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20 March 2026
D.C. Man Gets 17-Year Prison Term for Murdering Romantic PartnerRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Pernell Sims, 35, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today for shooting and killing his prior romantic partner, Tyshida Williams, in July 2023, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Sims entered a guilty plea to second-degree murder while armed before Superior Court Associate Judge Todd Edelman on Jan. 9, 2026. Judge Edelman sentenced Sims to 17 years in prison.
“Pernell Sims abused Tyshida Williams, beat her and then shot her in the head while his child was in the apartment. This depraved killer will now spend his days in a cell where he belongs,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “My office will continue to be relentless in our prosecution of domestic violence offenders. If you are in a violent relationship, contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE.”
According to the government’s evidence, Sims and Williams were in a romantic relationship on July 30, 2023. When they returned to the defendant’s apartment earlier that morning, the defendant became angry about Williams’ phone. Both Sims and Williams went to the lobby and parking garage area of the apartment building and argued for more than an hour. While in the parking garage the defendant threw Williams to the ground and kicked her in the chest. Both Sims and Williams then returned to the apartment where Sims’ child was present, went into the bedroom and closed the door. Sims then shot Williams in the head, and she died from her injuries later that morning.
Joining in the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Pirro and Interim Chief Carroll commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also acknowledged the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Emma McArthur and Stephanie Dinan, who prosecuted the case.
2023 CF1 007952
Chickasaw County Methemphetamine and Fentanyl Dealer SentencedRead the Press Release
OXFORD – Anthony Russell, 34, of Woodland was sentenced today to ten years in prison after pleading guilty on a previous date for distributing methamphetamine.
According to court documents, the defendant was apprehended on May 13, 2024, with an amount of excess of fifty grams of actual methamphetamine, along with other narcotics.
Honorable Michael P. Mills, Senior United States District Court Judge, sentenced Russell to 120 months in prison followed by 5 years of supervised release. Russell was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals following sentencing.
United States Attorney Scott Leary states that the proliferation of drugs, especially methamphetamine, can no longer be tolerated. “It destroys our communities. Understand that methamphetamine is rarely just taken recreationally. It causes brain damage and ruins lives and families. Drug trafficking likewise fuels gangs and violence. This office and the DEA are dedicating resources to combat this scourge. A special thanks goes to AUSA Clyde McGee and our federal agents and local law enforcement. These law enforcement officers work tirelessly to make these cases – well done.”
"Meth and fentanyl are poison. There is no safe haven for traffickers in Chickasaw County,” said Drug Enforcement Administration Assistant Special Agent in Charge Anessa Daniels-McCaw. “Today’s sentence is a clear win for public safety and our mission for a #FentanylFree Mississippi. We are relentless in the fight to protect our families."
Assistant U.S. Attorney Clyde McGee prosecuted the case.
Bulgarian arms trafficker extradited from Spain faces charges in U.S. federal courtRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Peter Dimitrov Mirchev appeared in federal court today following his extradition from Spain to face charges of conspiracy to distribute cocaine and conspiracy to possess firearms, including machineguns and destructive devices, in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Kenyan national Elisha Odhiambo Asumo was extradited from Morrocco to the United States on March 11 and appeared in U.S. federal court on March 12.
As alleged in the indictment, since at least September 2022, Mirchev, Asumo, Tanzanian national Subiro Osmund Mwapinga, and Ugandan national Michael Katungi Mpweire conspired to illegally supply military-grade weaponry to Mexican drug cartels, and in particular, the Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG), one of Mexico’s most violent and prolific transnational criminal organizations. The weaponry included machineguns, rocket launchers, grenades, night vision equipment, sniper rifles, anti-personnel mines, and anti-aircraft weapons.
The defendants allegedly believed that the CJNG intended to use these weapons in furtherance of the illegal trafficking of large shipments of cocaine into the United States. On Feb. 20, 2025, the CJNG was designated a Foreign Terrorist Organization under the Immigration and Nationality Act and as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist under Executive Order 13224. Arms sales to transnational criminal organizations like the CJNG are prohibited by virtually every country.
In a series of meetings with individuals claiming to represent the CJNG, Mirchev allegedly agreed to arrange, coordinate, and participate in illegal arms transactions while avoiding detection by international and U.S. law enforcement. Mirchev allegedly recruited Asumo to corruptly obtain an End-User Certificate (EUC) from a nation that would falsely claim a different end-user for the weapons. Asumo and Mwapinga allegedly obtained an EUC from the United Republic of Tanzania authorizing the importation of AK-47s. As a test shipment, Mirchev and others then exported 50 AK-47 automatic assault rifles and accompanying magazines and ammunition from Bulgaria, using the EUC provided by Asumo and Mwapinga, and intending that the weapons were actually received by the CJNG.
The defendants allegedly continued to conspire to supply drug cartels with even more weaponry, potentially including surface-to-air missiles, anti-aircraft drones, and the ZU-23 anti-aircraft weapon system. Mirchev allegedly created a list of weaponry for the CJNG totaling approximately 53.7 million Euros (approximately $58 million U.S.). Asumo and Mwapinga allegedly agreed to again provide arms control documents designed to obscure that these weapons were intended for the CJNG.
According to court records, Mirchev was previously implicated in supplying arms to Viktor Bout, who was convicted at trial of conspiring to kill U.S. nationals, conspiring to kill U.S. officers and employees, conspiring to acquire and export anti-aircraft missiles; and conspiring to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization in case 1:08-cr-365 in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.
Mirchev was arrested by Spanish authorities in Madrid on April 8. Asumo was arrested by Moroccan authorities in Casablanca on April 8. Mwapinga was arrested by Ghanaian authorities in Accra on April 8 and was extradited to the United States on July 25. Mpweire remains at large. If convicted, each defendant faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Special Operations Division - Bilateral Investigations Unit. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided invaluable assistance in securing extraditions of Mirchev, Mwapinga, and Asumo, working in cooperation with the DEA Attaché to U.S. Embassy Accra and key partners, including the Office of the Attorney General and Ministry of Justice of Ghana, the Ghana Police Service, Ghana’s Narcotics Control Commission, the Ministry of Justice of Spain, the Spanish Guardia Civil, and the Government of Morocco, including the Moroccan Direction Générale de la Surete National (DGSN- National Police), and the Moroccan Direction Générale de la Surveillance du Territoire (DGST).
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anthony T. Aminoff and Edgardo J. Rodriguez are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:25-CR-102.
An indictment is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Indictment:
mirchev_unsealed_indictment.pdfBrowning man sentenced to 2 years in prison for involuntary manslaughter on Blackfeet Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS – A Browning man who shot a woman on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation was sentenced today to 24 months in prison to be followed by 2 years of supervised release, Acting U.S. Attorney Tim Racicot said.
Treyson Lee Sharp, 22, pleaded guilty in October 2025 to one count of involuntary manslaughter.
U.S. District Judge William W. Mercer presided.
The government alleged in court documents that on the night of December 28, 2024, the defendant, Treyson Lee Sharp, invited Jane Doe to his family home for dinner. After dinner, they retired to his bedroom where Sharp showed Doe his Christmas presents, including a pair of .357 revolvers. While playing with the firearms, the defendant pointed the revolver at Doe and discharged the firearm, striking Doe in the neck.
Sharp immediately yelled for help. Family members who were in the home responded. One called 911 and one rendered medical aid to Doe. Doe died at the scene. Law enforcement responded to the home. In interviews with witnesses, they reported hearing Sharp and Doe laughing in the room immediately before hearing a single shot and then Sharp yelling for help.
Law enforcement recovered four firearms at the scene: two .357 revolvers, a .44 revolver, and a modified shotgun. They located a bullet hole in Sharp’s bedroom wall and found a spent projectile outside the house and a brass casing in the wall. The casing was forensically matched to one of the recovered .357 revolvers. The cylinder of the fired revolver had six chambers: five were empty and one contained a spent casing.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The investigation was conducted by the FBI, ATF, Blackfeet Law Enforcement Services, Glacier County Sheriff’s Office and Montana Division of Criminal Investigation.
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Brooklyn Park Felon Sentenced to 17 Years in Prison for Possession of Fentanyl and Firearm Following Deadly Vehicle CrashRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – On Wednesday, March 18, 2026, Derrick John Thompson, 30, was sentenced to 204 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release for possession of fentanyl and a firearm following a deadly vehicle crash that claimed the lives of five young women, announced U.S. Attorney Daniel N. Rosen.
According to evidence presented at trial, on June 16, 2023, a trooper with the Minnesota State Patrol observed a black Cadillac Escalade speeding north on I-35W, traveling at 95 miles per hour in a 55 miles per hour speed zone. The trooper observed the driver, later identified as Thompson, abruptly cut across four lanes of traffic to exit the freeway at the Lake Street exit. The trooper began following the SUV but did not activate the emergency lights or sirens because the trooper did not want to attempt a traffic stop on city streets given the Escalade’s dangerous driving. At the intersection of 2nd Avenue South and East Lake Street, Thompson sped through a red light at the intersection without stopping or slowing. The SUV struck at full speed the driver’s side of a Honda Civic that was traveling lawfully through the intersection. All five occupants of the Honda Civic, four young adult females and one juvenile female, ages 17 to 20, were killed. When law enforcement responded to the scene of the crash, witnesses told officers where Thompson fled. Officers found Thompson, wearing clothing that matched the description given by witnesses, sitting on the curb outside of a nearby restaurant. Officers detained Thompson, who was later transported to Hennepin County Medical Center for evaluation.
According to evidence presented at trial, an officer found at the scene a Hertz rental record for the Cadillac Escalade indicating that Thompson rented the vehicle from a Hertz located at the Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport approximately 30 minutes before the crash. After obtaining a warrant to search the vehicle, officers found a black leather bag on the front passenger side floor that contained a loaded Glock pistol with an extended magazine, as well as three baggies containing more than 2,000 blue “M-Box 30” fentanyl pills, a baggie containing an additional 14 grams of fentanyl powder, a baggie containing 35 grams of cocaine, and a digital scale. Subsequent testing determined that Thompson’s DNA was present on the firearm, the fentanyl powder, and the cocaine. A search of Thompson’s phone found dozens of texts indicating fentanyl deals, as well as recorded voice messages from a few days before the deadly crash in which Thompson requested to purchase 30,000 fentanyl pills.
The deadly crash occurred just five months after Thompson was released from prison in California for a similar incident that occurred in 2018. In that incident, Thompson fled from police in a vehicle containing eight kilograms of marijuana and struck a pedestrian causing severe injuries that required the pedestrian to be put in a medically induced coma for twenty days.
Thompson was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Jeffrey M. Bryan on one count of possession of fentanyl with the intent to distribute, one count of possession of a firearm by a felon, and one count of using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime. Judge Bryan ordered that 60 months of Thompson’s sentence will run consecutively to the 704-month sentence that Thompson received for 3rd Degree Murder and Criminal Vehicular Homicide in July 2025 in Hennepin County District Court, Case No. 27-CR-23-12910, arising out of the same deadly crash.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, the Minneapolis Police Department, the Minnesota State Patrol, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, and the Minneapolis–St. Paul Airport Police Department, in coordination with the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney LeeAnn K. Bell. Former Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas Calhoun-Lopez and Ruth S. Shnider tried the case.
Bronx Man Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison for Enticement of Minors and Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, announced today that WINSTON COLON CORREA was sentenced to 25 years in prison for enticing minors and possessing child pornography. COLON CORREA’s sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Jennifer H. Rearden, who also presided over the guilty plea.
“Winston Colon Correa preyed on children by pressuring them to record and send videos of themselves engaged in sexually explicit conduct,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “On at least two occasions, he even met with one of his child victims and pressured her to have sex, which Colon Correa recorded. New Yorkers want those who engage in such heinous conduct off our streets. This Office, and our law enforcement partners, will pursue every lead and use every tool to rid our communities of those who sexually exploit our children. The message to predators from our Office is clear: there is no place for you in New York other than prison.”
According to the allegations in the Information, public filings, and statements made in public court proceedings:
Beginning in at least 2022, COLON CORREA engaged in sexually explicit text message conversations with numerous minor girls he met online, during which he induced the production of child pornography of at least Minor Victim-1, Minor Victim-2, Minor Victim-3, and Minor Victim-4. Law enforcement’s review of COLON CORREA’s electronic devices revealed that for multiple years, he engaged in sexually explicit text message conversations with many other unidentified individuals believed to also be minor girls. COLON CORREA committed these crimes despite knowing that he was communicating with minors. In fact, many of the minors made clear to COLON CORREA that they were underage—e.g., that they were in school, that they lived at home with their parents, and in multiple cases, their actual ages. On at least two occasions, COLON CORREA falsely represented to minor girls that he was only 17 years old. In addition, COLON CORREA met in person on at least two occasions with one identified victim, Minor Victim-4, during which COLON CORREA pressured Minor Victim-4 to perform oral sex and have sexual intercourse. Thereafter, when he was confronted by law enforcement, COLON CORREA falsely claimed that he had ceased contact with Minor Victim-4 after learning that she was a minor. In reality, COLON CORREA had exchanged sexually explicit messages with Minor Victim-4, and attempted to make plans to meet her again, just one day earlier.
Anyone who believes they have information concerning the exploitation of children is urged to contact the FBI at 1-212-384-1000 or https://tips.fbi.gov/.
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In addition to the prison term, COLON CORREA, 34, of the Bronx, New York, was sentenced to 20 years of supervised release.
Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Police Department in connection with this investigation.
