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Wednesday 11 February 2026
Independence Man Indicted for Bank Robbery, Attempted Bank RobberiesRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – An Independence, Mo., man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for attempted bank robbery and bank robbery.
Ernest A. Wilcox, 66, of Independence, Mo. was charged in a three-count indictment returned under seal by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo. on Nov. 21, 2025.
The indictment was unsealed and made public following Wilcox’s arrest.
The indictment alleges Wilcox attempted to rob a bank in Kansas City, Mo. on May 8, 2024. The indictment also alleges that on June 11, 2024, Wilcox robbed a bank in Independence, Mo., and attempted to rob the same bank on July 3, 2024.
The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
Under federal statutes, each count of bank robbery, or attempted bank robbery carries a maximum sentence of 20 years imprisonment 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 Jessica Jennings. It was investigated by the FBI, the Independence, Missouri Police Department, and the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department.
Imperial Resident Pleads Guilty to Possessing MachinegunRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Imperial, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of violating a federal firearms law, United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
Ja’Shon Spencer, 22, pleaded guilty to one count before United States District Judge Mark R. Hornak.
In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, on or about June 16, 2025, Spencer possessed a Glock semiautomatic pistol equipped with a machinegun conversion device (MCD) or “Glock switch.” A MCD is a device that converts a semiautomatic firearm into a fully automatic firearm. Under federal law, both the MCD itself as well as the firearm equipped with it are considered machineguns and are illegal.
Judge Hornak scheduled sentencing for June 17, 2026. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Pending sentencing, Spencer will remain in federal custody.
Assistant United States Attorney Kelly M. Locher is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Pittsburgh Bureau of Police and Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Spencer.
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.
Illegal alien sentenced for third narcotics violationRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – A 50-year-old Mexican national has been ordered to federal prison for possession with the intent to distribute approximately 11 kilograms of cocaine found in his vehicle, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Delber Turrubiates-Garcia pleaded guilty April 25, 2025.
U.S. District Judge Drew B. Tipton has now ordered Turrubiates-Garcia to serve 120 months in federal prison, to run concurrently with a 24-month sentence imposed for violating the terms of his supervised release. Not a U.S. citizen, he is expected to face removal proceedings following his imprisonment. At the hearing, the court noted this conviction marks his second federal narcotics offense.
On Aug. 15, 2024, authorities conducted a traffic stop on a 2019 Ford pickup truck in McAllen. Turrubiates-Garcia was the driver. A search of the vehicle revealed two boxes containing 10 packages of cocaine in the rear passenger seat.
The packages weighed approximately 11.6 kilograms and field tested positive for cocaine.
Turrubiates-Garcia admitted he knew the boxes contained narcotics and said he was to be paid to pick up and distribute them. He also claimed he had retrieved similar packages from the same location in the past and had been paid between $500-$1,000 on each occasion.
He has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of Hidalgo County Constable's Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexa D. Parcell prosecuted the case.
Illegal Venezuelan Men Sentenced to Federal Prison for Bank Larceny OffensesRead the Press Release
Paducah, KY – Two men from Venezuela were sentenced to federal prison for their roles in an attempted theft from a Calvert City, Kentucky ATM.
U.S. Attorney Kyle G. Bumgarner of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Olivia Olson of the FBI Louisville Field Office, and Police Chief Mike Canon of the Calvert City Police Department made the announcement.
Jhoandiris Jimenez-Barrio, 27, illegally entered the United States in September 2022. He was apprehended at the border but released into the United States. Yirvel Yonaiker Rios-Castro, 21, illegally entered the United States in November 2024. He was also apprehended at the border and also released into the United States.
On January 31, 2025, Jimenez-Barrio and Rios-Castro, both citizens of Venezuela and illegal aliens in the United States, attempted to steal money from an ATM located in Calvert City, Kentucky. That day, the Calvert City Police Department responded to an ATM alarm, and the men fled the scene traveling between 70 and 80 mph in a vehicle driven by Jimenez-Barrio. The men struck another vehicle and fled the wreck on foot. The Calvert City Police Department apprehended the men at a nearby service station. A search of their vehicle yielded a cordless drill, drill bits, latex gloves, a mask, and duct tape.
Jimenez-Barrio was sentenced yesterday to 32 months in prison, followed by 2 years of supervised release for conspiracy to commit bank larceny and attempted bank larceny. On November 17, 2025, Rios-Castro, 21, was sentenced to 24 months in prison, followed by 2 years of supervised release for conspiracy to commit bank larceny and attempted bank larceny. Jimenez-Barrio and Rios-Castro were ordered to pay $67,039.67 in restitution.
United States Attorney Kyle Bumgarner stated, “This case is a prime example of the damage catch-and-release of illegal aliens has done to the United States. Both of these men illegally entered the United States and committed a serious felony crime resulting in a substantial loss to the victim of their crime. Moreover, American taxpayers are now saddled with the cost of incarcerating criminals who should not have been in the United States in the first place. Kentucky’s citizens lost because these criminals were released into our community.”
There is no parole in the federal system.
The FBI Paducah Satellite Office, HSI, and the Calvert City Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Seth Hancock and Raymond McGee, of the U.S. Attorney’s Paducah Branch Office, prosecuted the case.
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Hudsonville Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing and Transferring a MachinegunRead the Press Release
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN – U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Timothy VerHey today announced that Ethan Carter, 19, of Hudsonville, pleaded guilty to possession and transfer of a machinegun. Carter is scheduled to be sentenced on June 9, 2026, at 3:00PM and faces a maximum of 10 years in prison.
U.S. Attorney VerHey said, “People living in our at-risk neighborhoods already know how machinegun conversion devices have made gun violence much worse. We are doing all we can to find and stop the people who possess and sell this equipment. I applaud the ATF agents for the work they did to bring this case to us for prosecution.”
In June 2025, Carter gave a machinegun conversion device to another person. When installed on a semiautomatic gun, a machinegun conversion device allows the weapon to shoot automatically more than one shot, without manual reloading, by a single pull of the trigger. ATF executed a search warrant at Carter’s home several weeks later and found approximately six additional machinegun conversion devices, as well as a Glock pistol with a machinegun conversion device installed.
“Machinegun conversion devices (MCDs) can transform legal firearms into machineguns capable of shooting at an extremely deadly rate. Possessing or transferring these types of illegal devices is a serious federal crime,” said ATF Detroit Field Division Acting Special Agent in Charge Keith Krolczyk. “Working alongside our federal, state, tribal, and local law enforcement partners, ATF will aggressively pursue and hold accountable anyone who criminally possesses or distributes MCDs to protect our communities from violent crime.”
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
Honolulu Woman Sentenced to Seven Months for Threatening to Kill Presidents Biden and TrumpRead the Press Release
HONOLULU – United States Attorney Ken Sorenson announced that Rebecca Ann Folley, aka Becca Waters, 49, of Honolulu, Hawaii was sentenced yesterday to seven months of incarceration followed by three years of supervised release for threatening to kill Presidents Biden and Trump. Folley, who was incarcerated since her arrest on April 3, 2025 until November 6, 2025, received time served for her sentence. Her supervised release conditions include mandatory mental health and drug treatment. Folley pled guilty pursuant to a plea agreement in October 2025.
According to court records and statements made in court, on March 2, 2024, Folley threatened President Biden on her “Becca Waters” Facebook page by posting “Going to kill the president […].” On January 30, 2025, using that same account, Folley threatened President Trump by tagging a post on Honolulu City and County Councilman Tommy Waters’s Facebook wall stating, “LETS SEE IF THIS WILL TRIGGER THE GOVERNMENTAL RED FLAGS, AS TO REACH FEDERAL OFFICE’S OUTSIDE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII. 1/30/2025…” Folley attached screenshots stating, “I AM GOING TO BLOW UP THE WHITEHOUSE AND KILL THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.” On February 3, 2025, using the same account, Folley posted, “YUP, EVERYONE, PLEASE LOOK AT MY BEAUTIFUL PUBLIC PRESIDENTIAL DEATH THREATS AND PUBLIC THREATS TO BLOW UP The White House BECAUSE I CAN LEGALLY GET AWAY WITH IT…”
United States Secret Service investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Darren W.K. Ching prosecuted the case.
Honolulu Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
HONOLULU – United States Attorney Ken Sorenson announced that Devan Caulk, 21, of Honolulu, Hawaii, was sentenced today to fifteen years in federal prison followed by ten years of supervised release for producing child pornography. He must also register as a sex offender. Caulk pled guilty pursuant to a plea agreement in October 2025.
As part of his guilty plea, Caulk admitted that he began an online interaction with a child and coerced the child into producing and sending him sexually explicit content. Caulk falsely told the child that he was fifteen years old and instructed her in a video transmission over Instagram to take off her clothes and engage in specific sexual acts. When the child refused to engage in the sexual acts, Caulk threatened to post a screenshot of the child naked online to others.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeannette Graviss is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Honduran Citizen Indicted on Illegal Re-Entry ChargeRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A federal grand jury indicted a citizen and national of Honduras. Samuel Rios-Rodriguez, 33, is charged with illegal re-entry into the United States.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the indictment with Acting Field Office Director Vernon Liggins, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE-ERO) – Baltimore Field Office.
According to the indictment, Rios-Rodriguez was previously removed from the U.S. in November 2017. Law enforcement found Rios-Rodrigeuz in the District of Maryland again after he was arrested in December 2022 and then convicted of first-degree attempted murder and use of a firearm in the Circuit Court for Montgomery County in October 2023.
An indictment is not a finding of guilt. Individuals charged by indictment are presumed innocent until proven guilty at a later criminal proceeding.
Rios-Rodriguez faces a maximum sentence of two years in federal prison for illegal re-entry.
Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Kelly O. Hayes commended ICE-ERO for its work in the investigation. U.S. Attorney Hayes also thanked Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Carolyn Mills who is prosecuting the case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Honduran and El Salvadorian Nationals Charged with Possession with the Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Kurt L. Wall announced that a federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging Jostin Antonio Orellana-Romero, age 22, a citizen and national of Honduras, and Edenilson Alexander Castaneda-Del Valle, age 18, a citizen and national of El Salvador, both aliens removable from the United States, with possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine.
According to the Indictment, on or about February 7, 2026, deputies with the Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office initiated a traffic stop along Interstate 12 of a vehicle being operated by Orellana-Romero and Castaneda-Del Valle. During a search of the vehicle, a hidden compartment was located, along with two digital scales, numerous rubber bands, plastic baggies, approximately $7,100 in U.S. currency, and approximately 164 kilograms, or over 361 pounds, of a mixture containing methamphetamine.
If convicted, Orellana-Romero and Castaneda-Del Valle each face a minimum of ten years and up to life imprisonment, a significant period of supervised release, and a fine of up to $10 million. They are also subject to removal or deportation from the United States upon completion of their sentences.
This case is being investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security – Homeland Security Investigations and Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lyman E. Thornton III.
An indictment is an accusation by a grand jury. The defendants are presumed innocent until and unless adjudicated guilty at trial or through a guilty plea.
Guatemalan National Sentenced in Illegal Reentry CaseRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Jose Domingo Aguilar, age 38, a citizen of Guatemala, who has been living illegally in Franklin County, Pennsylvania, was sentenced by Senior United States District Judge Malachy Mannion to time served (approximately six months) and possible deportation based upon his guilty plea to Illegal Reentry.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, Domingo Aguilar illegally reentered the United States and was found in Franklin County, Pennsylvania, on September 23, 2025, after being charged and pleading guilty to one count of Driving Under the Influence (DUI), one count of DUI (Blood Alcohol Content +0.16), two summary counts of driving with a suspended license, and one summary count of disregard for traffic laws. Those DUI related charges were filed by the Chambersburg Police Department in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania. Domingo-Aguilar was previously removed three times from the United States, most recently through Texas in 2015, and reentered without first obtaining legal permission to do so.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline) 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 Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelley K. McGraw prosecuted the case.
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Grand jury indicts 4 men in case involving freight shipment of hundreds of pounds of cocaine, fentanyl, methamphetamine & marijuanaRead the Press Release
DAYTON, Ohio – A federal grand jury has indicted four defendants for a federal crime related to the seizure of 119 kilograms of suspected cocaine and fentanyl, 170 pounds of suspected methamphetamine and 80 pounds of suspected marijuana.
