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Wednesday 11 February 2026
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 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.
Virginia Beach man sentenced to over five years in prison for latest felony convictionRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Virginia Beach man was sentenced today to five years and six months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents, on May 25, 2024, Virginia Beach Police (VBPD) officers observed Khyri Jamar Whitehead, 33, remove a handgun from the trunk of a vehicle, place it in the front of his waistband, and then conceal it with his shirt. Officers continued watching Whitehead until he entered another vehicle as a passenger. VBPD then conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle, removed Whitehead from the vehicle, and recovered the handgun.
Whitehead, a member of the Bounty Hunter Watts gang, has 18 previous felony convictions. As a convicted felon, Whitehead cannot legally possess firearms or ammunition.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division and the Virginia Beach Police Department investigated this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Luke Bresnahan and former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Marc W. West 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 protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-120.
Vacaville Man Pleads Guilty to Firearm and Drug PossessionRead the Press Release
On Feb. 10, 2026, James Cargill, 44, of Vacaville, pleaded guilty to two counts of possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
According to court documents, in January 2025, law enforcement officers arrested Cargill after they found him in possession of approximately 570 grams of a substance or mixture containing methamphetamine. In May 2025, officers arrested Cargill after they found him in possession of approximately 230 grams of a substance or mixture containing methamphetamine and a loaded Glock 20 semi-automatic pistol.
The Vacaville Police Department, the Fairfield Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Campbell is prosecuting the case.
Cargill is set to be sentenced on June 2, 2026, by Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez. Cargill faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison, a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison, and a $10 million fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
This case 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.
U.S. District Court rules in favor of the government after weeks-long trial in alleged birth injury case against military providers in AlaskaRead the Press Release
ANCHORAGE, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Michael J. Heyman announced today a complete defensive verdict in a medical malpractice claim brought against the U.S. under the Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA). On Nov. 6, 2025, a judgment was entered in favor of the U.S. following a three-week bench trial before visiting U.S. District Judge Scott A. Rash. On Feb. 10, 2026, the Court entered a judgement against the plaintiffs and ordered them to pay $44,000 in legal costs to the U.S.
On June 13, 2023, the plaintiffs, Emily and Justin Acker, filed a medical malpractice complaint against the U.S. for alleged birth injuries sustained by their baby, who was born at Bassett Army Community Hospital at Fort Wainwright in late 2020. Under the FTCA, the U.S. is liable for medical malpractice claims arising from the actions of its employees acting within the scope of their employment. A plaintiff bringing an FTCA complaint must prove healthcare providers breached the standard of care and caused injury to the patient.
In their complaint, the plaintiffs claimed doctors and nurses at the hospital caused the child to suffer a skull fracture and permanent brain injury during a C-section delivery. However, the evidence demonstrated that at birth, the child was in excellent condition but returned to the hospital three weeks later manifesting symptoms of a severe brain injury, a rib fracture, and a fractured wrist. The Ackers were seeking over $14 million in economic damages.
In an order filed on Nov. 6, 2025, the Court found that the evidence did not demonstrate or establish that the healthcare providers at Bassett breached the applicable standard of care during the birth of the child. The Court specifically remarked that “[g]iven the extensive injuries [the infant] presented with… it strains credulity to find that such injuries occurred at birth but did not have any medically significant manifestation for approximately twenty days.” The Court found the evidence did not demonstrate any medical providers deviated from the standard of care and that the child’s injuries were not caused by the doctors.
The Court ordered the plaintiffs to pay the U. S. $44,000 in costs accrued while defending the case.
“I want to commend our Assistant U.S. Attorneys of their tireless fight to receive a defensive verdict on behalf of the U.S. in this case,” said U.S. Attorney Michael J. Heyman for the District of Alaska. “Their work helps ensure that our military medical professionals can work to provide our armed forces and their families with the best possible care, as well as protects the American taxpayers from frivolous claims.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney Josh Traini and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Marie Scheperle handled the case on behalf of the U.S.
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U.S. Attorney’s Office in Atlanta responsible for over $77 million in collections and forfeitures during fiscal year 2025Read the Press Release
ATLANTA - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia collected over $35 million in civil and criminal penalties and forfeited nearly $8 million of assets during Fiscal Year 2025, which ended on September 30, 2025.
“These collections and forfeitures underscore my office’s dedication to securing financial justice for victims and the public,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “We and our law enforcement partners will aggressively use all available legal means to hold wrongdoers accountable, compensate crime victims, and protect the public fisc by collecting debts owed to the government.”
Defendants who commit certain crimes must pay restitution to the victims of those crimes. Criminal defendants also must pay criminal fines and assessments, which go to the Department of Justice’s Crime Victims Fund. This fund distributes the monies to federal and state victim compensation and victim assistance programs. During Fiscal year 2025, the U.S. Attorney’s Office collected over $17 million in restitution, fines, and/or assessments imposed against defendants in criminal cases.
In affirmative civil enforcement cases, the United States sues individuals and/or corporations to recover government monies lost to fraud or other misconduct, or to collect fines imposed for non-criminal violations of federal law. This office collected over $18 million through affirmative civil enforcement cases.
This office also worked with other Department of Justice components to jointly collect an additional $34 million in civil and criminal cases.
In addition, this office’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section used civil and criminal forfeiture tools to deprive wrongdoers of their ill-gotten gains and divest them of the property used to facilitate their crimes. Specifically, in Fiscal Year 2025, this office forfeited more than $4.5 million in criminal cases and over $1.5 million in civil forfeiture cases. This office also worked with its federal law enforcement partners to forfeit an additional $1.8 million through nonjudicial forfeiture processes.
The Department of Justice uses forfeited property to compensate crime victims, to share with federal, state and local law enforcement partners and for a variety of other law enforcement purposes. In Fiscal Year 2025, more than $3 million was returned to crime victims and over $5 million was shared with law enforcement agencies.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Two Men Indicted in Transnational Human Smuggling and Money Laundering SchemeRead the Press Release
An indictment was unsealed yesterday in the District of Vermont charging a Dominican national and a U.S. citizen with conspiring to smuggle foreign nationals from Mexico and Central and South America into the United States via the U.S.-Canada border.
According to court documents, Francisco Antonio Luna Rosado, 27, an illegal alien from the Dominican Republic, and Jesus Hernandez Ortiz, 37, of Puerto Rico, are charged with one count of conspiracy to illegally bring aliens to the United States and 12 counts of illegally bringing aliens to the United States for the purpose of private financial gain related to a Sept. 17, 2023, smuggling event. Luna Rosado is also charged with two counts of transactional money laundering for engaging in monetary transactions involving property derived from smuggling activities.
Image captured during the movement of alien groups that Luna Rosado allegedly guided through the Canadian and Vermont border to his human smuggling drivers.Luna Rosado allegedly directed smuggling operations from at least Aug. 2022 through at least March 2024, coordinating the illegal transport of aliens across the U.S.-Canada border into northern Vermont. Aliens arrived by airplane, from their origin country to southern Canada. Luna Rosado then used live shared cellular location data to guide the aliens across the Canadian border to northern Vermont. From northern Vermont, Luna Rosado used an approximate 70-person encrypted chat platform to communicate and arrange for drivers, including Hernandez Ortiz, to pick up aliens at the northern border. The drivers then drove the aliens from Vermont to New York City. Upon arrival in New York City, the aliens paid Luna Rosado in U.S. currency. Luna Rosado deposited and withdrew this money into and through the U.S. financial system, in amounts exceeding $10,000.
Images of the rented Home Depot van, which Hernandez drove during an alleged smuggling event, that law enforcement stopped. Text messages between Luna Rosado (left side in blue) and Hernandez (right side in green), with translations into English, discussing the alleged smuggling operation.
Text messages between Luna Rosado and aliens during an alleged smuggling event.Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, First Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan A. Ophardt for the District of Vermont and Chief Patrol Agent Robert N. Garcia of the Swanton Sector of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) made the announcement.
Agents from the Swanton Sector Intelligence Unit assigned to the U.S. Border Patrol Newport Station and the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Derby Line Office led U.S. investigative efforts, with assistance from HSI’s Human Smuggling Unit in Washington, D.C. and CBP’s National Targeting Center International Interdiction Task Force.
Trial Attorneys Jake Drucker and Emily Cohen of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section, Trial Attorney Chelsea Schinnour of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Chet Kirkham and Assistant U.S. Attorney Eugenia Cowles for the District of Vermont are prosecuting the case.
The investigation and charges are supported and prosecuted by Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA), the Department’s lead effort in combating high-impact human smuggling and trafficking committed by cartels and Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs). A highly successful partnership between the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), JTFA investigates and prosecutes human smuggling and trafficking and related immigration crimes that impact public safety and border security. JTFA’s mission is to target the leaders and organizers of Cartels and TCOs involved in human smuggling and trafficking throughout the Americas. The Attorney General has elevated and expanded JTFA to target the most prolific and dangerous human smuggling and trafficking groups operating not only in Mexico and the Northern Triangle countries of Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras, but also in Canada, the Caribbean and the maritime border, and elsewhere. Led by the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and supported by the Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section, the Office of International Affairs, and the Office of Enforcement Operations, among others, JTFA has dedicated Assistant United States Attorney-detailees from the Southern District of California; District of Arizona; District of New Mexico; Western and Southern Districts of Texas; Southern District of Florida; Northern District of New York; and District of Vermont. JTFA also partners with other USAOs throughout the country and supports high-priority cases in any district. All JTFA cases rely on substantial law enforcement resources from DHS, including ICE/ HSI and CBP/BP and OFO, as well as FBI and other law enforcement agencies. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 435 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of alien smuggling and/or trafficking; more than 385 U.S. convictions; more than 330 significant jail sentences imposed, and forfeitures of substantial assets.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Two Individuals Sentenced for Child ExploitationRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – On February 10, 2026, United States District Court Judge Gina R. Méndez-Miró sentenced David Montes-García, 49, from San Juan to 12 years in prison and 15 years of supervised release for possession of child pornography. David Montes-García was indicted on February 20, 2025, and arrested on October 15, 2025.
According to court documents, from August 2023 to June 2024, Montes-García knowingly possessed sexually explicit images and videos of minors and minors engaging in sexual acts, including images of infants and prepubescent minors or minors who had not attained 12 years of age. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Human Exploitation Investigation Group executed a search warrant on Montes-García’s mobile device and found a total of 367 images, including pictures and videos of infants, prepubescents minors, and adolescents engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
The defendant plead guilty on October 9, 2025, to one count of possession of child pornography. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daynelle Álvarez-Lora of the Crimes Against Children, Human Trafficking and Immigration Unit, prosecuted the case. The Puerto Rico Crimes Against Children Task Force led by HSI was in charge of the investigation, with the collaboration of the Puerto Rico Police Department.