The prosecution is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney William C. Kinder is in charge of the prosecution.
Ashburn man pleads guilty to fraud involving relief programs and securities tradesRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – An Ashburn man pled guilty on March 17 to making false statements relating to his scheme to defraud federal programs and trade securities.
According to court documents, in 2020 and 2021, Ravindar Reddy Palla, 59, operated IT Objects, LLC, for which Palla’s wife was nominally listed as the owner. Palla applied for and was awarded at least one government contract through the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Business Development Program, by falsely claiming that IT Objects qualified because it was owned and controlled by a woman.
In 2020 and 2021, Palla applied for loans on behalf of IT Objects through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), a pandemic program that provided low-interest financing to small businesses to pay up to eight weeks of payroll costs. IT Objects received two loans totaling $351,900. Of those funds, Palla transferred at least $348,900 into his personal checking account, then transferred at least $344,000 of the funds to his personal brokerage account and used those funds to trade securities. Palla later submitted PPP Loan Forgiveness applications for both loans, falsely claiming that he used the PPP loan funds for approved purposes. Based in part on Palla’s false statements, the two PPP loan forgiveness applications were approved, SBA reimbursed the lender for the full amounts, and Palla never repaid any portion of the loans.
Palla also applied for loans in 2020 and 2021 on behalf of IT Objects through the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program, intended to enable small businesses to meet financial obligations and operating expenses during the COVID-19 pandemic. Based in part on Palla’s false statements in those applications, IT Objects received two loans totaling $499,900. Of those funds, Palla transferred at least $410,000 to his personal brokerage account and used those funds to trade securities.
In 2024, Palla controlled at least six accounts at a brokerage company. Palla used his online access to his brokerage accounts to initiate a series of transfers from his bank accounts to his brokerage accounts, knowing that he did not have sufficient funds in his bank accounts to cover the transfers. Palla nonetheless made securities purchases using the brokerage company’s funds based on the amounts of the transfers. When the brokerage company became aware that the transfers were unsuccessful, the company attempted to recoup some of their losses by selling the securities Palla had purchased. Palla’s seventeen fraudulent transfers carried an intended harm of at least $1,292,700 and caused actual harm of $457,116.85.
Palla is scheduled to be sentenced on June 30 and faces up to 30 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI Washington Field Office and the U.S. Department of Commerce Office of Inspector General investigated this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jordan Harvey is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:26-cr-38.
Another significant week in support of Operation Take Back America: SDTX charges 373 more as part of ongoing border enforcement actionsRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – The Southern District of Texas has filed 371 cases in immigration and related matters from March 13-19, announced Acting U.S. Attorney John G.E. Marck.
A total of 22 people are charged with human smuggling crimes. Another 141 criminal complaints allege instances of illegal entry, while 204 people face charges of felony reentry after prior removal. Most of those individuals have prior felonies such as narcotics, violent crime, immigration crimes and more. The remaining six cases involve firearms charges and other immigration crimes.
Two charged in recent days are Mexican nationals with felony criminal histories to include injury to a child or the elderly, or aggravated assault, according to the allegations. Ivis Anibal Olvera-Moreno and Carlos Alberto Chairez-Estala had allegedly been removed July 11 and July 19, 2025, according to their respective charges. However, law enforcement allegedly discovered them in the McAllen area without authorization to be in the United States.
Authorities found another foreign national from Mexico near Donna, despite also having been previously removed within the past year. The criminal complaint alleges Daniel Davalos-Ayala has multiple prior convictions for illegal reentry, possession with intent to distribute and unauthorized use of a vehicle.
Another case alleges Jorge Armando Pineda-Samaniego, Mexico, has a prior conviction for illegal reentry and was previously removed May 9, 2018. Authorities allegedly discovered him again near Edinburg.
All four are charged with felony reentry after removal and face up to 20 years in federal prison, if convicted.
In addition to the new cases, Mexican national Fernando Ramirez-Noria was ordered to serve 84 months in federal prison for his illegal reentry conviction. The court considered his criminal history while unlawfully present in the United States, including convictions for domestic violence, driving while intoxicated and illegal reentry. Authorities first removed him in January 2015, but he repeatedly returned. Law enforcement found him again in the country following a 2023 DWI arrest.
In Houston, Jose Rosario Belmontes-Lira pleaded guilty and was sentenced for unlawful reentry into the United States. He has prior convictions for burglary, driving while intoxicated and illegal reentry. Law enforcement discovered him in January in Houston without authorization to be in the country. Also sentenced was Honduran national Alex Ramon Reyes. He has prior convictions for possession of a controlled substance, theft and human smuggling.
These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations, ICE - Enforcement and Removal Operations, Border Patrol, Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, U.S. Marshals Service and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners.
The cases are all part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Under current leadership, public safety and a secure border are the top priorities for this district. Enhanced enforcement both at the border and in the interior of the district have yielded aliens engaged in unlawful activity or with serious criminal histories, including convictions for human trafficking, sexual assault and violence against children.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas remains one of the busiest in the nation. It represents 43 counties and more than nine million people covering 44,000 square miles. Assistant U.S. Attorneys from all seven divisions including Houston, Galveston, Victoria, Corpus Christi, Brownsville, McAllen and Laredo work directly with our law enforcement partners on the federal, state and local levels to prosecute the suspected offenders of these and other federal crimes.
An indictment or criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Another Week of 250 New Immigration Cases for Western District of Texas U.S. Attorney’s OfficeRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO – Federal prosecutors in the Western District of Texas filed 251 new immigration and immigration-related criminal cases from March 13 to March 19, announced U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons. Charges were brought against human smugglers and illegal aliens with past convictions for violent crimes, drug trafficking, numerous DUIs, theft, and multiple prior removals.
Among the new cases, two illegal aliens from Honduras, Edgar Osmery Castellanos-Sabillon and Fernando Josue Betanco-Montoya, are facing alien smuggling charges in El Paso. According to a criminal complaint, Texas Department of Public Safety troopers near Wichita Falls conducted a traffic stop on Castellanos-Sabillon, who was allegedly the driver of the vehicle. The complaint alleges Betanco-Montoya was in the front passenger seat, and seven additional individuals with foreign passports from Cuba, Guatemala, and Mexico were in the vehicle as well. An investigation allegedly revealed that one of the smuggled aliens was identified as a target in an Ysleta Border Patrol case after he made a social media post thanking two known smugglers and indicating that he had crossed into the U.S. illegally. All nine individuals were transported to El Paso for prosecution. The complaint also alleges that Castellanos-Sabillon and Betanco-Montoya were identified as the caretakers of a stash house in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where they housed and fed the aliens after they were transported from El Paso and before attempting to transport them to Dallas.
Mexican national Miguel Campos-Chavelas, who was deported from the U.S. in October 2024, is charged with one count of harboring illegal aliens. A criminal complaint alleges an investigation led U.S. Border Patrol agents to an apartment complex in El Paso, where they encountered Campos-Chavelas and a female co-conspirator who is a U.S. citizen. A third individual was also discovered in the apartment and determined to be an illegal alien. According to the complaint, Campos-Chavelas claimed to be engaged to the U.S. citizen and has lived with her in the apartment since 2024. He also allegedly claimed that, working with a smuggler in Juarez, Mexico, he was supposed to be paid $500 per alien housed at the apartment and had participated in the smuggling scheme on six prior occasions.
Joel Isaias Quisque Espital, an illegal alien from Guatemala, was found approximately 45 miles east of the Fort Hancock Port of Entry, near Sierra Blanca, on March 13. He has been deported from the U.S. twice, has been twice convicted of a DUI and has one prior conviction for driving without a valid license. In 2018, Quisque Espital was convicted of aggravated assault and sentenced to two years in prison.
In Austin, Mexican national San Juanita Cavazos-Torres, who is also known to go by 12 other names including Allison Francis Barron, Melissa Morales and Janie Moralez, was charged with illegal re-entry after being found in the Travis County Jail in January. Her criminal history includes multiple thefts, as well as forgery, robbery, drug possession, and grand theft. She has been removed from the U.S. five times.
Also charged for illegal re-entry in Austin are Mexican national Francisco Rojas-Lopez and Guatemalan national Evelio Eriberto Romero-Vasquez. Rojas-Lopez was found in the Travis County Jail in November 2025 and has been twice convicted for driving while intoxicated. Romero-Vasquez was convicted of both a DWI and assault causing bodily injury earlier this year.
Mexican national Eduardo Solorio-Orozco was arrested near Maverick and charged with illegal re-entry. Solorio-Orozco has been deported twice, the last being on June 18, 2025, through San Ysidro, California. He was convicted of three DUIs between 2016 and 2018, has a felony conviction for inflicting corporal injury, and was also convicted for possession of prohibited ammunition in 2021.
Mario Gonzalez-Mosqueda, also an illegal alien from Mexico, was charged in Del Rio with illegal re-entry, having been deported for the third time in November 2005. Gonzalez-Mosqueda has four felony convictions in Los Angeles, including three for drug trafficking and one for second-degree robbery.
These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including ICE, 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), with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas comprises 68 counties located in the central and western areas of Texas, encompasses nearly 93,000 square miles and an estimated population of 7.6 million people. The district includes three of the five largest cities in Texas—San Antonio, Austin and El Paso—and shares 660 miles of common border with the Republic of Mexico.
These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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19 March 2026
Woodburn Man Charged with Threatening to Kill a U.S. SenatorRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—A Woodburn, Oregon, man made his initial appearance today after threatening to kill a United States Senator.
Donald Leroy Smith, Jr., 51, has been charged by information with threatening a federal official with the intent to intimidate that official for the performance of official duties.
According to court documents, on November 12, 2025, Smith left a voicemail for a U.S. Senator stating he was “coming to kill you,” that “you need to be dead,” and that he was going to “put a bullet in your head.”
Smith made his first appearance in federal court today before a U.S. Magistrate judge. He was ordered released pending further court proceedings.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is investigating the case with assistance from United States Capitol Police, United States Secret Service, United States Postal Inspection Service, Oregon State Police, and the Woodburn Police Department. First Assistant U.S. Attorney William M. Narus and Assistant U.S. Attorney James A. Kilcup are prosecuting the case.
An information is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
West Virginia Cemetery Owner Admits to Fraud Involving Grave MarkersRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – The owner of several cemeteries across North Central West Virginia has admitted to taking money intended for grave markers, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew L. Harvey.
Jeffrey Phares, 65, of Fayetteville, West Virginia, pleaded guilty to wire fraud. Phares owned and operated four cemeteries including: Greenlawn Memorial Park in New Martinsville, Elkins Memorial Gardens in Elkins, Greenlawn Memorial Cemetery in Clarksburg, and Forest Lawn Memorial Gardens in Jane Lew. Phares defrauded customers by accepting payments and design approvals for grave markers, then misappropriated the funds for personal use. He repeatedly misled victims regarding delivery delays, resulting in an estimated total loss between $250,000 and $550,000.
As part of the plea agreement, Phares has agreed to pay restitution to the victims of his offense conduct, and to provide the government with all necessary documentation to determine the amount of restitution, which will be determined prior to sentencing.
Phares faces up to 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine the sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jarod Douglas is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government.
Investigative agencies include the FBI, the Wetzel County Sheriff’s Office, and the Wetzel County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.
U.S. Magistrate Judge James P. Mazzone presided.
Turks and Caicos Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for the Sextortion of Missouri TeenRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Joshua M. Divine on Thursday sentenced a man from the Turks and Caicos to 240 months in prison followed by lifetime supervised release for the sextortion of a Missouri teen.
Alexander Gardiner, 25, of Providenciales, pleaded guilty to one count of coercion and enticement of a minor in U.S. District Court in St. Louis in November. Gardiner, who is a citizen of both the United States and the Turks and Caicos, met a 15-year-old Missouri boy via Snapchat. After multiple requests by Gardiner, the teen sent photos of his genitals to Gardiner, believing he would be left alone after doing so. Gardiner instead repeatedly harassed the minor via iMessage, Facebook and WhatsApp, and threatened to send those images to the victim’s family and friends if the victim did not continue to produce child sexual abuse material (CSAM) for Gardiner. Gardiner also admitted possessing multiple videos of teenage boys masturbating that he’d obtained via Snapchat. While pretending to be female, he directed an as-yet-unidentified 14-year-old to produce CSAM in 2021. Gardiner posted CSAM on Twitter and exchanged CSAM in Telegram group that targeted minors.
Gardiner has used usernames that contain the words “noahmonn” and “jewelsbaits.” Anyone who believes they may have been targets of a sextortion attempt by Gardiner or others should contact local law enforcement or the FBI by calling Call 1-800-CALL-FBI, contacting your local FBI office, or reporting it online at tips.fbi.gov or cybertipline.org.
The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) has detailed information on resources for sextortion victims, including videos and discussion guides to help explain the problem to children and adults. They also have a step-by-step guide on how to report pictures or videos of children to social media companies and flag pictures so that the companies will seek out and remove the images.
The FBI investigated the case with the assistance of the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jillian Anderson prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice 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 via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
To’hajiilee Man Accused of Shooting Two Navajo Nation Police Officers Faces Federal ChargesRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A To’hajiilee man faces federal charges in connection with the shooting of two Navajo Nation Police Department officers.
According to court records, on March 6, 2026, Russell Secatero, 29, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, allegedly shot and injured two Navajo Nation Police Department officers during a law enforcement response to reports of gunfire near a residence in To’hajiilee, New Mexico.
