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Monday 10 August 2026
Celina Pharmacy Owner/Two Pharmacies Agree to Pay $450,000 & Receive Ban on Handling Controlled SubstancesRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE – Thomas K. Weir, 65, of Celina, Tennessee, and two Celina pharmacies he majority-owned, Oakley Pharmacy, Inc. (doing business as Dale Hollow Pharmacy) and Xpress Pharmacy of Clay County LLC, have entered a consent judgment and permanent injunction resolving the United States’ civil claims under the Controlled Substances Act and the False Claims Act, U.S. Attorney Braden H. Boucek for the Middle District of Tennessee announced today.
“Pharmacies occupy a position of trust, and the controlled substances laws exist to keep dangerous drugs out of the wrong hands,” said U.S. Attorney Braden H. Boucek. “This judgment takes these defendants out of the controlled substances business for years to come and directs every dollar recovered toward the restitution owed to Medicare. Our office will continue using every criminal and civil tool available to protect Tennessee communities and the federal health care programs taxpayer’s fund.”
U.S. District Judge Aleta A. Trauger entered the order on Aug. 3, 2026, in United States v. Oakley Pharmacy, Inc., et al., Case No. 2:19-cv-00009 (M.D. Tenn.).
Under the judgment, Weir, Dale Hollow, and Xpress must pay the United States $450,000. The defendants’ initial payment of $70,000 is due today, seven days after entry of the order, and the remaining $380,000 is due within 45 days of the order’s entry. The payments will be credited in full toward the $1,419,974 in criminal restitution Weir was separately ordered to pay in his parallel criminal case, including $1,071,499 owed to the Medicare program and $348,475 owed to TennCare. The civil settlement amount was based on the defendants’ financial condition, as reflected in sworn financial disclosures.
The judgment also bars Weir, Dale Hollow, and Xpress from administering, dispensing, distributing, or possessing with the intent to distribute any controlled substance through March 1, 2040. It also prohibits the defendants from applying for or seeking renewal of a Drug Enforcement Administration registration, whether on their own behalf or on behalf of any other entity, until at least that date. In addition, the defendants agreed to cooperate fully with the United States’ investigation of individuals and entities not released by the agreement.
The United States filed the civil action on Feb. 7, 2019, alleging that the defendants knowingly dispensed controlled substances without valid prescriptions and knowingly and intentionally distributed and dispensed controlled substances outside the usual course of professional pharmacy practice. The complaint further alleged that the defendants routinely dispensed controlled substances despite warning signs of diversion and abuse, including unusually high dosages of oxycodone and other opioids, dangerous combinations of controlled substances, and patients traveling long distances to obtain and fill prescriptions. The United States also alleged that the pharmacies falsely billed Medicare for prescriptions that were not medically necessary or otherwise eligible for reimbursement.
Weir previously pleaded guilty in the related criminal case, United States v. Weir, Case No. 2:21-CR-00008 (M.D. Tenn.), to conspiracy to distribute and dispense controlled substances, conspiracy to commit health care fraud, and conspiracy to violate the Anti-Kickback Statute. On June 18, 2026, Judge Trauger sentenced Weir to 24 months in federal prison and ordered him to pay $1,419,974 in restitution to Medicare and TennCare.
Upon receipt of the civil settlement payments, the parties will jointly dismiss the civil action.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ellen Bowden McIntyre for the Middle District of Tennessee represented the United States.
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California woman arrested, charged with distributing meth that caused overdose death of Unalaska worker in Homeland Security Task Force caseRead the Press Release
ANCHORAGE, Alaska – A California woman was arrested last week in Santa Barbara, California, after a federal grand jury in Alaska returned an indictment charging her with distributing methamphetamine that resulted in the fatal overdose of an Unalaska fishing industry worker.
According to court documents, between Jan. 21 and Feb. 2, 2025, Darlene Moreno, 44, of Port Hueneme, California, distributed methamphetamine to a 48-year-old victim in Unalaska. On Feb. 2, the victim allegedly used the methamphetamine and fatally overdosed. Law enforcement recovered a baggie of crystal-like substance from the victim and sent the substance for testing. Lab results confirmed the substance was 98% pure methamphetamine. The State of Alaska medical examiner ruled the victim’s cause of death as methamphetamine intoxication.
U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Alaska; U.S. v Moreno, Case #: 3:26-cr-00058Court documents allege that investigators found social media conversations between the victim and Moreno discussing the purchase of methamphetamine. Moreno allegedly shipped a package containing methamphetamine from California to Unalaska on Jan. 21, 2025. The victim picked up the package on Jan. 31, two days before they fatally overdosed.
Moreno is charged with one count of distribution of methamphetamine resulting in death and one count of use of a communication facility in committing, causing and facilitating the commission of a drug trafficking felony. The defendant is scheduled to make her initial court appearance today before a U.S. Magistrate Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California. If convicted, she faces between 20 years to life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Michael J. Heyman of the District of Alaska, Special Agent in Charge Paul Schultz of the Coast Guard Investigative Service (CGIS) Northwest Field Office and Chief Kim Hankins of the Unalaska Police Department made the announcement.
The CGIS Northwest Field Office and Unalaska Police Department are investigating the case, with assistance from the FBI Anchorage Field Office and U.S. Postal Inspection Service Anchorage Domicile. The FBI Los Angeles Field Office, Oxnard Police Department in California, the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department in California and the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department in California assisted with operational support.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Mandy Mackenzie is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Region One comprises agents and officers from Federal Bureau of Investigation; U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations – Seattle; the United States Attorney’s Office(s) for the Districts of Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, Eastern Washington, and Western Washington; the Drug Enforcement Administration; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; U.S. Marshals Service; Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation Division; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP); CBP – Office of Field Operations; CBP – Air & Marine Operations; U.S. Border Patrol; U.S. Coast Guard, Coast Guard Investigative Service; and Transportation Security Administration, Law Enforcement/Federal Air Marshal Service, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Alaska.
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CFO of Boston-Area Spinal Device Company Sentenced to Four Months in Prison for Kickback SchemeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The Chief Financial Officer of SpineFrontier, Inc., a spinal implant company, formerly based in Malden, Mass., has been sentenced for a kickback scheme to bribe surgeons to use company products in exchange for sham consulting fees.
Aditya Humad, 41, of Cambridge, Mass., was sentenced on Aug. 6, 2026 by U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani to four months in prison, to be followed by one year of supervised release and was ordered to pay a $9,500 fine. In May 2026, Humad pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to violate the anti-kickback statute. Humad was charged in September 2021 along with Dr. Kingsley R. Chin, SpineFrontier’s Founder, President and CEO.
Humad conspired to pay and direct the payment of over $540,000 in bribes to surgeons in the form of sham consulting fees for work they did not perform. Humad conspired to bribe surgeons to use SpineFrontier’s products, and in turn, SpineFrontier received millions of dollars in revenue from surgeries the surgeons performed.
“This sentence is the culmination of years of dogged pursuit of SpineFrontier, its executives, Aditya Humad and Kingsley Chin, and multiple bribe-taking doctors. Aditya Humad now stands convicted and sentenced for conspiracy to pay bribes to physicians to induce them to use products in complicated spine surgeries,” said United States Attorney Leah B. Foley. “In criminal and civil proceedings, we have recovered more than $4 million from these executives, their companies and the physicians who took their bribes. Let these resolutions serve as notice that no matter how long it takes, and how sophisticated the scheme, we will crack down on health care fraud offenses.”
“This corporate scheme sought to corruptly influence surgeons by paying hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes to induce the use of SpineFrontier’s medical devices in surgeries,” said Roberto Coviello, Special Agent in Charge at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS OIG). “Humad’s actions undermined critical safeguards designed to protect patients and the integrity of taxpayer funded health care programs. HHS OIG, working closely with our law enforcement partners, will continue to hold accountable individuals and executives who engage in such illegal schemes.”
“As the Chief Financial Officer of SpineFrontier, Inc., Aditya Humad conspired to bribe surgeons to use his company’s products – and paid them more than a half million dollars in sham consulting fees for work they did not perform – in an effort to boost the company’s bottom line,” said Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division. “Kickback schemes like this not only violate federal law, but they erode the public’s trust in our health care system. That’s why the FBI, and our partners, will continue to ensure individuals who put their company’s profits ahead of patient care are brought to justice.”
“This sentencing sends a clear message that the VA Office of Inspector General will work diligently to ensure that individuals who conspire to pay kickbacks to influence medical decisions are held accountable,” said Special Agent in Charge Christopher Algieri of the VA OIG’s Northeast Field Office. “The VA OIG thanks the U.S. Attorney’s Office and federal law enforcement partners for their collaboration and exceptional work in pursuing justice in this case.”
Humad conspired with SpineFrontier to enter into contracts with surgeons, agreeing to pay the surgeons between $250 and $1,000 per hour for purported consulting for SpineFrontier. In reality, however, Humad directed SpineFrontier to pay the surgeons for using SpineFrontier’s products. Although the surgeon-consulting program was purportedly directed at gathering technical feedback about SpineFrontier’s products, Humad used the bribes they paid pursuant to that program to induce surgeons to use SpineFrontier’s products in surgeries that were paid for by federal health care programs such as Medicare, Medicaid and the Veterans Health Administration. Additionally, the surgeons frequently spent only a small fraction of their reported time, if any, performing actual consulting.
Humad previously agreed to pay a fine pursuant to a civil settlement agreement, including a fixed amount totaling more than $150,000 (including interest) and potential additional contingency payments based upon his annual income.
In May 2025, Chin pleaded guilty to making false statements to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. He was subsequently sentenced in August 2025 by Judge Talwani to one year of supervised release with the first six months to be served in home confinement. Chin was also ordered to pay a fine of $9,500 in addition to $40,000 he personally agreed to pay as part of a related civil settlement and $855,000 that his wholly-owned company agreed to pay as part of the same settlement.
In related criminal prosecutions, in August 2020, surgeon Jason Montone, D.O, 50, of Lawson, Miss., pleaded guilty to conspiracy to violate the Anti-Kickback Statute and obstruction. Medical device distributor John Balzer, 48, of Lenexa, Kan., pleaded guilty to conspiracy to violate the Anti-Kickback Statute and one count of witness tampering. Montone and Balzer are scheduled to be sentenced in September 2026.
In related civil enforcement, in March 2020, five doctors agreed to pay civil settlements to resolve allegations of accepting sham consulting fees in violation of the False Claims Act and Anti-Kickback Statute: Dr. F. Paul DeGenova agreed to pay $486,985; Dr. Michael Murray agreed to pay $330,668; Dr. Joseph Shehadi agreed to pay $323,419; Dr. Agha Khan agreed to pay $310,843; and Dr. John Atwater agreed to pay $105,149. In April 2020, Dr. John Carlson agreed to pay $1.75 million dollars to resolve the same allegations.
U.S. Attorney Foley; Roberto Coviello, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services’ Office of the Inspector General; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Special Agent in Charge Christopher Algieri, Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General, Northeast Field Office; and Justin Page, Acting Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Boston Division made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Abraham R. George, Christopher R. Looney and Mackenzie A. Queenin prosecuted the case.
Atlanta Man Convicted of Laundering over $2.7 Million Stolen from Victims of Online FraudRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - Following an eight-day trial, a federal jury convicted Babajide Adesayo of laundering over $2.7 million obtained from victims of romance fraud and other types of online scams.
“Adesayo was a key member of a complex, transnational network that preyed upon elderly victims and siphoned their retirement savings overseas, mainly to China, Hong Kong, and Nigeria, to make recovery impossible,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “As a prolific money launderer, Adesayo facilitated the theft of nearly $3 million from victims and continued even after he was indicted, arrested, and released on bond. Now behind bars awaiting a significant sentence, this incorrigible swindler will face the full consequences of his actions.”
“Adesayo helped steal millions from vulnerable victims, including elderly people who lost their hard-earned savings. He then moved that money overseas to hide it from those he had defrauded. Even after his indictment, he continued laundering stolen funds,” said Marlo Graham, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “Today’s conviction sends a clear message: the FBI will relentlessly pursue those who prey on vulnerable victims and profit from fraud.”
“Adesayo’s conviction demonstrates that those who help transnational fraud networks move stolen money will be held accountable,” said Steven N. Schrank, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Georgia and Alabama. “This case involved vulnerable victims, including seniors, who were deceived out of their life savings through online fraud schemes. HSI, alongside our federal, state, and local partners, will continue to target the financial facilitators who enable these crimes and attempt to move illicit proceeds beyond the reach of law enforcement.”
According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: Between April 2020 and September 2021, fraudsters engaged unwitting, elderly victims online and corresponded with them as friends, business associates, or even romantic partners. After developing relationships with the victims, the online fraudsters made pleas to the victims for help, falsely claiming that they needed equipment for their businesses, were imprisoned, or were suffering from injuries or illnesses.
The fraudsters directed most victims to send hundreds of thousands of dollars, including the victims’ retirement savings and other hard-earned income, to the business accounts of Adesayo’s co-defendant, Nigerian national Efemena Igbe. As soon as Igbe received funds from the victims, he immediately sent most of the money to Adesayo and tried to hide the fraudulent transactions by falsely notating that the money was intended for the purchase of cars from Adesayo’s automotive business. When Adesayo received the money, he immediately sent most of it to overseas accounts in China, Hong Kong, Nigeria, and other countries. Over a period of 17 months, Adesayo received and moved over $2.7 million in victim funds.
Following his June 2024 arrest, Adesayo was released on bond without being required to pay bail. While under indictment and awaiting trial, Adesayo persisted in laundering money. Victims sent funds either directly to Adesayo’s business accounts or to the accounts of others who subsequently transferred the funds to Adesayo. Adesayo then withdrew those funds, sending them to himself or to other accounts, nearly as soon as he received them. After this new criminal conduct was discovered, a federal magistrate judge revoked Adesayo’s bond. Adesayo has been held in federal custody since March 2, 2026.
On August 6, 2026, a federal jury convicted Babajide Adesayo, 41, of Douglasville, Georgia, of all charges against him, including two counts of conspiracy to commit money laundering and sixteen counts of transactional money laundering.
