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25 September 2026
Ohio Woman Sentenced to Three Years in Federal Prison in Child Neglect Case on Eglin Air Force BaseRead the Press Release
Pensacola, Florida – Devon Mae Witryk, 28, of Columbus, Ohio, was sentenced to three years in federal prison after pleading guilty to felony child neglect occurring on Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Thanks to the excellent investigative work of our Air Force partners, the child in this case was rescued from absolutely deplorable conditions, and my office has ensured this despicable defendant is held accountable for her criminal neglect.”
Court documents reveal that in June 2023, a welfare investigation was initiated for a child residing on Eglin Air Force Base. The defendant was the child’s mother and a military spouse. Investigation revealed the home was in deplorable condition and the young child needed medical attention. Due to the child not receiving appropriate care and supervision, the defendant’s home was inspected and investigators rescued the child. Witryk no longer has custody of or contact with the child. The child’s father was court-martialed by the U.S. Air Force for his role in the offense.
This case was investigated by Eglin Air Force Base Security Forces Investigations. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Walter E. Narramore.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.
Oahu Girls’ Wrestling Coach Charged with Receipt and Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
HONOLULU – United States Attorney Ken Sorenson announced that Sean Sakaida, 44, of Honolulu, Hawaii, was charged by criminal complaint with receipt and possession of child pornography. He was arrested and taken into custody on September 24, 2026.
According to the complaint, Sakaida, a former coach of the girls’ wrestling team at Moanalua High School, frequently communicated with a minor victim using the messaging application WhatsApp between 2025 and 2026. In these communications, Sakaida received multiple sexually explicit photographs of the minor victim.
If convicted, Sakaida faces at least 5 years and up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, plus a term of supervised release.
The charges in the criminal complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. In the case of conviction, any sentence would be imposed by a United States District Judge based on the statutory sentencing factors and the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines.
The FBI is investigating the case.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Heidi Turner is prosecuting the case.
The FBI’s Honolulu Field Office is seeking to identify potential victims of Sean Sakaida. If you and/or your minor dependent(s) were victimized by Sean Sakaida or have information relevant to this investigation, please fill out this short form: https://forms.fbi.gov/victims/SakaidaVictims/view
If you know of someone else who has possibly been victimized by Sean Sakaida, please encourage them to complete the form themselves.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.
OPERATION TAKE BACK AMERICA: Guatemalan National Sentenced to More than 2 Years in Prison for Illegally Re-entering After Being DeportedRead the Press Release
Anniston, Ala. – A Guatemalan national has been sentenced for illegally returning to the United States after deportation, announced U.S. Attorney Phillip W. Williams Jr.
U.S. District Judge Corey L. Maze sentenced Eladio Pascual-Gaspar, 28, to 31 months in prison. Pascual-Gaspar pleaded guilty to illegal reentry after deportation.
“This defendant was released from a state prison and deported in 2023. He illegally reentered the United States and engaged in further criminal activity. This conduct will not be tolerated.” said U.S. Attorney Williams. “We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to hold accountable those who enter our country illegally and engage in criminal conduct.”
“HSI remains committed to protecting our communities by enforcing federal immigration laws and facilitating the prosecution of individuals who unlawfully reenter the United States after removal,” said Ellen Johnson, Acting Special Agent in Charge of HSI in Georgia and Alabama. “This sentence sends a clear message: those who disregard our immigration laws, use false identities, and engage in criminal activity will be held accountable.”
According to court documents, in May 2015, Pascual-Gaspar entered the United States illegally as an unaccompanied minor. He was released on an Order of Release on Recognizance to a sponsor in the United States in June 2015. In April 2021, Pascual-Gaspar pleaded guilty in Circuit Court of Madison County Mississippi to aiding and abetting of armed robbery. In May 2023, the defendant was removed from the United States. In June 2026, the Talladega Police Department encountered a 15-year-old, unaccompanied, illegal alien driver in a car registered to Henry Vegas Mondragon. The vehicle was towed. Pascual-Gaspar appeared at the tow lot to claim the car and presented false Guatemalan identification and documents in the alias name Henry Vegas Mondragon.
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.
Homeland Security Investigation investigated the cases along with the Talladega County Drug Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney J. Patrick Lamb prosecuted the case.
Northumberland County Woman Indicted on Drug OffenseRead the Press Release
WILLIAMSPORT - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Hailey Marie Monterosso, age 27, of Kulpmont, Pennsylvania was indicted by a federal grand jury on a drug trafficking charge.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, the indictment charges Monterosso with possession with intent to distribute more than 50 grams of methamphetamine on August 26, 2026, in Northumberland County.
This case was investigated by the FBI Philadelphia’s Capital Area Resident Agency, Mount Carmel Borough Police Department, Northumberland County Adult Probation Department, and Shamokin City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alisan V. Martin is prosecuting the case.
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.
The maximum penalty under federal law for the most significant offense is 40 years imprisonment, a fine, and a period of supervised release following imprisonment. A sentence following the finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged by indictment are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Northumberland County Man Indicted on Drug Trafficking OffensesRead the Press Release
WILLIAMSPORT - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Joshua A. Dinklocker, age 28, of Coal Township, Pennsylvania, was indicted by a federal grand jury on drug trafficking charges.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, the indictment charges Dinklocker with distribution of methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute more than 50 grams of methamphetamine on June 28, 2026, in Northumberland County.
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.
This case was investigated by the Shamokin Police Department with the assistance of the FBI Philadelphia’s Capital Area Resident Agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alisan V. Martin is prosecuting the case.
The maximum penalty under federal law for the most significant offense is 40 years imprisonment and a fine. A sentence for each of these offenses also includes a period of supervised release following imprisonment. A sentence following the finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged by indictment are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Northeast D.C. Man Sentenced for Distribution of Child Pornography and Sexual Abuse of a ChildRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Tevon Stephens, 29, of the District of Columbia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 216 months in prison in connection with his distribution of child sexual abuse material and his sexual abuse of a 15-year-old girl, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
“Stephens deliberately sought out vulnerable minors online, traded in images documenting their exploitation, and gained access to a child in person,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “My office will not relent in pursuing predators who target our community’s children, and we remain committed to protecting them.”
Stephens pleaded guilty on January 14 before U.S. District Judge Reggie B. Walton to one count of distribution of child pornography and one count of first-degree child sexual abuse. In addition to the 216month prison sentence, Judge Walton also ordered Stephens to serve 15 years of supervised release and to register as a sex offender. Federal prosecutors had requested a prison term of 216 months.
According to court papers, Stephens used a dating application profile that misrepresented his age. He then communicated with an undercover officer whom he believed was the father of a young boy. During the exchange, Stephens expressed a sexual interest in children and admitted to prior sexual contact with underage girls. He also sent the undercover officer videos of child sexual abuse material.
In March 2025, law enforcement arrested Stephens at his home in Northeast Washington. Investigators recovered thousands of images and videos of child sexual abuse material from one of his cell phones, including material Stephens is alleged to have personally produced depicting the sexual abuse of a 13-year-old girl.
Investigators also determined that Stephens had used two Instagram accounts to contact minor girls online. He later had sexual contact with one of the girls, who was 15 years old at the time, at his home.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Caroline Burrell.
It was investigated by FBI’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force.
The matter was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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Milton Man Indicted on Federal Drug Trafficking and Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, Del. – A federal grand jury returned an indictment on September 10, 2026, charging a Milton, Delaware, man with a crack cocaine trafficking offense and related firearm offenses.
According to court documents, David Harmon, 35, of Milton, possessed with intent to distribute 28 grams or more of cocaine base, commonly known as crack cocaine, on or about May 27, 2026, and unlawfully possessed a loaded 9mm handgun and ammunition in furtherance of that drug trafficking offense. Harmon made his initial appearance and arraignment yesterday, September 24, 2026, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sherry R. Fallon and entered a plea of not guilty. The Court ordered Harmon detained pending trial.
The indictment charges Harmon with possession with intent to distribute cocaine base, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(B); possession of a firearm and ammunition by a prohibited person, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8); and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(1)(A)(i).
If convicted, Harmon faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Benjamin L. Wallace and Baltimore Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Special Agent in Charge Charles Doerrer made the announcement.
The Baltimore Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case, with the assistance of the Milford Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin B. Smith and M. David Tambussi are prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). 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.
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-00138-CFC.
The charges contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Mexican citizen sentenced to six months for illegally reentering U.S.Read the Press Release
BILLINGS – A Mexican national who illegally reentered the U.S. after having been previously removed at least once was sentenced Thursday to six months in prison, Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith said.
Saul Partida-Ventura, 50, pleaded guilty in August 2026 to illegally reentering the United States.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.
The government alleged in court documents that law enforcement encountered Partida-Ventura in Billings on July 9, 2026, when they pulled over a dark-colored Nissan Frontier with Nevada license plates. Partida-Ventura, who was in the vehicle, had previously been identified as potentially being in the country illegally. Partida-Ventura has been previously removed from the United States four times. Law enforcement detained him and confirmed he was a Mexican citizen who last had been removed from the U.S. in 2011.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. U.S. Customs and Border Protection conducted the investigation.
Maryland Men Indicted in Connection with Federal Drug-Trafficking TakedownRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Two Baltimore men are facing indictment, today, stemming from a federal drug-trafficking takedown operation.
Charles “Bok” Byers, 48, and Darryl “DJ” Hairston, Jr., 48, who operated a large-scale drug trafficking organization (DTO) in Baltimore, are charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances; possession with intent to distribute controlled substances; possession of firearms and ammunition by a prohibited person; and possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime in connection with the takedown. Byers and Hairston are also charged with illegally possessing three loaded firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime. Both co-conspirators are prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition due to prior convictions.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the indictment with Special Agent in Charge Cindy Marx, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) – Washington Division; Special Agent in Charge Charles Doerrer, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul, FBI Baltimore Field Office; Commissioner Richard Worley, Baltimore Police Department (BPD); Sheriff Sam Cogen, Baltimore City Sheriff’s Office; Chief Robert McCullough, Baltimore County Police Department (BCPD); and Secretary Carolyn J. Scruggs, Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services (DPSCS).
According to the indictment, law enforcement found that Byers and Hairston possessed and conspired to traffic 400 grams or more of a substance or mixture containing a detectable amount of fentanyl, along with a substance or mixture containing a detectable amount of cocaine base (“crack” cocaine). Court documents state that beginning in May 2026, investigators observed Byers consistently purchasing large quantities of cutting agents, such as quinine and mannitol, along with drug-packaging materials, from a Baltimore County store. The investigation revealed that this usually indicated that the DTO had recently received a bulk supply of narcotics.
Then investigators observed Byers taking the drugs and supplies to a Northeast Baltimore stash house for processing. Byers and/or Hairston then transported the processed drugs to different locations, often including an open-air street shop, that Hairston oversaw, on Druid Hill Avenue in West Baltimore.
After bringing the narcotics to the street shop, the co-conspirators allegedly put the drugs in a secondary indoor stash location or at an outdoor ground stash for his subordinates, who were teenagers, to distribute. During the investigation, agents observed adolescent males conducting hand-to-hand transactions at the street shop. Shortly after law enforcement identified the Druid Hill street shop, an undercover agent began conducting controlled purchases of larger quantities of drugs from Hairston directly.
Later, state and local law enforcement executed search warrants at stash locations in July and August, respectively. Then on Sept. 22, agents executed federal arrest and search warrants for multiple locations and vehicles linked to Byers, Hairston, and other DTO members. When law enforcement executed the arrest warrants, the co-conspirators immediately began smashing all cell phones in their possession.
Over the course of the investigation, law enforcement recovered thousands of gel capsules of confirmed and suspected fentanyl, multiple kilograms of powdered confirmed and suspected fentanyl, confirmed and suspected crack cocaine, and confirmed and suspected powder cocaine, along with several firearms. Agents also found bags of suspected fentanyl marked “East Side” and “West Side” at a stash location searched on Sept. 22.
An indictment is not a finding of guilt. Individuals charged by indictment are presumed innocent until proven guilty at a later criminal proceeding.
If convicted, Byers and Hairston face a minimum sentence of 10 years and a maximum of life in federal prison for both the conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and the possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, as well as a minimum of five years and a maximum of life for possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Byers and Hairston are also facing a maximum sentence of 15 years in federal prison for possession of firearms and ammunition by a convicted felon.
Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the DEA, ATF, FBI, BPD, BCSO, DPSCS, and BCPD for their work in the investigation, along with the Natural Resources Police and Howard County Police Department, for their valuable assistance. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alexander Levin and Ty Pittinger who are prosecuting this federal case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md.
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Manchester Property Management Company Enters Settlement Agreement with the United States to Resolve Allegations That It Violated the Fair Housing ActRead the Press Release
CONCORD – Manchester property management company Greenview Associates L.P. along with two other defendants have entered into a Settlement Agreement with the United States that resolves allegations that the company and one of its employees violated the Fair Housing Act (FHA), U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan announces.
In a complaint filed on January 8, 2025, the United States alleged that the defendants—Greenview Associates L.P., Palmer Asset Management, LLC, and John Martin—violated the Fair Housing Act by retaliating against a tenant at one of the defendants’ properties. The complaint alleged that the defendants attempted to evict the tenant in late 2023 because he had filed a discrimination claim against them with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
The Settlement Agreement resolves the claims in the United States’ complaint. The defendants have agreed to pay the tenant $20,000 and provide credits for certain rents owed, ensure FHA compliance policies are in place at all of their properties, and provide FHA training to all employees.
The FHA prohibits discrimination in housing on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, familial status, national origin and disability. Individuals who believe that they have been victims of housing discrimination can call the Justice Department’s Housing Discrimination Tip Line at 1- 833-591-0291 or submit a report online, or contact HUD at 1-800-669-9777.
The case was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Vicinanzo from the District of New Hampshire and the Department of Justice’s Housing and Civil Enforcement Section.
Lindsay Man Pleads Guilty to Bank Fraud and Money Laundering Charges Related to Failed BankRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – SHAUN U. CHRISTIAN, 57, of Lindsay, Oklahoma, has pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit bank fraud and to money laundering in connection with the now-defunct First National Bank of Lindsay (FNBL), announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
According to court documents, Christian and FNBL’s former president and CEO, Danny Seibel, submitted false information in connection with multiple loans in 2021. Court records allege that Seibel also manipulated bank records related to Christian’s accounts to conceal overdrafts and past-due balances, allowing additional funds to be extended to Christian. The alleged scheme continued until shortly before FNBL failed in October 2024.
On April 7, 2026, a federal grand jury charged Christian with conspiring to commit bank fraud and with money laundering. Christian pleaded guilty on September 24, 2026, and admitted that he conspired with Seibel to enrich himself and his businesses while allowing Seibel to maintain his position and stature in the community, as well as his salary, by concealing FNBL’s true financial condition. Christian also admitted to laundering some of the resulting proceeds. Seibel pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud on May 6, 2026.
At sentencing, both Christian and Seibel face up to 30 years in federal prison and a fine of up to $1 million each.
This case is the result of an investigation by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General, Federal Housing Finance Agency Office of Inspector General, FBI Oklahoma City Field Office – Norman Resident Agency, and IRS Criminal Investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Julia E. Barry and Jackson D. Eldridge for the Western District of Oklahoma and Trial Attorneys Mark Goldberg, Elysa Q. Wan, and J. Ryan McLaren of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section’s Bank Integrity Unit are prosecuting the case.
Reference is made to public filings for additional information.
Las Vegas Woman Charged for Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl and Possession of FirearmsRead the Press Release
A Las Vegas woman made her initial appearance in federal court on Wednesday for conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, a Schedule II controlled substance, and possession of two firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime as a result of a Las Vegas Homeland Security Task Force investigation.
