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17 March 2026
London Woman Sentenced for Wire Fraud and Money Laundering Conspiracy Involving COVID Relief LoansRead the Press Release
LONDON, Ky. – A London woman, Nicole Pennington, 50, was sentenced on Tuesday to 44 months by U.S. District Judge Claria Horn Boom for wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering, arising out of a scheme to fraudulently obtain Economic Injury Disaster Loans and Paycheck Protection Program loans.
In March 2020, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the United States established the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), which provided forgivable loans to small businesses as an incentive to keep their workers on the payroll, and expanded funding for the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program, which provided low-interest loans to small businesses to cover operational expenses. The Small Business Administration (SBA) administered both programs. According to her plea agreement, from March 2020 to May 2022, Nicole Pennington devised a scheme to defraud the government by making materially false statements on PPP and EIDL applications. In total, Pennington submitted about 30 PPP and EIDL applications on behalf of actual and fabricated businesses associated with herself and her husband, Joshua Pennington. All of these applications contained material falsehoods, and Nicole Pennington supported them with fraudulent tax returns, financial statements, and other records. Six of the loan applications were approved for a total of $1,090,398.35 in fraudulently obtained SBA loan proceeds.
After receiving the loan proceeds, Nicole Pennington and her co-defendant, Joshua Pennington, laundered more than $1,000,000 in criminally derived funds by engaging in a series of transactions in amounts of $10,000 or more. Specifically, they used the money to renovate their kitchen, pay for plastic surgery, purchase a Viking River Cruise trip, withdraw cash, purchase vehicles, and pay off loans and mortgages.
Joshua Pennington was previously sentenced to 22 months in prison for his role in the money laundering conspiracy.
Under federal law, Nicole Pennington must serve 85 percent of her prison sentence. Upon her release from prison, she will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for two years.
Paul McCaffrey, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Kelly K. Moening, Special Agent in Charge, Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, Great Lakes Field Division; and Karen Wingerd, Special Agent in Charge, IRS-Criminal Investigations, Detroit Field Division, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration and the IRS-CI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Andy Smith prosecuted the sentencing on behalf of the United States.
The Fraud Section leads the Department of Justice Criminal Division’s prosecution of fraud schemes that exploit the PPP. Since the enactment of the CARES Act, the Fraud Section has prosecuted over 200 defendants in more than 130 criminal cases and has seized over $78 million in cash proceeds derived from fraudulently obtained PPP funds, as well as numerous real estate properties and luxury items purchased with such proceeds.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
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LeFlore County Resident Sentenced to Twenty Years in Federal Prison for Distributing MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Kenny Ray Smith, age 62, of Whitesboro, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 240 months in prison each for two counts of Distribution of Methamphetamine. The Court ordered the sentences to be served concurrently.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics, the District 16 District Attorney’s Office, and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
On September 4, 2025, Smith was found guilty of the charges by a federal jury at trial. According to investigators, on June 27, 2024, Smith conducted a sale for 27.85 grams of methamphetamine in a controlled buy during an undercover investigation by the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics (OBN). On July 9, 2024, Smith conducted a sale for 52.9 grams of methamphetamine in a controlled buy during an undercover investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the OBN.
“Mr. Smith’s crimes and his long history of drug trafficking in Eastern Oklahoma have proven him to be deserving of this sentence,” said United States Attorney Christopher J. Wilson. “I commend the DEA and OBN for their work to combat drugs in our communities. Together, we have formed an effective partnership reflecting the high priority this office places on protecting public health and safety.”
“This was an outstanding joint investigation that aimed to remove a significant meth supplier in eastern Oklahoma,” said OBN Director Donnie Anderson. “Meth continues to be one of our state’s leading contributors in drug-related deaths. Our agency will continue to aggressively target those who endanger the health and safety of Oklahoma citizens by funneling meth onto our streets.”
“This sentence sends a clear and unwavering message: repeat offenders who profit from the distribution of this poison will be held fully accountable. Mr. Smith’s criminal history underscores a pattern of harm that we cannot and will not tolerate,” said Joseph B. Tucker, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Dallas Field Division. “The DEA is fully committed to working closely with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to disrupt drug trafficking networks and protect the safety and well-being of our communities.”
The Honorable John F. Heil, III, Chief Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Smith will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jordan Howanitz and Richard J. Lorenz represented the United States.
Lawrence Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing 10,000 Counterfeit Percocet PillsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Lawrence man pleaded guilty in federal court in Boston to drug charges connected to a drug manufacturing ring.
Joshua Morales, 31, pleaded guilty to one count of possession of controlled substances with intent to distribute. U.S. Senior District Court Judge Patti B. Saris scheduled sentencing for June 12, 2026. Morales was charged in August 2025.
According to the charging documents, Morales was observed by law enforcement entering into a residence in Methuen and leaving with a large orange bag. According to court documents, investigators knew that the residence was an alleged drug distribution and manufacturing location. While under surveillance, Morales then drove to a location in Lawrence, where he was apprehended. During a search of Morales’ vehicle, 10,000 counterfeit Percocet pills believed to contain fentanyl were recovered.During a search of the residence in Methuen, an automated pill press was located, along with multiple kilograms of counterfeit Adderall and Percocet pills believed to contain fentanyl and methamphetamine. Numerous items used in the pill manufacturing process, including cutting agents, blenders, scales, bowls and bags full of suspected fentanyl and methamphetamine powders and binding agents were also recovered.
The charge of possessing a controlled substance with intent to distribute provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years and up to life of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; and Methuen Police Chief Scott J. McNamara made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Essex County District Attorney’s Office, the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office, Peabody Police Department, Lawrence Police Department and Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip A. Mallard of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit is prosecuting the case.
This case was investigated and prosecuted by the Boston 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 joint operations 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. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Law enforcement seized 11 kilograms of suspected fentanyl, cocaine from a Dayton man’s safe following his arrest on federal drug crimesRead the Press Release
DAYTON, Ohio – A Dayton man has been charged federally in a narcotics trafficking case in which law enforcement seized approximately 11 kilograms of suspected fentanyl and cocaine.
Ke-Shawn Rivers, 46, appeared in federal court yesterday morning for a detention hearing. The Court ordered that he remain in custody pending trial.
According to the indictment, between September 2025 and January 2026, Rivers, who also goes by “JayZ,” distributed fentanyl on multiple occasions.
On March 11, law enforcement executed a search warrant and seized narcotics, a firearm and a safe. The safe contained approximately 11 kilograms of suspected fentanyl and cocaine and $260,000 in cash as well as an additional firearm.
“Illicit fentanyl destroys lives and directly threatens our national security,” said U.S. Attorney Dominick S. Gerace II. “My office will continue to fight alongside our law enforcement partners at all levels of government to rid our streets of this deadly drug.”
“Fentanyl has been a scourge on our communities and has sadly taken many of our family and friends too soon,” said HSI Detroit acting Special Agent in Charge Jared Murphey. “HSI will continue to vigorously investigate and dismantle narcotics trafficking networks across Ohio and Michigan to protect our communities. I want to thank our partners from the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation and the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office for their partnership in this investigation.”
“Fentanyl’s catastrophic impact on our communities is well-documented – when a tiny speck can cause an overdose, taking pounds off the streets makes Ohio exponentially safer,” Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost said. “This task force and our BCI narcotics agents have my gratitude for a job well done.”
“Fentanyl continues to devastate families and communities throughout Montgomery County,” said Rob Streck. “The amount of fentanyl seized in this case had the potential to cause unimaginable harm in our community. This case is another example of what can be accomplished when federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies work together to identify and hold accountable those responsible for trafficking these deadly drugs.”
Rivers is charged with 13 counts of distributing fentanyl, a federal crime punishable by up to 20 years in prison.
Dominick S. Gerace II, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Jared Murphey, Acting Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Detroit; Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost; Montgomery County Sheriff Rob Streck and members of the Regional Area Narcotics and Gun Enforcement Task Force (RANGE) announced the charges. Assistant United States Attorney Amy M. Smith and Special Assistant United States Attorney Kelly Collins are representing the United States in this case.
An indictment merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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Lafourche Parish Resident Guilty of Furthering Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LA – MICHAEL LEWIS, (“LEWIS”), age 44, of Thibodaux, pled guilty on March 13, 2026 before U.S. District Judge Brandon S. Long , to a superseding bill of information charging him with illegal use of communications facility to further a drug trafficking crime, in violation of Title 21, U.S.C. §843(b) and Title 18, U.S.C. §2. At the sentencing, scheduled for June 16, 2026, he faces up to four years imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, up to one year of supervised release, and payment of a $100 mandatory special assessment fee, announced the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
According to the charging document, beginning on a time unknown but continuing until at least June 5, 2024, LEWIS conspired with other individuals, mainly Linez Green and John Paul Gage Jr., to distribute, and possess with intent to distribute, methamphetamine throughout the Lafourche and Terrebonne Parish region of the Eastern District of Louisiana. The conspiracy involved obtaining narcotics from Houston, Texas and transporting narcotics to Thibodaux, Louisiana. The conspiracy was carried out through wire and electronic communications, and the use of multiple vehicles. On multiple occasions, LEWIS used his cell phone to further this conspiracy and helped others distribute methamphetamine to numerous customers in Thibodaux, Louisiana. Both Green and Gage Jr. have also previously pled guilty in this case.