Sentencing is scheduled for November 20, 2026, at 1:30 p.m., before United States District Judge Mark H. Cohen. Adesayo faces up to 20 years of imprisonment on each of the conspiracy counts, up to 10 years of imprisonment on the transactional money laundering counts, and a consecutive sentence of up to 10 years of imprisonment for committing offenses while on release. In determining the actual sentence, the Court will consider the United States Sentencing Guidelines, which are not binding but provide appropriate sentencing ranges for most offenders.
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations. Substantial assistance was provided by the U.S. Secret Service, the Concord (New Hampshire) Police Department, DeSoto County (Mississippi) Sheriff’s Office, and New York City Police Department.
Assistant United States Attorneys Bethany L. Rupert, Sara Lim, and Kelly Connors are prosecuting the case.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is part of the Department of Justice Transnational Elder Fraud Strike Force. The Strike Force focuses on investigating and prosecuting defendants associated with foreign-based fraud schemes that disproportionately affect American seniors. These include romance scams, phone scams, mass-mailing fraud schemes, and tech-support fraud schemes. For further information on these scams, see https://www.justice.gov/elderjustice/senior-scam-alert.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6185. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Ashland Man Sentenced for Receiving Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
ASHLAND, Ky. – An Ashland man, Nathaniel Parsons, 46, was sentenced on Monday to 15 years by Chief U.S. District Judge David Bunning for receiving a visual depiction of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
Law enforcement identified an IP address located in Ashland that was sharing child sexual abuse material on peer-to-peer software, EMule. A search warrant was executed at the address, which was Parsons’ residence, and multiple digital devices were seized and searched. In total 84,000 images and 500 videos containing minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct were discovered on the devices. Also, discovered on Parson’s electronic devices were sexually explicit images of a minor known to Parsons. The minor admitted that the images were not created at the request of Parsons and were taken from the minor’s phone, who was unaware that Parsons was in possession of the images.
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 Todd Kelley, Ashland Police Department, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI and Ashland Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Roth prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted this case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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After Runaway Ship Incident in 2024 in Charleston, South Carolina, Vessel Operator and Chief Engineer SentencedRead the Press Release
Today, a vessel operating company pleaded guilty and was sentenced, and the company’s chief engineer was sentenced to pay a fine, following a June 2024 incident where the vessel MSC Michigan VII caused the evacuation of a large bridge in Charleston, South Carolina, and created a large wake that injured two people, damaged ships and piers, and led to the clearing of local beaches.
MSC Shipmanagement Limited (MSC), a vessel operating company, was sentenced to pay a criminal fine of $6 million and to serve a four-year term of probation for failing to report a hazardous condition on board the containership MSC Michigan VII and to obstructing a National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) investigation. MSC must also conduct a root-cause analysis of the circumstances relating to the hazardous conditions onboard the MSC Michigan VII.
MSC’s chief engineer, Fernando San Diego San Juan, was sentenced to pay a $2,000 fine. He previously pleaded guilty, also for failing to report a hazardous condition and obstructing the investigation.
“The hazardous condition onboard this vessel, and MSC’s failure to report it, could have ended in a fatal bridge strike as occurred months earlier in Baltimore. Had the MSC Michigan VII been heading into port instead of out to sea, the result would likely have been catastrophic,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Energy and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “By their reckless actions, these defendants put a coastal community, critical infrastructure, and the marine environment at risk. Congress made clear in the Ports and Waterways Safety Act that safe navigation and the protection of our waterways are matters of national importance. The Department of Justice will continue to ensure that vessel operators who violate these obligations are held accountable.”
“The Charleston Harbor is the lifeblood of the iconic Lowcountry coastal region, facilitating $88 billion in economic impact to our state each year, serving thousands of local residents and welcoming millions of visitors each year,” said U.S. Attorney Bryan P. Stirling for the District of South Carolina. “The defendants’ actions put all of that and lives in grave danger when it disregarded maritime law in a time of potential crisis. The true heroes here are our local law enforcement, who evacuated the Ravenel bridge and local beaches, and the harbor pilot who navigated the vessel safely out to sea. Today’s sentencing reminds mariners and their operating companies that they have a responsibility to protect our waterways and communities when operating these enormous vessels.”
“This guilty plea highlights the vital role that independent, rigorous law enforcement investigations play in protecting our nation's infrastructure,” said Supervisory Special Agent Brian O’Sullivan of the Coast Guard Investigative Service. “This guilty plea is a direct result of the meticulous work of CGIS special agents working closely with the Department of Justice and the local Captain of the Port. We will continue to dedicate our resources to ensuring the safety and security of the Port of Charleston.”
On June 5, 2024, the MSC Michigan VII departed from Charleston. The vessel intended to travel up the Cooper River to a turning basin. Once it turned around, it was to proceed down along the Cooper River, beneath the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge, and through Charleston Harbor and out to sea. The Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge is an eight-lane, major thoroughfare that spans two-and-a-half miles and connects Charleston with Mount Pleasant, South Carolina.
During this outbound transit, the linkage rod disconnected from the vessel’s governor after the MSC Michigan VII’s crew made a manual adjustment to it. The governor regulates engine speed. Because it was not connected to its governor, the MSC Michigan VII’s main engine could not be slowed and the vessel sped along at approximately 16-17 knots. The Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge was evacuated over concern the vessel could strike the bridge, though it was successfully navigated under the bridge and out to sea. Local beaches were also cleared because of concern that the wake of the MSC Michigan VII could cause injuries to people on the beach, and it did injure two people. The vessel’s wake also damaged ships and piers.
In pleading guilty, MSC and San Diego San Juan admitted that, on occasion, the exact revolutions per minute (rpms) ordered by the MSC Michigan VII’s bridge telegraph could only be achieved if the length of the linkage rod between the governor and fuel rack was manually adjusted. Only trained technicians should manually adjust a vessel’s governor and linkage rod, and none of the engineering crew onboard the MSC Michigan VII were qualified to make the adjustments. Despite this, when the vessel was maneuvering (entering or departing a port) the engineering crew had to pay attention to the bridge telegraph order that could be seen in the engine control room. As needed, they would go to the governor and manually adjust the length of the linkage rod until the desired rpm was reached.
Additionally, bridge crewmembers would occasionally call the engine control room and request the rpms be raised or lowered to match the telegraph order. San Diego San Juan admitted that he knew that this practice was hazardous because manually adjusting the length of the linkage rod could cause it to fail. Nevertheless, he allowed the practice to continue. The nuts on both ends of the linkage rod were loosened by the MSC Michigan VII’s engine department crew so that the rod could be more easily turned to adjust its length and, therefore, the main engine rpms. The system was designed so that on each end of the linkage rod was a locking washer that would hold the nuts in place so they could not back out. However, on the M/V MSC Michigan VII, both the upper and lower locking washers were removed and the USCG found one of the locking washers on the deck beneath the governor.
Both the failure of the engine to achieve the rpms dictated by the bridge telegraph and the manual adjustment to the linkage rod during maneuvering constituted hazardous conditions that should have been but were not reported to the USCG.
During their investigation, the USCG and the NTSB interviewed San Diego San Juan and asked him if the linkage rod was ever adjusted. He lied and said that the crew never adjusted the linkage rod and only a qualified technician would adjust the linkage rod. The NTSB and USCG later interviewed San Diego San Juan again and asked him whether there had been a delay between the bridge telegraph and the main engine response in the past. He lied and said there had not been. However, when he made that statement, he knew that the governor linkage rod had at previous times been manually adjusted to match the engine order telegraph input which caused a delay for the main engine to reach the desired rpm. San Diego San Juan was asked again if anyone had ever adjusted the linkage rod and he falsely answered “no.” He also stated that the crew should never adjust the linkage rod and that only a technician should adjust the linkage rod. He was asked whether he knew that the crew were making manual adjustments to the linkage rod and he lied and said that he was unaware.
During the USCG inspection of the MSC Michigan VII after the incident, San Diego San Juan told another crew member that he had said to the USCG that he did not see anyone adjust the linkage rod. He told that crew member and two others to say what he had said to the USCG so they would be on “the same page.” In doing this, he was attempting to persuade these witnesses not to admit to the USCG that there had been manual adjustments to the linkage rod.
The USCG Sector Charleston, the Coast Guard Investigative Service, and the NTSB investigated the case.
Assistant Section Chief Stephen Da Ponte of ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dean H. Secor and W. Cole Shannon for the District of South Carolina prosecuted the case.
Friday 7 August 2026
United States Attorney Meets with Community and Leaders in the Red Lake Indian Reservation and Beltrami CountyRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – United States Attorney Daniel N. Rosen and members of the U.S. Attorney’s Office completed a two‑day visit to Beltrami County and the Red Lake Indian Reservation on August 4 and 5, 2026. The visit included a series of meetings with county officials, federal partners, tribal leadership, community members, and the Red Lake Department of Public Safety to discuss public safety across northern Minnesota and to strengthen coordination between tribal, federal, and local agencies.
During the visit with the Beltrami County Attorney’s Office, United States Attorney Rosen met with County Attorney David Hanson and local law enforcement officials, including Chief Assistant County Attorney David Frank, Sheriff Jason Riggs, and Paul Bunyan Drug Task Force Commander David Hart. Officials described narcotics trafficking entering the region from the Twin Cities and other areas, and discussed broader socioeconomic conditions influencing public safety, including Beltrami County’s poverty rate of 16.1 percent, among the highest in Minnesota.
United States Attorney Rosen noted that his office has seen a tremendous number of extraordinarily qualified lawyers desiring to serve in the District of Minnesota. The office now has even more Assistant United States Attorneys than when he assumed office in October 2025, reaffirming that the United States Attorney’s Office is in a strong position to support county and tribal partners. Local officials recognized AUSAs Raphael Coburn and Garrett S. Fields for their work on complex and high‑impact cases.
Following this meeting, United States Attorney Rosen visited the FBI’s Bemidji Resident Agency, which covers most of northwest Minnesota and the Red Lake Indian Reservation. There, agents provided a briefing on active investigations and enforcement priorities affecting both county and tribal jurisdictions. These discussions focused on violent crime, narcotics trafficking, and interagency coordination.
United States Attorney Rosen then traveled to the Red Lake Indian Reservation for a consultation with tribal executive leadership. Joining him at Red Lake were FBI Special Agent in Charge Christopher D. Dotson, along with Chairman Darrell G. Seki, Sr., Tribal Secretary Robert L. May, members of the Tribal Council, and officials from the Red Lake Police Department, including Red Lake Nation Public Safety Director Kendall Kingbird, Sr.
Tribal leaders raised urgent public safety concerns, including violent crime, drug trafficking, and the disproportionate impact of violence on women and children. Tribal Secretary May spoke candidly about longstanding community needs and communicated a strong desire to further strengthen the relationship with the United States Attorney’s Office.
United States Attorney Rosen affirmed the United States Attorney’s Office’s long‑term dedication to prosecute crimes on the reservation, stating, “One of the things that I have made very clear in our office is that whatever the past treatment may or may not have been of crimes in Indian Country and the United States Attorney’s Office, it is now at the highest level of priority in our office.” FBI Special Agent in Charge Dotson later emphasized the FBI’s shared focus, noting, “I can tell you that in this office, we are synced up with the United States Attorney’s Office. Making our tribal lands safer is a priority for the FBI… and this kind of collaboration is critical to success.”
United States Attorney Daniel N. Rosen meeting with Beltrami County Attorney’s Office and Red Lake Tribal Council
A subsequent community meeting allowed residents to voice concerns regarding cases, jurisdictional questions, and matters that have had especially significant impacts on families. Community members sought clarity on how federal and tribal agencies divide investigative responsibilities. United States Attorney Rosen and Red Lake Department of Public Safety representatives addressed these questions and reiterated efforts to improve communication and transparency.
United States Attorney Rosen’s team concluded the visit with additional discussions with the Red Lake Department of Public Safety regarding coordination on active cases, resource needs, and ongoing collaboration aimed at reducing violent crime and drug trafficking.
Joining the visit were First Assistant United States Attorney Joseph S. Teirab, Assistant United States Attorneys Mary Riverso and Dana Joseph, Tribal Victim Assistance Specialist Krysta Gordon, and Public Affairs Specialist Hoang Bui.
USAO-DC's Civil Division Earns Supreme Court Victory in Miot v. TrumpRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, Jeanine Ferris Pirro, commended Assistant U.S. Attorneys from the U.S. Attorney’s Office Civil Division for their work litigating Miot v. Trump on behalf of the U.S. Government, which permitted the termination of Haiti’s Temporary Protected Status (TPS) designation.
“The well‑founded and persuasive arguments developed by attorneys in my office were affirmed by the highest court in the land, the U.S. Supreme Court,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “This decisive ruling, along with the Solicitor General’s persuasive advocacy echoing our reasoning and the subsequent acknowledgment that the stay is no longer in effect, underscores the caliber of attorneys in this office, who work every day to keep Americans safe while representing the United States.”
In Miot v. Trump, Haitian nationals brought a civil action challenging the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) decision to end TPS designation for Haiti. Attorneys from the Civil Division briefed and argued the case on an expedited schedule, maintaining that federal law prohibits judicial review of DHS’s determinations to terminate TPS and that the government had provided legitimate, race-neutral rationales for its decision.
During the course of litigation, U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes rejected the Government’s arguments and temporarily stayed the termination decision. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit upheld the stay on March 6, 2026.
Despite the stays being upheld, the case was fast-tracked to the Supreme Court and in a 6–3 decision issued June 25, 2026, the Court reversed the lower court's decision. Writing for the majority, Justice Alito adopted the Government’s statutory interpretation and reasoning, concluding that DHS’s TPS determinations fall outside the scope of judicial review and that the administrative record supported race-neutral justifications for the policy change. The Government’s decision to terminate TPS for Haiti was allowed to take effect. On August 5, Judge Reyes entered an order acknowledging the stay was no longer in effect.
U.S. Attorney’s Office recovers nearly $850,000 for Montana dairy, other fraud victimsRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – The U.S. Attorney’s Office recently recovered $848,858 for victims of a fraud scheme that took place at a Bozeman dairy from 2007-2008, Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith said today.