According to charging documents, on Feb. 2, DEA agents executed a federal search warrant on a freight package delivered to a distribution center in Dayton where agents discovered and seized the large quantity of suspected controlled substances.
Those charged today include Jason Heath, 40, of Dayton; Roderic Searcy, 60, of Los Angeles; Craig Worthen, 40, of Los Angeles; and Mark Lane, 33, of Cincinnati.
An affidavit details that Lane and Searcy drove a white Mercedes van to the distribution center on Feb. 3 to retrieve the shipment. Lane and Searcy then allegedly took possession of the freight and loaded two pallets into the van before leaving the distribution center.
From the distribution center, Heath and Worthen followed the van in a Honda Civic to an address in Dayton. The defendants discovered the suspected controlled substances had been removed when they started to unwrap the package inside the van, and all four defendants immediately attempted to leave the residence unsuccessfully. All four individuals were stopped and arrested by federal agents.
The defendants are all charged with conspiring to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, 400 grams or more of fentanyl and 500 grams or more of cocaine, a crime punishable by at least 10 years and up to life in prison.
Dominick S. Gerace II, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Joseph O. Dixon, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Detroit, announced the charges. Assistant United States Attorney Elizabeth A. McCormick is representing the United States in this case.
An indictment merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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Georgia Man Pleads Guilty in Multi-State Fraud Scheme Targeting SeniorsRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE, RI – A Georgia man has pleaded guilty in federal court in Rhode Island to charges related to his role in a wide-ranging lottery and sweepstakes scam that defrauded senior citizens in Rhode Island and several other states out of at least one million dollars, announced United States Attorney Charles C. Calenda.
Patrick Dallas, 38, of Atlanta, GA, pleaded guilty on February 5, 2026, to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering. Dallas is scheduled to be sentenced on May 7, 2026. A federal judge will determine the sentence after considering U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
According to court documents, Dallas, of Cumming, GA, and two co- conspirators defrauded elderly individuals through a bogus “Publishers Clearing House” (PCH) or similar sweepstakes scam and laundered the proceeds through entities and bank accounts they controlled.
Victims were told they had won large sums of money, often millions of dollars, in a PCH lottery or sweepstakes. They were told that in order to collect their winnings, they were required to provide personal identifying information for prize verification purposes, and that they had to pay upfront fees or taxes. Some of the victims were directed to send money, gift cards, and/or high value items such as Rolex watches and iPhones, purportedly to cover these fees, to various addresses controlled by the defendants.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John P. McAdams.
The matter was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, United States Postal Inspection Service, and the Warwick Police Department.
Homeland Security Investigations in Atlanta, Georgia State Patrol, Forsyth County Sherriff’s Office, Fulton Count Sherriff’s office, the U.S. Marshalls Service, and the East Providence Police Department also assisted in the investigation.
Four East Alabama Residents Sentenced for Gun Store Theft in GeorgiaRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ga. – Four defendants guilty of smashing a stolen truck into a Harris County, Georgia, gun shop and stealing 31 firearms, then attempting to sell them, were sentenced for their crimes in federal court this week.
“Stealing and selling firearms online poses a serious threat to community safety and will not be tolerated by our office and law enforcement,” said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes. “Thanks to local and federal collaboration, these defendants are being held accountable for trafficking illegal firearms into our community.”
“Criminals who engage in the theft and illegal sale of firearms are not only violating the law; they are endangering the safety of our communities. The ATF is committed to pursuing these individuals relentlessly,” said ATF Atlanta Assistant Special Agent in Charge Beau Kolodka.
“Harris County Sheriff’s Office was proud to partner up with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and ATF to obtain a successful outcome to this type of investigation and prosecution. It is gratifying to take criminals off the street and place them behind bars,” said Harris County Sheriff Mike Jolley.
The following defendants were sentenced to prison on Feb. 10:
Jareco Green, 27, of Eufala, Alabama, was sentenced to serve 120 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release after he pleaded guilty to one count of theft of firearms from a federal firearms licensee on July 23, 2025;
Darious McCall, 22, of Eufala, was sentenced to serve 60 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release after he pleaded guilty to one count of theft of firearms from a federal firearms licensee on Oct. 27, 2025;
Zyrion Fryer, 23, of Eufala, was sentenced to serve 37 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release after he pleaded guilty to one count of theft of firearms from a federal firearms licensee on July 23, 2025; and
Shamonica Davis, 25, of Phenix City, Alabama, was sentenced to serve five years of probation after she pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a stolen firearm on Nov. 18, 2025.
U.S. District Judge Clay Land presided over the case. There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court documents and statements in court, a stolen truck smashed through the front door of Alan’s Armory, a federal firearms licensee, in Harris County, in the early morning of Sept. 16, 2022. Co-defendants Green, McCall and Fryer, all wearing ski masks, were filmed by security cameras emerging from the truck and stealing 31 pistols and rifles from the gun store. Harris County Sheriff’s Office investigators recovered evidence at the scene and confirmed the stolen truck. Using the Flock camera system, police in Troy, Alabama, alerted the stolen truck in their jurisdiction on Sept. 22, 2022. Law enforcement found the vehicle parked near the Family Firearms gun shop, then observed the truck drive to a nearby apartment complex, where Green then ran from the truck into the woods.
Inside the truck, officers found a black sweatshirt, two camouflage gloves, a pack of cigarettes, a black ski mask and a red Apple iPhone directly behind the truck. They seized a gym bag matching the description of a bag carried by one of the Alan’s Armory burglars. Inside was a semi-automatic pistol stolen from Alan 's Armory. A search warrant executed on the iPhone, belonging to McCall, found a plethora of evidence, including searches for pawn shops; pistols; gun shops; directions to Alan’s Armory 20 minutes before the burglary; missed calls from Green’s girlfriend, codefendant Davis, during the burglary; photos of McCall brandishing a stolen firearm the day after the burglary; and more. Green’s DNA was found on the black ski mask found outside the stolen truck. Law enforcement discovered the defendants were selling the guns online, with codefendant Davis referring to them as “shoes” and sharing photos of the stolen firearms when asked for images of the “shoes.”
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Harris County Sheriff’s Office, the Eufala, Alabama, Police Department and the Troy, Alabama, Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Tamara Jarrett prosecuted the case for the Government.
Founder of Beverage Company Sentenced to 51 Months in Prison for Defrauding Investors of Millions of DollarsRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – The founder and executive chairman of a now-defunct beverage company was sentenced yesterday for lying to solicit investments, Senior Counsel Philip Lamparello announced.
Todd O’Gara, 46, of Austin, Texas and Reno, Nevada previously pled guilty to one count of wire fraud before U.S. District Court Judge Stanley R. Chesler in Newark federal court. Judge Chesler sentenced O’Gara to serve 51 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
O’Gara, who founded and managed a beverage company, Wanu Water, Inc., raised over $6.6 million dollars from individual victim investors. O’Gara repeatedly lied to solicit those investments and to encourage investors to maintain their investments. Among other things, O’Gara lied about the size of purchase orders from retailers and about major investments from private equity firms. As part of this fraudulent scheme, O’Gara sent investors fake documents including doctored emails and forged term sheets.
Senior Counsel Lamparello credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Stephanie Roddy, Newark Field Division, with the investigation.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron L. Webman, Deputy Chief of the Economic Crimes Unit in Newark.
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Defense counsel: John Yauch and Shaiba Rather, Newark, New Jersey
Former Tupelo Neurologist Sentenced for Downloading & Distributing Thousands of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialsRead the Press Release
GREENVILLE, Miss. – A Pakistani national and former neurologist was sentenced today to 12 years in prison for distributing and possessing child sexual abuse materials.
According to court documents, Ali Ahmad, 38, of Tupelo, Mississippi plead guilty to using applications and the internet to download and distribute images of children engaged in sexually explicit conduct. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children identified Ahmad, a Neurologist at the North Mississippi Medical Center prior to this charge, as a perpetrator on at least one application. The Lee County Sheriff’s Department led the investigation and secured search warrants for Ahmad’s profile on the application, as well as his residence. Investigators encountered extensive child pornography on Ahmad’s application profile, as well as “selfie” style images depicting Ahmad in various sexual poses.
Chief Judge Debra M. Brown sentenced Ahmad to 144 months of incarceration, 5 years supervision and ordered to pay $112,000.00 in restitution to the victims of his offense. This is $4,000 rewarded to each identified minor child that requested restitution and provided documentation to support that request.
Because of his arrest on state charges, Ali Ahmad’s work visa has been revoked, therefore, he will be deported after serving his sentence. Ahmad’s state charges are also still pending.
“Silence in the face of evil allows evil to flourish,” states US Attorney Scott F. Leary. “Some argue there is no such thing as evil, that it is simply a human construct. They are wrong. Child exploitation to satisfy distorted adult appetites is evil. Child pornography is evil. There is a moral responsibility to take action when a society, or person, confronts evil. Good men and women stepped forward in this case and confronted the evil of child pornography. I want to first applaud the Lee County Sheriff’s Office. They stepped forward and their professional response to this crime was invaluable. I also want to commend prosecutor Parker King. We are blessed in the Northern District of Mississippi to have the most capable Project Safe Childhood [PSC] prosecutors in the nation, and Parker King is one of them. I hope the citizens of the Northern District of Mississippi understand that we work for them. The PSC initiative is an important component of our service to you. PSC is a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, PSC marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims.”
“The Lee County Sheriff’s Office is committed to protecting our community’s most vulnerable members,” said Lee County Sheriff Jim H. Johnson. “We are pleased to announce that Mr. Ahmad has been brought to justice in federal court. Cases involving child victims are of utmost importance to our agency, and we remain steadfast in our efforts to ensure their safety and well-being. We would like to express our sincere appreciation to the Mississippi Attorney General’s Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force and the Northern District of Mississippi Assistant United States Attorney Parker King for her invaluable collaboration and dedication throughout this case. As the matter now proceeds at the state level, we look forward to its resolution and reaffirm our pledge to pursue justice for victims of child exploitation. We hope this case stands as a clear message to the public: the exploitation of children will not be tolerated in Lee County, and we will employ every legal resource available to hold offenders accountable.”
Former Teacher Admits to Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A former teacher admitted to possessing child pornography, Senior Counsel Philip Lamparello announced today.
Matthew Ozol, 40, of Jersey City, New Jersey pleaded guilty before Judge Evelyn Padin to an Information charging him with one count of possession of child pornography.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
In August 2025, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Ozol’s home. Ozol’s text messages showed that since 2022, Ozol had sent and received messages on encrypted applications expressing a desire to sexually abuse children, including in a chat group titled “Baby Rapist.” Law enforcement found more than 100 images and 75 videos on Ozol’s electronic devices depicting child pornography, including many involving sexual abuse of infants and toddlers.
The charge of possession of child pornography carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing has been scheduled for August 2026.
Senior Counsel Lamparello credited special agents of Homeland Security Investigations Newark, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael S. McCarthy, with the investigation leading to the guilty plea.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) in the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit: https://www.justice.gov/psc.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Specht of the Special Prosecutions Division.
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Defense Counsel:
Eric R. Breslin, Esq., Florham Park, New Jersey
Sarah Fehn Stewart, Esq., Florham Park, New Jersey
ozol.information.pdfFormer Stratford Resident Sentenced to 6 Years in Federal Prison for Distributing NarcoticsRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that TERRON AMADO, also known as “Littles,” 41, formerly of Stratford, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Vernon D. Oliver in Hartford to 72 months of imprisonment and five years of supervised release for distributing fentanyl laced with xylazine, and cocaine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Amado’s criminal history includes felony convictions in Connecticut for robbery, firearm, and narcotics offenses. An investigation revealed that Amado, who had moved to Georgia in 2017, regularly traveled from Georgia to Connecticut for drug transactions, using rental cars and staying at Airbnb residences. In July 2023, law enforcement made a controlled purchase of approximately 20 grams of fentanyl from Amado in Stratford.
Amado was arrested on July 28, 2023. At the time of his arrest, he possessed approximately 220 grams of fentanyl mixed with xylazine, 370 grams of powder cocaine, 30 grams of crack cocaine, and drug paraphernalia.
