Latest Records
Newest first across public DOJ and U.S. Attorney press releases.
Wednesday 4 February 2026
Albany County Man and Alleged Member of Nihilistic Violent Extremist Organization 764 Charged with Receiving Child PornographyRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Aaron Corey, a.k.a. “Baggeth,” of Albany, New York, appeared in federal court on February 3, 2025, after being charged with receiving child pornography. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, Federal Bureau of Investigation Co-Deputy Director Christopher Raia, Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III, and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office for the FBI, made the announcement.
According to the criminal complaint, between October and December 2025, Corey received video and image files depicting pre-pubescent minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct via the Internet.
The complaint also alleges that Corey is a member of “764,” a criminal organization of Nihilistic Violent Extremists operating within the United States and abroad. Those involved with the 764 network methodically target vulnerable, underage populations by using social media to encourage the possession, production, and sharing of extreme gore media and child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Members of 764 seek to desensitize young people to violence and break down societal norms regarding it. They normalize the possession, production, and sharing of explicit CSAM and gore material to corrupt and groom their victims toward future violence, gain notoriety among other members of the network, and spread fear for the purpose of accelerating chaos with an aim toward the disruption of society.
“The 764 network is a depraved criminal group that exploits vulnerable children and revels in their abuse,” said Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche. “The very serious crimes alleged in this indictment will be aggressively prosecuted until justice is served, as the Justice Department and federal partners continue efforts to take down this violent extremist network.”
“Aaron Corey, an alleged member of the nihilistic violent extremist group 764, has been charged today for allegedly receiving sexually explicit content of minors via the Internet. Preying on our nation’s children, who are among the most vulnerable members of society, is beyond comprehension,” said FBI Co-Deputy Director Christopher Raia. “The FBI won’t tolerate these heinous acts and remains determined to stop these predators in their tracks. Along with our law enforcement partners, the dangerous criminals involved with the atrocious activities of violent online networks will be held accountable.”
“Let this send a warning to anyone engaged in any conduct that involves assaulting children: You eventually will be caught and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” said Acting U.S. Attorney John A. Sarcone III. “I thank the FBI and the New York State Police for their hard work and the sacrifices they make to keep our communities safe.”
FBI Special Agent in Charge Craig L. Tremaroli stated: “The allegations against Mr. Corey are inexcusable and deeply depraved. The FBI is steadfast in our mission to collaborate with our law enforcement partners at every level across the country and overseas to identify, investigate, and bring to justice any criminal associated with this disturbing network that aims to manipulate our children into harming themselves. While this dangerous activity happens online, these predators cannot hide from the FBI and will be held accountable.”
The charge filed against Corey carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years in prison, a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of at least 5 years and up to life. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute(s) the defendant is convicted of violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
Corey had an initial appearance yesterday in Albany, New York, before United States Magistrate Judge Daniel J. Stewart, and was ordered detained pending a detention hearing. The detention hearing is scheduled for February 5, 2026.
The FBI is investigating the case with assistance from the New York State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Wentworth-Ping is prosecuting the case.
Project Safe Childhood is a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (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.
The charges in the complaint are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
###
Activity in the U.S. Attorney's OfficeRead the Press Release
Firearm Offenses
Milton Robert Petersen, 55, of Pavillion, Wyoming, was sentenced to 70 months’ imprisonment with three years of supervised release for being a felon in possession of firearms. According to court documents, on March 13, 2025, officers executing a search warrant at Petersen’s residence found him, along with two rifles, in a camper trailer on the property. Petersen, a multiple-time convicted felon, is prohibited from lawfully possessing firearms and admitted to the presence of numerous firearms on the premises. In total, law enforcement seized approximately 57 firearms during the search. The case was investigated by agents of the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation and the FBI Rocky Mountain Safe Trails Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy W. Gist prosecuted the case. Petersen was indicted on July 16, 2025, and pleaded guilty on Oct. 30, 2025. U.S. District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson imposed the sentence on Jan. 21 in Cheyenne. Case No. 25-CR-00109
Robert Dean Campbell, 50, of Cheyenne, Wyoming, was sentenced to 18 months in prison and two years of supervised release for being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents, Campbell was sentenced in 2009 for possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. He violated his terms of supervised release in 2021 and absconded from supervision. On Aug. 15, 2024, the U.S. Marshals Service located Campbell at his girlfriend’s camper in Cheyenne and arrested him on a warrant. Officers located a Ruger 9mm pistol in the camper, which he possessed. The Cheyenne Police Department and the U.S. Marshals Service investigated the crime. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paige Hammer prosecuted the case. Campbell was indicted on July 16, 2025, and pleaded guilty on Nov. 10, 2025. Chief U.S. District Judge Kelly H. Rankin imposed the sentence on Jan. 30 in Cheyenne.
Drug and Firearm Offenses
Jason Arnold Rohrich, 49, of Rapid City, South Dakota, was sentenced to 135 months’ imprisonment with 3 years of supervised release for being a felon in possession of a firearm, to run concurrently with his sentence in Case No. 25-CR-00145 (below). According to court documents, on Sept. 11, 2024, the Wyoming Highway Patrol conducted a traffic stop on the defendant, who admitted his driver’s license was suspended and that he had a large sum of cash in the center console. While securing the cash, a trooper discovered a baggie of methamphetamine on the floorboard. The Uinta County Sheriff’s Office assisted with the search, during which deputies found additional baggies of methamphetamine hidden in secret compartments inside stainless steel cups, along with a semi-automatic pistol. Rohrich is a convicted felon and prohibited from possessing a firearm. Case No. 25-CR-00049
In a superseding indictment, Jason Arnold Rohrich, was also sentenced to180 months’ imprisonment with 10 years of supervised release for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, to run concurrently to the above sentence. According to court documents in that case, on Oct. 3, 2024, the Idaho State Police conducted a traffic stop on I-15. Again, Rohrich admitted his driver’s license was suspended and while he was trying to obtain other documents, the trooper noticed he was unable to control his body movements or sit still. After being arrested for suspicion of a DUI, Rohrich admitted he had a few thousand dollars’ worth of methamphetamine in the vehicle. Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office arrived on scene and deployed his K9. During the search of the car several pounds of methamphetamine were found in a box behind the driver’s seat, several small baggies were found near the methamphetamine along with a .45 caliber Glock 21. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christyne M. Martens prosecuted the case. Rohrich was indicted in both cases on Jan. 28, 2025, and pleaded guilty on Oct. 21, 2025. U.S. District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson imposed the sentence on Jan. 23 in Cheyenne. Case No. Case No. 25-CR-00049 and 25-CR-00145
Tyler L. Riser, 32, of Riverton, Wyoming, was sentenced on three criminal offense counts to 41 months’ imprisonment for distribution and conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, and a consecutive 60 months for possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Five years of supervised release, per count, was also imposed to run concurrently. Following an investigation into drug trafficking on the Wind River Indian Reservation, Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) agents arrested Riser at his residence on February 25, 2025. A search warrant led to the seizure of seven firearms, ammunition, $2,334 in cash, approximately 21 grams of methamphetamine with packaging, and drug paraphernalia. Agents with the DCI and the FBI Rocky Mountain Safe Trails Task Force investigated the crime. Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy W. Gist prosecuted the case. Riser was indicted on March 20, 2025, and pleaded guilty on May 16, 2025. U.S. District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl imposed the sentence on Jan. 28 in Casper. Case No. 25-CR-00053
Illegal Re-Entry of a Previously Deported Alien
Juan Pedro Rangel-Ventura, 25, of Jalisco, Mexico, was sentenced to time served plus 10 days to allow for deportation proceedings for illegal re-entry of a previously deported alien. According to court documents, on June 15, 2025, ICE located the defendant at the Sublette County Jail in Pinedale for a state offense. Based on the defendant’s fingerprints, ICE determined he had previously been removed from the U.S. and had not applied for permission to reenter after being formally removed in November 2022. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron J. Cook prosecuted the case. Chief U.S. District Court Judge Kelly H. Rankin imposed the sentence on Jan. 20 in Cheyenne. Case No. 25-CR-00172About the United States Attorney’s Office
The United States Attorney’s Office is responsible for representing the federal government in virtually all litigation involving the United States in the District of Wyoming, including all criminal prosecutions for violations of federal law, civil lawsuits brought by or against the government, and actions to collect judgments and restitution on behalf of victims and taxpayers. The Office is involved in several programs designed to make our communities safer. They include:
Project Safe Childhood
Project Safe Childhood (PSC) is a DOJ initiative that combats the proliferation of technology-facilitated sexual exploitation crimes against children. The threat of sexual predators soliciting children for sexual contact is well-known and serious.
Operation Take Back America
Operation Take Back America is 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. It also streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).Victim Witness Program
The Victim Witness Coordinator for the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Wyoming is dedicated to ensuring victims of federal crimes and their family members are treated with compassion, fairness, and respect.
Tuesday 3 February 2026
“Incognito Market” Owner Sentenced to 30 Years for Operating One of the World’s Largest Online Narcotics MarketplacesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, announced that RUI-SIANG LIN was sentenced to 30 years in prison for conspiring to distribute narcotics, money laundering, and conspiring to sell adulterated and misbranded medication, in connection with LIN’s ownership and operation of the Incognito Market, an online narcotics marketplace that sold more than one ton of narcotics before its closure in March 2024. On December 16, 2024, LIN pled guilty before U.S. District Judge Colleen McMahon, who imposed today’s sentence.
“Rui-Siang Lin was one of the world’s most prolific drug traffickers, using the internet to sell more than $105 million of illegal drugs throughout this country and across the globe,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “While Lin made millions, his offenses had devastating consequences. He is responsible for at least one tragic death, and he exacerbated the opioid crisis and caused misery for more than 470,000 narcotics users and their families. Today’s sentence puts traffickers on notice: you cannot hide in the shadows of the Internet. And our larger message is simple: the internet, ‘decentralization,’ ‘blockchain’—any technology—is not a license to operate a narcotics distribution business.”
According to court documents and the evidence presented in connection with today’s sentencing:
Incognito Market was an online narcotics bazaar that existed on the dark web. Incognito Market formed in October 2020. Since that time, and through its closing in March 2024, Incognito Market sold more than $105 million of narcotics—including more than 1,000 kilograms of cocaine, over 1,000 kilograms of methamphetamines, hundreds of kilograms of other narcotics, and more than 4 kilograms of purported “oxycodone,” some of which were laced with fentanyl. Incognito Market was available globally to anyone with internet access and could be accessed using the Tor web browser on the “dark web” or “darknet.” LIN operated the Incognito market under the online pseudonym “Pharaoh.” As “Pharaoh”—the leader of Incognito market—LIN supervised all of its operations, including its employees, vendors, and customers, and had ultimate decision-making authority over every aspect of the multimillion-dollar operation.
Incognito Market was designed to foster seamless narcotics transactions across the internet and the world, and incorporated many features of legitimate e-commerce sites such as branding, advertising, and customer service. Upon visiting the site, users were met by a splash page and graphic interface, which is pictured below:
After logging in with a unique username and password, users were able to search thousands of listings for narcotics of their choice. Incognito Market sold illegal narcotics and misbranded prescription medication, including heroin, cocaine, LSD, MDMA, oxycodone, methamphetamines, ketamine, and alprazolam. An example of listings on Incognito Market is below:
Each listing on Incognito Market was sold by a particular vendor. To become an Incognito Market vendor, each vendor was required to register with the site and pay an admission fee. In exchange for listing and selling narcotics as a vendor on Incognito Market, each vendor paid 5% of the purchase price of every narcotic sold to Incognito Market. That revenue funded Incognito Market’s operations, including paying “employee” salaries and for computer servers. LIN collected more than $6 million in profits from Incognito. To facilitate these financial transactions, Incognito Market had its own “bank” (the “Incognito Bank”), which allowed its users to deposit cryptocurrency on the site into their own “bank accounts.” After a narcotics transaction was completed, cryptocurrency from the buyer’s “bank account” was transferred to the seller’s “bank account,” less the 5% fee that Incognito collected. The bank enabled buyers and sellers to stay anonymous from each other. The bank’s graphic interface is pictured below:
LIN was a founding member of the Incognito Market in October 2020, and led the site as of approximately January 2022, until LIN closed it in March 2024. LIN ran the site while based in, among other places, St. Lucia. Remarkably, while LIN was managing Incognito, he led a four-day training for St. Lucian police officers about “Cybercrime and Cryptocurrency,” which he bragged about on his personal Facebook page.
Due to LIN’s leadership and sophisticated computer coding abilities, the Incognito Market grew its customer base to more than 400,000 buyer accounts. Those hundreds of thousands of buyers were serviced by more than 1,800 narcotics “vendors,” many of which were serious drug traffickers in their own right. In total, Lin’s Incognito Market facilitated more than 640,000 individual narcotics transactions.
On January 22, 2022, Lin announced a new Incognito policy that explicitly permitted its vendors to sell opiates on the site. As a result, Incognito listings included offerings of prescription medication that was advertised as being authentic but was not. For example, in November 2023, an undercover law enforcement agent received several tablets that purported to be “oxycodone,” which were purchased on Incognito Market. Testing on those tablets revealed that they were not authentic oxycodone at all and were, in fact, fentanyl pills. Tragically, on September 13, 2022, a 27-year-old from Arkansas died from consuming purported “oxycodone” that he purchased on the Incognito Market. That “oxycodone” was laced with fentanyl.
In March 2024, Lin closed Incognito by stealing at least $1 million that its users had on deposit in the Incognito Bank. In addition, Lin attempted to extort his coconspirators. LIN demanded that the Incognito buyers and vendors pay him, or he would publish their user history and cryptocurrency addresses online. In a posting on the Incognito site, LIN wrote “YES, THIS IS AN EXTORTION!!!,” as depicted below.