Authorities allege Secatero hid inside a closet attached to the residence and fired at officers with a rifle, striking Officer John Doe in the arm and back and injuring Officer Jane Doe when a round hit her firearm and shrapnel struck her arm.
According to the criminal complaint, Officer John Doe returned fire, wounding Secatero, who was later transported along with both officers to a hospital.
Investigators reported recovering two AR-style rifles and shell casings from the closet where Secatero was found.
Secatero is charged federally with two counts each of assault with a dangerous weapon and discharging a firearm in relation to a crime of violence. He will remain in custody pending trial, which has not been scheduled. If convicted of the current charges, Secatero faces 20 years in prison.
Acting U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Police Department and Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron O. Jordan is prosecuting the case.
An indictment or criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Three Drug Dealers Indicted in Akron Trafficking RingRead the Press Release
AKRON, Ohio – Three Akron men have been indicted for conspiring to traffic methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine throughout Summit County and the surrounding regions.
According to the allegations in the superseding indictment, from about April 2025 to February 2026 Erin House, 53, and Ishmael Wahid, 52, supplied Roy Wimberly, 50, with methamphetamine, cocaine, and fentanyl to sell throughout Northeast Ohio. Investigators found that Wahid communicated often with House, who was the owner of House Brothers Trucking. During a search at a traffic stop on Interstate 71 in Medina County, approximately 8 kilograms of cocaine and approximately $144,000 in cash was found hidden in a compartment of a Peterbilt semi-truck driven by House and owned by House Brothers Trucking. At a separate search conducted at a public storage facility rented by Wahid, agents found approximately 25 kilograms of methamphetamine, 1 kilogram of cocaine, and approximately 5 kilograms of fentanyl. Wahid was later arrested at a traffic stop after agents seized additional methamphetamine, fentanyl, cocaine and more than $84,000 in cash from his vehicle. Wimberly’s residence was also subject to a court-authorized search warrant, and agents found approximately 2 kilograms of methamphetamine, fentanyl pills, and an arsenal of firearms.
All three men are charged with Conspiracy to Distribute and to Possess with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, Fentanyl, and Cocaine. Each defendant faces the following additional charges:
House is charged with:
- Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine.
Wahid is charged with:
- Distribution of Cocaine.
- Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine.
- Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl.
- Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine.
- Possession with Intent to Distribute Heroin.
- Felon in Possession of Firearms and Ammunition; prior convictions include Conspiracy to Distribute and to Possess with Intent to Distribute Cocaine in 1996; Possession of Cocaine in 2003; Illegal Manufacturing of Drugs in 2003; and Conspiracy to Distribute and to Possess with Intent to Distribute Heroin and Cocaine in 2015.
Wimberly is charged with:
- Distribution of Methamphetamine
- Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine
- Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl
- Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Offense
- Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition; prior conviction for Murder in 1996.
Items that federal agents seized throughout the investigation include:
- Approximately 27 kilograms of methamphetamine
- Approximately 5 kilograms of fentanyl
- Approximately 9 kilograms of cocaine
- More than $229,000 in cash
- DPMS AR Rifle, .233 caliber, and ammunition
- Bushmaster Carbon 15 Rifle, .223 caliber
- Glenfield Model 20 Rifle
- Ithaca Shotgun Model 37
- Smith and Wesson, 9mm caliber pistol
- Smith and Wesson, Model M&P, .380 caliber pistol, (with serial number removed)
- Kahr CW 45, .45 caliber pistol
- Ruger PC Rifle
- Mossburg 12 Gauge Shotgun
If convicted, each defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after a review of factors unique to the case, including each defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, their role in the offense, and the characteristics of the violation.
The investigations leading to the indictment were conducted by the Homeland Security Investigations Cleveland Office.
Assistant United States Attorney Joseph P. Dangelo is leading the prosecution for the Northern District of Ohio.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Three Charged with Conspiring to Unlawfully Divert Cutting Edge U.S. Artificial Intelligence Technology to ChinaRead the Press Release
Today, an indictment was unsealed charging Yih-Shyan “Wally” Liaw, Ruei-Tsang “Steven” Chang, and Ting-Wei “Willy” Sun, for allegedly conspiring to divert high-performance computer servers assembled in the United States and integrating sophisticated U.S. artificial intelligence technology to China, in violation of U.S. export controls laws. Liaw, a U.S. citizen, and Sun, a citizen of Taiwan, were arrested today and will be presented in the Northern District of California. Chang, a citizen of Taiwan, remains a fugitive.
“The indictment unsealed today details alleged efforts to evade U.S. export laws through false documents, staged dummy servers to mislead inspectors, and convoluted transshipment schemes, in order to obfuscate the true destination of restricted AI technology—China,” said John A. Eisenberg, Assistant Attorney General for National Security. “These chips are the product of American ingenuity, and NSD will continue to enforce our export-control laws to protect that advantage.”
“The FBI’s investigation revealed that Liaw, Chang, and Sun allegedly conspired to sell billions of dollars’ worth of servers integrating sensitive, controlled graphic processing units to buyers in China, in violation of U.S. export control laws,” said Assistant Director Roman Rozhavsky of the FBI’s Counterintelligence and Espionage Division. “Controlling the export of sensitive U.S. artificial intelligence technology is essential to safeguarding our national security and defending the homeland. That’s why combating export violations is among the FBI’s highest priorities, and we will continue working with our law enforcement, private sector, and international partners to bring to justice all who take action to undermine U.S. national security.”
"As alleged in the Indictment, the defendants participated in a systematic scheme to divert massive quantities of servers housing U.S. artificial intelligence technology to customers in China," said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton for the Southern District of New York. "They did so through a tangled web of lies, obfuscation, and concealment—all to drive sales and generate revenues in violation of U.S. law. Diversion schemes like those disrupted today generate billions of dollars in ill-gotten gains and pose a direct threat to U.S. national security. Our Office, along with our partners at the FBI and Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security, will continue to doggedly investigate these illegal diversion schemes to bring to justice bad actors who aim to profit from illegally exporting U.S. artificial intelligence technology."
“Yih-Shyan Liaw, Ruei-Tsang Chang, and Ting-Wei Sun allegedly defrauded the United States by diverting hundreds of servers with advanced artificial intelligence capabilities to Chinese customers,” said FBI Assistant Director in Charge James C. Barnacle, Jr of the New York Field Office. “These defendants allegedly fabricated documents, staged bogus equipment to pass audit inventories, and used a pass-through company to conceal their misconduct and true clientele list. The FBI will hold accountable individuals who use American companies to provide export-controlled technology to our adversaries.”
The entirety of the text of the indictment and the descriptions of the indictment constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation. According to the allegations contained in the indictment unsealed today in Manhattan federal court:
To protect U.S. national security and foreign policy interests, the U.S. Department of Commerce has implemented license requirements for the export and reexport of artificial intelligence technologies to China and Hong Kong. In particular, the U.S. Department of Commerce has placed restrictions on the export and reexport of items that could make a significant contribution to the military potential or nuclear proliferation of other nations or that could be detrimental to the foreign policy or national security of the United States. For these reasons, among others, advanced artificial intelligence accelerator chips, and servers incorporating such chips, are subject to export license requirements for transfers to China and Hong Kong. Those regulations reflect a formal determination that the computing capabilities in advanced artificial intelligence accelerator hardware are of sufficient strategic significance that their transfer to China poses an unacceptable risk to national security.
Liaw is a co-founder, board member, and Senior Vice President of Business Development of a publicly traded U.S.-based manufacturer that designs and builds high-performance computer servers for artificial intelligence and cloud computing applications (the U.S. Manufacturer), including servers that integrate artificial intelligence graphics processing units (GPUs). Chang is a general manager in the U.S. Manufacturer’s Taiwan office. Sun is a third-party broker and “fixer” who has worked with Liaw, Chang, and others to divert U.S.-export controlled technology to China. Together, the defendants and others conspired to systematically divert the U.S. Manufacturer’s servers with certain GPUs to China without a license to do so from the U.S. Department of Commerce.
The scheme operated as follows. Liaw and Chang, who worked closely with third-party brokers with customers based in China, directed certain executives of a company based in Southeast Asia (“Company-1”) to place purchase orders with the U.S. Manufacturer for servers with certain GPUs, purportedly for Company-1. Those servers were often assembled in the United States and shipped to the U.S. Manufacturer’s facilities in Taiwan, then delivered to Company-1 elsewhere in Southeast Asia. Company-1, in consultation with the defendants, then used a shipping and logistics company to repackage the U.S. Manufacturer’s servers and place them in unmarked boxes to conceal their content prior to shipping them to their final destinations in China. To ensure that these server allocations were approved internally at the U.S. Manufacturer, the defendants and executives at Company-1 prepared false documents and records, and transmitted false communications, purporting to show that Company-1 was the end user of the servers.
At the defendants’ direction, between 2024 and 2025, Company-1 purchased approximately $2.5 billion worth of servers from the U.S. Manufacturer, many of which were assembled in the United States. The defendants’ scheme became more brazen over time and resulted in massive quantities of servers with controlled U.S. artificial intelligence technology being sent to China. Between late April 2025 and mid-May 2025 alone, at least approximately $510 million worth of the U.S. Manufacturer’s servers, assembled in the United States, were diverted to China in violation of U.S. export control laws as part of the defendants’ scheme.
The defendants and their co-conspirators took extensive measures to conceal their scheme. As just one example, to deceive the U.S. Manufacturer’s compliance team, responsible for ensuring adherence to U.S. export control laws, the defendants staged thousands of “dummy” servers—non-working, physical replicas of the U.S. Manufacturer’s servers—for inspection at the locations where Company-1 was purportedly storing the servers it had purchased from the U.S. Manufacturer. However, the actual servers purchased by Company-1 from the U.S. Manufacturer had already been unlawfully shipped to China. Photographs of some of the dummy servers that were staged at a warehouse rented by Company-1 in connection with an August 2025 audit conducted by the U.S. Manufacturer are below:
Some of those same dummy servers were also later staged at a warehouse rented by Company-1 in an attempt to pass an inspection being conducted by the U.S. Department of Commerce of Company-1’s purchases of the U.S. Manufacturer’s servers. In advance of the inspection, SUN and one of the third-party brokers who works closely with the defendants to divert servers to China (“Broker-1”) staged dummy servers at the warehouse by, among other things, unboxing the dummy servers; using a hair dryer to remove and affix labels and serial number stickers to the server boxes and to the dummy servers themselves; and then re-packaging the dummy servers in the U.S. Manufacturer’s boxes. Surveillance cameras recorded their work and captured them preparing the dummy servers, including as shown in the images below, Sun (top) and Broker-1 (bottom):
Throughout the scheme, the defendants coordinated closely with each other, executives of Company-1, and third-party brokers with end customers in China using encrypted messaging applications. Those communications related to, among other topics, the quantities of servers for Company-1 to order, the locations in China where those servers were to be shipped, and efforts to conceal the nature of the scheme from the U.S. Manufacturer’s compliance team, U.S. authorities, and others. At no point did the defendants or the U.S. Manufacturer have a license from the U.S. Department of Commerce to export or reexport U.S.-manufactured servers to China.
Liaw, 71, of Fremont, California; Chang, 53, of Taiwan; and Sun, 44, of Taiwan, are each charged with one count of conspiring to violate the Export Controls Reform Act, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years, one count of conspiring to smuggle goods from the United States, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 5 years, and one count of conspiring to defraud the United States, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 5 years.
The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by a judge.
The FBI, the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security, and the Department of Justice’s National Security Division, Counterintelligence and Export Control Section investigated the case.
This case is being handled by the Southern District of New York’s National Security and International Narcotics Unit and Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force and by the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Juliana N. Murray, David J. Robles, and Kevin T. Sullivan for the Southern District of New York and Trial Attorneys Maria Fedor and Mark Murphy of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.
The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Three Charged with Conspiring to Unlawfully Divert U.S. Artificial Intelligence Technology to ChinaRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, Assistant Director of the Counterintelligence and Espionage Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), Roman Rozhavsky, and Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the FBI, James C. Barnacle, Jr., announced today the unsealing of an Indictment charging YIH-SHYAN “Wally” LIAW, RUEI-TSANG “Steven” CHANG, and TING-WEI “Willy” SUN, for conspiring to divert high-performance computer servers assembled in the United States and integrating sophisticated U.S. artificial intelligence technology to China, in violation of U.S. export controls laws. LIAW, a U.S. citizen, and SUN, a citizen of Taiwan, were arrested today and presented in the Northern District of California. CHANG, a citizen of Taiwan, remains a fugitive. The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Edgardo Ramos.
“As alleged in the Indictment, the defendants participated in a systematic scheme to divert massive quantities of U.S. artificial intelligence technology to customers in China,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “They did so through a tangled web of lies, obfuscation, and concealment—all to drive sales and generate revenues in violation of U.S. law. Diversion schemes like those disrupted today generate billions of dollars in ill-gotten gains and pose a direct threat to U.S. national security. Crimes involving sensitive technology must be met with swift action otherwise the law is meaningless. I commend the women and men of our Office, the FBI, and the Department of Commerce for their swift action in identifying, charging, and stopping this brazen evasion of our laws that protect national security and U.S. competitiveness. We will continue to doggedly investigate and prosecute these illegal diversion schemes.”
“The FBI’s investigation revealed that Liaw, Chang, and Sun allegedly conspired to sell billions of dollars’ worth of servers integrating sensitive, controlled graphic processing units to buyers in China, in violation of U.S. export control laws,” said Assistant Director Roman Rozhavsky of the FBI’s Counterintelligence and Espionage Division. “Controlling the export of sensitive U.S. artificial intelligence technology is essential to safeguarding our national security and defending the homeland. That’s why combating export violations is among the FBI’s highest priorities, and we will continue working with our law enforcement, private sector, and international partners to bring to justice all who take action to undermine U.S. national security.”