On September 25, 2025, Amado pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.
This matter was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Bridgeport High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force, including personnel from the DEA Bridgeport Resident Office, the Connecticut State Police, and the Bridgeport, Danbury, Norwalk, Stamford, Stratford, and Milford Police Departments. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen L. Peck.
Former San Leandro City Council Member Pleads Guilty to Accepting Bribes in Exchange for Actions to Benefit Housing CompanyRead the Press Release
OAKLAND – Former San Leandro City Council Member Bryan Azevedo pleaded guilty in federal court today to engaging in a conspiracy to accept bribes in exchange for using his official position to obtain favorable treatment and city contracts for a housing company, and to lying to federal investigators.
Azevedo, 49, of San Leandro, Calif., was charged by information on Oct. 20, 2025, with one count of conspiracy to commit honest services fraud and one count of making a false statement to federal investigators. He pleaded guilty to both counts.
In connection with his plea, Azevedo admitted that in the summer of 2023, he attended a delegation trip to Vietnam sponsored by a business association controlled by the family of an individual identified in the information as Co-Conspirator 1. The business association paid all of Azevedo’s expenses for that trip, including business class airfare, hotel, and meals for approximately 10 days.
After the Vietnam trip, Azevedo agreed with Co-Conspirator 1 and an individual identified as Co-Conspirator 2 that Azevedo would use his official position to advocate on behalf of their modular housing company with other members of San Leandro City government, to take city council votes that would benefit their modular housing company, and to ensure that the City of San Leandro purchased housing units from the modular housing company. In exchange, Co-Conspirator 1 and Co-Conspirator 2 agreed that Azevedo would receive a percentage of the sales price from all modular housing company units the City of San Leandro ultimately purchased.
To help conceal the expected future payments, Co-Conspirator 1 and Co-Conspirator 2 instructed Azevedo to open an LLC and bank account in his wife’s name for the purpose of receiving the kickback payments and avoiding detection. Co-Conspirator 1 indicated that he had concealed payments in this way with other politicians. While San Leandro never purchased housing units from the modular housing company, Co-Conspirator 1 paid Azevedo $2,000 in cash to fund the bank account set up in Azevedo’s wife’s name.
Azevedo admitted that he took several steps in his official capacity to benefit the modular housing company between August 2023 and June 2024 in exchange for the payment received and the promise of future payments. Specifically, during a city council meeting on June 17, 2024, Azevedo voted in favor of an emergency shelter ordinance, as instructed by Co-Conspirator 1. In addition, Azevedo advocated for the emergency shelter ordinance with members of San Leandro City government, took members of San Leandro City government to tour model units, and advocated for the purchase of the modular housing company’s units by the City of San Leandro.
In January 2025, federal agents executed a search warrant at Azevedo’s residence in San Leandro, during which Azevedo sat for a voluntary interview. During that interview, Azevedo falsely told agents that Co-Conspirator 1 never provided him with cash and said that Co-Conspirator 1’s family did not have any business interests before the City of San Leandro.
United States Attorney Craig H. Missakian, FBI Special Agent in Charge Sanjay Virmani, IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Oakland Field Office Special Agent in Charge Linda Nguyen, and U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) San Francisco Division Inspector in Charge Stephen M. Sherwood made the announcement.
Azevedo is next scheduled to appear in district court on December 3, 2026, for a status hearing before District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers.
Azevedo faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the honest services fraud count and a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the false statement count. Any sentence will be imposed by the court after consideration of the United States Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
Assistant United States Attorneys Abraham Fine, Molly Priedeman, and Lloyd Farnham are prosecuting the case with the assistance of Kevin Costello and Amala James. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI, IRS-CI, and USPIS.
Foreign National Residing in Chicago Suburb Indicted for Allegedly Bringing Illegal Aliens into United States and Forcing Them to WorkRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A foreign national residing in a Chicago suburb has been indicted in federal court for allegedly bringing illegal aliens into the United States for private financial gain.
FREDY HERNANDEZ knowingly brought four illegal aliens from Honduras into the United States in 2022 and 2023, according to an indictment returned on Feb. 2, 2026, in U.S. District Court in Chicago. Once in the United States, Hernandez forced the victims to work for his private financial gain, the indictment states. Hernandez threatened the victims and made them believe that if they did not perform the work, they or others would suffer serious harm, the indictment states.
Hernandez, 46, is a citizen of Honduras who resided in Waukegan, Ill. The indictment charges him with four counts of bringing illegal aliens to the United States for commercial advantage, four counts of harboring illegal aliens, and four counts of forced labor. Each count of bringing in and harboring aliens is punishable by up to ten years in federal prison, while each forced labor count is punishable by up to 20 years. Arraignment in federal court in Chicago has not yet been scheduled.
The indictment was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Matthew Scarpino, Special Agent-in-Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Chicago. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Elie Zenner.
hernandez_indictment.pdfFive-Time Felon Sentenced to Prison for Possessing a Firearm and Ammunition as a Restricted PersonRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A Utah man and convicted felon who was squatting on federal lands was sentenced today to 31 months’ imprisonment after he possessed firearms and ammunition as a restricted person.
Bureau of Land Management (BLM)Michael Lee Rasmussen, 49, of West Jordan, Utah, pleaded guilty on December 5, 2025, to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. In addition to his sentence, U.S. District Court Judge Robert J. Shelby sentenced Rasmussen to three years of supervised release and imposed a three-year ban from federal public lands in the District of Utah as a condition of his supervision.
According to court documents and statements made at Rasmussen’s change of plea and sentencing hearings, beginning in late 2024, Mr. Rasmussen, a five-time felon, along with others, constructed a makeshift compound on federal public lands near Manning Canyon, Utah. At its peak, the compound had vehicles, trailers, tents, appliances, and extensive amounts of litter. Rangers with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) also documented raw waste being disposed of on the public land. Despite multiple warnings to move the camp, Mr. Rasmussen’s squatting continued, eventually prompting complaints from locals about gunshots, audible threats, stolen property, and unusual nighttime traffic to and from the camp.
On September 22, 2025, BLM law enforcement rangers, working with state and federal partners, launched an operation to arrest Mr. Rasmussen on his open state warrants and dismantle the camp. During the operation, law enforcement officers safely arrested Mr. Rasmussen, who later admitted to purchasing and shooting firearms and possessing ammunition despite knowing he was prohibited from doing so as a convicted felon. Throughout the camp, officers found small amounts of narcotics, drug paraphernalia, firearms, associated ammunition, and spent brass casings. After the operation, trash and vehicles were removed and the area was thoroughly cleaned.
“Ensuring the safety of those who visit Utah’s federal lands is a priority for the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners,” said U.S. Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the District of Utah. “We appreciate the brave work of BLM rangers, the U.S. Forest Service, and our critical state partners, who put a stop to Mr. Rasmussen’s dangerous activities and restored the public’s access to the area.”
“BLM law enforcement worked with federal, state, and county partners to safely dismantle the encampment and remove hazards,” said Camm Stephenson, BLM Utah West Desert District Chief Ranger. “Unauthorized occupation and firearms violations on public lands pose serious risks, and the Bureau is committed to protecting people and resources."
“Our natural resource officers are committed to protecting Utah’s lands and ensuring the safety of all who recreate on them,” said Todd Royce, Director of the DNR Division of Law Enforcement. “Illegal activities like those seen in this case not only threaten public safety but also cause significant damage to our shared natural resources. We value the strong partnerships with the Bureau of Land Management and our local sheriff's offices that allow us to effectively address these complex issues and protect our public lands.”
The case was investigated jointly by the Bureau of Land Management, Utah Division of Natural Resources and Tooele County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant United States Attorneys Luisa Gough and Tanner Zumwalt of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case.
Federal Jury Convicts Manderson Man of First Degree Murder and Arson ChargesRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a federal jury has convicted Reno Rondeau, age 52, of Manderson, South Dakota, of First Degree Felony Murder, Assault With Intent to Commit Arson, Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury, and Arson, following a 3-day jury trial in federal district court in Rapid City, South Dakota. The verdict was returned on February 5, 2026.
The charges carry a mandatory sentence of life in prison and/or a $250,000 fine and a $400 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Rondeau was indicted by a federal grand jury in December 2024.
In October 2024, Rondeau intentionally set fire to his brother’s residence near Manderson, South Dakota. When he set the fire, Rondeau knew the home was occupied by his brother and his brother’s friend, Tanya White Butterfly. Sadly, Ms. White Butterfly, a former correctional officer with the Oglala Sioux Tribe, perished in the fire. While Rondeau’s brother, John Rondeau, Sr., ultimately escaped the fire, he sustained burn injuries while trying to save White Butterfly’s life. The residence was completely destroyed in the fire.
This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian country be prosecuted in federal court as opposed to State court.
This case was investigated by the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Knox prosecuted the case along with Assistant U.S. Attorney Paige Petersen.
A presentence investigation was ordered and a sentencing date was set for May 18, 2026. The defendant was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Fake Music Producer Sentenced to Prison for Stealing PPP Loans in Nationwide SchemeRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – A Federal Judge sentenced Larico D. Steele, 53, to 1 year in federal prison, 3 years of supervised release, and ordered him to pay over $150,000.00 restitution to the Small Business Administration. Steele pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud and Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering. Steele participated in a nationwide multimillion-dollar Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) fraud scheme. The EDNC United States Attorney’s Office has obtained over thirty prison sentences over the course of the investigation.
“Congress enacted this program to assist real American businesses who suffered when the governments forced the economy to close related to perceived COVID health scares. Greedy grifters descended like crabs to pick away these funds for illicit gain. Do what your mamma taught you, don’t steal. Cheaters never win.” said U.S. Attorney W. Ellis Boyle.
“Today’s sentencing reflects our commitment to holding individuals accountable for defrauding the government," said Donald "Trey" Eakins, Special Agent in Charge of the Charlotte Field Office, IRS Criminal Investigation. “Our special agents, alongside the U.S. Attorney’s Office and other partners, will continue to target those who exploit federal relief programs for personal gain.”
According to evidence presented in court, Steele worked with Edward Whitaker to obtain a fraudulent PPP loan based on bogus payroll information related to Steele’s purported music business, Steele Entertainment, LLC. Steele lied, grossly inflating both the number of purported employees and their salaries. After obtaining the loan, Steele then laundered 25% of the PPP proceeds back to Whitaker through cashier’s checks through a shell bank account. Last December, a federal judge in the EDNC sentenced Whitaker to 10 years in federal prison for his role as a ringleader in the scheme.
Other defendants that have been sentenced in the broader “Loanstarters” PPP scheme include:
Albert Eugene Miller, Jr. [Case No. 5-22-CR-00290-D]
Jonathan Fleming [Case No. 5-22-CR-00337-D]
Nekita Hooks [Case No. 5-23-CR-00025-D]
Denise Coit Alston [Case No. 5-23-CR-00077-D]
Monica Faye Barnes [Case No. 5:23-CR-00094-D]
Dontrell Barnes [Case No. 5-23-CR-00094-D]
Isaac Lamont Dawson [Case No. 5:23-CR-0097-D]
Irene Edwards [Case No. 5-23-CR-00098-D]
Natosia Jerome Jenkins [Case No. 5:23-CR-00167-D]
Ronald L. Jones [Case No. 5:23-CR-00339-D]
Delvin Dashavone Felder [Case No. 5:23-CR-00198]
Shun Lamont Gibbs [Case No. 5:23-CR-00346-D]
Teresa Ann McRae [Case No. 5:23-CR-00313-D]
Dontae Antonio Murphy [Case No. 5:24-CR-00072]
Jackson Ndoyo [Case No. 5-23-CR-00118-D]
Terron Cortez Parker [Case No. 5-23-CR-00081-D]
Ayyub Abdur Rasheed [Case No. 5:23-CR-00314-D]
Karim Aziz Razzak [Case No. 5:23-CR-00324]
Toni A. Smith [Case No. 5:23-CR-00312-D]
Darian Casteele Tyler [Case No. 5:23-CR-00338-D]
Shakeerah Kaneisha Yvette Vinson [Case No. 5-23-CR-00027-D]
Anthony S. Whitaker [Case No. 5:23-CR-00311-D]
James Elton Watson Case No. 5:23-CR-00323-D]
Shara Monique Wells [Case No. 5:23-CR-00323-D]
Kami D. Woodard [Case No. 5-23-CR-00095-D]
Lenille Woodard [Case No. 5-23-CR-00138-D]
Quentin Jackson [Case No. 5-22-CR-180-D]
Everett M. McBride [Case No. 5:24-CR-00036-D]
Hanif Abdul-Hakim [Case No. 5:24-CR-00109-D]
Schunda Coleman [Case No. 5-22-CR-00257-D]
Edward Whitaker [Case No. 5-22-CR-00257-D]
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans who were economically suffering from the COVID-19 pandemic. The CARES Act and additional appropriations authorized up to $649 billion in forgivable loans to small businesses through the Paycheck Protection Program. Financial institutions issued the PPP loans, which were guaranteed by the Small Business Administration (SBA).
W. Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III announced the sentence. IRS Criminal Investigations investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney David G. Beraka 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-00123-D.
Essex County Man Found Guilty of Unlawfully Possessing Firearms and Ammunition Following TrialRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – An Essex County, N.J., man with a felony criminal record has been convicted by a federal jury for carrying two loaded semi-automatic pistols, Senior Counsel Philip Lamparello announced.
Ken Anderson, 33, of Newark, was convicted of being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition following a trial that began on February 3 before United States District Judge Brian R. Martinotti in Newark federal court. Sentencing is scheduled for June 23, 2026.
According to documents filed in this case and the evidence at trial:
Detectives with the Essex County Sheriff’s Office responded to a tip from a confidential informant in the early evening of July 22, 2025, about a man with a firearm in the area of the Wynona Lipman Gardens housing development located in Newark’s Central Ward. Detectives located Anderson sitting in a vehicle, double-parked within the housing development. When the detectives approached with their sirens and lights, Anderson fled. He drove recklessly through the housing development, reached a dead-end street, and rolled out of his moving vehicle. Before the vehicle crashed into a handicapped sign, he grabbed a backpack, and ran away through the housing development. He jumped over fences, then ran across Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd and onto Interstate 280, where officers arrested him. Detectives found two loaded firearms from the backpack and a bullet from one of Anderson’s pant pockets.
The charge of being a felon in possession carries a maximum potential penalty of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Senior Counsel Philip Lamparello credited the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Newark Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Stephanie Roddy, and the Essex County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Amir D. Jones, with the investigation.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The government is represented by Assistant United States Attorney Rachelle M. Navarro of the Bank Integrity, Money Laundering, and Recovery Unit, and Assistant United States Attorney Sean Nadel of the International Narcotics and Trafficking Unit in Newark.
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Defense counsel: Tyler Newman, Esq. and Mallory Olwig, Esq.
anderson.indictment.pdfEl Paso Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Deadly Fentanyl DealRead the Press Release
EL PASO, Texas – An El Paso man was sentenced in federal court to 188 months in prison for distribution of fentanyl causing death, announced U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas, Justin R. Simmons.
According to court documents, on July 16, 2021, Isaiah Rene Acosta, 28, sold three counterfeit M-30 pills containing fentanyl to an individual, who purchased the pills on behalf of herself and another person. The pill recipients used the counterfeit M-30 pills the next day and shortly thereafter, one of the individuals died of fentanyl poisoning. Further analysis determined that the deceased “would not have died but for acute intoxication of fentanyl.” An investigation revealed that Acosta sold fentanyl pills and marijuana to both of the individuals on more than one occasion.
Acosta was indicted on Feb. 5, 2025, and arrested Feb. 21, 2025. He pleaded guilty on Nov. 18. U.S. District Judge Leon Schydlower presided over the case.
“Substance abuse in our communities—particularly fentanyl abuse—has been a persistent problem that has affected so many Americans. It’s important that we stay engaged and continue to find and prosecute dealers like this to curtail the flow of illegal and harmful substances on our streets,” said U.S. Attorney Simmons. “Many thanks to our law enforcement partners at the Drug Enforcement Administration, for their work on this case and so many cases like it. The DEA works tirelessly to use every tool at their disposal to stop fentanyl from coming into the U.S., but, when it does, they then work to ensure those responsible for the distribution of this terrible drug are held to account. The investigation and successful prosecution of these cases lets the American people know that their government is working to make this country a place where Americans cannot just survive but thrive.”
“This case serves as a stern warning to other drug dealers,” said Omar Arellano, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA’s El Paso Division. “If the drugs you sell kill someone, the DEA will investigate, build a case against you, and see that you face the consequences. As part of Fentanyl Free America, the men and women of the DEA are committed to protecting and supporting the communities we serve.”
The DEA investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Phillip Countryman prosecuted the case.
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Eagle Pass Man Sentenced to over 17 Years for Role in Alien Smuggling ConspiracyRead the Press Release
DEL RIO, Texas – An Eagle Pass man was sentenced in a federal court in Del Rio to 212 months in prison for conspiracy to harbor illegal aliens causing serious bodily injury and placing lives in jeopardy.
According to court documents, Juan Antonio Flores, 36, coordinated smuggling trips for an alien smuggling organization (ASO), making $4,000 per alien smuggled from Mexico to San Antonio. The aliens were often transported to Austin, where co-conspirator Pedro Ruiz Gonzalez would receive them. Flores and Gonzalez worked together on 15-20 illegal alien smuggling events. Another co-conspirator, Armando Garcia-Martinez aka “Leche,” had been a driver for Flores and Gonzalez, undertaking an average of two to three smuggling trips per week.
As part of one smuggling event, the ASO took a family of illegal aliens hostage and continuously demanded payments from their relatives in the form of electronic wire transfers. The family consisted of a man, a pregnant woman, and their seven-year-old child. On July 9, 2023, a relative paid at least $1,000 to the ASO due to the threats made toward the family. Still, the ASO continued to demand payment to different accounts as a condition for the release of the aliens.
Flores was named in a six-count indictment on April 24, 2024, and arrested on June 12, 2024. He pleaded guilty on Oct. 7, 2024.
Co-defendants Edwin Alredo Barrientos-Mateo aka “Waches” and Nelson Abilio Castro-Zelaya were sentenced to 360 months and 180 months, respectively. All other co-defendants have pleaded guilty and are pending sentencing. Chief U.S. District Judge Alia Moses presides over the case.
ICE Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Border Patrol, and the Texas Department of Public Safety investigated the case with assistance from the Eagle Pass Police Department, Austin Police Department, Houston Police Department and the Comal County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brett Miner prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
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Dominican National Pleads Guilty to Federal Firearms ChargeRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A Dominican national, living unlawfully in the United States, pleaded guilty in federal court in Rhode Island to unlawful possession of a firearm, announced United States Attorney Charles C. Calenda.
Luis Alberto De Los Santos, 23, pleaded guilty on February 5, 2026, to possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. He will be sentenced on April 27, 2026, and faces possible deportation. The sentence will be determined by a federal judge after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
According to information presented to the court, De Los Santos is a citizen of the Dominican Republic who entered the country on a travel visa in 2021 and was required to depart the U.S. in 2022.
On April 25, 2025, Providence Police observed De Los Santos with a group of individuals in the Hartford neighborhood. De Los Santos, who was wearing a ski mask, fled from police with the firearm before discarding the weapon behind a building and continuing to flee. Through their investigation, law enforcement discovered the defendant had been in possession of a .22 caliber pistol.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney G. Michael Seaman.
The matter was investigated Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Providence Police Department.
This investigation 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.
Dansville woman pleads guilty to bilking elderly victim out of tens of thousands of dollarsRead the Press Release
ROCHESTER, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Nahtahna Castner, 46, of Dansville, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Charles J. Siragusa to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. The charges carry a minimum penalty of two years in prison, a maximum of 22 years and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas M. Testani, who is handling the case, stated that between July 2020, and February 2023, Castner and another individual (co-conspirator) conspired to defraud an elderly victim. In July 2020, Castner had the trust of an elderly and vulnerable neighbor, who was over 90 years old. Using Castner’s position of trust, the co-conspirator gained access to the victim banking information. Castner and the co-conspirator then began withdrawing large sums of cash from ATMs, initiating wire transfers to Castner’s personal bank account, and making purchases using the victim’s debit card. Castner and the co-conspirator executed approximately $252,672.97 worth of unauthorized transactions. Most transactions executed by Castner and the co-conspirator were not authorized by the victim. Over the course of the fraud, the victim bank account savings went from approximately $283,954.95 to $99.59. In addition, Castner and the co-conspirator also used the victim’s personal identifying information to apply for three credit cards in the victim’s name. They then used the credit cards to make purchases resulting in fraud against three financial institutions in the amount of $2,039.04, $819.33, and $809.74.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Philip Tejera and the New York State Department of Financial Services, under the direction of Acting Superintendent Kaitlin Asrow.
Sentencing is scheduled for June 9, 2026, before Judge Siragusa.
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Customs and Border Protection supervisor arrested for harboring illegal alienRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – A 52-year-old Customs and Border Protection supervisor has been charged with harboring an illegal alien, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Andres Wilkinson has made his initial appearance and will remain in custody pending a detention hearing tomorrow before U.S. Magistrate Judge Brian C. Bajew.
Wilkinson has served with CBP since 2001 and was promoted to a supervisory position in 2021. In that role, his duties included overseeing the enforcement of customs and immigration laws.
According to the criminal complaint, law enforcement learned that an illegal alien was residing at Wilkinson’s residence without legal authorization. The complaint further alleges that Wilkinson was aware of her unlawful immigration status yet maintained a romantic relationship with her.
Court records allege the illegal alien initially entered the United States on a nonimmigrant visa in August 2023 and later overstayed authorized travel.
From June through November 2025, law enforcement conducted surveillance at Wilkinson’s residence and observed the illegal alien living there with Wilkinson and her minor child, according to the charges. Investigators also observed the alien using vehicles registered to Wilkinson, court documents allege.
In February 2026, investigators interviewed the illegal alien, according to court records. The criminal complaint alleges she had been residing with Wilkinson since August 2024. Court documents further allege Wilkinson provided financial support, including housing, credit cards, assistance with financial obligations and access to vehicle registered in his name. The complaint also alleges Wilkinson knowingly transported the illegal alien through U.S. Border Patrol checkpoints.
The complaint further alleges Wilkinson traveled with the illegal alien to San Antonio and that messages indicated she and her child resided with him.
If convicted, Wilkinson faces up to 10 years in federal prison as well as a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
CBP - Office of Professional Responsibility – Laredo conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Manuel Cardenas is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
A complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Convicted Bloods Gang Member on Federal Supervised Release Sentenced to Prison for Gun ChargeRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A previously-convicted Bloods gang member on federal supervised release was sentenced today to 51 months in prison for illegal gun possession, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Christopher O’Brien Moore, 30, of Shelby, N.C., was also ordered to serve three years under court supervision upon completion of his prison sentence.
Alicia Jones, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division, and Sheriff Alan Norman of the Cleveland County Sheriff’s Office, join U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making today’s announcement.
According to court records, in January 2019, Moore was convicted of RICO conspiracy in the Western District of North Carolina and sentenced to prison and a term of supervised release. Court documents show that, on June 6, 2024, while Moore was under court supervision, Cleveland County Sheriff’s deputies attempted to initiate a traffic top of his vehicle after Moore picked up another individual who ran from deputies earlier that day. Moore initially refused to stop, but after a short pursuit he pulled over his vehicle. Deputies detained Moore. During a search of Moore, deputies retrieved a hidden .40 caliber magazine loaded with 10 rounds of Winchester, .40 S&W caliber ammunition and five rounds of CCI, .40 S&W caliber ammunition from his crotch area. Inside the vehicle, deputies located a Glock, model 22, .40 caliber pistol with a loaded extended magazine under the driver’s side floormat. The magazine from the .40 caliber pistol had 21 rounds of ammunition. Deputies also discovered 14 rounds of New Republic, .357 magnum ammunition in the driver’s side door. As a convicted felon, Moore is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition.
On November 26, 2025, Moore pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a felon. He is in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson thanked the ATF and the Cleveland County Sheriff’s Office for their investigation of the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Hess with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville prosecuted the case.