In 2011, following an investigation by the IRS and FBI, Jeffrey Nicholas McCown, a manager with a Bozeman-based dairy cooperative, was convicted of wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud along with three other employees, Michael Ernest Monforton, the dairy’s CEO; Jeanette Sabrina McCown, its bookkeeper; and Scott Michael McCown, the shop manager. Jeffrey McCown was sentenced to three years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Jeffery McCown and Monforton were ordered by the court to pay $1.16 million in restitution.
The recovery of the nearly $850,000 happened after the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Financial Litigation Unit learned that Jeffery McCown was entitled to receive a substantial payout from the sale of a business and real property. The Unit garnished those funds and recovered $848,858.72 to pay McCown’s remaining restitution obligation in full.
“Today's recovery marks a significant step toward restoring losses suffered by the victims of this fraud. This case demonstrates that even many years after a financial crime is committed, the pursuit of justice and restitution continues,” said Todd Wacaser, Acting Special Agent in Charge, IRS-CI Denver Field Office. “Those who misuse organizational funds should know that IRS Criminal Investigation remains committed to following the money, identifying assets, and working with our law enforcement partners to hold offenders accountable and recover funds whenever possible.”
The fraud began in October 2007. At the time, Country Classic Dairy was a producer-owned co-op based in Bozeman and Jeffrey McCown, along with the other three, began using co-op funds for personal purchases and reimbursements (Country Classic merged with Seattle-based Darigold in 2010). McCown fraudulently used his co-op credit card to purchase and maintain personal assets like vehicles, trailers, boats, firearms, and an RV. He also took cash advances from co-op cards and accounts and recorded his purchases and transactions as business expenses to conceal the fraud.
“Fraud does more than cause financial loss, it erodes trust,” said Special Agent in Charge Justin Gerken of the FBI Billings Field Office. “When individuals exploit positions of trust for personal gain, they harm not only the organization, but also the employees, customers, and communities that depend on it. The FBI remains committed to investigating these crimes and holding those responsible accountable.”
U.S. Attorney’s Office Reports More Than $3.2M in Criminal and Civil Collections for April-JuneRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – The U.S. Attorney’s Office (USAO) has announced that criminal and civil collections for the Northern District of Ohio during the months of April, May, and June totaled $3,246,089.50.
As the chief law enforcement officer for the 40 northern counties in Ohio, U.S. Attorney David M. Toepfer is responsible for enforcing collections resulting from settlements, restitution paid to crime victims, or money owed to the U.S. Government. In criminal division cases, monetary penalties included as part of a defendant’s judgment are enforced soon after sentencing and are not suspended due to a defendant’s incarceration. In civil division matters, the amounts collected are often the results of monetary settlements.
The months of April, May, and June represent the third quarter (Q3) of the USAO’s Fiscal Year 2026 which runs Oct. 1, 2025, through Sept. 31, 2026.
During Q3, the Criminal Division collected $3,081,323.23 and the Civil Division collected $164,766.27. Notable cases include:
U.S. v. Mario Salwan – Mario Salwan, 55, a Chagrin Falls businessman, was sentenced to probation in 2024 on one count of Attempted Tax Evasion. Salwan was ordered to pay $511,396.35 in restitution, plus all applicable interest and penalties, to the Internal Revenue Service; this restitution has now been paid in full.
U.S. v. Yaser Najjar – Yaser Najjar, 64, of Westlake, Ohio, was sentenced in 2022 on four counts of attempt to evade and defeat income tax. Najjar was ordered to pay over $503,000 in restitution to the IRS and a $100,000 fine, paid to the department’s Crime Victims Fund. The restitution and fine have now been paid in full.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Filed 107 Border-Related Cases This WeekRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Federal prosecutors in the Southern District of California filed 107 border-related cases this week, including charges of bringing in aliens for financial gain, reentering the U.S. after deportation, and importation of controlled substances.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California is the fourth-busiest federal district, largely due to a high volume of border-related crimes. This district, encompassing San Diego and Imperial counties, shares a 140-mile border with Mexico. It includes the San Ysidro Port of Entry, the world’s busiest land border crossing, connecting San Diego (America’s eighth largest city) and Tijuana (Mexico’s second largest city).
In addition to reactive border-related crimes, the Southern District of California also prosecutes a significant number of proactive cases related to terrorism, organized crime, drugs, white-collar fraud, violent crime, cybercrime, human trafficking and national security. Recent developments in those and other significant areas of prosecution can be found here.
A sample of border-related arrests this week:
- On August 1, Oscar Salado and Brayan Manuel Castro Sanchez, Mexican nationals, were arrested and charged with Attempted Bringing in Aliens for Financial Gain. According to a complaint, Salado and Castro were the captains of a smuggling vessel that was intercepted by the U.S. Coast Guard near the entrance of Quivira Basin in Mission Bay. The nine undocumented aliens aboard the vessel included the defendants plus Luz Mayda Andres Ignacio, Jorge Garcia Santiago and Everado Gonzalez-Gonzalez, who were charged with Attempted Reentry after Deportation.
- On August 4, Jose Alexis Rojas Palomera, a United States citizen, was arrested and charged with Importation of a Controlled Substance. According to a complaint, Customs and Border Protection officers discovered 70.33 pounds of fentanyl, 29.85 pounds of cocaine, and 24.52 pounds of methamphetamine concealed in the spare tire, quarter panels, fuel tank, rear seat, fire wall area and center console of the 2021 Volkswagen Jetta she was driving as she applied for entry to the U.S. at the San Ysidro Port of Entry.
- On August 5, Gustavo Espinoza Hernandez, a United States citizen, was arrested and charged with Importation of Controlled Substance. According to a complaint, Customs and Border Protection officers discovered 74.91 pounds of methamphetamine and 23.63 pounds of fentanyl concealed in the driver side floor, front passenger floor, front passenger seat, passenger backrest, passenger rear seat, and passenger backseat of the 2019 Volkswagen Atlas he was driving as he applied for entry to the U.S. at the San Ysidro Port of Entry.
The immigration cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with the support and assistance of state and local law enforcement partners.
Indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Announces Immigration-Related Prosecutions Against Previously Deported Illegal AliensRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland announced, today, that it secured, in July, multiple immigration-related prosecutions against illegal aliens who re-entered the United States after prior removals in connection with the Department of Justice’s Operation Take Back America.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the prosecutions with Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Field Office Director Robert Guadian, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE-ERO) – Washington Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge Akil Baldwin, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) – Maryland.
On July 31, U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett sentenced Carlos Amador Lopez, 30, to 10 months in federal prison for illegal re-entry of an alien after a prior conviction and removal. In 2018, authorities convicted Amador Lopez of robbery, an aggravated felony, in Nebraska. According to court documents, following his conviction for aggravated felony, authorities removed Amador Lopez from the United States. As part of his removal, authorities advised Amador Lopez that, due to his conviction, he is excluded from re-entering the U.S.
Additionally, on July 28, an illegal alien from Guatemala, residing in Beltsville, Maryland, pled guilty in federal court to illegal re-entry after prior removal. According to federal and state court documents, Bayron Leopoldo Perez Batres, 64, unlawfully re-entered the United States after authorities removed him on three separate occasions. Authorities removed Perez Batres in January 1996, September 2009, and May 2010.
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.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended ICE-ERO and HSI for their work in these investigations. Ms. Hayes also thanked the Assistant U.S. Attorneys and Trial Attorneys who are prosecuting these federal cases.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit justice.gov/usao-md.
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Two Henry County Men Sentenced for Distributing and Possessing with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
ROCK ISLAND, Ill. – Two Henry County, Illinois, men, Christopher Woods (age 54), and Evan Norberg (age 31) were sentenced on August 5, 2026, for their roles in possessing methamphetamine with the intent to deliver and delivering methamphetamine to others. Christopher Woods was sentenced to 200 months’ imprisonment to be followed by ten years of supervised release. Evan Norberg was sentenced to 138 months’ imprisonment followed by eight years of supervised release.
At the sentencing hearing before U.S. District Judge Sara Darrow, the evidence showed that both Woods and Norberg delivered methamphetamine to others in and around the Henry County, Illinois, area for financial gain and that Norberg possessed a firearm as a convicted felon. Woods also obtained methamphetamine in California used the U.S. Postal Service to mail the substance to other individuals, including Norberg, in the Central District of Illinois. Both Woods and Norberg have prior convictions related to methamphetamine trafficking.
In pronouncing the sentences, the Court noted the seriousness of these offenses stating that methamphetamine infects every fiber of the community and negatively affects children, employers, and the community.
Christopher Woods and Evan Norberg were indicted on December 17, 2024. They both have remained in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service since their arrests in 2025.
The statutory penalties for distribution of 5 grams or more of methamphetamine for a person with a prior conviction for a serious drug felony is 10 to 40 years’ imprisonment, followed by at least 8 years of supervised release and a possible fine of up to $10,000,000. The penalties for distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine for a person with a prior conviction for a serious drug felony are 15 years to life imprisonment, 10 years of supervised release, and a possible fine of up to $20,000,000. The statutory penalties for possessing a firearm as a felon are up to 15 years of imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to three years of supervised release.
Members of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), U.S. Postal Office Inspection Service, Kewanee, Illinois, Police Department, Blackhawk Area Task Force, and the Henry County, Illinois, Sheriff’s Office investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda Searle represented the government in the prosecution.
Trinitarios Gang Member Pleads Guilty to Participating in 2023 Double MurderRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A member of the Lynn Chapter of the Trinitarios pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to racketeering charges, including his participation in two murders.
Kelvin Liranzo Roman, a/k/a “Whoopty,” 27, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to conduct enterprise affairs through a pattern of racketeering activity, more commonly referred to as RICO conspiracy. U.S. Senior District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton scheduled sentencing for Nov. 17, 2026. Liranzo Roman was arrested and charged in February 2025.
The Trinitarios is a violent criminal enterprise comprised of thousands of members across the United States. The Trinitarios adhere to a Magna Carta, employ an internal hierarchy to coordinate and execute violence, and undertake extensive efforts to maintain the secrecy of the organization and its members.
During today’s court proceedings, Kelvin Liranzo Roman admitted to his membership in the gang and his participation as an accessory before the fact to the Sept. 2, 2023 murders of Jandriel Heredia and Abraham Diaz. During this incident, three members of the Trinitarios drove by Essex Street in Lynn and discharged numerous rounds at the people gathered outside. The gathering was a party celebrating a recent high-school graduation and a young man heading off to college. Seven people were shot during this incident, including Abraham Diaz and Jandriel Heredia who later died from the gunshot wounds they sustained.
Liranzo Roman admitted that before the shooting, he brought the vehicle used in the shooting to Lynn, knowing it would be used by the Trinitarios later that night to target rival gang members that the Trinitarios believed were at the party. The vehicle used in the shooting was owned by the deceased Trinitarios member and was used to send a message to rival gang members. After the shooting, the driver and two shooters were brought to Lawrence, and then later were brought to Liranzo Roman’s residence.
In February 2025, federal racketeering charges were unsealed against 22 leaders and members of the Trinitarios. The charges were the result of a multijurisdictional investigation which began in the aftermath of four murders as well as a series of attempted murders and shootings that took place in Lynn in 2023, allegedly committed by the Trinitarios criminal enterprise and its members. In March 2025, a Lynn member of the Trinitarios was sentenced to 10 years in prison. In June 2025, two members of the Trinitarios were charged with kidnapping a drug supplier. In July 2025, the leader of the Lynn Chapter was sentenced to 14 years in prison. In December 2025, two members of the Lynn Chapter, Michael Miliano and James Jimenez pleaded guilty to racketeering conspiracy. In April 2026, Luis Enrique Santana pleaded guilty. In May 2026, Westyn Lantigua pleaded guilty. In June 2026, Luis Jeffrey Santana pleaded guilty.
On June 9, 2026, additional federal racketeering and drug charges were unsealed charging 26 additional leaders, members and associates of the Lawrence, Haverhill and Boston Chapters of the gang. According to court documents, the Trinitarios have allegedly participated in five additional murders in Essex County since 2017, bringing the total of federally charged murders to 11. Kelvin Liranzo Roman is the 12th defendant to plead guilty in the case
The charge of conspiracy to conduct enterprise affairs through a pattern of racketeering activity (also known as “racketeering conspiracy” or “RICO conspiracy”) provides for a sentence of up to life in prison, five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The defendant is subject to deportation upon completion of any sentence imposed. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Jeff Grimming, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Essex County District Attorney Paul F. Tucker; Massachusetts State Police Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble; and Lynn Police Chief Christopher P. Reddy made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Manchester, N.H. Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip A. Mallard of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Boston is comprised of agents and officers from HSI, FBI, DEA, ATF, USMS, IRS-CI, USPIS, DOL-OIG and DSS, as well as several state and local law enforcement agencies, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.
Toppenish Man Sentenced for Domestic Violence AssaultsRead the Press Release
Yakima, Washington – First Assistant United States Attorney Pete Serrano announced that on August 6, 2025, United States District Court Judge Rebecca L. Pennell sentenced Alex Jeffery James-Tulee, twenty-three, to thirty-seven months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release for one count of Assault Resulting in Substantial Bodily Injury to an Intimate or Dating Partner and one count of Assault of an Intimate or Dating Partner by Strangling or Suffocating, all within the exterior bounds of the Yakama Nation.
According to court documents, James-Tulee assaulted two different women whom he was involved in a domestic relationship and both enrolled members of the Yakama Nation. One assault occurred in November 2022, when James-Tulee assaulted his then-partner by striking and biting her in Toppenish, Washington, causing substantial bodily injury. The second assault with strangulation occurred in July 2025 when James-Tulee bit and choked a different partner outside of a residence in Wapato, Washington. One of the victims reported suffering repeated acts of violence at the hands of Tulee.
“Domestic violence undermines the safety and wellbeing of our entire community,” stated Serrano. “Our office remains committed to holding offenders accountable and supporting survivors through every step of the process. We will continue to work closely with our law enforcement, tribal and community partners to ensure that those affected by domestic violence are heard, protected, and empowered.”