“Fentanyl is a deadly poison that is devastating our communities,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada. “We will continue to use every federal resource to target, disrupt, and prosecute the networks flooding our streets with these lethal drugs and illegal weapons.”
“Fentanyl traffickers who use the mail to move deadly drugs into our communities should know there is no safe route and no hiding place,” said Deputy Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Sherwin for Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Las Vegas. “Through the Las Vegas Homeland Security Task Force, HSI, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Henderson Police Department and our partners will continue to intercept fentanyl, seize the firearms and cash that fuel these crimes and hold accountable those who endanger the public for profit.”
“The City of Henderson takes a strong stance against fentanyl and illegal drug activity,” said Henderson Police Chief Reggie Rader. “We do not tolerate these actions here or in the surrounding area, and we are proud to work alongside our local and federal law enforcement partners to help keep our residents and neighbors safe.”
According to allegations in the complaint, on September 21, inspectors with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service conducted a controlled delivery of approximately one kilogram of fentanyl to the residence of Olga Josefina Mexia. Upon delivery of the package, Henderson SWAT entered into the residence. During a search of the residence, law enforcement found bulk cash, fentanyl powder in bulk and individually packaged, and two firearms.
Photos of cash, fentanyl powder in individual bags, and a firearm found in defendant’s residence, U.S. v. Olga Josephina Mexia, Case No. 2:26-mj-00722-BNW
Mexia is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for October 7, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Brenda Weksler for the District of Nevada.
This case was investigated by HSI, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Henderson Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Brister for 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 with the FBI, HSI, DEA, ATF, IRS-CI, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, the U.S. Marshals Service, and Nevada Gaming Control Board with the prosecution being led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada.
A complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Lakeview sex offender pleads guilty to new child pornography chargeRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Bernard J. Keller, 28, of Lakeview, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr. to possession of child pornography following a prior conviction under New York law relating to possession of child pornography, which carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum of 20 years and a $250,000 fine.
In August 2022, Keller was convicted of Possession of a Sexual Performance by a Child in New York State Court and sentenced to serve 10 years’ probation. In May 2025, the New York State Police executed a search warrant at his residence after he distributed child pornography to other individuals using the Kik application. During the search, Keller’s cellular telephone was seized and found to contain approximately 96 images and 248 videos of child pornography. Some of the child pornography involved a prepubescent minor, the sexual abuse of an infant or toddler, and depictions of violence against children.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron J. Mango. The plea is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Allen D. Davis, II, the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Amie Feroleto, and Hamburg Police, under the direction of Chief Peter Dienes.
Sentencing will be scheduled at a later date before Judge Sinatra.
Kansas City Man Pleads Guilty to Unlawfully Possessing an Unregistered Destructive DevicesRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – On September 24, 2026, Lake Ethan Roberts, 26, entered a plea of guilty to an indictment that charged him with one count of possession of unregistered destructive devices in violation of U.S. law.
On May 28, 2026, an initial complaint was filed against Roberts, alleging that he was a member of a group that called themselves the “Red Legs.” The Red Legs group has been active since at least November 2023. Red Legs members frequently communicated with each other using a Signal private chat group. Signal is a private messaging application that emphasizes privacy and security through end-to-end encryption. In their private Signal chat group, Red Legs members have engaged in discussions regarding the plans to engage in acts of violence directed towards government entities and property, particularly the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency (“ICE”), the National Guard, and other opposing political groups. Some of Roberts’s communications to the group included the following messages: “We need to plan decisive action against ice and dhs;” “What are the chances we could get away with using drones to drop incendiary’s [sic] to demolish key infrastructure;” “I like the idea of using drones carrying cocktails to demolish key structures…Frozen water areas [this is an apparent reference to ICE structures];” “After we build our ranks and adequately arm ourselves, we can look into escalation;” “If ice moves to kc, thoughts on an armed response.” As part of their preparations for armed conflict with the federal government, Red Legs members also periodically trained by shooting firearms at a local firearm range.
According to the complaint, on May 14, 2026, Roberts and another Red Legs member met with an undercover law enforcement officer in Richmond, Mo. Roberts had brought with him two devices that were wrapped in duct tape and had an apparent fuse. Roberts referred to the devices as “alcohol shooters filled with black powder surrounded with steel BBs.” Roberts brought the devices to detonate them to test how they worked. Roberts detonated both devices in a rock quarry area. The FBI Laboratory Explosives Unit provided an opinion that the two devices constituted improvised explosive devices (“IEDs”). According to an explosive expert’s opinion, IEDs, also called homemade bombs, generally consist of an explosive main charge, method of initiation, and sometimes a container and/or enhancements. These devices were described as small liquor bottles containing the low explosive black powder with a cannon fuse being utilized as the method of initiation. Properly assembled, the described IEDs would be capable of causing property damage, injury, and/or death. Investigators conducted an inquiry of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives National Firearms Act Branch and determined that Roberts had not registered any destructive devices as required by the National Firearms Act of 1934.
Under federal statutes, Roberts is subject to a maximum sentence of up to 10 years in federal prison without parole for his charge of unlawful possession of an unregistered destructive device.
The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Trey Alford, Assistant U.S. Attorney Maureen A. Brackett, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon Chlarson with valuable assistance provided by Trial Attorneys James Donnelly and Patrick Cashman of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section. It was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with the assistance of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Justice Department Holds the First Attorney General’s Summit on Victims of Violent CrimeRead the Press Release
On Thursday, the Attorney General gathered victims and survivor families together at the first Summit on Victims of Violent Crime ahead of a memorial on the National Day of Remembrance for Murder Victims. At the Summit, Justice Department officials also announced the “Assisting Neighborhoods and Governments with Enforcement of Laws” (ANGEL) Grant Program in honor of Americans killed by illegal aliens, violent offenders, and illicit drugs. Local law enforcement can apply by October 20, 2026 and are eligible to receive up to $500,000. Applicants can find more information here.
“This event was extraordinarily helpful, insightful, and motivational,” said Attorney General Todd Blanche. “When victims of violent crime and surviving families share their testimonies, you make a difference. Our prosecutors are spending every day focused on violent crime and illegal immigration and for the first time in history, DEA, FBI, and Marshals are doing Title 8 work. This isn’t the end of the conversation, it is just the beginning.”“This Summit brought us together to acknowledge and discuss our shared obligation to make our communities safer and ensure that fewer families have to carry the heavy weight of violent crime,” said Acting Deputy Attorney General Trent McCotter. “That mission is advanced every day by the leadership of Attorney General Blanche and President Trump, whose commitment to restoring public safety and the rule of law has resulted in historically low violent crime figures.”
“Our Angel Families are the most powerful advocates for building a brighter, drug-free future,” said Director Sarah Carter of the Office of National Drug Control Policy. “We want to empower your voices as they carry forth the memory of your children to save the lives of others. Through it all, you are making a difference and this Administration will stand beside you.”
“Angel Families remind us why we must be a nation governed by the rule of law and committed to law and order,” said Director Kash Patel of the Federal Bureau of Investigations. “The FBI will continue standing shoulder-to-shoulder with our state, local, tribal, federal, and international law enforcement partners to protect the American people, uphold the Constitution, and ensure our communities remain safe.”
“Every criminal alien we remove from this country makes our communities safer,” said White House Border Czar Tom Homan. “We're going to keep pushing. We're not going to apologize. We're not going anywhere. ICE will continue doing their job every day across this country, especially in sanctuary cities where we'll surge resources and flood the zone. We're going to enforce the law without apology, you have my word on that.”
“Few understand loss firsthand-- we must never forget the testimonies we've heard over the past two days,” said Associate Attorney General Stanley E. Woodward, Jr. “Under the leadership of President Trump, the Department of Justice is committed to supporting communities impacted by violent crime and to cultivating a strong partnership between federal, state, and local law enforcement in our continued effort to Make America Safe Again.”
“Today, we stood with the families and survivors whose lives have been forever changed by violent crime and the devastating loss of a loved one. For far too many Americans, that violence is connected to illicit fentanyl—a poison trafficked by cartels designated as foreign terrorist organizations and concealed in counterfeit pills and other drugs,” said Principal Deputy Administrator Daniel Salter. “The Drug Enforcement Administration is working tirelessly to identify and hold accountable those responsible for distributing this deadly poison. Through enforcement, prevention, and public awareness, DEA remains steadfast in its commitment to build a Fentanyl Free America.”
“On behalf of the 93 United States Attorneys, I want to reaffirm our collective commitment to work hand in hand with the victims of violent crime to bring the perpetrators to justice, and to develop strategies to prevent the next victim,” said US Attorney Tom Wheeler for the Southern District of Indiana.
Other speakers included:
Joe Abraham- Joe is a lifelong Illinois resident, husband, and father of three. A corporate finance professional at a Fortune 50 company, he has dedicated his life to family and community. Joe is also the father of Katie, who was killed by a drunk-driving illegal alien in January 2025. Since her death, he has spoken on national media, including Fox News, and published multiple op-eds to raise awareness about the impact of current policies on families like his.
Jennifer Bos- Jennifer lives in Illinois and is the mother of Megan Bos. Her daughter’s tragic and gruesome death exposed catastrophic failures in immigration enforcement and drug trafficking policy. The investigation into her death continues, but one truth is already painfully clear: dangerous gaps in our system allowed an illegal alien to exploit our laws—and her daughter paid the ultimate price. Jennifer speaks locally and nationally about the four crises that compounded her tragedy: illegal immigration, sanctuary policies, fentanyl, and cashless bail.
Michelle Esquenazi- Michelle is the President and CEO of Empire Bail Bonds, the largest bond company in New York State, offering bail bond services to clients in almost every area. She is a proud Mom of four children, a grandmother and a Domestic Violence Survivor and escapee. Michelle was thrust into the bail profession about three decades ago, as she became a single Mom of public assistance and saw a way to help people in need of navigating the criminal justice system. She speaks with victims at all hours of the night and equips them with resources, including safe housing and legal assistance. Michelle has been advocating for crime victims and accountable bail release policies since 2012.
Patti Fox- Patti is a Colorado mother, speaker, and advocate for lawfulness, public safety, and victims’ rights. After her daughter, Carissa, was critically injured in a hit-and-run by an unlicensed, uninsured illegal alien who fled the scene, Patti left her career in marketing to become a full-time caregiver. She now speaks out on the real-world consequences of failed sanctuary policies, the cost of selective law enforcement, and the urgent need to uphold the rule of law to keep American communities safe.
Stephen Federico- Stephen Federico is the father of Logan Hailey Federico, a 22-year-old from Waxhaw, North Carolina, who was killed during a home invasion in Columbia, South Carolina, in May 2025. Since Logan's death, Stephen has become an advocate for changes to how repeat violent offenders' criminal histories are tracked and handled. His advocacy has led him to testify before lawmakers and speak publicly about Logan’s case. Stephen has also worked with lawmakers, including Rep. Russell Fry, on proposed legislation commonly referred to as Logan's Law, aimed at creating a nationwide registry/database containing information about people convicted of serious offenses.
Anne Fundner- Anne is a mother, advocate, public speaker and national voice in the fight against the fentanyl crisis. Her advocacy began after the devastating loss of her 15-year-old son, Weston, who died in 2022 after taking a counterfeit pill containing fentanyl. Since Weston’s death, Anne has dedicated herself to raising awareness about fentanyl, counterfeit pills, youth drug exposure and the devastating consequences of the nation’s addiction and illicit-drug crisis. She founded the Forever Weston Foundation in honor of her son and works to educate families and communities while advocating for policies intended to prevent other families from experiencing the loss she endured. Anne gained national attention in 2024 when she spoke at the Republican National Convention, sharing Weston’s story with a national audience. She has subsequently testified before the U.S. House Judiciary Committee, where she urged policymakers to recognize the human cost of the fentanyl crisis and take action to prevent additional deaths.
Anne Giaritelli- Anna is an investigative journalist who joined the Washington Examiner in 2015. As homeland security reporter, she spearheads coverage of immigration and national security. She has deployed to the nation's borders on more than 60 occasions, delivering on-the-ground reports on complex cartel infrastructure, shifting migration dynamics, domestic terrorism, the multi-front war on drugs and aviation security. Her dedicated reporting made her a finalist for the 2024 Dao Prize for Excellence in Investigative Journalism. Beyond her reporting on federal law enforcement, Anna is a prominent victim advocate and the author of the memoir, “Under Assault: A Crime Reporter's True Story of Overcoming Sexual Trauma and Exposing Injustice.” The book details her personal survival of a violent daylight attack in Washington, D.C. and chronicles her investigation into how local law enforcement manipulated crime data to erase cases like her own from public statistics.
Jessica Gorman- Jessica Gorman is a grieving mother, victims’ advocate and national voice for public safety following the tragic death of her 18-year-old daughter, Sheridan Grace Gorman. Sheridan was a freshman at Loyola University Chicago with a bright future ahead of her. On March 19, 2026, Sheridan was shot and killed near Chicago’s lakefront while out with friends. In the months following her daughter’s death, Jessica has courageously shared Sheridan’s story and called for meaningful changes to policies and systems that she believes failed to protect her daughter. Jessica recently spoke at the 2026 Republican National Midterm Convention in Dallas with her husband, Tom Gorman, and daughter Madelon.
Jennifer Harrison- Jennifer serves as the executive director of Victims Rights Reform Council. She was forced to become an expert on victims' rights and criminal justice issues when both her boyfriend of 6 years and his best friend were murdered on January 15, 2005. Ultimately only one person served just 9.5 years for killing two people. Jessica has dedicated her life to helping other victims ever since, connecting with support groups on both the national and local level. She has become an advocate against some of the atrocities she witnessed and helps other survivors of homicide victims connect with the resources they need to navigate through their endless nightmare. Jennifer continues to advocate against dangerous criminal justice reforms that have been implemented in multiple states across the country, such as Bail Reform, along with other dangerous social justice initiatives.
Nicole Kiprilov- Nicole is a Republican political operative and strategist. A native New Yorker, she graduated in 2019 from Duke University with a double B.A. in Political Science and French, a specialization in political theory, a minor in Philosophy, and a certification in Philosophy Politics and Economics (PPE). Nicole is the Executive Director of The American Border Story (TABS), the President of the Coalition for Military Excellence (CME), and leads several initiatives at The America Fund focused on fighting for the America-First movement. Nicole is also an Independent Women’s Forum Fellow. Nicole frequently appears on Newsmax, One America News, and Real America’s Voice. She is a contributor at Daily Caller and writes for several other publications.
Connie Sheely- Connie has served as the president of the National Organization of Parents of Murdered Children since 2005. She became involved in the organization following the murder of her brother, Joel Holbrook who was found murdered in his home in Kansas City, Missouri in 1999. His case remains unsolved. Connie found POMC to be a tremendous help in dealing with her brother’s murder. She values the importance of POMC, its members and advocating for other survivors. She has shared her experience with community groups, promoting public awareness of POMC and has spoken to prison inmates on victim impact.
Johnson City Man Sentenced to over 12 Years in Prison for Possession of Child Sexual Abuse Material and Violating Supervised ReleaseRead the Press Release
GREENEVILLE, Tenn. – On September 24, 2026, Ronnie Lee Miller, 53, of Johnson City, Tennessee was sentenced to 150 months imprisonment by the Honorable Clifton L. Corker, United States District Judge, in the Eastern District of Tennessee at Greeneville. Following his imprisonment, he will be on lifetime supervised release and will be required to register with state sex offender registries and comply with special sex offender conditions.
Miller pleaded guilty to one count of possession of CSAM, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2252A(a)(5)(B) and (b)(2), and to violating his term of supervised release.