City Man Sentenced to Eight and a Half Years in Prison for Armed Carjacking in West PhiladelphiaRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Kristian Jackson, 20, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today to 102 months’ imprisonment, a five-year term of supervised release, and restitution of $7,400 by United States District Judge Juan R. Sánchez for committing an armed carjacking in West Philadelphia in September 2024.
Jackson and co-defendants Legend Hall, 20, also of Philadelphia, and Jalaal Claitt, 20, of Atlanta, Georgia, were charged by superseding indictment in April of last year.[1] Jackson pleaded guilty in October to one count of carjacking and one count of carrying, using, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
As detailed in court filings and statements, on September 17, 2024, Victim #1 parked on the 300 block of 62nd Street in Philadelphia and reported being immediately approached by three males, later identified by investigators as Hall, Jackson, and Claitt.
One of the defendants asked Victim #1 to drive them somewhere. When Victim #1 refused, two of the males took out handguns and told Victim #1 to get out of the car. The three males then got into Victim #1’s black Chevy Malibu and drove off with Victim #1’s iPhone 14 and approximately $500 that was in the car.
Last week, Claitt pleaded guilty to two counts of carjacking and one count of carrying, using, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence; Hall pleaded guilty to the same counts last July. They will be sentenced at a later date, and both face a maximum possible sentence of life in prison, with a mandatory minimum term of seven years’ imprisonment.
This case was investigated by the FBI Philadelphia Violent Crimes Task Force and the Philadelphia Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert E. Eckert and Special Assistant United States Attorney Samantha A. Arena.
[1] In addition, Claitt and Hall were charged with an October 2024 carjacking in Upper Darby, Pa.
Chinese Graduate Student Charged with Receiving Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle announced today that Chinese national, JIAXIN TIAN (“TIAN”), age 29, of New Orleans, was indicted on February 6, 2026, for Receipt of Materials Involving the Sexual Exploitation of Minors, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 2252(a)(2) and (b)(1). If convicted, TIAN faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five (5) years and a maximum sentence of twenty (20) years imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, a term of supervised release of no less than five (5) years and up to life, and a $100.00 mandatory special assessment fee.
The case against TIAN began with an undercover online investigation initiated by the Pearl River County Sheriff’s Office (“PRCSO”) that was searching for individuals who were sharing Child Sex Abuse Material (“CSAM”) on the internet. The PRCSO investigation led them to a subject in New Orleans resulting in the PRCSO notifying the Louisiana Bureau of Investigation (“LBI”) of their findings.
According to court documents, on December 12, 2025, agents with the LBI and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (“HSI”) executed a search warrant at the defendant’s residence in New Orleans. During the search, agents recovered an MSI laptop computer, Apple I-Phone, Huawei cell phone, and various other electronic storage devices, in TIAN’s bedroom. TIAN admitted to the agents that he had downloaded images and videos of prepubescent CSAM. Thereafter, LBI and HSI located images and videos depicting the victimization of children on TIAN’s computer. Although TIAN was initially arrested on state child pornography charges, through a partnership between state and federal authorities, the U.S. Attorney’s Office is now prosecuting TIAN federally.
U.S. Attorney Courcelle praised the work of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, the Louisiana Bureau of Investigation, and the Pearl River County Sheriff’s Office. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian M. Klebba, Project Safe Childhood Coordinator and Chief of the Financial Crimes Unit.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Chicago Area Tax Return Preparer Enjoined from Preparing Returns for OthersRead the Press Release
On Monday, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois issued a permanent injunction against Chicago area tax return preparer Stacy Thomas, formerly known as Stacy Sorrel, both individually and doing business as Rapid Tax Refunds LLC, Rapid Tax Refund Pros LLC, and Rapid Refunds Income Tax Service Inc. The injunction bars Thomas from preparing tax returns for others, working for or having any ownership stake in any tax preparation business, and advising anyone about the preparation of a tax return or setting up business as a preparer. Thomas agreed to the terms of the injunction.
According to the complaint, Thomas prepared and filed tax returns that falsely understated her customers’ federal income tax liabilities by fabricating, among other things:
- Fictitious residential energy credits;
- Fictitious or inflated Schedule C business expenses; and
- Exaggerated or completely fabricated charitable deductions.
As a result of the court’s order, Thomas must post a copy of the injunction at all locations where she conducts business and post a link to the injunction on her business’s website.
Deputy Assistant Attorney General Joshua Wu of the Civil Division’s Tax Litigation Branch made the announcement. Tax Litigation Branch attorney Kimberly Parke handled this matter.
Taxpayers seeking a return preparer should remain vigilant against unscrupulous tax preparers. The IRS has information on its website for choosing a tax return preparer and has launched a free directory of federal tax preparers. The IRS also offers 10 tips to avoid tax season fraud and ways to safeguard their personal information.
In the past decade, the Department of Justice has obtained injunctions against hundreds of unscrupulous tax preparers. Information about these cases is available on the Justice Department’s website. An alphabetical listing of persons enjoined from preparing returns and promoting tax schemes can be found on this page. If you believe that one of the enjoined persons or businesses may be violating an injunction, please contact the Civil Division, Tax Litigation Branch with details.
California Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Attempted Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that Chief U.S. Judge Roberto A. Lange has sentenced a Thermal, California, man convicted of Attempted Production of Child Pornography. The sentencing took place on February 9, 2026.
Juan Pedro Gobea, age 34, was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison, five years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100. Once released from federal prison, Gobea must register as a sex offender.
Gobea was indicted by a federal grand jury in December 2024. He pleaded guilty on November 3, 2025.
The conviction stemmed from an undercover chat operation in March 2024, when Gobea attempted to persuade someone he believed to be a 15-year-old girl to send him sexually explicit images. Gobea used his online Reddit account with username “saviourtaste” to ask the persona for nude pictures. Gobea was actually conversing with an undercover law enforcement officer posing as a 15-year-old girl from South Dakota.
This case was investigated by the SD ICAC Task Force and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Ebert-Webb prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Gobea was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Bronx Gang Member Convicted of 2013 MurderRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, announced that a jury found LAMAR WILLIAMS, a/k/a “Black,” a/k/a “Little Black,” a/k/a “Chase Money Marz,” guilty today of murder in aid of racketeering, murder through use of a firearm, and racketeering conspiracy. The convictions relate to WILLIAMS’ murder of 28-year-old Rasheed Barton on August 11, 2013, in the Bronx, New York, and WILLIAMS’ leadership of the Mac Ballers gang. WILLIAMS was convicted following a seven-day jury trial before U.S. District Judge Loretta A. Preska, who will impose sentence on May 19, 2026.
“Moments ago, a unanimous Manhattan jury rightly found that Lamar Williams, a leader of the violent Mac Ballers set of the Bloods gang, gunned down Rasheed Barton in cold blood,” U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton said. “New Yorkers want violent gang members off our streets. Our office, together with our law enforcement partners—including the NYPD, FBI, DEA and HSI—is committed to that mission. In this important case, I commend the women and men of this Office for closely partnering with New York’s finest in bringing a leader of a gang whose stock and trade is murder, violence, and intimidation.”
According to the allegations in the Indictment, public court filings, and evidence presented at jury trial:
From at least 2013 to 2022, WILLIAMS was a member and leader of the Mac Ballers, which is associated with the national Bloods gang. The Mac Ballers operated primarily in the northeast United States, including in the Bronx, and in jails and prisons of New York City and the State of New York.
Members of the Mac Ballers committed acts of violence, including murder, to protect and expand the gang’s territory, to retaliate against rival gang members, to keep victims and potential victims in fear of the gang, and to otherwise promote the gang’s reputation. They also distributed controlled substances in order to enrich themselves. Mac Ballers members promoted and celebrated the gang’s criminal conduct, including acts of violence, drug distribution, and firearm usage.
On August 11, 2013, WILLIAMS shot and killed Rasheed Barton in the vicinity of East 174th Street and Bronx River Avenue in the Bronx, New York. WILLIAMS murdered Barton in connection with WILLIAMS’ membership in the Mac Ballers gang and his conspiring to sell crack cocaine.
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WILLIAMS, 35, of the Bronx, New York, was convicted of one count of murder in aid of racketeering, which carries a statutory maximum sentence of life in prison and a mandatory minimum sentence of life in prison; one count of murder through use of a firearm, which carries a statutory maximum sentence of life in prison; and one count of racketeering conspiracy with special sentencing factors, which carries a statutory maximum sentence of life in prison.
The minimum and maximum potential sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentence will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding investigative work of the New York City Police Department and the investigators at the United States Attorney’s Office.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Violent Organizations and Crime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ryan W. Allison and Patrick R. Moroney are in charge of the prosecution, with the assistance of Paralegal Specialists Chanel Foster and Sophie Keegan.
Baltimore Man Sentenced in Connection with Drug Trafficking ChargesRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge James K. Bredar sentenced a Baltimore man to prison today, in connection with a federal investigation that led to law enforcement seizing more than 100 kilograms of cocaine.
Marvin Miller, 38, received an eight-year sentence for conspiracy to distribute cocaine. Miller’s sentence also covers a possession with intent to distribute cocaine charge.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge Christopher C. Goumenis, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) – Washington Division; Chief Robert McCullough, Baltimore County Police Department (BCPD); Commissioner Richard Worley, Baltimore Police Department (BPD); and Secretary Carolyn J. Scruggs, Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services (DPSCS).
According to the guilty plea, in 2023, the DEA began investigating a drug trafficking organization (DTO) operating in the Baltimore Metropolitan area. Starting in April 2023, law enforcement ran surveillance on one of the DTO’s stash houses Miller operated in Baltimore.
Investigators maintained surveillance on Miller and his stash house via a covert camera and electronic surveillance. Surveillance revealed that Miller frequented his stash house daily and met with co-conspirators at the stash house. Then on December 19, Miller met with a customer, Elroy Johnson, inside his stash house. After meeting with Miller, Johnson left the stash house concealing an item inside his clothing and drove away in his vehicle.
Law enforcement then stopped Johnson’s vehicle for a traffic infraction, searched the vehicle, and recovered one kilogram of cocaine underneath the driver’s seat. With evidence of Miller’s drug trafficking, investigators applied for a warrant to search his stash house and vehicle.
Later, law enforcement attempted to approach Miller as he walked out of the stash house to his vehicle. Then Miller spotted law enforcement, so he attempted to flee but they quickly appended him. Miller then admitted to possessing cocaine and bulk cash inside his stash house. In the stash house, investigators uncovered one kilogram of cocaine and approximately $671,685 stored in two suitcases.
Authorities also recovered three cell phones from Miller’s vehicle. A search of his phones revealed additional evidence of Miller’s drug trafficking in a WhatsApp message exchange. Based on the WhatsApp exchange, investigators believe that Miller arranged to purchase approximately 60 kilograms of cocaine with the approximately $671,685 they found stored in his suitcases.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the DEA, BCPD, BPD, and DPSCS for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Calvin Miner and Stanton Lawyer who are prosecuting this federal case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Asphalt companies agree to pay $30 million to settle False Claims Act allegationsRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – Two asphalt companies have agreed to pay $30 million total to resolve False Claims Act allegations that they submitted fraudulent test results to the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) for federally funded asphalt projects in Ohio.
Specifically, Kokosing Materials, Inc. will pay $17.5 million to resolve allegations that it submitted false or fraudulent asphalt test results from 2012 through 2024.
Barrett Paving Materials, Inc. will pay $12.5 million to resolve allegations that it submitted false or fraudulent asphalt test results from 2013 through 2025.
Ohio’s Construction and Materials Specifications require that companies performing asphalt projects must conduct certain mix design testing of their asphalt mixtures, known as Job Mix Formulas (JMFs). Companies are then required to submit the test results for ODOT to approve their proposed JMFs prior to beginning their asphalt work on federally funded projects. The companies are also required to conduct regular quality control tests as asphalt is being laid on Ohio roadways.
The settlements resolve allegations that, rather than performing these required mix design tests, the companies repeatedly submitted JMFs to ODOT containing data copied from prior JMFs. The settlements also resolve allegations that the companies submitted false quality control test results.
“The settlements announced today underscore our unwavering commitment to keeping federally funded transportation projects in Ohio and across the nation free from fraud, waste, and abuse,” said Elise Chawaga, Principal Assistant Inspector General for Investigations, U.S. Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General. “Through sustained coordination with our federal, state, law enforcement, and prosecutorial partners, we will continue to investigate misconduct and ensure that those responsible are held accountable.”
