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26 March 2026
Justice Department Sues SeaWorld and Other Theme Parks over Wheeled Walker BanRead the Press Release
Orlando, FL - Today, the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida (collectively, the “Department”) filed a lawsuit against United Parks & Resorts Inc. and its subsidiaries (UPR), alleging UPR’s policy banning guests with disabilities from using wheeled walkers with seats, including rollators, violates Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). UPR is a global theme park and entertainment company that owns, leases, or operates twelve parks and experiences in the United States, including SeaWorld Orlando, Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, Discovery Cove Orlando, and Aquatica Orlando.
“The ADA requires theme park companies like UPR to provide guests with equal access, regardless of ability,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe for the Middle District of Florida. “This complaint reinforces our commitment to holding public accommodations in the Middle District of Florida accountable when they engage in disability discrimination.”
“The ADA requires equal access for people with disabilities, and theme parks such as SeaWorld are no exception,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Under my leadership, the Division is committed to defending the rights of all Americans with disabilities, as the law requires.”
The ADA prohibits discrimination based on disability by public accommodations, including UPR and its theme parks. The ADA requires UPR to permit individuals with disabilities to use manually powered mobility aids, including walkers, in areas open for pedestrian use.
The Department sued UPR based on complaints from many people with disabilities alleging UPR would not allow them to enter its parks with their wheeled walkers with seats. The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida, alleges that UPR’s policy banning wheeled walkers with seats prevented children, veterans, and other individuals with disabilities from accessing the parks, facially violating the ADA. The civil complaint also alleges that UPR imposes impermissible surcharges on guests with disabilities in the form of rental fees and refuses to reasonably modify UPR’s policies, practices, or procedures, where necessary, to avoid discriminating against guests with disabilities.
The lawsuit seeks a court order to force UPR to stop discriminating against individuals with disabilities, to modify its policies to comply with the ADA, and to train its staff on the ADA. The lawsuit also seeks monetary damages to compensate aggrieved individuals subjected to UPR’s discrimination and demands UPR pay a civil penalty to vindicate the public’s interest in eliminating disability discrimination.
If you believe you have been a victim of disability discrimination by United Parks & Resorts Inc., including parks such as SeaWorld Orlando, Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, Discovery Cove Orlando, and Aquatica Orlando, please file a complaint with the Civil Rights Division online at www.civilrights.justice.gov, or by calling the Department’s toll-free ADA Information Line at 1-800-514-0301 (1-833-610-1264 (TTY)). For more information on the ADA and the Civil Rights Division, please visit www.ada.gov or www.justice.gov/crt.
Justice Department Sues New York-Presbyterian Hospital for Anticompetitive Contracts That Increase Healthcare Costs for New YorkersRead the Press Release
The Justice Department’s Antitrust Division, together with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, filed a civil antitrust lawsuit today challenging The New York and Presbyterian Hospital’s (New York-Presbyterian) anticompetitive contract restrictions that deny New Yorkers the choice of lower cost healthcare options.
The complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, charges New York-Presbyterian with violating Section 1 of the Sherman Act. New York-Presbyterian is the largest and most powerful hospital system in New York City. It owns and operates eight hospitals and many outpatient facilities in the New York City area. The suit seeks to enjoin New York-Presbyterian from imposing contractual restrictions that preclude insurers and employers from offering New Yorkers budget-conscious health insurance plans. This is the second case the Division has brought this year to ensure that Americans can access healthcare markets with robust competition and receive high quality, affordable care.
“Millions of New Yorkers pay more for healthcare because of these anticompetitive practices,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “At the direction of President Trump, this Justice Department will fight relentlessly to ensure that Americans get the healthcare they need without facing exorbitant costs.”
“Healthcare is a vital sector of our nation’s economy that touches the life of every single American,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Omeed A. Assefi of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “New York-Presbyterian has known for years that the American consumer wants budget-conscious health plans that reduce healthcare costs. But rather than offer consumers choice, New York-Presbyterian uses its market power to protect its margins, impede competition from rival hospitals, and prevent employers and unions from creating these plans. The Antitrust Division will continue to hold hospitals violating the antitrust laws accountable. I am grateful for the dedicated work of our staff and the Southern District of New York in this matter.”
“The high cost of healthcare is frustrating to every New Yorker,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton for the Southern District of New York. “Our Office will continue to work with our partners in the Antitrust Division to investigate and confront anticompetitive practices that contribute to higher healthcare costs.”
As alleged in the complaint, New York-Presbyterian imposes plan restrictions in its contracts with payors that prevent payors from offering plans that, for example, do not include New York-Presbyterian or do not feature New York-Presbyterian in the most favored tier of the plan. New York-Presbyterian even forbids payors from offering lower copays when patients chose to receive care at New York-Presbyterian’s — often lower priced — rivals. These unlawful restrictions insulate New York-Presbyterian from price competition, limiting its rival hospitals from competing for patients based on lower prices or better value, and prevent the development of budget-conscious plans for New Yorkers that are available in other parts of the United States.
Justice Department Secures the Denaturalization of Convicted Gun Trafficker and Health Care Fraudster, and Files Complaint Against Marriage ScammerRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice announced today that it has secured the denaturalization of two individuals who obtained U.S. citizenship through fraud and sued to revoke the citizenship of a third person that secured naturalization by marriage fraud.
“American citizenship is a sacred privilege — not a cheap status that can be obtained dishonestly,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “These actions reflect this Department of Justice's ongoing efforts to strip citizenship from people who conceal crimes or defraud the American people during the immigration process.”
Ukrainian Arms Smuggler Concealed Conspiracy to Smuggle Firearms Parts Abroad
On March 23, the Justice Department secured the denaturalization of Vladimir Volgaev, a native of Ukraine who concealed and misrepresented his involvement in a conspiracy to smuggle over a thousand firearms components out of the United States and ship them to foreign markets.
“This case sends a clear message,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department's Civil Division. “The United States provided Volgaev with safety, housing, and citizenship, and he returned those gains with malice, including by defrauding one of the federal agencies that provided him benefits. We will not reward this kind of behavior by allowing such an individual to retain U.S. citizenship that should not have been granted in the first place.”
Starting in 2011, Volgaev engaged in the clandestine purchase, packaging and smuggling of firearm components to individuals in Ukraine and Italy. Also, beginning in 2013, Volgaev engaged in federal housing benefits fraud by underreporting his assets and income on applications for federal housing benefits. A federal court convicted him of Smuggling Goods from the United States and Theft of Government Money or Property in 2020, after he had naturalized as a U.S. citizen on January 11, 2016.
On Sept. 30, 2025, the Justice Department filed a complaint in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida seeking Volgaev’s denaturalization based on his crimes and his failure to disclose them during his naturalization process.
On March 23, the court entered an order revoking Volgaev’s U.S. citizenship. The court held that Volgaev committed unlawful acts during the period prior to his naturalization in which he was required to show good moral character, thus making him ineligible for naturalization. Also, the court found that Volgaev provided false testimony regarding his criminal background and procured his U.S. citizenship by willfully misrepresenting these facts.
This case was prosecuted by Trial Attorney Christopher Lyerla of the Justice Department’s Office of Immigration Litigation, Affirmative Litigation Unit, with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Special Agent Felix Romero and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)’s Office of the Principal Legal Advisor.
Miami-Dade Resident Was Convicted of Swindling Over $6 Million In Medicare Claims
The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida issued an order on March 24 revoking the 2017 naturalization of Mirelys Cabrera Diaz, a native of Cuba and resident of Hialeah, Florida. Cabrera Diaz illegally procured her citizenship because she committed unlawful acts — namely a health care fraud conspiracy — before she naturalized that disqualified her from United States citizenship.
In 2019, Cabrera Diaz, then 42, was convicted in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida of conspiring to commit health care fraud. She pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 29 months in prison and ordered to pay restitution of over $6 million. When she pleaded guilty, she admitted that she willfully conspired to commit health care fraud in the years before she became a United States citizen. She specifically admitted that, between August 2011 and March 2014, she and her co-conspirators paid kickbacks to patient recruiters for referring fraudulent prescriptions to the pharmacy where she worked. She admitted to maintaining a log of how much money was owed to each recruiter for fraudulent prescriptions. She also admitted that she was aware that the pharmacy was submitting reimbursement claims for the fraudulent prescriptions to the Medicare Part D program, for which the government paid over $6 million in reimbursements for prescription drugs that were not dispensed.
The U.S. district court held that Cabrera Diaz illegally procured her naturalization. Among the requirements for naturalization, Cabrera Diaz was required to show that she was a person of good moral character during the “statutory period” from five years before she applied for naturalization until she took the oath of citizenship. The court concluded that she could not establish the required good moral character for naturalization because she conspired to commit health care fraud, which reflected adversely on her moral character, and there were no extenuating circumstances to excuse her actions.
The case was investigated by ICE and litigated by the Affirmative Litigation Unit of the Civil Division’s Office of Immigration Litigation.
Justice Department Sues to Revoke U.S. Citizenship Because Of Immigration Fraud
In U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, the Justice Department filed a civil denaturalization complaint on March 17 against Alec Nasreddine Kassir, also known as Alec Kassir and Ali Nasreddine Kassir. Kassir is a native of Lebanon and resident of Miami.
The United States seeks an order revoking Kassir’s naturalization based on his false statements made under penalty of perjury on his naturalization application and under oath in his naturalization interview. Kassir falsely represented that he had been living with a U.S. citizen spouse, during the three years immediately preceding the filing of his naturalization application in March 2010.
On Nov. 14, 2018, he pleaded guilty to passport fraud in the Southern District of Florida. In his criminal proceedings, Kassir admitted that he obtained his U.S. passport through the fraudulent procurement of his naturalization. Specifically, he admitted that he was not living in martial union — or even in the same state — with his purported U.S. citizen spouse; rather, but they separated in 2009 and Kassir moved to Florida. Kassir’s immigration fraud was uncovered during an investigation into his trafficking of counterfeit goods after he naturalized, for which he was convicted of conspiring to commit money laundering.
The complaint alleges that Kassir should be denaturalized for three reasons. First, he illegally procured U.S. citizenship because he was not living in marital union with his U.S. citizen spouse for the three years before he applied for naturalization as required by statute. Second, he illegally procured naturalization because he was statutorily barred from showing that he was a person of good moral character during the statutory period of his naturalization. He was unable to demonstrate good moral character because he falsely testified under oath at his naturalization interview that he was living in Michigan, when, in fact, he had moved to Florida. Third, he procured his naturalization by concealing his separation from his U.S. citizen spouse and his move to Florida.
The case was investigated by ICE-HSI and will be litigated by the Affirmative Litigation Unit of the Civil Division’s Office of Immigration Litigation and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida.
The claims made in the complaint are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
Justice Department Notifies California of Investigation into Whether Housing Biological Men at Women’s Prisons Violates ConstitutionRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – The United States Department of Justice today sent a letter of legal notice to California Gov. Gavin Newsom informing him of the commencement of a federal investigation into two state women’s prisons to determine if those prisons unconstitutionally provided housing and preferential treatment to biological male prisoners within those prisons’ walls.
The Justice Department will investigate whether California engages in a pattern or practice of violating the constitutional rights of female prisoners incarcerated at the California Institution for Women (CIW) in San Bernardino County and the Central California Women’s Facility (CCWF) in Madera County.
The investigation will be conducted under two federal statutes: the Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act (CRIPA) and the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act of 2000 (RLUIPA). Today’s letter of legal notice is required under CRIPA.
