with the victim, during which they participated in sexual acts while on campus.
Joining in the announcement was Jeffery W. Carroll, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
In announcing the verdict, U.S. Attorney Pirro and Chief Carroll commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Tiffany Jones, Investigative Analyst Lucas Jetson, and Victim Witness Coordinators Guisela Castillo and Katina Adams.
Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Callie Hyde and Sarah Roessler, who investigated and prosecuted the case, and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Rob Platt, who assisted with investigating the case.
2023 CF1 008583
Illegal Alien Sentenced for Unlawful ReentryRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Kender Jose Alvarez-Hernandez, a/k/a Kender Alvarez-Hernandez, age 21, a Guatemalan national unlawfully present in Johnston County, Oklahoma, was sentenced to time served for one count of Unlawful Reentry of Removed Alien.
The charge arose from an investigation by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement Division and the Johnston County Sheriff’s Office.
On August 14, 2025, Alvarez-Hernandez pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on June 17, 2025, Alvarez-Hernandez, an alien, was found in the United States without obtaining the express consent of the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States after having been previously removed on April 23, 2025.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The Honorable Ronald A. White, Senior District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Cornell represented the United States at sentencing.
Illegal Alien Sentenced for Unlawful ReentryRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Fernando Gonzalez-Esparza, a/k/a Fernando Esparza-Gonzalez, a/k/a Fernando Gonzalez-Esparsa, a/k/a Fernando Esparza, a/k/a Fernando Gonzalez, a/k/a Fernada Gonzalez, a/k/a Angel Gomez, age 41, a Mexican national unlawfully present in Muskogee County, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 30 months in prison for one count of Unlawful Reentry of Removed Alien.
The charge arose from an investigation by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement Division and the Haskell Police Department.
On September 10, 2025, Gonzalez-Esparza pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on July 12, 2025, Gonzalez-Esparza, an alien, was found in the United States without obtaining the express consent of the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States after having been previously removed on October 1, 2021.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The Honorable Ronald A. White, Senior District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Gonzalez-Esparza will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Cornell represented the United States at sentencing.
Honduran national ordered to federal prison for fifth illegal reentryRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 48-year-old man who illegally resided in Porter has been sentenced for illegally reentering the country again, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Oscar Javier Quiroz Perdomo pleaded guilty Nov. 21, 2025.
U.S. District Judge Sim Lake has now ordered Perdomo to serve 70 months in federal prison. Not a U.S. citizen, he is expected to face removal proceedings following his imprisonment. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence regarding his criminal history while illegally present in the United States. In imposing the sentence, the court noted Perdomo’s repeated illegal reentries and other criminal conduct.
Perdomo has multiple previous convictions for thefts, burglaries of buildings and a habitation, abandoning or endangering a child and illegal reentry.
He was first ordered removed in August 2009 and returned illegally on at least four other occasions. Most recently, authorities discovered him on or about Jan. 29, 2025, in Houston with no authorization to be there.
Perdomo has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Enforcement and Removal Operations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony Franklyn and former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Brooke Fuselier prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Honduran National Guilty of Assault Against Law EnforcementRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – JOSE WALTER NIETO-CASTELLANOS (“NIETO-CASTELLANOS”), age 31, plead guilty on January 29, 2026, to Assault Against Law Enforcement, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 111(b), announced United States Attorney David I. Courcelle.
According to the charging document, on October 14, 2025, NIETO-CASTELLANOS forcibly obstructed and impeded a United States Customs and Border Protection Agent, while that agent was engaged in the performance of his official duties.
NIETO-CASTELLANOS faces a maximum term of imprisonment of twenty (20) years, followed by up to three (3) years of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000.00, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00.
NIETO-CASTELLANOS sentencing is set for March 12, 2026, before United States District Judge Carl J. Barbier.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
U.S. Attorney Courcelle praised the work of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection in investigating this matter. Special Assistant United States Attorney Frederick W. Veters Jr., of the General Crimes Unit oversees the prosecution.
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Hartford Man Who Robbed Victims after Advertising Vehicle Sales Online Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that FREDERICK WRIGHT, 34, of Hartford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford to 180 months of imprisonment and four years of supervised release for committing several armed robberies of individuals who responded to his Facebook Marketplace posts advertising the sale of a vehicle.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Wright operated a robbery scheme in which he would post a vehicle for sale on Facebook Marketplace. He then arranged to meet a potential purchaser, allowed the purchaser to take a test drive of the vehicle, and then negotiated a price. Once the purchaser handed over cash for the vehicle, Wright would brandish a firearm, threaten to shoot the victim, and steal the cash and, at times, other valuable items from the victim. During this scheme, between July 2020 and November 2020, Wright and others robbed at least five victims in Windsor and Bloomfield.
Wright was arrested on November 24, 2020. On that date, investigators conducted a court-authorized search of Wright’s Hartford residence and seized a loaded 9mm semiautomatic pistol that he and others used during the robberies.
Wright’s criminal history includes state felony convictions for attempted robbery in the first degree and failure to appear, and he was on state special parole when he committed the robberies in 2020.
Wright has been detained since his arrest. On February 1, 2022, he pleaded guilty to three counts of obstruction of interstate commerce by robbery, two counts of brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon.
Judge Shea ordered Wright to pay $14,429 in restitution to the victims of his crimes.
This matter was investigated by Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Hartford Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Konstantin Lantsman.
U.S. Attorney Sullivan encouraged those who sell and purchase items online, and need to meet an individual in person to complete the sale, to use a visible, monitored location. Contact your local police department to see if it offers a monitored meeting location, or search online for a nearby monitored location.
Harlem woman sentenced to prison for trafficking drugs on the Fort Belknap Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS – A Harlem woman who trafficked fentanyl and methamphetamine on the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation was sentenced yesterday to 28 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Twila Marie Cochran, 49, pleaded guilty in October 2025 to one count of possession with the intent to distribute controlled substances.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.
The government alleged in court documents that Cochran has been trafficking controlled substances on the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation since at least October 2022.
On April 6, 2023, she drove to St. Regis to pick up thousands of fentanyl pills and 12 ounces of methamphetamine to sell on the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation. Her co-defendant put the drugs in her car, which she drove back to her home.
Prior to the drug run, Cochran bragged in text messages to her co-defendant about being able to hide the drugs in her home.
Law enforcement eventually recovered nearly 2,500 fentanyl pills associated with the April 2023 drug run hidden on Cochran’s property. Between October 2022 until she was incarcerated, she continued to traffic meth and fentanyl to members of the Fort Belknap Indian Community.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda L. Myers prosecuted the case. The FBI and Fort Belknap Law Enforcement Services conducted the investigation.
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Guatemalan National Guilty of Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA –YOVANI ALEXANDER CANU-GONZALEZ (“CANU-GONZALEZ”), age 25, a citizen of Guatemala, pled guilty to illegal reentry of a removed alien, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a), announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle.
According to the bill of information, CANU-GONZALEZ reentered the United States on or about July 29, 2024, after having been previously removed on or about May 24, 2023.
Sentencing is scheduled for May 13, 2026, before U.S. District Judge Greg G. Guidry. The maximum penalties facing CANU-GONZALEZ are imprisonment of not more than two (2) years, a fine of up to $250,000.00, and payment of a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00. Additionally, CANU-GONZALEZ is subject to a period of supervised release after imprisonment of up to one year.
U.S. Attorney Courcelle praised the work of the United States Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Irene González of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
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Greece pawn shop owner going to prison for his role in retail theft ring involving hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of stolen merchandiseRead the Press Release
ROCHESTER, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Dominic Sprague, 42, of Greece, NY, who was convicted of conspiracy to transport stolen goods in interstate commerce, was sentenced to serve 60 months in prison by Chief U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle P. Rossi, who handled the case, stated that between December 2021 and October 17, 2024, Sprague, who was the owner and operator of the New York Gold Diamond Pawn Shop in Greece, engaged in a conspiracy with larcenists, Amanda Reeves, Shabon Banks, Chad Lewis, Jr., and pawn shop manager James Civiletti, to buy and sell stolen goods.
As part of the scheme, Reeves, Banks, and Lewis stole new-in-box items from store shelves on a weekly and sometimes daily basis, both alone and in concert with one another. They then sold the stolen goods to the pawn shop, which was managed by Civiletti, for a fraction of their actual retail value. The pawn shop then resold the stolen merchandise on eBay at much higher prices, resulting in significant profits. In total, the New York Gold Diamond Pawn Shop purchased 37,936 stolen new-in-box items from Reeves, Banks, and Lewis on more than 670 occasions, for which they were paid $290,000.00, which was approximately 25% of the actual retail value of the stolen items. This resulted in actual losses to the victim-retailers of approximately $1,160,000.00.
Banks, Reeves, Lewis and Civiletti were previously convicted.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Greece Police Department, under the direction of Chief Michael Wood; the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Todd Baxter; Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Erin Keegan, and the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Harry Chavis.
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Georgia Man Pleads Guilty to Gun Charge in S.C. Trooper ShootingRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Derrick Gathers, 40, of Augusta, Georgia, has pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to statements made in court, on August 16, 2023, Trooper Frazier with the South Carolina Highway Patrol (SCHP) stopped Gathers for speeding on Highway 78 in Bamberg County. Gathers gave Trooper Frazier a license and vehicle registration, and Trooper Frazier took those items back to his patrol vehicle to run a routine records check. Trooper Frazier had concerns about the driver’s license, and when Trooper Frazier reapproached the driver’s side of the vehicle to investigate, Gathers pulled out a firearm, shot trooper Frazier in the face, and sped away. A Bamberg County Sheriff’s Department (BCSD) deputy was providing support during the traffic stop, and both officers returned fire at Gather’s fleeing vehicle. Gather’s fleeing vehicle was located by law enforcement, including members of the Bamberg Police Department, SCHP, and BCSD. During the chase, Gathers lost control of the vehicle and crashed in Branchville. Gathers was thereafter taken into custody.