According to filed court documents and statements made in court, Miller was previously sentenced to prison for 110-months for possession of CSAM in 2009 in the Eastern District of Tennessee. Upon his release from imprisonment, in November of 2017, Miller began serving a term of federal supervised release in the Eastern District of Tennessee that required him to submit truthful monthly reports to his supervising probation officer as well as participate in sexual offender treatment.
In April of 2025, during a routine sex offender check-in, detectives with the Johnson City Special Victims Unit discovered that Miller was in possession of two cellular phones, three memory cards, and three USB drives. Across the different devices and storage media, detectives located thousands of CSAM images and videos.
This case was investigated by the Johnson City Police Department Special Victims Unit.
Assistant United States Attorney Thomas McCauley represented the United States.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
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Iranian national sentenced for scheme to ship sensitive technology to Iran via ChinaRead the Press Release
Seattle – A 44-year-old citizen of Iran was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to 18 months in prison for his scheme to violate trade sanctions against Iran, announced First Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Neil Floyd. Reza Dindar, aka Renda Dindar was indicted by the grand jury in August 2014. Dindar was arrested in Panama in July 2025 at the request of the United States. Dindar was extradited to the U.S. in April 2026. A mere six weeks later he pleaded guilty to two counts of export to an embargoed country and two counts of smuggling goods from the United States. At the sentencing hearing U.S. District Judge Ricardo S. Martinez said, “The offense was well over 10 years ago and Mr. Dindar spent significant time in a Panamanian prison.” The judge imposed a $10,000 fine and three years of supervised release to follow the prison term.
According to records filed in the case, the smuggling in this case violates sanctions against Iran imposed by the President’s Executive Order in March 1995 and reimposed in 2001. The orders prohibit the unauthorized exportation, re-exportation, sale, or supply, directly or indirectly, from the United States of any goods, technology, or services to Iran or the Government of Iran; as well as the exportation or supply of goods, technology, or services to persons in third countries knowing or with reason to know that the goods, technology or services are intended for supply, trans-shipment, or re-exportation to Iran.
According to the plea agreement, between 2010 and 2014, Dindar managed a business called New Port Sourcing Solutions in Xi’an, China. The company hid the fact that it was procuring items in the U.S. for companies in Iran. It fraudulently claimed the goods were destined for China. In 2011 and 2012, Dindar and his coconspirators used deception to purchase parts for three military sonar systems from a business in the Western District of Washington. Dindar and his coconspirators claimed the systems would be used by a company in China. In fact, the plan was to ship the parts through China to Iran in violation of export controls.
In asking for an 18-month prison sentence prosecutors wrote to the court, “The export controls put into effect through the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) are essential to the United States’ national security interests. Therefore, it is important for the Court’s sentence to provide adequate deterrence against similar offenses moving forward. A custodial sentence of 18 months would achieve the statutory goal of deterrence by exceeding the national average and median sentences for similar offenses committed by defendants with similar backgrounds.”
The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security - Office of Export Enforcement and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
The case is being prosecuted by assistant United States Attorney Todd Greenberg. The U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs worked with the Government of Panama to secure the arrest and extradition from Panama of Dindar. Significant assistance was provided by the Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS).
Huron County Man Sentenced to 24 Years in Prison for Receipt and Distribution of Child Sexual Abuse Materials and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
TOLEDO, Ohio – A 46-year-old man was sentenced to federal prison for sending and receiving child pornography through a social media platform and for committing firearms offenses.
Ricardo Gibson, of Willard, Ohio, was sentenced to 292 months (24.33 years) in prison by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey J. Helmick after pleading guilty in May to the charges in the indictment:
- Receipt and Distribution of Child Pornography, or Child Sexual Abuse Materials (CSAM)
- Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition; previous conviction for same offense in 2002
Gibson was also ordered to pay $42,000 in restitution to victims, and to serve 20 years of supervised release after serving his prison sentence.
According to court documents and evidence, in May 2023 federal agents investigated a report made about a man who was buying used children’s clothing from an online marketplace. The seller reported that he was sending her provocative images of prepubescent girls through the platform’s chat function and was expressing his sexual interest in children. Agents subsequently identified Gibson. During a search warrant executed where he was residing, investigators found two cellphones, adult sex toys, little girl’s clothing, two handguns, three magazines and 19, 9mm rounds of ammunition. A forensic analysis of his seized electronic devices determined that approximately 6,448 CSAM files were in his possession.
This case was investigated by the FBI Toledo Resident Agency, the Huron County Sheriff’s Office, and the Willard Police Department.
Assistant United States Attorneys Sara Al-Sorghali and Frank H. Spryszak for the Northern District of Ohio led the prosecution.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. The initiative is led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices throughout the country and marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit justice.gov/PSC.
To report child exploitation, please visit cybertipline.org, or call 1-800-843-5678, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
HSTF Investigation Leads to 17 Years in Prison for Tucson's "Queen of the South," Bringing Her Reign to a CloseRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – On Sep. 22, 2026, Senior United States District Judge Raner C. Collins sentenced Amanda Rachelle Miller, 35, of Tucson, to 204 months (17 years) in prison, followed by 36 months of supervised release, for leading a large-scale drug trafficking organization that distributed fentanyl, methamphetamine, and other dangerous drugs in Arizona. Miller was also ordered to pay a $25,000 fine, $25,000 in community restitution, and a $400 special assessment.
Miller directed the enterprise for more than three years while a fugitive in Culiacán, Sinaloa, Mexico, leading to three separate federal criminal indictments. As the self-described “Queen of the South,” she supervised couriers, orchestrated bulk drug deliveries, and managed cross‑border money laundering, in total involving dozens of co-conspirators. She also claimed to have conceived the idea for brightly colored “rainbow fentanyl” to boost slumping sales for the Sinaloa Cartel—a marketing tactic the DEA has identified as targeting children and young adults.
Several of Miller’s co-conspirators also received significant sentences.
Alberto Gabriel Aranda-Ramon, a Tucson-based principal leader who coordinated multi‑kilogram fentanyl and methamphetamine deliveries, supervised couriers, and laundered proceeds through straw purchases of luxury vehicles, was sentenced on Aug. 26, 2025, to 198 months (16.5 years) in prison, followed by 60 months of supervised release. Judge Collins also imposed a $25,000 fine, $25,000 in community restitution, and a $900 special assessment.
Michele Oller was sentenced to 120 months (10 years) in prison, followed by 60 months of supervised release, and was ordered to pay a $5,000 fine and $5,000 in community restitution on Feb. 4, 2025. Oller supervised regional distribution, coordinated deliveries, and collected commissions on multi‑kilogram drug transactions.
On Aug. 27, 2024, Rodrigo Lopez‑Lozoya was sentenced to 120 months (10 years) in prison, followed by 60 months of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Lopez-Lozoya transported 17 kilograms of methamphetamine from a Tucson stash house where agents later seized an additional 115 kilograms of methamphetamine, 16.5 kilograms of cocaine, two kilograms of heroin, and 12 firearms.
Yehoshua Kilp, identified as one of Miller’s bulk drug customers, was separately prosecuted in the Western District of Washington, where Chief U.S. District Judge David G. Estudillo sentenced him to 168 months (14 years) in prison for leading a drug cell tied to Aryan prison gangs in the Pacific Northwest. His sentence included accountability for laundering proceeds benefiting Miller. The Arizona charges were later dismissed.During the multi‑year investigation, law enforcement seized substantial criminal proceeds from the organization, including approximately $134,444 in U.S. currency; luxury clothing, accessories, and jewelry valued at approximately $87,158; eight vehicles valued at $211,213 (including Forgiato Technica 22” rims worth $12,000); and fourteen firearms valued at over $9,000. Agents also seized Aranda-Ramon’s high‑end sneaker collection, which was forfeited to U.S. Customs and Border Protection and donated to the St. Vincent de Paul Society of Southern Arizona, where it was sold and 100% of the proceeds were used to assist families experiencing poverty in central Tucson.
In total, $58,000 in community restitution was ordered. Sixty‑five percent will be paid to the Arizona Criminal Justice Commission’s Crime Victim Services, which administers crime victim assistance statewide, and 35% will be paid to the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System, designated to receive federal substance abuse block grant funds.
“These sentences reflect the strength of the partnership between federal, state, and local law enforcement in confronting one of the most prolific fentanyl trafficking networks operating in southern Arizona,” said United States Attorney Timothy Courchaine. “Miller, Aranda-Ramon, and Oller led a coordinated effort to flood our streets with extremely destructive narcotics, and their incarceration makes our community safer. We will continue to relentlessly pursue every organization that threatens the people of Arizona with fentanyl and other dangerous drugs.”
“DEA continues working diligently at targeting and dismantling these dangerous drug trafficking organizations who are poisoning Americans,” said, DEA Special Agent in Charge Apolonio “Polo” Ruiz. “Working with our law enforcement partners is paramount and necessary when standing united to build a Fentanyl Free America.”
“Today’s sentence brings a major drug trafficking organization to justice and sends a clear message to those who profit from poisoning our communities: the Homeland Security Task Force will find you, investigate you, and hold you accountable,” said Jason T. Stevens, special agent in charge for HSI Arizona. “Amanda Rachelle Miller directed a network responsible for moving fentanyl, methamphetamine, and other dangerous narcotics throughout southern Arizona while attempting to shield herself from accountability across the border. Through sustained collaboration among our federal, state, and local partners, this investigation dismantled that network, seized its illicit proceeds, and helped make our communities safer.”
“Leading a drug trafficking organization from outside the United States did not put Amanda Miller beyond the reach of law enforcement,” said U.S. Marshal Van Bayless for the District of Arizona. “This sentence reflects years of work by investigators and prosecutors across agencies to hold her accountable. The U.S. Marshals Service is proud to stand with our partners in protecting Arizona communities from the harm caused by fentanyl and other dangerous drugs.”
This investigation and prosecution are 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 Arizona comprises agents and officers from HSI, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE-ERO), U.S. Border Patrol, the FBI, DEA, U.S. Marshals Service, IRS-Criminal Investigation, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, U.S. Secret Service, the Bureau of Land Management, Arizona Department of Public Safety, Tucson Police Department, Pima County Sheriff’s Office, Oro Valley Police Department, Marana Police Department, and Arizona HIDTA. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael R. Lizano, Ashley Culver, and David Petermann, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBERS: 21-CR-03072-TUC-RCC
21-CR-02360-TUC-JGZ
22-CR-02454-TUC-RCCRELEASE NUMBER: 2026-165_Miller, et al.
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Greenville Felon Sentenced to 7 Years in Federal Prison for Firearm OffenseRead the Press Release
GREENVILLE, S.C. — Khalil DeShawn Gilliam, 31, of Greenville, has been sentenced to seven years in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that on July 29, 2024, a Greenville Police Department officer patrolling the area near South Pleasantburg Drive and Lowndes Hill Road observed a black sedan driven by Gilliam, whom the officer recognized from prior encounters and believed to have a suspended South Carolina driver’s license. After confirming the vehicle was registered to Gilliam and that his license was suspended, the officer conducted a traffic stop. Gilliam initially provided false identifying information but was subsequently confirmed as the driver and arrested for driving under suspension and providing false information to police. A search of the vehicle following his arrest revealed a loaded 9mm pistol with an extended magazine near the center console, along with three grams of fentanyl, four oxycodone pills, and a digital scale. Gilliam, who has four prior felony firearm convictions, is federally prohibited from possessing a firearm.
United States District Judge Jacquelyn D. Austin sentenced Gilliam to 84 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
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.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Greenville Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew Culbreath and Ryan Bondura prosecuted the case.###
Grand jury indicts Buffalo man for his role in mail theft conspiracyRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. –U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that a federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging Jaquan Greene, 20, of Buffalo, with conspiracy to commit mail theft, bank fraud and aggravated identity theft, which carry a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison.
According to the indictment, between February 18 and April 23, 2026, Greene conspired with others to unlawfully obtain keys used by the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) to unlock mail collection boxes. Greene and others used the keys to unlock collection boxes and steal mail, including checks, which they deposited into bank accounts controlled by members of the conspiracy. Greene and the others then withdrew or transferred the funds for their benefit. During the conspiracy, Greene possessed checks stolen from collection boxes on Cayuga Road in Cheektowaga, NY, which were then deposited into an account at Citizens Bank controlled by members of the conspiracy.
On April 23, 2026, Greene and two other members of the conspiracy drove to the USPS mail collection box on Cayuga Road with a stolen key, which they used to open the box and remove the collection basket containing letters, packages, and mail. As law enforcement arrived at the scene, Greene and the others fled in their vehicle, and then on foot and were taken into custody a short time later.
Greene made an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael J. Roemer and was detained.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sasha Mascarenhas and Paul E. Bonanno. The indictment is the result of an investigation by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division, under the direction of Acting Inspector-in-Charge Justin Page.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Fort Thompson Man Sentenced to 6 Years in Federal Prison for Sexual Abuse of A MinorRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced a Fort Thompson, South Dakota, man convicted of Sexual Abuse of a Minor. The sentencing took place on September 22, 2026.
Bucorey Bell, age 29, was sentenced to six years in federal prison, followed by ten years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Bell was indicted by a federal grand jury in December 2023. He pleaded guilty on June 17, 2026.
In August 2023 Bell began a romantic relationship with the victim who was under the age of 16, ultimately culminating in Bell and the victim engaging in sexual acts on multiple occasions. The abuse occurred within the Crow Creek Sioux Indian Reservation.
This matter is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in federal court as opposed to State court.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
This case is part of the Department of Justice’s Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) Regional Outreach Program, which aims to aid in the prevention and response to missing or murdered Indigenous people through the resolution of MMIP cases and communication, coordination, and collaboration with federal, Tribal, state, and local partners. The Department views this work as a priority for its law enforcement components. Through the MMIP Regional Outreach Program, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify MMIP cases and issues in Tribal communities and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. This prosecution upholds the Department’s mission to the unwavering pursuit of justice on behalf of victims and their families despite the passage of time.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs-Office of Justice Services and the FBI. Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Great Plains Troy R. Morley prosecuted the case.
Bell was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Former Veterans Affairs Field Examiner Indicted on Federal Fraud Charge Related to COVID 19 Relief ProgramsRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS- A federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging Randy Bond, 52, of Fortville, with one count of wire fraud. Bond made his initial appearance in federal court on September 16, 2026. This case was brought as part of the Trump Administration’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud.
According to court documents, between July 4, 2020, and October 13, 2021, Bond allegedly carried out a scheme to defraud the federal government by submitting fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) applications. In these submissions, Bond falsely claimed to own a car wash and automotive repair business generating substantial revenue, as well as a pet care business with significant monthly payroll expenses.
Bond allegedly applied for two EIDLs and two PPP loans, ultimately receiving approximately $101,333. He is accused of using the funds for personal expenses, including purchases at Best Buy and Total Wine.
During the period of the alleged fraud, Bond was employed full-time by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs as a field examiner, working with veterans who required fiduciary support. His responsibilities included meeting with veterans and their fiduciaries to ensure veterans were receiving proper care and reviewing accounting documentation when necessary.
The United States Small Business Administration and the Department of Veterans Affairs – Office of Inspector General investigated this case.
U.S. Attorney Wheeler thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Eakman, who is prosecuting this case.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (“Fraud Division”). The Fraud Division is investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports 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.
An indictment is merely allegations, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Former U.S. Soldier Sentenced for Hacking and Extortion Scheme That Exposed Sensitive Data of U.S. Government OfficialRead the Press Release
Seattle — Cameron John Wagenius, 22, a former Army soldier who was most recently stationed in Texas, was sentenced today to 70 months in prison and ordered to pay $294,978 in restitution for conspiring to hack into telecommunications companies’ databases, access sensitive records, and extort the companies by threatening to release the stolen data unless ransoms were paid. In November 2024, Wagenius made two online posts that disclosed stolen confidential non-content call detail records belonging to a government official and family members of another former official and threatened to release additional confidential records unless paid a ransom. The text of one of these online posts suggested that Wagenius was motivated by a desire to retaliate for the then-recent arrest of another cybercriminal.