“California’s Transgender Respect, Agency, and Dignity Act has provided none of these qualities to the female inmates of state prisons who have been forced to share space with biological men who are violent felons,” said First Assistant United States Attorney Bill Essayli. “Our Constitution protects women from having their civil rights violated by harmful state legislation wrapped in the language of ‘equity’ and ‘progress.’”
“Under my leadership, the Civil Rights Division will not allow women incarcerated in jails or prisons to be subject to unconstitutional risks of harm from male inmates,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon. “These investigations will uncover whether the dangerous national trend of housing men in women’s prisons has resulted in violations of women’s constitutional rights.”
Specifically, the Justice Department will investigate widely reported allegations of deprivation of female prisoners’ rights, including the First Amendment’s guarantees of freedom of speech and free exercise of religion, the Eighth Amendment’s protection from cruel and unusual punishment, and the Fourteenth Amendment’s Equal Protection Clause. There have been allegations of sexual assaults, attempted rapes, voyeurism, and a pervasive climate of sexual intimidation due to the presence of males in the women’s prison.
Since California’s Transgender Respect, Agency, and Dignity Act took effect in January 2021, men in state prisons, including violent felons charged with sex crimes and who have intact genitals, can request transfer to women’s prisons based on self-identification as transgender.
The Department has not reached any conclusions regarding allegations in these matters. The Department will investigate CIW, CCWF, and MCC Windham pursuant to its authority to enforce the Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act (CRIPA). Under CRIPA, the Department has the authority to investigate violations of prisoners’ constitutional rights that result from a “pattern or practice of resistance to the full enjoyment of such rights.”
The Department has conducted CRIPA investigations of many correctional systems, and where violations have been found, the resulting settlement agreements have led to important reforms. The Department will also investigate CIW and CCWF under the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act of 2000 (RLUIPA), 42 U.S.C. § 2000cc.
Individuals with relevant information are encouraged to contact the Department via civilrights.justice.gov/report. The Department is also collecting information on men housed in women’s jails and prisons anywhere in the country. Individuals can reach the National Initiative Examining the Housing of Biological Men in Women’s Prisons at (202) 616-5939 or [email protected]. Additional information about the Civil Rights Division of the Justice Department is available on its website at www.justice.gov/crt.
Today’s letter is separate and unrelated to an existing CRIPA investigation into alleged abuse of female inmates by prison staff at CCWF and CIW.
Justice Department Notifies California and Maine of Investigations into Whether Housing Biological Men in Women’s Prisons Violates ConstitutionRead the Press Release
Today, the United States Department of Justice notified California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Maine Gov. Janet Mills of the initiation of federal investigations into California’s and Maine’s practice of housing men in women’s prisons.
The Justice Department will investigate whether California engages in a pattern or practice of violating the constitutional rights of female prisoners incarcerated at the California Institution for Women (CIW) in San Bernardino County and the Central California Women’s Facility (CCWF) in Madera County. The Justice Department also will investigate whether Maine similarly engages in a pattern or practice of violating constitutional rights of women incarcerated at Maine Correctional Center in Windham (MCC Windham).
“Keeping men out of women’s prisons is not only common sense – it’s a matter of safety and constitutional rights,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “The Trump Administration will not stand by if governors are facilitating the abuse of biological women under the guise of inclusion.”
“Under my leadership, the Civil Rights Division will not allow women incarcerated in jails or prisons to be subject to unconstitutional risks of harm from male inmates,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon. “These investigations will uncover whether the dangerous national trend of housing men in women’s prisons has resulted in violations of women’s constitutional rights.”
“California’s Transgender Respect, Agency, and Dignity Act has provided none of these qualities to the female inmates of state prisons who have been forced to share space with biological men who are violent felons,” said First Assistant United States Attorney Bill Essayli of the Central District of California. “Our Constitution protects women from having their civil rights violated by harmful state legislation wrapped in the language of ‘equity’ and ‘progress.’”
“Incarcerated individuals can be particularly susceptible to having their rights violated,” said Andrew B. Benson, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maine. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to protecting the civil rights of all Maine citizens, no matter where they live, and will work with our colleagues in the Civil Rights Division to ensure that this vulnerable population is protected from harm while housed in state custody.”
In California, the Justice Department will investigate widely reported allegations of deprivation of female prisoners’ rights, including the First Amendment’s guarantees of freedom of speech and free exercise of religion, the Eighth Amendment’s protection from cruel and unusual punishment, and the Fourteenth Amendment’s Equal Protection Clause. There have been allegations of sexual assaults, rape, voyeurism and a pervasive climate of sexual intimidation due to the presence of males in the women’s prison.
Under California law, men in state prisons, including violent felons charged with sex crimes and who have intact genitals, can request transfer to women’s prisons based on self-identification as transgender.
In Maine, the Justice Department will investigate allegations that Maine has allowed a biological male inmate to remain housed with women despite complaints that the male inmate has assaulted or harassed several female inmates.
The Department has not reached any conclusions regarding allegations in these matters. The Department will investigate CIW, CCWF, and MCC Windham pursuant to its authority to enforce the Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act (CRIPA). Under CRIPA, the Department has the authority to investigate violations of prisoners’ constitutional rights that result from a “pattern or practice of resistance to the full enjoyment of such rights.” The Department has conducted CRIPA investigations of many correctional systems, and where violations have been found, the resulting settlement agreements have led to important reforms. The Department will also investigate CIW and CCWF under the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act of 2000 (RLUIPA), 42 U.S.C. § 2000cc.
Individuals with relevant information are encouraged to contact the Department via civilrights.justice.gov/report/. The Department is also collecting information on men housed in women’s jails and prisons anywhere in the country. Individuals can reach the National Initiative Examining the Housing of Biological Men in Women’s Prisons at (202) 616-5939 or [email protected]. Additional information about the Civil Rights Division of the Justice Department is available on its website at www.justice.gov/crt.
Today’s notice to California is separate and unrelated to an existing CRIPA investigation into alleged abuse of female inmates by prison staff at CCWF and CIW.
Jury convicts Houston man in relation to fatal fast-food restaurant shooting with machine gunRead the Press Release
HOUSTON - A 27-year-old local resident has been convicted of possession of a machine gun, announced Acting U.S. Attorney John G.E. Marck.
A federal jury sitting in Houston deliberated for approximately three hours before convicting Tyler John Jordan following a three-day trial.
The case involved a deadly shooting that occurred March 16, 2025, at the McDonalds located on North Fry Road in Katy.
The jury heard evidence that Jordan and others entered the restaurant intending to start a fight with another group of individuals. During the altercation, multiple bullets were fired into the crowded lobby from a Glock pistol that was equipped with a machinegun conversion device, commonly known as a switch. One of the bullets struck and killed a 61-year-old innocent bystander.
The investigation revealed a video on Jordan’s phone showing him holding the weapon approximately five hours before it was used in the shooting.
A crime scene investigator and other law enforcement officers testified about how Jordan had attempted to lie numerous times throughout the case. The jury saw evidence that Jordan was a gun fanatic and heard he had previously admitted to possessing the firearm and knowing it was a machine gun.
However, the defense attempted to convince the jury Jordan was not aware the gun was equipped with a switch and that his confession was false. The jury did not believe those claims and found him guilty as charged.
U.S. District Judge Alfred Bennett presided over trial and set sentencing for June 25. At that time, Jordan faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
He has been and will remain in custody pending that hearing.
Harris County Sheriff’s Office and FBI conducted the investigation with the assistance of Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives as well as Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anh-Khoa Tran and Charles Hagerman are prosecuting the case.
Jury Convicts Tampa Resident for Sending Instagram Death ThreatRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – A federal jury has found Elizabeth Danielle Rowe (25, Tampa), a/k/a Simon Roe, guilty of transmitting interstate a threat to injure. Rowe faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison. The sentencing hearing is scheduled for June 24, 2026. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to evidence presented at trial, on January 24, 2025, Rowe sent the following message on Instagram to New York victim A.A.: “I am coming to kill you. I will kill your pets first while you watch. Die c*nt.” The victim, who did not recognize the Rowe’s account, immediately notified her family of the threatening message and sought protective services from security personnel. Around the same time as sending the threatening message to A.A., Rowe sent several threatening messages to other Instagram users. Rowe later admitted in a separate set of messages that Rowe got “banned for dming [Zionists] telling them to kill themselves.”
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Joint Terrorism Task Force. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Risha Asokan.
Jose Ignacio De La Cruz De La Rosa, a/k/a, “Nacho,” Charged with Bringing Aliens to the United States and Producing Fraudulent Identity DocumentsRead the Press Release
Burlington, Vermont – The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that on February 19, 2026, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Jose Ignacio De La Cruz De La Rosa, also known as “Nacho,” 30, recently of Burlington, Vermont, and two other defendants whose identities remain sealed, with conspiracy to bring aliens to the United States, bringing aliens to the United States, conspiracy to produce identity documents, and producing fraudulent identity documents.
De La Cruz De La Rosa was arrested by federal agents this morning, and is scheduled to have an initial appearance and arraignment this afternoon before Chief United States District Judge Christina Reiss. The United States has filed a motion seeking De La Cruz De La Rosa’s detention pending trial.
According to court records, De La Cruz De La Rosa allegedly participated in a multi-year conspiracy to illegally bring aliens to the United States and to transport them within the United States in furtherance of their illegal entry. De La Cruz De La Rosa also allegedly participated in a multi-year conspiracy to produce identity documents. As a part of this alleged conspiracy, De La Cruz De La Rosa renewed Vermont driver’s privilege cards for aliens living outside of Vermont and took learner’s privilege tests on behalf of others. De La Cruz De La Rosa allegedly received $500 per card.
The United States Attorney’s Office emphasizes that an indictment contains allegations only and that De La Cruz De La Rosa is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. De La Cruz De La Rosa faces up to 15 years of imprisonment if convicted, and a mandatory minimum sentence of 3 years. The actual sentence, however, would be determined by the District Court with guidance from the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines and the statutory sentencing factors.
First Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan A. Ophardt commended the investigatory efforts of the United States Border Patrol and Homeland Security Investigations. “The nine-count indictment alleges that between November of 2022 and June of 2025, De La Cruz De La Rosa smuggled people across international borders and fraudulently obtained Vermont identification documents for people living outside Vermont,” stated First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ophardt. “These are serious criminal offenses. I am grateful for the careful and thorough investigation conducted by our law enforcement partners.”
The prosecutor is Assistant United States Attorney Joshua L. Banker. De La Cruz De La Rosa is represented by the Office of the Federal Public Defender.
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.
Jacksonville Man Pleads Guilty to Robbing Hotel with a FirearmRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – Denzel Demoree’a Prince (28, Jacksonville) has pleaded guilty to Hobbs Act robbery and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence in connection with a Jacksonville hotel robbery. Prince faces a minimum penalty of 7 years, up to life plus 20 years, in federal prison. His sentencing date has not yet been set. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents, on September 8, 2025, Prince approached a vending machine near the pool at a hotel in Jacksonville. He then walked to the front window that led to the front desk area to speak with an employee at the hotel to request money back from the vending machine. The employee told Prince that he would need to come back in the morning. A few minutes later, Prince knocked on the back window of the front desk area. The employee saw that Prince was wearing the same clothing that he had on moments before, but this time he had a green/camouflage style mask pulled up to his nose in an attempt to conceal his identity. He was also in possession of a firearm.
Surveillance video from inside the hotel showed Prince pointing the firearm at the employee before throwing a brick through the window. Prince then climbed through the window, walked behind the front desk counter and opened several drawers before locating the cash register. Prince pulled cash from the register before running out of the rear door.
During the investigation, officers identified Prince and obtained a search warrant for his residence. Inside Prince’s home, officers located clothing that matched the description of the robber, including white pants, white shoes, green shorts, and a camouflage bandana.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Elisibeth Adams.