The Dorchester County Sheriff’s Department executed a search warrant on the vehicle and found a pistol loaded with 9mm ammunition under the brake pedal. SLED matched the recovered pistol to one of the fired cartridge casings left at the scene of the initial traffic stop.
Gathers has previous felony convictions for 3rd degree rape and 2nd degree criminal possession of a weapon from the state of New York, which both prevent him from possessing a firearm or ammunition.
The State Trooper, Lance Corporal Frazier, has fully recovered from the injuries he sustained during the incident.
Gathers faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. He also faces a fine of up to $250,000, restitution, and a term of supervision to follow the term of imprisonment. United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis accepted the guilty plea and will sentence Gathers after receiving and reviewing a sentencing report prepared by the U.S. Probation Office.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, the Orangeburg County Sheriff’s Office, the Dorchester County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bamberg Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lamar Fyall is prosecuting the case.
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Gainesville Felon Sentenced to 12 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA – William Blas Hernandez, 28, of Gainesville, Florida, was sentenced to 12 years in prison after pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, carrying a firearm during a drug-trafficking crime, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “This is another successful prosecution under Operation Take Back America, which was launched by President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi to deploy the full might of the Department of Justice to remove violent, drug trafficking felons like this defendant from our communities. The residents of the Northern District of Florida deserve safe, drug-free streets, and that is exactly what my office is committed to delivering by aggressively prosecuting these cases and seeking maximum punishments.”
Court documents reflect that law enforcement conducted a traffic stop on the defendant’s vehicle because he was speeding, and his vehicle matched the description from a 911 caller who reported other criminal conduct. During the traffic stop, officers established probable cause to search the vehicle, and found the defendant’s backpack with a loaded pistol, over 50 grams of methamphetamine in a variety of forms, and other drug-distribution paraphernalia. The defendant was recently released from a prison sentence for eight prior felony convictions.
“Methamphetamine is capable of destroying families and ripping through communities,” said DEA Tampa Field Division Special Agent in Charge Daniel Escobar. “We will not stop until the flow of this poison has been removed from our streets.”
“We will not allow guns and drugs to corrupt our community. We will work with our federal partners to ensure that those who choose to engage in these activities are held accountable,” said Gainesville Police Chief Moya.
The defendant’s imprisonment will be followed by a 10-year term of supervised release, meaning if he violates any of the conditions of his supervision, he will potentially face additional prison time.
The case involved a joint investigation by the Gainesville Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Adam Hapner and James McCain.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime, human and drug trafficking.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.
Fully Blooded Felon Gang Members Sentenced to Eight Years in Prison for RICO Conspiracy, Drug Trafficking, and FirearmsRead the Press Release
Fully Blooded Felon gang member Dontez Hammond, 36, of Cleveland, was sentenced to eight years in prison after pleading guilty to Racketeering Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) conspiracy, drug trafficking, and possession of a firearm and ammunition by a person under indictment.
As the defendant admitted during his plea hearing and in other court documents, the Fully Blooded Felons have existed in Ohio since approximately 2012, operating primarily out of the eastside of Cleveland, as well as Akron, Youngstown, and elsewhere. They are also active in the Ohio prison system.
The Fully Blooded Felons’ structure includes a “Commission,” which is a group of members tasked with maintaining the structure and organization of the enterprise through physical discipline and by determining which illicit means the organization would use to make money.
The Fully Blooded Felons had rules that members were required to follow. The rules were sent to members online, by text message, and in face-to-face communications. Members were required to abide by “omerta,” or the code of silence, and were required to memorize and recite at meetings the “Fully Five,” a set of rules that included following all orders issued by the Commission. If a member did not know the “Fully Five,” they were punished.
To further their drug trafficking, Fully Blooded Felon members used two separate stash-houses at a local apartment complex in Cleveland. During the execution of two search warrants, law enforcement recovered over 300 grams of fentanyl, cocaine, methamphetamine, and 7 firearms.
Text messages and wiretap calls showed that Hammond regularly supplied Fully Blooded Felon members with cocaine. On Nov. 13, 2023, Hammond obtained a Mac-10 semi-automatic handgun from other Fully Blooded Felon members. Afterwards, Cleveland Police officers attempted to conduct a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by Hammond. Hammond fled, tossing the gun as he did. Police recovered the discarded firearm. At the time, Hammond was under a state indictment for felony drug charges.
Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U. S. Attorney David M. Toepfer for the Northern District of Ohio made the announcement.
The FBI investigated this case, with substantial assistance from the Cleveland Division of Police.
This case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Brian W. Lynch and Alyssa Levey-Weinstein as well as Assistant United States Attorneys Paul E. Hanna, Robert F. Corts, and Margaret A. Sweeney for the Northern District of Ohio.
Fort Myers Convicted Felon Pleads Guilty to Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – Walter James Marshall (31, Fort Myers) has pleaded guilty to an indictment charging him with possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon. Marshall faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement
According to court documents, on June 12, 2025, Marshall was stopped by the Fort Myers Police Department for driving on a suspended license. During a search of his vehicle, officers recovered a loaded SCCY pistol under the driver’s seat. DNA swabs taken from the pistol and from Marshall linked him to the firearm. As a previously convicted felon, Marshall is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Fort Myers Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick L. Darcey.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Former TSA Security Officer Pleads Guilty to Fraudulently Obtaining Pandemic Unemployment AssistanceRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Worcester man pleaded guilty in federal court in Boston to fraudulently obtaining tens of thousands of dollars in Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) while employed as a TSA Security Officer full-time.
Ismael Rosado Jr., 40, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud. U.S. Senior District Court Judge Patti B. Saris scheduled sentencing for May 19, 2026. Rosado was charged in December 2025.
Rosado was employed full-time as a TSA Security Officer at Boston Logan International Airport from November 2018 through October 2021. Between May 2020 and September 2021, Rosado submitted an application seeking PUA and weekly certifications claiming he was unemployed and making no income. Based on misrepresentations in the application and weekly certifications, Rosado received $47,526 in unemployment benefits to which he was not entitled.
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 up to $250,000 or twice the gain or loss, whichever is greater. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Anthony D’Esposito, Inspector General of the Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General; and Joseph V. Cuffari, Ph.D., Inspector General, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspector General made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Sullivan of the Criminal Division is prosecuting the case.
Former Reston Man Pleads Guilty to Child Exploitation ChargesRead the Press Release
ABINGDON, Va. – A man who used Snapchat to sexually exploit a pair of middle school girls from Southwest Virginia, pled guilty yesterday in U.S. District Court in Abingdon.
Justin Steven Boileau, 30, a former resident of Reston, Va., who also spent time in Merritt Island, Fla., pled guilty yesterday to two counts of sexual exploitation of children.
“Protecting children from online threats is a priority for the prosecutors in the Western District of Virginia,” Acting United States Attorney Robert N. Tracci said today. “We will continue to work with our partners at the FBI, as well as state and local law enforcement, to hold accountable sexual predators who target our children online.”
“While social media is a powerful tool for keeping us connected, it can also be a dangerous weapon criminals use to take advantage of our kids. In bringing justice for these victims, we ask all parents and guardians to stay engaged and know who your children are talking to online,” said Ian Kaufmann, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Division.
According to court documents, Boileau used the messaging app Snapchat to entice two minor females from Southwest Virginia – Minor Victim One and Minor Victim Two– to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing visual depictions of such conduct.
Specifically, in the fall of 2023, Boileau began conversing with Minor Victim One via Snapchat. At the time, Boileau was in his late 20s and resided in Reston, Virginia. Minor Victim One was twelve years old at that time and lived in Russell County, Va. Boileau portrayed himself online as a hockey player named ‘Josh’ and began conversating with Minor Victim One in an explicitly sexual manner. These conversations continued over the course of several months through the early part of 2024. During these conversations, Boileau asked Minor Victim One for sexually explicit depictions of herself. At Boileau’s request, Minor Victim One sent, among other things, nude photos and videos of herself. Boileau also sent sexually explicit images to MV1.
Additionally, in early 2024, Boileau used Snapchat to converse with Minor Victim Two, a twelve-year-old minor who lived in Russell County, Va. As with Minor Victim One, Boileau’s conversations with Minor Victim Two were sexual in nature. At Boileau’s request, MV2 sent sexually explicit photos and videos of herself.
Boileau knew both Minor Victim One and Minor Victim Two were minors when he requested they send him explicit images and videos.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Russell County, Virginia Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant United States Attorney Carrie Macon is prosecuting the case for the United States.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identity and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/.
Former Okfuskee County Jailer Sentenced for Unlawful Assault on DetaineeRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Donovan Matthew Pruett, age 24, of Checotah, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 36 months of probation for one count of Deprivation of Rights Under Color of Law.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
On November 24, 2025, Pruett entered a guilty plea in federal district court. According to investigators, on September 28, 2024, while on duty and working in an official capacity as an Okfuskee County jailer, Pruett physically assaulted a restrained individual at the Okfuskee County Jail after the individual spat on him. Pruett’s assault caused the victim bodily injury.