“Cameron Wagenius spent more than a year and a half betraying the trust placed in him as an active duty soldier by carrying out a sweeping cybercrime campaign,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “He targeted U.S. and foreign telecommunications companies, compromised the sensitive data of countless people, and even sought to traffic stolen information to a foreign intelligence service. His actions reflect an alarming disregard for the security of the public and the United States. Today’s sentence demonstrates the Department of Justice’s commitment to protecting privacy and security.”
“Mr. Wagenius engaged in a long spree of criminal conduct attempting to blackmail hacking victims for more than $1 million. He has repeatedly shown disregard for the privacy and security of others, the rules of the military, and the law,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Neil Floyd for the Western District of Washington. “His hacking schemes were not only aimed at getting rich, he was also motivated by a desire to achieve status within criminal hacking communities. This sentence must impose real consequences to deter him, and hopefully other would-be hackers.”
“The FBI and its law enforcement partners moved quickly to identify, locate, and arrest Cameron Wagenius, who abused the trust that came with his military service to break into the networks of U.S. telecommunications companies, steal the private records of Americans, and extort victims for profit,” said Assistant Director Brett Leatherman of the FBI Cyber Division. “Today’s sentence of 70 months holds him accountable for those choices. The FBI, working alongside our partners at the Department of Defense (also known as the Department of War) Office of Inspector General Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS) and the Army identified and arrested him within weeks of his public extortion threats. The FBI will continue to pursue cybercriminals wherever they are, until they face justice in a U.S. courtroom.”
“Spending more than a year stealing confidential data and then threatening to expose it, Mr. Wagenius attempted to extort multiple organizations for a combined total of more than $1 million,” said Special Agent in Charge W. Mike Herrington of the FBI Seattle field office. “It is especially shocking that a member of our armed forces, sworn to defend Americans and their Constitutional rights, would engage in such a violation of privacy. The FBI takes the theft of data seriously and will investigate, identify, and impose consequences on those who steal data or assist in trafficking and sharing it.”
“Today’s sentencing underscores the relentless efforts to identify, investigate, and prosecute cybercriminals targeting the Department of Defense, the defense industrial base, and American public,” said Special Agent in Charge Kenneth DeChellis of the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), Cyber Field Office. “This success is a result of our collaborative partnerships with federal law enforcement, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington, and the Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section — sending a clear signal to cybercriminals that their actions will come at a cost.”
According to court documents, between April 2023 and Dec. 18, 2024, Wagenius used online accounts associated with the nickname “kiberphant0m” and conspired with others to defraud at least 10 victim organizations by obtaining login credentials for the organizations’ protected computer networks. Wagenius and his conspirators obtained these credentials using a hacking tool that Wagenius helped develop called SSH Brute, among other means. They used Telegram group chats to transfer stolen credentials and discuss gaining unauthorized access to victim companies’ networks. This activity happened while Wagenius was on active duty with the U.S. Army.
After data was stolen, Wagenius and his conspirators extorted the victim organizations both privately and in public forums. The extortion attempts included threats to post the stolen data on cybercrime forums such as BreachForums and XSS.is. In other instances, conspirators offered to sell stolen data for thousands of dollars via posts on these forums. They successfully sold at least some of this stolen data and also used stolen data to perpetuate other frauds, including SIM-swapping. In total, Wagenius and his co-conspirators attempted to extort at least $1 million from victim data owners.
Wagenius pleaded guilty in the Western District of Washington to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, extortion in relation to computer fraud, and aggravated identity theft on July 15, 2025, and he pleaded guilty in a separate case also in the Western District of Washington to two counts of unlawful transfer of confidential phone records information in connection with this conspiracy on March 5, 2025.
At today’s sentencing hearing U.S. District Judge Lauren King addressed the defendant saying, “Your actions show a shocking disregard for the safety and security of the United States… You took these actions motivated by greed and a desire for notoriety.”
The FBI and investigated the case. The U.S. Army’s Criminal Investigative Division, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas, and the National Security Cyber Section provided valuable assistance.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sok Tea Jiang for the Western District of Washington prosecuted the case along with Senior Counsel Louisa Becker and Trial Attorney George Brown of the Justice Department’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS).
CCIPS investigates and prosecutes cybercrime and intellectual property (IP) crime in coordination with domestic and international law enforcement agencies, often with assistance from the private sector. Since 2020, CCIPS has secured the conviction of over 180 cyber and IP criminals, and court orders for the return of over $350 million in victim funds.
Former U.S. Soldier Sentenced for Hacking and Extortion Scheme That Exposed Sensitive Data of U.S. Government OfficialRead the Press Release
Cameron John Wagenius, 22, a former Army soldier who was most recently stationed in Texas, was sentenced today to 70 months in prison and ordered to pay $294,978 in restitution for conspiring to hack into telecommunications companies’ databases, access sensitive records, and extort the companies by threatening to release the stolen data unless ransoms were paid. In November 2024, Wagenius made two online posts that disclosed stolen confidential non-content call detail records belonging to a government official and family members of another former official and threatened to release additional confidential records unless paid a ransom. The text of one of these online posts suggested that Wagenius was motivated by a desire to retaliate for the then-recent arrest of another cybercriminal.
“Cameron Wagenius spent more than a year and a half betraying the trust placed in him as an active duty soldier by carrying out a sweeping cybercrime campaign,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “He targeted U.S. and foreign telecommunications companies, compromised the sensitive data of countless people, and even sought to traffic stolen information to a foreign intelligence service. His actions reflect an alarming disregard for the security of the public and the United States. Today’s sentence demonstrates the Department of Justice’s commitment to protecting privacy and security.”
“Mr. Wagenius engaged in a long spree of criminal conduct attempting to blackmail hacking victims for more than $1 million. He has repeatedly shown disregard for the privacy and security of others, the rules of the military, and the law,” said First Assistant Attorney Charles Neil Floyd for the Western District of Washington. “His hacking schemes were not only aimed at getting rich, he was also motivated by a desire to achieve status within criminal hacking communities. This sentence must impose real consequences to deter him, and hopefully other would-be hackers.”
“The FBI and its law enforcement partners moved quickly to identify, locate, and arrest Cameron Wagenius, who abused the trust that came with his military service to break into the networks of U.S. telecommunications companies, steal the private records of Americans, and extort victims for profit,” said Assistant Director Brett Leatherman of the FBI Cyber Division. “Today’s sentence of 70 months holds him accountable for those choices. The FBI, working alongside our partners at the Department of Defense (also known as the Department of War) Office of Inspector General Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS) and the Army identified and arrested him within weeks of his public extortion threats. The FBI will continue to pursue cybercriminals wherever they are, until they face justice in a U.S. courtroom.”
“Spending more than a year stealing confidential data and then threatening to expose it, Mr. Wagenius attempted to extort multiple organizations for a combined total of more than $1 million,” said Special Agent in Charge W. Mike Herrington of the FBI Seattle field office. “It is especially shocking that a member of our armed forces, sworn to defend Americans and their Constitutional rights, would engage in such a violation of privacy. The FBI takes the theft of data seriously and will investigate, identify, and impose consequences on those who steal data or assist in trafficking and sharing it.”
“Today’s sentencing underscores the relentless efforts to identify, investigate, and prosecute cybercriminals targeting the Department of Defense, the defense industrial base, and American public,” said Special Agent in Charge Kenneth DeChellis of the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS) Cyber Field Office. “This success is a result of our collaborative partnerships with federal law enforcement, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington, and the Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section — sending a clear signal to cybercriminals that their actions will come at a cost.”
According to court documents, between April 2023 and Dec. 18, 2024, Wagenius used online accounts associated with the nickname “kiberphant0m” and conspired with others to defraud at least 10 victim organizations by obtaining login credentials for the organizations’ protected computer networks. Wagenius and his conspirators obtained these credentials using a hacking tool that Wagenius helped develop called SSH Brute, among other means. They used Telegram group chats to transfer stolen credentials and discuss gaining unauthorized access to victim companies’ networks. This activity happened while Wagenius was on active duty with the U.S. Army.
After data was stolen, Wagenius and his conspirators extorted the victim organizations both privately and in public forums. The extortion attempts included threats to post the stolen data on cybercrime forums such as BreachForums and XSS.is. In other instances, conspirators offered to sell stolen data for thousands of dollars via posts on these forums. They successfully sold at least some of this stolen data and also used stolen data to perpetuate other frauds, including SIM-swapping. In total, Wagenius and his co-conspirators attempted to extort at least $1 million from victim data owners.
Wagenius pleaded guilty in the Western District of Washington to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, extortion in relation to computer fraud, and aggravated identity theft on July 15, 2025, and he pleaded guilty in a separate case also in the Western District of Washington to two counts of unlawful transfer of confidential phone records information in connection with this conspiracy on March 5, 2025.
The FBI and DCIS investigated the case. The U.S. Army’s Criminal Investigative Division, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas, and the National Security Cyber Section provided valuable assistance.
Senior Counsel Louisa Becker and Trial Attorney George Brown of the Justice Department’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Sok Tea Jiang for the Western District of Washington prosecuted the case.
CCIPS investigates and prosecutes cybercrime and intellectual property (IP) crime in coordination with domestic and international law enforcement agencies, often with assistance from the private sector. Since 2020, CCIPS has secured the conviction of over 180 cyber and IP criminals, and court orders for the return of over $350 million in victim funds.
Former Jackson Hole bookkeeper sentenced to nearly four years in federal prison for $1.48 million embezzlement and tax fraud schemeRead the Press Release
CHEYENNE, Wyo. Laura Marie Means, 46, of Jackson, Wyoming, was sentenced Tuesday to 46 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for orchestrating a massive, multiyear wire fraud and tax evasion scheme that defrauded her former employer of nearly $1.5 million.
U.S. District Judge Alan B. Johnson also ordered Means to pay $355,875.32 in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service and $1,484,104.80 in restitution to her former employer. Means, who was released on a $20,000 unsecured bond following her initial appearance, has been ordered to self-surrender to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons on Dec. 2.
According to court documents, Means was hired in late 2015 as the bookkeeper for a prominent Jackson family business that owned several local lodging and hospitality properties. In her role, Means maintained sole control over employee payroll, bank accounts, and tax reporting.
The fraudulent activity began in February 2019, shortly after Means relocated from Wyoming to Hawaii. Although her employer permitted her to retain her position remotely on the condition that she travel back to Jackson once a month, Means instead used her remote status to execute a sophisticated embezzlement scheme that continued through September 2025.
“Laura Means abused her position as bookkeeper to siphon money from her employer's business to line her own pockets. Her scheme impacted the business and was devastating to the victims who considered her part of their family,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Amanda Koldjeski.
To execute and conceal the multiyear theft, Means altered QuickBooks accounting entries by routing unauthorized transfers into her personal bank accounts under the guise of standard business expenses such as "supplies" or "invoices." She also utilized a separate, unapproved bank account to divert corporate funds and issued herself unauthorized payments, including duplicate salary payments and unearned bonuses. Because Means managed these financial transactions electronically while living in Hawaii, the fraudulent transfers traveled through interstate wire communications.
“Means abused her position of trust to steal more than a million dollars from a family-owned business and then compounded that betrayal by concealing the stolen income and filing false tax returns,” said Todd Wacaser, Special Agent in Charge, Phoenix Field Office. “IRS Criminal Investigation will continue to follow the money and hold accountable those who steal from their employers and attempt to hide their crimes from the tax system.”
The federal prosecution moved rapidly following the formal filing of a criminal information and the issuance of a summons on June 22, 2026. Means waived indictment and entered a guilty plea to Count One (Wire Fraud) and Count Two (Filing a False Tax Return) of the Information during a court hearing in Cheyenne on July 16, 2026, leading to Tuesday's sentencing.
Following Tuesday's sentencing, U.S. Attorney Darin Smith issued a stark warning to future fraudsters.
"Wyoming is a state built on honesty, grit, and respect for the law," Smith said. "People like Means who think they can treat fraud as a business model have no place here. Our federal prosecutors do not blink, they do not slow down, and they will absolutely dismantle your operation."
The case was investigated by the FBI, IRS-CI and Teton County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Margaret Vierbuchen prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
Case No. 2:26-cr-00072-ABJ
About the United States Attorney's Office
The United States Attorney's Office is responsible for representing the federal government in virtually all litigation involving the United States in the District of Wyoming, including all criminal prosecutions for violations of federal law, civil lawsuits brought by or against the government and actions to collect judgments and restitution on behalf of victims and taxpayers.
The Department of Justice's National Fraud Enforcement Division investigates and prosecutes those who commit fraud against the American people. The Fraud Division fulfills its mission by using advanced data-driven investigative techniques; coordinating with agencies responsible for administering taxpayer-funded programs; partnering with federal, tribal, state, territorial and local law enforcement on fraud-fighting efforts; developing systems and processes that ensure efficient identification and investigation of fraud; and equipping prosecutors and law enforcement with state-of-the-art tools and resources needed to bring criminal actors to justice. The division works every day to protect the financial integrity of the United States of America, ensure the vibrancy of the American economy and seek justice for victims of fraud.
On March 16, 2026, President Donald J. Trump issued Executive Order 14395, establishing the White House Task Force to Eliminate Fraud. This sweeping, whole-of-government initiative is designed to orchestrate an aggressive national strategy to dismantle fraud, enforce strict individual eligibility verification and protect hard-earned American tax dollars from systemic exploitation across federal and state-administered benefit networks.
Federal jury convicts two members of multi-state car theft ringRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A federal jury convicted Deonte Holden, 30, of Hyattsville, Maryland, and Clifford Flemming Smith Jr., 38, of Columbus, Ohio, yesterday on charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to receive stolen vehicles, and also convicted Smith of aggravated identity theft.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Holden and Smith were part of a multi-state conspiracy to fraudulently purchase or steal vehicles and then prep and transport them for sale. The conspiracy involved over 150 stolen vehicles worth over $6 million.
The conspirators used the identities of real people without the victims’ knowledge to purchase or attempt to purchase new and used cars. They also fraudulently used stolen identities to test drive vehicles, obtain copies of the key fobs, return the vehicles to the dealerships, and then return to the dealerships to steal the vehicles using the key fob copies. The conspirators also used tow trucks to take vehicles from dealerships, rental lots, and residential neighborhoods.
Once vehicles were obtained, the conspirators would remove or conceal the factory-installed Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) and disable the vehicles’ Global Positioning Systems (GPS) so the vehicles could be transferred to others without detection.
Holden and Smith are scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 15, 2027. Holden faces up to 25 years in prison. Smith faces a mandatory minimum of two years and up to 27 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The other seven other conspirators charged in the case already pled guilty.
Roy Lee Jones pled guilty on May 23, 2025, to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, conspiracy to receive stolen vehicles. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 10 and faces a mandatory minimum of two years and up to 27 years in prison.
Shaheed McClease Coston pled guilty on June 27, 2025, to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, conspiracy to receive stolen vehicles. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 29 and faces a mandatory minimum of two years and up to 27 years in prison.
Carroll Michael Skipwith pled guilty on June 27, 2025, to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 3 and faces a mandatory minimum of two years and up to 22 years in prison.
Timothy Kelly pled guilty on July 18, 2025, to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. On Feb. 5, 2026, Kelly was sentenced to six years and four months in prison.
Jonathan Tarrell Smalls pled guilty on Aug. 15, 2025, to conspiracy to receive stolen vehicles. On Jan. 22, Smalls was sentenced to seven years in prison.
Sharrone Wilson pled guilty on July 9 to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 15 and faces up to 20 years in prison.