Jackson Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison for Child Exploitation OffensesRead the Press Release
Jackson, TN – Peter Anthony Pappas, 41, of Jackson, has been sentenced to 30 years in federal prison for his online exploitation of several minors from January to March 2024. D. Michael Dunavant, United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, announced the sentence today.
According to information presented in court, Pappas was federally indicted for using deception to manipulate several minors into providing him with confidential information which he used for fraudulent purposes. Specifically, Pappas used the information to gain unauthorized access to online accounts belonging to the minor victims – including social media, cloud storage, and email accounts. Pappas then used the information obtained from those accounts to both exploit the victims and to target new victims. Pappas’s goal was to obtain sexually explicit images and/or videos from the victims, many of whom he knew were minor children.
Following his guilty plea to two counts of attempted production of child pornography, United States District Court Judge S. Thomas Anderson sentenced Pappas to 30 years in prison and 10 years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
U.S. Attorney Dunavant said, "Production of child pornography is a disturbing crime that endangers and harms real child victims. We will always seek significant and mandatory minimum sentences for such despicable and predatory behavior, and this successful prosecution has incapacitated a real threat to our children and our community in West Tennessee."
This case was investigated by the FBI Memphis Child Exploitation Task Force.
Assistant United States Attorney Josh Morrow prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
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For more information, please contact the Media Relations Team at [email protected]. Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.
Iowa City Man and Honduran National Sentenced to 42 years in Federal Prison for Sexual Exploitation and Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, Iowa – An Iowa City man and Honduran national was sentenced on March 26, 2026, to 42 years in federal prison for sexual exploitation of a child and possession of child pornography.
According to public court documents, Martin Edgardo Menjivar, 59, produced and possessed child sexual abuse material of children he had access to. An April 2025 forensic examination of Menjivar’s cell phones showed that he used the devices to view and possess images and videos containing child sexual abuse material. Menjivar has a pending charge for Sexual Abuse, Second Degree, in the Iowa District Court for Johnson County.
After completing his term of imprisonment, Menjivar will be required to serve a 10-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
United States Attorney David C. Waterman of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Iowa City Police Department and United States Marshals Service investigated 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 the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Iowa City Man Sentenced to 7 Years in Federal Prison for Receipt of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, Iowa – An Iowa City man was sentenced on March 25, 2026, to seven years in federal prison for receipt of child pornography.
According to public court documents, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children received a CyberTip that an account later determined to be associated with Jose Manuel Parsons, 40, received and uploaded files containing child sexual abuse material. Law enforcement examined an electronic device seized at Parsons’ arrest and social media content that showed Parsons communicated with minors, including a minor in Michigan who sent Parsons child sexual abuse material. For multiple years, Parsons worked for traveling carnival companies and had access to children.
After completing his term of imprisonment, Parsons will be required to serve a 10-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
United States Attorney David C. Waterman of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Iowa City Police Department investigated 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 the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Indian National Illegally in U.S. Pleads Guilty to Gun PossessionRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Harshpreet Singh, 25, an Indian national illegally in the U.S., entered a plea of guilty today before United States District Judge Catherine Henry to possession of a firearm by an alien illegally or unlawfully in the United States.
The defendant was charged by indictment in October of last year.
As detailed in court filings, on August 28, 2024, at approximately 1:17 a.m., Pennsylvania State Police troopers and Bethel Township Police Department officers responded to a Bethel, Pennsylvania, residence for a report of a shooting incident relating to a home invasion. At the same time, Berks County police dispatch advised officers of a call for a gunshot victim at a gas station less than half a mile away from the residence.
Officers found A.S., charged elsewhere, inside of a vehicle at the gas pumps with a gunshot wound to the torso, with the defendant and a co-defendant also in the vehicle.
After A.S. was transported to the hospital for treatment, police officers canvassed the area around the gas station and discovered two firearms in a gravel lot across the street: a Taurus 9mm semi-automatic pistol, loaded with 12 live rounds of ammunition; and a privately manufactured firearm bearing no serial number, loaded with 17 live rounds of 9mm ammunition.
Another firearm, a Glock .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol, loaded with 13 live rounds of ammunition, was located in the yard of the residence that had reported the home invasion.
Forensic testing on the three guns subsequently found a DNA profile consistent with a mixture of four contributors, with Harshpreet Singh included as a potential contributor to this mixture profile.
The defendant is scheduled to be sentenced on July 9 and faces a maximum possible term of 15 years’ imprisonment, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
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 case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Drug Enforcement Administration, Pennsylvania State Police, and the Bethel Township (Berks County) Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Rosalynda M. Michetti.
Illegal Alien from Venezuela Pleads Guilty to Unlawfully Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
Gainesville, Florida – Robinson Abrahan Esparragoza Regalado, 26, a Venezuelan national, pleaded guilty in federal court to possession of a firearm and ammunition by an alien illegally or unlawfully in the United States. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the plea.
United States Attorney Heekin said: “Operation Take Back America was launched by President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi to devote the full might of the Department of Justice toward removing dangerous criminal illegal aliens from our communities. This successful prosecution delivers on that goal, and we will continue aggressively prosecuting dangerous aliens like this defendant to ensure our citizens have the safe streets they deserve.”
Court documents reflect that on November 25, 2025, Esparragoza Regalado was in possession of a 9mm pistol equipped with a 33-round extended magazine, which was almost fully loaded with ammunition. The firearm was located during a traffic stop on Interstate 75. Esparragoza Regalado is illegally present in the United States, and was therefore prohibited from possessing any firearm or ammunition.
Esparragoza Regalado faces up to 15 years’ imprisonment, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. Esparragoza Regalado is also likely to be deported at the conclusion of serving his sentence. Sentencing is scheduled for June 16, 2026, at 9:30 a.m. in Gainesville, Florida before Chief District Court Judge Allen C. Winsor.
The case involved a joint investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Florida Highway Patrol. Assistant United States Attorney Adam Hapner is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
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.
Illegal Alien Pleads Guilty to Unlawful ReentryRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Tito Arias-Castellon, a/k/a Tito Castellon Arias, a/k/a Tito Castello Arias-Castellon, a/k/a Tito Ely Arias-Castellon, age 26, a Honduran national unlawfully present in Sequoyah County, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty to one count of Unlawful Reentry of Removed Alien, punishable by a term of imprisonment of not more than 20 years, and a fine of not more than $250,000.
The charge arose from an investigation by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement Division and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol.
The Indictment alleged that on February 18, 2026, Arias-Castellon, an alien, was found in the United States without obtaining the express consent of the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States after having been previously removed on October 15, 2018, and January 15, 2020.
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 D. Edward Snow, Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Arias-Castellon will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Erin Cornell and Kristin Knutson represented the United States.
Illegal Alien Federally Charged with Assault After Allegedly Hitting Deputy U.S. Marshal with Pickup Truck While Fleeing Traffic StopRead the Press Release
An illegal alien who allegedly hit a uniformed Deputy U.S. Marshal with his pickup truck while trying to flee the scene of a traffic stop in Dallas has been federally charged with assaulting a federal officer, announced United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould.
Senel Galiano Sagastume, 43, a citizen of Guatemala illegally residing in the United States, was charged by federal complaint on March 24, 2026. According to the complaint, officers initiated a traffic stop and had Sagastume pull to the side of the road. When Sagastume and his passengers refused to roll down the windows, officers breached the truck windows. Sagastume then allegedly put the Silverado in drive and accelerated toward a uniformed Deputy United States Marshal, wedging him between Sagastume’s truck and a law enforcement vehicle and causing bodily injury to the Marshal. Sagastume’s actions also caused visible damage to the Marshal’s uniform, as depicted in the photos contained in the complaint:
As alleged in the complaint, Sagastume fled the scene to a Richardson, Texas apartment complex and ran inside an apartment. Officers arrested him following an hours-long standoff.
If convicted, Sagastume faces a sentence of up to 20 years in federal prison for the charge of forcibly assaulting a federal officer and inflicting bodily injury. Sagastume appeared before a United States Magistrate Judge in Dallas on March 25, 2026, for an initial appearance on the charges. He remains in federal custody pending further court proceedings.The Federal Bureau of Investigation—Dallas Field Office and United States Marshal Service conducted the investigation. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas is handling the prosecution.
A complaint is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, not evidence. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Honduran National Charged with Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – UBALDO YASIR AMAYA-COLINDRES, age 27, a citizen of Honduras, was charged on March 16, 2026 by bill of information with illegal reentry of a removed alien, in violation of 8 U.S.C. ' 1326(a), announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle.
According to the bill of information, UBALDO YASIR AMAYA-COLINDRES reentered the United States sometime prior to March 1, 2026, after having been previously removed on or about June 13, 2024.
If convicted, UBALDO YASIR AMAYA-COLINDRES faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years, a fine of up to $250,000.00, up to three years supervised release after imprisonment, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
U.S. Attorney Courcelle reiterated that an indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
U.S. Attorney Courcelle praised the work of the United States Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Irene González of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
Honduran Illegal Alien Guilty of Illegal Re-Entry of Removed AlienRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – CARLOS ROBERTO GUARDADO-RAMIREZ (“GUARDADO-RAMIREZ”), age 46, a native of Honduras, pleaded guilty on March 18, 2026, to re-entry of a removed alien, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a), announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle. His sentencing is set before U.S. District Judge Greg Guidry on April 22, 2026.
According to court records, GUARDADO-RAMIREZ was found in the United States on December 3, 2025, having reentered the United States without authorization from the Attorney General of the United States after being previously deported on May 4, 2006.
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New Orleans received information that GUARDADO-RAMIREZ, had been previously removed from the United States and had returned. GUARDADO-RAMIREZ was encountered by ICE Enforcement and Removal Officers in LaPlace, Louisiana on December 3, 2025. GUARDADO-RAMIREZ was arrested by ICE Enforcement and Removal Officers in LaPlace, Louisiana for re-entering the United States after removal.
GUARDADO-RAMIREZ faces up to two years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, up to one year of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00 for re-entry of a removed alien.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
U.S. Attorney Courcelle praised the work of the United States Border Patrol in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Carter K.D. Guice, Jr. of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
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Homeland Security Task Force: Waterbury Man Charged with Drug Distribution and Firearm Possession OffensesRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that ENRIQUE DELLVALLE-PEREZ, 39, of Waterbury, has been charged by indictment with drug distribution and firearm offenses.
As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, an investigation determined that Dellvalle-Perez was distributing cocaine and crack cocaine in and around Waterbury. On September 25, 2025, a court-authorized search of Dellvalle-Perez’s residence on Bucks Hill Road in Waterbury revealed more than four kilograms of cocaine, a loaded Glock 27 semi-automatic pistol, and other items. Dellvalle-Perez was arrested on a federal criminal complaint on that date.
It is further alleged that Dellvalle-Perez’s criminal history includes state felony drug convictions.
On March 24, 2026, a grand jury in New Haven returned an indictment charging Dellvalle-Perez with possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine, an offense that carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 40 years; possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense, an offense that carries a mandatory consecutive term of imprisonment of at least five years; and unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 15 years.
U.S. Attorney Sullivan stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Dellavalle is currently released on a $150,000 bond.
This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement toward identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.
HSTF New Haven comprises agents and officers from the FBI, DEA, HSI, ATF, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, U.S. Department of Labor, and Connecticut State Police, with prosecutions led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Connecticut.
This investigation includes members of the DEA New Haven District Office (NHDO) Task Force, which is composed of participants from the DEA, 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. Attorneys Nathan J. Guevremont and Justyn P. Stokely.