Title 18, U.S. Code, Section 242 makes it a crime for any person acting under color of any law to willfully deprive a person of a right or privilege protected by the Constitution or the laws of the United States. Federal, state, and local officials, including police officers, prison guards, and other law enforcement officials, act under “color of law” when they act or claim to act in the performance of official duties, regardless of whether that official is operating inside or outside of the bounds of their lawful authority.
The Honorable Ronald A. White, Senior District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Paladino, in consultation with the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice, represented the United States.
Former NYPD Official and Florida Businessman Charged with Bribery OffensesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), James C. Barnacle, Jr., Acting Commissioner of the New York City Department of Investigation (“DOI”), Christopher Ryan, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Office of Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (“IRS-CI”), Harry T. Chavis, Jr., and Special Agent in Charge of the New York Regional Office of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation’s Office of Inspector General (“FDIC-OIG”), Patricia Tarasca, announced today the unsealing of an Indictment charging former Commanding Officer of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”) School Safety Division (“SSD”) KEVIN TAYLOR and Florida businessman GENO ROEFARO with bribery and related offenses. TAYLOR was arrested this morning and will be presented today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Katharine H. Parker. ROEFARO was also arrested this morning and was presented in the Southern District of Florida. The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Vernon S. Broderick.
“The NYPD is the greatest police force in the world, including because it invests wisely and honestly in resources,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “The NYPD procurement process is not for sale. As alleged in the indictment, in 2023 and 2024, Kevin Taylor engaged in a corrupt relationship with Geno Roefaro—a Florida businessman who paid tens of thousands of dollars’ worth of bribes to Taylor—in exchange for Taylor agreeing to use his power and influence within the NYPD to enrich Roefaro’s company. As alleged, Taylor also used his influence within the NYPD to attempt to extort at least two other businessmen for payments. Corruption will not be tolerated from those, like Taylor, who are entrusted to keep New York City’s children and teachers safe.”
“Former NYPD Commanding Officer Kevin Taylor allegedly accepted bribes to steer city contracts to a co-defendant, Geno Roefaro, and attempted to extort another company,” said FBI Assistant Director in Charge James C. Barnacle, Jr. “His alleged actions corrupted the city's contracting process and manipulated high-level executives. While this alleged misconduct is exceedingly rare among NYPD officials, the FBI will not tolerate those who abuse their authority for personal gain.”
“When public servants choose to ignore their responsibility to follow the rules and promote fairness and integrity in what they do, they compromise the very fabric of good government and people’s faith in it,” said Acting DOI Commissioner Christopher Ryan. “As charged, the former Commanding Officer of the NYPD’s School Safety Division allegedly monetized his authority and influence for personal gain, promising to advise and pressure others in City government to award contracts to a Florida businessman in return for tens of thousands of dollars in cash and gifts, including luxury hotel lodging, a helicopter tour, and Broadway tickets. In a second alleged corrupt scheme, the NYPD official used his position to try and extort money from employees of a second company with an NYPD contract, threatening economic harm to the company in an attempt to obtain the payments. I thank the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York and our federal law enforcement partners for working with DOI to protect the City’s integrity.”
“Kevin Taylor is accused of leveraging his role as Commanding Officer of the NYPD School Safety Division to solicit bribes and extort employees,” said IRS-CI Special Agent in Charge Harry T. Chavis, Jr. “By offering lavish vacations and high-end dining, Geno Roefaro allegedly exploited his illicit relationship with Taylor to secure government contracts. Following today’s arrests, they will now face the repercussions of their alleged misappropriation of City funds.”
“We are pleased to join our law enforcement partners in announcing this indictment,” said FDIC-OIG Special Agent in Charge Patricia Tarasca. “These charges reinforce the FDIC-OIG’s commitment to investigating all allegations of financial misconduct, including bribery offenses, as we seek to maintain and preserve the integrity of the banking sector.”
As alleged in the Indictment:[1]
From at least in or about July 2023 through in or about February 2024, TAYLOR repeatedly abused his authority and considerable influence as the Commanding Officer of the NYPD SSD by soliciting or demanding bribes in two corrupt schemes.
First, TAYLOR solicited and received bribes from ROEFARO in exchange for promises by TAYLOR to advise and pressure others in the New York City government to award ROEFARO millions of dollars’ worth of contracts.
At all relevant times, ROEFARO was the founder, majority owner, and chief executive officer of a company (“Company-1”) that markets and sells cellphone-based tipline applications to school districts and police departments. In or about summer 2022, ROEFARO began attempting to sell his products to the New York City government through seemingly legitimate means. When those legitimate efforts did not progress to ROEFARO’s liking, ROEFARO chose to bribe TAYLOR on multiple occasions to achieve the results he wanted. ROEFARO bribed TAYLOR with multiple cash payments and paid for TAYLOR’s vacations, entertainment experiences, and dining at high-end restaurants. In exchange, TAYLOR advised and pressured others, including other high-ranking officials at the NYPD and the City Council of New York, to procure goods and services from Company-1.
Second, TAYLOR solicited and attempted to extort as much as $75,000 from two employees (“Individual-1” and “Individual-2,” respectively) of a second company (“Company-2”) that had contracted with the NYPD to outfit the SSD’s members with ballistic vests. TAYLOR sought these payments in exchange for TAYLOR’s official acts facilitating and not disrupting Company-2’s contract with the NYPD. TAYLOR also threatened economic harm against Company-2 as a means to obtain the payments.
Specifically, in summer 2023, TAYLOR signed a contract with an event space (the “Event Space”) in Manhattan so that TAYLOR could host a holiday party for the SSD at the Event Space in December 2023. Through that contract, TAYLOR was personally liable to pay the Event Space more than $100,000 for the holiday party. In an attempt to satisfy that personal liability, TAYLOR repeatedly solicited payments from Individual-1 and Individual-2 in exchange for TAYLOR facilitating Company-2’s contract with the NYPD, and TAYLOR otherwise threatened Company-2 with economic harm to obtain those payments. Despite TAYLOR’s efforts, Individual-1 and Individual-2 never made the bribe payments solicited by TAYLOR.
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TAYLOR, age 52, of Yonkers, New York, is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud and one count of honest services wire fraud, each of which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; one count of conspiracy to commit bribery, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison; two counts of bribery, each of which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison; and two counts of extortion, each of which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
ROEFARO, age 39, of Pompano Beach, Florida, is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud and one count of honest services wire fraud, each of which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; one count of conspiracy to commit bribery, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison; and one count of bribery, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.
The statutory maximum penalties in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI, the Special Agents and Task Force Officers of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, DOI, IRS-CI, and FDIC-OIG. Mr. Clayton also thanked the NYPD Internal Affairs Bureau, Group 25 for their assistance with this investigation.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Public Corruption Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jessica Greenwood, Matthew J. King, and Daniel H. Wolf are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the Indictment and the descriptions of the Indictment set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Florida Man on Federal Supervised Release for Enticement to Engage in Prostitution Indicted for Forcible Sex TraffickingRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – Erwin Phillips Burley (37, Jacksonville) has been charged by federal indictment with two counts of sex trafficking by means of force, fraud, and coercion, two counts of enticement to engage in prostitution, and seven counts of interstate transportation of a person with the intent that the person engage in prostitution. If convicted, Burley faces a mandatory minimum term of 15 years, up to life, in prison for each of the forcible sex trafficking counts, up to 20 years’ imprisonment for each of the enticement counts, and up to 10 years in prison for each of the transportation counts. Burley would also be required to serve at least 5 years on federal supervised release following any term of imprisonment and register as a sex offender. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court records, Burley was convicted in 2018 of enticement to engage in prostitution and sentenced to 96 months in federal prison, followed by supervised release. He was released to a halfway house in early 2024.
According to the indictment, beginning in February 2024, and continuing through at least May 2025, Burley recruited two victims to engage in commercial sex acts, while knowing that means of force, fraud, and coercion would be used to cause the victims to engage in commercial sex acts. Burley also enticed each of the victims to travel in interstate commerce to engage in prostitution. The indictment also alleges that Burley transported one of the victims between Florida and other states, including Georgia, Tennessee, and Texas on multiple dates in 2024 with the intent that the victim engage in prostitution.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the State Attorney’s Office for Florida’s (Fourth Judicial Circuit), the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, and the Sandy Springs (Georgia) Police Department. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Laura Cofer Taylor.
Five Federally Indicted for Alleged $220 Million Nationwide Cattle Fraud Scheme; One is Fugitive on FBI Wanted ListRead the Press Release
Five individuals were federally indicted this week for their roles in an alleged $220 million nationwide fraud scheme involving purported cattle purchase contracts, announced United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould.
Those indicted by a Fort Worth federal grand jury on February 11, 2026, were:
- Jed Wood of Fort Worth, Texas, charged with three counts of wire fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and one count of money laundering involving wiring more than $63,000 to a lender for “Home Payoff”
- Joshua Link of Strafford, Missouri, charged with ten counts of wire fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and two counts of money laundering, including wiring more than $527,000 to purchase real property
- Tia Link of Smithton, Missouri, charged with three counts of wire fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and one count of money laundering, including wiring more than $527,000 to purchase real property
- Taylor Bang of Kildeer, North Dakota, charged with eight counts of wire fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and one count of money laundering
- Royana Thomas of Arlington, Texas, charged with six counts of wire fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and one count of money laundering
“Thousands of unwitting investors, ranchers, and others in the cattle industry nationwide were drawn in and victimized by the defendants’ multi-million dollar scheme alleged in this indictment,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould. “My office, in concert with our law enforcement partners, will hold these defendants accountable and pursue justice on behalf of the victims.”