In imposing the sentence, Judge McMahon stated to the defendant that Incognito Market was “a business that made [him] a drug kingpin," and that this was the “most serious drug crime I have ever been confronted with in 27.5 years.”
* * *
In addition to the prison term, LIN, 24, of Taiwan, was sentenced to five years of supervised release and $105,045,109.67 in forfeiture.
Mr. Clayton praised the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York City Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, Drug Enforcement Administration, Food and Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigations, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad.
The case is being handled by the Office’s Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ryan B. Finkel and Nicholas Chiuchiolo are in charge of the prosecution.
Western District of Texas Exceeds 12,000 Immigration Cases in Administration’s First YearRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO – United States Attorney for the Western District of Texas Justin R. Simmons announced today that the district prosecuted 11,542 border security cases and defended 652 civil immigration cases in 2025.
“In the first year of this administration, the Western District of Texas has worked tirelessly to prosecute thousands of cases that directly support border security and public safety, achieving strong and meaningful outcomes across a wide range of offenses,” said U.S. Attorney Simmons. “Through Operation Take Back America, our prosecutors have partnered with the U.S. Border Patrol, ICE and Homeland Security Investigations, the DEA, the FBI, and our state and local law enforcement partners, targeting violent offenders, human smugglers, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten our communities and way of life. The many cases prosecuted last year in the Western District reflect our commitment to enforcing federal law, restoring order at the border, and ensuring that those who exploit or endanger others are held accountable in court.”
Among the prosecutions, Maria Del Rosario Navarro-Sanchez was indicted as the first Mexican national charged with providing material support to a designated Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO). According to court documents, Navarro-Sanchez conspired with others to provide and attempted to provide grenades to the Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generacion (CJNG). The indictment also alleged that Navarro-Sanchez engaged in alien smuggling, firearms trafficking, bulk cash smuggling, and narcotics trafficking on behalf of CJNG.
On Jan. 20, 2025, President Trump directed the Justice Department and other agencies to pursue the total elimination of Mexican drug cartels and transnational criminal organizations because of the serious threat they pose to the United States and the security and stability of the U.S. border with Mexico. On Feb. 20, the U.S. Department of State announced the designation of eight international cartels, including CJNG, as FTOs and specially designated global terrorists. These designations allow prosecutors to bring much stronger criminal charges in the ongoing effort to maintain the security of our nation’s borders.
The case against Navarro-Sanchez is being investigated and prosecuted by the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) as part of Operation Take Back America. HSTFs, which were established by President Trump in Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion, are led by the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security. Operation Take Back America is a nationwide federal 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.
In San Antonio, two convicted human smugglers were tried and sentenced in a federal court for their prominent roles in the 2022 mass casualty human smuggling conspiracy that resulted in the deaths of 47 adults and six children. Felipe Orduna-Torres and Armando Gonzales-Ortega were sentenced to life in prison and 1,050 months in prison, respectively, after being found guilty by a federal jury for transportation of aliens within the U.S. resulting in death, causing serious bodily injury, and placing lives in jeopardy.
Five other defendants in this case have pleaded guilty for their involvement in the smuggling event. Homero Zamorano Jr. is scheduled to be sentenced Feb. 18; Riley Covarrubias-Ponce is scheduled to be sentenced Feb. 26; Christian Martinez is scheduled to be sentenced on March 5; and Luis Alberto Rivera-Leal is scheduled to be sentenced on April 2. Juan Francisco D’Luna Bilbao, indicted separately, is scheduled to be sentenced March 26.
In a related case, Rigoberto Ramon Miranda-Orozco, who was extradited from Guatemala, allegedly worked with the human smuggling organization (HSO) to smuggle aliens into the U.S. on the same fatal journey orchestrated by Orduna-Torres and his co-conspirators. Miranda-Orozco is in custody and awaiting trial.
In El Paso, Manuel Valenzuela, a lawful permanent resident, pleaded guilty in federal court to four charges related to his role in a scheme to smuggle children from Mexico into the U.S.
According to court documents, members of an alien smuggling organization brought unaccompanied alien children between the ages of five and 13 illegally into the U.S. from Juarez, Mexico, sometimes using candy laced with THC to sedate them during smuggling events. The drivers and their coconspirators would then present U.S. documents to inspecting officers, falsely claiming the documents belonged to the children, and that they were the parents of the children. Once inside the United States, the children were then transported to El Paso. During one smuggling event, one of the children was taken to a local hospital and diagnosed with THC poisoning.
Valenzuela was specifically responsible for picking up the children after they were smuggled into the country and providing payment to the drivers. Valenzuela was arrested on Aug. 30 with co-defendant Dianne Guadian, a U.S. citizen. Valenzuela, Guadian, and two additional co-defendants, Mexican nationals Susana Guadian and Daniel Guadian, were charged in a five-count indictment on Sept. 24.
These investigations and prosecutions are the result of the coordinated efforts of Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA). JTFA, which is primarily tasked with combating high-impact human smuggling and trafficking committed by cartels and Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs), is a highly successful partnership between the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). JTFA investigates and prosecutes human smuggling and trafficking and related immigration crimes that impact public safety and border security. JTFA’s mission is to target the leaders and organizers of Cartels and TCOs involved in human smuggling and trafficking throughout the Americas. The Attorney General has elevated and expanded JTFA to target the most prolific and dangerous human smuggling and trafficking groups operating not only in Mexico and the Northern Triangle countries of Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras, but also in Canada, the Caribbean and the maritime border, and elsewhere. Led by the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and supported by the Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section, the Office of International Affairs, and the Office of Enforcement Operations, among others, JTFA has dedicated Assistant U.S. Attorney-detailees from the Southern District of California; District of Arizona; District of New Mexico; Western and Southern Districts of Texas; Southern District of Florida; Northern District of New York; and District of Vermont. JTFA also partners with other USAOs throughout the country and supports high-priority cases in any district. All JTFA cases rely on substantial law enforcement resources from DHS, including ICE HSI and U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) Border Patrol and Office of Field Operations, as well as FBI and other law enforcement agencies. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 435 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of alien smuggling and/or trafficking; more than 385 U.S. convictions; more than 330 significant jail sentences imposed, and forfeitures of substantial assets.
###
Warm Springs Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Federal Prison for Sexually Abusing Two MinorsRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—A Warm Springs, Oregon, man was sentenced to federal prison today for sexually abusing two minors on the Warm Springs Indian Reservation.
Harold Charley, 39, was sentenced to 240 months in federal prison and a lifetime term of supervised release.
According to court documents, in January 2024, Charley, a prior sex offender, engaged in sexual abusive contact with two minor victims between the ages of 12 and 16 over the course of several weeks on the Warm Springs Indian Reservation.
On September 23, 2025, Charley was charged by superseding information with two counts of abusive sexual contact.
On October 7, 2025, Charley pleaded guilty to two counts of abusive sexual contact.
This case was investigated by the FBI with assistance from the Warm Springs Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Pamela Paaso.
This case was brought in collaboration with Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Virginia Sex Offender Sentenced to 22 Years for Subsequent Distribution of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
A Virginia man was sentenced today to 22 years in prison and a lifetime of supervised release for distributing and possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) while on supervised release for almost identical behavior.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial in April 2024, a Kik (mobile messaging platform) user whose username identified himself as someone who loved little girls was reported to be distributing CSAM. Further investigation revealed that the user was Antonio Rudy Gonzalez, 41, of Alexandria, Virginia. Gonzalez requested and distributed images of children, including toddlers, engaged in sexually explicit conduct to multiple other Kik users. In his messages, Gonzalez indicated that he was “only into kids.” In 2013, Mr. Gonzalez had previously been convicted in the Eastern District of Virginia of distribution of child pornography. His then Kik username was nearly identical to the one used in 2024, and he advertised himself as being interested in “little girls, rape, incest, teens.”
Following a bench trial in September 2025, Gonzalez was convicted on two counts of distribution of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography for his 2024 conduct. As a result of his prior conviction, the defendant was subject to a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison.
Trial Attorney Nadia Prinz of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Vanessa Strobbe for the Eastern District of Virginia are prosecuting the case.
The FBI Washington Field Office investigated the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.justice.gov/psc.
U.S. Department of Justice Announces Compensation Process for Victims of Chinese Liberal Education Holdings Ltd. (CLEU) Investment Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Today the Department of Justice announced the launch of the CLEU remission fund to compensate victims of an alleged “pump-and-dump” investment fraud scheme that resulted in charges against seven individuals.
“This was a coordinated act of both social and market manipulation,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The defendants allegedly made millions by setting a trap for unsuspecting investors, many of whom lost their life savings. Today’s announcement demonstrates the Department’s commitment to use forfeiture remedies to take the profit out of crime and to compensate victims as quickly as possible.”
“As alleged in the indictment and forfeiture complaint, the defendants defrauded U.S. investors through deceitful and coordinated trading activities,” said U.S. Attorney Andrew S. Boutros for the Northern District of Illinois. “Our attorneys and staff in this case placed a high priority on recovering funds for victims. The large forfeiture order of more than $200 million should serve as a warning that federal law enforcement will aggressively pursue fraudulent profits from those who seek to prey upon investors by manipulating the U.S. stock market.”
“Despite the overwhelming manipulation as alleged in this case, this serves as one of the premier FBI investigations in which the federal government was able to successfully recover victims’ hard-earned money before it disappeared into overseas bank accounts,” said Special Agent in Charge Douglas S. DePodesta of the FBI Chicago Field Office. “This elaborate fraud scheme boasting bogus profit potentials has caused extensive harm to unsuspecting Americans. The FBI will continue to work with our partner networks to ensure that justice is served against anyone who seeks to weaponize financial systems to gain personal profit.”
According to the allegations in a March 2025 indictment in the Northern District of Illinois, from Nov. 2024 to Feb. 2025, seven individuals allegedly engaged in a “pump-and-dump” scheme whereby individuals in China posing as U.S.-based investment advisors on social media and messaging platforms falsely promised significant returns from investments in CLEU, a company that purported to provide educational services in China. The false and misleading promotion and coordinated trading caused the NASDAQ-listed stock price to artificially rise. The defendants then sold thousands of shares and made millions in profits. The stock price ultimately decreased significantly, at the expense of other investors, some of whom lost almost the entirety of their investment. CLEU has since been delisted from NASDAQ. The defendants are not in custody and warrants have been issued for their arrests.
In May 2025, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois civilly forfeited over $200 million in assets traceable to the CLEU scheme. These funds are now available to compensate victims for their eligible losses. The department has retained Kroll Settlement Administration (Kroll) to serve as the Remission Administrator for this matter.
Victims who incurred financial losses related to the CLEU scheme may be eligible for remission payments from the forfeited assets. The Remission Administrator has established an official website at https://www.CLEUremissionfund.com/. Once the Petition Form is made available online, those individuals, their attorneys or estates of deceased victims may file a petition to claim their losses. Any victims who have previously provided their information to the FBI or United States Attorney’s Office will be contacted by the Remission Administrator to file a petition. Victims may also call, email or write to the Remission Administrator to request that a Petition Form be sent to them. For more information about the remission process, please visit the official website at https://www.CLEUremissionfund.com/ or contact Kroll at 1-833-754-8247 toll-free.
Special Agent Joseph Holzman and Victim Specialist Amanda Zarobsky of the FBI spearheaded the investigation and identification of thousands of victims. The Boston Regional Office of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the SEC’s Office of Inspector General provided valuable assistance.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jared Hasten for the Northern District of Illinois represents the government in both the criminal prosecution and civil forfeiture cases with valuable assistance from the office’s victim witness coordinator, Celia Mendoza.
The Department of Justice, through the Asset Forfeiture Program, works diligently to compensate victims of crime. Since 2000, the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section (MNF), which oversees the Asset Forfeiture Program’s victim compensation program, has successfully used its specialized expertise to return more than $12 billion in forfeited assets to victims of crime. MNF Senior Attorney Advisor Carly Diroll-Black with MNF’s Program Management and Training Unit is leading the remission process.
The Remission Administrator and the Department of Justice will not ask for any payment to participate in this remission process. Please be cautious of any individual or organization claiming to represent the Remission Administrator or the federal government in this matter. If you are a victim, any communications will come directly from the Remission Administrator or from government representatives with whom you have already had contact.
PSA: FBI Warns of the Impersonation of Law Enforcement and Government Officials https://www.ic3.gov/PSA/2025/PSA250418
How To Avoid a Government Impersonation Scam https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/how-avoid-government-impersonation-scam
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Two men sentenced for kidnapping and human smuggling schemeRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Two Guatemalan nationals were sentenced to prison for orchestrating a ransom scheme in which they held 11 undocumented immigrants captive residence and extorted their families under threats of violence and cartel retaliation.
There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court records, the FBI received a kidnapping complaint on March 1, 2025, alleging that the family of an undocumented immigrant was being extorted for ransom under threats of violence and cartel involvement. Agents traced the ransom calls to a residence in southwest Albuquerque and executed a search warrant.
Inside the home, agents discovered 11 undocumented immigrants from Guatemala, including one unaccompanied minor. They also recovered more than 20 cell phones and a ledger documenting smuggling activity. Two Guatemalan nationals, Isaias David Jose and Tomas Mateo Gaspar, were identified as the captors. Victims reported that Jose and Gaspar locked them in rooms, confiscated their shoes and phones, and threatened them with violence.
Jose and Gaspar subsequently pled guilty to conspiracy to transport and harbor illegal aliens. Jose was sentenced to 22 months in prison, and Gaspar was sentenced to 18 months in prison. Upon their release from custody, both will be subject to deportation.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Department of Homeland Security. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Mysliwiec is prosecuting the case as 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.