Jenaro Blalock pled guilty on Aug. 6 to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, conspiracy to receive stolen vehicles. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 5 and faces a mandatory minimum of two years and up to 27 years in prison.
Theophani K. Stamos, First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Jeffrey L. Tyler, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office's Criminal Division, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Michael S. Nachmanoff accepted the verdict. The case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office, Baltimore County Police Department, Prince George's County Police Department, Fairfax County Police Department, and Prince William County Police Department with assistance from the FBI Cleveland Field Office, FBI Cincinnati Field Office, and FBI Minneapolis Field Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nicholas J. Patterson and Reed Sawyers and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas Bolzman are prosecuting the case.
Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:24-cr-273.
Federal grand jury returns indictment against ex USCIS official and associate for scheme involving unlawful approval and expedited processing of immigration applicationsRead the Press Release
DALLAS — United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould announced that on Sept. 23, a federal grand jury indicted a former Senior Immigration Services Officer with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Lukman Owolabi Ganiyu and his associate Adeniyi Akeem Somoye based on allegations outlined below.
A press release issued Friday, Sept. 4 alleges the following:
- A federal criminal complaint filed Aug. 31 charged the duo with conspiracy to receive illegal gratuities as public officials.
- Federal agents arrested Ganiyu and Somoye on Sept. 2.
- According to the complaint, from December 2019 through March 2026, Ganiyu used his official position to approve immigration applications—I‑130: Petition for Alien Relative; I‑485: Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status; I‑751: Petition to Remove Conditions on Residence; and N‑400: Application for Naturalization—in exchange for money.
- Investigators allege he bypassed required interviews, supervisory reviews, jurisdictional limits, background checks, and USCIS processing protocols.
- Ganiyu and Somoye collected hundreds of thousands of dollars from applicants, many of which corresponded to approvals issued by Ganiyu.
- The scheme involved extensive thousands of WhatsApp messages and calls between the defendants and applicants.
"The indictment makes clear that Ganiyu gravely betrayed his oath as a public servant, and that he and Somoye knowingly violated federal law. Their actions, as alleged, corrupted the integrity of our immigration system and jeopardized national security by letting individuals evade essential vetting requirements. These charges underscore that my office will relentlessly pursue anyone who abuses public trust for personal gain.”
USCIS Office of Investigations, DHS Office of Inspector General and the FBI Dallas Field Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chad Meacham from the Fraud section is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation of criminal conduct and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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Federal Jury Finds Man Guilty of Conspiracy to Distribute and Possession with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL – United States Attorney Daniel N. Rosen announced that a federal jury found Raymundo Olalde-Nieves, 58, guilty on one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and one count of possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine.
The defendant was originally indicted by a grand jury on February 12, 2025. The guilty verdicts were returned on September 24, 2026, after a two-day trial before U.S. District Judge Susan Richard Nelson.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, on or about August 22, 2024, investigators with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) used a confidential source to arrange the purchase of approximately 54 pounds of methamphetamine from a source. The drug sale was planned to occur at a gas station in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota.
Investigators surveilled the gas station and saw Olalde-Nieves drive up in a gray vehicle. Olalde-Nieves then loitered in the parking lot for approximately 30 minutes, getting in and out of the car, and checking the vehicle’s trunk twice. While the defendant was in the parking lot, investigators then arranged for the transaction to occur at a different location approximately 1.6 miles north of the gas station. Investigators then saw Olalde-Nieves on the phone in the parking lot and then proceeded to travel north.
Investigators coordinated with the Minnesota State Patrol to stop Olalde-Nieves in his car after he left the gas station. Troopers followed the defendant and stopped him approximately one mile north of the gas station, and they suspected the defendant was attempting to evade them by turning into a nearby parking lot.
When the troopers questioned the defendant on where he was going, the troopers received vague and inconsistent responses. The troopers then removed him from the car and conducted a canine sniff of the vehicle, and the canine alerted the troopers to the presence of a controlled substance odor. After a search of the vehicle, the troopers found four black buckets containing approximately 54 pounds of, what was later confirmed to be, methamphetamine in the car’s trunk.
“The defendant chose to traffic dangerous drugs in Minnesota. These guilty verdicts demonstrate the strength of our federal and local law enforcement partnerships and our continued commitment to keeping lethal substances from harming families and communities,” said United States Attorney Daniel N. Rosen.
This case was the result of an investigation by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration with assistance from the Minnesota State Patrol and other law enforcement partners.
Assistant United States Attorney Syngen Kanassatega and Special Assistant United States Attorney Sommer Honeycutt prosecuted this case.
Federal Jury Convicts Orleans Parish Man of Drug-Trafficking and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Following a two-day jury trial before U.S. District Judge Greg G. Guidry, BRANDON ALEXANDER (“ALEXANDER”), age 39, of New Orleans, was found guilty on September 22, 2026 on all four counts of a superseding indictment pending against him, announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle.
The jury found ALEXANDER guilty of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, heroin, and Suboxone, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C), and 841(b)(1)(E); carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A)(i); being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8); and receiving a firearm while having a pending felony charge, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(n) and 924(a)(1)(D).
According to evidence at trial, on August 10, 2024, ALEXANDER was driving a stolen car and made an illegal turn in front of two Louisiana State Police troopers. The troopers attempted to pull ALEXANDER over, but ALEXANDER fled and led the troopers on a car chase. After about a minute, ALEXANDER pulled over and ran to a fence carrying a fully loaded Glock Model 20 firearm and a bag with heroin and Suboxone. ALEXANDER threw the drugs and gun over the fence but was stopped by the troopers before he could jump over the fence and escape. The troopers searched ALEXANDER after he was arrested and found a bag of fentanyl in one pocket and a wad of cash in the other. Messages from ALEXANDER’s phone established that ALEXANDER was a drug dealer and a video from the phone showed ALEXANDER in possession of $90,000 in cash a few months before his arrest. ALEXANDER was prohibited from possessing a firearm because he had a prior felony conviction in Jefferson Parish and had a pending felony charge in St. Tammany for aggravated assault with a firearm.
As to his drug-trafficking conviction, ALEXANDER faces up to 20 years in prison, up to a $1,000,000 fine, and at least three years of supervised release up to life. As to his conviction for carrying a firearm during the commission of a drug-trafficking crime, ALEXANDER faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison and up to life in prison, which must run consecutively to each other and any other sentence, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to five years of supervised release. As to his conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm, ALEXANDER faces up to 15 years in prison, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to three years of supervised release. As to his conviction for receiving a firearm while having a pending felony charge, ALEXANDER faces up to 10 years in prison, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to three years of supervised release Each count also carries a mandatory $100 special assessment fee.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Louisiana State Police. Assistant United States Attorneys David Berman and Mike Trummel of the Violent Crime Unit, and Chrissy Calogero of the General Crimes Unit, tried the case and are in charge of the prosecution.
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.
Federal Detainee Convicted of Assaulting Kankakee County Correctional OfficersRead the Press Release
URBANA, Ill. –On September 24, 2026, a federal jury returned two guilty verdicts against Jermaine Turner, 27, of Chicago, for Assaulting a Correctional Officer with a Dangerous Weapon. Sentencing for Turner has been scheduled for January 25, 2027, at the U.S. Courthouse in Urbana, Illinois.
During one day of testimony, the government presented evidence that, on November 20, 2023, Turner was being held by the United States Marshals Service at the Jerome Combs Detention Center in Kankakee, Illinois, pending a federal trial. While detained, Turner assaulted two correctional officers with a wooden broom handle. After being told he would be disciplined for entering another detainee’s cell without permission, Turner picked up a broom and hit a correctional officer on the back of the head, causing a large hematoma. Turner then refused orders from another correctional officer to drop the broom, approached the officer, and attempted to hit him on the head. The officer blocked the blow with his forearm, and correctional officers disarmed and restrained Turner.
Turner remains in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Turner faces statutory penalties of up to twenty years of imprisonment, up to three of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine on each of the two counts of conviction.
Turner is currently serving a 120-month sentence of imprisonment for Armed Bank Robbery in the Northern District of Illinois.The case investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office. Supervisory Assistant United States Attorney Eugene L. Miller represented the government at trial.
FCI Allenwood Inmate Charged with Assaulting OfficersRead the Press Release
WILLIAMSPORT- The United States Attorney’s office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Jerome Ellis, 32, from Washington, D.C., an inmate in FCI Allenwood, Union County, Pennsylvania, was charged on September 24, 2026, with assaulting two Federal employees.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, the indictment charges Ellis with assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers or employees at FCI Allenwood on May 19, 2026.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Prisons and the FBI Philadelphia’s Capital Area Resident Agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robin Zenzinger is prosecuting the case.
The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 20 years and a fine. A sentence could also include a period of supervised release following imprisonment. A sentence following the finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Eleven defendants sentenced to prison in Hampton Roads credit union parking lot scamRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – Eleven defendants have been sentenced for their roles in a scheme to defraud credit union members in the Hampton Roads area.
According to court documents, since at least January 2023, fraudsters targeted victims in publicly accessible places and convinced victims, through deceit and intimidation, to hand over their mobile devices. Once the thieves obtained possession and control of a victim’s mobile device, they would access the victim’s bank accounts. The perpetrators then committed a variety of fraudulent actions, including unauthorized loan applications, financial disputes, monetary transfers, and withdrawals, and accessed the victims’ personally identifiable information.
Steven Carter Jones, III, 33, pled guilty on April 15 to wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire and bank fraud. He was sentenced yesterday to three years in prison. In a separate case in the Eastern District of Virginia, Jones pled guilty on April 17 to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 9, 2027, and faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison. Jones was convicted previously for, among other crimes, possession of a firearm by a violent felon, eluding police with endangerment, reckless endangerment, and conspiracy to commit wire and bank fraud.
Corey Deshawn Smith, 32, pled guilty on Dec. 5, 2025, to wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud. He was sentenced on Sept. 23 to two years and seven months in prison.
Persia Brown, 25, pled guilty on April 13 to conspiracy to commit money laundering. She was sentenced on July 23 to four months in prison.
Troy Lee Davis, III, 26, pled guilty on Jan. 6 to wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire and bank fraud. He was sentenced on June 2 to two years and six months in prison.
Andrea Holley pled guilty on Jan. 22 to conspiracy to commit money laundering. She was sentenced on May 6 to a year in prison.
Joy Davis, 48, pled guilty on Jan. 6 to conspiracy to commit money laundering. She was sentenced on May 5 to two years and six months in prison.
Laterrance Octavia Parker Jr., 25, pled guilty on Jan. 23 to wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire and bank fraud. He was sentenced on May 6 to three years and two months in prison.
Jordan Pugh, 34, pled guilty on Feb. 11 to wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire and bank fraud. He was sentenced on May 11 to three years and four months in prison.
Lois Irene Staton, 33, pled guilty on Jan. 5 to conspiracy to commit money laundering. She was sentenced on May 13 to six months in prison.
Jamaica Lavonta Sumner, 26, pled guilty on Feb. 3 to wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire and bank fraud. He was sentenced on May 6 to a year and nine months in prison.
Rodney Demetrius Thornton, 40, pled guilty on Jan. 5 to wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire and bank fraud. He was sentenced on May 13 to three years and six months in prison.
Theophani K. Stamos, First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Matthew Lake, Resident Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service’s Norfolk Resident Office, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Jamar K. Walker.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Clayton D. LaForge prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case Nos. 2:25-cr-105 and 2:25-cr-128.
District of Arizona Charges 379 Individuals for Immigration-Related Criminal Conduct this WeekRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – During the week of enforcement operations from Sep. 19 through Sep. 25, 2026, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona brought immigration-related criminal charges against 379 individuals. Specifically, the United States filed 155 cases in which aliens illegally re-entered the United States, and the United States also charged 191 aliens for illegally entering the United States. In its ongoing effort to deter unlawful immigration, the United States filed 28 cases against 32 individuals responsible for smuggling illegal aliens into and within the District of Arizona. Protecting law enforcement officers is a key part of border vigilance, and federal prosecutors also charged one defendant for assaulting a Border Patrol Agent (BPA).
These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE-ERO), ICE- Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the FBI, the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Recent matters of interest include:
United States v. Gilda Sabas Martinez. On Sep. 23, 2026, Gilda Martinez, a United States citizen, was charged by criminal complaint with one count of Transportation of an Illegal Alien. On Sep. 22, 2026, a Pinal County Sheriff Deputy conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle that Martinez was driving. In addition to Martinez, the Deputy observed one minor passenger. The Deputy observed indicators of alien smuggling during the stop and contacted Border Patrol to investigate further. BPAs arrived and determined that the minor passenger was a Mexican citizen unlawfully present in the United States. [Case Number: 26-MJ-3363]
United States v. Percy Anthony Kisto. On Sep. 23, 2026, Percy Kisto, a United States citizen, was charged by criminal complaint with one count of Transportation of an Illegal Alien and one count of Felon in Possession of a Firearm. On Sep. 22, 2026, BPAs assigned to a checkpoint on State Route 85 observed a GMC Acadia make a U-turn as it was approaching the checkpoint. BPAs conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle and located the driver, Kisto, and four passengers inside. Three of the passengers, including a minor, were determined to be citizens of Mexico unlawfully present in the United States. BPAs searched Kisto’s backpack and recovered a firearm. Kisto was prohibited from possessing the firearm as he has a 2015 conviction for Transportation of an Illegal Alien, a felony offense. [Case Number: 26-MJ-3364]
United States v. Ivan Rojas-Menera. On Sep. 22, 2026, Ivan Rojas-Menera was charged by criminal complaint with Reentry of a Removed Alien. Chavez-Flores had been previously removed from the United States in April 2019 after being convicted of Conspiracy to Transport a Dangerous Drug for Sale, a felony offense, in the Superior Court of Arizona, Maricopa County. Rojas-Menera was sentenced to 4 years and 9 months in prison in that case. [Case Number: 26-MJ-3346]
A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
RELEASE NUMBER: 2026-166_September 25, 2026 Immigration Enforcement
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Denham Springs Softball Umpire Sentenced to over 11 Years in Federal Prison for Receiving Child PornographyRead the Press Release
LAKE CHARLES – On September 24, 2026, United States District Judge James D. Cain, Jr., sentenced Leeroy Sidney Hymel, III, 40, of Denham Springs, to 135 months in federal prison for Receipt of Child Pornography after his June 30, 2026, guilty plea.
“Mr. Hymel’s sentencing is yet another reminder to parents that predators can unfortunately turn up anywhere, including even our softball fields,” said U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Keller. “No prison term can undo the harm Mr. Hymel has caused, but this investigation, prosecution, and resulting sentence send a clear message to those who would prey upon our children: we will find you, we will charge you, and you will be looking at a lengthy prison sentence.”According to court documents, Hymel was a softball umpire for a tournament for players 16 and under. Beginning around May 20, 2024, Hymel began to send lewd and lascivious pictures and videos of himself engaging in sexual acts to a minor female player. Records show Hymel enticed the victim to reciprocate and send similar explicit pictures and videos of herself through social media applications.
U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Keller for the Western District of Louisiana made the announcement.
Homeland Security Investigations and Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office investigated this case. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Casey Richmond Stelly with assistance from Legal Assistant Kimberly Blanchard.
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 the 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. Learn more at https://www.justice.gov/psc/about-project-safe-childhood.
You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Louisiana at www.justice.gov/usao-wdla.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Western District of Louisiana at www.lawd.uscourts.gov or at https://www.lawd.uscourts.gov/cmecf-pacer, under Case Number 25-CR-00102.