“Yih-Shyan Liaw, Ruei-Tsang Chang, and Ting-Wei Sun allegedly defrauded the United States by conspiring to divert significant quantities of servers with advanced artificial intelligence capabilities to Chinese customers,” said FBI Assistant Director in Charge James C. Barnacle, Jr. “These defendants allegedly fabricated documents, staged bogus equipment to pass audit inventories, and used a pass-through company to conceal their misconduct and true clientele list. The FBI will hold accountable individuals who use American companies to provide export-controlled technology to our adversaries.”
According to the allegations contained in the Indictment unsealed today in Manhattan federal court:[1]
To protect U.S. national security and foreign policy interests, the U.S. Department of Commerce has implemented license requirements for the export and reexport of artificial intelligence technologies to China and Hong Kong. In particular, the U.S. Department of Commerce has placed restrictions on the export and reexport of items that could make a significant contribution to the military potential or nuclear proliferation of other nations or that could be detrimental to the foreign policy or national security of the United States. For these reasons, among others, advanced artificial intelligence accelerator chips, and servers incorporating such chips, are subject to export license requirements for transfers to China and Hong Kong. Those regulations reflect a formal determination that the computing capabilities in advanced artificial intelligence accelerator hardware are of sufficient strategic significance that their transfer to China poses an unacceptable risk to national security.
LIAW is a co-founder, board member, and Senior Vice President of Business Development of a publicly traded U.S.-based manufacturer that designs and builds high-performance computer servers for artificial intelligence and cloud computing applications (the “U.S. Manufacturer”), including servers that integrate artificial intelligence graphics processing units (“GPUs”). CHANG is a general manager in the U.S. Manufacturer’s Taiwan office. SUN is a third-party broker and “fixer” who has worked with LIAW, CHANG, and others to divert U.S.-export controlled technology to China. Together, the defendants and others conspired to systematically divert the U.S. Manufacturer’s servers with certain GPUs to China without a license to do so from the U.S. Department of Commerce.
The scheme operated as follows. LIAW and CHANG, who worked closely with third-party brokers with customers based in China, directed certain executives of a company based in Southeast Asia (“Company-1”) to place purchase orders with the U.S. Manufacturer for servers with certain GPUs, purportedly for Company-1. Those servers were often assembled in the United States and shipped to the U.S. Manufacturer’s facilities in Taiwan, then delivered to Company-1 elsewhere in Southeast Asia. Company-1, in consultation with the defendants, then used a shipping and logistics company to repackage the U.S. Manufacturer’s servers and place them in unmarked boxes to conceal their content prior to shipping them to their final destinations in China. To ensure that these server allocations were approved internally at the U.S. Manufacturer, the defendants and executives at Company-1 prepared false documents and records, and transmitted false communications, purporting to show that Company-1 was the end user of the servers.
At the defendants’ direction, between 2024 and 2025, Company-1 purchased approximately $2.5 billion worth of servers from the U.S. Manufacturer, many of which were assembled in the United States. The defendants’ scheme became more brazen over time and resulted in massive quantities of servers with controlled U.S. artificial intelligence technology being sent to China. Between late April 2025 and mid-May 2025 alone, at least approximately $510 million worth of the U.S. Manufacturer’s servers, assembled in the United States, were diverted to China in violation of U.S. export control laws as part of the defendants’ scheme.
The defendants and their co-conspirators took extensive measures to conceal their scheme. As just one example, to deceive the U.S. Manufacturer’s compliance team, responsible for ensuring adherence to U.S. export control laws, the defendants staged thousands of “dummy” servers—non-working, physical replicas of the U.S. Manufacturer’s servers—for inspection at the locations where Company-1 was purportedly storing the servers it had purchased from the U.S. Manufacturer. However, the actual servers purchased by Company-1 from the U.S. Manufacturer had already been unlawfully shipped to China. Photographs of some of the dummy servers that were staged at a warehouse rented by Company-1 in connection with an August 2025 audit conducted by the U.S. Manufacturer are below:
Some of those same dummy servers were also later staged at a warehouse rented by Company-1 in an attempt to pass an inspection being conducted by the U.S. Department of Commerce of Company-1’s purchases of the U.S. Manufacturer’s servers. In advance of the inspection, SUN and one of the third-party brokers who works closely with the defendants to divert servers to China (“Broker-1”) staged dummy servers at the warehouse by, among other things, unboxing the dummy servers; using a hair dryer to remove and affix labels and serial number stickers to the server boxes and to the dummy servers themselves; and then re-packaging the dummy servers in the U.S. Manufacturer’s boxes. Surveillance cameras recorded their work and captured them preparing the dummy servers, including as shown in the images below, in which SUN (left) and Broker-1 (right) are circled in white:
Throughout the scheme, the defendants coordinated closely with each other, executives of Company-1, and third-party brokers with end customers in China using encrypted messaging applications. Those communications related to, among other topics, the quantities of servers for Company-1 to order, the locations in China where those servers were to be shipped, and efforts to conceal the nature of the scheme from the U.S. Manufacturer’s compliance team, U.S. authorities, and others. At no point did the defendants or the U.S. Manufacturer have a license from the U.S. Department of Commerce to export or reexport U.S.-manufactured servers to China.
* * *
LIAW, 71, of Fremont, California; CHANG, 53, of Taiwan; and SUN, 44, of Taiwan, are each charged with one count of conspiring to violate the Export Controls Reform Act, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; one count of conspiring to smuggle goods from the United States, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison; and one count of conspiring to defraud the United States, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.
The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by a judge.
Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding work of the FBI and its New York Field Office’s Counterintelligence and Cyber Division, the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security, and the Department of Justice’s National Security Division, Counterintelligence and Export Control Section. Mr. Clayton also thanked the FBI’s San Francisco Field Office and the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs for their assistance.
This case is being handled by the Office’s National Security and International Narcotics Unit and Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Juliana N. Murray, David J. Robles, and Kevin T. Sullivan are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Trial Attorneys Maria Fedor and Mark Murphy of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.
The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and the descriptions of the Indictment constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Tennessee Woman Sentenced to 40 Months in Prison for Conspiring to Create and Distribute Videos Depicting Monkey Torture and MutilationRead the Press Release
A Tennessee woman was sentenced today to 40 months in prison and three years of supervised release in connection with her involvement with online groups dedicated to creating and distributing videos depicting acts of extreme violence and sexual abuse against monkeys.
Katrina Favret, of Greeneville, Tennessee, pleaded guilty on Nov. 7, 2025, to conspiring to create and distribute so-called “animal crush videos,” and with creating animal crush videos.
According to court documents, Favret used encrypted chat applications to direct money to individuals in Indonesia willing to create videos depicting acts of sadistic violence against baby and adult monkeys. Favret would send specific instructions describing the acts of torture she wished to see and would then distribute the resulting videos to others in the online group.
According to a statement of facts Favret signed, the videos in question included numerous depictions of extreme violence and torture against monkeys that had been specifically requested by the defendant and her co-conspirators.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD) and U.S. Attorney Dominick S. Gerace II for the Southern District of Ohio made the announcement.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and FBI investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Mark Romley and Senior Trial Attorney Adam Cullman of ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Pakiz for the Southern District of Ohio are prosecuting the case.
Tallahassee Man Sentenced to Decade in Federal Prison for Attempting to Have Sex with a MinorRead the Press Release
Tallahassee, Florida – Joseph Edward Hudson, 38, of Tallahassee, Florida, was sentenced to ten years in federal prison for attempting to entice or persuade a minor to engage in sexual activity. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said, “Parents must be aware that sexual predators like this defendant have more ways than ever to prey upon our kids using internet and social media platforms to try to sexually exploit them. Fortunately, our state and federal law enforcement partners are relentless in their efforts to identify and stop those disgusting criminals before they can victimize our children, and it remains one of my office’s top priorities to aggressively prosecute these cases to keep these predators locked away in prison to ensure our kids are safe.”
Court documents reflect that between April 10, 2025, and April 12, 2025, detectives of the Tallahassee Police Department and other local law enforcement agencies, along with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, participated in a joint undercover operation in Tallahassee focused on identifying individuals using the Internet to sexually exploit children. During the operation, investigators identified the defendant, an adult male who was soliciting minors for sex through a social media platform. The defendant believed that he was going to be engaging in sexual activity with a 15-year-old girl when he drove to a meeting location where he was immediately arrested.
After serving his 10 years of imprisonment, Hudson will have to serve 15 years on supervised release and register as a sexual offender.
“Attempting to entice a minor to engage in sexual activity is a grave crime that threatens the safety and well-being of our children,” said Homeland Security Investigations Tallahassee Assistant Special Agent in Charge Nicholas Ingegno. “This sentence reflects our unwavering commitment to protecting vulnerable youth and holding offenders fully accountable. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to aggressively investigate and prosecute those who seek to exploit children online.”
The case involved a joint investigation by the Tallahassee Police Department and the U. S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, with assistance from the Leon County Sheriff’s Office. The case was being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Justin M. Keen.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice and led by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Divisions Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), it marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.
St. Cloud Man Indicted for Trafficking a Minor while Stationed at Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station in AntarcticaRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – Justin Vancott-Harnish (29, St. Cloud) has been charged by federal indictment for trafficking of a minor. If convicted, Vancott-Harnish faces a minimum sentence of 15 years, up to life, in federal prison. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to the indictment, between February 28 and March 28, 2025, at the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station – a location within the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States, while a U.S. Antarctic Program subcontract employee, Vancott-Harnish solicited a minor victim to engage in a commercial sex act.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the U.S. National Science Foundation – Office of Inspector General, Homeland Security Investigations, and the St. Cloud Police Department. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kaley Austin-Aronson for the Middle District of Florida and Department of Justice Trial Attorney McKenzie Hightower of the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
South Carolina Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Civil Rights Crime for Racially Motivated ShootingRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice announced that Jonathan Andrew Felkel, 34, entered a plea of guilty today before United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis for violating the housing rights of his Black neighbor, J.M., in violation of 42 U.S.C. §. 3631.
As the defendant admitted at the plea hearing, on July 17, 2025, Felkel, while driving into the community where both he and J.M. lived, fired a gun and shouted at J.M., “You better keep running, boy!” while J.M. was standing at the community gate. Felkel further admitted that, during the investigation, he told law enforcement officers that he believed Black people were committing crimes in his neighborhood, that he had assumed J.M. was a criminal due to his race, and that he had hoped to convey to J.M. that he should “leave” and “not be around this area.”
“The defendant’s actions were deeply disturbing and completely unacceptable,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon. “We hope his conviction brings a sense of peace to the victim and greater security to Black communities across the country.”
Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division; U.S. Attorney Bryan P. Stirling for the District of South Carolina; and Special Agent in Charge Kevin Moore of the FBI Columbia Field Office made the announcement.
Felkel will be sentenced at a later date. The maximum penalty is 10 years in prison.
The FBI Columbia Field Office and the Richland County Sheriff’s Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elle Klein and Lamar Fyall of the District of South Carolina and Trial Attorney Sarah Armstrong of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section are prosecuting the case.
Social Media Influencer Pleads Guilty to Investment Adviser FraudRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, announced that KENNETH THOM, a/k/a “K$,” a/k/a “K Money,” pled guilty today before U.S. District Judge Edgardo Ramos to investment adviser fraud. THOM is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Ramos on June 25, 2026.
“Kenneth Thom pretended online to be a successful investor and adviser when in fact he was a suspended broker and grifter,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “He recruited social media followers, convinced them to invest with him, and then stole their money. Our Office will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to protect investors from fraud no matter where they seek their investment advice. Especially on social media, we remind investors to always protect themselves from fraud by verifying the credentials of those they invest with, and to always protect investments through due diligence.”
According to the allegations contained in the Indictment and other information in the public record:
In May 2006, THOM passed securities licensing examinations and registered as a broker with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”). In or around January 2011, FINRA suspended THOM’s broker registration after he failed to pay an arbitration award to an investor. THOM also admitted around that time to the FBI that he had commingled that investor’s money with his own money in a brokerage account that THOM controlled and lost most of the money through unsuccessful trading. THOM further admitted that when the investor sought to withdraw her funds, he did not tell the investor that he had lost her money and instead invented fake excuses and then ignored the investor altogether.
After being suspended by FINRA, THOM turned to social media and promoted himself online as a successful trader. Using the monikers “K$” and “K Money,” THOM described himself as a “Wall Street veteran,” a “luminary,” and a “beacon of knowledge,” and he used his online platforms to sell trading courses and trade suggestions to his followers. One of THOM’s platforms was a Facebook group called, at relevant times, the “K$ Trading Group” (the “K$ Facebook Group”), in which THOM posted the results of his purportedly successful trades.
Beginning in late 2023, THOM invited members of the K$ Facebook Group to participate in “shared accounts” that THOM would manage in exchange for a percentage of the trading profits. THOM eventually raised nearly $800,000 from approximately 67 clients. Of this sum, THOM invested only approximately $350,000, diverting most of the remainder for his own personal use, including on travel, dining, and luxury goods.