Two Defendants Plead Guilty to Fentanyl and Methamphetamine Trafficking ChargesRead the Press Release
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. - A resident of Claysburg, Pennsylvania, and a resident of Reading, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of violating federal narcotics laws, United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
Derek Hunter, 34, of Claysburg pleaded guilty before United States District Judge Stephanie L. Haines on February 2, 2026, and John Rickenbach Jr., 44, of Reading pleaded guilty before Judge Haines on January 28, 2026.
In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, from in and around June 2024 to in and around August 2024, in the Western District of Pennsylvania, Rickenbach and Hunter conspired to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of a mixture of fentanyl and 50 grams or more of a mixture of methamphetamine Further, in and around August 2024, Rickenbach and Hunter distributed and possessed with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture of methamphetamine, with Rickenbach also possessing with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of a mixture of fentanyl.
Judge Haines scheduled sentencings for May 27, 2026, for Rickenbach and June 5, 2026, for Hunter. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not less than five years and up to 40 years in prison, a fine of up to $5 million, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendants.
The guilty pleas follow those of co-defendants Kayla Rickenbach and Angel Diaz-Gibson Jr., who each pleaded guilty on January 5, 2026.
Assistant United States Attorney Maureen Sheehan-Balchon is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Laurel Highlands Resident Agency and the Pennsylvania State Police conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of the defendants.
Two Defendants Charged with the Fentanyl Poisoning of A Four-Year-Old in BrooklynRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Task Force Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”), Christopher Roberts, and the Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), Jessica S. Tisch, announced today the unsealing of an Indictment charging AHUVA KATZIN and YITZCHOK SKLAR, a/k/a “Isak Sklar,” with conspiracy to distribute narcotics resulting in death in connection with the poisoning of SKLAR’s four-year-old child in Brooklyn on March 4, 2025. KATZIN and SKLAR were arrested today, and SKLAR will be presented today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Gabriel W. Gorenstein. KATZIN will be presented tomorrow before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robyn F. Tarnofsky. The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Rochon.
“As alleged, Ahuva Katzin and Yitzchok Sklar sold drugs that caused the tragic death of Sklar’s own child,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “Instead of stopping, they allegedly continued to distribute fentanyl and other dangerous drugs across New York. There are no good outcomes for deadly fentanyl in and around our city, and New Yorkers want it gone. This Office will hold accountable those who distribute poison in our communities and will seek justice for the victims of these devastating crimes.”
“Once again, we are forced to confront the reckless disregard for human life shown by those who allegedly traffic fentanyl and other illicit narcotics” said DEA New York Task Force Division Special Agent in Charge Christopher Roberts. “This case reminds us of the danger that fentanyl presents, especially when our most vulnerable, our children, are exposed to it. A four-year-old’s home is the last place fentanyl should ever be. This is a senseless tragedy, as is any loss of life from illicit narcotics, and we will continue to work alongside our law enforcement partners to ensure justice is delivered.”
“Ahuva Katzin and Yitzchok Sklar have been indicted for their roles in a drug distribution conspiracy that led to the heartbreaking death of a four-year-old,” said NYPD Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch. “This case shows the NYPD’s continued commitment to getting deadly drugs out of our communities and going after the individuals who put our families—and their own—in harm’s way. I would like to thank our NYPD investigators and our partners at the Drug Enforcement Agency and at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their work on this case and ensuring accountability for this devastating loss.”
As alleged in the Indictment, other public filings, and statements made in public court proceedings:[1]
From at least in or about 2023 through at least in or about 2025, KATZIN and SKLAR conspired to distribute fentanyl, para-fluorofentanyl, heroin, and methamphetamine in New York City. On March 4, 2025, exposure to the fentanyl and para-fluorofentanyl distributed by KATZIN and SKLAR caused the death of SKLAR’s four-year-old boy who had been residing with his mother and SKLAR in an apartment in Brooklyn.
On the morning of March 4, 2025, after calling an ambulance service to report that the boy was experiencing a medical emergency, SKLAR attempted to hide his narcotics. Video surveillance footage captured SKLAR leaving his dying child in the apartment while running out with a black bag and returning moments later without the bag. The bag was later recovered from a nearby car rented by SKLAR and found to contain, among other things, fentanyl, para-fluorofentanyl, and heroin. A screenshot of SKLAR running out with the bag of drugs and a photo of the drugs later recovered by law enforcement officers are included below:
Following the boy’s death, KATZIN and SKLAR continued to work together to sell drugs throughout New York.
* * *
KATZIN, 33, and SKLAR, 34, both of Brooklyn, New York, are each charged with conspiracy to distribute narcotics resulting in death, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison.
The statutory minimum and maximum 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 DEA and the NYPD in connection with this investigation. Mr. Clayton also thanked the Kings County District Attorney’s Office.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Meredith Foster and Henry Ross are in charge of the prosecution.
The charge contained in the Indictment is merely an allegation, 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 description of the Indictment set forth in this release constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Two Bloods Gang Members Plead Guilty to Sex Trafficking Charges and an Associate Previously Pleaded Guilty to Laundering the Proceeds of Their CrimesRead the Press Release
On January 27, 2026 and February 3, 2026, in federal court in Central Islip, co-defendants David M. Amin (D. Amin) and Bryce K. Amin (B. Amin), who are brothers and members of the Bloods street gang, pleaded guilty to sex trafficking conspiracy and substantive sex trafficking in connection with their roles in their family’s sex and narcotics trafficking business. Previously, in April 2025, co-defendant Patricia A. Peralta (Peralta), D. Amin’s spouse, pleaded guilty to money laundering conspiracy. As part of this business, D. Amin and B. Amin engaged in acts of violence against multiple female victims, and provided drugs to them including fentanyl to cause those victims to engage in commercial sex acts for the defendants’ financial benefit. Peralta assisted the brothers in laundering the proceeds of this lucrative business, from which she likewise derived substantial financial benefits.
D. Amin and Peralta’s guilty plea proceedings were held before United States District Judge Gary R. Brown, and B. Amin’s plea proceeding was held before United States Magistrate Judge Steven L. Tiscione. When sentenced, D. Amin and B. Amin face a mandatory minimum term of 15 years’ imprisonment and up to life in prison, and Peralta faces up to 20 years in prison. Additionally, D. Amin and Peralta have agreed to forfeit more than $390,000, a 2021 Mercedes Benz AMG SUV, and a 2021 BMW M550i, all of which were seized from a storage facility in Suffolk County on the date of D. Amin’s arrest.
Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Michael Alfonso, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations, New York (HSI), Kevin Catalina, Commissioner, Suffolk County Police Department (SCPD), and Errol D. Toulon, Jr., Suffolk County Sheriff, announced the guilty pleas.“The Amin brothers took advantage of vulnerable women battling addiction to coerce them into prostitution by making them beholden to illegal narcotics supplied by the defendants,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “These guilty pleas hold the defendants accountable for profiting from the sexual exploitation of others while subjecting their victims to harm and degradation. It is my hope that these prosecutions will also serve to vindicate the civil rights and dignity of survivors of this evil scourge.”
Mr. Nocella also expressed his appreciation to the Nassau County Police Department for its assistance on the case.
“The guilty pleas of David Amin and Bryce Amin send a clear message: HSI will relentlessly pursue those who traffic and exploit vulnerable individuals and expose them to deadly fentanyl,” stated HSI New York Acting Special Agent in Charge Alfonso. “HSI New York is laser-focused on rooting out sex traffickers and dismantling criminal networks that threaten our families. Working alongside our law enforcement partners, HSI New York special agents will utilize every tool at our disposal to ensure predators like the Amin brothers face the full consequences of their actions.”
“The Amin brothers preyed on vulnerable individuals, using drugs and manipulation to exploit them for profit. Their guilty pleas are a significant step toward justice for their victims. The Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office remains committed to working alongside our law enforcement partners to protect our communities from the devastating impact of human trafficking,” stated Suffolk County Sheriff Toulon.
According to court filings and statements made during the guilty plea proceedings, between October 2018 and May 2023, the defendants conspired to use violence and threats of violence to compel multiple women to engage in commercial sex acts for the defendants’ financial benefit. D. Amin and B. Amin recruited drug addicted women for their sex trafficking operation on Long Island, and controlled the proceeds derived from the scheme. They also manipulated their victims into believing that they were in debt to the defendants. Additionally, D. Amin forced victims to have sex with him, which at times came with degrading rules the victims were forced to follow. D. Amin choked and struck his victims, left one or more victims stranded in public places without money, a phone, or identification and deprived them of drugs to force withdrawal symptoms. Similarly, B. Amin subjected the victims to violence and drug-related manipulation. In a recorded call from jail in January 2021, B. Amin boasted about his control over one of the victims, saying “You can groom a person to do something they’re not used to doing . . . .When I tell her sit, she listens, she does whatever I tell her to do. She’s my little puppet.”
D. Amin also operated a significant drug trafficking operation on Long Island in which he sold large quantities of controlled substances, including cocaine and fentanyl. As part of their sex trafficking operation, the Amin brothers often sold drugs through female trafficking victims to individuals that were also paying them for commercial sex acts. These add-on services were advertised as “party favors.”
The sex trafficking activity occurred at hotels on Long Island, in locations that include Bohemia, Islandia, Patchogue, and Bayport. In addition to working at the Sayville Motor Lodge, which is now closed, D. Amin forced victims to work out of cars and apartments in Suffolk County.
Additionally, when D. Amin was arrested, law enforcement searched a storage unit that he controlled with Peralta and seized more than $390,000 in cash along with two luxury vehicles, each worth approximately $100,000. Relatedly, Peralta regularly deposited large sums of money derived from sex trafficking and narcotics trafficking into personal bank accounts. Those funds were used to purchase a third luxury vehicle and to pay for hotels used in the sex trafficking operation.
This prosecution is also part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of U.S. law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.
The government’s case is being handled by the Criminal Section of the Office’s Long Island Division. Assistant United States Attorneys Megan E. Farrell, Adam Toporovsky and Molly Delaney are in charge of the prosecution, with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Samantha Schroder.
The Defendants:
DAVID M. AMIN (also known as “Sonny B,” “Rico,” “Tone,” “Anthony,” and “Jonathan Santos”)
Age: 31
Coram, Freeport, and Wyandanch, New YorkBRYCE K. AMIN (also known as “Busy B”)
Age: 25
Coram, New YorkPATRICIA A. PERALTA
Age: 31
Freeport and Wyandanch, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 23-CR-92 (S-1) (GRB)
Telco FCU Robbery Investigation Leads to FBI Arrest and Federal ChargesRead the Press Release
AUSTIN, Texas – A Round Rock man was arrested Monday on criminal charges related to his alleged robbery of an Austin Telco Federal Credit Union, announced U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas.
According to court documents, Syntedrick Tramaine Brown allegedly entered the Austin Telco FCU at approximately 10:09 a.m. on Jan. 28, wearing a brown wig with a brightly colored headband, red reflective sunglasses, a black mask, along with a dark hooded sweatshirt and reflective yellow safety vest. A criminal complaint alleges Brown climbed over the teller counter holding what appeared to be a semiautomatic pistol and told employees to lie on the floor and not look at him. The complaint further alleges Brown instructed employees to move to the back room of the FCU, then directed the bank manager to remove U.S. currency from a cash machine. Brown allegedly placed the currency in a black plastic trash bag and asked if the U.S. currency included any “funny money” or contained any “trackers.”
After collecting the currency, Brown allegedly instructed employees to enter a bathroom and told them not to leave the bathroom. Surveillance images show Brown exiting the FCU at approximately 10:16 a.m. and driving away in the vehicle in which he arrived, which was later determined to be stolen. An investigation determined Brown stole approximately $113,000 from the FCU.
On Feb. 2, FBI agents served a search warrant at an apartment and allegedly discovered a variety of evidence connected to the FCU robbery, including a brown wig with a brightly colored headband, red reflective sunglasses, a hard black mask, and a green hooded sweatshirt similar to the one worn in the FCU surveillance images. The criminal complaint also alleges that agents found a substantial quantity of U.S. currency in the apartment.
Brown is charged with one count of bank robbery. If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI and Austin Police Department are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan Buie is prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
###
Tallahassee Man Pleads Guilty to Communicating Threats to Injure ChildrenRead the Press Release
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Demetrius Alpha Omega Murray, 33, has pleaded guilty in federal court regarding the six-count Indictment for interstate communication of threats to injure children. The allegations in the Indictment caused the lockdown of three Tallahassee area schools. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida announced the guilty plea.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “This defendant’s heinous, violent threats directed toward innocent children are despicable and I am very proud of the swift, aggressive prosecution by my office to hold him accountable for his criminal threats. Keeping our kids safe from violent predators, like this defendant, will always be a top priority for my office.”
Court records show that on November 14, 2025, the defendant made contact with representatives of a California law firm that was attempting to collect the defendant’s defaulted business loan. During the contact, which included multiple telephone calls and emails, the defendant threatened to commit a school shooting if the firm continued its collection efforts, directing his threats at students at Kate Sullivan Elementary School. The threats were accompanied by a video that the defendant recorded as he sat in a parked vehicle beside the school playground, during which he directed his threats towards children playing nearby and brandished a 9-millimeter handgun to illustrate his threats were serious.