“This sentence reflects the seriousness of Mr. James-Tulee’s repeated and escalating violence against his partners and shows that domestic violence offenders will see consequences for their actions. Along with other forms of violence, abusers may seek to instill fear and exert control by strangling or suffocating their partners. Let this be a message to them: this egregious violence will not be tolerated. Native American women experience the highest rates of domestic abuse in the nation, and FBI Seattle remains committed to working alongside our Tribal partners to ensure victims are protected and offenders held responsible," said W. Mike Herrington, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Seattle field office.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Yakama Nation Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael D. Murphy.
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Three Southern California Gang Members Sentenced to Life in Prison for Murder as Part of Homeland Security Task Force InitiativeRead the Press Release
Mike Escobar, also known as “Risky,” 43, a member of the Little Hood gang in Anaheim, California; James Mendez, also known as “Buck,” 47, a Sureño gang member from Garden Grove, California; and Kevin Trejo, also known as “Minor,” 38, a member of the Jeffrey Street gang in Anaheim, California, were each sentenced yesterday to life in prison for their trial convictions of murder in aid of racketeering relating to their association with the Mexican Mafia.
The Mexican Mafia, also known as “La Eme,” is a U.S.-based prison gang that has immense control over Hispanic street gangs in Southern California, directing illegal activities from prisons and collecting a portion of the proceeds from drug trafficking, illegal gambling, and other crimes committed on the streets.
According to the evidence presented at the 10-day trial that occurred in October 2023, the defendants, in August 2017, murdered the victim, a member of a Costa Mesa, California, street gang and associate of the Mexican Mafia. At the time of his murder, the victim was involved in trafficking drugs and collecting taxes from other Orange County gangs on behalf of a Mexican Mafia leader in charge of criminal activities, who was in prison. The Mexican Mafia leader who ordered the murder is scheduled for trial in August 2027.
“Gang members directing murders from behind bars will be charged and prosecuted just like those who pull the triggers,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “This case charged both the shooters and the perpetrator who ordered the murder. The Criminal Division will maintain its commitment to eradicate gangs at all levels and make America safe.”
“We will never tolerate violence ordered by imprisoned gangsters operating from behind bars,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli for the Central District of California. “Yesterday’s life sentences demonstrate our commitment to holding these thugs accountable until their dying day.”
“Gang members committing violent acts of murder on the streets of America violates everyone’s sense of safety and security in our neighborhoods,” said Assistant Director Heith Janke of the FBI’s Criminal Division. “Three more members of the Mexican Mafia who steal from society and degrade our communities are off the streets for the rest of their lives thanks to the joint efforts of the Orange County Violent Gang Task Force and the Homeland Security Task Force.”
On the night of the murder, Escobar, Mendez, and Trejo tricked the victim into driving with them to a residential neighborhood in Orange, California. There, they shot him seven times in the back and once in the head.
Crime Scene Photos from the Night of the MurderThe FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office; the Orange Police Department; the Santa Ana Police Department; the Placentia Police Department; the Orange County District Attorney’s Office; and the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Grace Bowen and Christopher Matthews of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Greg Staples for the Central District of California are prosecuting the case, with substantial assistance from Assistant U.S. Attorney Greg Scally for the Central District of California.
This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. 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 U.S. 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.
Terrebonne Parish Felon Indicted for Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl and Possession of Firearm to further Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – United States Attorney David I. Courcelle announced today that a federal grand jury indicted KENYA PATTERSON, (“PATTERSON”), age 34, of Houma, Louisiana, for:
Count 1-Possession with intent to distribute forty (40) grams or more of a mixture of a substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(B)(vi);
Count 2-Possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A)(i); and
Count 3- Felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8).
According to the indictment, on or about June 4, 2025, in the Eastern District of Louisiana, PATTERSON, possessed with intent to distribute over forty (40) grams of fentanyl. PATTERSON possessed the firearm in furtherance of the crime alleged in Count 1. Finally, PATTERSON possessed the firearm knowing that he had been previously convicted of crimes punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year.
PATTERSON faces the following penalties if convicted:
Count 1: a minimum of five (5) years imprisonment up to a maximum of forty (40) years imprisonment; a fine of up to $5,000,000, at least four (4) years of supervised release, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee;
Count 2: a minimum of five (5) years imprisonment up to life imprisonment to be served consecutive to any other term of imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, up to five (5) years of supervised release, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee; and
Count 3: up to fifteen (15) years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, up to three (3) years of supervised release, and a mandatory $100 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.
U.S. Attorney Courcelle praised the work of the federal Drug Enforcement Administration and the Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Duane A. Evans of the General Crimes Unit is prosecuting the matter.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.
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Tallahassee Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Child Pornography OffensesRead the Press Release
Tallahassee, Florida – Justin Luis Ruiz, 21, of Tallahassee, Florida, was sentenced in federal court to 15 years in prison after pleading guilty to one count of production of child pornography, one count of receipt of child pornography, two counts of distribution of child pornography, and one count of possession of child pornography. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “The production, distribution, and possession of child sexual abuse material are horrific crimes that rob the most vulnerable members of our society of their innocence, and re-victimize those exploited children each and every time the videos and images of their abuse are shared. I deeply appreciate the excellent investigative work of our state and federal law enforcement partners to identify and apprehend this despicable defendant, and I am proud that my office’s successful prosecution will ensure he spends the next 15 years behind federal bars where he belongs.”
Court documents reflect that a 2024 investigation by the Rapid City (South Dakota) Police Department uncovered that the defendant had solicited a minor to send him nude photographs depicting child pornography. Further investigation, including law enforcement’s search of a Tallahassee residence, identified the defendant had communicated online with known and unknown persons, many of them minors, and exchanged child pornography with those individuals.
“The vile sexual exploitation of children by these predators leaves lifelong scars on children who should never be subjected to corruption,” said Homeland Security Investigations Tampa acting Special Agent in Charge Nicholas Ingegno. This sentence is a measure of accountability for the harm he caused and a warning to others who solicit, trade, or possess child sexual abuse material. HSI, alongside our law enforcement partners, will continue to pursue these offenders relentlessly, across jurisdictions and online platforms, until they are brought to justice.”
Upon release from prison, Ruiz will be on supervised release for the rest of life.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Leon County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Tallahassee Police Department and the Rapid City Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Meredith L. Steer.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
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 for the Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.
South Carolina Man Sentenced to 18.5 Years for 2022 Shooting in Adams MorganRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Jakiem Miller, 28, of South Carolina, was sentenced today, to 18.5 years in prison for shooting and killing Avon Perkins, 30, and also shooting an innocent bystander college student, outside Air Nightclub in Washington, D.C., announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
After a February 2026 mistrial due to an attorney’s mid-trial hospitalization, defendant pleaded guilty on May 6, 2026, to one count of voluntary manslaughter while armed, for the killing of Avon Perkins on December 17, 2022, and one count of assault with a dangerous weapon, for the shooting of an innocent bystander, a college student, that same night. Superior Court Judge Todd Edelman sentenced Miller, on August 7, to the prison term to be follow by five years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, a little after midnight on December 17, 2022, Mr. Perkins was asked by management to leave Air Nightclub on 18th St. NW in Adams Morgan. While waiting outside for his friend, Mr. Perkins was approached by Miller, who had also been in the club that night. After a brief discussion, the Mr. Perkins punched the defendant in the face. The defendant responded by pulling out a firearm from his groin area and firing off nine shots at Mr. Perkins, shooting him twice in the back as the victim ran away for his life, killing him on scene. One of Miller’s bullets also struck an innocent bystander college student in the butt who was walking out of Andy’s Pizza a few storefronts down. Her injuries were non-life threatening. She was treated at a local hospital and released.
Joining the announcement was Interim Police Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Pirro and Interim Chief Carroll commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including former Assistant U.S. Attorney Sam Danai, Paralegal Specialists Grazy Rivera and Lauren Douglas, Victim/Witness Advocates Jenn Clark and Deidria Ellis, Litigation Technology Specialists Sigourney Jackson and Leif Hickling, Victim/Witness Services Coordinators Shanika McCollough and Katina Adams, and intern Yushi Liu.
Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anthony Cocuzza and Erin DeRiso, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
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Smyrna Man Pleads Guilty to Cocaine Distribution and Illegal Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, Del. – A Smyrna man pleaded guilty yesterday to distributing cocaine and illegally possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Chief U.S. District Judge Colm F. Connolly accepted the plea.
According to court documents, Roger Bleen, 43, sold approximately 273 grams of cocaine on October 14, 2025, outside a convenience store in Kent County. That sale was part of a months‑long pattern of trafficking in which Bleen sold cocaine on multiple occasions. Court documents indicate that Bleen operated within a larger cocaine‑ and fentanyl-trafficking organization orchestrated in part by associate Nugi Nichols, who pleaded guilty to cocaine distribution on June 1, 2026. As part of that broader investigation, a search warrant executed at Bleen’s Smyrna residence found a loaded 9mm Smith & Wesson M&P Shield EZ handgun inside Bleen’s bedroom closet. As a previously convicted felon, Bleen was prohibited from possessing firearms.
“Drug traffickers who arm themselves compound the danger they pose to our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Benjamin L. Wallace. “Bleen sold cocaine over many months as part of a broader drug-trafficking network. Today’s plea—made possible through the teamwork of the DEA, FBI, and the Dover Police Department—reflects our commitment to stop the flow of drugs into Delaware and to hold felons accountable when they choose to possess guns.”
“This investigation removed an armed drug trafficker from our community,” said DEA Philadelphia Special Agent in Charge Timothy S. Flaherty. “The threat posed by these organizations has never been higher, but law enforcement at every level is rising to meet it. Today’s plea is another example of the exceptional partnerships between the DEA, FBI, Dover Police Department, and United States Attorney’s Office.”
“Roger Bleen profited from selling cocaine in our community,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul. “Today’s guilty plea reflects the seriousness of Bleen’s crimes and the harm his drug trafficking inflicted on Delaware. The FBI works diligently with our law enforcement partners to make our communities safer by dismantling drug trafficking organizations and holding all those involved accountable.”
“Bleen, Nichols, and every other predator trafficking drugs into our communities are a direct threat to our families, our visitors, and our most vulnerable residents,” said Dover Police Department Chief Thomas A. Johnson, Jr. “They profit from addiction and misery without regard for the lives they destroy. The Dover Police Department and their great investigators will continue working alongside our state and federal partners to identify, investigate, and bring these offenders to justice. We celebrate the work of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in this case and hope that anyone else thinking about delivering poison to Dover, thinks twice, as we will never tolerate the lethal combination of guns and drugs in our city.”
Bleen pleaded guilty to distribution of cocaine and possession of a firearm as a prohibited person. He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on the drug charge and 15 years in prison on the firearm charge. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine the sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing is scheduled for December 21, 2026.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Dover Police Department investigated the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the District of Delaware or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:26-cr-81-CFC.
Shiprock Man Charged with Assaulting Federal OfficerRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Shiprock man has been charged in federal court after he allegedly fired at a law enforcement officer during an emergency response in Shiprock.
According to court documents, on July 26, 2026, Navajo Nation Police responded to a report that Marcus Allen Benally, 41, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, was using a rifle to threaten his neighbor in Shiprock, New Mexico. Benally fired in the direction of an officer, striking and damaging a patrol vehicle. Benally fled on foot and was apprehended by a K9.
Benally is charged with assault on a federal officer with a dangerous weapon. He will remain in custody pending trial, which has not yet been scheduled. If convicted of the current charges, Benally faces up to 20 years in prison.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Nation Police Department and Navajo Nation Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth Teleky is prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Sex-trafficking Crips member sentenced to 30 years in prisonRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 25-year-old member of the Forum Park Crips has been ordered to federal prison for sex trafficking a 16-year-old minor.
Andres Serrano Portillo a/k/a Andro pleaded guilty July 11, 2022.
U.S. District Judge George C. Hanks Jr. has now ordered Portillo to serve 360 months in federal prison. At the hearing, the court heard information and evidence detailing Portillo’s exploitation of the minor victim.
In handing down the sentence, the court noted that Portillo had ruined lives and only appeared remorseful because law enforcement apprehended him. He was further ordered to serve 10 years on supervised release following the completion of his prison term. During that time, he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet. He will also be ordered to register as a sex offender.
In October 2019, Portillo lured a 16-year-old girl he met on social media and forced her to engage in sex acts for money in cars and motels around the Bissonnet “blade” or “track.” In addition to trafficking the teenage victim for commercial sex, Portillo held her at a residence where she was repeatedly physically and sexually assaulted. The victim ultimately hid and contacted her mother by phone, leading authorities to rescue her.
The “blade” is an area near I-59 Southwest Freeway and Bissonnet Street in Houston where pimps and traffickers commonly place their victims to engage in commercial sex.
Co-conspirators Michael Anthony Gonzalez a/k/a Mumbles, 29, Jerreck Michael Hilliard a/k/a J-money, 37, Damarquis McGee a/k/a Blue, 28, Javon Yaw Opoku a/k/a Glizzy, 26, and Clarence Christopher Chambers a/k/a Chris, 34, all of Houston, were previously sentenced to 240, 292, 348, 365, and 420 months in prison, respectively, for their roles in the sex trafficking conspiracy.
Portillo will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kate Suh, Anthony Franklyn, and former AUSA Richard W. Bennett prosecuted the case.
The Houston Police Department conducted the investigation with the assistance of Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations and Harris County District Attorney’s Office as part of the Human Trafficking Rescue Alliance (HTRA).
HTRA law enforcement also includes members of the FBI, Texas Attorney General’s Office, IRS Criminal Investigation, Department of Labor, Department of State, Texas Alcoholic and Beverage Commission, Texas Department of Public Safety, Department of Homeland Security – Office of Inspector General, Social Security Administration – Office of Inspector General, and Sheriff’s Offices in Harris and Montgomery counties in coordination with District Attorney’s offices in Montgomery and Fort Bend Counties.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas formed HTRA in 2004 to combine resources with federal, state, and local enforcement agencies and prosecutors, as well as non-governmental service organizations to target human traffickers while providing necessary services to those that the traffickers victimized. Since its inception, HTRA has been recognized as both a national and international model in identifying and assisting victims of human trafficking and prosecuting those engaged in trafficking offenses.