The United States Attorney’s Office praised the work of the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Louisiana State Police, the Thibodaux Police Department, the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office, and the Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Stuart Theriot of the Narcotics Unit.
L.A. County Sheriff’s Deputy Pleads Guilty to Obstructing Federal Investigation into Crypto ‘Mogul’ Threats Against Party PlannerRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD) deputy pleaded guilty today to obstructing a federal investigation into a now-jailed, self-styled cryptocurrency businessman by lying that he never witnessed the wannabe crypto mogul threaten and extort $25,000 from a party planner at his Bel Air mansion.
Scott Allen Simpkins, 34, of Brea, pleaded guilty to one count of obstruction of justice.
Prior to today’s hearing, Simpkins had been relieved of duty and placed on leave by LASD, but he has not yet left the department.
According to his plea agreement, Simpkins was a deputy assigned to LASD’s Lakewood Station and worked for LASD’s Special Enforcement Bureau and SWAT team. He also worked approximately six to eight shifts as a private security guard for Saavedra & Associates and received cash payments for his services.
Saavedra & Associates was a private company owned and operated by then-LASD Deputy and one-time federal task force officer Eric Chase Saavedra, 43, of Chino, that employed active LASD deputies and law enforcement officers and provided private security services for clients.
One of those clients was Adam Iza, 25, who resided in Beverly Hills and Newport Beach, was a self-styled cryptocurrency businessman who called himself “The Godfather,” and who has been in federal custody since September 2024. Iza pleaded guilty in January 2025 to one count of conspiracy against rights, one count of wire fraud, and one count of tax evasion, and awaits sentencing.
In August 2021, Iza hired Simpkins, fellow then-LASD Deputy Christopher Michael Cadman, 34, of Fullerton, and other law enforcement officers to provide private security at a party at his Bel Air mansion. At the time, Simpkins knew Iza possessed at least one firearm.
After the party ended, at around 3 a.m. or 4 a.m. on August 15, 2021, Simpkins learned the party planner – identified in court documents as “R.C.” – had been kicked out of the party for erratic behavior.
The next day, Simpkins worked another shift at Iza’s Bel Air mansion and – along with Cadman – escorted R.C. to Iza’s office and closed the door behind them. Iza – seated behind his office desk – then took steps to intimidate R.C. to obtain $25,000 by placing four or five rounds of live 9mm ammunition on his desk across from R.C. While speaking to the victim, Iza picked up the live ammunition and twirled a bullet in his hand as he spoke threateningly to R.C.
During this meeting, Iza accessed R.C.’s phone after demanding that $25,000 be transferred from R.C.’s bank account to an Iza-controlled bank account. After the transfer occurred, Simpkins and Cadman escorted R.C. out of Iza’s mansion.
After this incident, Iza hired Saavedra & Associates as his private security provider and made substantial payments to Saavedra and his employees. Simpkins and Cadman each earned $1,400 for their shifts during the August 2021 party and the August 16 incident with R.C.
In response to Simpkins and Cadman helping to secure a long-term contract with Iza, Saavedra & Associate paid them approximately 10% of the company’s total profits for the contract’s first month.
After Iza’s arrest in September 2024 and the R.C.-related conduct being charged – along with other crimes – in a federal criminal complaint and an indictment against Iza, the FBI executed a search warrant on Simpkins’ person and seized his phone.
In a November 2024 meeting with federal law enforcement concerning Iza and corrupt LASD deputies and in which Simpkins was warned that lying would result in criminal prosecution, Simpkins lied repeatedly to FBI agents and federal prosecutors that he saw no ammunition or shell casings inside Iza’s office during the incident with victim R.C. Simpkins further lied when he said he saw no financial transactions occur.
Simpkins admitted in his plea agreement that he knew his lies had the natural and probable effect of interfering with the criminal investigation and legal proceedings against Iza and were material to the investigation.
United States District Judge Percy Anderson scheduled a July 13 sentencing hearing, at which time Simpkins will face a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison.
Iza, Saavedra and Cadman, among others, have pleaded guilty to federal criminal charges and await sentencing.
On Monday, Judge Anderson sentenced former LASD Deputy Michael David Coberg, 44, of Eastvale, to 63 months in federal prison and was ordered to pay $127,000 in restitution for helping Iza extort a rival and arrange the sham illegal drug possession arrest of another adversary in Paramount in 2021.
The FBI and IRS Criminal Investigation are investigating this matter. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department has provided assistance.
Assistant United States Attorney Maxwell K. Coll of the National Security Division is prosecuting this case.
Kent, Washington, woman sentenced to prison for defrauding VA programs designed to help severely disabled veteransRead the Press Release
Seattle – A Kent, Washington, woman was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to 17 months in prison for her long-lasting fraud scheme that stole more than $1 million in benefits from the Veterans Administration, announced First Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Neil Floyd. Kelly M. Lee-Carroll, 58, recruited her sister and her son to the scheme to defraud Veterans Administration health care and disability benefits. Lee-Carroll claimed she was unable to walk or care for herself and needed round-the-clock care. In fact, Lee-Carrol was able to walk. She traveled on exotic vacations and purchased a second home in Las Vegas all while collecting benefits intended for the most disabled veterans. At the sentencing hearing U.S. District Judge James L. Robart said, “Ms. Lee-Carroll broke the trust she had with her fellow veterans. It was intentional and it went on for an extended period of time.”
“As a veteran, I find this type of fraud against our programs despicable,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Neil Floyd. “These benefits to pay for care, and for caregivers, need to be carefully utilized so that they serve veterans as intended. They should not go for second homes, cars, exotic trips, or casino gambling as they did in this case. This defendant not only pays the price for her conduct, she roped in her family members who now have felony convictions.”
“This sentence sends a clear message that individuals who steal VA benefits will be held accountable,” said Special Agent in Charge Dimitriana Nikolov with the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of the Inspector General Northwest Field Office. “The VA OIG will continue to identify and eliminate fraud by seeking prosecution of those who swindle VA benefit programs that are intended to help veterans, their families, and caregivers. We thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their efforts in this investigation.”
According to records filed in the case, between July 2012 and October 2024, Lee-Carroll claimed to be disabled to such a degree that she needed full time care for daily living. She claimed to be bedridden with paralysis in one leg and arm. She repeatedly represented that she needed a wheelchair to leave home. The investigation revealed that Lee-Carroll did not require the use of a wheelchair outside her home and that she had use of both hands.
Lee-Carroll designated her sister and son as her caregivers so that the VA would pay them for the hours they claimed they cared for Lee-Carroll. Her sister and son claimed to be caring for Lee-Carroll while they were clocked in at other jobs such as driving a truck or working as an administrative assistant. On some of the occasions that they claimed to be caring for Lee-Carroll, she was traveling to Las Vegas, Tennessee, or internationally to Mexico or Jamaica, without any caregivers.
The scheme stole more than $1.1 million in VA funds. Lee-Carroll was ordered to pay $932,142 in restitution. Her son, Robert H. Nelson III, 28, was sentenced last November to 14 months in federal prison and was ordered to pay $282,698 in restitution. Her sister, Katoya F. Grant, 41, was sentenced earlier this month to a ‘time-served’ sentence with six months of supervised release and was ordered to pay $293,787 in restitution.
Lee-Carroll served in the Army for three months in 1986 and then joined the Army Reserves from 1986-1994. Lee-Carroll claimed a service-related disability in 2012 and received caregiver funding in 2013. Prosecutors acknowledged that Lee-Carroll did qualify for some disability payments but not the more than $11,000 per month that she was receiving.
In asking for an 18-month sentence, prosecutors wrote to the court, “For years, Lee-Carroll falsely claimed that she was wheelchair-bound and bedridden to secure over $1 million in VA benefits that are earmarked for severely disabled veterans. She recruited her sister and son into her scheme to defraud the VA and taxpayers out of funds that should have gone to veterans who are, in fact, bedridden and who require round-the-clock care. The VA benefits that she secured through lies funded a lifestyle that included two homes, one in Kent that is worth over $1 million and one in Las Vegas worth $772,000, multiple vehicles, gambling, and frequent international trips.”
All three defendants pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to commit theft of government property and a count of health care fraud.
The case was investigated by the Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General (VA-OIG).
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Yunah Chung.
Jury convicts owner of Amazon delivery business for fraud schemes and forging federal judge’s signatureRead the Press Release
ATLANTA – A federal jury has convicted Brittany Hudson of all 30 counts in an indictment that charged her with stealing nearly $10 million from Amazon based on fraud, laundering the fraudulent proceeds from that scheme, lying to a franchising company while on pretrial release, and forging the signature of former Chief U.S. District Judge Timothy C. Batten, Sr. on fake court documents.