Hampshire County Man Convicted of Drug and Firearms Charges Following a Three-Day TrialRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – After a three-day trial, a federal jury convicted an Augusta, West Virginia man today of trafficking methamphetamine and illegally having nine firearms, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew L. Harvey.
Charles Frederick Muffley, III, 50, was convicted of on all three counts charged in the Superseding Indictment, including conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine hydrochloride, also known as ice, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and unlawful possession of firearms. The evidence presented at trial established that Muffley played a central role in a drug trafficking operation responsible for distributing several pounds of high-purity methamphetamine throughout Hampshire County and surrounding areas. According to trial testimony, in September 2024, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service intercepted a package containing nearly a pound of methamphetamine.
That package led them to Muffley, who split drug packages and distributed methamphetamine with other co-conspirators for several months. Following the interception of the pound of methamphetamine, Muffley continued to distribute methamphetamine. Muffley’s home was later searched pursuant to a search warrant. Officers seized methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia, six digital scales, cash, ammunition, and nine firearms—including handguns, rifles, and shotguns. Muffley is prohibited from having firearms because of prior felony convictions.
“This conviction reflects the serious danger posed by drug trafficking and illegal firearms possession in our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Matthew L. Harvey. “The defendant not only distributed methamphetamine but also did so while unlawfully possessing firearms. We remain committed to working with our law enforcement partners to hold offenders accountable.”
Muffley is facing 15 years to life for the conspiracy conviction and up to 30 years in prison for the possession with intent conviction because he has a prior felony conviction for a drug trafficking offense. Muffley is facing up to 15 years for the firearms conviction. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing will be scheduled by the Court at a later date.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.
Investigative agencies include the Potomac Highlands Drug and Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative; U.S. Postal Investigations; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the Hampshire County Sheriff’s Department; and the Hampshire County Prosecutor’s Office.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime, and repel the invasion of illegal immigration.
U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided.
Hammond Man Sentenced to 192 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
HAMMOND- Jahmal Sanders, 30 years old, of Hammond, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Philip P. Simon after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and for possessing a stolen firearm, announced United States Attorney Adam L. Mildred.
Sanders was sentenced to 192 months imprisonment followed by 2 years of supervised release. The 192 months was ordered to have 144 months to be served consecutive to the state sentence he is currently serving, and 48 months to be served concurrent with his state sentence.
“This is a great example of how Project Safe Neighborhoods partners the intelligence and efforts of local law enforcement with the investigative resources of the federal government to make our community, and nation, safer. A previously convicted robber and burglar is going to prison for possessing five guns, one of which was stolen in a burglary. He is also currently serving a separate sentence for rape, and he will then be punished for these crimes. We are thankful for the fine work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation/Gang Response Investigative Team Task Force and the Hammond Police Department to put this violent criminal behind bars,” Mildred said.
According to documents in the case, on February 10, 2020, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Sanders’ residence in Hammond. Officers recovered five firearms, including a firearm that was stolen during the burglary earlier that morning. Sanders’ criminal history revealed he has prior felony convictions for robbery and burglary, and such, is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition. He is currently serving a 13-year sentence for a rape conviction out of Lake County, Indiana.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation/Gang Response Investigative Team Task Force and the Hammond Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael J. Toth.
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.
Hamilton County Man Pleads Guilty to Meth ChargesRead the Press Release
Anthony Neuroth, 49, from Kamrar, Iowa, pled guilty March 25, 2026, in federal court in Sioux City. Neuroth was convicted of one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and one count of distributing methamphetamine.
Neuroth was previously convicted of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and distribution and aiding and abetting another in the distribution of methamphetamine, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Iowa, in September 2007.
At the plea hearing, Neuroth admitted that between about November 2022 through about February 2024 he and others conspired to distribute more than 150 grams of methamphetamine. On four occasions in 2022 and 2023 Neuroth distributed ½ ounce quantities of methamphetamine to an individual cooperating with law enforcement.
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Neuroth remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Neuroth faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $8,000,000 fine, and at least eight years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Iowa DCI Laboratory, Iowa State Patrol, Webster County Sheriff’s Office, and Webster City Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-3035. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Guatemalan Man to Federal Prison for Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
A man who illegally reentered the United States after being deported as a felon was sentenced today to four years in federal prison.
David Pineda-Medrano, age 39, from Guatemala but had been residing in Rolfe, Iowa, received the prison term after an October 29, 2025, guilty plea to one count of being a felony found after illegal reentry.
At the plea and sentencing hearings, Pineda-Medrano admitted he had illegally reentered the United States after a June 2022 removal. Prior to his removal in 2022, he was convicted of Attempted First Degree Sexual Abuse and Sexual Abuse of a Child or Minor in the District of Columbia and served more than four years in prison. At some point after his removal, defendant illegally reentered the United States. He was found in Rolfe after he was arrested and convicted of Assault Causing Bodily Injury or Mental Illness when he used an 18-inch machete to strike another in the head with the flat side of the blade, which caused injury, and then placed the blade against the victim’s throat and threated to kill him.
Pineda-Medrano was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Pineda-Medrano was sentenced to 48 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. He is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
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 case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick T. Greenwood and investigated by Enforcement and Removal Office of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Bureau.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-CR-03041.
Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Georgetown Woman Sentenced for Fentanyl Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
FRANKFORT, Ky. – A Georgetown, Ky., woman, Mabel Francis Soto, 70, was sentenced on Tuesday to 60 months by U.S. District Judge Gregory Van Tatenhove for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.
According to her plea agreement, Soto conspired with her co-defendant, Taylor Burden, to sell drugs out of Soto’s residence in Georgetown, Kentucky. On October 19, 2022, after while surveilling Soto’s residence, a search warrant was obtained for Soto’s residence.
A search of Soto’s residence recovered more than 100 grams of fentanyl pills, crushed fentanyl pills, and a distribution quantity of methamphetamine. Law enforcement also found a handgun and approximately $251,100 in drug proceeds.
Burden was previously sentenced in January 2026 to 60 months in prison for his role in the fentanyl trafficking conspiracy.
Under federal law, Soto must serve 85 percent of her prison sentence. Upon her release from prison, she will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for 4years.
Jason Parman, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Olivia Olson, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office; and Chief Darin Allgood, Georgetown Police Department, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI and Georgetown Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cynthia Rieker is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
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Four Illegal Aliens Charged with Federal Immigration CrimesRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Alabama – A federal grand jury in Birmingham has charged four illegal aliens with immigration crimes, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Catherine L. Crosby.
Geremias Ponce, 22, a citizen of Honduras, was charged with illegally reentering the United States after having been previously deported, possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, and being an alien in possession of a firearm.
Carlos Crisostomo Garcia, 48, a citizen of Mexico, was charged with illegally reentering the United States after having been previously deported and being an alien in possession of a firearm.
Jose Yosho Ibarra-Daniel, 40, a citizen of Mexico, was charged with being an alien in possession of a firearm.
Aldo Osiel De Blas-Salazar, 23, a citizen of Mexico, was charged with illegally reentering the United States after having previously been deported.
These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
An indictment contains only charges. A defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
Fort Dodge Man Sentenced to 25 Years in Federal Prison for Sexual Exploitation of a Minor and Distributing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Pry’Shayn Mosley, 21, from Fort Dodge, Iowa, was sentenced March 23, 2026, to 25 years’ imprisonment, in federal court in Sioux City, Iowa. Mosley pled guilty November 12, 2025, to one count of sexual exploitation of a minor and one count of distribution of child pornography.
At the plea hearing, Mosley admitted that between May 2022 and October 2022 he enticed two minors under the age of 18 to engage in sexually explicit conduct in order to produce visual depictions of such conduct. Mosley further admitted to possessing and distributing this child pornography to other persons, including children. During the investigation, a search warrant was executed at Mosley’s residence. Law enforcement seized several electronic devices along with marijuana, drug distribution paraphernalia, cash, and two loaded firearms. Also, during the search, Mosley convinced a juvenile at the residence to retrieve a package of drugs from another room and attempt to discard the drugs - cocaine, methamphetamine and fentanyl – so the police would not find them. Officers observed the juvenile and stopped him before he could destroy the evidence. The child pornography created and distributed to children by Mosely involved material that portrayed sadistic or masochistic conduct.
United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand sentenced Mosley to 300 months’ imprisonment and 5-years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Mosley must also pay $700 in fines and assessments. Mosley remains in custody of the United States Marshal until he can be transported to a federal prison.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
The case was investigated by the Fort Dodge Police Department and Webster County Sheriff’s Office and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kraig R. Hamit.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-3002. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Florida Man Admits Running Nationwide Bank Impersonation SchemeRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO –Albert Guerra of Florida pleaded guilty in federal court today to bank fraud and money laundering charges, admitting he traveled across the country impersonating bank employees to defraud victims—many of them elderly.
According to his plea agreement, Guerra and his criminal associates obtained bank customer information, called victims and falsely claimed to be investigating fraud at the victims’ banks. He convinced victims to withdraw cash and deliver it to purported bank employees—which were just rideshare service drivers that Guerra sent to retrieve cash from victims and to deliver back to him. Guerra frequently told the drivers they were picking up documents from “my grandma” and “my grandpa.”
The plea agreement details how after flying from Houston to San Diego on October 26, 2025, Guerra defrauded at least three victims in the greater San Diego area, collecting $13,000 from one victim, $37,000 from another, and $86,300 from yet another. Just days later, Guerra made a $24,000 cash payment for a Tesla Model 3 in Las Vegas. And in January 2026, Guerra travelled to Portland, Oregon, where he defrauded at least one victim out of $40,000.
Guerra is scheduled to be sentenced before U.S. District Judge Janis L. Sammartino on June 18, 2026, at 9 a.m.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric R. Olah.
If you or someone you know is aged 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is available through the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833 FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). You can also report fraud to any local law enforcement agency or on the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov.
DEFENDANT Case Number 26cr607-JLS
Albert Guerra Age: 26 Miramar, FL
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Bank Fraud – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1344(2)
Maximum penalty: Thirty years in prison and $1 million fine
Money Laundering – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1957
Maximum penalty: Ten years in prison and $250,000 fine
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
San Diego Elder Justice Task Force
Federal Bureau of Investigation
San Diego Police Department
Portland Police Bureau (Oregon)
Fentanyl Traffickers Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
POCATELLO – U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis announced today that Marcos Gallegos, 43, of Pueblo, Colorado, and Morgan Galloway, 25, of Pocatello, Idaho, were sentenced to federal prison for possessing fentanyl with the intent to distribute it. U.S. District Judge David C. Nye sentenced Gallegos to 188 months in federal prison and Galloway to 60 months in federal prison.
According to court records, on August 22, 2024, probation and parole officers with the Idaho Department of Correction searched an apartment where Gallegos and Galloway were living in Pocatello after receiving a tip from the Pocatello Police Department that both Gallegos and Galloway were selling drugs. During the search, law enforcement found and seized 122.78 grams of fentanyl along with a firearm. The Pocatello Police Department obtained a warrant to search a storage unit rented by Gallegos and Galloway where they found and seized $28,000 in drug proceeds.
Judge Nye ordered Gallegos’ 188-month prison sentence to be served consecutively to the sentences that he is currently, which are two seven-year sentences for two Bannock County drug-related cases. Judge Nye also ordered Gallegos to complete five years of supervised release following his prison sentence.
Judge Nye ordered Galloway to complete four years of supervise release following her 60-month prison sentence.
Both Gallegos and Galloway pleaded guilty to the charge on December 11, 2025.
U.S. Attorney Davis commended the work of the Idaho Department of Corrections Probation and Parole, Pocatello Police Department, and Federal Bureau of Investigation which led to the charges. Assistant U.S. Attorney Blythe McLane prosecuted the case.