“The defendants allegedly used false promises to lure prospective clients into their scheme and then misappropriated client funds to enrich themselves. One individual, Joshua Robert Link, remains a fugitive. We are asking the public to contact the FBI if they have any information regarding Link’s location,” said FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock.
As alleged in the indictment, each of the defendants were associated with Agridime LLC, a business headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas that offered cattle sales and meat processing and retail services to the public. Jed Wood served as the Operations Director. Joshua Link served as the Executive Director. Tia Link served as the Marketing Director. Taylor Bang served as a cattle broker, and Royana Thomas served as the financial controller.
The indictment alleges that, from January 2021 through December 2023, the five defendants, acting through Agridime, perpetrated a fraud scheme in which they falsely represented to individual cattle purchasers, cattle ranchers, and feedlots that Agridime would use their funds to purchase specific individual cattle for each victim, raise the cattle, and eventually sell the meat from the same specific individual cattle for a profit. In reality, as the indictment charges, the defendants did not use victim funds as promised and instead used newer cattle purchaser funds to pay Agridime operating expenses, pay funds owed by Agridime to earlier cattle purchasers, pay personal expenses, and purchase real property.
As alleged, the defendants fraudulently collected more than $220 million from over 2,200 individual victims located throughout the United States due to fraudulent misrepresentations the defendants made in public and private advertising statements.
If convicted, the defendants face up to twenty years in federal prison on each wire fraud count for which they were indicted as well as twenty years’ imprisonment for the charged wire fraud conspiracy. Additionally, the defendants face up to ten years’ imprisonment for each money laundering count in which they are charged.
Tia Link and Taylor Bang appeared for arraignment before a United States Magistrate Judge in Fort Worth today. Both were released under pretrial supervision. Jed Wood and Royana Thomas are set to appear for arraignment in Fort Worth before a United States Magistrate Judge on February 25, 2026.
Joshua Robert Link remains a fugitive. The FBI requests that the public contact the FBI with any information regarding Link’s location.
https://www.fbi.gov/wanted/wcc/joshua-robert-link
fbi_wanted_-_fugitive_-_joshua_link.pdfThe Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Fort Worth Resident Agency conducted the investigation, with assistance from the USDA-OIG. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark McDonald is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation of criminal conduct. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Federal grand jury indicts Clarence man for attempting to have sex with a 12-year-oldRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. –U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that a federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging Daniel Gregory, 33, of Clarence, NY, with attempted enticement of a minor, which carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum of life.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Evan K. Glaberson, who is handling the case, stated that according to the indictment and a previously complaint, on January 6, 2025, the North Tonawanda Police Department learned that a person named “Daniel Gregory” was sending messages to other Facebook users asking the following question: “You know any NT teens I could hook up with? 13-16” Detectives traced the messages to the defendant. On January 9, 2025, an undercover law enforcement officer created a Facebook profile under the name “Alexis Jones,” and sent Gregory a friend request, which he subsequently accepted. Gregory started sending messages to “Alexis Jones” via Facebook messenger. After sending messages, Gregory began attempting to video call “Alexis Jones” and asked for “Alexis Jones” to call him. No video calls were answered, all communication was done electronically through Facebook messenger. In the subsequent weeks, Gregory consistently attempted to coordinate a meeting with “Alexis Jones,” who he believed was 12 years old. He also repeatedly attempted to video call and sent explicit photos of himself to the undercover account. Some of the conversations between Gregory and the undercover law enforcement officer were sexual in nature.
On February 3, 2025, Gregory arranged to meet “Alexis Jones” at an apartment in the City of Tonawanda to engage in sexual activity. When Gregory arrived at the apartment, North Tonawanda detectives were waiting and took him into custody. They also seized Gregory’s cell phone.
In May 2019, Gregory was convicted of Harassment in the 2nd Degree, in Cheektowaga Town Court, for contacting a minor victim on social media, and attempting to pursue a romantic relationship with the minor for approximately two years.
The indictment is the result of an investigation by the North Tonawanda Police Department, under the direction of Chief Keith Glass and Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Erin Keegan.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Federal Judge Sentences Man to More Than Four Years in Prison for Robbing U.S. Postal Service Carrier in ChicagoRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A federal judge has sentenced a man to more than four years in prison for robbing a United States Postal Service letter carrier in Chicago.
The robbery occurred on March 31, 2020, in the 1900 block of North Albany Avenue in Chicago’s Logan Square neighborhood. DONTE HUGHES and another individual approached the carrier from behind as she was delivering mail. The other individual wrapped both arms around the carrier, preventing her from moving, while Hughes reached into the carrier’s pocket and demanded property. The victim complied with the demand and turned over official USPS property. Hughes and the other individual then fled the area on foot.
Hughes was arrested in 2024. At the time of the robbery, he was on probation for a firearm-related conviction in state court.
Hughes, 34, of Chicago, pleaded guilty last year to a federal robbery charge. On Feb. 4, 2026, U.S. District Judge Jeffrey I. Cummings sentenced Hughes to four years and three months in federal prison for the robbery of the postal carrier.
The sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Mary T. Johnson, Acting Inspector-in-Charge of the Chicago Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Valuable assistance was provided by the Chicago Police Department. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Chang.
Federal Court Sentences Four Defendants in $11.5 Million COVID-19 Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that on February 10, 2026, United States District Judge Jennifer P. Wilson sentenced Joshua White, 44, previously of Yoe, Pennsylvania, to 96 months’ imprisonment for bank fraud. As part of the sentence, Judge Wilson also ordered Mr. White to pay more than $2.3 million in restitution to victims and ordered him to serve five years of supervised release following his release from prison.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, Joshua White was the fourth and final defendant to be sentenced in a prosecution of a multi-year conspiracy to defraud the federal Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program, which were intended to provide financial support to businesses and employers during the COVID-19 pandemic. In October 2025, Judge Wilson sentenced Joshua White’s father, Creed White, 67, formerly of Freeland, Maryland, to 10 years’ imprisonment for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering, and sentenced one of his employees, Joseph Bailey, 54, formerly of York, Pennsylvania, to 46 months’ imprisonment for conspiracy. In December 2025, Judge Wilson sentenced another of Creed White’s employees, Kester Murray, 40, of Emigsville, Pennsylvania, to two years of probation for his role in the fraud scheme. In total, United States Attorney Miller said the defendants obtained more than $11.5 million in PPP and EIDL proceeds, making this one of the largest PPP and EIDL frauds prosecuted in the Middle District of Pennsylvania. Each of the defendants eventually pleaded guilty. As part of their sentences, Judge Wilson ordered each of the defendants to pay millions of dollars in restitution.
United States Attorney Miller explained that the federal investigation initially focused on Creed White, who owned Aluminum Alloys Manufacturing, an aluminum smelting and processing business in Yoe, Pennsylvania. Aluminum Alloys received disaster loans in early 2020, shortly after the outbreak of the pandemic. Thereafter, between the spring of 2020 and the fall of 2022, Creed White submitted approximately 120 fraudulent applications for PPP and EIDLs on behalf of 18 other dormant businesses he owned or controlled, which had no actual operations or employees. Approximately 40 of the applications were approved, resulting in the disbursement of more than $11.5 million in loan proceeds into bank accounts that Creed White controlled, and which he later transferred among other accounts and used to pay for unauthorized expenses and for his personal enrichment. To carry out the scheme, Creed White filed applications in the names of numerous knowing and unwitting individuals whom he fraudulently represented to own the various businesses that he controlled. Creed White relied on Joshua White to obtain personally identifying information from these third parties and relied on Bailey and Murray to create fraudulent business, banking, and tax records that were furnished to banks and lending officials in support of the loan applications. Joshua White separately submitted a fraudulent PPP loan application on behalf of a dormant business that he owned, obtaining $175,000, which he spent on unauthorized expenses and a spree to Las Vegas.
Addressing the sentences that Judge Wilson imposed for each of the defendants, IRS-CI Philadelphia Field Office Special Agent in Charge Yury Kruty said, “These individuals deliberately and repeatedly defrauded the PPP and the EIDL programs, which were designed to help small business owners during the COVID pandemic,” said Philadelphia Field Office Special Agent in Charge Yury Kruty. “These sentencings should be a deterrent to other would-be criminals, knowing that Special Agents from IRS-CI and our law enforcement partners are fully committed to bringing offenders like this to justice.”
Amaleka McCall-Brathwaite, Special Agent in Charge of the Eastern Regional Office for the U.S. Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General made a similar observation, noting, “When individuals manipulate pandemic relief programs for personal gain, they undermine public trust and divert critical resources from legitimate small businesses. These sentencings underscore that fraud against federal relief programs will be aggressively investigated and prosecuted. SBA OIG will continue to protect taxpayer dollars and uphold the integrity of SBA programs.”
“Treasury OIG welcomes the opportunity to contribute our expertise in combating fraud in these important programs”, said Department of the Treasury Deputy Inspector General Loren Sciurba, “We remain committed to protecting the taxpayer through detection, investigation, and prosecution of such frauds with other members of the law enforcement community.”
The matter was investigated by agents with the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations, the Small Business Administration-Office of Inspector General, and United States Treasury-Office of Inspector General. Assistant United States Attorney Christian T. Haugsby prosecuted the case.
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Far Out: woman sentenced for making false reports of illegal bank account access from International Space StationRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 51-year-old resident of Sedgwick County, Kansas, has been ordered to federal prison for making false, fictitious and fraudulent statements and representations to law enforcement, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Summer Heather Worden pleaded guilty Nov. 14, 2025.