“Hudson and her literal partner in crime brazenly stole nearly $10 million from Amazon through a fraud scheme involving fake vendors and invoices,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “A federal jury put an end to Hudson’s insatiable greed by returning a guilty verdict on 30 counts of conspiracy, wire fraud, money laundering, and forgery.”
“The level of greed on the part of the perpetrators in this case was staggering,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert Donovan of the U.S. Secret Service Atlanta Field Office. “Leveraging personal relationships, she stole millions from Amazon and was so confident she wouldn’t be caught, she even forged the signature of a federal judge with the intent of defrauding a second company. Thanks to the diligent work of our agents and the prosecution team at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, her days of defrauding others have come to an end.”
According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: Brittany Hudson owned a business, Legend Express LLC, which contracted with Amazon to deliver packages. Hudson was in a romantic relationship with Kayricka Wortham a/k/a Kayricka Dupree a/k/a Kayricka Young, who worked as an operations manager at an Amazon warehouse in Smyrna, Georgia. In her position, Wortham supervised others and had the authority to approve new Amazon vendors and the payment of vendor invoices.
From about January 2022 to June 2022, Hudson and Wortham defrauded Amazon out of nearly $10 million based on a scheme involving bogus vendors and invoices. Wortham provided fake vendor information to unknowing subordinates and asked them to input the information into Amazon’s vendor system. Once the information was entered, Wortham and another co-conspirator at Amazon approved the fake vendors, enabling the vendors to submit invoices.
Hudson and Wortham then submitted fictitious invoices, falsely representing that the phony vendors had provided goods and services to Amazon. Wortham approved the invoices, causing Amazon to transfer approximately $9.4 million to bank accounts controlled by Hudson, Wortham, and co-conspirators. Hudson and Wortham purchased expensive real estate and luxury cars with Amazon’s money, including a nearly $1 million home in Smyrna, Georgia, a 2019 Lamborghini Urus, a 2021 Dodge Durango, a 2022 Tesla Model X, a 2018 Porsche Panamera, and a Kawasaki ZX636 motorcycle.
In September 2022, Hudson and Wortham were charged in federal court with defrauding Amazon. In January 2023, while on bond, they lied to a potential business partner, claiming that their Amazon-related criminal charges had been dismissed. To support that lie, the two emailed fake court documents that purported to dismiss the charges and contained the forged signatures of Chief U.S. District Judge Timothy C. Batten, Sr., who has since retired, and Cobb County Magistrate Judge Norman L. Barnett, who was then one of the prosecutors on the case. Hudson also emailed doctored bank statements and personal financial statements that fraudulently inflated the balances in her and Wortham’s accounts.
On March 13, 2026, a jury convicted Hudson of 30 counts, including two counts of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, 17 counts of wire fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, nine counts of money laundering, and one count of forgery of the signature of a federal judge. The jury also found that money seized from Hudson’s bank account and Hudson’s residence in Smyrna, Georgia, were forfeitable as fraudulent proceeds of the Amazon scheme.
On June 27, 2023, Kayricka Wortham, 34, of Atlanta, Georgia, was sentenced to 16 years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release and ordered to pay $9,469,731.45 in restitution to Amazon. More than $3 million in fraudulent proceeds seized from multiple bank accounts, the Smyrna home, and the vehicles purchased with fraudulent proceeds were forfeited. Wortham was convicted of the Amazon fraud charge on November 30, 2022, after she pleaded guilty. On October 6, 2025, she pleaded guilty to forgery of the signature of a federal judge. She is scheduled to be sentenced on the forgery charge on March 25, 2026, at 10 a.m., before U.S. District Judge Michael L. Brown.
Sentencing for Brittany Hudson, 40, of Atlanta, Georgia, is scheduled for June 16, 2026, at 10:00 a.m., before Judge Brown.
This case is being investigated by the United States Secret Service.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephen H. McClain and Angela Adams are prosecuting the case.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Judge Finds Probable Cause to Charge D.C. Man for Shooting Man at Point-Blank RangeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – On Tuesday, Judge Rainey Brandt determined that probable cause exists to charge Niwatilagu Anthony Long, 45, of Washington, D.C., with second-degree murder while armed for shooting and killing 44-year-old D.C. resident Melvin Saunders in the early morning of December 19, 2025, in Northeast D.C., announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Long was arrested at the D.C. Superior Court after the completion of a preliminary hearing for an assault with a deadly weapon case where Long was charged with pistol whipping another victim, Donald Cook, on Saturday, January 3, 2026. A status hearing is scheduled for October 9, 2026.
According to the affidavit in support of Long’s arrest, Saunders, the victim, and several other people were present in an apartment at the North Capitol Commons, John and Jill Ker Conway residence in the 1000 block of North Capitol Street, NE, when Long claimed to be a member of the “Crips” and accused Saunders of being a member of the “Bloods” before shooting the victim execution-style in his left temple. Long left the scene on foot and discarded some of his clothing to alter his appearance to evade detection by law enforcement.
At the preliminary hearing on March 17, 2026, Judge Brandt ordered that Long remain held and determined that there was no condition or combination of conditions of release that the Court could set to reasonably assure the safety of the community. In evaluating the evidence at the hearing, Judge Brandt described the killing of Saunders as a “close-range assassination” where the victim was “shot point-blank” in the head.
This case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Marybeth Manfreda and Rashmika Nedungadi.
These charges are merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Iowa City Man Sentenced to over 9 Years in Federal Prison for Receipt of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, Iowa – An Iowa City man was sentenced March 17, 2026, to 110 months in federal prison for receiving child pornography.
According to public court documents and evidence presented at sentencing, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children received a CyberTip that accounts, later determined to be associated with Nong Chatchanok Press, 23, received and uploaded files containing child sexual abuse material. In December 2023, law enforcement seized electronic devices during a search of Press’s Iowa City residence. Law enforcement also seized a phone from Press when he was arrested in February 2025. A forensic examination of the seized electronic devices showed that Press used the devices to receive, view, and possess more than 117,000 images and 300 videos containing child sexual abuse material.
After completing his term of imprisonment, Press will be required to serve a 15-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Press was also ordered to pay $123,000 in restitution.
United States Attorney David C. Waterman of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The University of Iowa Police Department investigated the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Investment advisor pleads guilty to defrauding elderly client out of nearly $10 millionRead the Press Release
ATLANTA – Eijroghene Okuma, a former investment advisor, pleaded guilty today to one count of wire fraud after defrauding an elderly client out of nearly $10 million over a three-year period.
“This was the ultimate act of financial betrayal,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “Instead of abiding by his fiduciary obligations, Okuma exploited an elderly man’s trust and stole millions. We will aggressively prosecute investment professionals who scheme to steal clients’ funds, rather than protect their financial interests.”
“Eijroghene Okuma abused a position of trust to carry out a calculated scheme that stole millions from an elderly victim,” said Peter Ellis, Acting Special Agent in Charge of FBI Georgia. “The FBI is committed to protecting older Americans from financial exploitation and will continue working with our partners to ensure criminals who target seniors are held accountable.”
According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: Between 2010 and May 2023, Okuma was a financial and investment advisor with Edward Jones. In that capacity, Okuma had complete access to the Edward Jones brokerage accounts of an elderly client (“Victim-1”), who was born in 1944.
Okuma’s fraudulent scheme began in February 2022 after his appointment to administer the estate of Victim-1’s sister. Beginning in March 2022, Okuma began embezzling from Victim-1 by falsely representing that the sister’s estate needed funds. Victim-1 permitted Okuma to transfer $500,000 from one of Victim-1’s brokerage accounts to a bank account purportedly held for the estate, but Okuma ultimately transferred the money to a bank account in the name of his wife’s company without Victim-1’s knowledge. Similarly, in June 2022, Okuma stole approximately $400,000 by transferring funds he deceived Victim-1 into paying.
After embezzling nearly $1 million from Victim-1, Okuma set up fraudulent accounts to steal millions more. In early February 2023, Okuma opened an unauthorized Vanguard brokerage account in the name of a revocable trust, which Okuma was involved in creating in Victim-1’s name, as well as using Victim-1’s personal identifying information and a fraudulent email account that Okuma created. Victim-1 had no knowledge of the Vanguard account until Okuma’s scheme was uncovered more than two years later. On the same day that Okuma opened the fraudulent Vanguard account, he added himself as a custodian to a bank account in Victim-1’s name, which gave him full authority to withdraw funds without Victim-1’s approval.
Approximately two weeks later, Okuma began transferring funds from Victim-1’s brokerage accounts to the fraudulent Vanguard account. By the end of February 2023, Okuma had transferred approximately $9 million of Victim-1’s funds to the Vanguard account without Victim-1’s knowledge. Between August 2023 and March 2025, Okuma embezzled approximately $9 million of Victim-1’s funds from the Vanguard account by writing checks to bank accounts controlled by him or his wife and electronic transfers.
Okuma used the stolen money to build a $5.2 million residence in Vinings, Georgia, join a beach club and purchase a fractional share of a beach house for approximately $1.4 million, and donate approximately $340,000 to his church.
Sentencing for Eijroghene Okuma, 43, of Lithia Springs, Georgia, is scheduled for June 23, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. before U.S. District Judge Sarah E. Geraghty.