“I applaud our federal partners for holding companies accountable and protecting the integrity of State contracts,” said Inspector General of Ohio Randall Meyer.
“The Trump Administration is rooting out fraud at all levels of government,” said FHWA Administrator Sean McMaster. “I commend Department of Justice attorneys, USDOT’s Inspector General and the Ohio Inspector General’s Office for going after bad actors, ensuring the integrity of the Federal-aid highway program, and protecting taxpayer dollars.”
The civil settlements include the resolution of claims brought by individuals under the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act. These provisions allow a private party, known as a relator, to file an action on behalf of the United States.
This matter was investigated jointly by agents from the U.S. Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General and investigators from the Office of the Ohio Inspector General.
Civil Chief Matthew J. Horwitz and Assistant United States Attorneys Linda Mindrutiu and Brandi Stewart are representing the United States in these matters.
Vipal J. Patel, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Elise Chawaga, Principal Assistant Inspector General for Investigations, U.S. Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General; Randall Meyer, Inspector General of Ohio; and Sean McMaster, Administrator, U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration; announced the settlements.
The claims resolved by the settlements are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
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Tuesday 10 February 2026
Williston Man Pleads Guilty to Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. --Demetrius McIlwain, 51, of Williston, has pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed deputies with the Kershaw County Sheriff’s Office responded to a location looking for a suspect alleged to have committed domestic violence. During their investigation, deputies found McIlwain in the driver’s seat of a running vehicle and a female in the passenger seat. The deputy attempted to identify McIlwain to determine if he was involved in the incident, but McIlwain refused to cooperate. When deputies asked McIlwain to step out of the vehicle, he told them that there was a shotgun in the vehicle, then he immediately drove away. After McIlwain tried to evade the deputies, he wrecked his truck and ran.
During a search of the vehicle, deputies found an AR style pistol in the front seat, a shotgun in the back seat, and a third firearm in a toolbox in the vehicle. Deputies also found a small amount of fentanyl in the driver’s side cupholder. The passenger later identified McIlwain as the driver, and deputies further connected him to the vehicle from paperwork found inside of the truck. McIlwain was later arrested and admitted he was the driver of the vehicle.
McIlwain is prohibited from possessing a firearm and ammunition based upon prior criminal convictions for grand larceny, burglary 2nd non-violent, criminal sexual conduct 2nd degree, burglary 1st, burglary 2nd degree, malicious injury to personal property, and assault and battery with intent to kill.
McIlwain faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. He also faces a fine of up to $250,000, restitution, and three years of supervision to follow the term of imprisonment. United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis accepted the guilty plea and will sentence McIlwain after receiving and reviewing a sentencing report prepared by the U.S. Probation Office.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Kershaw County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney William K. Witherspoon is prosecuting the case.
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West Haven Man Convicted of Drug Dealing in 2019 Sentenced to Additional Prison Time for Violating Supervised ReleaseRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that DEVELL CONLEY, 39, recently residing in West Haven, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Janet C. Hall in New Haven to 21 months of imprisonment for violating the conditions of his supervised release that followed a prior conviction for distributing narcotics.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in May 2019, Judge Hall sentenced Conley to 78 months of imprisonment and three years of supervised release for distributing fentanyl, heroin, and crack cocaine. The investigation revealed that Conley had provided drugs to an adult female shortly before her death from an overdose. Conley was released from prison in January 2023.
In August 2023, while on supervised release, Conley was arrested by New Haven Police for possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance. In November 2024, he was arrested by West Haven Police for sale of a narcotic substance. He subsequently pleaded guilty in Connecticut Superior Court in both cases, was sentenced to 18 months of imprisonment for the West Haven offense, and is awaiting sentencing for the New Haven offense. While on supervised release, Conley also repeatedly tested positive for controlled substances, was found in possession of a device used to defeat a drug test, failed to notify his federal probation officer about his change of residence, and provided fake paystubs to his federal probation officer in an attempt to show proof of employment, all in violation of the terms and conditions of his supervised release.
After Conley admitted to the violations in court yesterday, Judge Hall revoked his supervised release and sentenced him to 21 months of imprisonment with no supervised release to follow. Conley has been detained in federal custody since January 29, 2026.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Neeraj N. Patel.
Wallingford Man Charged with Trafficking 16 Kilograms of Fentanyl into ConnecticutRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Jarod Forget, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England, today announced that JOSEPH MONTANEZ, also known as “Jose” and “Max,” 44, of Wallingford, has been charged by indictment with a fentanyl trafficking offense.
As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, on January 13, 2026, law enforcement stopped a car on I-80 in Nebraska that contained approximately 16 kilograms of fentanyl. The investigation revealed that Montanez had rented the car in Connecticut and arranged to pay a courier $20,000 to drive to California, pick up the fentanyl, and drive it back to Connecticut. Thereafter, investigators arranged a controlled delivery of the drug shipment to Montanez using approximately 40 grams of fentanyl and 16 kilograms of fake fentanyl.
It is further alleged that, on January 15, 2026, investigators observed Montanez as he traveled to meet a vehicle carrying the fentanyl, exit his vehicle, enter the vehicle carrying the fentanyl, and direct the driver to go to a service plaza on Route 15. Montanez’ first vehicle then traveled a short distance away to the area of Exit 58 in Wallingford. Investigators stopped the first vehicle, detained the driver, and seized approximately $23,000 in cash. Montanez was then taken into custody at the service plaza. He has been detained since his arrest.
On January 28, 2026, a grand jury in Hartford returned an indictment charging Montanez with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, 400 grams or more of fentanyl, an offense that carries mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of life. Montanez appeared yesterday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert M. Spector in New Haven and entered a plea of not guilty.
U.S. Attorney Sullivan stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This matter is being investigated by the DEA New Haven District Office (NHDO) Task Force, DEA Omaha, and the Seward County (Neb.) Sheriff’s Office. The Task Force includes participants from the U.S. Marshals Service, the Connecticut State Police, and the New Haven, Waterbury, Branford, West Haven, Ansonia, Meriden, Naugatuck, Middletown, and Shelton Police Departments. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brendan J. Keefe.
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.
Violent Sex Trafficker Sentenced to 28 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A Chicago man has been sentenced to 28 years in federal prison for violently sex trafficking five young victims, including a 15-year-old girl, and kidnapping two of them.
DENNIS WILLIAMS used threats, violence, drugs, and other coercive means to force five victims to engage in commercial sex. Williams often restrained or assaulted the victims to force them to comply and turn over the proceeds to him. Williams also caused a 17-year-old girl, whom he also assaulted repeatedly, to assist him in trafficking the victims. Williams ran his sex trafficking operation out of his Chicago residence and motels in Lansing, Ill., in 2022 and 2023.
Last year, a jury in U.S. District Court in Chicago convicted Williams, 33, on all seven sex trafficking and kidnapping counts against him. All five of Williams’ victims, including both of the kidnapping victims, bravely testified about their ordeals at trial.
U.S. District Judge Mary M. Rowland imposed the 28-year prison sentence during a hearing on Feb. 4, 2026, in federal court in Chicago.
The sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. Valuable assistance was provided by the Lansing, Ill. Police Department, Chicago Police Department, Evergreen Park, Ill. Police Department, Joliet, Ill. Police Department, Manhattan, Ill. Police Department, Orland Park, Ill. Police Department, Palos Heights, Ill. Police Department, Cook County Sheriff’s Office, Illinois State Police, and Illinois Attorney General’s Office.
“Williams’ crimes were violent, exploitative, and incredibly serious,” Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sushma Raju and Michelle Parthum argued in the government’s sentencing memorandum. “Although the young women and girls that he victimized are now free of defendant’s grasp, the harm that he inflicted on them is likely to reverberate throughout the rest of their lives in the form of increased risk of mental illness and other struggles.”
If you believe you are a victim of sexual exploitation, you are encouraged to contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children by logging on to www.missingkids.com or by calling 1-800-843-5678. The service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
USP Atwater Inmate Sentenced to 10 Additional Years in Prison for Threatening to Kill Prosecutor’s FamilyRead the Press Release
On Feb. 9, 2026, U.S. District Judge Kirk E. Sheriff sentenced Stanislav Yelizarov, 36, to 10 years in prison for threatening to kill the family of the prosecutor who previously secured his conviction in another case, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
On Oct. 31, 2025, a federal jury in Fresno found Yelizarov, an inmate at the U.S. Penitentiary at Atwater, guilty of this offense. Today’s sentence will run consecutively to his existing sentences.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, on a recorded prison telephone line, Yelizarov threatened to kill the “whole family” of an Assistant U.S. Attorney who had previously prosecuted him in the District of Maryland. Yelizarov had previously sent threatening letters to the prosecutor and several judges.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Prisons conducted the investigation with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service and the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the District of Maryland and the Eastern District of Virginia. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert Veneman-Hughes and Joshua Banister prosecuted the case.
U.S. Attorney’s Office, FBI, and HSI Announce creation of Regional Homeland Security Task Force to Combat Violent Crime and Transnational Organized CrimeRead the Press Release
New Orleans - Today, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) New Orleans Field Office, and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New Orleans, announced the outcome of a major violent crime abatement operation leading up to the Mardi Gras Season, Operation NOLA Safe. Additionally, the FBI and HSI introduced the creation of the new Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF). The HSTF, whose reach is both national and regional, is purposed with interrupting the illegal trafficking of dangerous drugs and human beings, eliminating Cartels and Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs), and stopping firearms trafficking, all of which pose clear and present threats to the homeland.
Operation NOLA Safe is a comprehensive, multi-pronged, and data driven law enforcement initiative designed to reduce violent crime in the Greater New Orleans area. This initiative brings together federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to strategically align efforts and deploy targeted enforcement resources where they are most needed and effective. To date Operation NOLA Safe has resulted in 175 arrests, and the seizure of 114 firearms, 20.367 kg of cocaine, 1.063 kg of fentanyl, 102.006 kg of marijuana, 41,909 tapentadol pills and other quantities of illegal narcotics and prescription medications. We anticipate the operation will result in long-term, follow-on investigations.
The HSTF's mission is to eliminate criminal cartels, foreign gangs, and TCOs throughout the United States; dismantle cross-border human smuggling and trafficking networks; end the scourge of human smuggling and trafficking, with particular focus on offenses involving children; and ensure the use of all available law enforcement tools to faithfully enforce the laws of the United States.
HSTF establishes permanent multi-agency teams, comprised of federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement resources, that work collectively on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to identify, investigate, and prosecute transnational organizations and individuals engaged in violations of federal law. The specific assignment of the HSTF Districts of Louisiana Group is to identify and target Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs) and Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs) involved in cross border crime including drug trafficking, money laundering, human trafficking, alien smuggling, weapons trafficking, and/or other related violations of federal investigative interest within Louisiana.
“Today’s law enforcement operation announcements are, at their core, about one thing … public safety,” said U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle. “Safety for all of us, as we work to support and protect our families, as well as to celebrate the uniquely rich culture we enjoy in Southeast Louisiana, of which Mardi Gras is an integral part. The mission of all of us behind this microphone today is the same; to enforce the laws of the land and to protect the public that we are proud to serve.”
“We’re getting the job done with intelligence – surveillance – and leads that we’re getting from the community,” said FBI New Orleans Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Tapp. “Our agents and task force officers are using their collective knowledge and expertise to stop criminal activity in its tracks. These aren’t just investigations or statistics for us. We eat, sleep, and breathe violent crime. We are committed to making New Orleans one of the safest places in the country.”
“HSI is proud to co-lead the new Homeland Security Task Force and Operation NOLA Safe with the FBI, partnering with our state, local, and federal partners to help ensure public safety. We are committed to combating transnational crime, crimes of exploitation, and other crimes impacting our communities. As part of our overall commitment, through partnerships and specialized expertise, HSI dismantles criminal networks, ensuring that offenders are brought to justice and victims receive the support they deserve”, said Acting Special Agent in Charge Matt Wright.
“ATF’s core mission and purpose are to have impact in preventing, reducing, and solving violent crime to support public safety,” said ATF New Orleans Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson. “This operation represents a new level of coordination, focus, and determination in our collective fight against violent crime.”