The threats to commit violence were quickly relayed to law enforcement in the Tallahassee area, including the Tallahassee Police Department and Leon County Sheriff’s Office, resulting in the lockdown of Kate Sullivan Elementary School, as well as Cobb Middle School and Leon High School, both of which are located in close proximity. Investigators were quickly able to locate the defendant in Gadsden County, where he was taken into custody by the Gadsden County Sheriff’s Office. Murray admitted to investigators he had made the telephonic and email threats and directed officers to the location of the handgun he had been pictured with earlier. Investigators recovered the handgun, which matched the weapon pictured during the video he had recorded while parked beside the Kate Sullivan playground.
Sentencing is scheduled before United States District Judge Robert L. Hinkle on April 16, 2026, at 2:00pm, in Tallahassee, Florida. Murray faces a maximum of five years imprisonment on each threat count.
The case was investigated by the Tallahassee Police Department, the Leon County Sheriff’s Office, and the Gadsden County Sheriff’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Eric K Mountin.
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, human and drug trafficking.
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. Francis Woman Sentenced to over 2 Years in Federal Prison for Assault with a Dangerous WeaponRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Ron Parsons, announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced a St. Francis, South Dakota woman convicted of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon. The sentencing took place on February 2, 2026.
Leah Leading Fighter, age 44, was sentenced to two years and five months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Leading fighter was indicted by a federal grand jury in December 2024. She pleaded guilty on November 6, 2025.
The conviction stemmed from an incident that occurred in September 2023 in the Rosebud Sioux Indian Reservation. In the early morning hours of September 24, 2023, Leading Fighter entered a residence in St. Francis, and began assaulting the victim, an adult woman, who was asleep. Leading Fighter dragged the woman out of the residence and continued assaulting her, including repeatedly kicking and stomping her face, back, and stomach with shod feet. The victim suffered injuries that required hospitalization.
This case was investigated by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Albertson prosecuted the case.
Leading Fighter was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Sioux Falls Man Sentenced to 18 Months in Federal Prison for EscapeRead 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 Sioux Falls, South Dakota, convicted of Escape. The sentencing took place on February 2, 2026.
Timothy Joseph Cervantez, 25, was sentenced to one year and six months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Cervantez was indicted for Escape by a federal grand jury in October 2025. He pleaded guilty on December 15, 2025.
Following a 2024 conviction for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person, Cervantez was sentenced to a term of 33 months in the custody of the Bureau of Prisons. He was allowed to serve part of his sentence at a residential reentry center in Sioux Falls. On September 23, 2025, Cervantez left the residential reentry center without permission and did not voluntarily return.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service. Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Connie Larson prosecuted the case.
Cervantez was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service to serve his federal sentence.
Pittsburgh Man Pleads Guilty to Using Stolen Credit Card Numbers in Car Rental Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of access device fraud and aggravated identity theft, United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
William Knight, 32, pleaded guilty to two counts before United States District Judge Marilyn J. Horan on February 2, 2026.
In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that Knight participated in a conspiracy in which conspirators obtained credit card numbers and other personal information for numerous individuals through the dark web. Working with a complicit employee, Knight and his conspirators used the fraudulently obtained credit card numbers to rent approximately 100 vehicles that Knight and his conspirators either used themselves or then rented to other individuals.
Judge Horan scheduled sentencing for May 20, 2026. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 12 years in prison, a fine of $500,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Brendan T. Conway is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The United States Secret Service conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Knight.
Pittsburgh Felon Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Crack Cocaine Trafficking and Possession of AmmunitionRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 10 years of imprisonment on his conviction of possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine and possession of ammunition by a convicted felon, United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
United States District Judge W. Scott Hardy imposed the sentence on Timothy Bazmore, aka “Shim,” 35.
According to information presented to the Court, Bazmore was caught in possession of approximately 22 grams of crack cocaine as well as a firearm magazine loaded with several rounds of ammunition. The defendant was prohibited under federal law from possessing ammunition due to his multiple prior felony convictions.
Prior to imposing sentence, Judge Hardy stated that the sentence was warranted for a number of reasons, including Bazmore’s extensive criminal history.
Assistant United States Attorney Douglas C. Maloney prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Bazmore.
Philadelphia Man Sentenced to 16 Years in Prison for Sex Trafficking of a Minor, Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Walter Tharrington, aka “Black” and “Roaadblock,” 32, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today to 192 months in prison and 10 years of supervised release by United States District Judge Joel H. Slomsky for sex trafficking and child pornography offenses.
Tharrington was charged by indictment in August 2024. In April of last year, he was convicted at trial of sex trafficking of a minor and possession of child pornography.
As detailed in court filings and proven at trial, in or about the summer of 2023, the defendant asked Minor 1, then 14 years old, to help him make money. In order to do so, Tharrington directed Minor 1 to engage in commercial sex, with the defendant facilitating the commercial sex by soliciting customers through online advertisements.
Tharrington used his cellular phone to post explicit content of Minor 1 to accompany the online advertisements. The defendant set the prices for the encounters and instructed Minor 1 on what sexual acts to perform in exchange for money.
At the defendant’s direction, Minor 1 engaged in sexual encounters with buyers. The evidence established that Tharrington kept and controlled the profits from the encounters, while providing shelter for Minor 1, who lived at Tharrington’s house during the summer of 2023.
Tharrington physically assaulted Minor 1 on multiple occasions. Minor 1’s injuries were observed by another minor female, who corroborated Minor 1’s account and confirmed that the defendant had solicited her to work for him, as well.
“Walter Tharrington sexually exploited a child for his own profit, actions both inhumane and inexcusable,” said U.S. Attorney Metcalf. “While it’s gratifying that Tharrington will be behind bars for quite a while, no sentence can erase the harm he inflicted on his victim. We hope this result provides her not just a measure of justice, but also gives her some peace. We know that it will keep Tharrington from victimizing any more young girls.”
“Sex trafficking, especially when it involves a child, is one of the most egregious crimes the FBI investigates,” said Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI's Philadelphia Field Office. “This sentencing sends a clear message: the FBI and our law enforcement partners will relentlessly pursue those who prey on our most vulnerable and ensure they are brought to justice.”
“The sentencing of Walter Tharrington is an important step in holding traffickers accountable, but it does not erase the harm done,” said Delaware County District Attorney Tanner Rouse. “Sex trafficking, especially of minors, is a monstrous crime and we will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to hold each and every participant accountable for their actions. I want to thank U.S. Attorney Metcalf and his team for their diligence and unfailing cooperation. Delaware County is fortunate to be able to call them partners as we all work to protect our children.”
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 projectsafechildhood.gov.
This case was investigated by the FBI Philadelphia Violent Crimes Against Children and Human Trafficking Task Force and the Delaware County District Attorney’s Office Criminal Investigation Division and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Justin Ashenfelter and Amanda McCool.
Pasadena Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Sexual Exploitation of MinorsRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A 39-year-old Pasadena, Maryland, man will serve more than a decade in prison in connection with child sexual exploitation charges.
U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett sentenced Andrew Joseph Stilling, Jr., to 15 years in federal prison, followed by 30 years of supervised release.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul,
FBI – Baltimore Field Office; Anne Colt Leitess, State’s Attorney for Anne Arundel County; Acting Superintendent Michael A. Jackson, Maryland State Police (MSP); and Chief Amal E. Awad, Anne Arundel County Police (AACOPD).According to the guilty plea, in September 2024, Stilling was part of an online group with other adults who were sexually interested in children. In the group, he discussed how he secretly recorded a minor while they showered.
During the following three months, Stilling recorded videos of the minor. Stilling sent screenshots of the videos he created to others over the internet in the online group. Law enforcement subsequently arrested Stilling and found him in possession of child sexual abuse material on his cellphone, including at least one image depicting a prepubescent minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
This case is 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 Attorney’s 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 justice.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, visit justice.gov/psc and click on the “Resources” tab on the left of the page.
U.S. Attorney Kelly O. Hayes commended the FBI, MSP, AACOPD, and Anne Arundel County State’s Attorney’s Office, for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Victoria Liu and Colleen Elizabeth McGuinn who prosecuted the federal case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
# # #
Ocala Man Sentenced to over 10 Years in Federal Prison for Double RobberyRead the Press Release
Ocala, FL – Danny Anzardo (46, Ocala) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber to 10 years and 10 months in federal prison for interference with commerce by robbery and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. The court also ordered Anzardo to forfeit the stolen jewelry seized from Anzardo at the time of his arrest. Anzardo pleaded guilty on September 19, 2025. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents, Anzardo robbed two Ocala establishments on October 29, 2024—a retail store and a local jewelry business located at the Paddock Mall. During the first robbery, Anzardo pointed a firearm at the cashier, demanding money from the cash register. Anzardo took approximately $88 from the cash register and fled. A few hours later, Anzardo robbed the jewelry store. Anzardo implied to the victim that he had a firearm inside his backpack and threatened to kill the victim. Anzardo stole more than $13,000 in jewelry from the store.
Anzardo was arrested the following day and confessed to both robberies. He admitted that he used a firearm during the first robbery and that he disposed of it in a lake before he robbed the jewelry store. Anzardo told officers he traded some of the jewelry for drugs, but officers were able to recover two necklaces and two charms that Anzardo still had in his vehicle.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Ocala Police Department, and the Marion County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Belkis H. Callaos. The forfeiture is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Nicole M. Andrejko.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Missouri Woman Pleads Guilty to Money Laundering Conspiracy Charge in Relation to International Grandparent Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Kansas City, Missouri, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of money laundering conspiracy, United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
Genesis Delgado Rosa, 31, pleaded guilty on February 2, 2026, to one count before Senior United States District Judge Nora Barry Fischer.
In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that Rosa participated in a conspiracy commonly referred to as a grandparent fraud scheme. In this instance, an international organized crime group based in the Dominican Republic conducted a scam in which they called elderly individuals impersonating a loved one (often a grandchild) and falsely claimed that the loved one was in a crisis and needed cash quickly, typically to pay bond related to criminal charges. The victims would then access cash, typically from their financial institutions, and provide the cash to unknowing ride share drivers, who would transport the cash, often across state lines, and deliver the money to a conspirator in the scheme.
Specifically, Rosa’s participation in the conspiracy included arranging, through her ride share account, to pick up the stolen money from victims, as well as depositing the stolen money into bank accounts at the direction of higher-level participants and that she controlled. She also established a bank account in a fake name using a fraudulently obtained driver’s license and caused the deposit of fraud proceeds into that account, which she then used to pay the ride share drivers transporting the fraudulently obtained money.
Judge Fischer scheduled sentencing for April 23, 2026. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $500,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Brendan T. Conway is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Rosa.
Mississippi Man Sentenced for Federal Civil Rights and Arson Charges for Setting Fire to Mormon ChurchRead the Press Release
Stefan Day Rowold, 37, of Wiggins, Mississippi, was sentenced today to 360 months in prison for vandalizing and setting fire to a house of worship. A jury in the Southern District of Mississippi found Rowold guilty of six counts of federal arson and civil rights charges after a trial in September 2025.
“Today’s sentence reflects the seriousness of the defendant’s reprehensible conduct,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division. “Anyone who attacks a house of worship in America will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
The evidence presented at trial last year showed that on July 5, 2024, and July 7, 2024, Rowold vandalized and set fire to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Wiggins, Mississippi. Evidence at trial also proved that Rowold targeted the church because of his animosity toward what he believed to be their religious views. Rowold confessed to police that he broke into the church building, vandalized the interior walls of the building with hateful messages, and ultimately set a fire in the middle of a multipurpose room. Rowold used the church’s hymnals, paintings, and other religious objects as kindling for his original arson offense. Rowold also confessed that after he learned that his first fire had failed to burn down the building, he broke into the church again two days later to finish the job, after police had attempted to secure the scene. Rowold then set a second fire against a wall inside the church, trying again to burn the building down.
Due to the damage from the fires, members of the church were unable to hold services in their church building for months. At sentencing, the district court awarded the church $176,564 in restitution.
Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Baxter Kruger for the Southern District of Mississippi, and Special Agent in Charge Robert A. Eikhoff of the FBI Jackson Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI Jackson Field Office investigated the case, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation, the Mississippi State Fire Marshal, and the Wiggins Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Buckner for the Southern District of Mississippi and Trial Attorney Chloe Neely of the Civil Rights Division prosecuted the case.
Mexican national who fired shots into local restaurant parking lot sentenced to 27 months in prison for firearms, drug crimesRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A Mexican national who opened fire in a local taco restaurant parking lot was sentenced in U.S. District Court here today to 27 months in prison.
Abel Velasquez-Avecedo, 30, pleaded guilty in August 2025 to illegally possessing a firearm as an illegal alien and possessing with intent to distribute cocaine and methamphetamine.
According to court documents, on April 11, 2025, Velasquez-Avecedo and another individual had an argument at Taco Nice restaurant in Columbus. The defendant fired multiple shots from a vehicle while driving near the restaurant.
Local law enforcement authorities found Velasquez-Avecedo to be in possession of a pistol as well as 44 small baggies of cocaine and five small baggies of methamphetamine.
The defendant has a prior conviction for assault and two prior convictions for operating a vehicle while intoxicated. The assault conviction was originally charged as aggravated burglary, kidnapping, rape and assault. At the time of this offense, Velasquez-Avecedo had absconded from probation supervision for the violent offense.
Dominick S. Gerace II, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; and Jared Murphey, Acting Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Detroit; announced the sentence imposed today by Chief U.S District Judge Sarah D. Morrison. Assistant United States Attorney Elizabeth A. Geraghty is representing the United States in this 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.
# # #
Mexican Mafia Associate Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Role in Attack on Orange County Jail Inmate that Left Victim with Slashed ThroatRead the Press Release
SANTA ANA, California – An associate of the Mexican Mafia prison gang was sentenced today to 120 months in federal prison for participating in an attack on a fellow Orange County jail inmate in 2019, an assault that left the victim with his throat slashed.