On January 30, 2026, the Securities and Exchange Commission filed a settled action against Okuma relating to the above scheme in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia. On February 18, 2026, a final judgment was entered against Okuma under which he agreed to pay more than $13 million, including more than $1 million in prejudgment interest and a $3 million civil penalty.
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with valuable assistance from the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alex R. Sistla is prosecuting the case.
For more information about the Department of Justice’s efforts to help older Americans and to combat elder abuse, neglect, financial exploitation and fraud, please visit https://www.justice.gov/elderjustice. The Department provides a variety of resources relating to elder fraud victimization through its Office for Victims of Crime, which can be reached at www.ovc.gov.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
International Trafficker Extradited to the United States and Charged with Importing Opioids and Money Laundering in Homeland Security Task Force InvestigationRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – Sebastien Rollin (49, Quebec, Canada), a/k/a “Sticks” or “Stix,” has been charged by federal indictment with conspiracy to import protonitazene, distribution of protonitazene for importation into the United States, and international promotional money laundering. If convicted on all counts, Rollin faces a maximum penalty of 120 years in federal prison. The indictment also notifies Rollin that the United States is seeking an order of forfeiture. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to the indictment, Rollin, a Canadian national residing in a suburb of Montreal, Canada, began arranging the sale of synthetic opioid pills disguised as oxycodone knowing that the pills would go to Tampa. Rollin sold more than 10,000 such pills on May 13, 2024, to an undercover officer. He later sold 25,000 pills to an undercover officer on July 9, 2024. Rollin accepted payment for these sales via cryptocurrency that was sent from an undercover cryptocurrency wallet in the Middle District of Florida to Canada.
In mid-July 2024, Rollin negotiated the sale of 300,000 synthetic opioid pills to the United States; however, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police stopped the vehicle of an organization courier and seized the pills. That same day, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police executed search warrants at two clandestine laboratories in Quebec, Canada used for the manufacturing of synthetic opioids, resulting in the seizure of millions of synthetic opioid pills, recipes for synthetic drugs, and a firearm.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Coast Guard, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. The Spanish National Police provided critical assistance in locating and apprehending Rollin. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with the Government of Spain to secure the arrest and Feb. 20 extradition from Spain of Rollin. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dan Baeza.
This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Region 20 (Tampa) comprises agents and officers from multiple law enforcement agencies with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida.
Illegal Aliens from Guatemala and Honduras Sentenced for Re-entering the U.S. Without AuthorizationRead the Press Release
TOLEDO, Ohio – Two Guatemalans and a Honduran have been sentenced for illegally entering the United States after being previously deported from the country. These cases are separate and not related. All defendants previously pleaded guilty to Illegal Entry of a Removed Alien, in violation of Title 8 U.S. Code 1326. Upon completion of their sentences, they will be subject to a detainer from United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement and will be taken into administrative immigration custody for removal from the U.S.
- Nixion Lopez-Peralta, 28, a citizen of Honduras, was sentenced to time served.
- Wilson Lux-Solis, aka Jose Roberto Lemus-Solis, 25, a citizen of Guatemala, was sentenced to six months in prison.
- Manuel Lux-Tum, 51, a citizen of Guatemala, was sentenced to time served.
These investigations were conducted by the U.S. Border Patrol-Sandusky Bay Station.
The prosecutions were led by Assistant United States Attorneys Frank Spryszak and Matt Simko for the Northern District of Ohio.
These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and to protect communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Homeland Security Task Force Investigation Results in Guatemalan Drug Trafficker Sentenced to over 24 Years for Multimillion Dollar Drug Conspiracy That Used Corrupt Officials and Murdered a RivalRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – Marlon Alexis Aguilar Reyes (age 44), a criminal alien from Guatemala who was living in Miami under an alias before his 2024 arrest, has been sentenced by Senior U.S. District Judge Charlene Edwards Honeywell to 24 years and 4 months in federal prison for conspiring to import more than 5 kilograms of cocaine into the United States. He pleaded guilty on July 23, 2025. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents, Aguilar Reyes had an oversight role within an organization that received vessels of cocaine from South America off the coast of Guatemala, transported the cocaine to the northern border of Guatemala, then smuggled the cocaine into Mexico for ultimate importation into the United States. Members of the organization included a cartel member in Mexico, a corrupt law enforcement officer, and the former mayor of Tecun Uman, Guatemala. Throughout 2018, the investigation revealed that Aguilar Reyes was negotiating multimillion dollar cocaine deals in Mexico; receiving updates on the murder of a rival; and getting notified through a corrupt law enforcement officer about the presence of Guatemalan police vehicles in the vicinity of a drug smuggling operation.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Coast Guard, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Guatemalan Seccion de Investigaciones Sensitives – Subdireccion General de Analisis de Informacion Antinarcotica. The U.S. Marshals Service provided critical assistance in locating and apprehending Aguilar Reyes. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dan Baeza.
This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Region 20 (Tampa) comprises agents and officers from multiple law enforcement agencies with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida.
Guilty Pleas Entered for Five Drug TraffickersRead the Press Release
Tallahassee, Florida – Mario Swanston of Port St. Joe, 45, Shannon Jarbar Clayton of Panama City, 45, Santana Wyvonne Harris of Ellenwood, Georgia, 41, Shontel Reshard Fedd of Port St. Joe, 48, and Elizabeth Gray of Panama City, 36, pleaded guilty as charged in federal court to charges in connection with the unlawful distribution of controlled substances. The pleas were announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
Swanston, Clayton, and Harris were charged with and pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute cocaine and marijuana. Fedd and Gray were charged with and pleaded guilty to distribution of marijuana.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Dismantling this drug trafficking network required close collaboration and cooperation between our state and federal law enforcement officers, and I am proud to report their hard work has paid off with these successful prosecutions of the traffickers. The Homeland Security Task Force launched by President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi will continue to identify, target, and dismantle drug trafficking networks like this one, and my office will follow up with aggressive prosecutions of the traffickers to ensure the citizens of the Northern District of Florida get the safe, drug-free communities they deserve.”
According to court records, between November 2023 and April 2024, Swanston conspired with Clayton and Harris to obtain cocaine and marijuana from the State of Georgia for distribution in the Northern District of Florida. During a traffic stop of Harris, officers located and seized 1,497 grams of cocaine. When officers attempted a subsequent traffic stop of Swanston’s vehicle, Swanston threw a bag containing 222 grams of cocaine out of his vehicle’s window and fled from officers. Officers ultimately stopped Swanston’s vehicle and arrested him, after which they recovered the discarded cocaine.
During the investigation, agents determined that Gray conspired with Swanston and others to store and distribute marijuana at Swanston’s direction. During January 2024, Fedd flew into the Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport via commercial airline, carrying over 5 kilograms of marijuana inside of his luggage, which Fedd and Swanston conspired to distribute in the Northern District of Florida.
Sentencing hearings are scheduled before United States District Judge Mark E. Walker in the Federal Courthouse in Tallahassee, Florida on the following dates and times:
Mario Swanston is scheduled for sentencing on April 17, 2026, at 3:00 pm;
Shannon Jarbar Clayton is scheduled for sentencing on March 19, 2026, at 1:00 pm;
Santana Wyvonne Harris is scheduled for sentencing on April 2, 2026, at 3:00 pm;
Shontel Reshard Fedd is scheduled for sentencing on March 30, 2026, at 11:00 am; and
Elizabeth Gray is scheduled for sentencing on March 20, 2026, at 11:00 am.
The pleas were the result of a joint investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, with assistance from Bay County Sheriff’s Office, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Florida Highway Patrol, the Gulf County Sheriff’s Office, the Panama City Police Department, and the Springfield Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Joseph A. Ravelo.
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 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.
Guatemalan national extradited to the Eastern District of Texas to face international drug trafficking chargesRead the Press Release
SHERMAN, Texas – A Guatemalan national has been extradited to the United States to face drug trafficking charges in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Elmer Antonio Pancan Barrios, aka “Chepio,” 42, was extradited from Guatemala to the United States on March 5, 2026, after being charged in a federal indictment in the Eastern District of Texas with drug trafficking violations.
The indictment alleges that Pancan Barrios conspired with and assisted other international drug traffickers to manufacture, distribute, and transport significant quantities of cocaine into the United States for further distribution.
This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.
If convicted, Pancan Barrios faces a maximum sentence of life in federal prison.
This case is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Dallas Field Division in conjunction with DEA Guatemala City Country Office; DEA Bogota Country Office; DEA Cartagena Resident Office; DEA Panama Country Office and DEA San Jose Country Office.
The Justice Department extends its gratitude to the Government of Guatemala and its prosecutorial and law enforcement authorities for making the extradition possible. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Embassy in Guatemala provided significant assistance in securing the defendant’s arrest and extradition from Guatemala.