The Pocatello Police Department is part of the BADGES HIDTA Task Force. HIDTA is an Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) sponsored counterdrug grant program that coordinates with and provides funding resources to multi-agency drug enforcement initiatives. The BADGES HIDTA Task Force is made up of federal, state, and local police agencies including the Bannock County Sheriff’s Office, Pocatello Police Department, Chubbuck Police Department, and the Idaho State Police.
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Federal Jury Finds Mother and Daughter Guilty of Medicare Fraud Scheme and Payment of Illegal KickbacksRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – A federal jury today convicted a mother and daughter from Melbourne, Florida, of multiple counts of health care fraud, payment of illegal kickbacks, and conspiracy to commit those offenses.
The mother, Cindy Justice, was the owner and president of PureScience Rx, a pharmacy located in Poway. The daughter, Ashleigh Davis, was the operations manager at PureScience Rx and was a licensed pharmacy technician.
Following an 11-day trial, a jury convicted the defendants of orchestrating a Medicare fraud scheme involving illegal kickbacks and medically unnecessary prescription drugs, largely tied to purported “footbath” treatments. Evidence showed the defendants paid marketers illegal commissions based on Medicare reimbursements in exchange for prescriptions generated through telehealth encounters that never involved legitimate medical examinations. The kickbacks were concealed through sham contracts and fabricated invoices falsely portraying the payments as hourly compensation.
Trial evidence further established that telemarketing call centers targeted Medicare beneficiaries and secured agreement to receive expensive medications regardless of medical need. Many prescriptions were fraudulently issued using the stolen identities of nurse practitioners. The defendants then billed Medicare as though the prescriptions were medically necessary and based on proper evaluations. Expert testimony confirmed, however, the drugs—particularly those ordered to be used in footbaths—were not FDA-approved or supported by recognized medical compendia for such use. Medicare ultimately paid more than $4.9 million on the fraudulent claims.
“Medicare exists to care for patients—not to bankroll sham prescriptions and kickback schemes disguised as medical treatment,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon.
“The FBI prioritizes Medicare fraud and meticulously investigates anyone trying to scam the United States Government and its taxpayers,” said TJ Holland, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI San Diego Field Office. “Today’s conviction is a testament to the dedication and professionalism of FBI San Diego’s healthcare fraud team and our law enforcement partners at HHS-OIG to holding fraudsters accountable.”
The defendants are scheduled to be sentenced on July 29, 2026.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Blanca Quintero and George Manahan of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Southern District of California. Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Valerie Chu contributed significantly to the case.
DEFENDANT Case Number 24cr01229-LL
Cindy Justice Age: 70 Melbourne, Florida
Ashleigh Davis Age: 41 Melbourne, Florida
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Conspiracy to Commit Health Care Fraud and Pay Unlawful Remuneration—Title 18, U.S.C. Section 371
Maximum penalty: Ten years in prison and $250,000 fine
Health Care Fraud—Title 18, U.S.C. Section 1347
Maximum penalty: Five years in prison and $250,000 fine (Conspiracy to Commit Health Care
Payment of Unlawful Remuneration – Title 42, U.S.C. Section 1320-7d
Maximum penalty: Four years in prison and $250,000 fine (Payment of Unlawful Remuneration)
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Federal Bureau of Investigation
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG)
Federal Jury Convicts Suburban Chicago Man of Threatening to Kill Federal and State Public OfficialsRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A federal jury today convicted a suburban Chicago man of making a true threat to kill multiple public officials, including President Donald J. Trump, the 47th and 45th President of the United States.
TRENT SCHNEIDER, 58, of Winthrop Harbor, Ill., was found guilty of making a true threat in interstate commerce to injure a person. The jury returned its verdict after a three-day trial in U.S. District Court in Chicago. The conviction is punishable by a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
On Oct. 21, 2025, Schneider posted a video of himself on Instagram in which he stated, “People like me have suffered real [expletive] crimes from [expletive] judges, doctors, lawyers, police. They all should be killed. All of them should be executed for what they’ve done . . . I’m going to get some guns. I know where I can get a lot of [expletive] guns and I am going to take care of business myself. I’m tired of all you [expletive] frauds. People need to [expletive] die and people are going to die. [Expletive] all of you, especially you Trump. You should be executed.” The video also included a caption that stated, in part: “THIS IS NOT A THREAT!!! AFTER LOSING EVERYTHING and My House Auction date is 11.04.2025 @realDonaldTrump SHOULD BE EXECUTED!!!”
On the same date, Schneider appeared at the Lake County, Ill. courthouse and told the judge presiding over Schneider’s pending foreclosure case that he would burn the courthouse down.
The conviction was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Dai Tran, Special Agent-in-Charge of the U.S. Secret Service Chicago Field Office. Valuable assistance was provided by the Lake County, Ill. Sheriff’s Office and the Winthrop Harbor, Ill. Police Department. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Hanna Helwig and Paige Nutini.
“Let this conviction send a clear message that it is never acceptable to threaten a political figure or a member of the judiciary,” said U.S. Attorney Boutros. “Political violence is not only intolerable, but it is a serious crime. Working closely with our law enforcement partners, the Chicago U.S. Attorney’s Office will find, arrest, and prosecute to the fullest extent of the law those responsible for criminally threatening the safety of our elected officials and judges.”
“Threats of political violence are not a joke,” said SAIC Tran. “They are a federal crime. The U.S. Secret Service vigorously pursues all threats to harm the President of the United States. I am proud of our agents’ work in this case and thank our partners at the Lake County Sheriff’s Office and the Winthrop Harbor Police Department for their assistance in bringing this defendant to justice. I also want to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Northern District of Illinois for prosecuting this case to its conclusion.”
Federal Immigration Officer Pleads Guilty to Bribery ConspiracyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, announced that HENRY YAU, a former supervisory deportation officer in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (“ICE”), pled guilty today before U.S. District Judge Colleen McMahon to conspiring to solicit and accept bribes and gratuities. In exchange for bribes and gratuities, YAU abused his influence and status as a supervisory deportation officer to disclose confidential law enforcement information to unauthorized recipients, tip off an individual about an ongoing investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), and arrest a particular individual (“Individual-1”) that members of a bank fraud conspiracy were seeking to silence and intimidate.
“U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Officers are entrusted with enforcing our country’s immigration laws to preserve national security and public safety,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “They deserve our respect when they carry out their duties with integrity and professionalism. Henry Yau failed his fellow officers and the people of New York when he breached their trust in exchange for bribes and gratuities. He does not deserve our respect. He deserves a conviction.”
According to the allegations contained in the Information, court records, and statements made in court:
YAU was a Supervisory Deportation Officer with ICE, which is a law enforcement agency within the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (“DHS”). ICE’s stated mission includes protecting the U.S. through criminal investigations and enforcing immigration laws to preserve national security and public safety. Between in or about 2015 and in or about November 2024, YAU was employed as a Deportation Officer with ICE. In or around September 2021, YAU was promoted to Supervisory Deportation Officer. YAU was assigned to the ICE New York Field Office, located in Manhattan. As an ICE Deportation Officer, YAU was given access to several password-protected law enforcement databases operated by DHS and other law enforcement agencies, including U.S. Customs and Immigration Service (“USCIS”) databases containing the status of immigration-related applications filed by aliens, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (“CBP”) databases containing information about border crossings, criminal history databases containing people’s arrest and conviction records, and ICE databases containing records relating to arrests and removals of aliens from the U.S.
From at least in or about 2015 through at least in or about 2024, YAU participated with others in a scheme to obtain bribes and gratuities in exchange for disseminating confidential law enforcement and immigration information, processing the entry of foreign nationals and other individuals into the United States, and arresting Individual-1 at the request of members of a bank fraud conspiracy. The confidential information that YAU disclosed to others included confidential law information regarding the status of a pending federal investigation into a particular individual by the FBI, as well as information about the immigration status of foreign nationals and border crossing histories. The bribes and gratuities that YAU solicited and accepted included, among other things, cash payments, dinners at expensive restaurants, and top-shelf bottles of alcohol.
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YAU, 43, of New York, New York, pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to accept bribes and gratuities, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.
The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge.
Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI. Mr. Clayton also thanked CBP’s Office of Professional Responsibility, the DHS Office of Inspector General, and the New York City Department of Investigation for their assistance with the investigation.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Public Corruption Unit and Violent Organizations & Crime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew K. Chan, James Ligtenberg, and Ni Qian are in charge of the prosecution.
Exeter Man Sentenced to 58 Months in Prison for Bank Fraud and Ammunition OffensesRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – An Exeter man was sentenced today in federal court in Rhode Island for his role in a bank fraud scheme and being a felon in possession of ammunition, announced United States Attorney Charles C. Calenda.
Edmilson Rodrigues, 27, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Melissa R. DuBose to 46 months in prison for conspiracy to commit bank fraud and being a felon in possession of ammunition, and an additional 12 months to be served consecutively for violations of supervised release, for a total of 58 months’ imprisonment. Rodrigues previously pleaded guilty to the charges on December 19, 2025.
“Rodrigues’ decision to engage in yet another check fraud scheme while on supervised released reflects a blatant disregard for the law and for the victims he chose to exploit,” said United States Attorney Charles C. Calenda. “This office will not hesitate to hold accountable those who repeatedly prey on others for personal gain and we will continue to work alongside our law enforcement partners to protect the public.”
According to court documents, Rodrigues participated in a multi-year scheme involving stealing mail and generating counterfeit checks. Initially participating in depositing fraudulent checks and withdrawing funds, he later recruited others to do the same, exposing them to potential criminal liability and causing financial harm.
Court documents also reflect Rodrigues engaged in related conduct connected to the broader scheme, including travelling outside the area and using false identifying information. His actions were part of an ongoing pattern of fraudulent activity that extended beyond a single transaction.
“Rodrigues was still on supervised release for check fraud when he chose to return to his criminal ways and launch yet another check fraud conspiracy. He not only stole checks from the mail but also recruited others to join in his scheme to steal the hard-earned money of innocent people to enrich himself. This repeated disregard for the law has earned him several more years in federal prison,” said Homeland Security Investigations New England Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Krol. “Fraud and financial crime are a top priority for HSI and we’re working alongside our law enforcement partners to help Rhode Islanders keep their money safe.”
Rodrigues has prior federal convictions for similar fraud-related conduct.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Christine Lowell and Denise Barton.
The matter was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), with assistance of the Providence and Newport Police Departments.
Elk Grove Man Sentenced to 9 Years in Prison for Trafficking Heroin and FentanylRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Delanious Ward, 57, of Elk Grove, was sentenced today to nine years in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
According to court documents, Ward is among seven defendants arrested in 2024 and charged with trafficking narcotics as part of a multi-agency operation targeting cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl traffickers Ward was a manager or supervisor of a vast drug network that stretched to New Orleans, Louisiana. During 60 days of wiretaps, Ward was intercepted trafficking fentanyl, cocaine, and heroin, and was found in possession of cocaine and fentanyl upon his arrest. Ward pleaded guilty on Dec. 19, 2024.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the U.S. Forest Service, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, the California Department of Justice, the California Highway Patrol, the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office, and the Sacramento Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron L. Desmond is prosecuting the case.
Below is the status of Ward’s co-defendants:
On Jan. 16, 2025, Albert Gurley, 51, of Sacramento, was sentenced to seven years in prison for possession with intent to distribute heroin,.
On March 27, 2025, Manuel Greenhalgh, 33, of Sacramento, was sentenced to three years and 10 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute heroin.
On May 15, 2025, Kevin Yancy, 57, of New Orleans, Louisiana, was sentenced to two years and 11 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin.