Of the $350,000 that THOM invested, he lost more than $250,000 trading options, for a net loss of approximately 73% between in or around March 2024 and March 2025. To hide these losses, THOM published false performance updates showing significant gains. For example, on or around July 3, 2024, THOM posted in the K$ Facebook Group that each of his three purported shared accounts was positive year-to-date, with returns ranging from 4% to 120%. In fact, as of the close of the preceding trading day, THOM had lost approximately 31% of the client funds he invested to date.
In or about January 2025, the name of the K$ Facebook Group was changed to “AYBABTU”—an acronym for the Internet meme “all your base are belong to us”—and THOM stopped responding to clients.
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THOM, 42, of Westfield, New Jersey, pled guilty to investment adviser fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.
The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge.
Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding work of the FBI. Mr. Clayton also expressed appreciation for the assistance of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Li is in charge of the prosecution.
Sisseton Man Sentenced to More Than 2 Years in Federal Prison for Possessing a Firearm as a FelonRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, has sentenced a man from Sisseton, South Dakota, convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person. The sentencing took place on March 13, 2026.
Robert Wolfe, Jr., 45, was sentenced to two years and six months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and was ordered to forfeit the firearm and pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Wolfe, Jr. was indicted for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person by a federal grand jury in February 2025. He pleaded guilty on November 17, 2026.
On April 19, 2024, deputies with the Roberts County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant on Wolfe’s residence in Sisseton. During the search, deputies found a Remington bolt-action rifle in the residence. Wolfe is prohibited from possessing firearms due to a 2014 felony conviction for Possession of a Controlled Substance.
This case was investigated by the Roberts County Sheriff’s Office, the BATF, and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Joyce prosecuted the case.
Wolfe, Jr. was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). Through PSN, the District of South Dakota seeks to bring together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.
Sioux City Man to Federal Prison for Receiving Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Anthony Girard, age 40, from Sioux City, Iowa, was sentenced today to 97 months’ imprisonment. Girard pled guilty to receiving child pornography on November 12, 2025, in federal court in Sioux City.
Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings showed that from September 2023 through January 13, 2025, Girard received and possessed child pornography. Girard admitted he used file sharing services to exchange over 24,000 files over the course of two years. During the investigation, agents from around Iowa were able to connect Girard’s IP address to thousands of files of child pornography in 2023 and 2024. Agents searched his home and electronic devices on January 13, 2025. Girard admitted he deleted file sharing apps off his phone while driving home on January 13, 2025, as law enforcement officers searched his home. Girard possessed child pornography that included depictions of infants and toddlers as well as sadistic and masochistic conduct. Girard also has a prior conviction in South Dakota state court for sexual contact without consent.
United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand sentenced Girard to 97 months’ imprisonment along with a five-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Girard was ordered to pay $3,000 in restitution to the victims in the case and $1,100 in fines and assessments. Girard remains in custody of the United States Marshal until he can be transported to a federal prison.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
The case was investigated by the Sioux City Police Department and the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kraig R. Hamit.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-4023.
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Saratoga County Man Pleads Guilty to Cyberstalking Family Member of Slain UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian ThompsonRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Shane Daley, age 40, of Galway, New York, pled guilty today to cyberstalking for sending harassing and threatening voicemail messages to a family member of murdered UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.
As part of the guilty plea, Daley admitted that between December 4 and 7, 2024, beginning just hours after Thompson’s murder in midtown Manhattan, Daley placed multiple calls to a work phone line used by a member of Thompson’s family. Daley further admitted that in a series of voicemail messages, Daley used threatening and harassing language that focused on, among other things, Thompson’s killing, expressed satisfaction over the fact and manner of his death, and stated that the victim and Thompson’s children deserved to meet the same violent end.
First Assistant United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III said: “Shane Daley celebrated the cold-blooded murder of Brian Thompson and senselessly tried to maximize the Thompson family’s suffering. Today’s guilty plea demonstrates that federal law enforcement will not tolerate such sickening conduct. I commend the hard work of the FBI and members of my office and the Southern District of New York for bringing Daley to justice.”
Jay Clayton, United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, said: “Shane Daley’s conviction is just and sends two important messages. We will protect victims – Daley tormented the family of Brian Thompson, CEO of UnitedHealthcare, after Thompson’s 2024 murder. This reprehensible conduct demands swift justice. Also, and more broadly, threats and other acts of violence, particularly when motivated by commercial, social, political, or religious factors, are not acceptable in our free society. Freedom means freedom from violence. We thank the women and men of the Northern District for protecting those freedoms. Today’s federal conviction reflects the grave and calculated nature of Daley’s criminal actions and underscores this Office’s unwavering commitment to aggressively prosecuting those who target and terrorize victims through stalking and harassment. This outcome was achieved in close partnership with the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York, demonstrating the strength of coordinated federal efforts to hold offenders accountable and protect victims.”
James C. Barnacle, Jr., Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), said: “Just hours after Brian Thompson’s brutal public murder, Shane Daley repeatedly terrorized a grieving family by glorifying the loss of their loved one and threatening similar fates. The FBI does not tolerate those who hide behind screens and keyboards to exploit the suffering of others for senseless torment.”
Sentencing is scheduled for July 17, 2026, before United States District Judge Anne M. Nardacci. Daley faces a maximum term of 5 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of up to 3 years. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is convicted of violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua R. Rosenthal of the Northern District of New York and Assistant U.S. Attorney Dominic A. Gentile of the Southern District of New York are prosecuting the case.
San Joaquin County Woman Sentenced to 18 Months in Prison for Defrauding the IRS of over $1.2 MillionRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Amy Evangelista, 60, of Lathrop, was sentenced today to 18 months in prison for two counts of aiding or assisting in the preparation or presentation of a false or fraudulent tax return, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
“This tax preparer betrayed her clients and the American public by creating phantom companies and fake business expenses, resulting in $1.23 million in fraudulent tax refunds,” said U.S. Attorney Grant. “Her prison sentence is a reminder that we will pursue and seek punishment for those who corrupt our tax system.”
“This case highlights the importance of choosing a trustworthy and qualified tax return preparer, especially during the height of tax filing season,” said Linda Nguyen, Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Oakland Field Office. “Today’s sentencing demonstrates IRS Criminal Investigation’s unwavering commitment to protecting taxpayers and upholding the integrity of the communities we serve.”
According to court documents, for the tax years from 2017 through 2020, Evangelista falsified more than a thousand of her clients’ tax returns to increase the refund amounts without her clients’ knowledge or consent. Evangelista reported false businesses, false income, and false expenses for her clients to the Internal Revenue Service. In one instance, Evangelista prepared a client’s 2019 tax return and falsely reported $8,830 in business losses when the client did not operate any business in 2019, nor had she told Evangelista that she operated any business or had any business expenses. Additionally, there were no business records to support the false tax schedule filing except for a fraudulent Form 1099-MISC that was prepared for the client. Evangelista repeated similar conduct with respect to hundreds of her clients.
During the investigation, investigators contacted one of Evangelista’s clients to inquire about the preparation of the client’s return. Evangelista later told the client to lie and tell investigators that the client worked as a caregiver for a particular employer when the client did not work as a caregiver for that employer. Evangelista also prepared a false Form 1099-MISC for the client to make it appear as though the client worked as a caregiver when the client did not.
In total, Evangelista helped file approximately 1,087 fraudulent income tax returns that contained false Schedules C resulting in a loss to the IRS of approximately $1,234,430, which Evangelista was ordered to pay in restitution to the IRS. Evangelista pleaded guilty on Nov. 6, 2025.
The IRS-CI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nchekube Onyima prosecuted the case.
Rockingham Man Sentenced for Possession of Ammunition after Discharging Gun Multiple Times near Residential BuildingRead the Press Release
GREENSBORO, N.C. – A Reidsville, North Carolina man was sentenced today in Greensboro to 10 years in prison after pleading guilty to a possession of ammunition as a previously convicted felon, announced United States Attorney Dan Bishop of the Middle District of North Carolina (MDNC).
LINDSEY L. HAYES, age 41, was sentenced to 120 months imprisonment plus 3 years post release supervision by the Honorable Catherine C. Eagles, Chief/Senior United States District Judge in the United States District Court for the MDNC.
According to court records, on January 7, 2025, at approximately 8:22 p.m., officers with the Reidsville Police Department responded to an apartment complex located on Marcellus Street in Reidsville after receiving a 911 call regarding a shooting. When officers arrived, they spoke with various tenants who stated they heard arguing followed by gunshots. One tenant said prior to the shooting he/she heard a man banging on the door of a neighboring apartment and heard a man say something to the effect of “watch this.” Another said he/she heard a man say, “Open this door before I shoot this shit up.”
Officers obtained video surveillance which showed HAYES getting out of a white SUV and walking up the steps to the front door of the apartment where the mother of his child resided and knocking on the door multiple times. In the video, HAYES appeared to be yelling through the door. When no one answers, HAYES walks back down the stairs and returns to the white SUV before heading back to the same apartment, this time while carrying a handgun. HAYES uses the handle of the gun to knock on the door again. After standing at the door for a short time, he walks back down the stairs and gets into the driver seat of the white SUV. Before he exits the parking lot of the apartment complex, HAYES slows down while driving past the apartment. His left arm extends out of the front driver side window and muzzle flash and smoke are seen as multiple shots were fired.
While canvasing the area, officers observed two bullet holes in the siding of the apartment building and two spent shell casings in the parking lot near where his vehicle was at the time of the shooting. No firearm was recovered.
During the sentencing hearing, evidence was presented that at the time of the shooting the apartment was occupied by at least two people.
Prior to his arrest, HAYES was convicted of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon on four separate occasions. Additionally, HAYES was on post release supervision for convictions for Felony Discharge of a Weapon into Occupied Property and Felony Assault with Physical Injury of a Detention Employee. HAYES had been released to supervision about two months before committing the shooting.
HAYES pleaded guilty on December 4, 2025, to being a felon in possession of ammunition, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8).
The case was investigated by the Reidsville Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The case was prosecuted by MDNC Assistant United States Attorney Tracy M. Williams-Durham.
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Richardson man convicted of federal child pornography violationsRead the Press Release
PLANO, Texas – A Richardson man has been convicted of federal child pornography violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Justin Philip Ciruti, 42, was found guilty by a jury of distribution and possession of child pornography following a four-day trial before U.S. District Judge Sean D. Jordan on March 19, 2026.
According to information presented in court, in September of 2024, a social media platform reported to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that a user had distributed child pornography via a direct message. That referral was received by the Richardson Police Department, who investigated the case and determined that the child pornography distribution resolved back to Ciruti’s residence in Richardson.
On December 2, 2024, a search warrant was executed at Ciruti’s residence and electronic devices were recovered. A forensic analysis of the devices revealed some 200 images and approximately 200 videos of child pornography saved in various places, including in an encrypted application and a video player application. The video file which was originally reported by the social media platform was also recovered.
Under federal statutes, Ciruti faces up to 20 years in federal prison on each count at sentencing. The maximum statutory sentence prescribed by Congress is provided here for information purposes, as the sentencing 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 U.S. Probation Office.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
This case was investigated by the FBI and the Richardson Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Marisa Miller and Calli Bailey.
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Rehoboth Man Arrested for Sexually Exploiting Multiple MinorsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Rehoboth man has been arrested and charged with allegedly sexually exploiting four minor females between 12 and 16 years old.
Christopher Mota, 29, was charged by criminal complaint with four counts of sexual exploitation of children. Mota was arrested this morning in Rehoboth and will make an initial appearance in federal court in Boston later today.
On June 5, 2025, Mota was scheduled to board a flight from Boston Logan International Airport to Aruba. During a border search of Mota’s luggage, an iPhone 16 Pro Max. was observed which contained a hidden folder in the Photos application containing apparent child sexual abuse material (“CSAM”). The device was subsequently seized.During a recorded interview by federal authorities Mota admitted that he stored CSAM in a hidden folder on his phone and that he obtained CSAM from minors via Snapchat, text and Telegram. Mota allegedly stated that he estimated he has received CSAM from approximately 20 to 25 minor girls. When asked how many images or videos of CSAM he has received, Mota allegedly stated, “it’s a lot” and said, “probably hundreds.”
A preliminary forensic review of Mota’s phone revealed that he had sexually explicit communications and exchanges of CSAM with at least four identified minor females, whose identities are known to law enforcement.
The charge of sexual exploitation of minors (and attempt and conspiracy) provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and up to 30 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime 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 Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Boston Field Office and Rehoboth Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luke A. Goldworm, Project Safe Childhood Coordinator and member of the Major Crimes Unit, is prosecuting the case.
The case is brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. 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 www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.
Real Estate Developer Indicted for Multimillion Dollar Loan FraudRead the Press Release
Real Estate Developer Indicted for Multimillion Dollar Loan Fraud
CONCORD – A Bow resident and real estate developer was indicted for fraudulently obtaining a $3.8 million loan, U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan announces.
Charles Sargent, 37, was charged with Bank Fraud. According to the indictment, Sargent was a real estate developer who sought to purchase the Chase Block Building located at 1037-1045 Elm Street in Manchester. The true owner of the Chase Block Building sold the property for $2.7 million to a person acting at Sargent’s direction. Sargent then took possession of the Chase Block Building. However, to get a $3.8 million loan, Sargent claimed he purchased the Chase Block Building for $4.7 million and sent the lender fabricated bank statements, leases, and checks.
The charging statute provides a sentence of up to 30 years in prison, up to five years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $1 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation’s Office of the Inspector General and FBI led the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander S. Chen is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Previously Deported Dominican Man Pleads Guilty to Illegally Reentering the United States and Distributing MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Previously Deported Dominican Man Pleads Guilty to Illegally Reentering the United States and Distributing Methamphetamine
CONCORD – A Dominican man pleaded guilty today in federal court to immigration and drug offenses, U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan announces.