In a second unrelated case, on February 5, 2026, defendant Derek Orengo-Delgado, of Ponce, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Aida M. Delgado-Colón, to 13 years and 4 months in prison for transportation of a minor to engage in criminal sexual activity. According to court documents, in January 2025, Orengo-Delgado knowingly transported a 15-year-old female minor to a motel in Juana Díaz to engage in sexual activities and had taken sexually explicit images of the minor. Defendant Orengo-Delgado was indicted on May 7, 2025, arrested on May 8, 2025, and pleaded guilty on October 23, 2025.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jenifer Y. Hernández Vega, Chief of the Child Exploitation and Immigration Section, prosecuted the case. The Puerto Rico Crimes Against Children Task Force led by HSI was in charge of the investigation, with the collaboration of the Puerto Rico Police Department.
U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow of the District of Puerto Rico and Yariel Ramos, Acting Assistant Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations San Juan made the announcement.
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Texas Residents Charged with Federal Drug and Gun ViolationsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – United States Attorney David I. Courcelle announced that ELIBERTO GUAJARDO (“GUAJARDO”), age 37, of San Juan, TX., and BRICE STRAIN (“STRAIN”),age 43, of Houston, TX, were charged in a four-count indictment with violations of the Federal Controlled Substances Act and Federal Gun Control Act.
GUAJARDO and STRAIN were indicted in Count 1 for Conspiracy to Distribute, and Possess with Intent to Distribute, Cocaine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1),841(b)(1)(A), and 846. If convicted of Count 1, the defendants face a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of ten years up to life imprisonment; a fine of up to $10 Million; and at least five years of supervised release.
GUAJARDO and STRAIN were indicted in Count 2 for Distribution of Cocaine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(A), and Title 18, United States Code, Section 2. If convicted of Count 2, the defendants face a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of ten years up to life imprisonment; a fine of up to $10 Million; and at least five years of supervised release.
STRAIN was indicted in Count 3 for Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(A). If convicted of Count 3, STRAIN faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of ten years up to life imprisonment; a fine of up to $10 Million; and at least five years of supervised release.
STRAIN was also indicted in Count 4 for Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime, in violation of Title 18, United States Code Section 924(c)(1)(A). If convicted of Count 4, STRAIN faces a minimum term of imprisonment of five years up to life imprisonment, to run consecutive to any other sentence imposed, a fine of up to $250,000.00 and up to five years supervised release.
According to court documents, beginning on an unknown date, but at least by June 2025, and continuing to on or about January 27, 2026, the defendants GUAJARDO and STRAIN allegedly conspired to distribute, possess with intent to distribute five (5) kilograms or more of a mixture and substance containing cocaine. Additionally, according to court documents, on or about January 27, 2026, STRAIN allegedly possessed a firearm, a Glock Model G43, nine-millimeter semi-automatic handgun in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
The defendants also face payment of a $100 mandatory special assessment fee for each count for which they are charged.
U.S. Attorney Courcelle reiterated that the indictment is merely a charging document and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF New Orleans comprises agents and officers from the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Bureau of Investigations, Drug Enforcement Administration and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and assisted by the Louisiana State Police. Assistant United States Attorney Briana N. Williams of the Narcotics Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).
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Tampa Man Pleads Guilty to Robbing Gas Station and Discharging FirearmRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL - Rafael Jimenez (31, Tampa) has pleaded guilty to one count of Hobbs Act robbery, one count of possession and discharge of a firearm during a crime of violence, and one count of possession of ammunition by a convicted felon. He faces a minimum of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison. Jimenez’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for April 23, 2026. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court records, on March 8, 2025, Jimenez entered a gas station in Tampa and brandished a firearm while demanding money from the cash register. Shortly after making this demand, Jimenez fired a shot in the direction of the clerk, striking the ground directly behind the clerk.
Jimenez stole cigarettes and more than $600 from the store. He was apprehended after surveillance footage from days earlier showed physical similarities between Jimenez and the robber, including a distinctive tattoo. Evidence found in Jimenez’s trash included a ski mask, gloves, and cigarettes of the same brand the robber had used. Surveillance video showed a vehicle like Jimenez’s traveling near the scene of the robbery before and after it had occurred.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Samantha Newman. Assistant United States Attorney Suzanne Nebesky is handling the forfeiture.
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).
Tallahassee Felon Indicted on Drug and Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Landon Dashawn Wilson, 27, of Tallahassee, Florida, has been indicted in federal court on one count of possession with intent to distribute marijuana, one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the charges.
Wilson appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Martin A. Fitzpatrick for his initial appearance at the United States Courthouse in Tallahassee, Florida. Trial is scheduled for March 31, 2026, before Chief District Court Judge Allen Winsor.
If convicted, Wilson faces up to 5 years’ imprisonment on the possession with intent to distribute marijuana count; up to 5 years’ imprisonment on the possession of a firearm by a convicted felon count; and not less than 5 years’ imprisonment on the possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense count consecutive to other sentences imposed.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Tallahassee Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Eric K. Mountin.
An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
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.
St. Louis Man Sentenced to 146 Months in Prison for Attempted Armed Robbery and Attempted Carjacking After Drunk Driving CrashRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Joshua M. Divine on Wednesday sentenced a convicted felon to 146 months in prison for attempting to rob a cabdriver at gunpoint after a drunk driving crash and trying to carjack a good Samaritan who stopped to help.
Judge Divine also fined Cornell Woolfolk $3,000. Woolfolk, 29, pleaded guilty in November in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. He admitted that early on the morning of Dec. 4, 2024, officers from the Berkeley Police Department and the Woodson Terrace Police Department were dispatched to a crash on Natural Bridge Road near Interstate 70. A 2008 Pontiac had struck a 2017 Dodge Journet taxicab, causing the cab to roll over onto its roof. Officers spotted Woolfolk removing a large bag from the Pontiac and getting into the rear seat of a 2011 Nissan Altima driven by a good Samaritan who stopped to help after the crash. Woolfolk initially ignored officer’s requests to get out of the car. When the car’s driver got out, Woolfolk began chasing him before Woolfolk was caught and arrested by police, the plea says. Officers found a stolen .380 caliber pistol in Woolfolk’s bag and several half-empty liquor bottles in the Pontiac. Woolfolk’s blood alcohol level was 0.14 percent.
Following the introduction of evidence and sentencing testimony from a Berkeley police officer, Judge Divine ruled that Woolfolk attempted to rob the cab driver at gunpoint. Judge Divine also ruled that Woolfolk then attempted to carjack the good Samaritan to escape the scene of the crash. Police intervened before Woolfolk made his escape.
The Berkeley Police Department, the Woodson Terrace Police Department, and the FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nino Przulj 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. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.
St. Francis Woman Sentenced to over 2 Years in Federal Prison for Shooting a Person with a Pellet Gun Resulting in Serious Bodily InjuryRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced a woman from St. Francis, South Dakota, convicted of Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury. The sentencing took place on February 3, 2026.
Chassity Red Tomahawk, age 40, was sentenced to two years and three months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Red Tomahawk was indicted by a federal grand jury in September 2025. She pleaded guilty on October 30, 2025.
On May 31, 2025, the victim went to Red Tomahawk’s residence in St. Francis, South Dakota, within the Rosebud Sioux Indian Reservation. Red Tomahawk was outside when she saw the victim arrive. Red Tomahawk went inside the residence and retrieved a pellet gun. Red Tomahawk came back outside and shot the victim in the chest, causing a pellet to lodge under the victim’s skin. The victim was taken to the hospital due to her injuries.
This case was investigated by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Zachrison prosecuted the case.
Red Tomahawk was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Sioux Falls Man Sentenced to Nearly 3 Years in Federal Prison for Assaulting a Federal OfficerRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, man convicted of Assaulting, Resisting, or Impeding a Federal Officer. The sentencing took place on February 3, 2026.
James Holloway, age 46, was sentenced to two years and nine months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Holloway was indicted by a federal grand jury in August 2025. He pleaded guilty on October 20, 2025.
The conviction stems from an incident that occurred on May 2, 2025, in the Lower Brule Indian Reservation. On that day, tribal law enforcement responded to a call for service from a residence in Lower Brule. The caller indicated Holloway had entered the residence without permission. Holloway was found in the basement of the residence by an officer of the Bureau of Indian Affairs – Office of Justice Services. As the officer was attempting to remove Holloway from the home, Holloway physically struggled with the officer and knocked him down, injuring the officer’s arm.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Office of Justice Services – Lower Brule Agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan Dilges prosecuted the case.
Holloway was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Second KC Man Pleads Guilty to Cyberstalking That Resulted in MurderRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man pleaded guilty in federal court today to using a GPS tracking device to surveil an individual who was shot to death in a grocery store parking lot.
Michael Smith, also known as “Black Mike,” 39, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark to one count of cyberstalking resulting in death.
Co-defendant Dontay Campbell, 36, formerly of Kansas City, Mo., pleaded guilty to the same offense on Nov. 6, 2023.
By pleading guilty today, Smith admitted that he was hired to kill the victim in late January or early February 2019. To carry out the murder, Smith and Campbell obtained a GPS tracking device and on March 5, 2019, Smith and Campbell deployed the GPS device on the victim’s red Chevrolet Tahoe by placing the device under the vehicle. Smith used the GPS device to track the victim through the movements of the Tahoe. On several occasions, Smith used the GPS tracking service to physically locate the victim.
On March 16, 2019, Smith surveilled the victim as they drove to a Kansas City grocery store. When the victim left the store and walked back to the Tahoe, Campbell and a co-conspirator pulled up next to the Tahoe in a Chrysler Sebring. The co-conspirator exited the Sebring and shot at the victim several times with a Ruger .40-caliber handgun that belonged to Campbell. During the shooting spree, Campbell attempted unsuccessfully to remove the GPS tracker from the vehicle.
Campbell and the co-conspirator then ran back to the Sebring, briefly drove around the parking lot, and parked again near the Tahoe. The co-conspirator again fired multiple shots into the Tahoe while Campbell again tried unsuccessfully to retrieve the GPS tracker. Campbell and the co-conspirator then sped out of the parking lot in the Sebring.
The victim died from multiple gunshot wounds, and Smith was paid in cash for the murder.
Under the terms of today’s plea agreement, the government and Smith agreed to a sentence of 30 years in federal prison without parole. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Trey Alford, Nicholas Heberle, and Matthew Wolesky. It was investigated by the FBI and the Kansas City, 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.