Seven Charged for Roles in Fentanyl Drug Trafficking Conspiracy as Part of the Las Vegas Homeland Security Task ForceRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – A criminal complaint prepared by Homeland Security Investigations was filed in Las Vegas charging seven individuals for their alleged roles in a fentanyl drug trafficking organization.
“Fentanyl is a deadly poison that is devastating our communities and traffickers often disguise these substances as ordinary prescription pills, placing teenagers and young adults at risk,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada. “This complaint dismantles a major supply chain that put profit over human lives. We will continue to use every federal resource to target, disrupt, and prosecute the networks flooding our streets with these lethal drugs."
“Fentanyl trafficking at this scale is a direct threat to public safety and homeland security,” said Jonathan Sherwin, Deputy Special Agent in Charge for Homeland Security Investigations Las Vegas. “This seizure of significant quantities of Fentanyl, firearms and illicit proceeds demonstrates the danger these criminal organizations pose to our communities. Homeland Security Investigations and our law enforcement partners working together as the HSTF, will continue to disrupt and dismantle the networks moving deadly narcotics through Nevada and beyond.”
According to allegations in the criminal complaint and statements made in court, from at least 2024 to August 2, 2026, Adrian Ortiz Moreno, also known as “El Apache,” a Mexican national, and Brenda Maria Moreno De Castro, a Mexican national and lawful permanent resident of the United States, engaged in a continuing criminal enterprise with their co-defendants to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, a Schedule II controlled substance.
As alleged, Adrian Ortiz Moreno, Brenda Maria Moreno De Castro, Martin Castro, Jr., David Romero Hernandez, Edgar Rosas, Juan Martinez Ramirez, a Mexican national, and Walter Estrada Carlos, a Mexican national, were principal administrators, organizers, supervisors, or leaders of the criminal enterprise, which involved the possession with intent to distribute and distribution of fentanyl.
On August 2, 2026, law enforcement executed search warrants at two residential addresses. At one residence, law enforcement recovered a substantial amount of cash, 12 firearms including a gold and black semi-automatic firearm engraved with “EL APACHE,” and semi-automatic rifles. At the second residence, law enforcement recovered 36 wrapped packages consistent with the packages containing fentanyl seized from a vehicle, two semi-automatic pistols, and a semi-automatic rifle. Law enforcement had previously seized 40 kilograms of fentanyl and $200,000 cash from vehicles operated by this organization.
A substantial amount of cash recovered in U.S. v. Adrian Ortiz Moreno et al, 2:26-mj-0558-NJK
A gold and black semi-automatic firearm engraved with “EL APACHE” in U.S. v. Adrian Ortiz Moreno et al, 2:26-mj-0558-NJK
Wrapped Packages in U.S. v. Adrian Ortiz Moreno et al, 2:26-mj-0558-NJK
“The charges announced today are the result of a shoulder-to-shoulder partnership between the FBI, HSI, ATF, IRS, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the Nevada Gaming Commission,” said Special Agent in Charge Christopher S. Delzotto for the FBI Las Vegas Field Office. “Our community is safer today. There is no doubt lives across our state were saved from the devastating impact of these dangerous drugs and firearms crimes. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate, disrupt, and hold accountable those who insist on sowing destruction in our neighborhoods.”
“DEA remains in lockstep with our federal law enforcement partners, working to maximize our efforts to defeat drug traffickers and disrupt their assembly line of illicit drug distribution,” said Anthony Chrysanthis, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration Los Angeles Field Division, which oversees Las Vegas. “HSTF encapsulates a whole-of-government approach, which, as demonstrated by this collective investigation, ensures that drug criminals face the full force of the law. This operation removed dangerous and potentially deadly drugs, along with guns and illicit funds, from our community — delivering on our commitment to safeguard the health and wellbeing of our residents.”
“This operation underscores the effectiveness of the Homeland Security Task Force, where federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies combine their expertise and resources to dismantle sophisticated transnational criminal organizations,” said Special Agent in Charge John Wester, San Francisco Field Division, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosive. “Working alongside our partners from Homeland Security Investigations, the FBI, and our local law enforcement agencies, ATF helped remove a significant cache of firearms, dangerous narcotics, and illicit proceeds from our communities while disrupting a network with ties to a drug-trafficking organization. These coordinated enforcement efforts demonstrate our unwavering commitment to targeting violent offenders, trafficking organizations, and the criminal infrastructure that fuels violence throughout the region.”
“Our frontline success in Nevada comes down to one thing: our absolute commitment to the Homeland Security Task Force,” said U.S. Marshal Gary Schofield. “By combining our resources through these powerful interagency partnerships, the U.S. Marshals Service is aggressively dismantling the cartels, violent gangs, and human trafficking rings trying to gain a foothold in our state.”
The complaint charges Adrian Ortiz Moreno and Brenda Maria Moreno De Castro with one count of continuing criminal enterprise and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; Martin Castro, Jr., David Romero Hernandez, Edgar Rosas, Juan Martinez Ramirez, and Walter Estrada Carlos with one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance; Adrian Ortiz Moreno, Brenda Maria Moreno De Castro, and Walter Estrada Carlos with one count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance; and Martin Castro, Jr. with one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Four defendants made their initial appearances in court on Tuesday before United States Magistrate Judge Maximiliano D. Couvillier, III. Three were remanded to custody.
If convicted, the maximum statutory penalty is life imprisonment. Any sentence would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
This case was investigated by the Homeland Security Task Force consisting of special agents with the FBI, HSI, ATF, IRS-CI, the Las Vegas Metro Police Department, the United States Marshals Service, and Nevada Gaming Commission. The case is being prosecuted by the District of Nevada.
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 U.S. 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. The Las Vegas HSTF comprises agents and officers from federal, state, and local law enforcement, with the prosecution being led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada.
The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
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Repeat Felon Sentenced to 36 Months After Loaded Glock Found in D.C. CarRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Tremayne Coombs, 32, a previously convicted felon residing in the District of Columbia, was sentenced today to 36 months in prison in connection with his unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition while he was on supervised release for another offense, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Coombs pleaded guilty on March 6, 2026, before Judge Jia M. Cobb to unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon. In addition to the 36-month prison term, Judge Cobb ordered Coombs to serve three years of supervised release. Federal prosecutors had requested a 71-month prison term.
According to court documents, on Aug. 4, 2023, at about 12:13 a.m., Metropolitan Police Department officers were patrolling the 4600 block of Benning Road SE when they spotted an unoccupied 2017 Nissan Sentra parked on the side of the road. A bag of marijuana sat in plain view on the Sentra’s rear floorboard. Officers gained access to the car and recovered the bag, along with a second bag of marijuana in a backpack on the front passenger seat. The two bags collectively weighed 32 ounces.
Inside the car’s glovebox, officers found a loaded Glock 23 .40-caliber semiautomatic pistol. The gun held 13 rounds in a 15-round magazine, with one round in the chamber. Coombs' DNA was later found on both the firearm and its magazine. Due to his status as a previously convicted felon, Coombs was prohibited from possessing any firearm.
Coombs’ record includes a lengthy history of firearm and narcotics convictions. In 2013, he was convicted in D.C. Superior Court of possession with intent to distribute cocaine, unlawful possession of ammunition and unlawful possession of an unregistered firearm. In 2016, he was convicted in D.C. Superior Court of unlawful possession of a firearm after officers recovered a Glock 27 from the car he was driving.
In 2018, he was convicted in D.C. Superior Court of marijuana possession after officers found multiple bags of marijuana and pills containing oxycodone during a traffic stop. In 2019, he was convicted in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia of unlawful possession of a firearm and possession with intent to distribute cocaine base, and was sentenced to 45 months in prison. He was still on supervised release from that case when he was arrested in this case.
The investigation was conducted by the Metropolitan Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Washington Field Office.
This case was prosecuted under the Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful initiative by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jared English.
Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful is a law enforcement initiative in support of President Trump's Executive Order to crack down on gun violence, prioritize federal firearms violations, pursue tougher penalties, and seek detention for federal firearms violators.
The Glock 23x found in the Nissan Sentra. Coombs DNA was found on the firearm and the magazine.
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Pocahontas County Man Admits to Transporting MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
ELKINS, WEST VIRGINIA – A Marlinton, West Virginia man has admitted to drug and firearm charges after a traffic stop led to methamphetamine and firearms seizures, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew L. Harvey.
Charles Robert Calhoun, 40, pleaded guilty today to possessing more than 50 grams of methamphetamine and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug crime. According to the filed plea agreement and statements made in court, officers seized a pistol, four bags containing 141 grams of methamphetamine, $3,630, and drug paraphernalia. At the time of the traffic stop, Calhoun was on state home confinement. A court-ordered home check of Calhoun’s residence led to a search warrant, and investigators subsequently seized 11 firearms and three sets of digital scales.
Calhoun faces 10 years to life in prison for the drug charge and faces a consecutive 5 years and up to life for the firearms charge. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Warner is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government.
The Mountain Region Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, and the West Virginia State Police investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.
Muskogee Resident Pleads Guilty to Second Degree MurderRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Robert William Rainford, age 51, of Muskogee, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Second-Degree Murder in Indian Country, punishable by imprisonment for a period of any term of years and up to life, and a $250,000 fine.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Muskogee County Sheriff’s Office.
On May 5, 2023, Rainford was found guilty at trial by a federal jury for one count of First-Degree Murder in Indian Country in the shooting death of Rainford’s Muskogee neighbor. Rainford appealed that conviction to the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit, arguing that the jury instructions given in his case limited the ability of jurors to evaluate the defenses he offered at trial. The Tenth Circuit agreed, reversing the conviction and remanding Rainford’s case to district court for a new trial.
During the plea hearing, Rainford agreed that at trial, the Government could prove beyond a reasonable doubt that on December 12, 2021, in Muskogee County, within the boundaries of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma, Rainford unlawfully shot and killed his neighbor, an enrolled member of the Cherokee Nation, with malice aforethought. As part of the written plea agreement, the parties agreed that a sentence of 120 months imprisonment is an appropriate disposition of the case.
The Honorable Gerald L. Jackson, Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court, 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 parties’ recommendation, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other statutory factors.
Rainford will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Assistant United States Attorney Ryan Conway represented the United States at the hearing.
Multi-Agency Gang Investigation in Las Cruces Leads to Federal Charges and Seizure of Firearms and NarcoticsRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison, Special Agent in Charge Justin A. Garris of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, and Police Chief Jeremy Story of the Las Cruces Police Department announced today that federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies concluded a months-long joint investigation targeting violent gang activity in the Las Cruces area, resulting in federal and state criminal charges, the seizure of firearms and narcotics, and the clearance of multiple violent crimes.
The investigation was led by the Las Cruces Police Department's Street Crimes Unit in partnership with the Las Cruces/Doña Ana Metro Narcotics Agency, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Safe Streets Task Force and the Doña Ana County Sheriff's Office.
During the investigation, law enforcement officers executed approximately 58 legal processes, including search warrants, arrest warrants, and court orders totaling more than 800 pages. The investigation resulted in the seizure of 19 firearms, three machine gun conversion devices, two sets of body armor, approximately 265 grams of methamphetamine, and approximately 200 grams of fentanyl.
A small plastic bag of blue pills sits on a digital scale showing a weight of 18.6 grams. Several small plastic bags containing a white crystalline substance are placed on a digital scale reading 26.5 grams. A workbench with various disassembled firearm parts, magazines, and a tactical vest arranged on the surface.As a result of the investigation, the United States Attorney's Office for the District of New Mexico has charged six defendants with federal offenses as part of Summer Heat, the FBI’s nationwide initiative targeting violent crime during the summer months. By surging resources alongside federal, state, and local partners, executing federal warrants on violent criminals and fugitives, and dismantling violent gangs nationwide, the FBI seeks to aggressively restore safety in communities across the country. These cases include:
- Possession of a Firearm in a School Zone
- Discharging a Firearm in a School Zone
- Possession of a Firearm with an Obliterated Serial Number
- Receiving a Firearm While Under Indictment
- Possession of a Firearm by a Felon
- Possession of Body Armor by a Violent Felon
- Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine
- Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl
In addition, multiple defendants were charged in state court for the following offenses:
- Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon
- Aggravated Battery with a Deadly Weapon
- Shooting At or From a Motor Vehicle (multiple counts)
- Unlawful Possession of a Handgun by a Person Under Age 19 (multiple counts)
- Possession of Cocaine
Information developed during the investigation also led investigators to solve 11 drive-by shootings in the Las Cruces area.
Because the investigation remains ongoing and additional enforcement actions are anticipated, the identities of the charged individuals are not being released at this time.
Mexican National Pleads Guilty to Laundering More than $1.9 Million in Drug ProceedsRead the Press Release
A Mexican national pleaded guilty today for his role in the collection of more than $1.9 million in drug proceeds in the United States and the return of those proceeds via cryptocurrency or wire transfers to Mexico as part of a money laundering conspiracy.
According to court documents, Daniel Gordiano Valenzuela, 60, who was residing in Mexico at the time of his arrest, served as a “money broker” in an organization that conspired with drug traffickers to launder money for them in Mexico. Gordiano Valenzuela personally arranged for the laundering of $1, 973,076 from the sale of drugs and used a network of co-conspirators to pick up the drug proceeds throughout the United States. After delivery of the bulk cash, he provided instructions for the transfer of those funds via cryptocurrency or wire transfer and then received a “commission,” or percentage of the money laundered successfully.
Gordiano Valenzuela pleaded guilty to money laundering conspiracy. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 19 and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, First Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Parman for the Eastern District of Kentucky, and Special Agent in Charge Joseph O. Dixon of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Detroit Field Division made the announcement.
The DEA Detroit Field Division and IRS Criminal Investigation Detroit investigated the case, working closely with the DEA Austin Residence Office and Lexington Residence Office with assistance from DEA’s Special Operations Division and DEA offices in Mexico, Houston, Tulsa, Chicago, and Youngstown, Ohio.
Deputy Chief Elizabeth R. Rabe of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section and Deputy Chief Gary Todd Bradbury of the Eastern District of Kentucky are prosecuting the case.
The Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section’s (MNF) mission is to take the profit out of crime, eliminate drug cartels, and protect the U.S. financial system. MNF pursues criminal prosecutions and criminal and civil asset recovery actions involving: financial facilitators who launder profits for criminals; financial institutions and their officers and employees whose actions threaten the U.S. financial system and financial institutions; international money launderers who support transnational organized crime; and the top command and control of international drug trafficking organizations.
MNF’s Money Laundering and Forfeiture Unit investigates and prosecutes sophisticated money laundering schemes involving financial facilitators, gatekeepers, and other individuals and entities laundering criminal proceeds, and litigates complex civil forfeiture cases to recover assets on behalf of victims.
This prosecution is also 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 U.S. 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.
Mercer County Man Sentenced for Armed Fentanyl Trafficking and Illegal Firearm Possession as a Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. – A Harrodsburg, Ky., man, Mitchell Lee Hensley, 52, was sentenced on Friday to 15 years by U.S. District Judge Robert Wier for possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
On May 24, 2025, law enforcement executed a search warrant of Hensley’s residence and located various drug trafficking paraphernalia, including bags and digital scales in Hensley’s bedroom. In a space between the mattress and headboard, law enforcement located a pouch containing 108.742 grams of fentanyl and an additional 53.809 grams of methamphetamine. Near the drugs, law enforcement also found a loaded revolver. During a subsequent search of the premises, law enforcement located and seized an additional four firearms stored under Hensley’s bed.
Hensley admitted to possessing the fentanyl and methamphetamine that was seized and that he planned to distribute them to others. He further admitted that he possessed the firearms in furtherance of his drug trafficking activities. Hensley also admitted he was aware that he had been convicted of multiple felonies and was prohibited from possessing a firearm.
Jason Parman, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; John Nokes, Special Agent in Charge, ATF, Louisville Field Division; and Chief Scott Elder, Harrodsburg Police Department, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by the ATF and Harrodsburg Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paco Villalobos prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.
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Master of Shadow Fleet Tanker Sentenced in D.C. for Evading U.S. Coast Guard During Weeks-Long PursuitRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON — Avtandil Kalandadze, 47, the former ship master of a shadow fleet tanker Bella 1 that historically transported Iran- and Venezuela-origin oil for the ultimate benefit of U.S. adversaries, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 10 months imprisonment in connection with refusing to obey orders from the U.S. Coast Guard during a multi-week pursuit from the Caribbean Sea through to the North Atlantic Ocean, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
“Kalandadze captained a vessel used to conceal illicit oil shipments for U.S. adversaries, and when the Coast Guard ordered him to stop, he fled,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “This case demonstrates that those who try to evade U.S. law enforcement even on the open sea will be held accountable. The ocean does not place anyone beyond our reach.”
Kalandadze, of the Republic of Georgia, pleaded guilty on June 12 before Judge Beryl A. Howell to one count of failing to heave to a Coast Guard cutter. Kalandadze will be deported at the completion of his 10-month prison term.
According to the plea agreement, from September 2025 until late December 2025, Kalandadze was the Master of the Motor Tanker Bella 1. During his time as Master, the Bella 1 transported approximately 1.8 million barrels of Iran-origin oil to Asia. During this time, Kalandadze employed common obfuscation techniques to hide the activities of the Bella 1, including sailing with an inactivated Automatic Identification System (AIS) and concealing the name of the Bella 1 while engaging in a ship-to-ship transfer of the Iran-origin oil to another vessel.
In December 2025, while under his charge, the Bella 1 was en route to Venezuela when it was intercepted by the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Munro. The Bella 1 failed to comply with the Coast Guard’s order to heave to and fled across the Atlantic Ocean. The Munro pursued the Bella 1 throughout its flight and, on Jan. 7, aided in the execution of a lawful seizure of the vessel.
During the flight and at the direction of a corporate representative of the operator, Kalandadze took multiple steps to avoid the Coast Guard interdiction, including disobeying multiple orders by authorized federal law enforcement officers to heave to for the U.S. Coast Guard’s Munro and destroying records and information on board the Bella 1.
This case is being investigated by HSI and the FBI. Significant assistance on this matter was provided by the Department of Justice’s Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section and the Office of International Affairs. The Department extends its gratitude to the men and women of the U.S. Coast Guard and the U.S. Department of War for their bravery, dedication, and assistance on this matter.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher T. Tortorice, Rajbir Datta, and Jonathan Hornok for the District of Columbia and Acting Deputy Chief Sean R. Heiden of the Department of Justice’s National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.
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Marshalltown Man Convicted of Possession with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
DES MOINES, Iowa – On August 5, 2026, a federal jury in Des Moines convicted a Marshalltown man of possession with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.
According to public court documents and evidence presented at trial, in early 2025 Christopher James Moore, 55, was the subject of a methamphetamine investigation by the Mid-Iowa Drug Task Force. On March 25, 2025, police stopped a vehicle in which Moore was a passenger. During the traffic stop, Moore possessed over half of a pound of methamphetamine. A subsequent search of his trailer located over 300 grams of methamphetamine, U.S. currency, and digital scales and baggies, used to weigh and package drugs for sale. The methamphetamine Moore possessed with intent to distribute was 100% pure, according to lab testing performed by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation.
Currently, Moore faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and up to life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the United States sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney David C. Waterman of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. Mid-Iowa Drug Task Force investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorneys Shai Gonzales and Mallory Weiser prosecuted the case.
Maine Man Indicted for Escape from CustodyRead the Press Release
CONCORD – A federal grand jury this week indicted a Maine man for escape from custody, U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan announces. According to the indictment, on July 18, 2026, Michel D’Angelo, age 46, left federal custody from the Hampshire House Residential Reentry Center in Manchester without permission.
If convicted, D’Angelo faces up to 5 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both. The details contained in the Indictment are allegations. D’Angelo is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. D’Angelo will appear before the Court at a later date.
The United States Marshals Service is leading the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mike Shannon is prosecuting the case.
Lincoln Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Receiving Child PornographyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that James Dennise Barratt, 40, of Lincoln, Nebraska, was sentenced on August 6, 2026, in federal court in Lincoln for receipt of child pornography. United States District Judge Susan M. Bazis sentenced Barratt to 120 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Barratt is released from prison, he will begin a 10-year term of supervised release. Barratt was also ordered to pay a total of $9,000 in restitution to the identified victims.
Between August 28, 2023, and November 4, 2023, Verizon reported to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children five Cybertips of a user uploading child pornography. A Nebraska State Patrol investigation led to the identification of Barratt as the individual responsible.
A residential search warrant was executed at Barratt’s Lincoln home on March 21, 2024, and for Barratt’s cloud-based storage account. Law enforcement located 660 images of child pornography on Barratt’s cell phone, and 17 images and 9 videos of child pornography on Barratt’s cloud-based storage account.
Barratt was interviewed and admitted to looking at child pornography for about five years prior to getting caught.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
This case was investigated by the Nebraska State Patrol.
Laurel man pleads guilty to gun charges after shooting himself in the legRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – A Laurel man who was found with an illicit firearm while under felony indictment admitted to charges today, Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith said.
Joel Antonio Crusselle II, 27, pleaded guilty to one count of having a firearm while under indictment. Crusselle faces up to five years in prison, a $250,000 fine, three years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
U.S. District Judge Kathleen S. Lane presided and will determine a sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for Dec. 9, 2026. Crusselle remained in custody pending further proceedings.
The government alleged in court documents that Crusselle accidently shot himself in the leg while under felony indictment for assault with a weapon and strangulation with Yellowstone County District Court. At Crusselle’s court appearance on Aug. 5, 2025, he was released on conditions that prohibited him from possessing a firearm.
Despite the prohibition, on Feb. 16, 2026, Crusselle was target shooting with a .22 caliber revolver in Laurel. Law enforcement received a report of a person being shot; Crusselle, in trying to place the revolver back into its holster, shot himself in the calf.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Zeno Baucus is prosecuting the case. The ATF and Yellowstone County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation.
Justice Department Partners with Tennessee Attorney General to Preserve Competition for Asphalt in Western TennesseeRead the Press Release
The Justice Department’s Antitrust Division, joined by the Attorney General of Tennessee, announced today that they will require CRH and its subsidiary APAC-Tennessee to divest two hot-mix asphalt plants as part of its acquisition of Standard Construction to address antitrust concerns in western Tennessee.
“Today’s settlement is a model for how government works better when federal law enforcers collaborate with states in protecting local interests from competitive harm,” said Associate Attorney General Stanley E. Woodward Jr. “I thank Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti for his partnership to protect critical roadway infrastructure in western Tennessee and preserve the state and federal funds that pay for it.”
“State antitrust enforcers can play an important role in merger enforcement in local markets in which potential harm is limited to a single state,” said Deputy Assistant Attorney General G. Charles Beller of the Justice Department's Antitrust Division. “I am proud of our partnership with the Tennessee Attorney General and our collective efforts to preserve competition in local asphalt markets. This enforcement action builds on recent consent settlements we have taken alongside other state attorneys general to obtain local concrete plant divestitures in California and power plant divestitures in Texas.”
The divestiture is part of a proposed settlement that was filed at the same time as a civil antitrust lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Tennessee to block APAC’s proposed acquisition of hot-mix asphalt plants from Standard Construction. The proposed settlement, if approved by the court, will resolve concerns that the transaction, as originally proposed, would likely harm competition, leading to higher prices, lower quality, and less favorable terms for hot-mix asphalt used by the Tennessee Department of Transportation.
The Antitrust Division is actively collaborating with state antitrust enforcers in reviewing mergers in which potential competitive harm is local. State enforcers often bring significant local expertise, and their participation and leadership in local matters helps preserve federal resources for matters of regional and national significance.
As alleged in the complaint, APAC and Standard Construction are two of the three leading suppliers of hot-mix asphalt in western Tennessee. The acquisition, as originally proposed, would have left the Tennessee Department of Transportation and other customers with fewer choices and higher prices. The proposed settlement requires APAC and Standard to divest two hot-mix asphalt plants in western Tennessee to Dunn Construction of Birmingham, Alabama.
CRH plc, headquartered in Ireland, is a global supplier of building materials. In 2025, CRH had global sales of approximately $37.4 billion, with sales in the United States of approximately $10 billion through subsidiaries, including APAC-Tennessee, Inc. Standard Construction Group, Inc. is a privately held corporation headquartered in Cordova, Tennessee.
As required by the Tunney Act, the proposed settlement, along with a competitive impact statement, will be published in the Federal Register. Any person may submit written comments concerning the proposed settlement within 60 days following the publication to Soyoung Choe, Acting Chief, Defense, Industrials, and Aerospace Section, Antitrust Division, U.S. Department of Justice, 450 Fifth Street NW, Suite 8700, Washington, DC 20530. At the conclusion of the public comment period, the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Tennessee may enter the final judgment upon finding it is in the public interest.
Note: See the Complaint here, the Proposed Final Judgment here, the Competitive Impact Statement here, and the Stipulation and Order here.
This release has been updated from a previous version
Illegal aliens sentenced for methamphetamine trafficking and firearms offensesRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. – An illegal alien from Mexico was sentenced to 151 months in prison for drug trafficking.
According to court documents, Pedro Moreno-Duenas, 26, pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of 50 grams or more methamphetamine.
In January 2025, a Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) undercover agent set up a meeting with Moreno-Duenas in Kansas City, Kansas to purchase methamphetamine. Moreno-Duenas told the officer he had firearms for sale. He removed a 9mm pistol from his waistband and offered to sell it for $350. After the undercover agent paid Moreno-Duenas for the firearm, Moreno-Duenas said he could sell him methamphetamine at a later date.
In February 2025, Moreno-Duenas and the undercover agent exchanged text messages to arrange a methamphetamine purchase. Moreno-Duenas quoted a price of $1,800 for a pound of methamphetamine and $200 for fentanyl pills. He also sent a photograph of a Glock pistol with two magazines for sale. The undercover agent met up with Moreno-Duenas and his associate. The associate handed the agent a plastic bag containing a crystal substance, later confirmed to be methamphetamine.
A KBI lab report showed the baggie contained approximately 452 grams of pure methamphetamine.
Marco Carillo, 55, an illegal alien from Mexico, was also charged in connection with this case. Carillo pleaded guilty to one count of illegal alien in possession of a firearm and was sentenced to 37 months in prison.
“People coming into our country and engaging in drug and firearms trafficking should be deeply troubling to all Americans. Our office and our law enforcement partners are committed to arresting and prosecuting dangerous illegal aliens and expelling them from our borders once they have served their sentences,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser.
The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) investigated the cases.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Trent Krug and Taylor Hines prosecuted these cases.
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Illegal alien brothers sentenced for gun possession in the Eastern District of TexasRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas –A pair of illegal alien brothers have been sentenced to federal prison for firearms possession in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Isaac Valencia-Espinosa, 33, pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a prohibited person and was sentenced to 15 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone on August 7, 2026. Isaac’s brother, Fernando Valencia-Espinosa, 30, was also sentenced to 15 months in federal prison by Judge Crone on August 4, 2026, for the same violation.
According to information presented in court, in November 2025, while conducting enforcement actions in the Sabine National Forest, law enforcement encountered a vehicle occupied by two men later identified as Isaac Valencia-Espinosa and Fernando Valencia-Espinosa. Both men provided Arkansas drivers licenses and claimed to be United States citizens. Homeland Security personnel determined the drivers’ licenses were fraudulent. Once Isaac and Fernando’s true names were ascertained, law enforcement determined they were both citizens of Mexico who were illegally present in the United States. Law enforcement also recovered two rifles and two handguns during the encounter. Isaac and Fernando are prohibited from possessing firearms as they are illegally present in the United States.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the Law enforcement seized firearms from the vehicle prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Forest Service; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; and the Department of Homeland Security. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Gaston.
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Illegal alien breaks law, plays the victim, is found guilty, and sent to federal prisonRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 37-year-old Mexican national has been sentenced for illegally reentering the country without authorization.
The jury deliberated for less than 30 minutes before convicting Eduardo Aguilera-Gallardo following a two-day trial May 19.