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CONTACT: Public Affairs: [email protected]
United States Attorney’s Office: www.justice.gov/usao-wdla
X: @USAO_WDLA
Facebook: USAO_WDLA
(337) 262-6704
Cuban National Convicted for International Alien Smuggling and Money Laundering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL - A federal jury in the Middle District of Florida convicted a Cuban National for his role in an international alien smuggling and money laundering conspiracy. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Lazaro Alain Cabrera-Rodriguez, 28, of Hialeah, Florida, conspired with others to operate an alien smuggling organization (ASO), which encouraged thousands of Cuban aliens to enter the U.S. through the southern border. These smugglers charged between $1,500 and $40,000 for the smuggling services, and co-conspirators sometimes chartered private planes to transport groups of aliens.
“This defendant participated in an elaborate conspiracy to breach our nation’s immigration laws and smuggle illegal aliens into the United States for profit,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe for the Middle District of Florida. “We will continue to work with our task force partners to thwart these illegal activities and ensure that our borders are protected.”
“Lazaro Alain Cabrera-Rodriguez used his travel agency as a front to illegally smuggle Cuban aliens into the United States,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. "His travel agency provided a veneer of legitimacy to evade detection when the defendant falsely completed and filed at least 600 applications for visa waivers, arranged to fly the aliens from Cuba to third countries, further coordinated with other smugglers throughout the Americas, and laundered over $20 million through 57 bank accounts. These criminal offenses targeted our immigration laws designed to keep our borders safe and money laundering laws designed to keep criminal proceeds out of the nation’s financial system.”
“This was not help, and it was not humanitarian; It was a criminal enterprise built on treating people like cargo and using their desperation for financial gain,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Nicholas Ingegno of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Tampa. “Alien smuggling organizations do not provide a service; they exploit vulnerable people for profit while undermining the integrity of our borders and immigration system. This conviction reflects the strength of our commitment to dismantling the criminal networks that move people, launder money, and enrich themselves through fraud and deception.”
The defendants often used fraudulent Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) visa waivers and advertised their smuggling services and bogus visa services across multiple social media platforms to solicit Cuban nationals and other aliens to attempt to illegally enter the country and fraudulently obtain lawful status in the United States. Financial records show that during the course of the conspiracy, over $20 million passed through upwards of 57 bank accounts controlled by the defendant and his co-conspirators.
The ASO advertised services that included assisting Cubans with false claims of European citizenship to enter the United States on a European tourist visa waiver or ESTA. The ASO also filed hundreds of fraudulent ESTA applications with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) using fake addresses. Cuban nationals are not eligible for the ESTA program, but the defendants falsely represented that the applicants had not been in Cuba since 2011. They did this knowing the applicants were in Cuba at the time the ESTA applications were submitted. Cabrera-Rodriguez furthered the conspiracy by helping move aliens from their country of origin, including Cuba, into the United States, including by purchasing international and domestic flights to transport aliens into and throughout the United States.
Cabrera-Rodriguez and his co-defendants also conspired to regularly move funds to companies outside of the United States. Between 2021 and 2024, Cabrera-Rodriguez and co-conspirators transmitted over $600,000 from the United States to purchase flights for aliens to unlawfully enter the United States.
The jury convicted Cabrera-Rodriguez of conspiracy to commit alien smuggling for financial gain, conspiracy to commit international money laundering, and conspiracy to commit money laundering concealment. He is scheduled to be sentenced Dec. 17 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.
Twelve individuals were charged in a superseding indictment for their roles in the conspiracy. Liannys Yaiselys Vega-Perez, 31, Miguel Alejandro Martinez Vasconcelos, 31, Layra Libertad Treto Santos, 30, Emanuel Martinez Gonzalez, 29, Walbis Pozo-Dutel, 31, Luis Emmanuel Escalona-Marrero, 32, and Gisleivy Peralta Consuegra, 41, have all pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing. Erik Ventura-Castro, 24, pleaded guilty on May 7 and was sentenced on July 29 to 30 months in prison.
The investigation and superseding indictment were supported and prosecuted by Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA), the Department’s lead effort in combating high-impact human smuggling and trafficking committed by cartels and Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs). A highly successful partnership between the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), JTFA investigates and prosecutes human smuggling and trafficking and related immigration crimes that impact public safety and border security. JTFA’s mission is to target the leaders and organizers of Cartels and TCOs involved in human smuggling and trafficking throughout the Americas. The Attorney General has elevated and expanded JTFA to target the most prolific and dangerous human smuggling and trafficking groups operating not only in Mexico and the Northern Triangle countries of Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras, but also in Canada, the Caribbean and the maritime border, and elsewhere. Led by the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and supported by the Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section, the Office of International Affairs, and the Office of Enforcement Operations, among others, JTFA has dedicated prosecutors from the Southern District of California; District of Arizona; District of New Mexico; Western and Southern Districts of Texas; Southern District of Florida; Northern District of New York; and District of Vermont. JTFA also partners with other USAOs throughout the country and supports high-priority cases in any district. All JTFA cases rely on substantial law enforcement resources from DHS, including HSI and CBP/U.S. Border Patrol and Office of Field Operations, as well as FBI and other law enforcement agencies. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 483 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of alien smuggling and/or trafficking; more than 436 U.S. convictions; and more than 371 significant jail sentences imposed, and forfeitures of substantial assets.
HSI Tampa, U.S. Border Patrol Miami Sector, and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services’ Fraud Detection and National Security led U.S. investigative efforts, with substantial assistance from HSI’s Human Smuggling Unit in Washington, D.C. and CBP’s National Targeting Center International Interdiction Task Force. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and authorities in the Cayman Islands provided valuable assistance.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Courtney Derry for the Middle District of Florida and Trial Attorney Amanda Brown of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and other 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 Project Safe Neighborhood.
Cuban National Convicted for International Alien Smuggling and Money Laundering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
A federal jury in the Middle District of Florida convicted a Cuban National for his role in an international alien smuggling and money laundering conspiracy. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Lazaro Alain Cabrera-Rodriguez, 28, of Hialeah, Florida, conspired with others to operate an alien smuggling organization (ASO), which encouraged thousands of Cuban aliens to enter the U.S. through the southern border. These smugglers charged between $1,500 and $40,000 for the smuggling services, and co-conspirators sometimes chartered private planes to transport groups of aliens.
“Lazaro Alain Cabrera-Rodriguez used his travel agency as a front to illegally smuggle Cuban aliens into the United States,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. "His travel agency provided a veneer of legitimacy to evade detection when the defendant falsely completed and filed at least 600 applications for visa waivers, arranged to fly the aliens from Cuba to third countries, further coordinated with other smugglers throughout the Americas, and laundered over $20 million through 57 bank accounts. These criminal offenses targeted our immigration laws designed to keep our borders safe and money laundering laws designed to keep criminal proceeds out of the nation’s financial system.”
“This defendant participated in an elaborate conspiracy to breach our nation’s immigration laws and smuggle illegal aliens into the United States for profit,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe for the Middle District of Florida. “We will continue to work with our task force partners to thwart these illegal activities and ensure that our borders are protected.”
“This was not help, and it was not humanitarian; It was a criminal enterprise built on treating people like cargo and using their desperation for financial gain,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Nicholas Ingegno of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Tampa. “Alien smuggling organizations do not provide a service; they exploit vulnerable people for profit while undermining the integrity of our borders and immigration system. This conviction reflects the strength of our commitment to dismantling the criminal networks that move people, launder money, and enrich themselves through fraud and deception.”
The defendants often used fraudulent Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) visa waivers and advertised their smuggling services and bogus visa services across multiple social media platforms to solicit Cuban nationals and other aliens to attempt to illegally enter the country and fraudulently obtain lawful status in the United States. Financial records show that during the course of the conspiracy, over $20 million passed through upwards of 57 bank accounts controlled by the defendant and his co-conspirators.
The ASO advertised services that included assisting Cubans with false claims of European citizenship to enter the United States on a European tourist visa waiver or ESTA. The ASO also filed hundreds of fraudulent ESTA applications with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) using fake addresses. Cuban nationals are not eligible for the ESTA program, but the defendants falsely represented that the applicants had not been in Cuba since 2011. They did this knowing the applicants were in Cuba at the time the ESTA applications were submitted. Cabrera-Rodriguez furthered the conspiracy by helping move aliens from their country of origin, including Cuba, into the United States, including by purchasing international and domestic flights to transport aliens into and throughout the United States.
Cabrera-Rodriguez and his co-defendants also conspired to regularly move funds to companies outside of the United States. Between 2021 and 2024, Cabrera-Rodriguez and co-conspirators transmitted over $600,000 from the United States to purchase flights for aliens to unlawfully enter the United States.
The jury convicted Cabrera-Rodriguez of conspiracy to commit alien smuggling for financial gain, conspiracy to commit international money laundering, and conspiracy to commit money laundering concealment. He is scheduled to be sentenced Dec. 17 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.
Twelve individuals were charged in a superseding indictment for their roles in the conspiracy. Liannys Yaiselys Vega-Perez, 31, Miguel Alejandro Martinez Vasconcelos, 31, Layra Libertad Treto Santos, 30, Emanuel Martinez Gonzalez, 29, Walbis Pozo-Dutel, 31, Luis Emmanuel Escalona-Marrero, 32, and Gisleivy Peralta Consuegra, 41, have all pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing. Erik Ventura-Castro, 24, pleaded guilty on May 7 and was sentenced on July 29 to 30 months in prison.
The investigation and superseding indictment were supported and prosecuted by Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA), the Department’s lead effort in combating high-impact human smuggling and trafficking committed by cartels and Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs). A highly successful partnership between the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), JTFA investigates and prosecutes human smuggling and trafficking and related immigration crimes that impact public safety and border security. JTFA’s mission is to target the leaders and organizers of Cartels and TCOs involved in human smuggling and trafficking throughout the Americas. The Attorney General has elevated and expanded JTFA to target the most prolific and dangerous human smuggling and trafficking groups operating not only in Mexico and the Northern Triangle countries of Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras, but also in Canada, the Caribbean and the maritime border, and elsewhere. Led by the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and supported by the Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section, the Office of International Affairs, and the Office of Enforcement Operations, among others, JTFA has dedicated prosecutors from the Southern District of California; District of Arizona; District of New Mexico; Western and Southern Districts of Texas; Southern District of Florida; Northern District of New York; and District of Vermont. JTFA also partners with other USAOs throughout the country and supports high-priority cases in any district. All JTFA cases rely on substantial law enforcement resources from DHS, including HSI and CBP/U.S. Border Patrol and Office of Field Operations, as well as FBI and other law enforcement agencies. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 483 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of alien smuggling and/or trafficking; more than 436 U.S. convictions; and more than 371 significant jail sentences imposed, and forfeitures of substantial assets.
HSI Tampa, U.S. Border Patrol Miami Sector, and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services’ Fraud Detection and National Security led U.S. investigative efforts, with substantial assistance from HSI’s Human Smuggling Unit in Washington, D.C. and CBP’s National Targeting Center International Interdiction Task Force. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and authorities in the Cayman Islands provided valuable assistance.
Trial Attorney Amanda Brown of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Courtney Derry for the Middle District of Florida are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and other 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 Project Safe Neighborhood.
Connecticut U.S. Attorney’s Office Announces More Than $9.2 Million in Settlements Connected to PPP Fraud Enforcement InitiativeRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that the Affirmative Civil Enforcement (ACE) Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Connecticut recovered more than $9.2 million since June 2026 through settlement agreements resolving allegations that various companies violated the False Claims Act by providing false information to obtain millions of dollars in pandemic-related Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans for which they were not eligible.
“PPP loans were intended to help eligible small businesses experiencing economic uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 pandemic,” said U.S. Attorney Sullivan. “These settlements reflect our office’s strong commitment to protecting government programs and American taxpayers from fraud. We will continue to aggressively pursue and hold accountable individuals and businesses that disregard federal program requirements.”
Congress created the PPP in March 2020 under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The PPP was administered by the Small Business Administration (SBA), and was intended to support small businesses struggling to pay employees and other expenses during the COVID-19 pandemic. When applying for PPP loans, borrowers were required to certify that they were eligible for the requested loans and that the information they provided was true and accurate. In December 2020, Congress approved funding for a second round of forgivable PPP loans, which became available to borrowers beginning in January 2021. This “second-draw” loan program included additional eligibility requirements. Applicants for second-draw loans were required to certify, among other things, that they had fewer than 300 employees. Applicants were required to include the employees of any foreign and domestic affiliated entities.
The District of Connecticut has entered into settlement agreements with the following companies to resolve allegations related to false certifications on their PPP loan and forgiveness applications:
Beaver Paper & Graphic Media, Inc. (“Beaver Paper”) and its affiliated companies have paid $2,933,219.96 to resolve False Claims Act (“FCA”) allegations related to a $1,203,787 second-draw PPP loan. Beaver Paper, headquartered in Duluth, Georgia, is a company that distributes sublimation paper, tissue, and graphic fabrics for the dye-sublimation and digital print industry. It is owned by Delaware-based Koehler Invest Inc. Koehler America Inc. is an affiliate of Beaver Paper and is headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut. Koehler Paper SE, Beaver Paper GmbH, and Koehler Holding SE & CO., KG are German corporations that are affiliated with and/or share certain management with Beaver Paper.
The government contends that, together with its affiliates, Beaver Paper had more than 300 employees in March 2021 and therefore was ineligible for the second-draw PPP loan. The government alleges that Beaver Paper applied for the second-draw loan despite its accountants’ advice that it was ineligible due to its size, and excluded its affiliates’ employees on the application despite knowing it was required to include them. After receiving forgiveness of the loan, the government contends that Beaver Paper and its affiliates opted to keep the loan proceeds rather than following their accountants’ advice to return the money. Instead of repaying the loan, Beaver Paper considered the forgiven loan funds a financial liability until it believed the risk of a government audit expired. This settlement resolves allegations originally brought by a lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut under the qui tam provisions of the FCA, captioned U.S. ex rel GNGH2 Inc. v. Koehler America, Inc., et al. (Docket No. 3:24cv1463). The relator, GNGH2 Inc., will receive $293,322 as its share of the recovery.
Fabbrica LLC (“Fabbrica”) has agreed to pay $2,581,250 to resolve FCA allegations relating to a $2,000,000 second-draw PPP loan. Fabbrica is a company that produces building façade systems and has its principal place of business in Windsor, Connecticut. Fabbrica is an indirect subsidiary of a global construction company headquartered in Italy. The government alleges that, in March 2021, Fabbrica falsely certified on a second-draw PPP loan application that it had fewer than 300 employees. The government contends that Fabbrica knew or should have known that it was ineligible for the second-draw loan because Fabbrica and its foreign affiliates collectively employed more than 300 individuals. This settlement resolves FCA allegations that were originally brought in lawsuits filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut under the qui tam provisions of the FCA, captioned U.S. ex rel. GNGH2 Inc. v. Fabbrica LLC (Docket No. 3:24cv1004), and U.S. ex rel. Blockquote Inc. v. Fabbrica LLC (Docket No. 3:24-cv-1362). The relator, GNGH2 Inc., will receive $258,125 as its share of the recovery.
United Abrasives, Inc. has paid $3,088,605.45 to resolve FCA allegations related to a second-draw PPP loan. United Abrasives, a North Windham company, manufactures industrial-grade abrasives and accessories. It is a subsidiary of SAIT Finanziaria S.p.A., a company headquartered in Italy. The government alleges that, in February 2021, United Abrasives applied for a second-draw PPP loan for $1,983,555, falsely certifying it had fewer than 300 employees. At the time, United Abrasives and its affiliates collectively employed more than 300 employees. The government contends that United Abrasives should have known that it did not satisfy the size standards for the second-draw loan. This settlement resolves FCA allegations that were originally brought in a lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut under the qui tam provisions of the FCA, captioned U.S. ex rel. Daniel Foster. v. United Abrasives, Inc. (Docket No. 3:25cv1732). The relator, Daniel Foster, will receive $308,860 as its share of the recovery.