Seattle man convicted of abusive sexual contact on flight from Billings, Montana to SeattleRead the Press Release
Seattle – A 55-year-old Seattle man was convicted late yesterday in U.S. District Court in Seattle of abusive sexual contact aboard an aircraft, announced First Assistant United States Attorney Charles Neil Floyd. Jurors found Keith Witt molested the 19-year-old victim on an August 11, 2023, flight from Billings, Montana to Seattle. The jury deliberated for an hour and a half following a two-day trial. U.S. District Judge Ricardo S. Martinez scheduled sentencing for May 22, 2026.
According to records filed in the case and testimony at trial, the victim was in the window seat and Witt was next to her in the aisle seat on the 90-minute flight. Witt engaged the victim in conversation immediately upon boarding. The victim testified that he asked a number or personal questions that made her uncomfortable and touched her shoulder and earbuds, invading her space. The victim decided to feign sleep to avoid having to interact further.
The victim moved as far as she could towards the wall of the plane. Over several minutes, she felt Witt’s hand first move to her seat. Then he touched her thigh and after pausing continued to move his hand up to the hem of her shorts towards her genitalia. The victim flinched, and Witt would remove his hand, only to move it slowly back a few moments later. When the victim opened one eye, she was able to see that Witt appeared to be sexually aroused, and he was rubbing his erection. The victim got up and went to the front of the plane. She reported the conduct to the flight crew and closed herself in the restroom. In tears, she texted her mother about what had happened.
The flight attendants moved Witt to a seat at the back of the plane and reported the incident to the flight crew. The flight crew alerted personnel at SeaTac Airport, who contacted the Port of Seattle Police who met the plane and interviewed both Witt and the victim.
In closing argument Assistant United States Attorney Rachel Yemini noted that the victim’s testimony was corroborated by others on the plane who saw she was upset and crying. “There is no motive for (the victim) to fabricate the story. She suffered the consequences: she had to talk to the flight attendant; she had to talk to the detectives; she had to come to court and describe what happened to her to strangers. She had no motive to fabricate these allegations.”
In his rebuttal closing argument, Assistant United States Attorney Brian Wynne noted that Witt had testified that any contact was inadvertent as he had fallen asleep. Wynne said that testimony was simply not credible. “He was testing boundaries, pressing those boundaries… he does not want to bring attention to himself… he is trying to do it slowly and methodically. That is evidence of his intent.”
Abusive sexual contact on an aircraft is punishable by up to two years in prison.
The case was investigated by the FBI and the Port of Seattle Police.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Rachel Yemini and Brian Wynne.
Salvadoran National Who Illegally Reentered U.S. is SentencedRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that FREDDY ALEXANDER MORALES TEJADA, 25, a citizen of El Salvador last residing in Vernon, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in New Haven to nearly four months of imprisonment, time already served, for illegally reentering the United States after being deported.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in October 2023, Morales Tejada was convicted in Connecticut Superior Court of carrying a pistol without a permit and failure to appear in the first degree. In February 2024, he was deported to El Salvador. Morales Tejada unlawfully reentered the U.S. and was found in South Windsor on May 19, 2025, when he was arrested for engaging in a police pursuit, reckless driving, operating motor vehicle without license, and illegal operation of motor vehicle under suspension.
Morales Tejada was arrested on a federal criminal complaint on October 23, 2025. On November 10, 2025, he pleaded guilty to illegally reentering the U.S.
Morales Tejada, who has been detained since his federal arrest, will remain detained pending his removal to El Salvador.
This matter was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Enforcement and Removal Operations. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Neeraj N. Patel.
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.
Sacramento County Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Attempted Coercion and Enticement of a ChildRead the Press Release
Mark Sigl, 63, of Antelope, was sentenced Tuesday to 10 years in prison by Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez for attempted coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
According to court documents, in March 2024, Sigl communicated with an individual he believed to be the father of a 10-year-old girl, but who was in fact an undercover officer. Sigl communicated his desire to perform sex acts on the child and planned to meet the undercover officer and child at a designated site to do so. When Sigl arrived at the designated site, he was arrested by law enforcement officers. Several sex items were recovered from his vehicle parked outside. Sigl pleaded guilty to the charge on July 1, 2025.
The Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office and the Sacramento Valley Hi-Tech Crimes Taskforce conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Zulkar Khan prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Click on the “resources” tab for information about internet-safety education.
Salvadoran Alien Child Molester Sentenced for Naturalization Fraud, Denaturalized, and DeportedRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – A federal judge sentenced Isidro Arcenio Alvarado, 58, a native of El Salvador, to active prison time after he pleaded guilty to fraudulently obtaining U.S. citizenship. The judge also revoked his citizenship and ordered him removed from the United States.
“Sex predators who sexually abuse 10-year-old children deserve, at the very least, prison time and should never be granted the privilege and honor of United States’ citizenship.” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle. “Thanks to the excellent investigation by ICE, this pervert will never harm another child in the United States. He better stay out.”
Alvarado confessed to having knowingly made materially false statements under oath and penalty of perjury on his naturalization application and during a naturalization interview with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (CIS). He answered “No” to the following questions “Were you EVER involved in any way with any of the following:…[f]orcing or trying to force someone to have any kind of sexual contact or relations?”; “Have you EVER committed, assisted in committing, or attempted to commit, a crime or offense for which you were NOT arrested?”; “Have you EVER given any U.S. Government officials any information or documentation that was false, fraudulent, or misleading?”; and “Have you EVER lied to any U.S. government officials to gain entry or admission into the United States or to gain immigration benefits while in the United States?” Alvarado took the oath of citizenship and naturalized on October 12, 2022.
On April 25, 2023, police arrested Alvarado and charged him with having committed multiple sex offenses against a child. On July 8, 2025, in the Wake County Superior Court of North Carolina, Alvarado pleaded guilty to two counts of indecent liberties with a child. The state judge sentenced him to a suspended prison term and ordered him to register as a sex offender. Alvarado admitted to having committed the crimes from January 1, 2019, through April 10, 2021. In 2019, the victim was only 10 years old. Immigration officials did not know about his deviant sex crimes prior to granting him citizenship.
Upon completion of his sentence, ICE will deport him from the United States.
Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement. ICE ERO officers investigated the case as part of Operation False Haven, an ongoing initiative designed to aggressively target child molesters and other egregious felons who fraudulently obtain U.S. citizenship. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service’s Fraud Detection and National Security Division is assisting with the initiative. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lori Warlick prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:25-CR-208-D-BM.
Retired U.S. Army Officer Sentenced to Federal Prison for Disclosing Classified National Defense InformationRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – Kevin Charles Luke (62, Tampa) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge James Moody, Jr. to 24 months in federal prison for the disclosure of classified information relating to the national defense of the United States. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
Luke pleaded guilty on October 7, 2025. In his plea agreement, he admitted to abusing a position of public trust.
According to court documents, Luke served in both active duty and reserve components of the United States Army from 1981 until his retirement with the rank of Colonel on June 30, 2018. Following his retirement, Luke was employed as a civilian employee at United States Central Command (CENTCOM). During his time in the Army and as a civilian employee, Luke held a Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information security clearance. On multiple occasions, including as recently as February 2019, Luke acknowledged his responsibility to protect classified information by signing a Standard Form 312 Nondisclosure Agreement.
In October 2024, Luke sent a woman a text message from his personal cellphone that stated, “sent to my boss earlier, gives you a peek at what I do for a living.” Following that message, he sent a photograph of a computer screen displaying a classified email message that he had authored and sent using a government email address intended for classified email communications. The photograph of the classified email also revealed targets of a planned U.S. military operation as well as the future date of the operation, the means of executing the operation, and the goal of the operation. The email contained classified markings at the Secret level that Luke himself had added. The unauthorized release of the information contained within the photograph could be expected to cause serious damage to the national security of the United States.
This case was investigated by the United States Air Force—Office of Special Investigations and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Lindsey Schmidt and Trial Attorney Leslie Esbrook of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section prosecuted the case.
Real Estate Broker, 2 Others Arrested on Complaint Charging Them with Fraudulently Selling $1.5 Million Home Owned by VictimRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A licensed real estate broker and two other defendants were arrested today on a federal criminal complaint alleging they fraudulently sold a $1.5 million Burbank house – whose owner had his home sold out from under him – by using the stolen identifies of that victim homeowner and that of a purported buyer to obtain a near-$1 million loan.
The following defendants are expected to make their initial appearance this afternoon in United States District Court in Los Angeles:
- Glenis Cardona, 63, of Highland, a licensed real estate broker who operates an escrow business;
- Ivan Reyes, 50, of Van Nuys; and
- Arshak Akopyan, 46, a.k.a. “John Akopyan,” of Northridge.
Law enforcement continues to search for defendant Basil Tikriti, 54, of Marina del Rey, who is at large.
According to an affidavit filed on January 30 with the complaint, the defendants in late 2023 and January 2024 successfully executed the fraudulent sale of a $1.5 million home in Burbank, through which they secured approximately $975,000 in loan proceeds.
To complete this transaction, they used the stolen identities of the victim homeowner and a purported buyer. Through her company – Golden Escrow, which has offices in Downey and Sherman Oaks – Cardona obtained a report to evaluate whether the Burbank property was encumbered with liens, such as legal judgments.
The defendants also prepared fraudulent documents, including false identity cards, a purchase agreement, a grant deed, a deed of trust, and loan applications, and falsely notarized the deeds. These false documents and information were submitted to a lender who funded the loan.
Cardona purported to represent the victim seller and the victim buyer – even though neither authorized the transaction – and controlled escrow. Tikriti used the victims’ stolen identities to impersonate both the victim seller and the victim buyer. Reyes and Akopyan acted as mortgage brokers and submitted fraudulent loan applications to solicit lenders to fund the illicit transaction.
After the victim lenders deposited the funds in escrow, Cardona directed the funds to various third-party entities so the schemers could collect their fraudulently obtained money.
The scheme’s victims include the owner of the Burbank house, who lost ownership of the home; the victim buyer, who became obligated to pay back the $975,000 mortgage; the lender, a mortgage lending business that unwittingly approved the funded the loan; and the title company, who unwittingly insured the transaction.
A complaint contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in court.
If convicted, each defendant would face a statutory maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison.
The FBI is investigating this matter with the help of the Burbank Police Department.
Assistant United States Attorney Kelly Larocque of the Transnational Organized Crime Section is prosecuting this case.