“The safety and security of Postal Service employees is core to the mission of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and we will work aggressively to bring to justice those who commit violent crimes against our employees,” said Shameka Jackson, Inspector in Charge of the Houston Division. “Today’s press conference is the culmination of exceptional teamwork between postal inspectors and all our state, local, and federal partners. We extend our appreciation to all involved in making this initiative a success.”
“It’s no secret that the Kenner Police Department fosters and is enriched by our relationships on the local, state and federal levels”, said Chief Keith Conley. “By working collaboratively, we can cross multiple jurisdictions and truly amplify our ability to reduce and solve violent crime”.
Operation NOLA SAFE Participating Agencies
- Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
- Drug Enforcement Administration
- U.S. Homeland Security Investigations
- Federal Bureau of Investigation
- U.S. Marshals Service
- United States Postal Inspection Service
- USAO, EDLA
- Louisiana National Guard
- Louisiana State Police
- Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office
- Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office
- Plaquemines Parish Sheriff’s Office
- St. Bernard Parish Sheriff’s Office
- St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office
- New Orleans Police Department
- Kenner Police Department
- Gretna Police Department
- Slidell Police Department
HSTF New Orleans Participating Agencies
- U.S. Homeland Security Investigations
- Federal Bureau of Investigation
- Drug Enforcement Administration
- U.S. Customs and Border Protection-Office of Field Operations
- U.S. Customs and Border Protection-U.S. Border Patrol
- U.S. Customs and Border Protection-Air and Marine Operations
- U.S. Marshals Service
- Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
- Internal Revenue Service
- U.S. Coast Guard
- United States Postal Inspection Service
- United States Secret Service
- Immigration and Customs Enforcement-Enforcement and Removal Operations
On January 20, 2025, President Trump issued an Executive Order entitled "Protecting the American People Against Invasion," which included the creation of the Homeland Security Task Force. This “Task Force” which is co-led by the FBI and ICE-HSI, consists of intelligence-driven, multi-agency teams that coordinate law enforcement efforts to identify, investigate and prosecute threats to our homeland. These threats include illegal drug and firearm trafficking, sex trafficking, human smuggling, and criminal activity by dangerous Cartels and Transnational Criminal Organizations.
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Two plead guilty in multi-state ATM bank robbery schemeRead the Press Release
Seattle – Two Texas men pleaded guilty over the last few weeks to four counts of bank robbery and two counts of attempted bank robbery for their scheme to steal from banks by assaulting and threatening ATM technicians, announced First Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Neil Floyd.
Ahmon Hogg, 22, of Humble, Texas, and Seth Coles-Body, 23, of Houston, were identified as part of a robbery ring operating across the country. The men would disable ATM machines, and when the technician showed up to fix the machine, they would threaten or assault the technician to steal the cash containers, called cassettes, from the ATM. Both men are scheduled for sentencing by U.S. District Judge James L. Robart in April.
According to the plea agreements, in December 2024, the pair worked together to disable ATMs on December 23 and 24, when the machines would be loaded with cash for the Christmas holiday. The coconspirators disabled a Bank of America ATM in Renton, Washington. After the technician arrived and began repairing the machine, he was forcibly confronted by Hogg and Coles-Body who brandished a screwdriver and demanded he open the machine and provide them with the cash cassettes. The technician did not open the machine, and after a scuffle, the technician was able to escape.
The next day in Vancouver, Washington, a technician was sent to repair a Bank of America ATM on SE Mill Plain Boulevard. As the technician started repairs, Hogg and Coles-Body ran up and intimidated the victim and grabbed five cash cassettes filled with currency. The men fled in a car that matched one seen the previous day in connection with the attempted robbery in Renton.
The defendants also admitted they had disabled a Bank of America ATM in Battle Ground, Washington, that same day.
While the investigations were ongoing in Washington, Hogg and Coles-Body were identified in connection with ATM tampering cases on January 3, 2025, in the Phoenix, Arizona area. ATMs for Bank of America and Wells Fargo had been tampered with like the Washington ATMs. Hogg and Coles-Body were stopped by Phoenix law enforcement while attempting to rob one of the ATMs they had disabled.
On March 7, 2025, the defendants committed another robbery at Bank of America in Redmond, Washington. An ATM repair technician was working on the machine that had been disabled by Hogg and Coles-Body. Once the machine was open, two robbers ran up and stole cash canisters filled with money from the machine. Five of the canisters were later recovered, damaged, on the shoulder of highway 520. A few days later, Coles-Body was stopped by U.S. Border Patrol with approximately $209,000 in cash. The cash was seized, and Coles-Body was released.
In May 2025, Hogg and Coles-Body were back in Houston, where they reside, and committed another robbery of a Wells Fargo. A repair technician had the machine open to make repairs, and Coles-Body rushed the technician and caused injuries. The men stole about $117,000 from the machine and abandoned their car a short distance away.
In June 2025, the men traveled to Oregon and disabled ATMs in Tigard and Hillsboro. While in the area, the men robbed an ATM customer who had just used a different machine.
Hogg and Coles-Body then drove from Oregon to Maine and on June 30, 2025, they disabled a Bank of America ATM in South Portland, Maine. While the technician was making repairs the men rushed and beat the technician, stealing $47,000 from the Bank of America.
The men left Maine and drove across the country to Jackson, Mississippi where they were arrested in a traffic stop. They had stolen firearms and significant amounts of cash in the car.
Under the terms of the plea agreement, prosecutors will recommend a sentence of 121 months, or the high end of the sentencing guidelines range – whatever is higher. The defense agrees to request a sentence within the guidelines range calculated by Judge Robart at the time of sentencing.
Both men have agreed to pay restitution to the victims currently determined to be $768,900. They also agreed to pay damages including medical expenses for the victim technicians.
The plea agreements resolve all the cases in Washington, Oregon, Arizona, Texas, Maine, and Mississippi. Judge Robart will consider all relevant conduct in determining the appropriate sentence.
Bank Robbery and Attempted Bank Robbery are punishable by up to 20 years in prison.
The case was investigated by the Vancouver, Phoenix, and Houston offices of the FBI and state law enforcement, the Columbia River Organized Crime Task Force, and state law enforcement partners in Hillsboro Oregon, Battleground, Washington, and Jackson, Mississippi. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Amanda McDowell, with assistance from the United States Attorney’s Offices in Phoenix and Houston.
Two Charged After Seizure of 44 Pounds of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Two southwest Missouri residents were charged federally for possession with intent to distribute over 40 pounds of methamphetamine.
Michael Wilson, 49, of Lamar, Mo., and Amber Beck, 34, of Eagle Rock, Mo., were charged by federal criminal complaint with possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing methamphetamine. Wilson and Beck had their first appearances in court today, following their arrests on Feb. 9, 2026.
According to court documents, on Feb. 7, 2026, following a traffic stop on I-44 in Jasper County, Mo., an officer with the Missouri State Highway Patrol (MSHP) discovered Wilson and Beck were in possession of approximately 44 pounds of suspected methamphetamine.
An affidavit filed with the complaint alleges that Wilson and Beck have regularly been making trips to the Pheonix, Ariz., area to purchase methamphetamine for distribution.
The charges contained in this complaint are simply accusations, and are not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Hannah Lucas. It was investigated by the Ozarks Drug Enforcement Team, Missouri State Highway Patrol, the DEA, and the Jasper County, Mo., 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.
Texas university pays to resolve claims it defrauded grant programRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – The University of Texas at San Antonio has agreed to pay nearly $130,000 to resolve allegations it defrauded the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
The settlement stems from a NASA cooperative agreement intended to establish a Center for Advanced Measurements in Extreme Environments.
Federal law prohibits NASA from using its funds, including through grants or cooperative agreements, with any institutions or individuals that collaborate or partner with China or Chinese-owned companies. UTSA agreed to comply with those restrictions during both the application and award process.
The settlement resolves allegations that Dr. Hongjie Xie, the initial principal investigator, maintained close ties with researchers in China and contributed to multiple academic papers published by Chinese universities.
The agreement also required UTSA to submit accurate semiannual and annual reports identifying publications supported by NASA funding. The settlement also resolves claims that UTSA falsely listed multiple publications as funded under the cooperative agreement in those reports.
“Truthful disclosures by research universities are critical when making decisions about federal awards,” said U.S. Attorney Ganjei. “Universities that provide false information unfairly skew the award process in their favor and place our technological and scientific superiority at risk. Prof. Hongjie Xie’s close relationship with Chinese researchers, universities, and publications was in direct violation of UTSA’s agreement with NASA. Now, UTSA will pay for its lack of candor.”
“When universities fail to disclose affiliations with foreign entities, it compromises scientific integrity and takes advantage of NASA’s valuable resources,” said Robert Steinau, Senior Official at the NASA Office of Inspector General. “Institutions entrusted with taxpayer-funded awards have a responsibility to provide accurate information and adhere to all program requirements.”
NASA - Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa Green handled the matter.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
Ten Op Sweet Silence Defendants Sentenced in Armed Drug Trafficking CaseRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ga. – Ten defendants have now been sentenced for their roles in a large-scale armed drug trafficking organization resulting from Operation Sweet Silence, a multi-agency investigation resulting in the removal of firearms, methamphetamine, cocaine and marijuana from the streets of Columbus.
“This case represents the comprehensive efforts being deployed to target and dismantle the most dangerous criminal organizations and hold their members accountable in Columbus and across the Middle District of Georgia,” said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes. “Prosecutors and law enforcement at every level are working together to combat armed trafficking organizations that threaten our community.”
“These defendants operated an armed drug trafficking network that distributed large quantities of highly addictive drugs in Columbus, Georgia,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Methamphetamine and cocaine destroy lives, fracture families, fuel violence and are a scourge in our communities. The Justice Department will continue holding those who engage in the armed drug trade to account and ensure safety for our law-abiding citizens and families.”
“These ten defendants were key players in an armed drug trafficking organization that poisoned our community with dangerous substances like methamphetamine and cocaine,” said Peter Ellis, Acting Special Agent in Charge of FBI Georgia. “The sentences imposed reflect the severe consequences for those who choose to fuel this deadly trade. The FBI remains committed to holding accountable those who engage in these violent criminal activities and ensuring the safety of our communities.”
“Drug trafficking organizations don’t just deal drugs—they bring guns, violence and instability into our neighborhoods,” said Jae W. Chung, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division. “The significant prison sentences imposed today reflect the serious danger these defendants posed and the harm caused by flooding our communities with methamphetamine, cocaine, and other illicit drugs.”
"We won't stop until the criminal activity stops. We will continue to place pressure on criminal enterprises to put them out of business,” said Muscogee County Sheriff Greg Countryman. “By working together through our law enforcement partnerships and the federal justice system, we have ensured that Tommy Mullins will be out of business for a long time."
According to court documents and statements in court, the drug organization was led by defendant Tommie Mullins, Jr., who was part of the violent Zohannon criminal street gang. Over the course of the conspiracy, Mullins and the drug trafficking organization distributed vast amounts of methamphetamine, cocaine and marijuana.
The court sentenced the defendants, all of Columbus, to the following terms of imprisonment:
Tommie Mullins, Jr., aka “TJ,” aka “Bo,” aka “Mini,” 31, of Columbus, was sentenced to 20 years in prison on Feb. 10, 2026;
Trenton Clemons, 48, was sentenced to 25 years on Oct. 7, 2025;
Anthony Champion, 46, was sentenced to seven years and three months on Aug. 6, 2025;
Corey Turner, aka “Lito Red,” 33, was sentenced to 20 years on Oct. 7, 2025;
Adrian Palmer, aka “AP,” 25, was sentenced to 14 years on Oct. 7, 2025;
Trenton Thomas, aka “Bubble,” 25, was sentenced to 11 years and three months on Oct. 7, 2025;
Javonta Paden, 25, was sentenced to five years and 11 months on Aug. 6, 2025;
Christopher Hill, 36, was sentenced to two years on Dec. 17, 2025;
Adrian Pleasants, 29, was sentenced to one year and eight months on Aug. 6, 2025; and
Darius Jenkins, 24, was sentenced to one year and six months on Oct. 7, 2025.