On Sept. 19, 2024, Agustin Gonzalez, 63, of Manteca, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl. He is scheduled to be sentenced on May 14, 2026.
On Oct. 31, 2024, Craig Hunter, 51, of Sacramento, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine. He is scheduled to be sentenced on May 7, 2026.
On Oct. 31, 2024, David Byrd, 53, of Sacramento, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. He is scheduled to be sentenced on June 4, 2026.
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.
El Salvador Resident is Found Guilty for 1997 Double MurderRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Oscar Diaz Romero, aka Oscar Alonzo Salguero, 47, of El Salvador, was found guilty yesterday in D.C. Superior Court, for charges related to the shooting deaths of 21-year-old Jose Roberto Molina and 22-year-old Jose Noel Coreas on August 9, 1997, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine F. Pirro.
Diaz Romero was found guilty of two counts of second-degree murder on March 25, 2026. Superior Court Judge Todd Edelman scheduled sentencing for June 5, 2026.
“This verdict reflects the unwavering commitment of our justice system to pursue accountability, regardless of how much time has passed, as this criminal killed two men and fled to El Salvador,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “It should serve as a reminder that even when delayed, justice is never forgotten—and never denied.”
According to the government’s evidence, in the early morning hours, on August 9, 1997, Diaz Romero and several friends were hanging out on the 2nd floor of the then-Las Rocas restaurant in the 2400 block of 18th Street, NW. A little before 2 a.m., a group of young men came in, and a fist fight started. Soon after, Diaz Romero pulled out a revolver and fired several times. One round hit and killed Jose Molina, a 22-year-old father of two. Another round hit and killed Jose Coreas, who was out celebrating his 22nd birthday. The defendant fled the scene and the country.
Diaz Romero was arrested in El Salvador in 2024 and extradited to the United States in January 2025. He has been in custody since.
Joining the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department. The Justice Department's Office of International Affairs worked with the Government of El Salvador to secure the arrest and extradition of Diaz Romero.
It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Dennis Clark and Richard Carlton.
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Dodson man sentenced to over 5 years in prison for various assaults on Fort Belknap Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS – A Dodson man who violently assaulted several victims on the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation was sentenced today to 64 months in prison to be followed by 3 years of supervised release, Acting U.S. Attorney Tim Racicot said.
James “Jimmy” Has The Eagle, Jr., 41, pleaded guilty in December 2025 to one count of aggravated burglary, one count of assault with a dangerous weapon, and one count of domestic assault by a habitual offender.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.
The government alleged in court documents that on July 17, 2024, Jane Doe 1 and Has The Eagle caught a ride to a residence in Lodgepole. Has The Eagle started getting angry at Jane Doe 1 and started beating on her in the vehicle. When they got close to the house, he pushed Jane Doe 1 out of the moving truck and into the street.
Jane Doe 1 ran away to hide around the corner of the house, but Has The Eagle found her. He punched her several times, pushed her down on the ground, and then kicked her in the face with his black fire boots. She lost consciousness after the first kick. When she later regained consciousness, she went into the house and locked the door. Has The Eagle tried to get inside a few minutes later, eventually kicking the door in. Jane Doe 1 tried to hide, but he found her in the bathroom closet. As he was screaming that he would kill her, Has The Eagle wrapped a yellow extension cord around Jane Doe 1’s neck and was strangling her. He was screaming with the cord wrapped around both of their necks, yelling that he was going to kill both himself and her.
Medical records identify that Jane Doe 1 had bruising to her bilateral temples and forehead, with significant swelling to the left cheek and bruising under her left eye with diffuse tenderness to palpation of her face. The records note there were numerous bruises to Jane Doe 1’s extremities, as well as ligature marks to her anterior neck and bruising on the posterior neck to the left of midline.
About a week before the assault of Jane Doe 1, Has The Eagle violently assaulted Jane Doe 2, and their child, Jane Doe 3, in a vehicle on their way to Hays on July 11, 2024. During the drive, he demanded to stop at a house of a known drug user. Jane Doe 2 said no, angering Has The Eagle. Jane Doe 3 began to argue with him and threw a can at him. He flew into a rage and he forcibly grabbed Jane Doe 3, pulling her into the seat with him where he began punching her in the face with his fist.
Jane Doe 2 pulled the vehicle over and Has The Eagle dragged Jane Doe 3 across the pavement. Jane Doe 2 went to help Jane Doe 3, but when she opened the door, he hit her in the eye, face, head, and shoulder/upper arm with tire chains. Jane Doe 2 stated it “knocked [her] for a loop” and she felt dizzy. She expressed still feeling the effects of the assault in September, nearly two months later. Jane Doe 3 suffered black eyes and scraping on her arms from when she was dragged out of the vehicle.
Prior to the assaults of Jane Does 1, 2 and 3, Has The Eagle had been convicted of at least four domestic assaults. Specifically, he was convicted in 2007 of a misdemeanor Partner Family Member Assault (PFMA) before the Havre City Court, and a second misdemeanor PFMA before the Hill County Justice Court. He was also convicted of Abuse of a Family Member before the Fort Belknap Tribal Court in 2021, as well as Elder Abuse and Assault in 2021 before the Fort Belknap Tribal Court.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda Myers prosecuted the case. The FBI and Fort Belknap Law Enforcement Services conducted the investigation.
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D.C. Trio Pleads to Armed Robbery Conspiracy Spanning Six Weeks, 13 Incidents, and Two JurisdictionsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON -- Three District of Columbia men pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to their roles in an armed robbery conspiracy that involved carjacking victims at gunpoint and targeting fast-food workers, convenience store employees, FedEx drivers, and a GameStop in the District and Maryland over a six-week period in early 2024, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Kanard Bishop, 28, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to interfere with interstate commerce by robbery in violation of the Hobbs Act, and to using and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. Edward Leroy Brown, 26, aka “Shiesty,” and Khalil Boyd, 20, pleaded guilty to the same charges. All three defendants face a mandatory minimum sentence of seven years in prison on the firearm count alone, which must run consecutive to any other term of imprisonment. Judge Rudolph Contreras scheduled sentencings for August 5, 2026.
“These defendants chose to carry out a campaign of armed robbery and carjackings across multiple communities,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “Their calculated pattern of violence put innocent people in harm’s way – this behavior will not be tolerated. Today’s guilty pleas send a clear message: those who terrorize our communities will be brought to justice.”
According to court documents, beginning on Feb. 14, 2024, and continuing through March 28, 2024, Bishop, Brown, and Boyd, agreed to rob retail stores and carjack victims at gunpoint across the District of Columbia and Maryland. Over the course of the conspiracy members of the group carried out or attempted at least 13 separate robberies and carjackings.
The conspiracy began on Feb. 14, 2024, when Bishop and Brown entered the Big Ben Market in Capitol Heights, Maryland, pointed firearms at an employee, and demanded cash. When they could not access the register, they fled and drove to a nearby McDonald’s, where they opened the drive-through window from the outside and pointed a firearm at an employee before fleeing again. On March 17, 2024, Bishop and another conspirator carjacked two victims at gunpoint in the 4400 block of Southern Avenue SE. The two stole the victim’s 2008 Mercedes Benz, and also robbed both victims of their cell phones, wallet, ID, credit card and $2,000 in cash.
The pace of the conspiracy accelerated dramatically on March 20, 2024. In the early morning hours, Bishop and Boyd carjacked a victim at gunpoint in the area of 2000 35th Street NE, stealing his 2018 Dodge Durango. The group then used the stolen Durango to attempt a third McDonald’s drive-through robbery, rob a Denny’s restaurant on Benning Road NE where Bishop ripped a cash register off the counter, rob a 7-Eleven in Landover, Maryland, where Bishop jumped the counter to grab the register, and rob a convenience store in District Heights where they forced an employee inside at gunpoint and stole about $200 and tobacco products.
On March 27, 2024, Bishop and Boyd carjacked another motorist at a gas station in District Heights, Maryland, knocking him to the ground during a struggle before fleeing in his 2022 Dodge Challenger. Later that day, Bishop and Boyd approached two FedEx employees, who were working in a FedEx truck at the intersection of Burns Street and G Street SE. Wearing masks and pointing firearms at both workers, they took wallets, cellphones, and four packages from inside the truck.
The conspiracy ended on March 28, 2024, at a GameStop in District Heights. Bishop and Brown entered the store, struck an employee, and demanded that workers open the cash registers and the safe. When police arrived, both fled on foot with firearms. A detective shot Brown in the lower body as he fled and took him into custody. Police recovered a loaded ghost gun from Brown -- a privately manufactured firearm with no serial number, untraceable by law enforcement. Bishop threw his loaded firearm to the ground as he fled and was also apprehended.
Boyd, who had remained in the stolen Challenger outside the GameStop, fled the scene after police arrived. He carjacked another driver at gunpoint, stealing a Nissan Rogue. While attempting to escape, Boyd crashed into two police cruisers -- one marked and one unmarked -- before abandoning the vehicle and fleeing on foot. Officers apprehended him. Police recovered a loaded Glock 23C .40 caliber handgun from the vehicle.
This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office Violent Crime Task Force and the Metropolitan Police Department’s Carjacking Task Force, with valuable assistance from the Prince George’s County Police Department.
It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Blake J. Ellison. Former Assistant U.S. Attorneys Melissa Jackson, Alex Schneider, and AUSA Omeed Assefi investigated the case. Valuable assistance was provided by Assistant U.S. Attorney John Parrone who is now with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
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Coralville Man Sentenced to 13 Years in Federal Prison after Jury Found Him Guilty of Possessing a Firearm as a Felon and Trafficking MarijuanaRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, Iowa – A Coralville man was sentenced on March 25, 2026, to 13 years in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a felon and possession with intent to distribute marijuana.
According to public court documents and evidence presented at trial and sentencing, in February 2025, Ricardo Wiley Steward, 46, a felon, illegally possessed a loaded, stolen pistol, at a residence in Coralville. Additionally, Steward sold marijuana from 2024 to 2025 in the Iowa City area. As a felon, Steward was prohibited from possessing a firearm. Furthermore, Steward has numerous convictions related to violence, including assaults.
On October 28, 2025, following a two-day trial, a jury found Steward guilty of felon in possession of a firearm and possession with the intent to distribute marijuana. The jury did not find Steward guilty of possessing the firearm in furtherance of his drug trafficking activities.
After completing his term of imprisonment, Steward will be required to serve a four-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
United States Attorney David C. Waterman of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Iowa City Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives investigated the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
Convicted Felons with Firearms Sentenced in Operation Take Back America CasesRead the Press Release
ALBANY, Ga. – Two South Georgia men with prior criminal convictions who were both on state parole at the time of their federal offenses have been sentenced to prison for illegally possessing firearms in separate Operation Take Back America cases.
Jacques Lamar Hill aka “Jac DaDon,” 27, of Thomasville, was sentenced to serve 108 months in prison to be served concurrently to any state prison sentence in Lowndes County, Georgia, Superior Court Case No. 2021CR962A to be followed by three years of supervised release in Case No. 7:24-CR-23-001 on March 25. Hill pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon on April 30, 2025.
Porterfield Stokes, 69, of Valdosta, was sentenced to serve 180 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release in Case No. 7:24-CR-31-001 on March 25. Stokes pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon on May 1, 2025.
Senior U.S. District Judge W. Louis Sands presided over the cases. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Repeat criminal offenders caught illegally possessing firearms in the Middle District of Georgia will find their cases in federal court, where there is no parole,” said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes. “Our office will continue to strongly enforce this federal law, as we work alongside our law enforcement partners at every level to protect communities.”