Robert Amezcua, 54, a.k.a. “Flaco,” of Santa Ana, was sentenced by United States District Judge Fred W. Slaughter.
At the conclusion of a three-day trial, a federal jury in January 2024 found Amezcua guilty of committing a violent crime in aid of racketeering (VICAR), specifically, attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon.
On December 31, 2019, Amezcua – a member of the Madison Park clique of the Santa Ana-based Lopers street gang and an associate of the Mexican Mafia – took part in the assault of another inmate at the Theo Lacy Facility in Orange. Amezcua delivered more than 20 blows to the victim while another inmate, using a razor blade, slashed the victim’s throat. The victim survived the attack. Amezcua is one of 31 defendants charged in a 33-count federal grand jury indictment brought in 2022.
Of the other two inmates charged with this assault and attempted murder, Mher Darbinyan, 50, a.k.a. “Hollywood Mike,” of Valencia, is serving a 30-month federal prison sentence after pleading guilty in January 2024 to conspiracy to commit assault resulting in serious bodily injury. He admitted in his plea agreement that he and two co-conspirators assaulted the victim.
Robert Martinez, 43, a.k.a. “Lil Rob” and “Blacky,” of Placentia, another defendant charged in the 2019 attack, is scheduled for trial on August 4 on this charge and additional charges.
Of the 31 defendants charged in the original indictment, a total of four defendants have been convicted at trial, consisting of three convicted of VICAR murder in October 2023, and Amezcua. An additional 16 have pleaded guilty. Three defendants remain for trial scheduled in July on charges of VICAR murder. An additional eight defendants remain scheduled for trial on racketeering conspiracy, VICAR murder, and related charges on August 4.
The FBI; the Santa Ana Police Department; the Orange County Sheriff’s Department; the Federal Bureau of Prisons; the Anaheim Police Department; the Fullerton Police Department; the Orange County Probation Department; and the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation investigated this matter.
Assistant United States Attorneys Greg Scally and Greg Staples of the Orange County Office and Trial Attorneys Chris Matthews and Grace Bowen of the Justice Department’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section are prosecuting this case.
Menasha Man Sentenced to 15 Years’ Imprisonment for Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Brad D. Schimel, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on January 30, 2026, Lawrence J. Chase (age: 22) of Menasha, Wisconsin, was sentenced to 180 months’ imprisonment for the offense of Production of Child Pornography in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2251(a).
In March 2025, Chase began engaging online with an 11-year-old child located in the State of Maryland. Chase knew he was messaging with a minor and coerced the child into sending sexually explicit images of the child’s genitalia, which constituted child sexual abuse material under state and federal law. Chase also sent inappropriate and obscene images of himself to the child while engaging in sexualized conversations.
At sentencing, U.S. District Court Judge Byron B. Conway noted the serious nature of the offense. Judge Conway found the victim’s age to be an aggravating factor requiring significant punishment. Judge Conway also noted that Chase’s prior state convictions for crimes against children had resulted in reduced charges and no jail time in either case. After weighing the evidence and arguments, Judge Conway determined that 15 years’ imprisonment was a fair and just sentence. Following his release from federal prison Chase will be required to spend 10 years on supervised release and will be required to register as a sex offender under state and federal law.
“This defendant took the innocence of a child who will never get that part of their childhood back,” said U.S. Attorney Brad Schimel. “As a consequence, he will lose a decade and a half of his life to a federal penitentiary. Every pedophile that harms our children should know law enforcement is working night and day to catch them and punish them.”“Holding individuals responsible for their despicable acts involving innocent children is our top priority.” said Winnebago County Sheriff John Matz. “Working with our federal partners we were able to ensure accountability and protect our children from this predator in the future.”
“Mr. Chase preyed on an 11-year-old minor and the sentence he received reflects the severity of the crime committed,” said FBI Milwaukee Special Agent in Charge Alan Karr. “The FBI is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to investigate and combat violent crimes against children.”
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office. It was be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel R. Humble.
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 U.S. Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ 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.projectsafechildhood.gov.
# # #
For further information contact:
Public Affairs Officer Steve Caballero
(414) 297-1700
Follow us on X
Mechanicsburg Man Pleads Guilty to Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Rick Goodling, age 69, of Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, plead guilty before United States District Judge Jennifer P. Wilson, to tax evasion.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, Goodling admitted to underreporting his taxable income in Tax Years 2019-2022. Goodling began working as a compliance officer with Pace-O-Matic, a Georgia-based “skill machine” company, as a compliance officer in 2018. As part of his guilty plea, Goodling admitted that while working as a supervisory compliance officer, he received cash payments from skill machine operators throughout Pennsylvania in return for allowing those operators to improperly continue to use Pace-O-Matic products against the company’s rules and regulations. Goodling and others then formed consulting businesses to falsely claim these cash payments were business travel expenses, thereby underreporting his taxable income in the years 2019-2022. Overall, Goodling’s actions led to a tax loss of over $100,000 to the United States.
“Conspiring to defraud the government with an elaborate scheme to underreport taxable income is unlawful,” stated Yury Kruty, Special Agent in Charge, IRS-Criminal Investigation, Philadelphia Field Office.
“Today's plea serves as yet another reminder of the consequences which come to those who commit acts of fraud against the United States," said Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Philadelphia. "Our mission remains clear: together with our law enforcement partners, the FBI will relentlessly pursue fraud at every level - aggressively investigating, dismantling criminal schemes, and pursuing those responsible."
The case was investigated by the Income Revenue Service (IRS), the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Pennsylvania State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney James M. Buchanan is prosecuting the case.
The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is five years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
###
McKees Rocks Felon Sentenced to Prison for Possession of FirearmRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 27 months of incarceration, to be followed by three years of supervised release, on his conviction of violating federal firearm laws, United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
United States District Judge Christy Criswell Wiegand imposed the sentence on Jamar Everett, 21.
According to information presented to the Court, in April 2025, FBI executed a search warrant at Everett’s residence and recovered a chambered Glock pistol equipped with a loaded 30-round magazine. Everett has previously been convicted of several felonies, including two separate convictions for carrying firearms without a license, on each of which Everett was sentenced in the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas to two years of probation. Federal law prohibits possession of a firearm or ammunition by a convicted felon.Assistant United States Attorneys Douglas C. Maloney and Kelly M. Locher prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Stowe Township Police Department, McKees Rocks Police Department, and Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Everett.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Massachusetts Man Charged for Assaulting Federal Officer with Dangerous WeaponRead the Press Release
Note, the release has been updated to include a quote from the FBI Director.
Cedric E. Cundiff, 67, of Dorchester, Massachusetts, appeared in federal court yesterday for an initial appearance on a charge of assaulting a federal officer with a knife.
“This case illustrates the danger that our Marshals and other agents face on a daily basis as they work to keep us safe,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “This Department of Justice will continue vigorously prosecuting anyone who attacks our brave law enforcement officers — if you cross that line, you will pay.”
“The defendant allegedly assaulted a member of the U.S. Marshals Service who was carrying out their lawful duties, and the FBI takes any attacks on law enforcement officers very seriously,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “This arrest should demonstrate the FBI will aggressively investigate assaults on the law enforcement officers who protect our communities and work with our Justice Department partners to make sure violent actors are brought to justice.”
“Each and every day, our law enforcement partners put themselves in harm’s way to keep our communities safe,” said Acting U.S. Attorney John A. Sarcone III for the Northern District of New York. “As alleged, the defendant violently attacked an officer who was doing just that. Let me be loud and clear: harassment, obstruction, and violence of any kind against members of federal law enforcement will not be tolerated. Anyone who does not heed this warning will be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law.”
“This was a dangerous and volatile arrest that underscores the real risks our law enforcement partners face every day,” said Special Agent in Charge Craig Tremaroli of the FBI Albany Field Office. “The defendant, already a wanted individual out of Massachusetts, is now facing significant federal prison time for these serious allegations. The FBI will not tolerate any act of violence against our law enforcement partners who work around the clock to keep our communities safe.”
“Violence against law enforcement officers will not be tolerated,” said Acting U.S. Marshal Christopher Amoia for the Northern District of New York. “Assaults on officers who are carrying out their lawful duties pose a serious threat to public safety and the rule of law. The United States Marshals Service, in partnership with federal and local law enforcement agencies, remains committed to holding individuals accountable for such acts.”
The complaint alleges that on Jan. 29, members of the U.S. Marshals Service Fugitive Task Force went to a residence in Syracuse, New York, to execute an arrest warrant for Cundiff. Cundiff was wanted in Suffolk County, Massachusetts, on charges including robbery and assault with a dangerous weapon.
As alleged in the criminal complaint, members of the task force located Cundiff inside the Syracuse residence. After seeing members of the task force at the door, Cundiff fled to a bedroom. When a task force officer with the U.S. Marshals attempted to open the door, Cundiff cut the investigator’s hand with a knife, causing two lacerations and a fracture.
Cundiff appeared yesterday in Syracuse, New York, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mitchell J. Katz for the Northern District of New York. He was detained pending further proceedings.
The charge filed against Cundiff carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of up to three 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, U.S. Marshals Service, and New York State Police are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew J. McCrobie for the Northern District of New York is prosecuting the case.
The charges in the complaint are merely accusations. All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Massachusetts Man Charged for Assaulting Federal Officer with Dangerous WeaponRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Cedric E. Cundiff, age 67, of Massachusetts, appeared in federal court yesterday for an initial appearance on a charge of assaulting a federal officer with a knife.
The announcement was made by Attorney General Pamela Bondi, Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III, Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Division Craig Tremaroli, and Christopher Amoia, Acting U.S. Marshal for the Northern District of New York.
The complaint alleges that on January 29, 2026, members of the U.S. Marshals Service Fugitive Task Force went to a residence in Syracuse, New York, to execute an arrest warrant for Cundiff. Cundiff was wanted in Suffolk County, Massachusetts, on charges including robbery and assault with a dangerous weapon.
As alleged in the criminal complaint, members of the task force located Cundiff inside the Syracuse residence. After seeing members of the task force at the door, Cundiff fled to a bedroom. When a task force officer with the U.S. Marshals attempted to open the door, Cundiff cut the investigator’s hand with a knife, causing two lacerations and a fracture.
“This case illustrates the danger that our Marshals and other agents face on a daily basis as they work to keep us safe,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “This Department of Justice will continue vigorously prosecuting anyone who attacks our brave law enforcement officers – if you cross that line, you will pay.”
Acting U.S. Attorney Sarcone stated: “Each and every day, our law enforcement partners put themselves in harm’s way to keep our communities safe. As alleged, the defendant violently attacked an officer who was doing just that. Let me be loud and clear: Harassment, obstruction, and violence of any kind against members of federal law enforcement will not be tolerated. Anyone who does not heed this warning will be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law.”
Special Agent in Charge Tremaroli stated: “This was a dangerous and volatile arrest that underscores the real risks our law enforcement partners face every day. The defendant, already a wanted individual out of Massachusetts, is now facing significant federal prison time for these serious allegations. The FBI will not tolerate any act of violence against our law enforcement partners who work around the clock to keep our communities safe.”
Acting U.S. Marshal Amoia stated: “Violence against law enforcement officers will not be tolerated. Assaults on officers who are carrying out their lawful duties pose a serious threat to public safety and the rule of law. The United States Marshals Service, in partnership with federal and local law enforcement agencies, remains committed to holding individuals accountable for such acts.”
Cundiff appeared yesterday in Syracuse, New York, before United States Magistrate Judge Mitchell J. Katz and was detained pending further proceedings.
The charges in the complaint are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The charge filed against Cundiff carries a maximum sentence of 20 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.
FBI, U.S. Marshals Service, and New York State Police are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew J. McCrobie is prosecuting the case.
###
Maryland Man Pleads Guilty to Lottery Fraud Scheme ChargesRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A Landover Hills, Maryland, man pled guilty to fraud charges in federal court, in connection with a lottery fraud scheme.
Wayne Henry, 36, pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty plea with Postal Inspector in Charge Damon E. Wood of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) – Washington Division; Special Agent in Charge Christopher R. Heck, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) – Maryland; Acting Assistant Inspector for Investigations General Javan S. Wilson, U.S. Treasury, Office of Inspector General (Treasury OIG); and Chief George Nader, Prince George’s County Police Department (PGPD).
According to public filings, between October 2020, and February 2024, Henry conspired with others to use the mail to obtain money from victims across the United States through a lottery fraud scheme. Many victims impacted by the scheme are elderly. Henry also used the personal identifying information of an individual to pay for postage for lottery solicitations to another victim.
Perpetrators use a lottery fraud scheme to lead victims to believe they won a large cash prize through a lottery or sweepstakes. When it’s time to collect the purported winnings, the victim is falsely led to believe that they must pay taxes or other fees in advance. The victim never receives their winnings, but instead, loses their advanced fees or payments.
Henry faces a maximum sentence of 22 years in federal prison, including a mandatory sentence of two years consecutive to any other imposed sentence for aggravated identity theft. A sentencing date for Henry is forthcoming.
Co-conspirators Nickoy Campbell, 30, and Tavoy Farquharson, 34, who are both Jamaican nationals, along with Wayne’s brother, Dwayne Henry, 34, of Landover Hills, Maryland, previously pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud. Campbell, Farquharson, and Dwayne Henry all face a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison. Sentencing for Campbell and Dwayne Henry is scheduled for Monday, March 2, and sentencing for Farquharson is scheduled for Monday, March 23.