Connecticut Pharmacy, LLC (“Connecticut Pharmacy”), Connecticut Pharmacy East Rock LTC LLC (“East Rock”), Scott Wolak, and Bryan Lentini agreed to pay, on an ability to pay basis, $400,000 pursuant to the FCA to settle allegations that they made false representations in connection with the forgiveness of two first-draw PPP loans and two second-draw PPP loans. Connecticut Pharmacy and East Rock are pharmacies that service primarily a senior population of nursing homes, group homes, and hospice-at-home patients. Connecticut Pharmacy has its principal place of business in Norwalk, Connecticut. East Rock has its principal place of business in Wallingford, Connecticut. Wolak and Lentini are Connecticut residents and the majority owners of both Connecticut Pharmacy and East Rock.
Connecticut Pharmacy received a $531,700 first-draw PPP loan in April 2020 and a $448,150 second-draw PPP loan in January 2021. East Rock received a $374,100 first-draw PPP loan in April 2020 and a $334,277 second-draw PPP loan in February 2021. Connecticut Pharmacy and East Rock applied for forgiveness of those loans, and the loans were subsequently forgiven, including accrued interest, by the SBA. The government alleges that Connecticut Pharmacy, East Rock, Wolak and Lentini falsely certified on their loan forgiveness applications that the funds were used for authorized purposes, including payroll costs. Connecticut Pharmacy, East Rock, Wolak and Lentini in fact used the majority of the PPP funds to repay outstanding business loans borrowed by a separate Wolak and Lentini-owned company, which was not an authorized use of either first-draw or second-draw PPP loans. This settlement resolves allegations originally brought by a lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut under the qui tam provisions of the FCA, captioned U.S. ex rel Gettings and Chan v. Connecticut Pharmacy East Rock LTC, et al. (Docket No. 3:22cv348). The relators, Angela Gettings and Kawa Chan, will receive $60,000 as their share of the recovery.
National Mental Health Corps, formerly known as Health360, Inc. (“Health360”) and Particia Harrity have paid $217,978 pursuant to the FCA to settle allegations that they made false representations in connection with the receipt and forgiveness of a PPP loan. Health360, located in Newtown, Connecticut, was a non-profit entity with a stated mission to promote health equality in underserved communities. Harrity was its Chief Executive Officer. In May 2020, Health360 received a PPP loan in the amount of $137,638. Health360 applied for forgiveness of that loan in October 2020 and the loan was subsequently forgiven, including accrued interest, by the SBA.
Prior to SBA forgiving the loan, Health360 received several grants from AmeriCorps and from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. AmeriCorps is a federal agency that manages and funds, through grants, national service programs focused on education and health. AmeriCorps provides grants to entities such as Health360 to recruit and place AmeriCorps volunteers, generally known as “members” into national service programs. As part of that process, AmeriCorps members are provided with modest living allowances/stipends.
The government alleges that Health360 and Harrity committed fraud in several ways related to the PPP loan. Harrity falsely represented that the AmeriCorps members were its “employees” and she also falsely inflated Health360’s average monthly payroll by including the stipend payments made to the AmeriCorps members as wages. In addition, Health360 “double-dipped” from federal funds by falsely claiming that the PPP loan proceeds had been used to pay employee payroll after already having sought and received reimbursement for those same costs from federal grant money provided by AmeriCorps and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
The government’s investigations were led by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sara Kaczmarek, Anne Thidemann, and Richard Molot. U.S. Attorney Sullivan also recognized attorneys Christopher McClintock, Caitlin Kelly, and Franka Cepele of the SBA Office of General Counsel for their assistance with these investigations.
In addition, the Connecticut Pharmacy matter was investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Office of Investigations and the Health360 matter was investigated by the AmeriCorps Office of Inspector General and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (“Fraud Division”). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports 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.
Cleveland Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Role in Armed CarjackingsRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – A 23-year-old man has been sentenced to prison after threatening three victims at gunpoint during carjackings he carried out in Cleveland in July 2025.
Mickey Hodge, of Cleveland, was sentenced to 240 months (20 years) in prison and five years of supervised released by U.S. District Judge Patricia A. Gaughan after pleading guilty to:
- Carjacking (3 counts)
- Using or Carrying and Brandishing a Firearm During a Crime of Violence (3 counts)
Judge Gaughan also ordered him to pay $25,1991.81 in restitution, jointly and severally with co-defendants Tayveonn Elliott, 22, of Cleveland, and Tye Campbell, 20, also of Cleveland. Elliott and Campbell are scheduled to be sentenced in October after pleading guilty to their roles in the carjackings, as well as firearms offenses.
U.S. v. Hodge et al.According to court documents, on July 16, 2025, three victims were carjacked by a coordinated group of armed assailants, later identified as Hodge, Elliott, and Campbell. The day before the carjackings, a food delivery service employee had left his Honda Civic briefly to go and deliver food to a residence. But when he returned, his car was gone. The next morning at 4 a.m., the defendants threatened a valet at a downtown hotel and demanded the keys to vehicles she had parked. In fear of her life, she complied and the suspects took a Nissan Altima, while a third co-conspirator that was nearby, drove away in the Honda stolen from the delivery service driver. At about 7:30 a.m. the same morning, a woman sitting in her Toyota RAV4 was carjacked at gunpoint in a gym parking lot. Also fearing for her life, she gave the suspects the key fob and they drove off. Later, at about 6 p.m., a third victim was threatened at gunpoint, and he gave the suspects the keys to his Ford Explorer. About four hours later, law enforcement located the Honda and activated lights to initiate a traffic stop. However, the Honda sped away and crashed into two other vehicles at an intersection. Several suspects, including Hodge and Elliott, got out of the car and fled on foot but were apprehended. Campbell was arrested on a later date.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI Cleveland Division and the Cleveland Division of Police.
Assistant United States Attorney Scott Zarzycki led the prosecution for the Northern District of Ohio.
Bronx Man Sentenced to 135 Months in Prison for Trafficking More Than 100 Guns to New York CityRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jamie McDonald, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (“ATF”), Bryan DiGirolamo, and Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), Jessica S. Tisch, announced today that EDSON BROWN was sentenced to 135 months in prison by U.S. District Judge John P. Cronan for trafficking more than 100 guns from North Carolina and South Carolina to New York City.
“Our Office will do everything in our power to keep New Yorkers safe,” said U.S. Attorney Jamie McDonald. “Gun traffickers like Edson Brown fuel violent crime in New York City by putting guns into the hands of violent criminals. Today’s sentence protects New Yorkers and puts gun traffickers on notice that we and our law enforcement partners will aggressively pursue those who profit from gun crime and hold them accountable for the harm they cause.”
“Firearms trafficking puts guns into the hands of individuals who can use them to fuel violence in our communities,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Bryan DiGirolamo. “Trafficking more than 100 firearms into New York City is not simply moving illegal guns—it is creating opportunities for those firearms to be used in violent crime. This 135-month sentence reflects the seriousness of that conduct and the importance of identifying and disrupting firearms trafficking networks. I commend the dedicated work of the ATF/NYPD Joint Firearms Task Force and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York. This is impactful work at the heart of ATF’s mission: stemming the illegal flow of firearms and reducing violent gun crime.”
“Edson Brown crossed state lines at least a dozen times to traffic more than 100 guns onto New York City streets,” said NYPD Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch. “He then removed their serial numbers and sold the guns , knowing exactly what they would be used for. This is yet another example of the dangerous work that NYPD investigators do to make our communities safer—putting their lives at risk to shut down this operation. Thanks to our partners at the ATF and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District for their work on this case.”
As alleged in public court filings, statements in public court proceedings, and the charging documents in the case:
Beginning in 2023, and continuing until he was arrested in February 2025, BROWN trafficked at least 115 handguns from North Carolina and South Carolina to New York City. BROWN made more than a dozen trips to North Carolina and South Carolina to buy guns and bring them back to New York. To purchase many of the guns he trafficked, BROWN used straw purchasers, i.e., individuals who could ostensibly buy guns legally in North Carolina and South Carolina. For others, BROWN used the identification of a straw purchaser in South Carolina to impersonate the straw purchaser and buy the guns himself. BROWN was arrested in February 2025 in South Carolina, after purchasing three additional guns to traffic back to New York.
Once the guns were in New York, BROWN removed their serial numbers using power tools and then sold the guns to others, including buyers whom he knew would possess and use the guns illegally. Already, the NYPD has recovered nine of the guns that BROWN trafficked, including one that was used in an armed robbery, another that was used to threaten a victim, and seven more that were illegally possessed in public.
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In addition to the prison term, BROWN, 37, of the Bronx, New York, was sentenced to three years of supervised release.
Mr. McDonald thanked the ATF and the NYPD for their excellent work in this case.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Violent Organizations and Crime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew Jones and Joseph H. Rosenberg are in charge of the prosecution.
Bradford County Man Indicted on Drug and Gun OffensesRead the Press Release
WILLIAMSPORT - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Rodney Edward Randall, age 45, of Athens, Pennsylvania, was indicted by a federal grand jury on drug trafficking and firearms charges.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, the indictment charges Randall with distribution of methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine on March 10, 2026, in Bradford County. Randall is also charged with possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.
This case was investigated by the FBI Philadelphia’s Capital Area Resident Agency and the Athens Township Police Department with the assistance of the Bradford County Drug Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alisan V. Martin is prosecuting the case.
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.
The maximum penalty under federal law for the most significant offense is 40 years imprisonment, a fine, and a period of supervised release following imprisonment. A sentence following the finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged by indictment are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Boise Man Pleads Guilty to Insider TradingRead the Press Release
BOISE – U.S. Attorney for the District of Idaho Bart M. Davis announced today that Michael Christensen pleaded guilty to securities fraud in connection with insider trading based on material, nonpublic information that he misappropriated from an executive at a publicly traded company headquartered in Idaho.
According to court documents, Michael Christensen, 52, of Boise, had a close personal relationship with an executive of Company-1. On August 4, 2024, the executive texted Christensen: “Watch for the headlines Wednesday morning.” Christensen understood this text to be material, nonpublic information, and that a positive development would occur in connection with Company-1 in the coming days. On the basis of this information, Christensen purchased 4,900 Company-1 shares for approximately $99,350.27. Christensen did not inform the executive that he had purchased these shares.
On August 7, 2024, Company-1 and Company-2 publicly announced an acquisition of Company-1 by Company-2, after which Company-1’s stock price increased significantly. Christensen then sold his Company-1 stock and illegally profited approximately $49,609.73 from the sale of the 4,900 Company-1 shares. In doing so, Christensen knowingly and willfully misappropriated confidential, material, nonpublic information that he received from the senior executive at Company-1 for securities trading purposes.
Christensen pleaded guilty to one count of securities fraud, and he is scheduled to be sentenced on December 15. Christensen 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.
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service Criminal Investigations Group (USPIS-CI) is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean Mazorol for the District of Idaho and Trial Attorney Kyle Crawford of the Criminal Division’s White Collar and Corporate Enforcement Section are prosecuting the case.
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Billings man captured in Mexico sentenced to 14 years for trafficking large quantities of narcoticsRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – A Billings man, who was a main figure in a drug trafficking organization that moved significant amounts of methamphetamine and cocaine, was sentenced Thursday to 14 years and two months in prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release, Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith said.
Raymond Eugene Best, Jr., 44, pleaded guilty in May 2026 to one count of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.
The government alleged in court documents that in 2023, law enforcement began investigating a drug trafficking ring based out of Mexico that was bringing illegal narcotics to Wyoming, South Dakota, California, Montana, including Billings, and elsewhere. The group, which included Best, was distributing methamphetamine, cocaine, and fentanyl.
The Billings Police Department received information from a source on June 12, 2023, that Best was the “main man” in Billings, bringing in 50 to 100 pounds of meth and tens of thousands of fentanyl pills. Best was described as a non-user, but a dealer who stored drugs at other people’s houses. Another source provided additional insight into Best’s dealing in Billings.
Later that month, BPD learned about an apartment belonging to Stephanie Marie Nava, a member of the ring, that was used for storing drugs for Best. Using a search warrant, officers found 7 grams of fentanyl pills and 16.7 grams of meth in a back bedroom.
Nava, 38, was sentenced in January 2026 to five years in prison on drug trafficking charges.
In August 2023, law enforcement searched a co-conspirator’s hotel room in Billings and found nearly 3 pounds of methamphetamine. Investigators determined the original amount was 8 pounds, but most had been distributed to other people. Best and Nava, who were in Mexico at the time, coordinated the re-distribution of the original 8-pound quantity. An additional search on another house turned up 8 more ounces of meth.
Phone messages and other electronic communications showed Best’s continued involvement in the distribution of meth and cocaine in 2023. Messages were also being sent by Nava using the same Facebook account, including: “Are you ready for another pound yet?” and “Cause you almost paid off.”
Best was previously convicted in federal court of possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine in 2012, when he was sentenced to prison for over 13 years. Best was still on federal supervised release when he committed these latest crimes.
He was eventually apprehended in Mexico after fleeing the country. Working closely with Mexican authorities, the DEA and U.S. Marshal Service captured Best and brought him back to the U.S. to face prosecution.
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 Montana comprises agents and officers from a number of federal agencies as well as drug task forces throughout the state, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Montana.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The DEA, Eastern Montana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force, and Billings Police Department conducted the investigation as part of the HSTF.
Barnhart, Mo. Man Pleads Guilty to Charges in Connection with Tesla ArsonRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Barnhart, Mo. man pleaded guilty to destroying property at a Telsa dealership in Kansas City, Mo. and to unlawfully possessing an unregistered destructive device.
Kevin Harkins, 28, entered a guilty plea today in federal court to one count of malicious destruction of property related to arson and one count of unlawful possession of an unregistered destructive device. Harkins was initially charged by complaint on Sept. 12, 2025. According to court documents, on Feb. 13, 2025, at approximately 9:25 p.m., Kansas City, Missouri Police officers were dispatched in the vicinity of the Kansas City Tesla Center to investigate reports of the sounds of gunshots. At the same time, Kansas City Fire Department officials were also dispatched to the same location due to a reported fire. Police and Fire Department personnel discovered that a Telsa Cybertruck had sustained fire damage and had been shot with a firearm approximately nine times.
Officers observed what appeared to be a flammable fluid on the vehicle, broken glass, a charred cloth, propane hand torch, and a cigarette lighter on the ground. Officers also noticed that a nearby Tesla Model Y vehicle had approximately seven bullet holes located on the hood. Officers also discovered an unbroken suspected incendiary device with a cloth wick sticking out of the bottle and having an odor of suspected gasoline.
Police recovered the unbroken suspected incendiary device, also known as a Molotov cocktail. Investigators also discovered that a second Telsa Cybertruck was damaged by a bullet that was an apparent ricochet from one of the rounds that was aimed at the first Cybertruck.
The Cybertruck that was damaged by fire had a sale price of $81,985.
Under federal statutes, Harkins is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and up to 20 years maximum in federal prison without parole for his charge of malicious destruction of property related to arson. Harkins is subject to 10 years maximum in federal prison without parole for his charge of unlawful possession of an unregistered destructive device.
The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Trey Alford, Assistant U.S. Attorney Maureen Brackett, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon Chlarson for the Western District of Missouri and Trial Attorney Patrick Cashman of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section. It was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation Field Office-Kansas City, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department, with valuable assistance provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of Missouri.
Annandale man pleads guilty to impersonating an FBI agent at a voting siteRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – An Annandale man pled guilty today to impersonating a federal officer and possessing imitation federal law enforcement credentials.