The federal investigation into the Zohannon gang included court authorized wiretaps on Tommie Mullins’ and other defendants’ phones. Physical surveillance and other investigative techniques confirmed that Mullins, Champion, Turner, Palmer, Hill, Thomas and others all dealt drugs out of Mullin’s Cove Circle residence.
On March 18, 2023, FBI intercepted wiretap calls in which Turner arranged for the sale of a “30 sack,” which law enforcement understood meant narcotics. Surveillance captured Turner briefly stopping by the Cove Circle residence before heading to the location where the drugs were sold.
The defendants persistently repeated this pattern of briefly going to the Cove Circle house before heading to a drug sale, sometimes with Turner and Mullins directing other defendants to conduct drug deals on their behalf. In intercepted calls made between March 6 and March 7, 2023, Mullins and Turner directed Hill to conduct a half-kilogram drug sale to Champion.
In another deal, law enforcement saw Turner leave the Cove Circle house, enter Champion’s vehicle sitting outside the house, and almost immediately exit the vehicle. Champion then drove off. A short time later, a wiretap call captured Champion calling Turner to complain “this ain’t even a whole it’s a half. I’m fixing to bring it back to you and show you.”
Wiretapped calls and physical surveillance also captured defendants Thomas, Paden, Pleasants and Palmer arranging to fly to Seattle, Washington to purchase and transport 300 pounds of marijuana back to Columbus. Before leaving for Seattle, surveillance showed Thomas meeting with leader Mullins and phone records showed that Mullins spoke to the drug supplier in Seattle only hours after this meeting. Knowing about the planned drug purchase from the wiretap, law enforcement arranged for a law enforcement K9 to be waiting at the airport when Thomas, Palmer, Peasants and Paden flew back from Seattle. After the dog alerted to the odor of narcotics on the luggage belonging to these defendants, law enforcement seized 232 pounds of marijuana from the luggage. Later, intercepted calls showed Thomas and Palmer setting up deals for ten pounds of methamphetamine at a time in hopes of recouping some of the money they lost after the marijuana seizure.
A separate airport search netted over $29,000 in cash, which was seized from Mullins as suspected drug proceeds. The investigation further revealed that both Thomas and Palmer used Jenkins to distribute narcotics in street-level quantities. In one call, Jenkins told Palmer “I passed the sample around the hood” and asked whether this was “your price per pound?” A police search of Palmer’s vehicle revealed approximately one kilogram of methamphetamine packaged in 33 separate baggies.
Clemons also sold drugs for and with Mullins. On April 15, 2024, Mullins and Clemons traveled in Mullins’ vehicle from Columbus to a music studio in Atlanta. There, Mullins and Clemons met with a co-conspirator who gave them a bag, the contents of which Clemons emptied into a blue suitcase. Later that day, a traffic stop revealed four pounds of almost pure methamphetamine.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The case was investigated by the FBI; the DEA; and the Muscogee County Sheriff’s Office; with critical assistance from the Harris County Sheriff’s Office; the Russell County, Alabama, Sheriff’s Office; the Coweta County Sheriff’s Office; the Sacramento, California, Sheriff’s Office; and the Muscogee County District Attorney’s Office.
Deputy Criminal Chief Veronica Hansis for the Middle District of Georgia and Trial Attorney Matthew Mattis of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section are prosecuting the case.
Ten Defendants Sentenced for Drug Trafficking in Columbus, GeorgiaRead the Press Release
Ten men have now been sentenced for their roles in a large-scale armed drug trafficking organization based in Columbus, Georgia. The prosecution stemmed from Operation Sweet Silence, a multi-agency investigation into drug trafficking in the Columbus area. As part of the investigation, law enforcement recovered firearms, multiple pounds of methamphetamine, cocaine, 232 pounds of marijuana, and $29,000 in cash. Collectively, the sentencings imposed by the court between Aug. 6, 2025, and Jan. 14, 2026, equated to more than 108 years in prison.
“These defendants operated an armed drug trafficking network that distributed large quantities of highly addictive drugs in Columbus, Georgia,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Methamphetamine and cocaine destroy lives, fracture families, fuel violence and are a scourge in our communities. The Justice Department will continue holding those who engage in the armed drug trade to account and ensure safety for our law abiding citizens and families.”
“This case represents the comprehensive efforts being deployed to target and dismantle the most dangerous criminal organizations and hold their members accountable in Columbus and across the Middle District of Georgia,” said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes for the Middle District of Georgia. “Prosecutors and law enforcement at every level are working together to combat armed trafficking organizations that threaten our community.”
“These ten defendants were key players in an armed drug trafficking organization that poisoned our community with dangerous substances like methamphetamine and cocaine,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Peter Ellis of the FBI Atlanta Field Office. “The sentences imposed reflect the severe consequences for those who choose to fuel this deadly trade. The FBI remains committed to holding accountable those who engage in these violent criminal activities and ensuring the safety of our communities.”
“Drug trafficking organizations don’t just deal drugs — they bring guns, violence, and instability into our neighborhoods,” said Special Agent in Charge Jae W. Chung of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Atlanta Field Division. “The significant prison sentence imposed today reflects the serious danger these defendants posed and the harm caused by flooding our communities with methamphetamine, cocaine, and other illicit drugs.”
According to public documents and statements in court, the drug organization was led by defendant Tommie Mullins, Jr., who was part of the violent Zohannon criminal street gang. Over the course of the conspiracy, Mullins and the drug trafficking organization distributed vast amounts of methamphetamine, cocaine, and marijuana. The court sentenced the defendants to the following penalties in prison:
Tommie Mullins Jr., also known as “TJ,” “Bo,” and “Mini,” 31, of Columbus, was sentenced to 20 years in prison on Feb. 10, 2026;
Trenton Clemons, 48, was sentenced to 25 years in prison on Oct. 7, 2025;
Anthony Champion, 46, was sentenced to seven years and three months in prison on Aug. 6, 2025;
Corey Turner, also known as “Lito Red,” 33, was sentenced to 20 years in prison on Oct. 7, 2025;
Adrian Palmer, also known as “AP,” 25, was sentenced to 14 years in prison on Oct. 7, 2025;
Trenton Thomas, also known as “Bubble,” 25, was sentenced to 11 years and three months in prison on Oct. 7, 2025;
Javonta Paden, 25, was sentenced to five years and 11 months in prison on Aug. 6, 2025;
Christopher Hill, 36, was sentenced to two years in prison on Dec. 17, 2025;
Adrian Pleasants, 29, was sentenced to one year and eight months in prison on Aug. 6, 2025; and
Darius Jenkins, 24, was sentenced to one year and six months in prison on Oct. 7, 2025.
The federal investigation into the Zohannon gang included court authorized wiretaps on Tommie Mullins’ and other defendants’ phones. Physical surveillance and other investigative techniques confirmed that Mullins, Champion, Turner, Palmer, Hill, Thomas and others all dealt drugs out of Mullin’s Cove Circle residence.
On March 18, 2023, FBI intercepted wiretap calls in which Turner arranged for the sale of a “30 sack,” which law enforcement understood meant narcotics. Surveillance captured Turner briefly stopping by the Cove Circle residence before heading to the location where the drugs were sold.
The defendants persistently repeated this pattern of briefly going to the Cove Circle house before heading to a drug sale, sometimes with Turner and Mullins directing other defendants to conduct drug deals on their behalf. In intercepted calls made between March 6 and March 7, 2023, Mullins and Turner directed Hill to conduct a half-kilogram drug sale to Champion.
In another deal, law enforcement saw Turner leave the Cove Circle house, enter Champion’s vehicle sitting outside the house, and almost immediately exit the vehicle. Champion then drove off. A short time later, a wiretap call captured Champion calling Turner to complain “this ain’t even a whole it’s a half. I’m fixing to bring it back to you and show you.”
Wiretapped calls and physical surveillance also captured defendants Thomas, Paden, Pleasants, and Palmer arranging to fly to Seattle, Washington to purchase and transport 300 pounds of marijuana back to Columbus. Before leaving for Seattle, surveillance showed Thomas meeting with leader Mullins and phone records showed that Mullins spoke to the drug supplier in Seattle only hours after this meeting. Knowing about the planned drug purchase from the wiretap, law enforcement arranged for a law enforcement K9 to be waiting at the airport when Thomas, Palmer, Peasants and Paden flew back from Seattle. After the dog alerted to the odor of narcotics on the luggage belonging to these defendants, law enforcement seized 232 pounds of marijuana. Later, intercepted calls showed Thomas and Palmer setting up deals for 10 pounds of methamphetamine at a time in hopes of recouping some of the money they lost after the marijuana seizure.
A separate airport search netted over $29,000 in cash, which was seized from Mullins as suspected drug proceeds. The investigation further revealed that both Thomas and Palmer used Jenkins to distribute narcotics in street-level quantities. In one call, Jenkins told Palmer “I passed the sample around the hood” and asked whether this was “your price per pound?” A police search of Palmer’s vehicle revealed approximately one kilogram of methamphetamine packaged in 33 separate baggies.
Clemons also sold drugs for and with Mullins. On April 15, 2024, Mullins and Clemons traveled in Mullins’ vehicle from Columbus, Georgia to a music studio in Atlanta. There, Mullins and Clemons met with a co-conspirator who gave them a bag, the contents of which Clemons emptied into a blue suitcase. Later that day, a traffic stop revealed over 4-pounds of almost pure methamphetamine.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The case was investigated by the FBI, DEA, and the Muscogee County Sheriff’s Office, with critical assistance from the Harris County Sheriff’s Office; the Russell County, Alabama Sheriff’s Office; the Coweta County Sheriff’s Office; the Sacramento, California Sheriff’s Office; and the Muscogee County District Attorney’s Office.
Trial Attorney Matthew Mattis of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Veronica Hansis for the Middle District of Georgia prosecuted the case.
Tampa Jury Convicts Leader of Colombian Drug Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – A federal jury has found Celso Navarro Diaz (65, Colombia) guilty of conspiring to traffic more than five kilograms of cocaine on vessels subject to the jurisdiction of the United States and conspiring to import more than five kilograms of cocaine into the United States. Navarro Diaz faces a minimum penalty of 15 years, up to life, in federal prison for each count. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for April 22, 2026. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, Navarro Diaz was the head of an organization in Colombia that transported cocaine and marijuana from the Pacific coast of Colombia to Costa Rica. Over a two-year period, Panamanian, Colombian, and U.S. Coast Guard authorities interdicted four of his organization’s vessels. The investigation revealed that Navarro Diaz discussed the smuggling operations in heavily coded language and talked about the seizures in coded language after three of the events. The cocaine was intended to be smuggled from Costa Rica through Central America and Mexico prior to importation into the United States. Navarro Diaz was previously convicted of conspiring to import cocaine into the United States and pleaded guilty to that offense in 2010 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.
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 Region 20 (Tampa) comprises agents and officers from multiple law enforcement agencies with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Coast Guard, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Colombian National Police. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and Judicial Attaché Office in Bogotá worked with the Government of Colombia to secure the arrest and September 2024 extradition from Colombia of Navarro Diaz. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dan Baeza.
Tahlequah Resident Sentenced for Illegally Possessing Firearms and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Cody Lee Pritchett, age 34, of Tahlequah, Oklahoma, was sentenced to thirty-seven months in prison for one count of Felon in Possession of Firearm and Ammunition.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
On July 9, 2025, Pritchett pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on February 4, 2025, law enforcement discovered Pritchett in possession of a .22 caliber Derringer, a semi-automatic rifle, a short-barreled rifle, two hundred rounds of assorted ammunition, 40 rounds of .22 caliber ammunition, one round of Winchester 12-gauge ammunition, and 24 rounds of 9mm ammunition after having been previously convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year imprisonment.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The Honorable Ronald A. White, Senior District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Pritchett will self-report on March 12, 2026, to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lewis M. Reagan represented the United States.
Tallahassee Man Charged with Attempted Enticement of a MinorRead the Press Release
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Tabias K. Bryant, 37, of Tallahassee, Florida, has been indicted in federal court on one count of attempted enticement of a minor. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the charge.
Bryant 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 23, 2026, before District Court Judge Mark E. Walker.
If convicted, Bryant, faces up to Life imprisonment.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation 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 was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice and led by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Divisions Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), it 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.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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.