Joel Castillo-Soto, 35, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance, specifically methamphetamine, and one count of reentry after deportation. U.S. District Court Chief Judge Samantha Elliot scheduled Castillo-Soto’s sentencing for June 25, 2026.
According to the court documents and statements made in court, beginning in early 2024, the DEA began an investigation into an unknown individual who was selling multiple-ounce quantities of methamphetamine in the Rochester, New Hampshire area. During the investigation, a DEA cooperating source (or “CS”) communicated with Ariel Castillo-Solano, who was using the identity of Jose Antonio Santiago, an American citizen from Puerto Rico. Between October 21, 2024 and January 10, 2025, the DEA, using a CS and a DEA undercover Task Force Officer negotiated several sales totaling more than five pounds of methamphetamine from Castillo-Solano. Between January 10, 2025 and January 23, 2025, Castillo-Solano arranged to sell the undercover officer an additional 15 pounds of methamphetamine, about 21 ounces cocaine, and 40 grams of fentanyl. They agreed to a purchase price of $69,000. On January 24, 2025, Castillo-Solano met the undercover officer in a parking lot in Seabrook, where Castillo-Solano stated that his “brother,” later identified as the defendant, Joel Castillo-Soto, would be arriving in an Uber to deliver the product. Thereafter, Castillo-Soto arrived and delivered the methamphetamine, cocaine, and fentanyl to the undercover officer, at which point the DEA arrested both Castillo-Solano and Castillo-Soto.
Castillo-Solano pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine on March 12, 2016.
The charge of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance carries a sentence of up to 20 years’ incarceration, not less than 3 years of supervised release, and a fine up to $1,000,000. The charge of illegal reentry after a conviction of a qualifying felony carries a sentence of up to 20 years’ incarceration, not less than 3 years of supervised release, and a fine 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.
The Drug Enforcement Administration investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew T. Hunter is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Pittsburgh Attorney Charged with Embezzling More Than $1.3 Million from Incline Preservation Society for Which He Served as Board PresidentRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, attorney has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of wire fraud and money laundering, United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
The 10-count Indictment named Christopher Furman, 53, of Pittsburgh, as the sole defendant.
According to the Indictment, in 2020, Furman was selected President of the Board of Trustees for the Society for the Preservation of the Duquesne Heights Incline—the organization that has operated the Duquesne Incline since the Society’s founding in 1964—based on his history as a former employee of the incline and familiarity with the incline’s mechanical operations, as well as his background as an attorney. In his role as President of the Board, Furman was neither authorized to view the Society’s bank accounts nor to use its money for personal purposes. The Indictment alleges that, from October 2024 to September 2025, Furman transferred approximately $1,379,300 from the Society’s bank accounts into his own account via more than 25 electronic transactions. Furman then transferred that money to an online cryptocurrency exchange and digital asset management platform, where he purchased and sold cryptocurrency for his personal profit.
At each count of wire fraud, the law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 20 years in prison, a fine of the greater of $250,000 or an alternative of twice the gross pecuniary gain, or both. At each count of engaging in monetary transactions in property derived from wire fraud (money laundering), the law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 10 years in prison, a fine of the greater of $250,000 or an alternative of twice the amount of criminally derived property, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Brendan J. McKenna is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Persistent armed fentanyl dealer gets 20-year prison sentenceRead the Press Release
Seattle – A 34-year-old Seattle resident was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to 20 years in prison for three counts of possession of controlled substances with intent to distribute, two counts of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and two counts of unlawful possession of a firearm, announced First Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Neil Floyd. Leon Henderson was arrested by Seattle Police in January, May, and September 2023. Each time Henderson had more than a thousand fentanyl pills, and on two of the arrests he had loaded firearms. A jury convicted Henderson in November 2025, following a three-day trial.
At the sentencing hearing U.S. District Judge Jamal N. Whitehead noted that Henderson knew he was dealing to homeless addicts who would struggle to resist the temptation. “The numbers in this case speak volumes.” Mr. Henderson had “over 18,000 fentanyl pills, 220 grams of fentanyl powder, and 700 grams of methamphetamine.” Selling the fentanyl pills for “a dollar per pill,” he could have caused “18,000 potential overdoses in our community.” Judge Whitehead said.
“This case exemplifies the effort federal law enforcement is making around crime hotspots in our city, such as the North Aurora emphasis area,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Neil Floyd. “The FBI and Seattle Police Department identified this area as one where federal attention could make a difference. This case took significant deadly drugs, firearms, and a habitual criminal off the street.”
“Even though Mr. Henderson had multiple chances to change his destructive behavior, he persisted in selling fentanyl to homeless and vulnerable individuals while illegally in possession of stolen, loaded firearms,” said W. Mike Herrington, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Seattle field office. “Every time Mr. Henderson was arrested, he had even more fentanyl pills than the last, thousands on each occasion, showing he still has not learned his lesson even after repeated arrests. The FBI and our partners will continue to pursue dangerous drug traffickers to hold them accountable and keep our communities safe.”
According to records filed in the case and testimony at trial, on January 25, 2023, Henderson was contacted at his car, parked outside the Park Plaza Motel on Aurora. He had $2770 cash in his pocket. When the car was searched, law enforcement found around 600 grams methamphetamine, 1,700 fentanyl pills, 200 grams of fentanyl powder, and a loaded pistol under the driver’s seat. Henderson’s DNA was on the pistol and on a second gun found in a bag with narcotics.
On May 5, 2023, in the Capitol Hill neighborhood, Henderson was contacted by Seattle Police and was found to have about 7,000 fentanyl pills, a firearm, and cash.
And finally on September 13, 2023, Henderson was arrested in Ballard near a homeless encampment. Henderson possessed a backpack with nearly 10,000 fentanyl pills.
Henderson’s crimes result in a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years: ten years for drug possession counts and a consecutive five years for each of the drug-related firearm counts.
The jury also found that Henderson illegally possessed the firearms due to his previous felony convictions for promoting prostitution and felony harassment.
It is that criminal history that particularly concerned prosecutors and those working to fight crime in the North Aurora neighborhoods. “The underlying details of his 2019 conviction for promoting prostitution are quite alarming; Mr. Henderson forced the victim to work as a sex worker by injecting her with heroin and threatening her with death. As the Court is aware, each time Mr. Henderson was arrested in this case, he was arrested with a different female companion. The first female who was with Mr. Henderson during the January 25 arrest, was allegedly involved in prostitution. The third female, who was with him during the September 13 arrest, had been reported as a missing person in Clallam County. At a minimum, this suggests that Mr. Henderson involved others in his drug trafficking activity. At worst, he continued to promote prostitution alongside his drug trafficking business. Under either scenario, his illegal possession of guns endangered his female associates.”
Henderson will be on 5 years of supervised release following his prison term.
The case was investigated by the Seattle Police and the FBI as part of an emphasis on crime in the North Aurora area. The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives provided key assistance.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jessica Manca, Jin Kim, and Carolyn Forstein.
Othello Man Sentenced to 15 Months Incarceration for Odometer TamperingRead the Press Release
Spokane, Washington – First Assistant United States Attorney Pete Serrano announced that on March 17, 2026, in Spokane, Washington, U.S. District Court Judge Rebecca L. Pennell sentenced Reynaldo Garza, age 53, of Othello, Washington, to 15 months incarceration and ordered he pay $21,080 in restitution to four victims of his scheme to rollback odometers in used vehicles. Judge Pennell also ordered that, following his incarceration, Garza be on supervised release for 1 year. As a condition of his supervised release, Judge Pennell ordered that Garza is not permitted to sell any vehicles.
On October 1, 2025, a federal jury in Spokane, Washington convicted Garza of five felony counts of Odometer Tampering. As evidence presented at the trial established, a thorough investigation initiated by the Adams County Sheriff’s Office determined that Garza would purchase used high-mileage cars for cheap. Garza would replace the odometers in the vehicles with an odometer purchased from wrecking yards or used auto parts sellers. The new odometer would display many fewer miles than the vehicle’s actual mileage. Garza then sold the vehicles under the false and fraudulent representation that they had fewer miles than was true. In some cases, Garza sold cars by misrepresenting the mileage by up to 100,000 miles less than the actual mileage. In other cases, the difference was tens of thousands of miles. In doing so, Garza made thousands of dollars in profits for each fraudulent sale.
In total, Garza tampered with the odometers of at least 21 different vehicles. At sentencing, the United States offered the testimony of an expert who calculated that the total miles removed by Garza via odometer rollback was 2,142,682 miles.
In sentencing Garza to 15 months, Judge Pennell acknowledged that Garza’s conduct was not an isolated event, but had been ongoing for years, and that Garza committed a significant offense where he targeted his own community and breached their trust. Judge Pennell further stated that the dollar amount lost did not fully reflect the pain and suffering that Garza’s conduct had caused to his victims. In argument, the United States explicitly referenced how several victims still have to drive the vehicle Garza tampered with because they simply cannot afford to purchase a different vehicle.
“Mr. Garza is not the first nor the last person commit odometer fraud in the Eastern District of Washington. Our office takes these crimes seriously and will investigate and prosecute all instances of odometer tampering. Mr. Garza’s sentence reflects the harm he imposed on our community. This sentence should serve as a message that odometer tampering is a significant and serious offense that will not be tolerated in our community,” stated First Assistant Serrano.
“Odometer fraud is a serious and costly crime. It's also dangerous. These purchasers were defrauded into believing that the vehicles were more than 100,000 miles newer than in reality—taking on additional risks from safety-critical components affecting steering and braking. NHTSA is committed to working with U.S. Attorneys’ offices to investigate, prosecute and sentence those who defraud unsuspecting car buyers. This sentencing provides justice for the numerous victims who suffered significant financial losses. NHTSA will continue to protect Americans from these deceptive and dangerous practices,” stated NHTSA Administrator Jonathan Morrison.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Transportation National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Office of Odometer Fraud and the Adams County Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jeremy J. Kelley. and Jacob E. Brooks.
Individuals with information relating to odometer tampering should call NHTSA’s Vehicle Safety Hotline at 888-327-4236. More information on odometer fraud, including prevention tips, is available on NHTSA’s website.
Online couple sentenced to prison for sexually exploiting and abusing toddler and infantRead the Press Release
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A New Jersey man and a Virginia woman were sentenced to prison for their roles in the exploitation and abuse of two children to share child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
According to court documents, in early April 2024, Michael J. Machonis, 30, of Bridgewater, New Jersey, and Asia Tamara Billups, 20, of Gloucester, Virginia, met online. They originally shared sexually explicit content of themselves with each other and engaged in sexually explicit conversations. Those sexually explicit conversations eventually led to the discussion of minors and the exchange of CSAM.
On May 31, 2024, and June 1, 2024, Billups used a cellphone to produce four sexually explicit videos of a three-year-old toddler and a four-month-old infant. Billups transmitted the videos to Machonis.
Billups pled guilty on April 14, 2025, to two counts of production of CSAM and one count of distribution of CSAM. She was sentenced on Sept. 19, 2025, to 15 years in prison.
Machonis pled guilty on Oct. 24, 2025, to two counts of coercion and enticement and one count of receipt of CSAM. He was sentenced today to 17 years in prison.
The FBI’s Norfolk Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Somerset County (New Jersey) Prosecutor’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter G. Osyf prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:24-cr-70.
Ohio Man Sentenced for Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
COVINGTON, Ky. – A Cincinnati man, Bryant Adams, 43, was sentenced on Thursday to 120 months by Chief U.S. District Judge David Bunning for possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.
According to his plea agreement, law enforcement used a cooperating witness to purchase 55.9 grams of methamphetamine from Adams on August 28, 2024. Adams agreed to make another sale of methamphetamine on September 3, 2024, and law enforcement arrested Adams when he arrived at the designated pickup location. Adams was found with 80.2 grams of methamphetamine and admitted distributing approximately one pound of methamphetamine per week in the six months leading up to his arrest.
Under federal law, Adams must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for five years.
Paul McCaffrey, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Jim Scott, Special Agent in Charge, DEA, Louisville Field Division; and Director Scott Hardcorn, Northern Kentucky Drug Strike Force, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by the DEA and Northern Kentucky Drug Strike Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tony Bracke is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
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Oakland Man Charged for Sex Trafficking of a 17-Year-Old VictimRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned an indictment today, against Keynin McGee, 27, of Oakland, charging him with sex trafficking of a minor and sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion for compelling a 17-year-old girl to engage in commercial sex acts, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
According to court documents, in late 2020, McGee met and recruited the minor victim online. In early 2021, McGee bought the victim a bus ticket so she could travel to Oakland, where he lived. When she arrived, McGee took her shopping and brought her to a motel where he posted photographs of her on a website used to sell and purchase commercial sex. Afterward, McGee had sex with the victim, telling her he wanted to test “the product,” even though he acknowledged she was a minor. McGee then drove the victim to International Boulevard in Oakland, an area known for commercial sex activity, and instructed her to have sex with men for money. When the victim followed his instructions, McGee seized her earnings and kept all the proceeds of her commercial sex acts for himself. Additionally, McGee sent the victim threatening text messages. In several of the messages, McGee threatened to “shoot” or “kill” the victim.
McGee also took the victim to San Francisco, where he again trafficked her. The victim ultimately escaped when an officer with the San Francisco Police Department encountered her on the street and connected her with local human trafficking service providers.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation are investigating the case. Trial Attorney Leah Branch of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney David Gappa for the Eastern District of California are prosecuting the case.