Prior felon going back to prison for selling meth and possessing firearmsRead the Press Release
ROCHESTER, N.Y.–U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Albey H. Braster, 44, of Elmira, NY, who was convicted of distribution of five grams or more of methamphetamine, and being a felon in possession of firearms, was sentenced to serve 128 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Frank P. Geraci, Jr. Braster was also ordered to forfeit $1,861.00 in seized U.S. currency.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert A. Marangola, who handled the case, stated that on multiple occasions between December 4, 2023, and January 18, 2024, Braster distributed over 166 grams of methamphetamine, four firearms, and over 100 rounds of ammunition to an undercover investigator with the New York State Police. Braster, who has multiple prior felony convictions, was arrested January 18, 2024, after members of the ATF Violent Crime Task Force, New York State Police, and the Elmira Police Department executed a search warrant at his Columbia Street residence, during which they recovered approximately 2.4 grams of methamphetamine, and $1,861 in cash.
The sentencing is the culmination of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Violent Crimes Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Bryan DiGirolamo, the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Kevin Sucher, and the Elmira Police Department, under the direction of Chief Kristen Thorne.
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Pine Ridge Man Sentenced to over 19 Years in Federal Prison for Drug Conspiracy and Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler sentenced a Pine Ridge, South Dakota, man convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance and Carrying a Firearm During a Drug Trafficking Offense. The sentencing took place on January 27, 2026.
James Shangreaux, age 43, was sentenced to 19 years and seven months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $200 in special assessments to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Forfeiture of the pistol was also ordered.
Shangreaux was indicted by a federal grand jury in March 2025. He pleaded guilty on September 18, 2025.
Shangreaux conspired with others to distribute at least 350 grams of methamphetamine in Rapid City and within the Pine Ridge Reservation. Shangreaux acted as an organizer and leader of the conspiracy, making trips to Colorado, as well as wiring money to his source of supply. Shangreaux’s conspiracy was exposed following a pursuit that was terminated near the reservation and State boundary line. When ultimately taken into custody, Shangreaux was found in possession of methamphetamine as well as a 9mm caliber pistol that he attempted to conceal.
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). Through PSN, the District of South Dakota seeks to bring together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.
The case was investigated by the FBI and the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Poppen handled the prosecution.
Shangreaux was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Pine Ridge Man Convicted of Assaulting a Deputy U.S. Marshal and of Threatening to Murder Federal OfficersRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a jury has convicted Franklin Long Black Cat, age 32, of Pine Ridge, South Dakota, of Assaulting a Federal Officer and two counts of Threatening a Federal Officer following a two-day jury trial in federal district court in Rapid City, South Dakota. The verdict was returned on January 29, 2026.
The maximum penalty for the assault charge is eight years in custody and/or a $250,000 fine, and the threat charges carry a maximum penalty of ten years in custody and/or a $250,000 fine. All three charges carry a maximum term of three years of supervised release and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Long Black Cat was indicted by a federal grand jury in November 2025.
On November 18, 2025, Long Black Cat was in the custody of the United States Marshals Service at the federal courthouse in Rapid City in connection with a court hearing. Long Black Cat spit in the face of one Deputy United States Marshal and threatened to shoot two other Deputy United States Marshals.
This case was investigated by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Schroeder prosecuted the case.
A presentence investigation was ordered, and a sentencing date has yet to be set. The defendant was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Palmetto Man Sentenced to Seven Years in Federal Prison for Possessing a Firearm as a Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – Markis Maxwell (41, Palmetto) was sentenced by Senior U.S. District Judge Daniel L. Hovland today to seven years in federal prison for possession of a firearm or ammunition as a convicted felon. The sentence will run consecutive to the state prison sentence that Maxwell is currently serving for the sale of controlled substances and fleeing and eluding a law enforcement officer. The court also ordered Maxwell to forfeit the firearm and ammunition used in the commission of the offense. Maxwell pleaded guilty on October 24, 2025. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court records, on June 16, 2023, deputies from the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office responded to a 911 call and learned that Maxwell was armed with a handgun during a verbal argument with his significant other. Maxwell was subsequently arrested on outstanding arrest warrants for unrelated offenses involving the sales of cocaine and fentanyl. Deputies located a loaded handgun hidden inside a bag in the bedroom closet. Subsequent analysis supported Maxwell as a contributor to DNA swabs taken from the handgun. Prior to possessing the firearm and ammunition, Maxwell had been convicted of multiple felony offenses. As a convicted felon, he is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeff Chang.
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.
Omaha Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Illegally Possessing a Machine Gun and Felon in PossessionRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Tyler Webster, 28, of Omaha, Nebraska was sentenced on February 6, 2026, in federal court in Omaha for illegally possessing a machine gun and being a felon in possession of a firearm. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Webster to 120 months’ imprisonment on each count to run concurrently. There is no parole in the federal system. After Webster’s release, he will begin a 3-year term of supervised release on each count to run concurrently.
On November 13, 2023, Omaha Police officers dispatched to an apartment near 61st and Spencer streets in Omaha where a tenant reported that a male wearing a ski mask, later identified as Tyler Webster, had broken into her apartment and was holding a hammer. Officers arrived and took Webster into custody and found a high-capacity handgun magazine in his pocket. On November 15, 2023, the tenant found a 9mm Polymer 80 handgun concealed in a plastic bin in her apartment that Webster had discarded while hiding. The handgun was equipped with a ‘Glock switch’ machine gun conversion device making it capable of fully automatic fire, and a machine gun as defined in federal law.
On January 29, 2024, at 3:28 am, while patrolling Leavenworth Street near South 31st Avenue, Omaha Police officers heard gunshots coming from a Chevy Equinox travelling eastbound, leaving behind .45 ACP caliber shell casings. Officers attempted a traffic stop but the Equinox led them on a high-speed.
The Equinox eventually came to a stop near a construction site on 13th and Farnam streets where Webster, the vehicle’s front passenger, threw a stolen Springfield .45 ACP caliber handgun from the window into a construction site before continuing their flight onto I-80, into Iowa.
Iowa law enforcement continued the pursuit and eventually punctured the Equinox’s tires with stop sticks, causing it to stop near Shelby, Iowa. The driver remained with the vehicle, surrendered, and was ultimately taken into custody. Webster fled through a field on foot and escaped arrest. He was arrested later that day at a residence in Omaha.
Webster has the following prior felony convictions punishable by more than one year of incarceration: Criminal Conspiracy, a Class II Felony, and Robbery, a Class II Felony, both in the District Court of Douglas County, Nebraska (CR l7-406, November 9, 2017).
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Omaha Police Department.
Mother’s Day Carjackers Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, FL – Miranda Lee Pryor (39, Orange Park) was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Sheri Polster Chappell to 10 years and 5 months in federal prison for her role in a May 2025 armed carjacking in Lehigh Acres. Pryor pleaded guilty on October 29, 2025, to carjacking, brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence, and possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Her co-defendant, Rebecca Lea Stacey (36, West Palm Beach) was previously sentenced to 10 years and 10 months in federal prison in connection with the same case. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court records, on the afternoon of May 11, 2025, Stacey and Pryor carjacked a man waiting in his vehicle outside a store in Lehigh Acres. During the carjacking, Pryor brandished a firearm as the pair stole the victim’s vehicle and sped away from the scene. Later that afternoon, after law enforcement located the vehicle on I-75, Stacey (driving the vehicle) led police on a high-speed chase on the interstate through Collier County, eventually losing control and crashing the vehicle. Stacey and Pryor were quickly apprehended by law enforcement following the accident. During the chase, Pryor (the front-seat passenger) tossed the firearm used in the carjacking out the window of the stolen car, which was later recovered on the side of the highway.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, the Collier County Sheriff’s Office, and the Florida Highway Patrol. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Simon Eth and Kevin Huguelet.
Mooresville Man Sentenced for Mail Fraud and Money Laundering in $1.9 Million Embezzlement SchemeRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A Mooresville man was sentenced to 41 months in prison today for stealing more than $1.9 million from his employer, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Gene Christopher Acuff, 62, was ordered to serve one year of supervised release after he is released from prison, to pay restitution in the amount of $1,997,150.29, and to forfeit $400,000 as a penalty for his crimes.
Steven Gutierrez, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the United States Secret Service, Charlotte Field Office, joins U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making the announcement.
According to court documents and court proceedings, Acuff was employed as a senior manager by Company A, a large retailer with stores throughout the United States, Canada, and Mexico. As part of his duties, Acuff was responsible for reviewing property tax assessments on Company A’s stores and retaining real estate appraisers and other professionals to evaluate tax assessments on company stores. Businesses that provided those services to Company A would submit invoices which Acuff paid through Company A’s bill pay system.
According to court records, between January 2020 and June 2024, Acuff created five businesses with names related to real estate appraisal and consulting services. As part of the scheme, Acuff submitted false and fraudulent invoices to Company A in the names of his businesses for appraisals and other services that were never provided to Company A. Acuff then used his authority and access to Company A’s billing system to authorize payments of the false invoices. Through this scheme, Acuff issued payments totaling more than $1.9 million, which he deposited into bank accounts he controlled.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. District Judge Matthew E. Orso said, “A slap on the wrist in a case like this won’t establish true deterrence.”
Acuff pleaded guilty to mail fraud and money laundering. He will be ordered to report to the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Secret Service.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Bain-Creed with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.
Milford Man Who Threatened Federal Law Enforcement Officer is SentencedRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that HAMILTON CLARK SMITH, 61, of Milford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Sarala V. Nagala in Hartford to 43 days of imprisonment, time already served, and one year of probation for threatening a federal law enforcement officer.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on January 10 and 11, 2023, Smith sent a series of threatening text messages to a Deputy U.S. Marshal, including threats to harm and kill the Deputy U.S. Marshal, and to harm the Deputy U.S. Marshal’s family.
Smith was arrested on January 12, 2023, and was detained until February 16, 2023, when he was released on bond. On April 22, 2024, he pleaded guilty to making repeated harassing communications.
This investigation was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren C. Clark.
Mexican national who stole U.S. citizen’s identity sentenced to prisonRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 39-year-old Mexican citizen has been ordered to federal prison after illegally reentering the United States under an assumed identity, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Following a two-day-trial, a federal jury found Jose Martin Valdez-Galvan guilty May 29, 2025, after approximately four hours of deliberation.
U.S. District Judge Marina Garcia Marmolejo sentenced Valdez-Galvan to 41 months in federal prison. Not a U.S. citizen, he is once again expected to face removal proceedings following his imprisonment.
On June 11, 2024, authorities encountered Valdez-Galvan in Laredo. During the encounter, he provided a false name and claimed to be a U.S. citizen. Authorities later determined Valdez-Galvan was an illegal alien who had previously been removed from the United States and had returned without permission.
Court records reflect Valdez-Galvan assumed the false identity in 2015 following his second removal from the United States.