According to court documents, on Nov. 5, 2024, the date of the 2024 federal general elections, Alex Chieu Nguyen, 44, traveled to Timber Lane Elementary School, which was a polling site in Falls Church. Nguyen arrived in a black SUV wearing dark sunglasses, a blue zip-up sweatshirt emblazoned with the FBI logo, and a fraudulent badge. In a holster, Nguyen was carrying an air pistol resembling a Glock handgun. Nguyen approached election officials and greeters and falsely informed them that he was assigned to the FBI’s “Election Security.” Nguyen has never been an employee of the FBI and was not authorized to possess or use a badge or credential identifying him as a federal law enforcement officer.
Nguyen returned later and entered the building where active polling was taking place. When the polling site’s chief election official asked to see Nguyen’s credentials, Nguyen presented his fake FBI badge and a fraudulent credential identifying him as a special agent of the FBI. Nguyen again left the school, but was arrested later that day.
Nguyen is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 14, 2027. He faces up to three years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Theophani K. Stamos, First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Jeffrey L. Tyler, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office's Criminal Division, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Michael S. Nachmanoff accepted the plea.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jack Morgan and Robert McManigal are prosecuting the case.
Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:26-cr-147.
Amherst Man Pleads Guilty to Violent Threats Targeting Law Enforcement and Grocery StoreRead the Press Release
BOSTON – An Amherst, Mass., man pleaded guilty on Sept. 21, 2026 in federal court in Springfield to making violent threats via social media targeting a variety of law enforcement officers and sensitive locations such as a grocery store and a federal building in Boston.
Luke Brissie, 24, pleaded guilty to one count of interstate transmission of threatening communications. U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni scheduled sentencing for Jan. 5, 2027. Brissie was arrested and charged in June 2025 and remains in federal custody.
On April 5, 2025, Brissie sent numerous threatening communications through Instagram to a Metropolitan Nashville Police Department officer in Tennessee. In the messages, Brissie threatened to bomb the officer’s patrol vehicle or home, shoot the officer, kill another Nashville police officer, commit a mass stabbing at a grocery store near his home in Massachusetts and bomb an FBI building. Specifically, Brissie sent threatening messages that said: “I will put a bomb in your police car or better yet your house,” “I’m going to commit mass stabbing at a grocery store called big [] y…” and “…then I’ll bomb an fbi building.”
Brissie was arrested at his residence in Amherst, Mass., after the threats were reported. Law enforcement learned that Brissie had intended to lure the Nashville police officer to Massachusetts so he could carry out the threatened violence. Law enforcement also became aware of Brissie’s intentions to bomb the FBI Boston Field Office and conduct a mass stabbing at a nearby grocery store.
The charge of interstate transmission of threatening communications provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. 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 and Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Amherst Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Caroline Merck of the Springfield Office is prosecuting the case.
Alleged Narco-Terrorist Leader “Araña” Extradited from Colombia as Part of Homeland Security Task Force InvestigationRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Geovany Andres Rojas, aka “Araña,” a Colombian national and alleged high-level narco-terrorist and prolific cocaine trafficker, was extradited from Colombia to the United States today.
Rojas was handed over to U.S. officials this morning under heavy security at a Colombian National Police air base in Bogotá. The sendoff was attended by Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella. Rojas arrived at an undisclosed location in San Diego at 4:30 p.m. PST, flanked by DEA and FBI agents.
Photo of Rojas (center) flanked by law enforcement after being extradited from Colombia to the United States. Left to right, excluding uniformed agents: U.S. Department of Justice’s Judicial Attaché in Bogotá, Kristopher Jarvis; U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon, Southern District of California; San Diego DEA Special Agent in Charge James Nunnallee; Araña; DEA San Diego Assistant Special Agent in Charge Jacob Galvan; FBI San Diego Assistant Special Agent in Charge Jagdeep Khangura; Acting Special Agent in Charge HSI San Diego Kevin Murphy
On March 7, 2025, a federal grand jury in the Southern District of California returned a two-count superseding indictment charging Rojas, whose alias translates to “Spider,” with International Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine and Narco-Terrorism.
Colombian authorities apprehended Rojas on February 12, 2025, pursuant to an INTERPOL Red Notice based on narcotics-related offenses. The Supreme Court of Colombia unanimously approved Rojas’s extradition in October 2025. Colombian President Gustavo Petro suspended Rojas’ extradition later that year, while Rojas participated in a new round of peace talks between armed groups and the Colombian government. On August 26, 2026, Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella ordered that Rojas’ extradition should proceed.
“Colombia and the Department of Justice are making a clean sweep of narcoterrorists, starting with Araña,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon. “Before President de la Espriella, armed criminal groups in Colombia roughly doubled in size. Their cocaine fueled the Mexican cartels pumping poison into our communities. The Araña extradition sweeps away a web that starts in the mountains of Putumayo and ends in the brutal, cartel contested plazas of Tijuana.”
“Today’s extradition demonstrates what the United States and Colombia can accomplish when we work together to dismantle the criminal networks that traffic deadly drugs, corrupt institutions, and threaten our communities,” said DEA Administrator Terry Cole. “Geovany Andres Rojas faces narco-terrorism and drug trafficking charges for allegedly orchestrating multi-ton cocaine shipments bound for the United States. His extradition shows that borders, criminal influence, and efforts to conceal illegal activity will not prevent DEA and our partners from bringing major transnational traffickers to justice.”
“Rojas’ extradition should send a clear message to cartel leaders: the FBI and our HSTF partners remain relentless in our fight to dismantle drug trafficking organizations that facilitate the flow of deadly drugs into our communities,” said Special Agent in Charge Mark Remily of the FBI San Diego Field Office. “FBI San Diego will continue working closely with our domestic and international law enforcement partners to eliminate criminal cartels, hold their leaders accountable, and protect the American people.”
In the years leading up to Rojas’ arrest, he served as the spokesman and leader of Comandos de la Frontera, a paramilitary organization with an estimated 1,000 members operating in southwestern Colombia. Rojas identified himself as a high-level leader of Comandos de la Frontera, posing with weapons and heavily armed fighters in appearances on social media and in interviews with news organizations on behalf of the terrorist group.
In public statements, Rojas described Comandos de la Frontera as part of the Segunda Marquetalia, an organization of former Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia (FARC) combatants who rearmed and returned to fighting following Colombia’s 2016 peace accord with FARC. Rojas himself was a member of the FARC who signed the 2016 Peace Agreement before rejecting peace and becoming a guerilla leader. The United States Secretary of State designated Segunda Marquetalia a foreign terrorist organization on December 1, 2021.
The drug trafficking and narco-terrorism charges against Rojas stemmed from a long-term Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) investigation which revealed that Comandos de la Frontera, under Rojas’ leadership, profited from the cultivation and production of cocaine in southwestern Colombia, maintaining control of its territory using weapons and violence. The area is one of Colombia’s top cocaine producing regions, with significant influence over the cocaine supply chain worldwide.
Rojas is expected to make his initial court appearance at 2 p.m. on September 28, 2026, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Steve B. Chu.
The Justice Department’s Judicial Attaché in Bogotá, Kristopher Jarvis, and Office of International Affairs Trial Attorney Aaron York, secured the arrest and extradition of Rojas. The U.S. Marshals Service provided significant assistance in ensuring a smooth and safe transfer of custody and transporting Rojas back to the United States.
The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
DEFENDANT Case Number 25cr442H
Geovany Andres Rojas, aka Araña Age: 45 Colombia
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
International Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine – Title 21, U.S.C., Sections 959, 960, and 963
Maximum penalty: Mandatory minimum 10 years and up to life in prison
Narco-Terrorism – Title 21, U.S.C., Sections 960a and 841
Maximum penalty: Mandatory minimum 20 years and up to life in prison
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Drug Enforcement Administration
Federal Bureau of Investigation
This case was investigated and prosecuted by the California Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) as part of the 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.
Alien smuggler who caused death of grandmother, child and two Mexican nationals during smuggling run sentenced to life in federal prisonRead the Press Release
SAN ANGELO, Texas — United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould announced that Rassian Nateray Comer, 21, from Louisiana, was sentenced to life in federal prison for his role in a fatal alien smuggling conspiracy that claimed the lives of a grandmother, her 7-year-old granddaughter and two illegally present Mexican nationals.
“This case lays bare a heartbreaking human tragedy — a grandmother, a 7-year-old child and two Mexican nationals were all killed because of Mr. Comer’s criminal and depraved actions,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould. “These were innocent lives, stolen in an instant by an alien smuggler whose criminal actions showed complete disregard for everyone on the road. No sentence can restore what was lost, but it does send a clear message: when criminals gamble with human lives, we will respond with the full weight of the federal government to ensure victims receive justice.”
“Comer’s reckless actions turned a human-smuggling run into an unimaginable tragedy that took the lives of four people, including a grandmother and her young granddaughter,” said Homeland Security Investigations Dallas acting Deputy Special Agent in Charge Judy Pardo. “He showed a callous disregard for the lives of the people he transported, the law enforcement officers pursuing him, and the innocent family sharing the road that night. This sentence holds him accountable for that devastating choice. HSI will continue to work with our partners to pursue the smuggling networks that profit from human lives and leave tragedy in their wake.”
According to court records, on March 13, 2023, Comer was transporting 11 illegal aliens when he fled from a Texas Department of Public Safety trooper at speeds exceeding 100 miles per hour. During the chase, he drove eastbound in the westbound lanes of Interstate 10 and ultimately ran a red light in Ozona, Texas, colliding with a red pickup truck carrying the grandmother and her 7-year-old granddaughter. Both were killed at the scene. Two of the illegal aliens in Comer’s vehicle, identified as R.S. and I.C.G., also died as a result of injuries sustained in the collision, while the remaining nine suffered serious injuries.
Mangled red pickup truck the grandmother was driving and the granddaughter was riding in at scene of the crash 2021 Silver Ram 1500 truck Comer was driving at scene of the crashFurther highlighting the defendant’s recklessness, at one point during the pursuit, Comer streamed the chase on Facebook Live, showing police lights in his rearview mirror and a speedometer reading 105 mph as voices in Spanish were heard in the background.
Screenshots of police chase and speedometer from Comer's Facebook Live videoComer admitted that this was his fourth smuggling trip for an organization operated by a relative. He coordinated pickup locations through WhatsApp and on that day retrieved 11 migrants in Sheffield, Texas. Comer admitted that the 11 migrants had entered, come to, or remained in the United States in violation of the law. He also admitted he knew that the 11 aliens were in the U.S. in violation of the law and when he transported, moved, or attempted to transport or move them within the U.S., he did so with intent to further each alien’s unlawful presence.
A Springfield XD9 9mm handgun was found under the brake pedal of Comer’s vehicle. Comer acknowledged possessing the weapon, admitting he believed that it was stolen. The firearm had traveled in interstate and foreign commerce prior to Comer’s possession.
On June 18, Comer pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to transport illegal aliens resulting in death, 11 counts of transportation of an illegal alien resulting in death and one count of possession of a stolen firearm. Today, U.S. District Judge James Wesley Hendrix imposed the Life sentence for Counts One through Twelve and 5 years of supervised release. Comer was also sentenced to 120 months for Count Thirteen to run concurrently with each other and 3 years supervised release, plus a $1,300 special assessment.
VICTIM STATEMENT
We want to thank U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould of the Northern District of Texas and his staff for the immediate and decisive action he and his office took to move this matter forward for us. A unique and special thank you goes out to Jeff Haag, West Texas Branch Chief for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Northern District of Texas. Mr. Haag is a diligent force and means what he says. He built trust with our family by continuously keeping us informed and following through on his commitment at each step.
“Thank you!” to all the Texas teams and investigators for the extraordinary dedication, compassion, and determination you have shown throughout this tragic journey.
There are no words that can adequately express the unbearable impact of losing Mom and Emilia. The killing of Mom and Emilia is immeasurable. Losing our seven-year-old daughter, granddaughter and niece, Emilia Brooke Tambunga and Mom Coke, left us only with fierce commitment and determination to enact sweeping change and to hold this animal accountable. Losing Mom, wife, and Grandma Maria “Coke” Tambunga has left us untethered. Losing Emilia Brooke left us fractured with a gaping wound. Nothing can undo what this animal did, but it does affirm something important: their lives mattered, their deaths mattered, and what was done to them could not simply go unanswered.
Today is not about closure—because a loss of this magnitude does not simply close.
This Texas team stood up as our voices—their voices, Mom’s and Emi’s—and they carried the facts into the courtroom and pursued justice. For that, we will always be grateful.
Thank you for standing with the victims, for standing with their families, and for seeing this case through to this moment. Your work has mattered more than words can say.
With deepest gratitude and respect,
Emilio Tambunga, Father & Husband
Elisa Tambunga, Mother and Daughter
Gin & Tim Jespersen, Daughter, Aunt & UncleHomeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with assistance from the Texas Department of Public Safety, the Crockett County Sheriff’s Office, the Texas Border Prosecution Unit, and the 112th Judicial District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey R. Haag, West Texas Branch Chief, prosecuted the case.
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Alabama Man Pleads Guilty to Airport Bomb Threat HoaxRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: An Alabama man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Bangor to engaging in a hoax to detonate a bomb at an airport.
According to court records, on February 13 and 14, 2025, an individual threatened to detonate a bomb at the Bangor International Airport (“BIA”) in text messages to American Airlines (“AA”) employees and calls to the BIA switchboard. FBI investigators traced the texts and calls to Robert Tyler Wicks, 25, in Alabama. When investigators interviewed Wicks, he admitted that he made the bomb threats. He further admitted that he had used a mobile app that allowed the user to communicate from a personal cellular telephone using a different telephone number. A subsequent forensic review of Wicks’s cellular telephones revealed multiple calls to the BIA on February 13 and 14, 2025.
During the investigation, the FBI determined that Wicks was in an online relationship with an AA employee working at the BIA. As a result of this relationship, Wicks was able to obtain contact information for other AA employees. In addition, through video chat, Wicks was able to observe law enforcement and AA employee activity while he was making his bomb threats.
Wicks faces up to five years in prison, a maximum fine of $250,000, and up to three years of supervised release. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigative report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI investigated the case with assistance from the Federal Air Marshal Service, the Bangor Police Department, the Army National Guard, the Huntsville, Alabama, Police Department, and the Decatur, Alabama, Police Department.
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Abbeville Man Who Fled to Mexico Sentenced to Nearly 23 Years in Federal Prison for Drug and Gun OffensesRead the Press Release
MONTGOMERY, Ala. – An Abbeville, Alabama man has been sentenced to federal prison following his June 2026 conviction on methamphetamine and firearms charges.
On September 24, 2026, a federal district court judge sentenced 42-year-old Cassime Dion Lingo to 273 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of methamphetamine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and receipt of a firearm while under indictment for a 2017 felony drug offense in Houston County, Alabama. Following his prison term, Lingo will serve five years of supervised release.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, in April 2021, law enforcement officers executed a search at Lingo’s residence and found more than 100 grams of methamphetamine, two firearms, cocaine, MDMA tablets, and marijuana. He was arrested on state charges and released on bond, after which he fled to Mexico.
After a federal indictment was returned, the United States Marshals Service, working with its law enforcement partners, located Lingo in Guadalajara, Mexico, in 2022. Mexican authorities deported Lingo to the United States in 2025, where he was taken into federal custody to face the charges for which he was ultimately convicted.
“The defendant fled the country to avoid facing the consequences of his criminal conduct, but our law enforcement partners never stopped working to bring him back to the United States,” said U.S. Attorney Govan. “This sentence holds him accountable for possessing significant quantities of methamphetamine and firearms and demonstrates our commitment to pursuing defendants who endanger our communities wherever they may attempt to hide.”
The United States Marshals Service, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Drug Enforcement Administration, Alabama Drug Task Force, Henry County Sheriff’s Office, Eufaula Police Department, and Abbeville Police Department investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorneys John J. Geer III and Christine Levi prosecuted the case.