U.S. District Judge Alfred H. Bennett has now sentenced Worden to three months in federal prison to be immediately followed by two years of supervised release. The court also ordered Worden to pay $210,000 in restitution.
At the hearing, the court heard evidence that Worden falsely accused her former spouse of illegally accessing her bank account from the International Space Station while the couple was going through a divorce. Even after an internal investigation exonerated the former spouse, Worden continued promoting the false claim to news outlets and hired a media consultant to amplify the claim. The evidence further showed Worden publicly released her former spouse’s personal information.In July 2019, Worden alleged her estranged spouse had guessed her password and illegally accessed her bank account while deployed to the International Space Station.
However, the investigation revealed Worden opened her bank account in April 2018, and both parties accessed it until January 2019, when Worden changed the account credentials. Investigators also determined Worden had granted her spouse access to her bank records, including login credentials, as early as 2015.
Worden was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration - Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Richard D. Hanes and Brandon Fyffe prosecuted the case.Eastern Jackson County Man Sentenced for Fentanyl Trafficking, Machine Gun Conversion DevicesRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – An Oak Grove, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for his role in a fentanyl trafficking conspiracy and possession of machine gun conversion devices.
Kal J. Nay, 22, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Beth Phillips to 3 years in federal prison without parole.
His co-defendant, Robert J. Turnage, 22, was sentenced on Sept. 24, 2025, to 4 years in federal prison without parole for his role in the fentanyl trafficking conspiracy.
On Oct. 9, 2025, Nay pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and possession of machine guns.
Between May 2, 2024, and June 11, 2024, the Jackson County Drug Task Force utilized a Confidential Informant to purchase “M30” pills, which contained fentanyl, from Nay and Turnage. The Confidential Informant purchased 10 pills from Nay on May 2, 40 pills from Nay on May 23, and 20 pills from Nay and Turnage on June 11. On June 18, 2024, members of the Jackson County Drug Task Force were granted a state search warrant to search Nay’s residence in Oak Grove. Investigators seized 6 machine gun conversion devices, also known as “switches,” that were 3D printed from a 3D printer which was found in the residence. Nay admitted to investigators that he sold fentanyl pills and that he made the “switches” with his 3D printer.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica Jennings. It was investigated by the Jackson County Drug Task Force and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
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.
District Man Pleads Guilty to Illegally Possessing a Machine Gun Inside a Charter High SchoolRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – James Adrian Brewer, 19, a resident of the District of Columbia, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to unlawful possession of a machine gun, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Judge Jia M. Cobb scheduled sentencing for May 28, 2026.
According to court documents, Brewer was attending the Goodwill Excel Center Adult Charter School in Northwest Washington on Sept. 3, 2025, when he was observed by a school administrator to have what appeared to be a firearm in his waistband. When confronted, Brewer surrendered the pistol to the administrator, who then turned it over to Metropolitan Police Department officers.
The firearm was later determined to be a Glock 19, 9mm pistol that previously had been reported stolen. The Glock was loaded with 23 rounds of ammunition. The gun was fitted with a switch-style machine gun conversion device (MCD) which allowed it to function as a fully automatic weapon.
As part of his plea, Brewer admitted to possessing the handgun at the Goodwill Excel Center Adult Charter School and further admitted to knowing that it was fitted with an MCD that converted the pistol into a machine gun.
This case was investigated by the MPD with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives - Washington Field Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney James B. Nelson.
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Delaware County Man Pleads Guilty to Social Security Fraud ChargeRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Brian Gill, age 59, of Andes, New York, pled guilty on January 20, 2026 to a charge of social security fraud. First Assistant United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Amy Connelly, Special Agent in Charge, Boston/New York Field Division, Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General (SSA-OIG), made the announcement.
As part of his plea, Gill admitted that between January 2021 and November 2023, while Gill was actively collecting social security disability benefits, Gill was also managing and personally engaging in physical labor for a tree services company he owned and operated. Gill also admitted he concealed from the Social Security Administration (SSA) the fact that he was working and falsely stated on a SSA form that he had not been working.
First Assistant United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III stated: “This kind of social security fraud is a serious offense that robs taxpayers of funds needed to assist those who are truly unable to work. Thanks to the diligent efforts of our law enforcement partners, people who try to game the system, like this defendant, are identified and held accountable.”
“Brian Gill chose to lie to obtain Social Security disability insurance benefits while actively working physical labor for a tree service he owned,” said Special Agent in Charge Amy Connelly, SSA OIG, Boston/New York Field Division. “Social Security disability insurance benefits are reserved for individuals who are truly unable to work. When someone misrepresents their abilities to collect benefits they are not entitled to, it undermines the integrity of the program and steals from hardworking taxpayers. We will aggressively pursue those who try to cheat the American taxpayers for personal gain.”
Sentencing is scheduled for May 21, 2026 before United States Chief District Judge Brenda K. Sannes. Gill faces a maximum sentence of 5 years in federal prison and a fine of up to $250,000. As part of his plea, Gill agreed to pay restitution to the SSA for the funds he fraudulently collected. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statutes the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.
The case is being investigated by the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General, with assistance from the Offices of the New York State Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ben Gillis and Adrian LaRochelle are prosecuting the case.
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Cupid Doesn’t Ask for Crypto: U.S. Attorney’s Office Warns Public About Romance Scams Ahead of Valentine’s DayRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND - As Valentine’s Day approaches, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio warns the public to remain vigilant against romance scams. The criminals behind these scams shamelessly exploit the trust and emotion of their victims through online relationships.
Fraudsters will target victims on dating websites, social media platforms, and messaging apps and pose as potential romantic partners. They patiently cultivate relationships over weeks or months before they ask the victim to give them money for fake emergencies, travel expenses, investment opportunities, or medical crises. Hundreds of millions of dollars are lost each year due to these scams which are often operated by organized criminal networks, including transnational fraud rings.
“Romance scammers are not looking for love—they are looking for money,” said United States Attorney David M. Toepfer for the Northern District of Ohio. “They prey on trust and emotion and often target older Americans and vulnerable individuals. We urge everyone to slow down, verify identities, and never send money to someone they have not met in person.”
Scammers will:
- Create fake profiles using stolen photos.
- Claim to work overseas in the military, on oil rigs, or in international business.
- Quickly profess love or deep commitment.
- Move conversations off dating and social media platforms over to private messaging apps.
If they do any of the following, consider it a red flag:
- Declare strong feelings very early in the relationship.
- Refuse to meet in person, or make excuses for why they can’t meet in person.
- Have constant emergencies requiring financial assistance.
- Request payment in the form of gift cards, cryptocurrency, or wire transfer.
- Keep changing their stories or use poor grammar, inconsistent with their claimed background.
- Ask you to receive and/or forward funds or packages—sometimes turning victims into unwitting “money mules.”
U.S. Attorney’s Office recommendations to protect yourself:
- Never send money, gift cards, or cryptocurrency to someone you have not met in person.
- Conduct reverse image searches of profile photos.
- Consult a trusted friend or family member before sending funds.
- Report suspicious activity immediately.
If you believe you are a victim of a romance scam:
- Stop all communication immediately and do not delete or erase any evidence. Save all correspondence and financial records and contact your bank or financial institution right away.
- Make a report to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov or call your local law enforcement.
Some examples of scams that happened here in Northern Ohio include:
- Ghanaian National Charged with Running Romance Scams That Took Over $8 Million From Elderly Victims
- Ohio Woman Loses Life Savings in Cryptocurrency Investment Scam
The Department of Justice works with domestic and international partners to dismantle these criminal enterprises and is committed to investigating and prosecuting those responsible.
If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of a romance scam, call the National Elder Fraud Hotline at 1-833-372-8311 seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Hotline staff are experienced professionals who guide callers through the steps to make a report to assist authorities identify fraudsters. Submitting a report may increase the likelihood of recovering financial losses if done promptly. For more information, visit https://ovc.ojp.gov/program/stop-elder-fraud/providing-help-restoring-hope.
Cleaning Service Owner Pleads Guilty to Employment Tax CrimesRead the Press Release
A former Nevada business owner pleaded guilty today to willfully failing to pay over employment taxes on behalf of the cleaning company she owned and operated.
According to court documents and statements made in court: Deborah Meadows, 64, formerly of Las Vegas, owned and operated A to Z Employment Services LLC, which provided carpet, upholstery and roadside cleaning services in Nevada. Meadows controlled all financial matters related to the company. She also was responsible for withholding Social Security, Medicare and income taxes from her employees’ wages and paying those funds over to the IRS, as well as filing quarterly employment tax returns with the IRS.
From the first quarter of 2010 through the fourth quarter of 2020, however, Meadows withheld taxes from her employees’ wages but did not pay over those taxes to the IRS or file the required quarterly employment tax returns. From 2018 through 2021, Meadows also did not file individual tax returns, even though she was required to do so by law. In total, Meadows caused a tax loss to the U.S. government exceeding $1.2 million.
After the IRS began investigating Meadows, she took steps to obstruct the grand jury investigation. In response to a grand jury subpoena, Meadows provided investigators with altered bank records and inaccurate tax records. These altered bank records purportedly showed that another company Meadows owned had made sizeable tax payments to the IRS, when in fact the company had not made any such payments. She also provided inaccurate individual and employment tax returns that allegedly showed taxes paid to the IRS, when in fact Meadows knew at the time that she had never paid such taxes.
Meadows pleaded guilty to one count of willful failure to account for and pay over trust fund taxes. She faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Meadows is scheduled to be sentenced on May 21, 2026.
Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and First Assistant U.S. Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.
Assistant Deputy Chief Eric Powers and Trial Attorney Regina Jeon of the Criminal Division’s Tax Section are prosecuting the case, with substantial assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada.
Cleaning Service Owner Pleads Guilty to Employment Tax CrimesRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS — A former Nevada business owner pleaded guilty today to willfully failing to pay over employment taxes on behalf of the cleaning company she owned and operated.
According to court documents and statements made in court: Deborah Meadows, 64, formerly of Las Vegas, owned and operated A to Z Employment Services LLC, which provided carpet, upholstery, and roadside cleaning services in Nevada. Meadows controlled all financial matters related to the company. She also was responsible for withholding Social Security, Medicare and income taxes from her employees’ wages and paying those funds over to the IRS, as well as filing quarterly employment tax returns with the IRS.
From the first quarter of 2010 through the fourth quarter of 2020, however, Meadows withheld taxes from her employees’ wages but did not pay over those taxes to the IRS or file the required quarterly employment tax returns. From 2018 through 2021, Meadows also did not file individual tax returns, even though she was required to do so by law. In total, Meadows caused a tax loss to the U.S. government exceeding $1.2 million.
After the IRS began investigating Meadows, she took steps to obstruct the grand jury investigation. In response to a grand jury subpoena, Meadows provided investigators with altered bank records and inaccurate tax records. These altered bank records purportedly showed that another company Meadows owned had made sizeable tax payments to the IRS, when in fact the company had not made any such payments. She also provided inaccurate individual and employment tax returns that allegedly showed taxes paid to the IRS, when in fact Meadows knew at the time that she had never paid such taxes.
Meadows pleaded guilty to one count of willful failure to account for and pay over trust fund taxes. She faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Meadows is scheduled to be sentenced on May 21, 2026.
Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, First Assistant United States Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada and Acting Special Agent in Charge Jarom Gregory for the IRS Criminal Investigation's Phoenix Field Office made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.
Assistant Deputy Chief Eric Powers and Trial Attorney Regina Jeon of the Criminal Division’s Tax Section are prosecuting the case, with substantial assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada.
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City Man Who Committed Armed Robbery and Shot at Philadelphia Police Officers Sentenced to over 15 Years in Prison for Illegal Gun PossessionRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Carlian Gonzalez, 36, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today to 188 months in prison and five years of supervised release by United States District Court Judge Kai N. Scott for possession of a firearm by a felon.
The defendant was charged by indictment in June 2024 and pleaded guilty last November.
As detailed in court filings and statements, on September 14, 2023, Gonzalez robbed a victim of his cell phone on a sidewalk in North Philadelphia, pointing a gun to his head and demanding he turn over his phone. Shortly after the robbery, the victim stopped police officers patrolling the area and informed them that Gonzalez had robbed him and was armed with a gun.
The officers followed behind Gonzalez and activated their lights and sirens, in an attempt to stop him. Video footage shows Gonzalez dismount the bicycle he was riding, raise his arm, and fire several shots at the police vehicle. One officer returned fire and hit Gonzalez in the ankle, causing Gonzalez to fall and drop his gun, which the defendant knew that he was not permitted to possess, due to his status as a convicted felon.
This case was investigated by the Philadelphia Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David Osborne.
Cincinnati Man Convicted of Fentanyl TraffickingRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky.- A Cincinnati, Ohio, man was convicted on Thursday by a federal jury in Lexington of possession with intent to distribute a fentanyl analogue and fentanyl.
After 2 hours of deliberation following a two-day trial, the jury convicted 32-year-old Daquan Gatling of possession with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of a fentanyl analogue, and 40 grams or more of fentanyl.
According to evidence presented at trial, on March 17, 2024, Gatling crashed into a utility pole in the Georgetown corridor area of Lexington and fled the scene of the accident. Officers searched the vehicle and found drugs, a scale, and plastic baggies in a backpack in the backseat. The evidence in the case connected him to the collision and the drugs found inside the vehicle, which were tested and found to contain more than 100 grams of a mixture of a fentanyl analogue and more than 40 grams of fentanyl. At the time of the offense, Gatling was on federal supervised release following a conviction in the Eastern District of Kentucky for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.
Paul McCaffrey, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Colin Jackson, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); and Chief Lawrence Weathers, Lexington Police Department, jointly announced the conviction.
The investigation was conducted by HSI and Lexington Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kyle Winslow and Joel King are prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
Gatling is scheduled to be sentenced on June 16. He faces a minimum of 10 years in prison. However, the Court must consider the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the applicable federal sentencing statutes before imposing a sentence.
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Chautauqua county man pleads guilty to possession of child pornographyRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. -- U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Jose Perez, 41, of Celeron, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo to possession of child pornography involving a prepubescent minor, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, and a fine of $250,000.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron J. Mango, who is handling the case, stated that on December 15, 2022, a search warrant was executed at Perez’s residence after he uploaded a child pornography file to Dropbox, an electronic service provider that offers internet-based file storage services. During the search, Perez’s cell phone was seized. A subsequent examination of the phone revealed approximately three images and one video of child pornography. Some of the images depicted prepubescent minors less than 12 years old engaging in sexually explicit conduct. In addition, Perez admits that, on two or more occasions, he engaged in the sexual abuse, exploitation, and attempted sexual abuse and exploitation of a minor.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff James Quattrone, Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Erin Keegan, and the Jamestown Police Department, under the direction of Chief Timothy Jackson.
Sentencing is scheduled for June 22, 2026, before Judge Vilardo.
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Carroll, Iowa Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Meth and Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
Shawn Zak, 32, from Carroll, Iowa, pled guilty February 11, 2026, in federal court in Sioux City to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and illegal possession of a firearm.
At the plea hearing, Zak admitted that from June 2025 through September 2025, he and others conspired to distribute more than 1500 grams of methamphetamine in the Carroll, Iowa, area. On September 11, 2025, Zak was approached by law enforcement based on an active warrant for his arrest. At the time Zak provided a false name to officers and he was arrested. During his arrest, Zak had a brief, physical struggle with law enforcement. Law enforcement seized 53.19 grams of pure methamphetamine, some marijuana, .22 caliber ammunition, indicia of drug dealing including baggies, syringes, and scale weights from the vehicle. Zak admitted he planned to distribute the methamphetamine to others. Law enforcement later recovered a .22 caliber handgun which Zak possessed in the vehicle in which he was stopped. Zak further admitted he received the .22 caliber handgun from another person earlier in September 2025.
Zak was previously convicted of burglary in January 2023 in Iowa and criminal trespass in Pennsylvania in 2017. The felony convictions prohibited Zak from possessing a firearm.
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.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Zak remains in custody of the United States Marshal and will remain in custody pending sentencing. Zak faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $10,250,000 fine, and at least five years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by Carroll County Sheriff’s Office; Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; and Iowa DCI Laboratory.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-3049. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Career Offender Sentenced to over 15 Years in Federal Prison for Trafficking MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
LITTLE ROCK—Kelly Bruce Duncan, Jr., who has previous felony drug convictions, will spend the next 188 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Jonathan D. Ross, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, announced the sentence, which was handed down Tuesday, February 10, 2026, by United States District Judge Lee P. Rudofsky.
A federal grand jury indicted Duncan, 43, of Lamar, in a three-count Indictment for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, felon in possession of a firearm, and possession of a firearm in furtherance with a drug trafficking crime. On September 29, 2025, Duncan pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Judge Rudofsky also sentenced Duncan to three years’ supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
On June 8, 2024, law enforcement attempted to conduct a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by Duncan after observing a traffic violation. The vehicle, which had fictitious tags, fled at a high rate of speed, reaching speeds up to 112 miles per hour while passing other vehicles, driving in the oncoming traffic lane multiple times, running a stop sign, and while making a turn, striking another passenger car that contained a juvenile in a car seat. Duncan drove down an ATV trail, eventually causing the vehicle to become inoperable. The pursuit was approximately 21 minutes long and covered approximately 35 miles. Duncan then fled on foot, and law enforcement saw Duncan holding a revolver. Duncan stated to law enforcement, “I’ve got a gun.” Law enforcement gave Duncan several commands to drop the firearm, while Duncan was stating he was not going back to jail. After several minutes, Duncan eventually dropped the firearm on the ground and was placed into custody. The loaded firearm was a Taurus, .45/.410 revolver.
During the search of Duncan’s person, two separate clear baggies were found in his front right pocket containing methamphetamine (6.7885 grams in one bag confirmed to be methamphetamine by the Arkansas State Crime Laboratory, with a second bag weighing 1.2544 grams not tested), along with a .410-gauge shell. A handgun holster was located near the vehicle, and drug paraphernalia was inside the vehicle console. During the transport to the detention center Duncan made statements that he was planning to drive the vehicle off into the creek hoping to evade the officers and acknowledged possessing the firearm. Law enforcement obtained a search warrant for Duncan’s Facebook account and located messages between Duncan and others regarding the acquisition and distribution of ounce quantities of methamphetamine. Duncan admitted he was involved in the distribution of at least 200 grams of methamphetamine.
Duncan has prior felony convictions dating back to 2001. His prior felony convictions include possession of firearms by certain person, felony fleeing, two counts of delivery of methamphetamine, and possession of methamphetamine with purpose to deliver.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with assistance from the Pope County Sheriff’s Office and the Fifth Judicial Drug Task Force.
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Additional information about the office of the
United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at
https://www.justice.gov/edar
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California Man Makes Initial Appearance for Transmitting a Demand for RansomRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – A California man charged with transmitting a demand for ransom made an initial appearance today in federal court in Tucson, announced U.S. Attorney Timothy Courchaine.