“Both Jacques Lamar Hill and Porterfield Stokes are repeat offenders who continue to pose a significant threat to our communities by illegally possessing firearms despite their prior criminal convictions,” said Peter Ellis, Acting Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “The FBI is committed to working alongside our local law enforcement partners to hold individuals accountable and ensure that those who violate federal firearm laws face the full weight of the law.”
“These arrests and sentences demonstrate the strength of our partnership with our federal counterparts and our shared commitment to holding repeat offenders accountable,” said Valdosta Police Chief Leslie Manahan. “Individuals who choose to illegally possess firearms pose a dangerous threat to our community. We will continue to work together to ensure they are removed from our streets and held accountable for their disregard of the law.”
According to court documents and statements referenced in court in the Hill case, FBI agents and Valdosta Police Department officers were investigating armed drug trafficking by Hill out of his Williams Street apartment in Valdosta in 2020. Hill, who was on state parole at the time and is a confirmed member of a criminal street gang, sold marijuana and alprazolam two times to a confidential informant during controlled purchases. Under surveillance, agents observed frequent drug activity from Hill’s apartment. Agents executed a search warrant on April 9, 2020, and found a stolen semi-automatic pistol with a 16-round capacity magazine, a Beretta pistol with a magazine and an AR-style rifle with a large magazine. In addition, officers found ammunition and a large amount of marijuana along with individual bags of marijuana, alprazolam pills, digital scales and cash. As part of the investigation, officers reviewed Hill’s public Facebook account, which displayed photos of Hill holding large quantities of cash and firearms. One photo posted to Hill’s account on March 12, 2020, showed him standing by a white vehicle holding the AR-style rifle, which appeared to be the exact one seized by officers at his apartment on April 9, 2020. Hill is being held accountable for possessing the AR-style rifle and the Beretta pistol. At the time, Hill was wanted on an outstanding warrant in Thomas County, Georgia. Hill has a lengthy criminal record to date, including several felony drug distribution convictions and a violation of the Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act in Thomas County.
According to court documents and statements referenced in court in the Stokes case, the Valdosta Police Department received a tip in November 2023 that Stokes, a convicted felon on parole, had firearms and drugs at his home on North Troup Street. On Nov. 8, 2023, police and his parole officer went to Stokes’ residence. Stokes let them inside and admitted to having two firearms and showed officers where he was keeping the pistols in his bedroom. Stokes has a lengthy criminal record in the community spanning nearly five decades, with convictions for felony drug distribution, aggravated assault and illegally possessing firearms. He was on parole for a 2018 state conviction for possession with intent to distribute marijuana at the time of this federal offense.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The Hill case was investigated by the FBI and the Valdosta Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sonja Profit prosecuted the case for the Government.
The Stokes case was investigated by the FBI and the Valdosta Police Department with assistance from the Georgia Department of Community Supervision. Assistant U.S. Attorney Monica Daniels prosecuted the case for the Government.
Convicted Felon Sentenced to over 14 Years in Federal Prison for Possessing Firearm Used in a Brundidge, Alabama ShootingRead the Press Release
Today, Acting United States Attorney Kevin Davidson announced the sentencing of a Montgomery, Alabama man for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
On March 24, 2026, a federal judge sentenced 43-year-old Brian Oneal Guice to 174 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court records, on April 7, 2024, law enforcement officers responded to reports of shots fired at a convenience store in Brundidge, Alabama. Upon arrival, officers learned that the individuals involved had fled the scene. One bystander sustained a non-life-threatening gunshot wound and received medical treatment. Investigators quickly identified Guice as a person of interest in the shooting.
On May 1, 2024, members of the U.S. Marshals Service Gulf Coast Regional Fugitive Task Force located and arrested Guice at an apartment in Troy, Alabama. At the time of his arrest, Guice was found in possession of a handgun. Due to his prior felony convictions, Guice is prohibited under federal law from possessing a firearm or ammunition.
A forensic examination of the recovered firearm linked it to shell casings collected from the April 7th shooting. In imposing the sentence, the court considered the firearm’s connection to the shooting, Guice’s criminal history, and other relevant factors.
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 Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Brundidge Police Department, and the Troy Police Department investigated this case, with assistance from the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences. Assistant United States Attorney Christine Levi prosecuted the case.
Columbiana County Man Sentenced to More than 12 Years in Prison after Pleading Guilty to Child Sexual Abuse Content ChargesRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – A 44-year-old Columbiana County man has been sentenced to prison for using a social media platform to receive and distribute images and videos of children being sexually abused.
Myrl M. Reynolds Jr., of Wellsville, Ohio, has been sentenced to 151 months (12 years and six months) in prison by U.S. District Judge Patricia A. Gaughan, after pleading guilty in December 2025 to Receipt and Distribution of Visual Depictions of Minors Engaged in Sexually Explicit Conduct, and to Possession of Child Pornography, also known as Child Sexual Abuse Materials (CSAM). He was also ordered to serve 10 years of supervised release after imprisonment and pay $13,000 in restitution.
According to court documents, investigators found that Reynolds used a social media platform to connect with others to trade CSAM and have discussions about sexual abuse of children. However, some of those he connected with were, in fact, undercover federal agents. In one instance, Reynolds bragged to an undercover agent that he sexually abused a 10-year-old minor and that he was interested in “younger/incest” pornography. Separate from those interactions, the social media platform received cyber tip reports after nearly 70 CSAM files were flagged for being trafficked by Reynolds.
Reynolds’ electronic devices were seized during a search warrant execution, and he was found to possess nearly 500 CSAM images and videos. His files included the sexual abuse of infants and the torture and rape of prepubescent children. Investigators also found evidence that he specifically sought out children through the social media platform to discuss his sexual fantasies.
The investigation leading to the indictment was led by the FBI Youngstown Resident Agency.
Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer J. King for the Northern District Ohio 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. The initiative is led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices throughout the country and marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit justice.gov/PSC.
To report child exploitation, please visit cybertipline.org, or call 1-800-843-5678, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Cohoes Woman Pleads Guilty to Assaulting a Federal AgentRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Jade Dunckle, age 31, of Cohoes, New York, pled guilty today to assaulting a federal officer engaged in official duties. First Assistant United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Acting United States Marshal Christopher Amoia made the announcement.
According to plea documents previously filed in the case, on September 17, 2025, members of the New York/New Jersey Regional Fugitive Task Force and the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision visited the defendant’s Cohoes residence in search of a fugitive felon to be arrested. While members of the Task Force searched the defendant’s residence for the fugitive, the defendant became belligerent, bit one of the Deputy United States Marshals on the forearm, and screamed “I’ll bite you b—ch!”
First Assistant United States Attorney Sarcone said: “Deputy U.S. Marshals put themselves in harm’s way every day to capture dangerous fugitives and protect the public. Attacking the federal agent trying to arrest a fugitive is a quick way to turn yourself into the next defendant. This Office will aggressively prosecute anyone who assaults and interferes with lawful arrests made by brave federal agents faithfully doing their jobs.”
Acting United States Marshal Christopher Amoia said: “The guilty plea in this case sends a clear message that acts of violence against federal law enforcement officers will not be tolerated. Deputy United States Marshals serve on the front lines of public safety every day, often working to apprehend dangerous fugitives and protect the integrity of our judicial system. Assaulting a federal officer is a serious offense, and those who engage in such conduct will be held fully accountable under federal law. I commend the professionalism and resilience demonstrated by the Deputy United States Marshal involved in this incident, as well as the efforts of the investigators and prosecutors who ensured that justice was served.”
Dunckle is scheduled for sentencing before U.S. District Judge Anne M. Nardacci on July 29, 2026. She faces a maximum sentence of one year in prison, a fine of up to $100,000, and a term of supervised release up to one year. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is convicted of violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
The United States Marshals Service is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Rick Belliss is prosecuting the case.
Clinton Man Sentenced to 60 Months in Federal Prison for Possessing 11 Guns as a FelonRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, Iowa – A Clinton man was sentenced on March 26, 2026, to 60 months in federal prison for possessing firearms as a felon.
According to public court documents and evidence presented at sentencing, in January 2025, law enforcement found 11 firearms at the Clinton residence of Caleb J. McManus, 22. Of the 11 firearms McManus possessed, six were handguns and one had an obliterated serial number. McManus is prohibited from possessing firearms because of his felony convictions, including a 2024 conviction for fraudulent purchase of firearms from the Iowa District Court for Clinton County that he was on probation for at the time of this offense. McManus also has prior convictions for assault with a firearm.
After completing his term of imprisonment, McManus will be required to serve a three-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
United States Attorney David C. Waterman of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Clinton Police Department investigated the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
Clearfield County Resident Sentenced to More Than 10 Years in Prison for Fentanyl and Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – A resident of Morrisdale, Pennsylvania, was sentenced in federal court to 121 months in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release, on his convictions of conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine, United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
United States District Judge Stephanie L. Haines imposed the sentence on Brandon Kifer, 45.
According to information presented to the Court, from in and around February 2023 to March 2023 in the Western District of Pennsylvania, Kifer conspired to distribute and possessed with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of a mixture of fentanyl and 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.
Assistant United States Attorney Maureen Sheehan-Balchon prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Drug Enforcement Administration and Pennsylvania State Police for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Kifer.
Chinese National Pleads Guilty to Defrauding Elderly Victims Throughout FloridaRead the Press Release
Gainesville, Florida – Xin Liu, 40, a Chinese national living in Apopka, Florida, pleaded guilty in federal court to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the guilty plea today.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Elder fraud is a devastating crime that is growing increasingly common, as fraudsters like this alien and her China-based co-conspirators prey upon our vulnerable retiree population to enrich themselves. Stopping elder fraud depends upon educating the public about schemes like this, and encouraging victims to report these crimes to law enforcement as quickly as possible. My office will continue to investigate and aggressively prosecute every member of these fraud schemes to hold them accountable for their heinous crimes and achieve justice for their victims.”
Court records show that while Liu was in the United States pursuant to an H-1B visa, she conspired with a person from the northern region of China and others to defraud elderly victims by using fraudulent telephone calls and electronic messages. Liu’s role in the conspiracy was to pick up packages of cash and deliver them to other conspirators. Between July 22, 2025, and July 30, 2025, on at least six separate occasions, Liu drove to various locations throughout Florida and picked up or attempted to pick up more than $95,000 from the victims. One of the victims lived in an assisted living apartment complex for seniors in Gainesville, Florida. Liu personally verified the contents of each package and was paid with a portion of the fraud proceeds. Liu’s actions resulted in substantial financial hardship to at least one victim.
Liu faces up to 20 years’ imprisonment and is expected to be transferred for deportation proceedings at the conclusion of her sentence. Sentencing is scheduled for June 16, 2026, at 10:00 a.m., at the United States Courthouse in Gainesville, Florida before Chief United States District Judge Allen C. Winsor.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations and the Gainesville Police Department investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Adam Hapner is prosecuting the case.
If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has experienced financial fraud, experienced professionals are standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This Justice Department hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, can provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET. English, Spanish, and other languages are available.
More information about the department’s efforts to help American seniors is available at www.justice.gov/elderjustice. For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts visit www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. Elder fraud complaints can be filed with the FTC at www.reportfraud.ftc.gov/ or at 877-FTC-HELP. The Justice Department provides a variety of resources relating to elder fraud victimization through its Office for Victims of Crime, at www.ovc.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 available public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.
Chichester Felon Pleads Guilty to Unlawful Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
Chichester Felon Pleads Guilty to Unlawful Firearm Possession
CONCORD – Thomas Young, 46, pleaded guilty today in federal court to unlawful firearm possession before U.S. District Court Judge Landya McCafferty, U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan announces. Sentencing is scheduled for July 2, 2026.