A federal indictment is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Georgia Sex Offender Pleads Guilty to Failing to Register as a Sex Offender in Madison County, FloridaRead the Press Release
Tallahassee, Florida – Tavaris Andre Donaldson, 30, of Madison, Florida, pleaded guilty in federal court to one count of failing to register as a sex offender under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA). The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Keeping our kids safe from disgusting sexual predators like this defendant is one of my office’s top priorities, and ensuring sex offenders abide by the legal requirements to register their presence wherever they live is a key component of ensuring they cannot victimize others.”
Court documents reflect that the defendant was convicted of child molestation in May 2014 in Lowndes County, Georgia, and as a result, was required to register as a sex offender in each county where he lived and worked. Although the defendant had been registering as a sex offender as required in Lowndes County, Georgia, he absconded from there in October 2024 and traveled to Madison County, Florida, where he lived and worked. Employment records showed that the defendant began employment in Madison County, Florida, in early-2025; however, the defendant knowingly failed to report his employment and residence as required by SORNA.
Donaldson faces up to ten years’ imprisonment, up to a lifetime term of supervision, and a $250,000 fine.
The case involved a joint investigation by the Madison County Sheriff’s Office and the United States Marshals Service. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Justin M. Keen.
Sentencing is scheduled for May 19, 2026, at 11:00 am at the United States Courthouse in Tallahassee, Florida, before United States District Judge Mark E. Walker.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice and led by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Divisions Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), it marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.
Fully Suspended Sentence Handed Down for Robbery and Carjacking SpreeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Derrick West, 18, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced in the Superior Court for the District of Columbia, for a spree of robberies and carjackings that took place in September 2024, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
West, who was seventeen years old at the time of the offenses and who was charged pursuant to Title 16, pleaded guilty on August 29, 2025, to one count of armed carjacking, one count of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and two counts of robbery. At West’s sentencing on March 13, 2026, the United States requested a sentence of twelve years of incarceration, representing a sentence at the top of his sentencing guidelines for each count, to be followed by three years of supervised release. The Honorable Judge Jennifer DiToro sentenced West to a fully suspended sentence of 48 months, with 18 months of supervised probation. The Court’s sentence was entered pursuant to the Youth Rehabilitation Act, over the government’s objection, which permits a sentence beneath the mandatory minimum term of seven years of incarceration for carjacking and five years of incarceration for possession of a firearm during a crime of violence.
According to the proffer of facts, on September 19, 2024, at approximately 10:31 p.m., in the 500 block of 48th Place NE, West, his co-defendant Antonio Gaither and two additional suspects, pulled up next to the first victim, while she was parking her car. Two of the suspects exited their vehicle and one pointed a firearm at the victim and ordered her to exit her vehicle. Two of the suspects took the victim’s car, and all four suspects fled the scene.
Separately, on September 20, 2024, at approximately 12:45 a.m., in the 800 block of P Street, NW, West, Gaither and additional suspects approached the victim, who was sitting in his vehicle with his doors unlocked. One of the suspects opened the driver’s side door and ordered the victim to exit the vehicle, while another suspect assaulted the victim, striking him about the face and body. The victim exited the vehicle and fled in fear of his safety. The suspects fled the scene in the victim’s vehicle, taking with them the victim’s wallet, credit cards and phone which were inside the car.
In addition, on September 30, 2024, at approximately 5:21 p.m., in the 100 block of 35th Street, NE, West and Gaither approached a third victim, who was talking on his cell phone as he walked away from his vehicle. One of the defendants grabbed the victim’s phone out of his hand. Both West and Gaither demanded the victim’s car keys. Out of fear for his safety, the victim handed over the keys, but he was still punched in the face several times by both defendants. The defendants took the victim’s cell phone and fled the scene in his vehicle.
Joining in the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Pirro and Interim Chief Carroll commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also acknowledged the work of Assistant United States Attorneys Michael Roberts and Ben Helfand, who prosecuted the case.
2024 CF3 011076
Fresno Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Illegally Possessing Ammunition Loaded in a “Ghost Gun”Read the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Raymond Jesse Rodriguez, 29, of Fresno, was sentenced Monday by U.S. District Judge Kirk E. Sherriff to 12 years in prison for being a felon in possession of ammunition, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
According to court documents, in March 2024, three days after being released from state prison, Rodriguez got into a gunfight where he allegedly shot and killed another individual at an apartment in Fresno. Rodriguez then fled the scene. After a weeklong manhunt, officers found and arrested Rodriguez in Fresno. At the time of his arrest, Rodriguez was carrying a “ghost gun”: an un-serialized and untraceable privately manufactured firearm, with a high-capacity magazine containing 25 rounds of ammunition. The firearm, shown below, was labeled “Polymer 80 Inc.,” a label commonly seen on ghost guns. At the time of his arrest, Rodriguez was serving a term of post‑release community supervision following his most recent felony convictions in Fresno County. Rodriguez pleaded guilty on Dec. 15, 2025.
Recovered un-serialized firearm or ghost gun
The Fresno Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Veneman-Hughes and Cody S. Chapple prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Former Fort Myers Resident Sentenced to Federal Prison for His Role in Firearm Trafficking SchemeRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, FL – Osnyson Desrosiers (Atlanta, Georgia), formerly of Fort Myers, has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Kyle Dudek to two years in federal prison for his role in a firearm trafficking scheme. Desrosiers pleaded guilty on November 19, 2025, to conspiring to make a false statement to a firearms dealer and making false statements to a firearms dealer. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court records, in early-to-mid 2022, Desrosiers and his co-defendant, Derick Desir, collaborated to “straw purchase” several dozen Glock handguns from licensed firearms dealers in Florida. While making these firearm purchases, they falsely represented to each firearm dealer that they were the “actual buyer or transferee” of the firearms, even though they knew that the firearms they were purchasing were being unlawfully trafficked to a third party. Evidence uncovered by investigators revealed that these firearms were later smuggled into Canada, where several have since been recovered during various Canadian law enforcement investigations.
In November 2025, Desir was sentenced to 3 years and 10 months in federal prison for his role in the conspiracy.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Homeland Security Investigations. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Simon Eth.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Former Fort Lauderdale Tennis Coach Sentenced to 20 Years for Coercing Students to Engage in Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
MIAMI – A former Fort Lauderdale tennis coach has been sentenced to 240 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to coercing and enticing two minors to engage in sexual activity.
U.S. District Judge Melissa Damian imposed the sentence on Daniel James Riggs, 33, on Thursday.
“Children and parents trust coaches with more than athletic instruction. They trust them with safety, guidance, and character,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “This defendant abused that trust in the most disturbing way imaginable, using his position to groom and sexually exploit the very students he was supposed to mentor. Twenty years in federal prison reflects the seriousness of that betrayal. The Southern District of Florida will continue to pursue predators who target children and ensure they face the full weight of the law.”
According to court records, Riggs worked as a tennis coach for Team Riggs at a Fort Lauderdale tennis center, where both minor victims were his students. Riggs used multiple social media accounts to communicate with the victims and engage them in sexually explicit conversations. Law enforcement identified several social media accounts used by Riggs through subscriber and billing records. The offense conduct occurred from approximately 2021 through Riggs’ arrest in late 2024.
U.S. Attorney Reding Quiñones and Special Agent in Charge Brett D. Skiles of the FBI, Miami Field Office, made the announcement.
FBI Miami investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Camille Smith prosecuted 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 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, visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 25-cr-60038.
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Former Employee Sentenced to 8 Months’ Imprisonment for Stealing Cash from Defunct Luzerne County Credit UnionRead the Press Release
SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Nicole Hilstolsky, age 48, of Swoyersville, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today to eight months’ imprisonment and two years of supervised release by Senior United States District Judge Robert D. Mariani for one count of theft by a credit union employee. She pleaded guilty to the charge in December 2025.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, Hilstolsky admitted at her guilty plea that on October 15, 2018, while she was an employee of the now-defunct WOD Federal Credit Union, she stole $16,247 from the credit union’s teller drawer and safe and blamed the theft on two unidentified armed bank robbers. Hilstolsky further admitted that she called 911 and lied to responding investigators claiming that WOD Federal Credit Union had been robbed, when in fact she had taken the money and hid the money inside the credit union until she could safely remove it days later.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Forty Fort Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney James M. Buchanan prosecuted the case.
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Florencia 13 Gang Member Who Pleaded Guilty to Racketeering Conspiracy Charge Sentenced to 14 Years’ ImprisonmentRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A member of the Florencia 13 Gang, a criminal organization, who admitted to his role in “racketeering activity,” specifically attempted murder and firearm trafficking, was sentenced to 168 months’ imprisonment.
In addition to his term of imprisonment, Angel Medina-Sahagun, aka “Tito,” 25, of West Valley City, Utah, was sentenced to three years of supervised release and ordered by the court to pay restitution to the victim.