U.S. District Judge Sim Lake has now ordered Aguilera-Gallardo to serve 48 months in federal prison. As an illegal alien, he is expected to face removal proceedings following his imprisonment. At the hearing, the court heard about Aguilera-Gallardo’s use of firearms in his criminal history and his lack of regard for the law. In handing down the sentence, the court noted that Aguilera-Gallardo’s prior sentences where not enough of a deterrent for his continued criminal conduct.
At trial, testimony revealed Aguilera-Gallardo became a lawful permanent resident in 2001. However, he later lost that status and was removed from the United States in 2025.
A deportation officer described how he escorted Aguilera-Gallardo across the international boundary in Laredo to be returned to Mexico. A fingerprint examiner also identified Aguilera-Gallardo as the same person documented in various deportation materials.
Testimony revealed that on April 21, 2025, authorities found Aguilera-Gallardo in Houston with no authorization to be in the United States. The jury heard that, at that time, he had not reported any threat or kidnapping and neglected to ask for any help.
However, the defense attempted to convince the jury Aguilera-Gallardo was kidnapped at the Mexican border after returning to Mexico and held for ransom. He claimed his family paid for his release, and kidnappers forced him to return to the United States.
Testimony and evidence revealed that neither Aguilera-Gallardo nor his family sought assistance from law enforcement in either country. He also never reported the alleged kidnapping to authorities once in the United States.
The jury rejected the defense and found Aguilera-Gallardo guilty as charged.
He has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Immigration Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ben Hostetter and Ekua Assabill prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigrants, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Illegal Alien from Honduras Sentenced for Drug Trafficking in UtahRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – The final defendant, an illegal alien from Honduras who was involved in a drug trafficking crime, was sentenced to time served (16.5 months’ imprisonment) after approximately 13,000 fentanyl pills were seized by law enforcement during a controlled buy and the execution of a search warrant in 2025.
The sentence, imposed by U.S. District Chief Judge Jill N. Parrish comes after Jose Enrique Zuniga-Diaz, 20, of Honduras, residing illegally in West Valley, Utah, pleaded guilty on April 16, 2026, to possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute. His co-defendants also pleaded guilty. Diego Armando Campos-Fallas was sentenced in September 2025 to 42 months’ imprisonment and 36 months’ supervised release. Hugo Eduardo Miraba-Franco was sentenced to 24 months’ imprisonment and 36 months’ supervised release. In addition to their terms of imprisonment, upon release, all three defendants will be remanded to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for deportation proceedings.
According to court documents and statements made at Zuniga-Diaz’s change of plea and sentencing hearings, on March 19, 2025, during the execution of a search warrant in West Valley City, Utah, law enforcement seized approximately 13,000 fentanyl pills that Zuniga-Diaz knew were intended for distribution. See prior press release: Approximately 13,000 Fentanyl Pills Seized During Undercover Operation, Three Foreign Nationals Detained and Charged.
“Fentanyl is deadly, and in this case, our law enforcement partners and my office successfully removed 13,000 pills from our streets,” said U.S. Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the District of Utah. “This case reflects the strength of our partnerships and our shared commitment to keeping communities safe by stopping drug traffickers and reducing the flow of dangerous drugs.”
The case was investigated jointly by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Illegal Alien from Ecuador Caught with Hidden App Containing Child Pornography, Will Spend 10 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
DEL RIO, Texas – An illegal alien from Ecuador was sentenced in a federal court in Del Rio to 10 years in prison for possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM), announced U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas.
According to court documents, on June 15, 2025, U.S. Border Patrol agents encountered Jefferson Chancay-Sanchez, 26, with a group of individuals near Uvalde. Chancay-Sanchez had unlawfully entered the U.S. near the Eagle Pass Port of Entry and was placed under arrest. A search of his cellphone led to the discovery of an application disguised as a calculator, a method typically used to hide criminal behavior. When questioned about the app, Chancay-Sanchez, who was visibly nervous, stated it contained personal photographs of his girlfriend. Further investigation of the app revealed multiple photos which were sexually explicit in nature, including multiple images depicting child genitalia.
Chancay-Sanchez admitted to downloading the CSAM from WhatsApp and saving it to the hidden folder on his phone. A forensic examination of his cellphone resulted in the discovery of 31 images and one video depicting CSAM. An additional 48 images and 15 videos were located and considered to be child erotica material. Some of the CSAM depicted toddlers, prepubescent, and adolescent males and females engaged in sexual activity.
Chancay-Sanchez was named in a two-count indictment on July 16, 2025, and charged with one count of transportation of child pornography and one count of possession and access with intent to view child prepubescent pornography. He pleaded guilty to both counts on Dec. 22, 2025. U.S. District Judge Ernest Gonzalez presided over the case.
The U.S. Border Patrol and Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ashley Ellis-Dotson and Nallely Duarte prosecuted the case. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Shilling handled the sentencing.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
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Illegal Alien with Sexual Assault Conviction Sentenced to Federal Prison for Unlawfully Re-Entering United States After DeportationRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — An illegal alien with a sexual assault conviction has been sentenced to 18 months in federal prison for unlawfully re-entering the United States after previously being deported.
RAMON SALGADO-DELGADILLO, a native of Mexico, was unlawfully present in the United States on Nov. 5, 2023, when he was found to be in Chicago. Salgado-Delgadillo had been deported from the United States to Mexico eight months earlier after being convicted of a felony sexual assault offense in the Circuit Court of Cook County, for which he was sentenced to four years in state prison.
Salgado-Delgadillo, 38, pleaded guilty in federal court in February 2026 to one count of unlawful reentry after removal. On Wednesday, U.S. District Judge John F. Kness imposed the 18-month prison sentence and ordered that it be followed by a year of court-supervised release. The conviction subjects Salgado-Delgadillo to removal from the United States.
The sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Frank Padula, Acting Field Office Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations in Chicago.
“Defendant’s prior criminal conviction was serious, and his four-year sentence did not deter him from returning to the United States and continuing to violate the law through his illegal reentry and failure to register as a sex offender,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Jill J. Bhalakia argued in the government’s sentencing memorandum. “Illegal reentry by a convicted felon is a serious crime, and the United States has a strong interest in keeping convicted criminals from returning to the United States.”
Illegal Alien Sentenced to Two and a Half Years in Federal Prison for Firing Shots Near Border Patrol Agents During Operation Midway Blitz in ChicagoRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — An illegal alien has been sentenced to two and a half years in federal prison for firing shots near U.S. Border Patrol agents during Operation Midway Blitz in Chicago last fall.
HECTOR GOMEZ was driving a Jeep Wrangler in the Little Village neighborhood of Chicago on Nov. 8, 2025, when he discharged at least two rounds from a handgun. Gomez fired the shots in proximity of Border Patrol agents who were engaged in the performance of their official duties as part of Operation Midway Blitz. Later that day, Gomez brandished the handgun at an individual in a parking lot a few blocks from where he fired the shots.
Gomez had previously been convicted of a felony firearm offense in the Circuit Court of Cook County and was prohibited under federal law from possessing a gun.
Gomez pleaded guilty in April 2026 to a federal charge of illegal possession of a firearm as a previously convicted felon. On Thursday, U.S. District Judge Matthew F. Kennelly sentenced Gomez to two and a half years in federal prison, which was the high end of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines range.
Gomez, 46, is a citizen of Mexico who had been residing in Chicago. He has no claim to United States citizenship or lawful permanent residence and is now subject to removal.
The sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Christopher Amon, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; and Ryan Whalen, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. This case was investigated by the Crime Gun Intelligence Center of Chicago (CGIC), a multi-agency task force that focuses exclusively on investigating and preventing gun violence in Chicago and throughout Northern Illinois. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jill J. Bhalakia.
“Hector Gomez was in this country illegally and was prohibited from possessing a firearm as a previously convicted felon,” said U.S. Attorney Boutros. “Even more, when Gomez illegally discharged a gun near law enforcement carrying out their sworn duties, it seriously endangered law enforcement and caused chaos in the community during an already intense and tumultuous time in Chicagoland. The Chicago U.S. Attorney’s Office is fully committed to holding accountable those who use violence to attack, intimidate, or endanger the brave law enforcement officers who risk their lives to enforce the law.”
“Hector Gomez’s reckless conduct that day put countless lives at risk and demonstrated a complete disregard for the safety of law enforcement and members of the public,” said ATF SAC Amon. “I want to recognize the exceptional work of law enforcement that responded to the scene as well as the ATF National Laboratory. The ATF lab’s timely DNA analysis provided a critical investigative link that ensured Gomez would no longer be on the streets and a threat to the community.”
"The FBI has zero tolerance for any threats or violence against law enforcement, and any attempt to impede their service or endanger their lives will be met with the full force of the government,” said FBI Acting SAC Whalen. “Thanks to the swift action by investigators and the strong partnership with the ATF and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Gomez was identified, apprehended, and taken into custody without further harm to our community. These collaborative efforts underscore how critical our interagency partnerships are in protecting the public, and collectively, we will continue to selflessly answer the call to make our communities safe."
Illegal Alien Sentenced to Federal Prison for Illegal Re-entry and Failure to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
A man who pled guilty to illegal reentry and failure to register as a sex offender was sentenced August 6, 2026, to more than a year in federal prison.
Sergio Niz-Mendez, age 27, from Guatemala and living in Sheldon, Iowa, received the prison term after a March 23, 2026, guilty plea to one count of illegal re-entry and one count of failure to register as a sex offender.
At the guilty plea, Niz-Mendez admitted he was a citizen of Guatemala, that he had previously been removed from the United States in 2018 after serving prison time for a felony conviction in 2016, and that he had not sought permission to legally be in the United States. He further admitted that due to his 2016 rape of a child with force conviction in Massachusetts, committed when he was 15 years old, he was required to register as a sex offender, which he failed to do while living in Iowa. In December 2025, Niz-Mendez was found in O’Brien County, Iowa, after he was arrested for operating while intoxicated and eluding.
Niz-Mendez was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Niz-Mendez was sentenced to 16 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Niz-Mendez is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
This case was 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 Attorneys Patrick T. Greenwood and Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-CR-4065.
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Honduran National Sentenced for Illegal Reentry of a Removed AlienRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA –UBALDO YASIR AMAYA-COLINDRES (“AMAYA-COLINDRES”), age 27, a citizen of Honduras, was sentenced on August 6, 2026, to 10 months imprisonment by U.S. District Judge Eldon E. Fallon, after previously pleading guilty to illegal re-entry of a removed alien, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a), announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle. The Court also sentenced AMAYA-COLINDRES to one (1) year of supervised release and ordered him to pay a mandatory $100 special assessment fee.
According to the bill of information, AMAYA-COLINDRES reentered the United States sometime prior to March 1, 2026, after having been previously removed on or about June 13, 2024.
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.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
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Homeland Security Task Force Secures Life Sentences for Two Leaders of Multimillion-Dollar Cocaine and Fentanyl-Trafficking Organization That Used Children as CouriersRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – A Mobile man and woman were sentenced to life in prison for operating a multimillion-dollar drug-trafficking organization (“DTO”) that distributed bulk cocaine and fentanyl and used children as couriers.
According to court documents and evidence presented at a three-week jury trial in January 2026, Glennie Antonio McGee, 42, Echandza Dianca Maxie, 43, and several coconspirators were members of a lucrative, Mobile-based DTO that distributed hundreds of pounds of cocaine and tens of thousands of fentanyl pills between 2017 and 2024. The DTO sourced cocaine from cartel-connected suppliers in Texas and, ultimately, Mexico. The DTO’s fentanyl pills—counterfeited “M30” pills pressed to look like oxycodone—came from various sources in Alabama, Florida, Washington, and other locales.
At trial, the evidence against McGee and Maxie included numerous court-authorized wiretap recordings, CCTV videos from a covert camera installed in McGee’s Cadillac Escalade, pole camera and aerial surveillance videos, text messages and other phone data, financial records, tax records, and DNA evidence, among other things. The jury heard evidence that the defendants used their illicit proceeds to travel the world, including trips to exotic locations including France, Greece, the Maldives, Mexico, Thailand, and the United Arab Emirates.
In December 2022, Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”) agents arrested one of McGee’s cocaine suppliers following a dangerous high-speed chase in midtown Mobile. Agents seized 9.5 kilograms of cartel-sourced cocaine from the supplier, who was scheduled to deliver one kilogram of the cocaine to McGee that same evening. Weeks later, FBI agents executed a search warrant at McGee’s and Maxie’s house in west Mobile. Agents seized a backpack containing cocaine residue from a vehicle that Maxie was driving. They also seized bulk cash, custom jewelry and other proceeds of the defendants’ drug crimes, a money-counting machine, drug ledgers, documents linking the defendants to other members of the DTO, and a Draco AK-47-style pistol from the house. Maxie lied to FBI agents and claimed the pistol belonged to her, but an FBI DNA analyst found McGee’s DNA on the weapon and other evidence showed that one of McGee’s drug couriers had illegally bought the weapon for him because he is a convicted felon who is prohibited from possessing guns. McGee’s prior felonies include state convictions for shooting into occupied buildings and vehicles, as well as a federal conviction for trafficking crack cocaine. While agents were still on-scene searching the house, Maxie left the residence and traveled to multiple bank branches in Mobile and withdrew $138,000. Agents also found a ledger in the house linking Maxie and McGee to numerous fraudulent tax returns falsely claiming millions of dollars’ worth of COVID-19 relief benefits.
In January and February 2024, Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”) agents obtained multiple recordings of McGee discussing his DTO’s procurement and distribution of hundreds of pounds of cocaine and thousands of fentanyl pills. In those recordings, McGee explained how he took his drug profits and laundered them through real estate properties that he and Maxie had acquired, including properties they rented out on Airbnb. On February 17, 2024, agents recorded McGee selling 1,018 fentanyl pills to a cooperating defendant.
In March 2024, HSI agents began a court-authorized wiretap of several cell phones used by McGee. Agents intercepted more than 8,000 calls during three months’ worth of monitoring. At trial, the jury reviewed more than 100 recorded calls and videos from the covert CCTV camera installed in McGee’s Escalade. On those calls and videos, agents captured McGee making dozens of drug deals for bulk cocaine and fentanyl pills. Agents also intercepted Maxie brokering a drug deal on McGee’s behalf. In one instance on March 18, 2024, McGee sold a kilogram of cocaine to a customer for $18,000 in the driveway of his mother’s house on Euclid Avenue in Mobile. A pole camera captured a 15-year-old child hand delivering the brick of cocaine to McGee.