If convicted, McGee faces a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and mandatory minimum penalties of 15 years in prison for sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion and 10 years in prison for sex trafficking of a minor. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Anyone who has information about human trafficking should report that information to the National Human Trafficking Hotline toll-free at 1-888-373-7888, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more information about human trafficking, please visit www.humantraffickinghotline.org. Information on the Department of Justice’s efforts to combat human trafficking can be found at www.justice.gov/humantrafficking.
North Carolina Man Pleads Guilty to Music Streaming Fraud Aided by Artificial IntelligenceRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, announced the guilty plea today of MICHAEL SMITH for his role in a scheme to defraud music streaming platforms and musicians of royalty payments. To carry out the scheme, SMITH created hundreds of thousands of songs with artificial intelligence and used automated programs called “bots” to fraudulently stream his AI-generated songs billions of times, in an effort to mimic the genuine streaming activity of real consumers. SMITH pled guilty today to conspiracy to commit wire fraud before U.S. District Judge John G. Koeltl.
“Michael Smith generated thousands of fake songs using artificial intelligence and then streamed those fake songs billions of times,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “Although the songs and listeners were fake, the millions of dollars Smith stole was real. Millions of dollars in royalties that Smith diverted from real, deserving artists and rights holders. Smith’s brazen scheme is over, as he stands convicted of a federal crime for his AI-assisted fraud.”
According to the charging documents and statements made in public filings and public court proceedings:
Music can be streamed through music streaming platforms such as Amazon Music, Apple Music, Spotify, and YouTube Music (the “Streaming Platforms”). Each time a song is streamed through one of the Streaming Platforms, the songwriter who composed the song, the musician who performed it, and in certain cases other rights holders, are entitled to small royalty payments. Royalty payments are made proportionately to musicians and songwriters from a pool of funds. As a result, streaming fraud diverts funds from musicians and songwriters whose songs were legitimately streamed by real consumers to those who use automation to falsely create the appearance of legitimate streaming.
SMITH created thousands of accounts on the Streaming Platforms (the “Bot Accounts”) that he could use to stream songs. He then used software to cause the Bot Accounts to continuously stream songs that he owned.
SMITH spread his automated streams across thousands of songs to avoid anomalous streaming as to any single song, which would likely cause the Streaming Platforms to discover his scheme. To obtain the necessary number of songs for his scheme to succeed, SMITH turned to artificial intelligence, which he used to create hundreds of thousands of AI-generated songs for which he could manipulate the streams.
SMITH’s hundreds of thousands of AI-generated songs were streamed by his Bot Accounts billions of times, which allowed him to fraudulently obtain more than $8 million in royalties.
* * *
SMITH, 54, of Cornelius, North Carolina, pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison. SMITH also agreed to pay $8,091,843.64 in forfeiture.
The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge. SMITH is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Koeltl on July 29, 2026.
Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The case is being prosecuted by the Office’s Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nicholas W. Chiuchiolo and Kevin Mead are in charge of the prosecution.
North Carolina Man Convicted in Cyber Extortion Scheme That Targeted D.C.-based Tech CompanyRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A federal jury returned a guilty verdict yesterday against a Charlotte, North Carolina, man for carrying out an extensive cyber extortion scheme against a D.C.-based international technology company, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Cameron Curry, 27, was convicted of six counts of transmitting or willfully causing interstate communications with the intent to extort a victim company. U.S. District Judge Kenneth D. Bell of the Western District of North Carolina presided over the three-day trial.
According to court documents, trial evidence, and witness testimony, Curry was contracted to work as a data analyst for about six months with the victim company. In that capacity, Curry had access to the victim company’s data files and other personnel and corporate information.
Trial evidence established that Curry misused his position to access the victim company’s personnel and other sensitive corporate records, which he then used to carry out the cyber extortion scheme after he learned that his contract was not going to be renewed and that he would no longer be employed by the company.
According to evidence presented at trial, from Dec. 11, 2023, to Jan. 24, 2024, Curry, identifying himself online as “Loot,” sent more than 60 email messages to company employees and executives, threatening to disclose sensitive information unless he was paid $2.5 million in cryptocurrency.
Trial evidence further established that the email messages contained threats to disclose sensitive corporate information and employee data, including employees’ personally identifiable information (PII), as well as threats to harm the reputation of the victim company by reporting a breach of its information and publishing the information publicly if the victim company failed to pay him via cryptocurrency.
On Jan. 24, 2024, the FBI executed a search warrant at Curry’s residence and seized various electronic devices. A forensic analysis revealed that Curry was committing the extortion scheme under the “Loot” alias.
At sentencing, Curry faces up to two years in prison for each of the six charges. A sentencing date is pending.
This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office with significant assistance from the FBI Charlotte Field Office.
It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Diane Lucas of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in District of Columbia, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Warren of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte.
25cr148 NC
24mj26 DC
Norfolk man convicted on federal drug trafficking and firearms chargesRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A federal jury convicted a Norfolk man yesterday on charges of using a drug involved premises, possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and possession with intent to distribute cocaine and fentanyl.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, on Dec. 18, 2025, law enforcement searched the Norfolk residence of James Edward Sweat, 40. Agents located two firearms, including a shotgun and a handgun, and six ammunition magazines, including a 100-round drum magazine. Agents also found three separate kits to manufacture drugs, 14.3 grams of crack cocaine, fentanyl packaged for sale, and nine types of ammunition.
Sweat was previously convicted of abduction, two counts of robbery, and two counts of use of a firearm in the commission of a felony. As a convicted felon, Sweat cannot legally possess firearms or ammunition.
Sweat faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to life in prison when sentenced on July 14. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division investigated this case with assistance from the Chesapeake Police Department and Norfolk Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph E. DePadilla and Megan M. Montoya are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:26-cr-5.
U.S. Attorney's Office U.S. Attorney's Office U.S. Attorney's OfficeNew Haven Man Pleads Guilty to Drug-Related Firearm Possession OffenseRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that HARRY WHITLEY, 23, of New Haven, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on November 4, 2024, Whitley, who had an active state arrest warrant and was on probation, was observed participating in a suspected drug transaction in New Haven. Whitley was arrested a short time later in Waterbury. At the time of his arrest, he possessed fentanyl, cocaine, and oxycodone, and a Glock 17 9mm semiautomatic pistol with an extended magazine and a Glock-style machine gun conversion device, commonly referred to as a “Glock switch.”
Whitley’s criminal history includes state felony convictions for firearm possession and larceny offenses.
The charge carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of imprisonment of life. Judge Dooley scheduled sentencing for June 11.
Whitley has been detained since his arrest.
This matter has been investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the New Haven Police Department, and the Connecticut State Police. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Lembo and Nathan Guevremont.
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.
New Castle Felon Sentenced to More Than 6.5 Years in Prison for Trafficking of Fentanyl, Heroin, and Cocaine and Illegal Possession of FirearmRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of New Castle, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 80 months in prison, to be followed by six years of supervised release, on his conviction of drug trafficking and firearm crimes as part of a Homeland Security Task Force prosecution, United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
United States District Judge Robert J. Colville imposed the sentence on Jauan Searcy, 44, who, in July 2025, pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine between August 2023 and August 2024, and to possessing a firearm following a felony conviction.
According to information presented to the Court, Searcy—who had previously been convicted of a felony—was part of a drug trafficking conspiracy that was based in Detroit and in New Castle. Searcy participated in the conspiracy by retailing controlled substances to his customers in the New Castle area. When law enforcement arrested Searcy at his New Castle residence on August 1, 2024, following his federal indictment, agents found a shotgun next to Searcy’s bed. Federal law prohibits possession of a firearm or ammunition by a convicted felon.
Assistant United States Attorney Craig W. Haller prosecuted this case on behalf of the United States.
United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Drug Enforcement Administration, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, Lawrence County Drug Task Force, New Castle Police Department, Michigan State Police, Pennsylvania State Police, Mercer County Drug Task Force, United States Postal Inspection Service, Department of Homeland Security, and Douglas County (Nebraska) Sheriff’s Office for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Searcy.
This prosecution was part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement toward identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations that 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.
Moses Lake Man Sentenced to 35 Years in Prison for Producing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Spokane, Washington – First Assistant United States Attorney Pete Serrano announced today that Chief United States District Judge Stanley A. Bastian sentenced Billy Gene Pinson, age 45, 35 years imprisonment for three counts of Production of Child Pornography, two counts of Possession of Child Pornography, and one count of Commission of a Felony Sex Offense by an Individual Required to Register as Sex Offender. Pinson pleaded guilty on October 15, 2025. Judge Bastian sentenced Pinson to 35 years in prison, followed by a life term of supervised release. Judge Bastian also ordered restitution for one victim in the amount of $3,000, imposed a $10,000 assessment under the Amy, Vicky, and Andy Child Pornography Victim Assistance Act, and ordered the forfeiture of electronic devices used in connection with Defendant’s crimes.
According to court documents, Pinson is a repeat sex offender, convicted in 1994 of two counts of Rape of a Child in the First Degree and in 2013 of Communication with a Minor for Immoral Purposes. Required to register as a sex offender, Pinson was already abusing his next victims before probation expired on his 2013 sex offense. Between February 2014 and October 2018, Pinson raped and sexually abused eight more children and exploited at least two more identifiable victims. Pinson’s victims were as young as four years old.
The case came to light in March 2019, according to the filed plea agreement, when one of Pinson’s minor victims – then six years old – disclosed abuse at Pinson’s residence in Moses Lake. The ensuing investigation led to four more children disclosing years of sexual abuse by Pinson. Some of the victims described being photographed nude and in sexual poses and seeing these images on Pinson’s phone. Additional victims were identified when computer hard drives belonging to Pinson were forensically reviewed and found to contain child pornography produced by Pinson, in addition to child pornography Pinson obtained online. A safe in Pinson’s garage contained printed child pornography photographs, a baggie of one of his victim’s hair, and several pairs of used little girls’ underwear. Pinson’s DNA was matched to semen on the underwear.
“Crimes involving the sexual exploitation and abuse of minor children are the most reprehensible crimes,” said Serrano. “Pinson has proven over and over that he will harm a child he desires if given the chance, and the sentence today puts that to end. Our office is committed to working alongside our state and federal partners to seek justice for these victims, and I’m grateful for a sentence that removes Pinson from our community. My heart goes out to the victims and their families, but I hope the length of Pinson’s sentence helps them healing.”
“This defendant’s actions caused devastating harm to multiple victims, and today’s sentence reflects the seriousness of those crimes,” said Grant County Prosecuting Attorney Brandon Guernsey. “The Grant County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office takes crimes involving the victimization of children with the utmost seriousness, and we remain steadfast in our commitment to protecting the most vulnerable members of our community. Our office is grateful to see this defendant finally held accountable for the profound harm he inflicted on multiple victims. We appreciate the U.S. Attorney’s Office for taking on such a significant and challenging prosecution. The thorough investigation by the Moses Lake Police Department, Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) made this outcome possible, and we hope the victims can now begin the process of healing and moving forward.”
Captain Mike Williams, of the Moses Lake Police Department added, “While we are happy to close the book on the prosecution phase of this repugnant and tragic case, we are reminded that there are eight victims whose lives were irrevocably changed by this criminal. Our hope is that this sentence will bring some measure of peace to them. MLPD would like to thank our federal partners with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and United States Attorney's Office for their work on this case. The scope of the investigation was staggering, and with their help, all of the victims were able to have their voices heard.”
“This substantial prison sentence removed Pinson from our community where he can never again groom, exploit, or terrorize another child,” said Homeland Security Investigations Seattle Acting Special Agent in Charge April Miller. “HSI was able to bring this case to justice because brave young victims spoke up and our special agents, with assistance from Moses Lake Police Department and the Grant County Prosecutor’s Office, quickly stepped in to investigate without hesitation. We know that no sentence can erase the lifelong trauma these children carry, but HSI will stand with them—for as long as it takes—and we will not stop. HSI is unwavering in our mission to protect children, pursue predators like this repeat, dangerous sex offender and work with our communities to find, stop, and prosecute anyone who dares to harm a child.”
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 https://www.justice.gov/psc.
This case was investigated jointly by Homeland Security Investigations and the Moses Lake Police Department. Pinson was first prosecuted by the Grant County Prosecutor’s Office. This federal case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ann T. Wick.
Missouri Registered Sex Offender Charged with Attempted Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man was charged by criminal complaint in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City for attempting to produce child pornography while being required to register as a sex offender.
Addison Jones, 28, was charged with attempted production of child pornography and an additional charge for committing the crime while being required to register as a sex offender.
An affidavit filed with the complaint alleges that Jones communicated over the internet with a 10-year-old boy to attempt to obtain depictions of the minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct.
The charges contained in this complaint are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Teresa A. Moore. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
Mississippi Man Ordered to Pay $31 Million for Role in Healthcare Kickback SchemeRead the Press Release
Today, Acting United States Attorney Kevin Davidson announced that the United States has obtained a civil judgment against a Batesville, Mississippi man for his role in orchestrating a commission-based referral scheme targeting federal healthcare programs, in violation of the False Claims Act (FCA) and the Anti-Kickback Statute.
On March 16, 2026, a federal judge entered judgment against 67-year-old Robert L. Crites, the owner of Health Services Plus and TriCom, LLC, and a contractor of Extraordinary Scripts, Inc., in the amount of $31,039,134.82.