Reporting from consumers about fraud and fraud attempts is critical to law enforcement’s efforts to investigate and prosecute schemes targeting older adults. If you or someone you know is age 60 or older, and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is available. Call the National Elder Fraud Hotline at 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This Department of Justice Hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, is staffed by experienced professionals who provide personalized support to callers through assessing the needs of the victim and identifying next steps, including identifying appropriate reporting agencies, providing information to callers to assist them in reporting or connecting them with agencies, and providing resources and referrals on a case-by-case basis. The hotline is staffed from 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Monday through Friday. English, Spanish, and other languages are available. Learn more about the Department’s Elder Justice Initiative at www.elderjustice.gov. Victims are encouraged to file a complaint online with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at this website or by calling 1-800-225-5324.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the USPIS, HSI Maryland, the Treasury OIG, and PGPD for their investigative efforts. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip Motsay who is prosecuting the federal case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/report-fraud.
# # #
Marshalltown Man Sent Back to Federal Prison for Child Pornography OffenseRead the Press Release
DES MOINES, Iowa – A Marshalltown man was sentenced on January 30, 2026, to 16 years in federal prison for attempted receipt of child pornography, while on federal supervised release.
In September 2025, following a two-day trial, a jury convicted Cory Marvin Baker, 54, of attempted receipt of child pornography. According to public court documents and evidence presented at trial, Baker was on federal supervised release for a 2013 conviction for possession of child pornography in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Iowa. During an unannounced visit at Baker’s Marshalltown residence, United States Probation Officers conducted an authorized search of his bedroom and discovered a laptop, tablet, and cell phone. Baker was prohibited from possessing internet-capable devices, cameras, and cell phones without the approval of the Probation Office. A forensic examination of the seized electronic devices showed that Baker used the devices to search for child sexual abuse material.
In addition to his 2013 conviction for possession of child pornography, Baker was convicted in 2000 of sexual exploitation of a minor and possession of child pornography in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Iowa.
Baker was ordered to serve an additional two-year prison sentence for violating his terms of supervised release. After completing his terms of imprisonment, Baker will be required to serve a 15-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
United States Attorney David C. Waterman of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Homeland Security Investigations, Urbandale Police Department, and Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force investigated the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for over 2 Years for Failing to Register as Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a man from Sioux Falls, South Dakota, convicted of Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. The sentencing took place on January 26, 2026.
Kyle Allen Felicia, 43, was sentenced to two years and six months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Felicia was indicted for Failure to Register as a Sex Offender by a federal grand jury in November 2025. He pleaded guilty on December 22, 2025.
Felicia was previously convicted of a federal sex offense. Because of his prior conviction, he is required to register as a sex offender. Felicia was aware of his obligation to register and to keep his registration current with officials within the county in which he resided. Nonetheless, from mid-August through November 2025, Felicia knowingly failed to register and update his registration.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service. Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Connie Larson prosecuted the case.
Felicia was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service to serve his federal sentence.
This case was brought as a part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Jury Finds District Man Guilty of First-Degree Murder for a Shooting on the Grounds of Watkins Elementary SchoolRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Antonio Hawley, 22, of Washington, D.C., has been found guilty by a Superior Court jury of first-degree murder while armed and other charges in a shooting that took place on the sports fields of Watkins Elementary School in Southeast Washington, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Hawley was found guilty of one count of first-degree murder while armed, one count of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence and one count of carrying a pistol without a license. The Honorable Judge Danya Dayson scheduled sentencing for April 10, 2026.
According to the government’s evidence, on the evening of October 6, 2021, Hawley and the homicide victim, Aaron Wiggins, had just finished playing against each other in a flag football scrimmage on the sports field of Watkins Elementary School. After the field lights cut off as usual at 9:45 p.m., the two teams decided to finish one last play, and Mr. Wiggins caught the winning touchdown. Throughout the game, there was the usual football trash talk, and that trash talk continued between Mr. Wiggins and members of Hawley’s team after that final play. As members of both flag football teams were gathering their belongings to leave the field, Hawley retrieved a handgun that he knew a teammate kept in a bag that had been brought onto the field at the start of the scrimmage, targeted Mr. Wiggins, and fired 17 times, hitting Mr. Wiggins 13 times. Mr. Wiggins died on the scene.
Hawley fled the scene but was later identified through eyewitness accounts and video footage from the school, by Metropolitan Police Department Homicide Detectives investigating the case. Hawley was arrested in December 2021 and has been held in custody since.
Joining in the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
This case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jin Park and Mark Levy.
2021CF1007260
Jury Finds Ahoskie Armed Career Criminal GuiltyRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, N.C. – A federal jury convicted an Ahoskie man on charges of that he illegally possessed a firearm as a convicted felon.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Anton Montes Vernon, 31, had a 9mm pistol in his jeans pocket on the evening of November 9, 2023, in Ahoskie. As part of the Down East Drug & Violent Crime Task Force, officers conducted saturation patrols in high crime areas in communities in Northampton, Hertford, Gates, and Bertie Counties. Ahoskie, with a population of 4,891, is in Hertford County. During one of these saturation patrols, Ahoskie police saw Vernon and some other folks standing outside a vehicle parked at an intersection. When officers approached the group, they smelled the odor of marijuana. They frisked the individuals for a safety check. They found a loaded 9mm pistol in Vernon’s pocket. North Carolina State prosecutors previously convicted Vernon of three separate breaking and entering offenses which qualified Vernon as an Armed Career Criminal under federal sentencing guidelines.
“Armed Career Criminals like Vernon have an outsized impact on small communities in Eastern North Carolina, like Ahoskie.” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle. “When Big Shark Bad Boys like Vernon carry illegal guns, they pose a risk to the entire community. My office and our great law enforcement partners will ensure that these career criminal felons cannot threaten our neighborhoods and loved ones all across the District. We will convict them at trial and keep working to make every North Carolinian feel safe.”
“The blatant disregard a career criminal has for law and order poses a serious threat to public safety,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Alicia Jones. “Our job is to put a stop to their cycle of crime and violence, and we’ll continue to work with our law enforcement partners to protect our communities from repeat offenders.”
Vernon faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison when sentenced.
Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II accepted the verdict. The Ahoskie Police Department, the Down East Drug Task Force, and the ATF investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jaren Kelly and Phil Aubart tried the case.
A copy of this press release is located on our website. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No.2:25-CR-4-M.
Jacksonville Man Pleads Guilty to Attempting to Entice a 13-Year-Old Child to Engage in Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – Tony Leroy Bartley, Jr. (37, Jacksonville) has pleaded guilty to using the internet to attempt to entice a 13-year-old child to engage in sexual activity. Bartley faces a minimum penalty of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison and a potential lifetime term of supervised release. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for April 21, 2026. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents, between June 17 and July 30, 2025, an FBI agent (UC) in Jacksonville was conducting an undercover operation on an online social media application (“app”) to identify adults who were seeking to make online contact with and engage in sexual activity with children. On July 25, 26, and 29, 2025, UC and app user “keven” exchanged several private online messages on the app and via text message. After UC advised app user “keven” that “she” was only 13 years old, app user “keven” suggested that they engage in sexual activity texting, among other things, “I want you bad.” App user “keven,” who was subsequently identified as Bartley, described sexual acts that he wanted to perform on the “child,” and sent an explicit photo of himself to the “child.”
On August 5, 2025, Bartley was arrested by FBI agents near his apartment in Jacksonville. During an interview, Bartley admitted that he had recently communicated online with a girl who was “underage” and that he had discussed having sexual activity with the “child.” Bartley added, “I should have stopped at 13, and that’s on me.”
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown.
It is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by 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, rescue, and seek justice for child victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Inmate Pleads Guilty to Racketeering Activity at Cambria County PrisonRead the Press Release
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. - A resident of Johnstown, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of violating federal racketeering laws, United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
Blake Young, 36, pleaded guilty to Count One of the Indictment before United States District Judge Stephanie L. Haines on February 2, 2026.
In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, from in and around July 2023 to in and around December 2023, while incarcerated at the Cambria County Prison, Young conducted and participated in the affairs of an enterprise through racketeering activity. Specifically, Young bribed correctional officers and medical staff to smuggle contraband into the prison, namely cell phones, K2, and Suboxone, which were then sold to other inmates for a substantial profit.
Judge Haines scheduled sentencing for June 5, 2026. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Maureen Sheehan-Balchon and Special Assistant United States Attorney Shaun E. Sweeney are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation Safe Streets Task Force, the Cambria County District Attorney’s Office, and the Cambria County Prison conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Young.
Illinois Man Pleads Guilty to Transporting Meth with a Firearm Through KC Union StationRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Chicago, Ill., man pleaded guilty in federal court today for transporting more than 4 kilograms of methamphetamine through Kansas City, Mo., aboard a train. The man also pleaded guilty to possessing a revolver in furtherance of his drug trafficking activities.
Larry L. Radcliffe, 40, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Beth Phillips to one count of possession with intent to distribute an amount of methamphetamine and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Members of the Missouri Western Interdiction and Narcotics Task Force (MoWIN) were conducting interdiction activities at a Kansas City, Mo., train station on Sep. 30, 2024. As passengers disembarked from a train that originated in Los Angeles, Ca., officers conducted consensual encounters with other passengers who remained on the train. While one detective was interviewing a passenger, Larry L. Radcliffe jumped from his seat and exclaimed: “What’s going on?” Another detective believed this response was strange and was concerned for the safety of his colleague and accordingly engaged with Radcliffe and asked Radcliffe to step away from the officers. The detective identified himself and showed Radcliffe his law enforcement credentials. Radcliffe reported that he was traveling from Los Angeles, Ca. and going to Chicago, Ill. Radcliffe claimed that he did not have any form of identification on his person. The detective then noticed three pieces of luggage in an overhead bin and asked Radcliffe if they belonged to him. Radcliffe acknowledged ownership of two pieces of luggage but stated he was unsure if a third piece, a gray colored backpack, was his. The detective grabbed the gray colored backpack so that Radcliffe could get a closer look at it. The detective asked if the detective could look inside the backpack to ensure there was not a weapon in it and Radcliffe stated: “go ahead.” Upon searching the backpack, the detective discovered 10 bundles of methamphetamine wrapped in clear cellophane. A forensic drug testing laboratory later determined the bundles contained approximately 4.33 kilograms of pure methamphetamine. In a subsequent search, investigators found a .357 revolver in one of Radcliffe’s other backpacks. Pursuant to a plea agreement, Radcliffe admitted that he knowingly possessed the methamphetamine and that he was transporting it to a person that he knew would distribute it. Radcliffe also admitted that he knowingly possessed the firearm to protect himself and the methamphetamine he was transporting.
Under federal statutes, Radcliffe is subject to a sentence of up to life in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Trey Alford. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department.
Operation Take Back America
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Illegal Alien Sex Offender Sentenced to 14 months in Prison for Failing to Update Registration as a Sex Offender and Illegally Reentering the United StatesRead the Press Release
Urbana, Ill. – A Guatemalan national, Roberto Nicolas-Simon, 24, has been sentenced to a concurrent 14 months of imprisonment for failing to update registration as a sex offender as required by the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA) and being a removed alien illegally present in United States.
At the sentencing hearing, the government presented evidence that Nicolas-Simon was unlawfully present in the United States when he was convicted of Aggravated Criminal Sexual Abuse in Champaign County. He acknowledged his registration obligation as a sex offender before being removed from the United States to Guatemala in 2021. Sometime in 2024, he illegally reentered the United States and lived in Champaign without updating his sex offender registration until he was discovered in a joint Immigration and Customs Enforcement and United States Marshals Service investigation.
Also at the hearing, U.S. District Court Judge Colin S. Bruce found Nicolas-Simon’s illegal reentry offense was subject to an enhanced range of penalties as he committed his sex offense prior to being removed from the United States for the first time. Judge Bruce further found that Nicolas-Simon should serve five years of supervised release after his imprisonment with a specific condition that he not illegally reenter the United States. Violating that condition would subject him to additional penalties, in addition to a new prosecution for illegal reentry.
Nicolas-Simon was convicted after pleading guilty to these offenses in September, 2025. Upon the completion of his sentence, he will enter into removal proceedings.
Nicolas-Simon faced statutory penalties of up to ten years of imprisonment and up to a $250,000 fine for each offense. He could have also received up to three years of supervised release for being illegally present in the United States and at least a five-year term and a maximum life term of supervised release for failure to update his registration as a sex offender.
SORNA is part of the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006 and provides a comprehensive set of minimum standards for sex offender registration and notification in the United States. SORNA seeks to strengthen the nationwide network of sex offender registration and notification programs, in part by requiring registered sex offenders to register and keep their registration current in each jurisdiction in which they reside, work, or go to school.
The case investigation was conducted by the Department of Homeland Security, Immigrations and Customs Enforcement, in collaboration with the United States Marshals Service. Assistant United States Attorney William J. Lynch represented the government in the prosecution.
Idaho man sentenced to 9 months in prison for stealing precious artifactsRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS – A man from Coeur d’Alene, Idaho who stole items from the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center in 2024 was sentenced today to 9 months in prison, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Roger Edward Hawkes, 71, pleaded guilty, also today, to one count of removing archeological resources.
U.S. Magistrate Judge John T. Johnston presided.
The government alleged in court documents that Hawkes entered the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center in Great Falls on September 14, 2024, approached a table-top display entitled
“Weapons of the Expedition Interpretation,” and stole two historic weapons. The first is an authentic, antique, English, single-shot, black-powder Mortimer pistol, and the second is a knife in a leather, beaded sheath. Both items were made in the late 1700s or early 1800s.
As Hawkes left the building with the stolen artifacts, video surveillance appeared to show him conceal both items up his sleeve.
The United States Forest Service posted information about the theft on Facebook and received tips Hawkes was selling knives at the Little Red Truck Cottage Market. A witness confirmed Hawkes was in Great Falls on September 15 and 16, 2024, selling western items, including knives and antique pistols. Local law enforcement was able to confirm Hawkes was at the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center when the theft occurred.