Law enforcement positively identified Valdez-Galvan through fingerprint analysis. At trial, Valdez-Galvan disputed his identity, and his mother testified that her son’s name was different, despite having previously identified him as Valdez-Galvan.
The defense challenged the reliability of the evidence, but the jury found Valdez-Galvan guilty as charged.
He 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 with the assistance of Border Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christine Cortez, Jay Hileman and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Bryan Oliver prosecuted the case.
Mexican National to Serve More Than Eight Years in Prison for Cocaine Conspiracy and Illegal Ammunition PossessionRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – JOSE TRINIDAD PEREZ FRAIRE, 38, of Mexico, has been sentenced to serve 105 months in federal prison for conspiring to distribute cocaine and being an illegal alien in possession of ammunition, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
According to public records, in May 2025, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) obtained information that Fraire was involved in cocaine distribution. On May 14, 2025, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Fraire’s residence and discovered approximately three kilograms of cocaine, more than $70,000 in cash, suspected drug ledgers, and ammunition.
On June 26, 2025, Fraire was charged by Information with a drug conspiracy and being an illegal alien in possession of ammunition. Fraire pleaded guilty on July 28, 2025, and admitted he conspired with others to possess and distribute cocaine and knowingly possessed ammunition despite his status as an illegal alien.
At the sentencing hearing on February 5, 2026, U.S. District Judge Patrick R. Wyrick sentenced Fraire to serve 105 months in federal prison, followed by four years of supervised release. In announcing his sentence, Judge Wyrick noted the need for deterrence and to protect the public from further criminal activity.
This case is the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs. Assistant U.S. Attorney Drew E. Davis prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Reference is made to public filings for additional information.
Mexican National Pleads Guilty to Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Mexican national pleaded guilty in federal court today to illegally reentering the United States after he was previously deported.
Javier Luis Arias-Zamudio, aka Jose Luis Cordova, 34, pleaded guilty before Magistrate Judge David P. Rush, to a federal indictment charging him with one count of illegal reentry after a felony conviction.
According to court documents, on Oct. 23, 2025, deputies with the Christian County Sheriff’s Office conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle being driven by Arias-Zamudio and determined that he was unlawfully present in the United States.
Arias-Zamudio has previously been convicted of felony illegal reentry, in the District of Arizona, in 2021, and removed from the United States on April 21, 2021, through Nogales, Ariz. Additionally, Arias-Zamudio was previously removed from the United States on May 5, 2017, and August 29, 2019, at Laredo, Tx.
Under federal statutes, Arias-Zamudio is subject to a sentence of up to 10 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Casey Clark. It was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security – Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Sparta, Missouri Police Department, and the Christian County, Missouri Sheriff’s Office.
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.
Mexican National Illegally in the United States Sentenced for Drug Trafficking and Gun CrimesRead the Press Release
MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Acting United States Attorney Kevin Davidson announced today the sentencing of a Mexican national for federal drug and firearm offenses stemming from his unlawful reentry into the United States.
On February 10, 2026, a federal judge sentenced Agustin Osorio-Lopez, 42, originally from Hidalgo, Mexico, to 120 months in federal prison. There is no parole in the federal system. Following his ten-year term of imprisonment, Osorio-Lopez will be subject to removal proceedings. The sentence follows Osorio-Lopez’s guilty plea to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and marijuana, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime, possession of a firearm by an alien unlawfully present in the United States, and illegal reentry after deportation.
“The defendant repeatedly violated federal law by illegally reentering the United States and engaging in serious drug and firearm offenses,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Davidson. “This case demonstrates the importance of strong partnerships between federal, state, and local law enforcement in the Middle District of Alabama, and the sentence imposed should serve as a warning to those who disregard our immigration laws and threaten public safety.”
According to court records, law enforcement officers in Elmore County began investigating suspected drug-trafficking activity in July 2025. During the investigation, agents identified Osorio-Lopez as a person of interest and determined that he was unlawfully present in the United States after having been previously deported on two occasions.
On September 22, 2025, federal agents, along with deputies from the Elmore County Drug Task Force, executed an arrest warrant at a residence in Elmore, Alabama, where Osorio-Lopez was located. During the arrest, law enforcement officers seized methamphetamine, marijuana, multiple handguns, digital scales, and other items commonly associated with drug distribution.
The Department of Homeland Security Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Enforcement Removal Operations (ERO) and the Elmore County Sheriff’s Office investigated this case, with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration Southeast Laboratory in Miami, Florida. Assistant United States Attorney Eric M. Counts prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Man Sentenced to over 2 Years in Federal Prison for Failing to Register as Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier, has sentenced a man from South Dakota, convicted of Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. The sentencing took place on January 26, 2026.
Darrell Chase In Winter, 33, was sentenced to two years and six months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Chase In Winter was indicted for Failure to Register as a Sex Offender by a federal grand jury in October 2025. He pleaded guilty on December 22, 2025.
Chase In Winter was previously convicted of a federal sex offense. Because of his prior conviction, he is required to register as a sex offender. Chase In Winter was aware of his obligation to register and to keep his registration current with officials within the county in which he resided. Nonetheless, from early August through November 2025, Chase In Winter knowingly failed to register and update his registration.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service. Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Connie Larson prosecuted the case.
Chase In Winter was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service to serve his federal sentence.
This case was brought as a part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Man Sentenced to More than 17 Years in Prison for Child ExploitationRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – U.S. District Court Judge Camille Vélez-Rivé sentenced Byron Andújar-Ramos to 17 years and six months in prison and 10 years of supervised release for sexual exploitation of a female minor, who is deaf and mute, when she was 12 to 14 years old, announced W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. Andújar-Ramos was indicted on November 25, 2024, arrested on December 9, 2024, and plead guilty on November 10, 2025.
According to court documents, in or about June 2022 to in or about August 2024, Byron Andújar-Ramos used a cellular phone, as well as internet instant messaging services, to knowingly persuade, induce, entice, and coerce a female minor between the ages of 12 and 14 years old to engage in sexual activity.
According to the facts admitted during the change of plea hearing, from June 2022 to August 2024 Andújar-Ramos engaged in a sexual act with the female minor victim. In a cellular phone used by the victim, HSI special agents found a WhatsApp chat between the minor and defendant Andújar-Ramos. The communications were sexually explicit. In the communications, the defendant persuaded, induced, enticed, and coerced the female minor victim to engage in sexual activity. Andújar-Ramos wrote that he wanted to make love to her, told her he was in love with her, requested to engage in sexually explicit video calls with the female minor, asked her to call him through video camera, asked the victim if she wanted to have sexual activity with him, and asked her if she wanted to see his privates.
“The Department of Justice, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and our law enforcement partners will aggressively investigate and prosecute those criminals who exploit and harm children,” said W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. “I thank the dedicated HSI agents and prosecutors who investigated and charged this case for their tireless efforts to protect the most vulnerable in our community. Exploitation of our children has no place in civilized society.”
HSI San Juan Acting Special Agent in Charge Yariel Ramos said: “The court’s decision to impose a significantly higher sentence than initially agreed upon underscores the seriousness of these crimes and the unwavering commitment of our justice system to protect vulnerable victims. This outcome sends a clear message: those who commit such heinous acts will face severe consequences. HSI San Juan remains steadfast in our pursuit of justice and in supporting survivors every step of the way.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney Daynelle Álvarez-Lora of the Crimes Against Children, Human Trafficking and Immigration Unit, prosecuted the case. The Puerto Rico Crimes Against Children Task Force led by HSI was in charge of the investigation, with the collaboration of the Puerto Rico Police Department. To report suspicious activities, call 787-729-6969.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
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Marianna Man Pleads Guilty to Drug Distribution Conspiracy and Illegal Weapons ChargesRead the Press Release
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Michael Termaine Bell, 43, of Marianna, Florida, pleaded guilty in federal court to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine and marijuana, possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine and marijuana, possession with intent to distribute cocaine and marijuana, two counts of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and two counts of possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “This defendant is precisely the kind of violent, drug trafficking offender that Operation Take Back America was launched to capture and remove from our communities. My office remains committed to delivering more successful prosecutions like this until our streets are safe and drug-free.”
Court documents reflect that beginning in 2023, investigators identified the defendant as a significant distributor of narcotics in the Jackson County, Florida, area. This investigation ultimately led to the execution of a search warrant at the defendant’s residence and surrounding family property on April 18, 2024. Investigators recovered over 1,000 grams of cocaine, over 3,400 grams of marijuana, five firearms, and over $10,000 in U.S. currency. The defendant was later located and arrested in Panama City, Florida, and was found to be in possession of cocaine, marijuana, and a loaded firearm. The defendant is a multi-time convicted felon.
Bell faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment on the drug charges, a minimum mandatory sentence of five years’ imprisonment on each of the possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes charges, and a maximum of life imprisonment.
The case involved a joint investigation by the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jessica Etherton and Eric Welch.
Sentencing for Bell is scheduled for April 23, 2026, at 1:00 pm, at the United States Courthouse in Tallahassee, Florida before United States District Judge Mark E. Walker.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime, 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.
Luzerne County Brothers Sentenced on Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
SCRANTON, The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Akilees Kadeem Hobson, age 27, of Edwardsville, Pennsylvania, and Armand Kierran Hobson, age 28, of Plymouth, Pennsylvania, were sentenced on February 10, 2026, by Senior United States District Judge Robert D. Mariani for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl. Akilees Hobson was sentenced to 11 years’ imprisonment and Armand Hobson was sentenced to time served after being incarcerated since September 25, 2024.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, in August and September 2024, the brothers conspired to distribute fentanyl. On fourteen occasions, Akilees Hobson sold drugs, which included fentanyl and crack cocaine, to a confidential informant. At the time, Akilees Hobson was on federal supervised release for previous conviction charging him with possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking in 2017. On one occasion, Armand Hobson sold fentanyl to a confidential informant. On September 25, 2024, search warrants were executed at their residences and additional drugs were seized. In total, Akilees Hobson was responsible for distributing and possessing with intent to distribute 27 grams of fentanyl and 39 grams of crack cocaine. Armand Hobson was responsible for distributing and possessing with intent to distribute at least 4 grams but less than 8 grams of fentanyl and less than a kilogram of marijuana.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Kingston Police Department and the Luzerne County Drug Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jenny P. Roberts prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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Lexington Man Sentenced for Money Laundering and Wire Fraud Involving COVID Relief LoansRead the Press Release
FRANKFORT, Ky. – A Lexington man, John A. Hopkins, 48, was sentenced on Tuesday by U.S. District Judge Gregory Van Tatenhove to 24 months, for money laundering and wire fraud arising out of fraudulently obtained Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) and Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans.