According to court documents and statements made at Medina-Sahagun’s change of plea and sentencing hearings, beginning on an unknown date before 2017, Medina-Sahagun associated himself with Florencia 13, a criminal street gang affiliated with the Surenos. On November 18, 2017, Medina-Sahagun was summoned by another member of Florencia 13 to go to the TRAX station where he assaulted and stabbed a victim multiple times, intending to kill him. Medina-Sahagun also admitted to pointing a gun at the victim’s brother who attempted to intervene during the assault. Additionally, prior to 2022, Medina-Sahagun, while still a member of the Florencia 13, conspired with other members to acquire firearms for the organization. Some of the other members with whom he conspired were felons and therefore restricted from owning or possessing firearms and ammunition. Medina-Sahagun admitted to transferring firearms to juveniles and individuals whom he knew would use the firearms to commit violent crimes.
“My office has zero-tolerance for violent crime in the District of Utah,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the District of Utah. “It is our hope Medina-Sahagun’s sentence will deter others from committing violent crimes and bring awareness to these criminal organizations that target children to carry out their criminal behavior.”
The case was investigated by the West Jordan Police Department, Sandy City Police Department, the Salt Lake Area Metro Gang Unit, and the Department of Homeland Security Investigations
The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Five more defendants sentenced in large, multi-state, fentanyl distribution caseRead the Press Release
MISSOULA – Five more defendants in a 13-defendant case were sentenced yesterday and today for trafficking fentanyl from Arizona to Montana and other states, Acting U.S. Attorney Tim Racicot said.
On Monday, March 16, Sadie Cheryl Sawyer, 37, was sentenced to 48 months in prison and Zane Nicholas Schafer, 35, was sentenced to 30 months. Today, Carrie Jean Bishop, 52, Spring Marie Davis, 50, and Diana Michelle Karnes, 43, were also ordered to federal prison. Bishop received a term of 108 months, Davis 30, and Karnes 96.
All five defendants pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl in November 2025 and Karnes also pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. They will each be on supervised release for five years after they serve their custodial sentences.
U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided over all five hearings.
The government alleged in court documents that between February 2023 and March 2025, the members of this drug trafficking organization (DTO), headed by Gerad Nigel Punch, transported fentanyl into Montana for distribution. Punch and the coconspirators mailed and transported fentanyl from Phoenix, Arizona, for distribution to local dealers in Texas, Washington, and Montana.
When the fentanyl arrived in Montana, Punch either directly distributed the drugs to local traffickers or arranged for other coconspirators to sell them. Sawyer worked as a local distributor in Montana, buying large quantities of fentanyl from Punch and suppliers in Arizona and delivering the drugs to local dealers. Schafer received at least four packages of fentanyl at his residence in Anaconda for distribution in the surrounding area. Bishop worked with Gerad Punch and others to transport fentanyl into Montana and distributed the drugs to other sellers and local users. Davis connected co-conspirators in Arizona and Montana and directly assisted Gerad Punch in selling over 2,000 grams of fentanyl to an undercover law enforcement officer in Butte in October 2024. Karnes distributed fentanyl in Montana and connected Gerad Punch to purchasers in Montana, in part for forgiveness of drug debts she owed the DTO.
During the investigation of this DTO, law enforcement seized over 10 kilograms of fentanyl. Gerad Punch was previously sentenced on February 23, 2026, to 240 months in prison, and Brooke Cardonia was sentenced on January 28, 2026, to 108 months. Co-defendants Shawn Michael Scholler and Adam Joseph Sarvis are scheduled to plead guilty this week and the remaining defendants, D’Andre Dontae Glass, Dwayne Nyron Punch, Freddie Lee Carter, and Bernard Cowley Glass, Jr. will be sentenced in June and July.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian Lowney and Zeno Baucus are prosecuting the case. The investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the IRS Criminal Investigation, and the Southwest Montana Drug Task Force, which includes agents from the Montana Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation.
This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Montana comprises agents and officers from multiple law enforcement agencies with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Montana.
Felon Sentenced to 11 Years in Prison for Distribution of Drugs and Unlawful Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – A Las Vegas man who has prior felony convictions was sentenced on Monday by United States District Judge Richard F. Boulware to 132 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release for distributing methamphetamine and fentanyl, and unlawful possession of firearms including a 9mm handgun without a serial number. The government recommended a sentence of 151 months incarceration.
According to court documents, between September 13, 2022, and October 5, 2022, Jason Roon conspired with others to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance. On October 5, 2022, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Roon’s residence and found about 606.5 grams of methamphetamine, as well as “owe” sheets reflecting Roon’s distribution of the drugs. During the search, law enforcement located two AR-15 .223 caliber rifles; a .22 caliber rifle; a 9mm handgun with no serial number; a 9mm handgun; a .380 ACP caliber handgun; and a 9mm handgun, and various amounts of ammunition. He has prior felony convictions in Los Angeles, including possession of a controlled substance while armed, possession/purchase for sale narcotics/controlled substance; transport/sell narcotics/controlled substance; and possession of a controlled substance for sale; and in Ventura County, Calif., receive known stolen property and transport a controlled substance.
Roon pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance and one count of prohibited person in possession of a firearm.
First Assistant United States Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada, Special Agent in Charge Anthony Chrysanthis for the Los Angeles Division, and Special Agent in Charge Christopher S. Delzotto for the FBI Las Vegas Field Office made the announcement.
This case was investigated by the DEA, FBI, and Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department.
If you have any information about individuals or groups involved in a possible violation of controlled substances laws and regulations to include the growing, manufacture, distribution or trafficking of controlled substances, you are urged to make a report to the DEA online at https://www.dea.gov/submit-tip. You can remain anonymous, and all tips are handled with strict confidentiality.
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Federal Charges Filed Against Carmichael Man for Interstate Threats Against a JudgeRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A criminal complaint was unsealed today charging Karl Czekai, 29, of Carmichael, with making interstate threats, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
According to court documents, Czekai is separated from his wife, who moved to Oklahoma with their child to get away from him. Once in Oklahoma, Czekai’s wife filed for a protective order against Czekai, alleging that Czekai has held guns up to her and threatened to shoot her multiple times.
Also, according to court documents, in February 2026, Czekai began making social media posts about his wife and the Oklahoma judge who granted the protective order and is presiding over related proceedings. These posts include:
- Images of Czekai’s avatar pointing a gun at a sitting judge with “FAMILY COURT” signage on the bench;
- Text threatening the judge that she will no longer be safe: “Hello, judge [VICTIM 1] of the Oklahoma City Courthouse remember me...the comfort of your title, the security of your robe, the certainty of your authority - all of that is about to be tested”;
- Text warning that time is of the essence: “tick tock, Your Honor. You will be the first to set the example. I’m going to diss you publicly. to show future judges, and lawyers I’m not f---ing around”;
- Text advising that he carries a gun: “Updated the gun to something more of what I would carry. I only carry a .45 and I’m definitely a 1911 guy”; and
- Text suggesting he is ready to follow through: “This is the breaking point. This is him saying: enough is enough.”
Additionally, and as detailed in court documents, Czekai posted and shared with his wife videos threatening graphic violence against her.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is conducting the investigation with assistance from the Midwest City Police Department and the Oklahoma County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elliot Wong is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Czekai faces a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Drug Dealer Sentenced to 23 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, N.C. – A federal judge sentenced Otis Henderson, 53, to 23 years in federal prison for Conspiracy to Sell and Possession with Intent to Sell 50 grams of Methamphetamine and Distribution of Methamphetamine. A federal jury convicted Inmate Henderson of the charges after trial.
According to court documents and other information presented in court, ATF and DEA began investigating a Mexico-based drug trafficking organization that shipped pounds and pounds of fentanyl and methamphetamine to EDNC in early 2024. ATF purchased multiple pounds of methamphetamine and fentanyl from this organization during this investigation. In 2024, Inmate Henderson acted as a courier for the drug trafficking organization, met up with an individual in a parking lot of a Mexican restaurant in New Bern, NC, and delivered a duffle bag of 10.7 pounds of methamphetamine, packaged in bricks. Inmate Henderson’s co-defendant, Fortunato Beltran, set up the delivery of the methamphetamine and for multiple other drug drops involving fentanyl and meth. Inmate Henderson had multiple previous convictions for drug distribution in North Carolina.
“Cartels spread evil and destroy communities. Pay attention: working as a part-time drug mule for a cartel gets you over 20 years. Be smarter than that. Drugs kill kids.” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle.
W. Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after sentencing by Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II. The ATF and DEA investigated the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley J. Avera and Special Assistant United States Attorney Alison N. Lester prosecuted 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. 5:24-CR-71-M-4.
Department of Justice Proposes Rule to More Quickly Achieve Justice in State Death Penalty CasesRead the Press Release
Attorney General Pamela Bondi today announced that the Justice Department has proposed a rule that will empower states to streamline federal habeas review of capital cases. These reforms will reduce by years the period between conviction and execution in state capital cases.
“This proposed rule will help states achieve the promise of swift and effective justice for victims of capital crimes,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “We are fulfilling the Department of Justice’s commitment to restoring the death penalty as the ultimate punishment for the worst criminals in America.”
In Chapter 154 of Title 28 of the United States Code, Congress established an accelerated process for the review of federal habeas petitions arising from State capital cases, which otherwise can languish for years at various stages of federal adjudication. The expedited process is available to states that the Attorney General has certified as having established a postconviction capital counsel process including the appointment, compensation, and payment of reasonable litigation expenses of competent counsel.