Derrick Callella, 42, of Hawthorne, California, is charged with transmitting a demand for ransom in interstate commerce, and without disclosing his identity, utilizing a telecommunications device with intent to abuse, threaten or harass a person.
According to the criminal complaint, Callella is alleged to have sent the demands via two text messages to a missing person’s family on Feb. 4, 2026. He is also alleged to have made a 9-second phone call to a family member.
Through the course of the investigation, it was found that Callella was acting as an imposter, trying to take advantage of the ongoing situation.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office and FBI will continue to hold this defendant accountable and any other individuals who seek to interfere with federal investigations or profit from the victim family’s grief.
A criminal complaint is simply a method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
CASE NUMBER: 26-04209MJ
RELEASE NUMBER: 2026- 025_Callella
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.
Caldwell Man Sentenced to 120 Months in Federal Prison for Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
BOISE – Emanuel Avalos, 30, of Caldwell was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis announced.
According to court records, in April of 2025, the Drug Enforcement Administration and Nampa Police Department’s Special Investigations Unit began investigating Avalos for distributing methamphetamine in the Treasure Valley. On April 3, 2025, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Avalos’s residence in Caldwell, Idaho. In the residence, law enforcement found Avalos attempting to flush a bag of methamphetamine down the toilet. In Avalos’s bedroom, investigators found more methamphetamine, an AR style rifle with three loaded magazines, and approximately $8,210.00.
In total, law enforcement recovered 975 grams (over two pounds) of methamphetamine which Avalos possessed with the intent to distribute to others.
U.S. Attorney Davis commended the work of the Idaho State Police which led to the charges. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Morse and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kane Venecia prosecuted the case.
This case was prosecuted by the Special Assistant U.S. Attorney hired by the Ada County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office with funds provided by the Oregon-Idaho High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) program. HIDTA is an Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) sponsored counterdrug grant program that coordinates with and provides funding resources to multi-agency drug enforcement initiatives, including the Special Assistant U.S. Attorney position.
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Buffalo man going to prison for his role in a drug trafficking organization and failing to appear in courtRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. -- U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Omar Vazquez-Baez, a/k/a Tutu, 33, of Buffalo, NY, who was convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and distribution of, five kilograms or more of cocaine, was sentenced to serve a total of 146 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo. Vazquez-Baez received 120 months for his drug conviction and 46 months for failing to appear in court for his original sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy C. Lynch, who handled the case, stated that between July 2017 and September 29, 2017, Vazquez-Baez conspired with others to distribute cocaine in the Niagara Falls area for a drug trafficking organization led by co-defendant Cesar Rivera-Figueroa. Vazquez-Baez regularly distributed quantities of cocaine to customers on behalf of the Rivera-Figueroa organization.
On September 13, 2017, investigators intercepted a phone call between Rivera-Figueroa and Vazquez-Baez. During the call, Rivera-Figueroa told Vazquez-Baez, “I have some lockers for you to take a look at. I already gave six, but for you to see them and offer them around. . . .I’m like a display cabinet right now.” Vazquez-Baez then met with Rivera-Figueroa and collected several packaged quantities of cocaine. Later that day, Vazquez-Baez called Rivera-Figueroa looking for more cocaine but Rivera-Figueroa indicated he was out of supply. On September 29, 2017, during the execution of a search warrant at Vazquez-Baez’s residence, investigators recovered a firearm and ammunition, multiple quantities of cocaine and marijuana, drug paraphernalia, and numerous cell phones.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Philip Tejera, the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Farhana Islam, New York Field Division, the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Acting Commissioner Craig Macy, and the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Amie Feroleto.
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Box Elder man pleads guilty to drug charges on the Rocky Boy’s Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS - A Box Elder man accused of distributing fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine on the Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation admitted to charges today, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
The defendant, Harold Blake Whitford, Sr., 56, pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. Whitford faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years, a maximum term of 40 years, a $5,000,000 fine, and at least four years of supervised release.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided and will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for June 17, 2026. Whitford remains released with conditions pending further proceedings.
The government alleged in court documents that in the early hours of March 28, 2024, law enforcement was dispatched to investigate reports of a shooting on the Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation. Surveillance video from the scene showed two suspected gunmen arrive and depart in a pickup truck. A truck that looked like the one used in the shooting was located shortly thereafter in front of Whitford’s home. Officers confirmed that vehicle was the truck used in the shooting.
Law enforcement officers executed a search warrant and found the following items rolled up in a shirt near Whitford’s bed:
- A plastic baggie containing 489 suspected fentanyl pills;
- Twenty-seven small plastic baggies each containing 10 suspected fentanyl pills;
- A plastic baggie containing powder; and
- Two plastic baggies containing suspected methamphetamine.
Officers also found a ripped piece of paper that said, “100pack-$1400,” “$700,” “$300” near the head of Whitford’s bed. They found a scale and a rifle at the house as well.
When Whitford was arrested on an outstanding warrant over a week later, he removed a ziplock bag from his pocket and threw it. A pink pill also fell out of his pocket, and another pill was found on his person. The ziplock bag had suspected fentanyl pills in it.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The FBI, Tri-Agency Task Force, Chippewa Cree Law Enforcement Services, Montana Division of Criminal Investigation, and Hill County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation.
Baltimore Man Will Spend More than 5 Years in Prison for Fentanyl TraffickingRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – A Baltimore, Maryland man was sentenced for his role in distributing fentanyl in Hampshire County, West Virginia, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew L. Harvey.
Dorian Andre Ward, also known as “Tay Blue,” age 32, was sentenced to 70 months in federal prison for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute fentanyl. Ward was supplying others with fentanyl to be sold in the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia and elsewhere. A federal search warrant was executed at Ward’s home and investigators seized 20 grams of fentanyl, $10,000, and a loaded 9mm pistol. Ward has prior drug, assault, and theft convictions.
Ward will serve three years of supervised release following his prison sentence.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.
The Potomac Highlands Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.
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. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided.
Armed Career Criminal Sentenced to More Than 17 Years in Federal Prison for Firearms OffenseRead the Press Release
FAYETTEVILLE – A Fayetteville man was sentenced Friday, February 6, to a total of 210 months in prison on one count of being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm. The Honorable Chief Judge Timothy L. Brooks presided over the sentencing hearing in the United States District Court in Fayetteville.
According to court records, on November 21, 2024, officers with the Fayetteville Police Department responded to a call of an armed person at an apartment complex. A witness reported that David Robinson, age 21, arrived at the apartment complex, made verbal threats and exposed a handgun in his waistband. Officers subsequently located Robinson, searched his residence based on his parole search waiver and located a Glock .40 caliber pistol. Robinson has an extensive criminal history and is considered an Armed Career Criminal under Federal Law based on his prior felony convictions for violent offenses.
United States Attorney Kimberly D. Harris of the Western District of Arkansas made the announcement.
The Fayetteville Police Department, the Fourth Judicial District Drug Task Force, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case.
Assistant United States Attorney David Harris prosecuted the case for the United States.
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.
Related court documents may be found on the Public Access to Electronic Records website @ www.pacer.gov.
Armed Career Criminal Sentenced to More Than 17 Years in Federal Prison for Firearms OffenseRead the Press Release
FAYETTEVILLE – A Fayetteville man was sentenced Friday, February 6, to a total of 210 months in prison on one count of being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm. The Honorable Chief Judge Timothy L. Brooks presided over the sentencing hearing in the United States District Court in Fayetteville.
According to court records, on November 21, 2024, officers with the Fayetteville Police Department responded to a call of an armed person at an apartment complex. A witness reported that David Robinson, age 21, arrived at the apartment complex, made verbal threats and exposed a handgun in his waistband. Officers subsequently located Robinson, searched his residence based on his parole search waiver and located a Glock .40 caliber pistol. Robinson has an extensive criminal history and is considered an Armed Career Criminal under Federal Law based on his prior felony convictions for violent offenses.
United States Attorney Kimberly D. Harris of the Western District of Arkansas made the announcement.
The Fayetteville Police Department, the Fourth Judicial District Drug Task Force, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case.
Assistant United States Attorney David Harris prosecuted the case for the United States.
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.
Related court documents may be found on the Public Access to Electronic Records website @ www.pacer.gov.
Wednesday 11 February 2026
Wisconsin Man Sentenced for Bank RobberiesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Tyler James Martinez, 35, of Green Bay, Wisconsin, was sentenced on February 11, 2026, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska for two counts of bank robbery. United States District Court Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Martinez to 96 months’ imprisonment for each count to be served concurrently. Additionally, Martinez’s sentence was ordered to run consecutively to a sentence that Martinez is currently serving in Wisconsin bringing his total sentence to 192 months. There is no parole in the federal system. After Martinez’s release from prison, he will begin a three-year term of supervised release.
On or about March 11, 2022, Martinez entered the Centris Federal Credit Union at 343 North 114th Street in Omaha. Martinez approached the teller and displayed a note that stated, “This is a hold up. No GPS. No dye. Don’t make a scene. Give me the money. Stay quiet. Don’t sound the alarm. Don’t get the manager.” The teller gave Martinez $1,000 and he told the teller, “Have a nice day,” and left the credit union. The Centris Federal Credit Union was insured by the National Credit Union Administration.