According to his plea agreement, from April 14, 2020, through October 19, 2021, Hopkins devised a scheme to fraudulently obtain funding from federal pandemic relief programs. He did this by making false statements about various companies, including Blurock LLC, John A Hopkins, Jahopm, and Hopkins Drywall, named in loan applications submitted to the United States Small Business Administration and other lenders. During this time, Hopkins submitted 10 fraudulent EIDL applications, one fraudulent EIDL modification application, and one fraudulent PPP application.
For example, on July 3, 2020, Hopkins submitted an EIDL application stating he was an independent contractor named John A. Hopkins. This application falsely and grossly inflated his revenues serving as a pastor for the 12 months prior to the start of the pandemic. As a result of this fraudulent application, the SBA approved the Hopkins’s EIDL application and issued a loan in the amount of $44,000 and a $1,000 EID advance. As to another EIDL loan, Hopkins fraudulently obtained an EIDL increase in the amount of $352,000, after sending an email containing falsehoods to two members of Congress seeking Congressional assistance in obtaining the loan increase. Through further misrepresentations, Hopkins also obtained a PPP loan in the amount of $120,000 for a business entity called Blurock LLC.
In total, Hopkins attempted to fraudulently obtain $1,729,257 in COVID relief funds, of which $517,000 was approved. After receiving the fraudulently obtained SBA funds, Hopkins engaged in numerous transactions over $10,000, using the proceeds of his deceptive conduct to pay off non-business debt, pay for his personal rent, gift money to friends, invest in cryptocurrency, and engage in gambling activities, among other things.
Under federal law, Hopkins must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for 3 years.
Paul McCaffrey, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Kelly K. Moening, Special Agent in Charge, Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, Great Lakes Field Division; and Karen Wingerd, Special Agent in Charge, IRS-Criminal Investigations, Detroit Field Division, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration and the IRS-CI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kate Dieruf is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
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Last Defendant in Akron Meth Trafficking Case Sentenced to 10 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
AKRON, Ohio – The last defendant in a drug trafficking conspiracy has been sentenced to prison for his role as an illegal supplier of a schedule II controlled substance throughout Summit County and the surrounding areas.
Maurice A. Stewart, 31, of Akron, Ohio, was sentenced to 120 months (10 years) in prison by U.S. District Judge David A. Ruiz after pleading guilty in October of the following charges:
- Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine
- Distribution of Methamphetamine
- Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine
- Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl
He was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release after imprisonment.
According to court documents, in October 2022, special agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) opened an investigation into suspected drug and firearms trafficking in the Akron area. Investigators learned that three individuals, including Stewart, were conspiring with one another to obtain large amounts of methamphetamine for the purpose of sale and distribution throughout Northeast Ohio. A search warrant was subsequently executed at Stewart’s residence on West Long Street in Akron. There, agents seized 379.1 grams of methamphetamine, 87.5 grams of fentanyl, four cellphones, and a Glock, Model 19 Gen 5, semiautomatic pistol. Two residences located at East Archwood Avenue and Tonawanda Avenue, and connected to his co-conspirators, were also searched and resulted in additional seizures of methamphetamine, a firearm, drug scales and paraphernalia, and cellphones.
The following co-defendants in the case, also of Akron, are currently serving sentences in federal prison after pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine and Distribution of Methamphetamine:
- Kevin R. McQuain, age 46, was sentenced to 100 months; additionally pleaded guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine.
- Kenneth L. Pitman, age 54, was sentenced to 90 months; additionally pleaded guilty to being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the Portage County Sheriff’s Office Drug and Violent Crime Unit.
Assistant United States Attorney Joseph P. Dangelo for the Northern District of Ohio led the prosecution.
Las Vegas Woman Pleads Guilty to Making and Selling Counterfeit CouponsRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – A Las Vegas woman pleaded guilty Tuesday to manufacturing and selling counterfeit store coupons with inflated values, then selling those coupons online and via social media to co-conspirators.
According to court documents, from August 23, 2017, to September 17, 2019, Serena Reamy Hedden manufactured nearly 3.5 million counterfeit coupons at her residence. The counterfeit coupon values were often created with inflated values, far in excess of what an authentic coupon would offer, in order to receive items from retail stores for free or for a greatly reduced price. As part of the scheme, she sold the counterfeit coupons to co-conspirators via social media and online and would mail the counterfeit coupons through the United States Postal Service. Hedden sold the merchandise she unlawfully obtained by using the counterfeit coupons she manufactured from shelves in her garage.
On September 17, 2019, a federal search warrant was executed at Hedden’s residence. During that search, agents found electronic equipment she used to manufactured counterfeit coupons, along with large quantities of specialized paper, specialized printers, a large number of counterfeit coupons, unused packing boxes, and binders containing spreadsheet ledger pages. Analysis of bar codes show that Hedden’s scheme produced nearly 3.5 million counterfeit coupons that caused losses of at least $20,833,517.
“This case demonstrates the serious impact of large-scale counterfeit coupon schemes on retailers and consumers alike,” said Special Agent in Charge Eddy Wang. “Serena Hedden’s actions not only defrauded businesses out of millions of dollars, but also undermined the integrity of the marketplace. We remain committed to investigating and prosecuting those who engage in such fraudulent activity.”
Hedden pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud. The maximum statutory penalty is 20 years in prison. Sentencing is scheduled for May 7, 2026. A federal judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
First Assistant United States Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Wang for Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) made the announcement.
This case was investigated by HSI. Assistant United States Attorney Kimberly Frayn is prosecuting the case.
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Lackawanna County Man Sentenced to 120 Months’ Imprisonment for Conspiracy and Theft of Major ArtworkRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Nicholas Dombek, age 55, of Thornhurst Township, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on February 10, 2026, to 120 months’ imprisonment, a term of supervised release, and to pay restitution in the amount of $2,753,266.3, by Senior United States District Judge Malachy E. Mannion for conspiracy, theft of major artwork, concealment/disposal of major artwork, and the interstate transportation of stolen property.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, a jury found Dombek guilty of eight counts following a nearly month-long trial earlier this year. The jury found that, along with his co-defendants and other co-conspirators, Dombek was responsible for stealing or concealing/disposing the following:
- “Le Grande Passion” by Andy Warhol and “Springs Winter” purportedly by Jackson Pollock stolen in 2005 from the Everhart Museum in Scranton, Pennsylvania;
- Six championship belts, including four belonging to Carmen Basillio and two belonging to Tony Zale stolen in 2015 from the International Boxing Hall of Fame in Canastota, New York;
- The Hickok Belt and MVP Trophy belonging to Roger Maris, stolen in 2016 from the Roger Maris Museum in Fargo, North Dakota;
- Nine World Series Rings, seven championship rings, and two MVP plaques belonging to Yogi Berra, stolen in 2014 from the Yogi Berra Museum & Learning Center in Little Falls, New Jersey;
- The U.S. Amateur Trophy and a Hickok Belt awarded to Ben Hogan, stolen in 2012 from the USGA Golf Museum & Library;
- Fourteen trophies and other awards worth approximately $300,000 stolen in 2012 from the Harness Racing Museum & Hall of Fame in Goshen, New York;
- Five trophies worth over $350,000, including the 1903 Belmont Stakes Trophy, stolen in 2013 from the National Racing Museum & Hall of Fame in Saratoga Springs, New York;
- Three antique firearms stolen in 2006 from Space Farms: Zoo & Museum in Wantage, New Jersey;
- “Upper Hudson” by Jasper Crospey, worth approximately $120,000, stolen in 2011 from Ringwood Manor in Ringwood, New Jersey; and
- Antique firearms worth over $150,000, stolen in 2011 from Ringwood Manor in Ringwood, New Jersey
- Numerous trophies, including the Milwaukee Open Trophy, Eastern Open Trophy, and Pennsylvania Amateur Cup belonging to Art Wall, Jr., stolen in 2011 from the Scranton Country Club, located in Clarks Summit, Pennsylvania;
- Gold nuggets and other precious metals worth over $100,000, stolen in 2011 from a safe in the Sterling Hill Mining Museum, in Ogdensburg, New Jersey;
- Gems and other minerals stolen in 2017 from the Franklin Mineral Museum, in Franklin, New Jersey;
- Jewelry, coins, and other valuables stolen between 2018 from the Antique’s Exchange in Hawley, Pennsylvania, Cade’s Coins, in Exeter, Pennsylvania, Basic Irish Luxury, in Newport, Rhode Island, and the Bertoni Galler, located in Chester, New York.
Dombek acted as a leader in the eight-person conspiracy to commit the above thefts. After a month-long trial held in 2025, co-conspirators Damien Boland, age 49, of Covington Township, Pennsylvania and Joseph Atsus, age 51, of Roaring Brook, Pennsylvania were convicted alongside Dombek of conspiracy to commit theft of major artwork, concealment and disposal of major artwork, and interstate transportation of stolen property, as well as multiple related substantive offenses. In December of 2025, Judge Mannion sentenced Damien Boland to 108 months’ imprisonment, as well as a term of supervised release and restitution. In January of 2026, Judge Mannion sentenced Joseph Atsus to 48 months’ imprisonment, as well as a term of supervised release and restitution.
Additional co-conspirators pled guilty pursuant to felony informations and were sentenced by Judge Mannion earlier in 2025. They include:
- Thomas Trotta, age 50, of Dunmore Pennsylvania, who was sentenced to 96 months’ imprisonment for theft of major artwork;
- Dawn Trotta, age 53, of Dunmore, Pennsylvania who was sentenced to 15 months’ imprisonment for conspiracy to commit theft of major artwork, concealment and disposal of major artwork, and interstate transportation of stolen property;
- Frank Tassiello, age 52, of Taylor, Pennsylvania, who was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment for conspiracy to commit theft of major artwork, concealment and disposal of major artwork, and interstate transportation of stolen property; and
- Ralph Parry, age 47, of Springbrook Township, Pennsylvania, who was sentenced to three years of probation as well as a period of home-confinement for conspiracy to commit theft of major artwork, concealment and disposal of major artwork, and interstate transportation of stolen property.
After stealing the above-described items, the conspirators would transport the stolen goods back to Northeastern Pennsylvania, often to the residence of Dombek, and melt the memorabilia down into easily transportable metal discs or bars. The conspirators would then sell the raw metal to fences in the New York City area for hundreds or a few thousands of dollars, significantly less than the sports memorabilia would be worth at fair market value.
Dombek burnt the painting “Upper Hudson” by Jasper Crospey, valued at approximately $125,000, to avoid the painting being recovered by investigators and used as evidence against the members of the conspiracy. The whereabouts of many of the other paintings and stolen objects are currently unknown, however, several antique firearms stolen from the Space Farms: Zoo and Museum and the Ringwood Manor Museum, both in New Jersey, were recovered by investigators, including an antique gun which Damien Boland had earlier hidden at a relative’s house in a different state.