Since the law’s enactment in 1996, and amendment in 2006, no state has taken advantage of these streamlined procedures—in large part due to the Department’s imposition of additional and heightened barriers on certification. The proposed rule, once finalized, will eliminate these obstacles to certification, enabling more prompt decision of States’ requests for certification. It also will make certification decisions final as opposed to a five-year limited term—a reform that should encourage more states to apply for certification.
The proposed rule advances President Trump’s January 20 executive order Restoring the Death Penalty and Promoting Public Safety and its mandate to ensure that the laws that authorize capital punishment are respected and faithfully implemented and Attorney General Bondi’s promise in her February memorandum Reviving the Federal Death Penalty and Lifting the Moratorium on Federal Executions to assist States in prosecuting capital crimes and implementing death sentences.
The public is invited to participate in this rulemaking by submitting written data, views, or arguments on all aspects of this rule through the methods outlined in the Federal Register notice.
Criminal Alien Sexual Predator from Mexico Sentenced for Illegally Reentering the CountryRead the Press Release
Pensacola, Florida – Marco Olavarrieta-Beranza, also known as “Marco Leonardo Olavarrieta,” 45, of Mexico, was sentenced to twenty-seven months in federal prison after pleading guilty to illegal reentry of a removed alien. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “This criminal alien sexual predator is precisely the intended target of Operation Take Back America, which was launched by President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi to repel the invasion of illegal aliens who have threatened the safety of our communities for the past several years. This successful prosecution will ensure this criminal alien spends time in federal prison before being swiftly deported, and thanks to President Trump securing our border we will ensure he stays out of our country for good.”
According to court records, the defendant was deported from the United States in 2019 after being convicted of sexual abuse of a minor under the age of twelve and attempted sexual abuse of a minor under the age of fourteen. Due to these convictions, he was permanently barred from reentering the United States. He illegally returned to the United States and was found in Escambia County, Florida, in November 2025.
Deportation proceedings against him will commence following the conclusion of serving his federal sentence.
“Illegal reentry after deportation, especially by someone convicted of sex crimes, is a grave violation of U.S. law and a direct threat to community safety,” said ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Miami acting Field Office Director Kelei Walker. “It undermines the integrity of the immigration system and places vulnerable populations at risk. Vigorous enforcement of immigration laws, including prosecution for illegal reentry, is essential to deter future violations and to ensure that those who endanger the safety of others are not allowed to remain in the United States.”
The case was investigated by U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations. Assistant United States Attorney Brooke DiSalvo is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.
Court Revokes Citizenship of Fraudster After $3.8 Million COVID-19 Relief Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
MIAMI – A Haitian-born fraudster has been stripped of his U.S. citizenship after defrauding COVID-19 relief programs of millions of dollars and concealing his criminal conduct during the naturalization process.
U.S. District Judge Rodney Smith entered an order revoking the citizenship of Joff Stenn Wroy Philossaint, 25, of Fort Lauderdale, after determining that Philossaint illegally procured his citizenship by making false statements to immigration officials.
“United States citizenship is one of the greatest privileges our nation can offer, and it must be earned honestly,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “This defendant built his path to citizenship on false statements while stealing millions from programs meant to keep small businesses alive during the pandemic. The court’s order revoking his citizenship restores accountability and reinforces a simple principle: if you lie to obtain immigration benefits and commit federal crimes, you will lose what you unlawfully gained.”
Between April 2020 and May 2021, Philossaint fraudulently obtained COVID-19 relief funds through companies he owned or controlled and by preparing loan applications for others in exchange for kickbacks. The applications contained materially false representations about the applicants’ revenues and payroll.
In total, Philossaint and his co-conspirators prepared and submitted 40 fraudulent loan applications, obtaining approximately $3.8 million in loan proceeds. Philossaint personally received approximately $549,000 through the scheme in the form of loan proceeds and kickbacks.
Before beginning the scheme, Philossaint applied for U.S. citizenship in February 2020. During a sworn naturalization interview on Dec. 15, 2020, Philossaint concealed his involvement in the fraud scheme and falsely denied committing crimes or making misrepresentations to obtain public benefits in the U.S. These false statements allowed Philossaint to unlawfully obtain U.S. citizenship on Feb. 9, 2021.
On Sept. 8, 2022, Philossaint was charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, two counts of conspiracy to launder money, and unlawful procurement of citizenship. Philossaint later pleaded guilty to the three conspiracy charges, and a jury found him guilty of obtaining citizenship contrary to law.
On June 26, 2023, Philossaint was sentenced to 50 months in federal prison. On Feb. 23, the court granted a motion filed by the U.S. Attorney’s Office and entered an order revoking Philossaint’s U.S. citizenship.
U.S. Attorney Reding Quiñones; Acting Special Agent in Charge, Jason Xerri , U.S. Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General (SBA OIG), Eastern Region; Special Agent in Charge Rafael Barros of the U.S. Secret Service (USSS), Miami Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Brett D. Skiles of the FBI, Miami Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Ronald A. Loecker of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Florida Field Office; and Acting Special Agent in Charge José R. Figueroa of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Miami made the announcement.
SBA OIG, Investigations Division’s Eastern Region; USSS Miami; FBI Miami; IRS-CI, Florida Field Office; and HSI Miami investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Marc Osborne and Shannon O’Shea Darsch prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case number 25-cr-60161.
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Charleston County School Board Member Indicted for Bribery and COVID FraudRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, S.C. — A federal grand jury in Charleston returned a five-count indictment, presented by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, charging Kevin Dion Hollinshead, 64, of North Charleston, for accepting a bribe in exchange for his influence and official action as a Charleston County School District Trustee and for wire fraud and bank fraud related to COVID relief loans.
The indictment alleges that Hollinshead accepted a bribe in exchange for his support of a construction company’s pursuit of an appeal arising from a failed bid for a construction project. Specifically, the indictment alleges that Hollinshead encouraged an executive from the construction company to hire a consultant to assist them in navigating the appeal process. The consultant agreed to kickback a portion of his consulting fee from the construction company to Hollinshead. Moreover, Hollinshead, knowing that the consultant intended to pay him a kickback from his consulting fee, used his official position as a member of the Charleston County School District’s Board of Trustees to influence the appeal process in favor of the construction company.
The indictment a further alleges that in 2020 and 2021, Hollinshead applied for two loans through the pandemic relief programs that were administered by the Small Business Administration. In addition to including false information in the loan applications related to his business’ revenues and employment figures, Hollinshead used the loan proceeds for non-qualifying, personal expenses such as a medical procedure at a clinic in Mexico.
“As alleged, Hollinshead used his position and influence as a school board member for personal gain,” said U.S. Attorney Bryan Stirling for the District of South Carolina. “Our office will continue to hold elected officials who violate the public trust accountable, particularly when that trust involves the well-being of our children’s education.”
Hollinshead faces a maximum penalty of 30 years' imprisonment, supervised release for three years, and a $1 million fine. Hollinshead is scheduled to appear before the Honorable Molly H. Cherry, United States Magistrate Judge, on March 18 in Charleston.
The case was investigated by the FBI Columbia Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Whit Sowards and Emily Limehouse are prosecuting the case.
All charges in the indictment are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.###
CEO and Consultant Plead Guilty to Creating False Books and RecordsRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, announced that CHRISTOPHER B. FERGUSON and BRIAN MCFADDEN pled guilty before U.S. District Judge Colleen McMahon to falsification of books, records, and accounts for causing the submission of falsified records from Edison Nation, Inc.—a publicly traded diversified consumer products business for which FERGUSON was the CEO and chairman and MCFADDEN was a consultant—in response to an inquiry from the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”). FERGUSON pled guilty on January 28, 2026, and MCFADDEN pled guilty on March 16, 2026.
“Edison Nation claimed to have over $10 million in orders,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “When FINRA, a self-regulatory organization important to ensuring the integrity of our securities markets, requested documentation to support that, CEO Christopher Ferguson and consultant Brian McFadden caused the company to submit falsified documents. There is no place for that conduct in our markets.”
According to the charging instruments, plea agreements, and statements made in court:
FERGUSON and MCFADDEN caused the submission to FINRA of falsified records related to purchase orders purportedly received by Edison Nation, where FERGUSON was the CEO and MCFADDEN was a consultant. Following the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic, Edison Nation expanded its business to include products that were in high demand such as hand sanitizer and face masks. On April 16, 2020, Edison Nation issued a press release announcing that it had “received over $10 million in orders for the purchase of personal protective equipment.”
Although the defendants had discussed a $9 million hand sanitizer purchase with a potential buyer earlier that month, two days before the issuance of the above-mentioned press release, that buyer notified Edison Nation that it was unable to proceed with the transaction. As a result, when the press release was issued, Edison Nation did not, in fact, have “over $10 million in orders.”
On April 23, 2020, about a week after the press release was issued, FINRA requested copies of the purchase orders supporting the “$10 million in orders” referenced in the press release. Thereafter, MCFADDEN asked a business associate at another company to create a $9 million backdated purchase order for hand sanitizer. In response, that other company provided MCFADDEN with the requested purchase order, backdated to April 12, 2020—before the press release was issued. That purchase order did not reflect a true order.