According to the court documents and statements made in court, Young was previously convicted of a felony drug offense in New Hampshire. On February 8, 2024, Young sold a firearm and ammunition to a confidential source.
The charge of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person provides a maximum prison term of 15 years, a maximum fine of $250,000, and not more than 3 years of supervised release. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation led this investigation. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anna Krasinski is prosecuting the case.
Chicago Man Sentenced for Conspiracy to Defraud Active U.S. Military TroopsRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Chicago, Il., man was sentenced in federal court today for one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of wire fraud.
Dwayne D. Adams, 33, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Judge M. Douglas Harpool, for one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of wire fraud. Adams was sentenced to 27 months incarceration and ordered to pay $165,821.74 in restitution to the victims.
Adams conspired with others to defraud United States military service men and women through the use of social media. Adams is the third and final defendant to be sentenced for his role in defrauding active service members of the United States military.
According to court documents, Adams conspired with others to contact service members who had recently joined the United States military through various social media platforms. Upon communicating with each military member, a person within the conspiracy would use the information obtained from the social media platform contact to then contact the service member claiming to be a senior military official. In their fake role as a senior military member, Adams and others would tell each service member they were receiving the incorrect salary and were owed more money than they were being paid. Adams and others involved in the scheme advised each victim that they needed to return their prior pay using a cash application. Adams and others told the victims that they would receive a higher salary amount from the military once they returned their prior pay. If a service member followed these instructions, the members of this scheme would take the monies transferred and would never return any monies to the victim.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Carney. It was investigated by the Department of the Army - Criminal Investigation Division and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Charleston Man Pleads Guilty to Straw Purchase CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Isaiah Levi Creasey, 23, of Charleston, pleaded guilty today to making a false statement in connection with a purchase of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on January 25, 2025, Creasey purchased a Glock model 19X 9mm pistol from a licensed firearms dealer in South Charleston. As part of his guilty plea, Creasey admitted that he purchased the firearm for a juvenile and falsely certified on the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Federal Firearms Transaction Records Form 4473 that he was the purchaser of the firearm when he knew he was buying it for the juvenile. Creasey further admitted that he intended to deceive the firearms dealer into believing he was the actual buyer of the pistol, and that following the purchase he gave the pistol to the juvenile who was waiting in his vehicle outside of the business.
Creasey is scheduled to be sentenced on July 28, 2026, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Charleston Police Department.
Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Lesley C. Shamblin is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:26-cr-9.
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Canadian National Pleads Guilty to Leading Group that Trafficked More Than 850 Kilograms of Meth and Cocaine from U.S. into CanadaRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A Canadian national pleaded guilty today to leading a criminal organization that – during a roughly one-month span – trafficked from the United States into Canada hundreds of kilograms of methamphetamine and cocaine worth up to $17 million.
Guramrit Sidhu, 62, of Brampton, Ontario, Canada, pleaded guilty to one count of engaging in a continuing criminal enterprise.
Sidhu is the lead defendant in a 23-count January 2024 federal indictment targeting a drug trafficking organization. He has been in federal custody since October 2024 after being extradited from Canada.
According to his plea agreement, from September 2020 to February 2023, Sidhu led an organization responsible for trafficking drugs from the U.S. into Canada for distribution.
From September 13, 2022, to October 24, 2022, Sidhu orchestrated the distribution of eight separate drug loads, totaling approximately 523 kilograms (1,153 pounds) of methamphetamine and 347 kilograms (765 pounds) of cocaine, which law enforcement seized. These drug loads had an estimated wholesale value of approximately $15 million to $17 million.
After buying the bulk quantities of cocaine and methamphetamine in the U.S., Sidhu arranged for the narcotics’ transportation into Canada via long-haul semi-trucks for further distribution. Sidhu provided telephone numbers and serial numbers on bills of currency for couriers to use as a “token” for identification purposes during the delivery and transportation of the cocaine and methamphetamine.
Sidhu and co-conspirators then retrieved the cocaine and methamphetamine from locations within Canada for further distribution.
United States District Judge John A. Kronstadt scheduled a July 9 sentencing hearing, at which time Sidhu would face a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years in federal prison and a statutory maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
Sidhu is the seventh defendant to plead guilty in this matter. Several other defendants have pleaded guilty to criminal charges in this case and have been sentenced to federal prison terms ranging from 27 months to 108 months.
The FBI, the Los Angeles Police Department and the Los Angeles Interagency Metropolitan Police Apprehension Crime Task Force (LA IMPACT), the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, United States Customs and Border Protection, and law enforcement authorities in Mexico investigated this matter. Significant assistance was provided by Homeland Security Investigations and the Drug Enforcement Administration. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with the Canadian authorities to secure the arrest and October 2024 extradition of Sidhu.
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.
Assistant United States Attorney Kelly Larocque of the Transnational Organized Crime Section is prosecuting this case.
Butte County Man Sentenced to 20 Years and 10 Months in Prison for Attempted Child Sex Abuse OffenseRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Kevin Leslie Gipson, 60, of Oroville, was sentenced today to 20 years and 10 months in prison for attempted coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
“Today’s sentence holds the defendant accountable for his sickening attempt to sexually exploit a child,” said U.S. Attorney Grant. “Thanks to law enforcement intervention, no child was actually harmed. But this case underscores the ongoing danger that the defendant poses to our community, especially in light of his prior convictions for sexually abusing young children. Our office remains committed to aggressively prosecuting those who seek to harm children and ensuring they face serious consequences.”
“The FBI and our Crimes Against Children Task Force are relentless in identifying and apprehending depraved individuals like Kevin Gipson who prey on innocent children,” said FBI Sacramento Special Agent in Charge Sid Patel. “Our agents stopped Mr. Gipson before he could harm a child, and our investigation ensured he will now serve a significant federal prison sentence. I’m proud of our agents and task force officers who tirelessly investigate these cases to make our communities safer for children.”
According to court documents, in July 2024, Gipson communicated with an individual he believed to be the father of a 10-year-old girl, but who was in fact an undercover officer. Gipson communicated his desire to perform sex acts on the child and planned to meet the undercover officer and child at a hotel room to do so. Gipson purchased various sex-related items in preparation for the encounter and bought a stuffed animal with the intent to provide the stuffed animal to the child. When Gipson approached the undercover officer with the stuffed animal, he was arrested by law enforcement officers. Gipson pleaded guilty on April 24, 2025.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office, and the Sacramento Valley Hi-Tech Crimes Task Force/Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica Delaney prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Click on the “resources” tab for information about internet-safety education.
Brooklyn-Based Ninedee Gang Member Sentenced to 145 Months’ Imprisonment for Covid-19 Unemployment Benefits Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Darnell Jones, also known as “EJ,” was sentenced today by United States District Judge Dora L. Irizarry in federal court in Brooklyn to 145 months’ imprisonment for wire fraud conspiracy and aggravated identity theft. During the height of the COVID‑19 pandemic, from March 2020 through August 2021, Jones used stolen personal identifying information to fraudulently obtain more than $800,000 from federally funded unemployment insurance programs established under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. As part of the sentence, Jones was ordered to pay $838,120 in restitution to the New York State Department of Labor. In addition, as part of his April 2025 guilty plea, Jones admitted to obtaining personal identifying information, including bank account information, between May 2021 and October 2024, to commit wire fraud with an intended loss of more than $2.7 million.
Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; James C. Barnacle, Jr., Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI); and Jessica S. Tisch, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), announced the sentence.
“Today’s sentence demonstrates that those who defraud innocent victims and pilfer federal funds to support violent gangs will face severe punishment,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “To successfully dismantle violent gangs who terrorize our neighborhoods and communities, it is essential that we cut off their sources of income, including from fraud schemes like the one perpetrated by the defendant here.”
Mr. Nocella also thanked the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of the Inspector General and the New York State Department of Labor, Office of Special Investigations for their assistance on the case.
“Darnell Jones, a Ninedee gang member, stole more than $800,000 intended for unemployment benefit recipients to fund the enterprise’s illicit operations and firearms procurement. Jones manipulated financial programs designed to support vulnerable New Yorkers during a global pandemic just to unlawfully facilitate the gang’s criminal activity. Alongside our law enforcement partners, the FBI will continue to stem any source of revenue supporting the viability of gangs plaguing our communities,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Barnacle.
“Darnell Jones stole more than $800,000 in federal funds meant to help vulnerable New Yorkers during a global pandemic and used those funds to bankroll a violent gang,” stated NYPD Commissioner Tisch. “Today’s sentencing sends a clear message: anyone who steals from the government will face real consequences, and the NYPD will aggressively pursue anyone who seeks to defraud and victimize others. I am grateful to the NYPD investigators, the FBI, and the prosecutors at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their pursuit of justice in this case.”
As set forth in court filings in connection with sentencing, Jones is a member of the Ninedee Gang, a violent criminal enterprise operating out of the Louis H. Pink Houses in East New York, Brooklyn. Ninedee Gang members were affiliated with the “5” and “6” Pink Houses apartment buildings and engaged in gang-related violence within and outside of the New York City Housing Authority complex. The Ninedee Gang protected its turf through violence, made money by selling drugs and committing fraud, and sought to silence those they perceived to be working with law enforcement.Jones led the Ninedee Gang’s fraud schemes, also known as “scamming,” and worked with other members to earn money for the gang through check fraud, postal money order fraud, and unemployment benefits fraud. For example, beginning in approximately November 2020, Jones sent a co-conspirator text messages containing the names of 10 New York residents in order to obtain personally identifiable information (PII) for those individuals without their knowledge. The co-conspirator sent Jones the requested individuals’ dates of birth, Social Security numbers, and driver’s license numbers. In exchange, Jones paid the co-conspirator with cryptocurrency. Subsequently, Jones submitted fraudulent claims for unemployment insurance benefits to the New York State Department of Labor using the stolen PII. As set forth in court filings and as established at the trial of Ninedee Gang leader Maliek Miller, text messages in 2020 showed that Jones coordinated with fellow Ninedee Gang member Kevin Wint about pooling their money to purchase “glicks” or “plates,” which are references to firearms. Notably, in August 2021, law enforcement agents recovered two firearms, which were outfitted with laser sights, in a residence shared by Jones and Wint.
Eight Ninedee Gang members have been prosecuted for their gang-affiliated crimes, which included the prosecution of seven Ninedee members for their roles in the July 2020 murder in-aid-of-racketeering of Shatavia Walls. Seven Ninedee defendants have pleaded guilty and an eighth, Maliek Miller, was convicted at trial in June 2024 and faces a mandatory life sentence.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Organized Crime and Gang Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Emily J. Dean and Irisa Chen are in charge of the prosecution with the assistance of Paralegal Specialists Elizabeth Reed and Marlane Bosler.
The Defendant:
DARNELL JONES (also known as “EJ”)
Age: 31
Brooklyn, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 24-CR-369 (DLI)
Defendant Convicted at Trial:
MALIEK MILLER
Age: 32
Brooklyn, New YorkDefendants Who Previously Pleaded Guilty:
QUINTIN GREEN (also known as “Wild Child”)
Age: 25
Brooklyn, New YorkJOE SANTANA (also known as “Baby Joe”)
Age: 21
Brooklyn, New YorkChayanne fernandez (also known as “White Boy”)
Age: 25
Brooklyn, New YorkKEVIN WINT (also known as “Kev G”)
Age: 32
Brooklyn, New YorkSHAKUR BEY (also known as “Speedy”)
Age: 28
Brooklyn, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 20-CR-331 (LDH)
RAQUEL DUNTON (aka “Rah”)
Age: 39
Brooklyn, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No 24-CR-344 (LDH)