After a search warrant was conducted at Dombek’s house in the summer of 2019, he travelled to the homes of two of his fellow co-conspirators and threatened them if they cooperated with the police. In the summer of 2023, after being indicted on the instant federal case, Dombek fled from FBI agents trying to place him under arrest and he remained a fugitive for nearly six months before turning himself into the Lackawanna County Jail on New Years Day, 2024.
"Investigating art crime demands skill and persistence as these cases often cross jurisdictions and may span many years" said Wayne A. Jacobs, special agent in charge of FBI Philadelphia. "This sentence sends a clear message: those who steal art or cultural property will be held accountable. Working across our local, state, federal law enforcement partnerships, alongside cultural institutions which play a critical role in these investigations, the FBI will continue to diligently investigate these crimes, identify offenders, recover stolen works, and ensure those responsible face justice."
The matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Pennsylvania State Police, the New Jersey State Police, the New York State Police, the New Jersey State Park Police, the Newport Police Department (Rhode Island), the Fargo Police Department (North Dakota), the Chester Police Department (New York), the Exeter Borough Police Department (Pennsylvania), the Scranton Police Department, the Franklin Police Department (New Jersey), the Village of Goshen Police Department (New York), the Metropolitan Police Department (Washington, D.C.), the West Milord Township Police Department (New Jersey), the Montclair Police Department (New Jersey), the Saratoga Springs Police Department (New York), the Canastota Police Department (New York), the South Abington Police Department (Pennsylvania), the Bernards Township Police Department (New Jersey), the Salisbury Township Police Department (Pennsylvania), the Montclair State University Police Department (New Jersey) the Lackawanna County District Attorney’s Office (Pennsylvania), the Sussex County Prosecutor’s Office (New Jersey), the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office (New Jersey), the Orange County District Attorney’s Office (New York), and multiple other local law enforcement agencies from across the country. Assistant United States Attorneys James M. Buchanan and Jenny Roberts prosecuted the case.
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Kanawha County Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Donald Renard Taylor, 50, of Dunbar, was sentenced today to nine years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for distribution of a quantity of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on July 31, 2023, Taylor sold 104.63 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant for $850. Taylor admitted to the transaction and further admitted to selling 27.71 grams of methamphetamine for $240 on June 14, 2023, and 55.75 grams of methamphetamine for $440 on July 13, 3023, to the confidential informant. All three transactions occurred in Dunbar.
On August 2, 2023, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Taylor’s Dunbar residence and seized 139.7 grams of methamphetamine, over 200 grams of fentanyl, 544.8 grams of cocaine and $19,479. Officers also seized six firearms: a Highpoint 9mm pistol, a Bearman .38-caliber pistol, a F.I.E. Corp .25-caliber pistol, a Glock L9 9mm pistol, a Taurus GX4 9mm pistol, and a Davis Industries .25-caliber pistol.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), which is composed of the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the Nitro Police Department, the St. Albans Police Department and the South Charleston Police Department, and the assistance provided by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney JC MacCallum prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-44.
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Justice Department Secures Agreement Reforming Alabama’s System for Educating Students with Disabilities in Foster CareRead the Press Release
Today, the Justice Department announced that it reached a landmark agreement with the State of Alabama to address allegations of discrimination against children in foster care with disabilities, in violation of Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). This first-of-its-kind agreement ensures that young Alabamians in or transitioning out of the foster care system have the tools they need to be successful as adults and advances the commitment of this Administration to foster children and families set forth in President Donald J. Trump’s Executive Order 14359, entitled, “Fostering the Future for American Children and Families.”
“Children in foster care should not be treated differently because of their circumstances,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “We applaud Alabama for reaching this agreement so that all students may benefit from an education that equips them for a promising future.”
The settlement agreement requires that students with disabilities in foster care who are placed in psychiatric residential treatment facilities (PRTFs) attend school in the most integrated setting appropriate to their needs and that students educated on site at PRTFs are provided with equal educational opportunities.
Additional information about the Civil Rights Division is available on its website at www.justice.gov/crt, and additional information about the Civil Rights Division’s Educational Opportunities Section’s work to combat disability discrimination is available at www.justice.gov/crt/educational-opportunities-section.
Members of the public may report possible civil rights violations at www.civilrights.justice.gov/.
Jury convicts Laredo man for human smugglingRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – A 61-year-old man has been found guilty for his role in a conspiracy to transport illegal aliens, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
The jury deliberated for approximately two hours before convicting Gonzalo Chavez following a three-day trial.
On Oct. 27, 2025, law enforcement observed a Dodge Durango enter a golf course near the Rio Grande in Laredo before leaving shortly thereafter. Authorities noted the vehicle’s rear suspension appeared lower than when it entered.
During a subsequent traffic stop, law enforcement observed four individuals lying down in plain view and attempting to conceal themselves. Authorities determined all four were illegal aliens without legal authorization to be present in the United States.
At trial, the jury heard evidence that Chavez coordinated with human smugglers in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, to provide immediate transportation to the illegal aliens after they crossed the Rio Grande. Chavez admitted his role was to transport these aliens to their next destination.
The jury also heard evidence regarding Chavez’ prior alien smuggling conviction.
U.S. District Judge John Kazen presided over the trial and set sentencing for March 30. At that time, Chavez faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
Chavez has been held in custody pending trial and remain so pending sentencing.
United States Border Patrol conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Manuel Cardenas and Michael Poyfair are 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 and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Jury Convicts Three Men of Methamphetamine and Cocaine Conspiracies Across Multiple StatesRead the Press Release
LITTLE ROCK—A federal jury has convicted three men involved in methamphetamine and cocaine conspiracies that spanned from California to Texas to Arkansas and involved multiple pounds and kilograms of drugs. The trial, which spanned six days, ended Tuesday evening with guilty verdicts for Bruce McArthur Smith, 54, of Hesperia, Calif., Kevin Langel, 54, of Pine Bluff, and Larry Rogers, 71, of Benton. Jonathan D. Ross, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, announced the verdicts.
The three men were initially indicted in November 2022. A federal grand jury returned a Superseding Indictment on January 6, 2026, charging Smith with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute more than 500 grams of methamphetamine. Langel and Rogers were charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine, with Langel’s charge involving more than five kilograms of cocaine and Rogers’ charge involving more than 500 grams, but less than five kilograms of cocaine.
The evidence at trial proved that the controlled substances the three men were selling were ultimately being purchased, and redistributed, by Roderick Toney, 58, of Little Rock. Toney pleaded guilty on February 7, 2025, to conspiracy to possess with intent to deliver methamphetamine and being a felon in possession of a firearm and is awaiting sentencing.
At trial, the United States played phone calls between Smith and Toney that detailed multiple methamphetamine transactions. The investigation, led by the Drug Enforcement Administration and North Little Rock Police Department, revealed that Smith knew individuals in Pine Bluff and came to Arkansas several times during the conspiracy period of 2020 through 2022. Toney received multiple pounds of methamphetamine directly from Smith at an apartment complex in Little Rock several times during that period.
In June and July 2022, at the same time Smith was selling methamphetamine to Toney, Toney was purchasing kilograms of cocaine from Rogers. Evidence at trial detailed Toney and Rogers’ movements on July 14, 2022, when Rogers obtained money from a relative of Toney’s at a car wash and then traveled to a business off Geyer Springs Road in Little Rock where he met with Langel and obtained a kilogram of cocaine. Rogers then returned to the same car wash and distributed the cocaine to Toney. Evidence at trial showed that Rogers and Toney were involved in multiple cocaine transactions.
In addition to the evidence that Langel was the source of supply of cocaine that Rogers obtained for Toney in June and July 2022, the United States presented evidence that Langel was engaged in numerous multiple-kilogram transactions of cocaine sourced out of Houston and Dallas in late 2022 and early 2023.
All three men were detained following the jury’s verdict and will be sentenced at a later date. Smith and Langel’s conspiracy charges carry a minimum sentence of 10 years, with a maximum sentence of life in prison, and a minimum of five years’ supervised release to follow. Rogers’ charge exposes him to a minimum sentence of five years and a maximum sentence of 40 years, and four years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
The defendants who were convicted at trial were the last of 18 individuals involved in the case, which began in North Little Rock before expanding to California. All 18 defendants have now been convicted, with sentencing hearings for several defendants still pending.
This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Little Rock comprises agents and officers from the Drug Enforcement Administration, New Orleans Field Division, North Little Rock Police Department, and the Sherwood Police Department, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Arkansas.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and North Little Rock Police Department, with assistance from the Sherwood Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Chris Givens and Amanda Fields.
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Additional information about the office of the
United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at
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Jury Convicts Mexican National of Drug Trafficking Conspiracy Linked to Murders of Couple and their Unborn ChildRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – A federal jury today convicted Ricardo Orizaba-Zendejas, a Mexican national in the country illegally, of drug and firearms crimes.
Orizaba was working for the drug trafficking organization implicated in the fatal shootings of a husband and his pregnant wife, who were also members of the same drug trafficking organization but wanted out and had spoken to federal agents.
After six hours of deliberation, the jury found Orizaba guilty of Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine, Fentanyl and Cocaine, and Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime.
According to evidence presented at trial, Orizaba was working as a drug dealer and enforcer for a drug-trafficking organization based in Yakima, Washington, which sourced its drugs from Mexico and moved them through ports-of-entry in the Southern District of California.
The cell’s activities were centered at a remote desert ranch outside of Yakima, where they stored drugs, firearms, and stolen vehicles. Orizaba worked for cell leader Benjamin (“Tony”) Madrigal-Birrueta, selling drugs sourced by Madrigal, collecting debts owed to the organization, protecting the organization’s property, and protecting Madrigal’s leadership of the organization.
On February 8, 2023, agents arrested Orizaba and executed a search warrant at his home. They seized 11 bags of fentanyl pills and three bags of heroin, along with an AR-15 rifle with a scope, large amounts of cash, a drum magazine with ammunition, other magazines for rifles and handguns, various caliber ammunition, body armor, a scale, and an electronic money counter – all from Orizaba’s bedroom.
The evidence showed that the case began with a traffic stop of Orizaba’s brother and Madrigal’s brother, which led to the discovery of 150,000 fentanyl pills in the car registered to one of the eventual murder victims, Maira Hernandez. The subsequent investigation led authorities to Hernandez and her husband, Cesar Murillo, both of whom had been involved in the drug trafficking cell with Madrigal and Orizaba.