According to court records, Crites and others associated with Extraordinary Scripts participated in an illegal kickback scheme in which they identified and referred patients across the country to Cloverland Pharmacy in Montgomery, Alabama. Crites primarily recruited beneficiaries of TRICARE, the health care program for members of the U.S. military and their families. In turn, the pharmacy paid Crites and his co-conspirators kickbacks for each referral.
The Anti-Kickback Statute prohibits the offering, paying, soliciting, or receiving of compensation to induce referrals for items or services reimbursable by federally funded healthcare programs. The statute is designed to safeguard medical decision-making by ensuring that patient care is not influenced by improper financial incentives.
The $31,039,134.82 judgment against Crite includes $16,342,424.82 in damages — which is three times the $5,447,474.94 in losses sustained by TRICARE — as required under the False Claims Act, as well as $14,696,710 in civil penalties imposed by the court. Crites was the last remaining defendant in the case. The United States previously settled with five other co-defendants named in the suit as well as others involved in a parallel civil forfeiture action.
This matter reflects the government’s ongoing commitment to combating healthcare fraud and protecting the integrity of federal healthcare programs. The False Claims Act remains one of the government’s most effective tools in this effort.
This case was investigated by the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Department of Health and Human Services-Office of Inspector General, and Federal Bureau of Investigation, and was handled for the United States by Assistant United States Attorney Stephen D. Wadsworth.
Milton Felon Indicted for Drug and Gun OffensesRead the Press Release
Penscaola, Florida – Terrell Ta’Quez Parker, 27, of Milton, Florida, has been indicted in federal court on one count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance involving more than 40 grams of a mixture and substance containing fentanyl and cocaine; and one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the charges.
Parker appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Zachary C. Bolitho for his initial appearance at the United States Courthouse in Pensacola, Florida. Trial is scheduled for April 20, 2026, in Pensacola before District Court Judge T. Kent Wetherell, II.
If convicted, Parker faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 5 years’ imprisonment and up to 40 years’ imprisonment on the possession with intent to distribute count; and up to 15 years’ imprisonment on the possession of a firearm by a convicted felon count.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jessica S. Etherton.
An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
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.
Mexican National Sentenced to 30 Months in Federal Prison for Illegally Reentering the United StatesRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – Marcos Jimeniz-Gonzalez (45) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Wendy W. Berger to 30 months in federal prison for illegal reentry by a previously removed alien. Jimeniz-Gonzalez pleaded guilty on December 11, 2025. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court records, Jimeniz-Gonzalez was found in the United States on April 13, 2025, after being arrested by local authorities for driving under the influence and operating a motor vehicle without a valid driver license. Prior to being found, Jimeniz-Gonzalez had been previously deported on multiple occasions between 2008 and 2020 and had not received permission from immigration authorities to reenter the United States. Additionally, Jimeniz-Gonzalez has a prior conviction for illegal entry into the United States and two prior convictions for illegal reentry into the United States. Following his arrest, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office notified Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), who checked ICE records and learned that Jimeniz-Gonzalez was a citizen of Mexico who had no legal authority to be in the United States. An additional check into the system established that Jimeniz-Gonzalez had entered the United States illegally on at least four prior occasions and had been deported.
This case was investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Removal Operations (ERO). It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Chuck Griffith.
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.
Methamphetamine Trafficker Convicted by Federal Jury in AmarilloRead the Press Release
A methamphetamine trafficker was convicted on March 18, 2026, by a federal jury in Amarillo, Texas, for his role in possessing and conspiring to distribute approximately $400,000 worth of methamphetamine, announced United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould.
Cameron Nesbitt, 33, of Lancaster, California, was indicted in late August 2025 for conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, after agents found almost 100 pounds of the drug in his rental vehicle during a traffic stop on August 2, 2025, in Oldham County, Texas, according to evidence at trial. In the two-day trial that began on March 17, 2026, jurors heard testimony from a handful of law enforcement witnesses and considered over 40 exhibits supporting the charges against Nesbitt.
“This defendant traveled in the Northern District of Texas with nearly a half-million dollars’ worth of methamphetamine in his vehicle,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould. “The astute work of DPS Troopers and DEA agents interrupted his plan to dump these dangerous drugs onto our streets, and the jury held him accountable. Credit to the AUSAs in my office for trying a fantastic case.”
“Traffickers who exploit North Texas as a distribution hub for moving dangerous drugs across the United States will face the full weight of federal law,” said Joseph B. Tucker, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Dallas Field Division. “The DEA, alongside our state and local law enforcement partners, remains steadfast in our commitment to disrupting these criminal networks and protecting the communities we serve.”
Testimony and other evidence at trial established that a drug interdiction DPS trooper on patrol the morning of Saturday, August 2, 2025, stopped the vehicle in which Nesbitt was a passenger for speeding. During his interactions with the driver and Nesbitt, the trooper noticed signs of drug trafficking, including: • The vehicle was rented in Lancaster, California, and had been rented by a third party; • The driver and Nesbitt informed the trooper that they were traveling from Lancaster to Atlanta to visit Nesbitt’s brother for a couple days, and gave conflicting stories about where they would be staying; • The vehicle had a lived-in look and had energy drinks scattered throughout the vehicle; • Both the driver and Nesbitt seemed very nervous.
Evidence at trial revealed that the rental car was also equipped with a dashcam mounted on the front and rear windshields, along with a receipt showing the camera was purchased from a Lancaster, California store the morning the vehicle was rented. Agents testified that during the traffic stop, a drug canine alerted on the vehicle for narcotics. During a subsequent search of the car, law enforcement agents found three duffle bags, one of which contained 15 bundles of methamphetamine. The duffle bag holding the large bundles of methamphetamine still had a store tag attached. The total weight of the methamphetamine was over 44 kilograms, or 97.26 pounds. Testimony at trial established that the methamphetamine’s street value in the Amarillo area would be at least $400,000. Prosecutors introduced photographs of the packaged methamphetamine during trial:
Govt. Ex. 10; photo of seized methamphetamine on top of rental car Govt. Ex. 34; photo of seized methamphetamine at the Oldham County Sheriff’s OfficeThe driver of the vehicle, Johian Scott, 34, also of Lancaster, California, was arrested with Nesbitt that day and indicted along with Nesbitt in late August 2025. Scott pled guilty in February this year to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine.
Nesbitt and Scott each face a minimum penalty of 10 years in federal prison and a maximum of life imprisonment. Scott is set for sentencing on June 30, 2026, and Nesbitt is set for sentencing on July 21, 2026. Both men will be sentenced before United States District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk who oversaw Nesbitt’s trial.
The Drug Enforcement Administration - Amarillo Resident Office, Texas Department of Public Safety, and Amarillo Police Department, with assistance from an investigator with the 47th Judicial District Attorney’s Office, handled the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ann Howey and Stephen Rancourt are prosecuting the case.
Meridian Man Pleads Guilty to Making a Bomb ThreatRead the Press Release
Jackson, MS – A Meridian man pleaded guilty on March 19, 2026, to the charge of threatening to unlawfully damage and destroy a building on the Choctaw Indian Reservation, announced U.S. Attorney Baxter Kruger of the Southern District of Mississippi and Gabriel Billie, Director of Choctaw Public Safety for the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians.
According to court documents, Joshua Mark Davis, 37, of Meridian, used a phone inside the Silver Star Hotel & Casino of the Pearl River Resort on the Choctaw Indian Reservation to make a bomb threat.
In May of 2022, a federal grand jury indicted Davis on the charge. Davis pleaded guilty to the charge and is scheduled to be sentenced on June 16, 2026. Davis faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Baxter Kruger commended the work of the Choctaw Police Department of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians, who investigated the case. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kevin J. Payne, Brian K. Burns, and Special Assistant United States Attorney Kalleigh McCoy.
Mendocino County Man Sentenced to 10.5 Years in Prison for Attempted Enticement of A Minor and Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – A Mendocino County resident was sentenced yesterday to 126 months in federal prison for attempting to coerce and entice a minor to engage in sexual activity and distribution and possession of child pornography. U.S. District Judge Jaqueline Scott Corley handed down the sentence.
Nathanial Alfonso Burke, 34, of Willits, Calif., was indicted by a federal grand jury on May 9, 2024, and pleaded guilty on July 9, 2025, to one count of attempted coercion and enticement of a minor, one count of distribution of child pornography, and one count of possession of child pornography. According to the plea agreement, between February 22, 2024, through April 25, 2024, Burke messaged individuals whom he believed to be a father and his 11-year-old daughter, sending sexually explicit messages and child pornography via messaging applications. He eventually arranged a meeting with the father and 11-year-old to engage in sexual acts. Burke was arrested by law enforcement upon his arrival at the meet-up location with condoms in his pocket.
United States Attorney Craig H. Missakian and FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge Matt Cobo made the announcement.
Burke has been in custody since April 2024. He will begin serving his prison term immediately. In addition to the prison term, Judge Corley also ordered Burke to serve 15 years of supervised release which will begin after his term of imprisonment.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sara E. Henderson is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Soana Katoa. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI with assistance from the Willits Police Department and Rohnert Park Department of Public Safety.
Maximiliano Davila Perez, Former Director of Bolivia’s National Anti-Narcotics Agency, Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison for Conspiring to Import Cocaine and Related Firearms OffenseRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, and Administrator of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”), Terrance Cole, announced that MAXIMILIANO DAVILA PEREZ was sentenced today to 25 years in prison for participating in a cocaine-importation conspiracy and a related weapons offense. DAVILA PEREZ is the former director of Bolivia’s chief anti-narcotics law enforcement agency, Fuerza Especial de Lucha Contra el Narcotráfico (“FELCN”) and was extradited to the United States from Bolivia in December 2024. Davila Perez was convicted on October 23, 2025, following a one-week jury trial before U.S. District Judge Denise L. Cote, who imposed today’s sentence.
“Maximiliano Davila Perez wielded extraordinary power as Bolivia’s top counternarcotics officer and chose to abuse that power to support the very drug traffickers he was sworn to investigate, all to send massive quantities of cocaine to New York,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “Now, because of Davila Perez’s corruption and brazen attempt to flood our streets with cocaine, he will spend 25 years in federal prison. Our Office, alongside our partners at the DEA’s Special Operations Division, will continue to root out high-level narco-corruption around the globe that threatens our country and New Yorkers.”
“Betrayal of public trust by a law enforcement official is a complete abandonment of the oath they swore to uphold,” said DEA Administrator Terrance Cole. “Maximiliano Dávila Pérez turned his office into a criminal enterprise—protecting traffickers, ensuring the movement of cocaine, and directly enabling the flow of drugs into the United States. His actions fueled violence, corruption, and addiction. Today’s sentence makes clear that no badge, no title, and no position will shield those who choose crime over duty. DEA will identify, expose, and bring to justice anyone who abuses power to traffic drugs into our communities, wherever they operate.”
As reflected in the Superseding Indictment, other filings in Manhattan federal court, evidence at trial, and statements made in court proceedings:
Between approximately February 2019 and November 2019, while DAVILA PEREZ served as the Director of FELCN, and thereafter, he exploited his office and his powerful political and law enforcement connections to facilitate massive, international-scale cocaine trafficking. DAVILA PEREZ’s methods included both diverting law enforcement from investigating favored cocaine traffickers and providing heavily armed FELCN personnel as security for cocaine shipments leaving Bolivian airports. DAVILA PEREZ conspired with others to manufacture, ship, and provide armed protection for more than one metric ton of cocaine destined for the United States, and specifically, for New York.
DAVILA PEREZ did so during meetings and calls with his co-conspirators that were recorded by DEA confidential sources (the “CSes”) who also participated between approximately 2019 and 2020. Those meetings and calls resulted in the arrangement of a 10-kilogram sample of cocaine, authorized by DAVILA PEREZ, to be provided to the CSes in Lima, Peru, in December 2019. Throughout the conspiracy, DAVILA PEREZ repeatedly emphasized his willingness to participate in and provide protection for a shipment of over one ton of cocaine leaving Bolivia and transiting through the Dominican Republic before ultimately reaching New York.
DAVILA PEREZ made explicit his plans to facilitate that shipment. During recorded calls and meetings, DAVILA PEREZ suggested certain airports where he controlled airport security and could divert FELCN personnel to ensure a plane would successfully be loaded with cocaine. Specifically, DAVILA PEREZ said that on the day of the cocaine shipment, he would carry out an operation elsewhere and “take out everyone,” that is, ensure no investigative or operational FELCN personnel were available to interfere with the drug plot. He also committed to sending certain FELCN agents to guard the plane with their standard issue firearms—high-powered machineguns— as it was loaded with cocaine. DAVILA PEREZ also made explicit that he intended to profit from this cocaine deal, telling one of the CSes on a recording that “you are also going to profit, I am going to win too.” As the plot progressed over several months, DAVILA PEREZ continued to assure his co-conspirators and the CSes that he would arrange for the armed protection of the cocaine shipment so that it could safely leave Bolivia. And DAVILA PEREZ made clear that he had no regard for the fact that the cocaine was destined for the United States, telling a co-conspirator that he did not “give a shit,” because “the important thing is that the plane should take off and that we receive our money.”
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In addition to the prison term, DAVILA PEREZ, 62, was sentenced to five years of supervised release.
Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding efforts of the DEA’s Special Operations Division Bilateral Investigations Unit, as well as the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs.
This case is being handled by the Office’s National Security and International Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew J.C. Hellman, David J. Robles, and Chelsea L. Scism are in charge of the prosecution.