On March 15, 2022, Martinez entered the Mabrey Bank at 2525 E. 21st Street in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Martinez approached the teller. Martinez handed the teller a note that read, “No Alarm’s. Give me All the money in the till/Drawer. I want $2,500 or Better. No Dye packs. No GPS. Do not look at anyone. Stay calm. Give me my money now!! You can hit Alarm after I leave.” The teller gave Martinez $2,500 and Martinez left. The Mabrey Bank was insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Winter Haven Tax Preparer Sentenced to More than Six Years in Federal Prison and Ordered to Pay over $1.6 Million in Restitution to the IRSRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – Timothy Smith has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Steven D. Merryday to six years and six months in federal prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aiding and assisting in the filing of false and fraudulent tax returns. As part of his sentence, the court also entered an order of forfeiture in the amount of $274,000, the proceeds of the criminal conduct, and ordered Smith to pay restitution in the amount of $1,637,829.64.64 to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Smith entered a guilty plea on September 26, 2025. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents, beginning in January 2023 and continuing through February 2024, Smith engaged in a scheme to defraud the IRS. Smith prepared or assisted in the preparation of 97 false and fraudulent tax returns for 92 taxpayers, including himself, for tax years 2022 and 2023. The tax returns contained falsified Schedules A, C, and 1, as well as fraudulent Forms W-2G. The returns contained fabricated figures for gambling winnings and losses, and federal tax withholding amounts (based on the fake gambling winnings). The false tax returns requested substantial refunds from the IRS that the taxpayers were not legally entitled to receive.
The total intended tax loss from the tax returns Smith prepared was $17,612.039. The actual loss totaled $1,637,829.64, which the IRS paid out to taxpayers either as tax refunds or credits applied to prior debts. Smith personally profited $274,000 in the form of payments from his taxpayer-clients.
This is the fourth individual to be sentenced as part of this scheme. All sentences are reflected below.
Name
Term of Imprisonment
Restitution to IRS
Forfeiture
Jeffrey Dixon4 years, 9 months$12,964,382$1,093,552.50Sean Laster5 years, 3 months$6,359,046.23$1,234,605.56George Tucker7 years, 6 months$15,028,309.89$1,354,757.64Timothy Smith6 years, 6 months$1,637,829.64$274,000“These defendants orchestrated a deliberate scheme to steal from American taxpayers,” said Ron Loecker, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Florida Field Office. “Their calculated, malicious conduct showed complete disregard for the rule of law. These sentences affirm a core principle: those who abuse our tax system for personal gain will be held accountable. IRS Special Agents continue to safeguard the integrity of the tax system and deliver justice for American taxpayers.”
These cases were investigated by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation. They were prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Ross Roberts and Jennifer Peresie. The forfeitures are being handled by Assistant United States Attorneys James Muench and Suzanne Nebesky.
Windsor Man Sentenced to 15 Months in Prison for Extortion and ThreatsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Windsor man was sentenced today in federal court in Springfield for making online threats and extortionate demands.
Michael Andrew Rodgers, 32, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni to 15 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. In November 2025, Rodgers pleaded guilty to one count of threatening interstate communications and one count of extortionate interstate communications. Rodgers was arrested and charged in September 2024.
On April 5, 2023, Rodgers posted a threat on the Google review page of a Springfield medical practice that stated: “They gonna get what’s coming soon. […] Will be there in the morning to get them myself one way or another. Locked and loaded.” Beneath this text, Rodgers included an image of a hand holding a gun.
On April 6, 2024, Rodgers submitted a threat through a fraud reporting website for the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General with the intent to extort Social Security disability benefits. Specifically, Rodgers stated: “I m gonna start taking what I need. By any means nessacary. […] GIVE ME MY MONEY OR IM GONNA START DROPPING PEOPLE. YOULL NEVER FIND MY WEAPONS SO STOP LOOKING AND GIVE ME MY CHECK. […] NEXT TIME I SLICE SOMETHING OPEN. IT WONT BE ME. ITLL BE ONE OF YOUR CHILDREN ILL MERC A WHOLE SCHOOL AND NOT GIVE A F***. […] SO YOULL BE MY FIRST TARGET IF YOU KEEP REFUSING TO HELP ME.”
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Amy Connelly, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General, Office of Investigations, Boston Field Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance in the investigation was provided by the Massachusetts State Police, Springfield Police Department, Windsor Police Department and Federal Protective Service. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney James J. Nagelberg of the Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
Virtual Asset Trading Platform Sentenced for Violating the Travel Act and Other Federal Criminal ChargesRead the Press Release
Paxful Holdings, Inc., an online virtual currency trading platform, was sentenced yesterday to pay a criminal penalty of $4 million based on its ability to pay following its guilty plea to conspiracies to promote illegal prostitution, violate the Bank Secrecy Act, and knowingly transmit funds derived from criminal offenses.
“Paxful profited from moving money for criminals that it attracted by touting its lack of anti-money laundering controls and failure to comply with applicable money-laundering laws, all while knowing that these criminals were engaged in fraud, extortion, prostitution and commercial sex trafficking,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Crimes like this are a high priority for the Criminal Division because criminal money transmitters facilitate so many other crimes like money laundering, prostitution, fraud, romance scams, extortion and human trafficking. This sentence shows that companies will be held accountable when they create safe havens for criminal activity.”
“This sentence holds the company accountable for knowingly allowing its platform to facilitate serious criminal conduct,” said U.S. Attorney Eric Grant for the Eastern District of California. “By putting profit over compliance, the company enabled money laundering and other crimes. This sentence sends a clear message: companies that turn a blind eye to criminal activity on their platforms will face serious consequences under U.S. law. The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to protect victims and ensure that the cryptocurrency ecosystem is not exploited by criminals.”
“This sentencing underscores IRS Criminal Investigation’s (IRS-CI) unwavering commitment to holding accountable those who exploit financial systems to facilitate criminal activity,” said Special Agent in Charge Linda Nguyen of the IRS-CI Oakland Field Office. “Paxful’s deliberate disregard for anti-money laundering requirements and its role in promoting illegal prostitution and other criminal schemes enabled the movement of illicit funds at scale. This case sends a clear message: platforms that choose profit over compliance will face serious consequences and be brought to justice.”
According to court documents, Paxful, Inc., and later, Paxful Holdings, Inc. (collectively Paxful), owned and operated an online peer-to-peer virtual currency platform and money transmitting business (MTB) where customers negotiated for and traded virtual currency for a variety of other items, including currency like cash, pre-paid cards and gift cards. Paxful knew that its customers transmitted funds from criminal offenses, including fraud schemes and illegal prostitution. From Jan. 1, 2017, to Sept. 2, 2019, Paxful facilitated more than 26.7 million trades, totaling nearly $3 billion in value, and collected more than $29.7 million in revenue.
Paxful knowingly transferred virtual currency on behalf of its customers, including Backpage, an online advertising platform for illicit prostitution and similar sites. In various criminal proceedings, Backpage and its owners and operators admitted that Backpage advertised and profited from illegal prostitution, including illegal sex work depicting minors. Paxful’s founders boasted about the “Backpage Effect,” which enabled the business to grow. Between December 2015 and December 2022, Paxful’s collaboration with Backpage and a similar site caused nearly $17 million worth of bitcoin to be transferred from the Paxful wallet to Backpage and the copycat site from which Paxful obtained at least $2.7 million in profits.
As described in the plea agreement, from July 2015 to June 2019, Paxful and its founders marketed Paxful as a platform that did not require know-your-customer (KYC) information; allowed customers to open accounts and trade on the Paxful platform without gathering sufficient KYC information; presented to third parties fake anti-money laundering (AML) policies that they knew were not implemented or enforced; and failed to file suspicious activity reports, despite knowing that Paxful users were engaged in suspicious and criminal activity. As a result, Paxful knew it was used as a vehicle for prostitution, fraud, romance scams and extortion schemes.
Paxful pleaded guilty to conspiring to violate the Travel Act by promoting illegal prostitution through interstate commerce; conspiring to operate an unlicensed MTB by knowingly transmitting funds derived from criminal offenses or supporting unlawful activity, including illegal prostitution and fraud schemes; and conspiring to violate the Bank Secrecy Act’s (BSA) anti-money laundering (AML) program requirement. As a result of its illegal conduct, the virtual currency platform was used to transfer the proceeds of fraud schemes, illegal prostitution, hacks by malign state actors and distribution of child sexual abuse material.
The Justice Department reached its resolution with Paxful based on several factors, including the nature and seriousness of the offenses, which involved Paxful’s processing of millions of dollars of illicit transactions. Paxful did not make a timely and voluntary disclosure of wrongdoing, but it received credit for its cooperation with the department’s investigation, including among other things, collecting, analyzing and producing voluminous information, providing timely updates on facts learned during its internal investigation and engaging in extensive and timely remedial measures. According to court documents, Paxful agreed that the appropriate criminal penalty based on the law and the facts in its case is $112,500,000. Based on the Justice Department’s independent analysis, it determined that Paxful did not have the ability to pay a criminal penalty greater than $4 million.
On July 8, 2024, Paxful’s co-founder and former chief technology officer, Artur Schaback, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to fail to maintain an effective AML program in relation to the same scheme.
Paxful’s guilty plea was part of a coordinated resolution with FinCEN.
HSI and IRS-CI are investigating the case.
Bank Integrity Unit Deputy Chief Kevin Mosley and Trial Attorneys Emily Cohen, Caylee Campbell and Katherine Nielsen of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Thuesen for the Eastern District of California are prosecuting the case.
The Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section’s Bank Integrity Unit investigates and prosecutes banks and other financial institutions, including their officers, managers and employees whose actions threaten the integrity of the individual institution or the wider financial system.