Hawkes sold the stolen pistol to Cisco’s Gallery and law enforcement recovered it on October 24, 2024.
Following his arrest on an unrelated matter, an FBI Task Force Officer interviewed Hawkes about the September 2024 theft. He initially denied any involvement, but later said the knife, which he thought was a replica, was in his storage unit. He allowed the FBI to enter the unit and they recovered the knife.
During a second interview in May 2025, Hawkes again denied stealing the pistol and knife and said pleading guilty in his prior case did not seem to help since he received a prison sentence as opposed to probation. Hawkes has a history of theft that spans more than 40 years in California, Nevada, and Idaho.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda Myers prosecuted the case. The investigation was conducted by the Great Falls Police Department, the United States Forest Service, and the FBI Art Crime Team/FBI Billings Division.
XXX
Frederick Man Sentenced for Federal Firearms Trafficking and Machinegun Possession ChargesRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Matthew J. Maddox sentenced a Frederick, Maryland, man to federal prison in connection with firearms charges.
Jonathan Drew Bartgis, 26, received a sentence of 54 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for firearms trafficking and unlawful possession of a machinegun.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Postal Inspector in Charge Damon E. Wood, U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) – Washington Division; Special Agent in Charge Charles Doerrer, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); and Interim Chief Kevin Meyer, Frederick Police Department (FPD).
According to the guilty plea, USPIS and ATF began investigating a channel on the social media application Telegram that advertised the sale of firearms and machinegun conversion devices, also known as “Glock switches.” These devices are designed to convert semi-automatic Glock-style pistols into fully automatic firearms. Through investigative efforts, postal inspectors identified a parcel inbound to Frederick, Maryland, that investigators believed contained a firearm sold on this channel. After obtaining a warrant to search the parcel, postal inspectors recovered a Glock 23, .40 caliber semi-automatic handgun with an extended magazine, and 30 rounds of ammunition. The parcel was addressed to Bartgis’s residence.
After executing the search warrant, law enforcement recovered an additional Glock 29, 10mm semi-automatic firearm, and three machinegun conversion devices, or “Glock switches.” Inside Bartgis’s bedroom, law enforcement also recovered more than 400 rounds of ammunition; multiple cases for Glock handguns; several unloaded and loaded firearm magazines; assorted firearm parts, accessories, and manufacturing tools, including empty boxes for privately made firearms, referred to as “ghost guns.”
Additionally, postal inspectors recovered $21,660 in United States currency and Bartgis’s cellular telephone. On the phone, postal inspectors located conversations between Bartgis and others regarding the illegal purchase of the recovered firearms and other discussions about trafficking additional firearms and Glock switches. Bartgis has a prior felony conviction and is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the USPIS, ATF, and FPD for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Rigney who is prosecuting the case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
# # #
Four Charged in Multi-State SNAP and PUA Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Three individuals have been arrested, and another individual has been charged, with an alleged fraud scheme that used the stolen identities of more than 100 individuals to obtain $440,000 in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits from Massachusetts and Rhode Island. The defendants are also alleged to have fraudulently obtained over $700,000 in Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) benefits from Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio Washington and Nevada.
The following defendants have been charged by criminal complaint with Conspiracy to Use, Transfer, Acquire and Possess SNAP benefits and will appear in federal court in Worcester at 12:30 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. this afternoon:
- Joel Vicioso Fernandez, 42, of Fitchburg, Mass.;
- Roman Vequiz Fernandez, 32, a Venezuelan national living in Leominster, Mass.; and
- Coralba Albarracin Siniva, 24, a Venezuelan national living in Leominster, Mass.
Raul Fernandez Vicioso, 37, of Fitchburg, Mass., has been charged with Conspiracy to Commit SNAP Fraud, Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud, SNAP benefit Fraud, Aiding and Abetting and Money Laundering. He will appear in federal court in Worcester at a later date.
According to the charging documents, the defendants and their co-conspirators purchased and used the stolen personal information of over 100 real people from multiple states to fraudulently obtain SNAP benefits. The stolen identities were used to create 24 “households” in SNAP applications. All of these applications, submitted in the names of over 100 people, were listed as living in two single-family apartments in Providence, R.I.
A number of the stolen identities from Connecticut, Florida, Kentucky, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Puerto Rico were used to fraudulently obtain SNAP benefits in Massachusetts and Rhode Island.
It is further alleged that Raul Fernandez Vicioso and Joel Vicioso Fernandez used their own personal information to create fraudulent SNAP benefit accounts that were found commingled among the victim identities in the applications. In support of the fraudulently submitted SNAP applications, the defendants and their co-conspirators allegedly provided images of counterfeit passports and passport cards, with metadata that indicated the images were taken inside or within the immediate vicinity of El Primo Restaurant – a restaurant operated by Raul Fernandez Vicioso in Leominster, Mass.
The defendants and their co-conspirators allegedly used the fraudulent SNAP benefits cards to purchase large quantities of expensive bulk food items (such as multiple-pound packages of chicken, beef and pork) at various local wholesalers and food markets to stock El Primo Restaurant at no expense. With their supplies obtained for free through fraudulent SNAP benefits, they prepared and then sold menu items at El Primo Restaurant at a complete profit, later wiring the fraud proceeds, among other places, to individuals living in Venezuela and the Dominican Republic.
According to the charging documents, between April 2020 and December 2021, the defendants and their co-conspirators further enriched themselves by over $700,000 by submitting fraudulent applications and supporting documents for PUA in Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Nevada. The fraudulent PUA benefits were issued in the names of Raul Fernandez Vicioso, Joel Vicioso Fernandez and in the names of suspected identity theft victims, including identities common to the related the SNAP benefit fraud. At least 29 different identities were allegedly used in PUA applications in six different states – all of which listed the address for El Primo Restaurant as the residential address. Bank records obtained during the investigation detail approximately $276,021 in fraudulent PUA benefits deposited into bank accounts held in the names of the El Primo Restaurant, Raul Fernandez Vicioso, Joel Vicioso Fernandez and other co-conspirators. Other fraudulent PUA benefits were allegedly issued to prepaid cards in the identities of the various individuals which were applied for using known addresses and telephone numbers of the subjects.
During searches of Raul Fernandez Vicioso’s residence and the El Primo Restaurant fraudulently obtained Massachusetts and Rhode Island EBT cards, fraudulent documents bearing a Providence address involved in the alleged scheme, printed ledgers and handwritten lists of more than 100 identities and SNAP-related mailings were recovered.
Fraud, waste or abuse can be reported to the Council of the Inspectors General for Integrity and Efficiency: https://www.oversight.gov/where-report-fraud-waste-abuse-or-retaliation
The charge of Conspiracy to Commit SNAP Fraud provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 The charge of illegal acquisition or use of SNAP benefits provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of money laundering provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $500,000 or twice the amount involved in the transaction, whichever is greater. 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; Charmeka Parker, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Agriculture - Office of Inspector General, Northeast Region; Anthony P. D’Esposito, Inspector General, Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General; Thomas Demeo, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation, Boston Field Office; and Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Social Security Administration - Office of Inspector General; U.S. Department of Homeland Security - Office of Inspector General; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; U.S. Department of State - Diplomatic Security Service; Rhode Island Office of Internal Audit - Fraud Detection & Prevention Unit; Massachusetts State Police; the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Rhode Island; and the Fitchburg and Leominster Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Danial Bennett of the Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendants are presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.
Fort Thompson Man Sentenced to over 11 Years in Federal Prison for Conspiring to Distribute Methamphetamine in Central South DakotaRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced a Fort Thompson, South Dakota, man convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. The sentencing took place on February 2, 2026.
Dillon Big Eagle, age 35, was sentenced to eleven years and eight months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $1,000 fine, as well as a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Big Eagle was indicted by a federal grand jury in December 2024. He pleaded guilty on November 10, 2025.
The conviction stemmed from a drug conspiracy beginning in January 2023 and continuing until December 2023. Big Eagle was involved in a conspiracy with several other individuals to distribute methamphetamine in and around the central South Dakota area, including within the Crow Creek and Lower Brule Sioux Indian Reservations. As part of the conspiracy, Big Eagle was involved in distributing over 500 grams of methamphetamine.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Northern Plains Safe Trails Drug Enforcement Task Force, and the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA). Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan Dilges prosecuted the case.
Big Eagle was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Former Owner of Philadelphia Restaurant Pleads Guilty to Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Cihan Calkap, 42, of Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania, entered a plea of guilty today before United States District Judge Kai N. Scott on one count of tax evasion.
As detailed in court filings and statements, Calkap owned and operated Mimmo’s Pizza and Kitchen, a Philadelphia restaurant. Between 2015 and 2019, Mimmo’s earned significant total income and employed approximately 25 employees. Rather than depositing all of the receipts into business bank accounts, Calkap took cash from the business. He used this cash to pay himself and to operate an “off the books” payroll for most of his employees.
Calkap avoided paying taxes on this money by providing his accountant with incomplete information about the restaurant’s income and expenses. In particular, Calkap gave his return preparer access only to the business’s bank records, knowing that those records did not include all of the cash income. This caused the accountant to prepare false corporate and personal income tax returns on behalf of Mimmo’s and Calkap that were filed with the IRS. From 2015 to 2018, Calkap underreported Mimmo’s total receipts.
Calkap also falsely told his return preparer that Mimmo’s only had four employees, including himself, when in reality it had approximately 25 employees. As a result, Calkap was able to minimize the employment taxes he collected and paid over to the IRS on behalf of Mimmo’s.
The defendant is scheduled to be sentenced on May 14 and faces a maximum possible term of five years in prison.
The case was investigated by IRS Criminal Investigation and is being prosecuted by Assistant Deputy Chief Thomas F. Koelbl and Trial Attorney Likhitha Butchireddygari of the Department of Justice Criminal Division’s Tax Section, with assistance from Assistant United States Attorney Patrick J. Murray of the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Former NFL Player Convicted for $197M Medicare FraudRead the Press Release
A federal jury in the Middle District of Florida convicted the owner of a marketing company, and former NFL player, for his role in a yearslong scheme to bilk Medicare and the Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs (CHAMPVA) out of nearly $200 million by selling patient information and sham doctors’ orders for orthotic braces that patients did not want or need.
“This defendant’s conduct was egregious: he targeted seniors suffering from Alzheimer’s and dementia and billed Medicare for orthotic braces for deceased patients and amputees,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “These schemes undermine the integrity of our health care system by robbing taxpayer-funded programs meant for legitimate medical care. Today’s verdict sends a clear message: the Criminal Division will aggressively prosecute those who prey on our nation’s seniors and veterans to steal from Medicare.”
“This scheme built on sham operations exploited seniors and corrupted the federal health care system. By falsifying doctors’ orders and selling patient information, the defendant sought to turn Medicare into their own personal ATM machine,” said Acting Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Scott J. Lampert of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG will stop and catch anyone who exploits vulnerable patients to bilk federal healthcare programs and hold them accountable to the full extent of the law.”
“This guilty verdict holds the defendant accountable for his role in a healthcare fraud scheme that targeted a program meant for deserving veterans and their families,” said Special Agent in Charge David Spilker with the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General Southeast Field Office. “The VA OIG will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to root out fraudsters and hold them responsible.”
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Joel Rufus French, 47, of Amory, Mississippi, worked with overseas call centers that pressured elderly Americans to provide their personal and health insurance information and agree to accept medically unnecessary orthotic braces. Some of the individuals who agreed to the braces suffered from Alzheimer’s and dementia. In certain instances, the call centers altered call recordings to make it seem like Medicare patients agreed to the braces when they did not.
French paid sham telemedicine companies to obtain signed orders from doctors and nurse practitioners who never examined, and often never even spoke to, the patients. He sold the orders to marketers and medical supply companies, which then submitted claims to Medicare. French also defrauded Medicare and CHAMPVA, the health care program for spouses and children of veterans who have or had a permanent and total service-connected disability or who died from a service-connected condition, by billing the programs for orthotic braces through eight durable medical equipment supply companies that he owned and managed, using false documents to hide his connection to the companies from Medicare. The evidence at trial showed that French and his co-conspirators caused Medicare to be billed for braces for amputees for limbs they did not have and for deceased beneficiaries. Also during the conspiracy, French withdrew approximately $225,000 in cash from a bank in Mississippi, over $10,000 of which was placed in a bag and driven to Orlando to pay accomplices who sold him beneficiaries’ personal and insurance information.
The jury convicted French of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and conspiracy to offer, pay, solicit, and receive kickbacks. French faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud, 10 years in prison for conspiracy to commit money laundering, and five years in prison for conspiracy to defraud the United States. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing date has not been set.
HHS-OIG, FBI, and VA-OIG investigated the case.
Acting Assistant Chief Catherine Wagner and Trial Attorney William Hochul III of the Justice Department’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case.
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of eight strike forces operating in federal districts across the country, has charged more than 6,200 defendants who collectively billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $45 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
Former Executive Director of Legal Services Non-Profit in Queens Pleads Guilty to FraudRead the Press Release
Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Lori Zeno, the former executive director of a legal services non-profit organization (the Organization), pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud for her role in a scheme to embezzle money from the Organization. The proceeding was held before United States Chief Magistrate Judge Vera M. Scanlon. When sentenced, Zeno faces a maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment as well as restitution and monetary penalties.
Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, James C. Barnacle, Jr., Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), and Christopher Ryan, Acting Commissioner, New York City Department of Investigation (DOI), announced the guilty plea.