On August 23, 2022, agents approached Hernandez --by this time visibly pregnant-- at her home, questioning her about load vehicles registered to her and money transfers she sent to load drivers. Hernandez admitted to sending the money, consented to an inspection of her phone, and agreed to ask her husband to speak to the agents. The next day, Murillo voluntarily met with agents and surrendered a stolen vehicle connected to the conspiracy.
At the trial, a witness testified that Madrigal was at the couple’s home when federal agents arrived and was aware that the agents later spoke with Hernandez and Murillo. The trial witness said this visit led to an argument, during which Hernandez and Murillo told Madrigal they wanted to quit the drug business and cooperate with the investigation. Madrigal grew angry, saying something to the effect of, “You are not leaving me alone with this.”
The following weekend, Madrigal asked Murillo to accompany him to the Yakima Ranch; it was the last time Murillo was seen alive. After Murillo failed to return home or contact her, Hernandez grew anxious. A few days later, Madrigal contacted Hernandez and told her to come to the Yakima Ranch to reunite with her husband.
On September 2, 2022, Hernandez was dropped off at a parking lot near Yakima. She left in a car with Madrigal, never to be seen again.
Six days later, agents in Yakima executed search warrants at the couple’s residence and the Yakima Ranch. While they found evidence of drug distribution in both locations, and seized approximately 37 firearms from the Yakima Ranch, they did not find Hernandez or Murillo.
What followed was an exhaustive, years’ long investigation that employed geophysicists, ground penetrating radar, aircraft, laser imaging, chemical testing of the soil, numerous cadaver dogs, and other law enforcement techniques to search for the victims’ remains. More than a year after their deaths, HSI Special Agents successfully recovered the remains on September 13, 2023, aided by a Washington State Police Crime Scene Investigations team.
Madrigal pleaded guilty in September 2025, admitting that he and coconspirators fatally shot 44-year-old Murillo multiple times in the back of the head and the torso on August 28, 2022, during an argument at the remote Yakima ranch. He also admitted that on September 2, 2022, Madrigal persuaded Hernandez, 33, who was unaware of her husband’s death, to come to the ranch by claiming her husband was waiting for her there. Madrigal admitted that when Hernandez arrived at the ranch, his co-conspirators shot her multiple times in the head. The child died in utero when Hernandez was shot, killed and buried.
Orizaba is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Dana Sabraw on May 29, 2026, at 9 a.m.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephen Wong and Alexandra Foster.
DEFENDANT Case Number 23cr1684-DMS
Ricardo Orizaba-Zendejas Age: 23 Yakima, WA
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances – 21 U.S.C. §§ 841 and 846
Maximum penalty: Mandatory minimum sentence of twenty years and up to life, or death
Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime – 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)
Maximum penalty: Mandatory minimum sentence of five years and up to life
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Homeland Security Investigations
Drug Enforcement Administration
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
Washington State Police
California Highway Patrol
Yakima Police Department
Tulare County Sheriff’s Office
Visalia Police Department
Fresno Sheriff’s Office
Fresno Police Department
This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF San Diego comprises agents and officers from FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, DEA, ATF, U.S. Marshals, Department of Defense, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Naval Criminal Investigative Service, IRS Criminal Investigation, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Interpol, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California.
Jefferson County Businessman Admits Failing to Pay Taxes on Behalf of EmployeesRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A Jefferson County, Missouri businessman on Wednesday admitted failing to pay 10 years of employment taxes totaling $774,081.
Danny L. Nickelson Jr., 54, pleaded guilty to two counts of failure to pay over trust fund taxes.
Employers are required to withhold Social Security and Medicare taxes and federal income taxes. These “trust fund taxes” are held in trust by employers until paid over to the United States on a quarterly basis. Employers are also required to match the Social Security and Medicare taxes and pay that to the IRS. Nickelson owned General Physiotherapy, a manufacturer and distributor of massage and percussion devices used in medicine and physical therapy. For tax years 2013 through 2022, Nickelson withheld money from employees’ pay but did not pay that to the IRS. He also did not pay the employer’s share. Instead, he used the money for the business’ operational expenses and personal expenditures including food, travel, retail purchases and credit card bills.
Nickelson did the same thing for tax years 2013-2015 for Tomichi Industries, a small plastic distributor and supplier for General Physiotherapy. Nickelson was sole shareholder of Tomichi.
Nickelson admitted failing to pay 40 quarterly employment tax payments, resulting in a tax loss of $774,081. He has agreed to repay the money to the IRS.
Nickelson is scheduled to be sentenced May 12. The charges carry a penalty of up to five years in prison, a fine of $250,000 or both prison and a fine.
The case was investigated by IRS Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Clow is prosecuting the case.
Jamestown woman pleads guilty to narcotics conspiracy and firearms chargeRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Sabrina Flores a/k/a Notorious Marie, 25, of Jamestown, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr. to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, 400 grams or more of fentanyl and being a user of a controlled substance in possession of a firearm. The charges carry a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum of life in prison.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua A. Violanti, who is handling the case, stated that Flores was an associate of Zaid Mendoza, a Jamestown-based drug trafficker, distributing heroin, fentanyl, and methamphetamine on Mendoza’s behalf. She utilized Facebook to conduct her drug trafficking activities. On December 7, 2022, investigators executed a search warrant at Mendoza’s West main Street residence, seizing $1,800 in cash, 34 grams of fentanyl, 14 grams of methamphetamine, a gram of a combination of fentanyl, cocaine, para-fluorofentanyl, acetyl fentanyl, 4-anilino-N-phenethyl-4-piperidine (ANPP), and methamphetamine, a semi-automatic pistol, and a large capacity magazine. Flores admits that at the time of her possession of the firearm, she was an unlawful and habitual user of fentanyl.
Charges remain pending against Zaid Mendoza.
This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Buffalo/Rochester comprises agents and officers from HSI and the FBI with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of New York.
The plea is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Erin Keegan, the Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff James Quattrone, the Jamestown Police Department, under the direction of Chief Timothy Jackson and the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Farhana Islam, New York Field Division.
Sentencing is scheduled for August 11, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. before Judge Sinatra.
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Jamestown sex offender going to prison for 20 years on child pornography chargeRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Timothy Douglas, 65, of Jamestown, NY, who was convicted of possession of child pornography by a person having a prior conviction related to aggravated sexual abuse, sexual abuse, and abusive sexual conduct involving a minor, was sentenced to serve 240 months in prison and lifetime supervised release by U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo. Douglas must also register as a sex offender.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Maeve E. Huggins, who handled the case, stated that in August 2023, employees at a local grocery store found an unattended cell phone by the checkout area. When they opened the phone to look for the owner’s information, they found sexually explicit images of young girls and immediately called Jamestown Police. Jamestown Police notified the FBI who helped identify the children in the images. A forensic examination of the cellphone located images depicting prepubescent minors or minors under 12-years-old. The investigation determined that between July 2022 and August 2023, Douglas produced images of three minor children engaged in sexually explicit conduct. One of the children was five years old and the other two children were approximately 10 years old. Some of the images sadistic in nature. In 2003, Douglas was convicted in New York State of Possessing an Obscene Sexual Performance by a Child less than 16 years old, Sexual Abuse in the First Degree, and Course of Sexual Conduct Against a Child in the 2nd Degree.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Jamestown Police Department, under the direction of Chief Timothy Jackson and the Federal Bureau of Investigation Child Exploitation Human Trafficking Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Philip Tejera.
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Jamaican National Charged with Offenses Stemming from Sweepstakes Scheme Targeting Elderly VictimsRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Nicholas Bucciarelli, Acting Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division, today announced that RICHARD MURRAY, 31, a citizen of Jamaica, has been charged with fraud and money laundering offenses stemming from his alleged participation in a sweepstakes scam that defrauded primarily elderly victims across the country of millions of dollars.
The indictment alleges that, since at least 2018, Murray and others used a sweepstakes scheme to induce primarily elderly victims to provide them with money. As part of this scheme, scammers notified victims, typically by telephone, that they won a Publishers Clearing House sweepstakes. The victims were told that in order to collect their winnings, they must pay fees and taxes. Following the initial phone call, Murray and others mailed the victims fake documents, including a “winning notification” letter from Publishers Clearing House and a letter from the Internal Revenue Service stating that the victims were required by law to pay taxes on their winnings. Victims sent cash, money orders or checks through the mail to various addresses in Connecticut and throughout the U.S.
The indictment also alleges that Murray and others used a network of “money mules” to receive funds obtained from victims and transfer them to Murray and other members of the conspiracy. Some of the money mules were themselves victims of the scam who had also been deceived into accepting and transferring funds on behalf of members of the conspiracy. Murray and his co-conspirators also recruited people to provide accounts that count be used to launder money, moved money received from victims through various accounts in different companies’ names, and provided co-conspirators in Jamaica with ATM cards for U.S. bank accounts that allowed them to withdraw funds generated through the scam.
On April 16, 2024, a federal grand jury in New Haven returned an indictment charging Murray with one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud, three counts of mail fraud, and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering. Each of these offenses carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.
Murray was located and arrested in Hampton, Georgia, on January 22, 2026. He appeared today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert M. Spector in New Haven and pleaded not guilty. He has been detained since his arrest.
U.S. Attorney Sullivan stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This investigation is being conducted by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service with the assistance of U.S. Marshals Service Fugitive Task Forces in Connecticut and Georgia. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather L. Cherry.
Jury Finds Convicted Felon Guilty of Escaping Halfway HouseRead the Press Release
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Trashad Laron Roberts, 35, of Tallahassee, Florida, was found guilty by a federal jury of escape from federal custody. The guilty verdict was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “The terms of supervision at a residential reentry center are not suggestions, they are mandatory conditions of an inmate’s prison sentence that are designed to keep our communities safe. My office will aggressively prosecute any offenders who attempt to abscond from justice.”
In September 2020, the defendant was convicted of possession and distribution of methamphetamine in the Northern District of Florida. The defendant was required to serve four years on supervised release following his multi-year federal prison sentence. The defendant was scheduled to serve the final year of his prison term at a residential reentry center in Tallahassee. Evidence at trial demonstrated that on September 2, 2025, the defendant left the residential reentry center without authorization. Law enforcement immediately acted to locate the defendant. Four hours later, the United States Marshals Service and the Tallahassee Police Department found the defendant hiding inside a residence.
Sentencing is scheduled for April 20, 2026, in Tallahassee, Florida before Chief District Court Judge Allen C. Winsor.
The United States Marshals Service and the Tallahassee Police Department investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorneys Joseph A. Ravelo and Meredith L. Steer prosecuted the case.
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 available 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 http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.