On March 30, 2024, agents arrested one of McGee’s drug couriers, Tierra Tocorra Hill, in possession of a kilogram of cocaine, a quarter-kilogram of fake cocaine (boric acid), and a loaded pistol. McGee had unknowingly purchased several kilograms of fake cocaine and instructed Hill to mix the boric acid into real cocaine for resale on the street to recuperate his losses for the bad cocaine deal. Boric acid is a household cleaner and detergent. When McGee learned that Hill had been arrested, he traveled to a stash house on Harvey Court in Mobile. There, as recorded on the wiretap, McGee instructed several young children, including an eight-year-old boy he described as “game,” to remove a backpack that contained bulk cocaine from the house and throw it over a fence. Agents responded to the house and encountered the children, including a three-year-old boy who was wearing the backpack filled with pounds of cocaine. Inside the house, agents found additional bulk cocaine and loaded firearms that McGee was storing there. After the raid, agents intercepted calls in which McGee attempted to coach the children to lie to Alabama Department of Human Resources personnel about the incident.
In June 2024, agents intercepted several calls involving McGee and his Houston, Texas-based suppliers, Eric Anthony Aguilar and Jonathan Maurice Hackworth, arranging a shipment of five kilograms of cocaine to the DTO in Mobile. During a traffic stop in Mobile on June 13, 2024, agents seized $24,000 in bulk cash that McGee had paid Aguilar for a portion of the drugs. Later that same day, agents arrested McGee after he and one of his DTO lieutenants, Antonio Dwone Reed, attempted to flee in a brief high-speed chase. Agents boxed in the vehicle and encountered McGee with three kilograms of cocaine sitting in his lap. McGee then confessed in a videotaped interview that he had been dealing bulk cocaine since 2017 and earned $20,000 per month in profits.
Following McGee’s arrest, agents intercepted Maxie and her sister, Exavieria Deagnes Maxie (“Exavieria”) plotting to conceal evidence while operating the bugged Escalade. Specifically, Maxie gave Exavieria, a convicted felon, a shoebox full of custom jewelry and a loaded .380 caliber pistol. Exavieria took the jewelry and gun and stashed them in her apartment in west Mobile. Thereafter, on CCTV recordings, Maxie and Exavieria directed a 15-year-old child to find the gun and toss it from a balcony before agents could enter the apartment. When Maxie’s teenage son tried to instruct the 15-year-old, her nephew, how to remove the clip from the loaded weapon, Maxie stated, “No, tell him don’t do all that. Just drop it off. . . . [H]e ain’t got time to do that. We ain’t got time to coach him.” Exavieria was intercepted admitting that she told her 15-year-old son to toss the gun from the balcony. Agents found the loaded pistol near a softball field behind the apartment. Exavieria then admitted to agents that she had brought the gun to her apartment from McGee’s and Maxie’s house. Exavieria had previously been convicted of a federal methamphetamine-trafficking offense and was prohibited from possessing firearms.
“For nearly a decade, Glennie McGee and Echandza Maxie led a drug-trafficking empire that peddled hundreds of pounds of deadly cocaine and fentanyl. They despicably involved young children in that effort. Now, their crimes are over for good,” said Sean P. Costello, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Alabama. “This extraordinary multi-agency investigation demonstrates the creativeness and grit of the Homeland Security Task Force. Working alongside our agency partners, our office will stop at nothing to protect children and stem the flow of deadly drugs into our community.”
“Trafficking hundreds of pounds of cocaine and tens of thousands of counterfeit fentanyl pills is not just a crime, it is a direct assault on the safety of our communities,” said Steven N. Schrank, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Georgia and Alabama. “This investigation stands as a testament to HSI’s commitment, alongside our Homeland Security Task Force partners, to eradicate violent drug trafficking organizations from our neighborhoods. The life sentences announced today guarantee that these individuals will never again force innocent children and teenagers to act as couriers or conceal weapons, sending a clear message that those who traffic poison and exploit our youth will face the ultimate consequences.”
“Our partnership through the Homeland Security Task Force demonstrates the impact of a whole‑of‑government approach. By combining intelligence, investigative tools, and the work of agents across many jurisdictions, we delivered accountability, protected vulnerable children, and continued crushing violent crime tied to deadly fentanyl and cocaine trafficking,” said Christopher Flowers, Special Agent‑in‑Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Mobile Office.
In addition to the lifetime prison terms, U.S. District Judge Terry F. Moorer ordered McGee and Maxie to pay $10 million and $1 million fines, respectively, to each reimburse the Criminal Justice Act panel nearly $250,000 in funds expended for their court-appointed attorneys. McGee and Maxie were ordered to pay a total of $2,846,901.97 in restitution for their fraud crimes. The court also ordered forfeiture of real estate, high-end vehicles, luxury jewelry, cash, firearms, and bank accounts, and issued money judgments totaling $500,000. Judge Moorer also ordered the defendants to pay a total of $1,900 in special assessments.
For their roles in the DTO, the court previously sentenced the following codefendants: Eric Anthony Aguilar (163 months); Jonathan Maurice Hackworth (48 months); Antonio Dwone Reed (43 months); William Thomas Agee, Jr. (105 months); Tavaris Lamon Body (75 months); Exavieria Deagnes Maxie (240 months). Other codefendants, including Tierra Tocorra Hill, will be sentenced at a later date.
U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement.
Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, IRS Criminal Investigation, the Office of Inspector General Small Business Administration, the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office, the Mobile Police Department, and the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency investigated the case. The United States Marshals Service and several local agencies in Houston, Texas substantially assisted the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin Roller and George May prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
This prosecution was part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Mobile comprises agents and officers from, among others, Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Alabama.
Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) investigation leads to dismantling of dark web drug trafficking organizationRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – Three defendants were convicted and sentenced in the Southern District of Ohio as part of a law enforcement operation against a dark web drug trafficking organization.
The coordinated multinational operation led to arrests of key members of the group in Florida, North Carolina, and Medellin, Colombia.
Between July 2017 and May 2023, the Undertaker45 drug trafficking organization operated as a sophisticated, transnational criminal enterprise that used the dark web marketplaces DarkMarket, White House, Dark0de, Dark0de Reborn and ASAP, along with encrypted messaging platforms like Wickr and Telegram, to distribute: (1) counterfeit OxyContin pills that actually contained fentanyl; and (2) counterfeit Adderall pills that actually contained methamphetamine. The organization was led from Medellín, Colombia, and supported by U.S.-based cell leaders in Miami, Florida, and Charlotte, North Carolina.
In Cincinnati, Cesar Augusto Olmos Usaquen, 51; Juan Carlos Carroll Borrero, 43; and Eduardo Villarroel Bellorin, 37; were prosecuted for participating in the drug and money laundering conspiracies.
According to court documents, Olmos Usaquen led the organization from Medellin, Colombia, where he ran the organization’s dark web presence. This included taking orders over the dark web and coordinating the shipment of counterfeit pills with his co-defendants.
In Miami, Carroll Borrero was responsible for receiving bulk shipments of counterfeit pills and then distributing those pills throughout the United States to the organization’s clients. The pills were commonly shipped in old DVD cases to avoid detection.
Villaroel Bellorin worked in North Carolina. There, he received bulk pill shipments and provided them to Carroll Borrero for further distribution. Villaroel Bellorin also coordinated the group’s money laundering efforts. The group received payments in cryptocurrency, largely bitcoin, before moving those funds through a variety of wallets to avoid law enforcement detection and eventually withdraw the funds in fiat currency.
In all, the group sold approximately 40 kilograms of methamphetamine and fentanyl pills and laundered $2.5 million in drug proceeds.
Usaquen and Borrero were each sentenced to 90 months in prison. Bellorin received a term of imprisonment of 38 months in prison.
Dominick S. Gerace II, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Jason Cromartie, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Cincinnati Division; Joseph O. Dixon, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); and Mason Police Chief Levi Wells; and officials with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, U.S. Customs and Border Patrol, Department of Justice Office of International Affairs, Colombian National Police and DEA Colombia announced the sentences imposed. Assistant United States Attorney Frederic C. Shadley is representing the United States in this case.
This case part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Cincinnati comprises agents and officers from federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies.
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Four Arizona Residents Charged with Anabolic Steroid-Trafficking Conspiracy in Homeland Security Task Force InvestigationRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – A federal grand jury in Mobile returned an indictment charging four Arizona residents with a yearslong anabolic steroids-trafficking conspiracy.
According to court documents, Laura Stratton, 43, of Phoenix, Arizona, Brenna Eppley, 48, of Buckeye, Arizona, Benjamin Stratton, 39, of Avondale, Arizona, and Karissa Stratton, 33, of Avondale, Arizona conspired with one another and with other persons to possess with intent to distribute anabolic steroids, which are schedule III controlled substances. The indictment alleges that the defendants conspired to traffic anabolic steroids to the Southern District of Alabama and elsewhere between October 2023 and July 2026. Between March 23, 2026, and March 30, 2026, Laura Stratton allegedly distributed anabolic steroids—namely, trenbolone enanthate and a substance containing detectable amounts of testosterone propionate, testosterone isocaproate, testosterone decanoate, and testosterone phenylpropionate—to the Southern District of Alabama. The indictment also includes a notice seeking forfeiture of two real properties in Phoenix and Avondale, three vehicles, and several cryptocurrency wallets and financial accounts, which are alleged to be proceeds of and property used to facilitate the conspiracy.
The defendants made their initial court appearances in Arizona and Montana on August 5 and August 6, 2026. They are scheduled to make their initial court appearances in the Southern District of Alabama on August 26, 2026, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sonja F. Bivins. If convicted, the defendants face a maximum penalty of ten years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office, the Mesa, Arizona Police Department, and the Avondale, Arizona Police Department are investigating the case. U.S. Attorney Costello thanked the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona for its exceptional coordination and assistance with the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Roller is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Mobile comprises agents and officers from, among others, Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Alabama.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Former USDA Program Director Sentenced in $400,000 Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Kirk Perry, 62, a former United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) program director, was sentenced today to 24 months in prison in connection with a kickback scheme in which he and his nephew, Jamarea Grant, 32, of Cleveland, Ohio, conspired to bill the government nearly $400,000 for work that Grant did not actually perform, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
“Kirk Perry brazenly abused his position of authority and betrayed the public trust by diverting hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars for his own benefit,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “Today’s sentence makes clear that he will be required to repay the very funds he siphoned from the American taxpayer and serve a prison term for his conduct. My office will continue to pursue anyone who exploits a government role for personal gain and ensure that taxpayer money is protected from fraud and abuse.”
Perry, of Lorain, Ohio, pleaded guilty April 29, 2025, before U.S. District Court Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly to conspiracy to commit money, property, and honest services wire fraud. His nephew, Grant, pleaded guilty on Nov. 27, 2024, to the same charge.
In addition to the 24-month prison term, Judge Kollar-Kotelly ordered Perry to serve two years of supervised release and to pay restitution of $399,319. Federal prosecutors had requested restitution and a prison term of 33 to 41 months.
“The sentence issued today reflects our commitment to thoroughly investigate fraud, waste, and abuse by those entrusted with high-level government positions. This employee not only abused his authority by ensuring a family member was hired on contracts he oversaw, but he also devised a scheme ultimately to direct these monies to himself,” said Special Agent in Charge Jeldrys Lowry of the USDA OIG Sensitive Investigations Office. “Uncovering fraud requires diligent review and the USDA OIG will relentlessly pursue these illicit schemes ensuring taxpayer dollars are safeguarded. We are grateful to our partners at the USAO for their support in bringing this investigation to its culmination.”
According to court documents, Perry was a senior director within the USDA’s Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights and used his position to secure employment for Grant as an Equal Opportunity Assistant. They billed the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights and Grant received about $399,319 from the government for work that was not performed.
Perry worked the same scheme with his longtime partner with whom he resides; a cousin by marriage; and a personal acquaintance who he previously coached in basketball. None of those individuals had any background, education, or experience in EEO related matters.
In pleading guilty, Perry and Grant admitted that, from August 2015 through November 2022, Perry arranged for Grant to be hired by two companies under contract with the USDA Office of Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights. Grant reported directly to Perry, who also approved the invoices billing for Grant’s time, and the two of them conspired to bill the government for work that Grant did not perform.
Perry additionally had access to Grant’s bank account. As part of the criminal scheme, Perry transferred approximately $125,000 of the USDA payments from Grant’s account to his own account. Grant’s sentencing is pending.
This case was investigated by the USDA Office of Inspector General - Sensitive Investigations Office. The matter was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian P. Kelly.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
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Former USDA Employee Indicted for Threatening Federal Law Enforcement OfficerRead the Press Release
CONCORD – A former USDA employee was indicted this week for sending emails containing threats to a federal law enforcement officer, U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan announces.
Keith Bergstrom, 40, was indicted by a federal grand jury on two counts of Interstate Communications of Threats, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 875(c).
The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Each charge of threatening communications carries a maximum sentence of 5 years. 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 is leading the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Yasir Sadat is prosecuting the case.
Fleming County Man Sentenced for Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
FRANKFORT, Ky. – A Flemingsburg, Ky., man, Michael La Porta, 30, was sentenced Friday to 30 years by U.S. District Judge Chad Meredith for the production of child pornography.
According to his plea agreement, La Porta entered into a "relationship" with a minor and engaged in sexual activity with that minor and communicated via various forms of electronic messaging, particularly using Snapchat. During those communications, La Porta would discuss various forms of sexual activities that he wanted to engage with the victim, as well as requesting the victim send sexually explicit videos to him. The victim’s trusted adults discovered the “relationship” and reported to law enforcement who were able to confirm the communications and production of sexually explicit videos.
Jason Parman, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Olivia Olson, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office; and Phillip J. Burnett, Jr., Commissioner of the Kentucky State Police; jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI and KSP. Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Roth prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
This case was prosecuted 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 Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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