“The defendant brazenly betrayed and abused her position of trust as the director of a non-profit, stealing funds that were meant for legal services for disadvantaged clients and members of the community and then spending those funds on luxury goods and expensive vacations,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “Our Office will vigorously prosecute those who steal public funds and deprive members of our community of crucial resources.”
“Lori Zeno diverted hundreds of thousands of dollars in funding intended for indigent residents to finance her lavish lifestyle. Zeno's abuse of authority deprived vulnerable New Yorkers of critical legal and community services. The FBI is committed to holding accountable anyone who exploits their position for selfish greed, especially those entrusted with supporting the public,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Barnacle.
“This defendant—the founder and leader of a legal services nonprofit—spent hundreds of thousands of dollars intended to provide legal representation for indigent New Yorkers on personal luxuries, including foreign travel, expensive meals, and rent for a penthouse apartment. The City’s nonprofits provide vital public services and today’s guilty plea acknowledges the defendant’s misuse of those precious funds. I thank our law enforcement partners in the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York and the Federal Bureau of Investigation for their commitment to protecting these organizations and their scarce resources from exploitation and fraud. DOI previously has made recommendations to the City to improve compliance and to strengthen oversight of spending at City-funded nonprofits and we urge the City to accept and implement those reforms,” stated DOI Acting Commissioner Ryan.
As set forth in court filings, Zeno co-founded and served as the executive director of the Organization, which provided legal services and community support services to indigent residents of Queens, New York. Zeno hired her co-defendant, Rashad Ruhani, to work for the Organization in October 2023 and later married him in a religious ceremony.
Between June 2024 and January 2025, Zeno and Ruhani engaged in a corrupt scheme to embezzle funds from the Organization, diverting hundreds of thousands of dollars for their own personal benefit, including spending these stolen funds on foreign travel, expensive meals, luxury shopping, and rent for a penthouse apartment (the Penthouse Apartment). Zeno and Ruhani made extravagant purchases with the Organization’s credit cards, spending over $10,000 on a vacation to Bali; $1,700 at a luxury resort in Santa Monica, California; $3,300 for an 85-inch smart television to be installed at the Penthouse Apartment; thousands of dollars in food deliveries to the Penthouse Apartment; and thousands of dollars at luxury retailers such as Ralph Lauren and Neiman Marcus. In one instance, Zeno and Ruhani charged over $4,000 to an Organization credit card to buy a Louis Vuitton designer handbag. As part of the conspiracy, Zeno repeatedly lied to the Organization, falsely characterizing personal expenses as business expenses to obtain the Organization’s approval. To pay for the Penthouse Apartment, Zeno and Ruhani fraudulently obtained reimbursements from the Organization for over $39,000 in rent by submitting lease documents that were altered to conceal Zeno’s involvement. Zeno also secured lucrative positions at the Organization for relatives and associates of Ruhani who did little or no substantive work, including hiring another woman married to Ruhani as the director of a non‑existent “health and wellness” program with a salary of $60,000. As a result of Zeno’s misuse of its funds, the Organization lost its contract to provide criminal defense services to low-income New Yorkers.
Ruhani is scheduled to stand trial on June 1, 2026. He is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Public Integrity Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Russell Noble and Sean M. Sherman are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Paralegal Specialists Johnson Peow and Daniel Arakawa.
The Defendant:
LORI ZENO
Age: 65
Garden City, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 25-CR-182 (S-1) (RPK)
Former CEO of A Special Purpose Acquisition Company – “SPAC” – Pleads Guilty to Securities FraudRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, announced that VADIM KOMISSAROV, the former Chief Executive Officer of Trident Acquisitions Corp. (“TDAC”), a publicly traded special purpose acquisition company (“SPAC”), pled guilty today before U.S. District Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein to securities fraud for his role in a scheme to defraud TDAC investors and investors in TDAC’s successor company, Lottery.com Inc., by publicly reporting false and misleading revenue and business information. KOMISSAROV is scheduled to be sentenced on June 24, 2026.
“Vadim Komissarov, the former CEO of Trident Acquisitions Corp., defrauded his shareholders,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “He manufactured fraudulent revenue and then obstructed the SEC’s investigation, including by lying under oath. Whether it be SPACs or any other capital raising vehicles, when executives fabricate revenue and mislead our markets, this Office and our partners will pursue them vigorously.”
According to the Indictment, plea agreement, and statements made in court:
From November 2020 through May 2022, KOMISSAROV engaged in a scheme to defraud TDAC investors and investors in TDAC’s successor company, Lottery.com Inc., by publicly reporting false and misleading revenue and business information about a prospective acquisition target and by profiting from the effect of the deception by selling shares of Lottery.com before other market participants realized the true state of the company (the “Revenue Scheme”).
The Revenue Scheme arose from an effort by KOMISSAROV to identify a suitable target for TDAC before TDAC reached a deadline to either use or return investor funds that had been raised to support an acquisition. In November 2020, KOMISSAROV settled on AutoLotto, Inc., d/b/a Lottery.com as a target for TDAC. To deceive TDAC shareholders about the nature of AutoLotto’s business, and to thereby secure their approval for TDAC’s acquisition of AutoLotto (the “Business Combination”), KOMISSAROV worked with others to improperly and misleadingly inflate AutoLotto’s revenue and to report those inflated figures to TDAC’s shareholders through public filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), which KOMISSAROV signed or caused to be filed as the principal executive, financial, and accounting officer of TDAC.
The Revenue Scheme created the false appearance of revenue-generating business activity for AutoLotto and later for Lottery.com through a series of sham transactions, including a fraudulent $9 million roundtrip transaction that KOMISSAROV engineered using the alias “Vlad.”
In April 2022 and May 2022, KOMISSAROV sold almost 300,000 Lottery.com shares for more than $600,000, months before Lottery.com disclosed to investors that it had identified errors in the company’s reported revenue and available cash.
By June 2023 and August 2023, the enforcement staff of the SEC had begun to investigate TDAC and Lottery.com. After receiving a subpoena from the SEC for documents and testimony in connection with the SEC’s investigation, KOMISSAROV schemed to obstruct the SEC’s investigation. For example, during a call with two Lottery.com executives, KOMISSAROV said he wanted to “sync” his “clock[]” with them and align on a false and misleading narrative that concealed his involvement in some of the sham transactions that were part of the Revenue Scheme. KOMISSAROV warned the Lottery.com executives, “guys, you do understand, you say that I was involved with this transaction . . . . if Trident and me specifically knew about it, then I am in deep, deep, deep, deep water . . . . So, if you come out and say that I was involved, then I am in deep shit.”
KOMISSAROV also personally tried to obstruct the SEC’s investigation. On November 20, 2024, KOMISSAROV provided sworn testimony to the SEC in connection with the SEC investigation into TDAC and Lottery.com. During his testimony, KOMISSAROV gave false and misleading answers about his prior communications with the Lottery.com executives and his involvement in the $9 million fraudulent roundtrip transaction that was part of the Revenue Scheme.
* * *
KOMISSAROV, 54, of New York, New York, pled guilty to one count of securities fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
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 a judge.
Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Mr. Clayton also thanked the SEC, which has filed a separate civil action against KOMISSAROV, for its assistance and cooperation in the investigation.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin V. Rodriguez and Matthew R. Shahabian are in charge of the prosecution.
Former Bureau of Prisons Corrections Officer Pleaded Guilty to Accepting Bribes and Money Laundering in Prison Contraband ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Former BOP Officer Admitted to Receiving Over $80,000 in Bribes
BRUNSWICK, GA: Former BOP Officer pleaded guilty in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Georgia to bribery and money laundering charges related to a prison contraband trafficking conspiracy operating in Federal Correctional Institution – Jesup in the spring and summer of 2022.
Ashley Brown, 36, of Hinesville, GA, a former Bureau of Prisons Corrections Officer, pleaded guilty in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Georgia to 24 counts of Public Official Accepting a Bribe and 16 counts of Laundering of Monetary Instruments for her role in a prison contraband trafficking conspiracy that operated within Federal Correctional Institution – Jesup (FCI Jesup) in the spring and summer of 2022. Brown was the final defendant to plead guilty in the case of United States of America v. Ashley Brown et. al., which originally charged Brown and 7 current or former inmates of FCI Jesup with drug trafficking, money laundering, and attempted possession of contraband charges. All charged individuals have now been adjudicated guilty for their respective roles in the offense.
“In collaboration with our law enforcement partners, we are committed to protecting the integrity of our nation’s prison system from those who would exploit them for profit,” said U.S. Attorney Heap for the Southern District of Georgia.
As described in court documents and testimony, Brown accepted bribes sent to her by individuals closely associated with FCI Jesup inmates through the financial transaction service Cash App utilizing three accounts bearing the fictious names “Bonnie Bonnie,” “Clyde Clyde,” and “Honey Honey.” In total, Brown received over $80,000 in bribes in exchange for allowing contraband such as methamphetamine, K2, cell phones, postage stamps, and cigarettes into FCI Jesup against her duties as a correctional officer. Brown then transferred the ill-gotten funds to her personal Cash App account to obscure the source and ownership of the funds.
Investigators with the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General identified numerous inmates providing money to Brown through Cash App records. Following the investigation, the Department of Justice brought charges against the following individuals, all of whom pleaded guilty to the listed charges, and were sentenced to the listed sentence (if sentence has been imposed).
- Ashley Brown – 24 Counts of Public Official Accepting a Bribe, 16 Counts of Laundering Monetary Instruments – Awaiting Sentencing
- Navarus “Tez” Bryant - 24 Counts of Bribing a Public Official, 24 Counts of Laundering Monetary Instruments – Awaiting Sentencing
- Adrian “Abe” Sims - 1 Count of Possession of Contraband by a Prisoner – Awaiting Sentencing
- Eric Reyes – Attempting to Possess Contraband in Prison – 3 years’ probation
- Larry Andrews – Attempting to Posses Contraband in Prison – 5 years’ probation
- Demarcus Bell – Attempting to Possess Contraband in Prison – 1 month imprisonment consecutive to current sentence
- Quinton Davis – Attempting to Possess Contraband in Prison – 1 month imprisonment consecutive to current sentence
- Joshua Whigan – Attempting to Possess Contraband in Prison – 1 month imprisonment consecutive to current sentence
“Brown violated her sworn duty as a Correctional Officer by allowing drugs and other contraband into FCI Jesup, putting inmates and her fellow correctional officers at risk,” stated Eric Fehlman, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General Southeast Region. “The Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General is committed to bringing to justice any Correctional Officer that violates their oath and smuggles contraband into federal prisons.”
The case was investigated by the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant United States Attorneys Bradley R. Thompson and Ryan E. Bondura.
For any questions, please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office at (912) 652-4422.
Federal Felon Returned to Prison for Committing Same CrimeRead the Press Release
A felon who resisted police officers while in possession of a firearm was sentenced on February 2, 2026, to more than eight years in federal prison.
Orrington Alexander Gardner, age 41, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after a July 17, 2025, guilty plea to possession of a firearm by a felon.
Information from sentencing and a related supervised release hearing showed that Gardner was convicted of possession of a firearm by a felon in the Northern District of Iowa in 2009. The district court sentenced him to the statutory maximum sentence of ten years for that offense. Gardner was released from federal prison in late June 2022. Less than three months later, Waterloo police officers received information that Gardner had a gun. On September 14, 2022, officers followed Gardner from his home and pulled over a car in which he was a passenger. An officer repeatedly asked Gardner to step out of the car, and he refused. Gardner began to roll up his window, and the officer opened the car door and attempted to grab Gardner’s hands. Gardner resisted the officer and reached towards his waistband where he had a loaded gun. After a struggle over Gardner’s hands, officers managed to take the gun from Gardner’s waistband and arrest him.
Gardner was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Gardner was sentenced to 100 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Gardner is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.
On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kyndra Lundquist and was investigated by a Federal Task Force composed of the Waterloo Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms assisted by the Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Office and Cedar Falls Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-CR-2044.
Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Farmington man charged for fentanyl distribution and firearms offensesRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Farmington man is facing federal charges for suspected federal drug trafficking and firearms violations stemming from a traffic stop.
According to court documents, on January 26, 2026, Stevie Anthony Lovato, 39, was stopped while driving on U.S. Highway 550 with two other individuals in the vehicle and arrested on an active felony warrant. During the arrest, officers recovered a 9mm hollow point round, approximately 1.34 grams of methamphetamine, and two cellphones from his person. A subsequent search of the vehicle, conducted pursuant to a warrant, resulted in the seizure of approximately 18 grams of fentanyl powder, more than 400 fentanyl pills, and a loaded firearm.
As a previously convicted felon, Lovato is prohibited from possessing a firearm and ammunition.
Lovato is charged with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. He will remain in custody pending trial, which has not been scheduled. If convicted of the current charges, Lovato faces a minimum of ten years and up to life in prison.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Region II Narcotics Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jesse Pecoraro is prosecuting the case.
View the Criminal Complaint (Lovato).pdfAn 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.
Felon Charged with Trafficking Fentanyl and Illegal Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Cadale Lamar Carson, 34, of Mary Ester, Florida, was indicted by a federal grand jury charging him with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing fentanyl; possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing fentanyl; and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the charges today.
Carson appeared for his arraignment in federal court before United States Magistrate Judge Zachary C. Bolitho in Pensacola, Florida. Jury trial is scheduled for March 16, 2026, at 8:30 am before District Court Judge T. Kent Wetherell, II.
If convicted of counts one and two, Carson faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment, up to life, for each count. If convicted of count three, Carson faces up to 15 years’ imprisonment.
The case involved a joint investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Jessica S. Etherton is prosecuting the case.
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 prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF comprises agents and officers from multiple agencies with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access available public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.