On April 28, 2020, the defendants knowingly caused the submission to FINRA of the backdated purchase order, along with a spreadsheet falsely listing the backdated purchase order as having been received on April 12, 2020. Then, on May 6, 2020, the defendants knowingly caused the submission to FINRA of an email that contained false and misleading statements about the backdated purchase order.
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FERGUSON, 57, of Fishers, Indiana, and MCFADDEN, 40, of Safety Harbor, Florida, pled guilty to one count of falsification of books, records, and accounts, 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 defendants will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
This prosecution is being handled by the Office’s Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nicholas W. Chiuchiolo, Maggie Lynaugh, and Samuel P. Rothschild are in charge of the prosecution.
Burlington Tax Return Preparer Sentenced in Connection with Million Dollar Tax Refund SchemeRead the Press Release
Greensboro, N.C. – A Burlington woman was sentenced to 25 months of imprisonment, and one year of supervised release in connection with her preparation of false tax returns, announced United States Attorney Dan Bishop of the Middle District of North Carolina (MDNC).
Tracey Hernandez, 39, pled guilty to one count of aiding and assisting in the filing of a false tax return on September 5, 2025. The court also ordered Hernandez to pay restitution totaling $2,106,281.
According to court documents, agents with the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division (“IRS-CI”) began investigating Hernandez for preparing and filing IRS false income tax returns for her clients. Hernandez acted as a “ghost preparer,” meaning she did not sign her name on the returns she prepared for clients. IRS data shows that Hernandez prepared and filed over 200 false Forms 1040, United States Individual Income Tax Returns for calendar years 2021 and 2022. The false returns reported, among other things, fraudulent education expenses and refundable education credits, as well as fraudulent Schedule Cs (Profit or Loss from Business) and credits for sick and family leave for certain self-employed individuals.
IRS-CI is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley Waid of the Middle District of North Carolina is prosecuting the case.
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Bridgeport Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Federal Prison for 2 Gunpoint Robberies in BridgeportRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that DERRICK RIVERA, 22, of Bridgeport, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Sarala V. Nagala in Hartford to 144 months of imprisonment and five years of supervised release for committing two armed robberies of Bridgeport businesses in 2022.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on November 11, 2022, Rivera, brandishing a firearm, entered a barbershop located on Wood Avenue in Bridgeport. Rivera then robbed an employee and two customers of cash and fled the barbershop.
On November 25, 2022, Rivera robbed a restaurant located on Wade Street in Bridgeport. During the robbery, Rivera pointed a firearm at the owner, who was behind the register, and demanded cash. Rivera reached across the counter, grabbed the cash and, while fleeing, fired twice in the direction of the owner and other employees. One of the bullets passed through the digital display of the cash register. Shattered pieces of glass and plastic from the register and a shell casing caused injuries to the owner’s face, eye, hand, and stomach.
In a victim impact statement, the restaurant owner stated that the trauma he suffers from the robbery and shooting forced him to sell the restaurant.
Rivera has been detained since his arrest on November 25, 2023. On October 23, 2025, he pleaded guilty to one count of interference with commerce by robbery (Hobbs Act robbery) and one count of carrying, using, and count of discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
This matter was investigated by the Bridgeport Police Department, the Stratford Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patricia Stolfi Collins.
Bradenton Woman Sentenced for Passport Fraud and Theft Related to Government FundsRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida– U.S. District Judge Daniel Hovland has sentenced Jane Doe (69, Bradenton), a/k/a Rosario Alaniz, to 15 months in federal prison for passport fraud, Social Security fraud, wire fraud, and theft of government funds. The court also ordered restitution in the amount of $184,904.75. Doe pleaded guilty in December 2025. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents, Doe fraudulently obtained a United States passport. Using this fraudulent identity, Doe received Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits from the Department of Agriculture, as well as benefits from the Social Security Administration (SSA) through disability insurance benefits. Doe failed to disclose employment and fraudulently secured payments when either no payment was due or in a greater amount than authorized. Doe has received government benefits of approximately $184,904.75.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS), the Social Security Administration - Office of the Inspector General, Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Department of Agriculture - Office of Inspector General, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services - Office of Inspector General. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ilyssa M. Spergel. The forfeiture is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Suzanne C. Nebesky.
Box Elder man pleads guilty to manslaughter chargesRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS – A Box Elder man accused of stabbing another man on the Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation admitted to charges today, Acting U.S. Attorney Tim Racicot said.
The defendant, Trent Justin Taylor, 24, pleaded guilty to one count of involuntary manslaughter, which carries a penalty of eight years of imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided and will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for July 16, 2026. Taylor was detained pending further proceedings.
The government alleged in court documents that on the evening of December 27, 2025, John Doe and his family planned to leave their house while Taylor and others stayed behind. While Doe was in the process of departing, an altercation ensued between Taylor and his girlfriend. Taylor became agitated and punched a hole in the wall, then declared he was going to kill himself. Doe told Taylor he would not allow Taylor to do that and followed Taylor into the kitchen.
Taylor grabbed a kitchen knife and pointed it at his chest. Doe tried unsuccessfully to wrestle the knife away from him. While Doe and Taylor fought for control over the knife, Doe suffered a stab wound to his chest. According to a witness, both Doe’s hands and Taylor’s hands were on the handle of the knife when the stabbing occurred. Witnesses at the scene immediately attempted to perform life-saving measures, but Doe was pronounced dead at the Northern Montana Hospital. An autopsy confirmed Doe died as a result of the stab wound to his chest.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The FBI and Chippewa Cree Law Enforcement Services conducted the investigation.
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Bettendorf Man Sent Back to Federal Prison for over 18 Years for Second Child Pornography OffenseRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, Iowa – A Bettendorf man was sentenced on March 17, 2026, to 200 months in federal prison for receipt of child pornography and 24 months in federal prison for revocation of his supervised release.
According to public court documents and evidence presented at sentencing, Jacob Lawson Bertrand, 35, was on federal supervised release for a 2016 conviction for possession of child pornography. In October 2024, Bertrand was found to have an unauthorized cell phone while residing at a Davenport residential reentry center. A forensic examination of Bertrand’s phone showed that he used the device to receive, view, and possess more than 3000 images and 600 videos containing child sexual abuse material. Bertrand also had social media accounts which he used to talk to minors and had not reported to the Iowa Sex Offender Registry as required.
At sentencing, the Court also found Bertrand violated the terms of his federal supervised release. In 2016, Bertrand was sentenced to a 78-month term of imprisonment for possession of child pornography in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Iowa. He was released from prison in April 2021. In April 2022 and January 2024, Bertrand’s supervised release was revoked. Bertrand’s most recent term of supervised release began in June 2024.
After completing his term of imprisonment, Bertrand will be required to serve a ten-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Bertrand was also ordered to pay $72,000 in restitution.
United States Attorney David C. Waterman of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Scott County Sheriff's Office 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.
Australian National Arrested on Criminal Complaint Charging Him with Assaulting Federal Officer at Los Angeles International AirportRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – An Australian national has been arrested on a federal criminal complaint charging him with assaulting a Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officer at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), the Justice Department announced today.
Thomas Jesse Bingham, 35, of Melbourne, Australia, is charged with assault on a federal officer. He was arrested Monday at LAX and is scheduled to make his initial appearance this afternoon in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles.
According to the complaint and affidavit, on March 15, the victim – an on-duty, uniformed TSA officer – was leaving a restroom located in the sterile area connector between Terminals 6 and 7 at LAX. Upon exiting, Bingham – who was then booked on a flight from Los Angeles to Las Vegas – approached the victim and accused him of taking his backpack and passport. Bingham then forcibly assaulted the victim by grabbing the victim’s uniform, pulling the victim’s TSA identification lanyard off his neck, grabbing and pulling the victim’s hair, and pushing him into a glass wall.
The victim later reported experiencing pain in his hand and back and sought medical evaluation.
Airport police arrested Bingham, whose carry-on bag and passport were later located at a restaurant in Terminal 7 that he previously visited.
Bingham later was released from custody and on Monday was arrested at LAX prior to boarding a flight to the United Kingdom.
A complaint is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, not evidence. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
If convicted, Bingham would face up to eight years in federal prison.
TSA Office of Law Enforcement / Investigations is investigating this matter with assistance from the Los Angeles Airport Police.
Assistant United States Attorney Eric L. Mackie of the General Crimes Section is prosecuting this case.
Arcadia Felon Sentenced to Six Years in Federal Prison for Unlawfully Possessing a Loaded FirearmRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – Esteban Garcia-Gutierrez (31, Arcadia) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Sheri Polster Chappell to six years in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a previously convicted felon. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents, on April 17, 2025, a trooper with the Florida Highway Patrol conducted a routine traffic stop on a vehicle being driven by Garcia-Gutierrez. During the traffic stop, the trooper observed Garcia-Gutierrez—a multi-time convicted felon—unlawfully possessing a loaded .45 caliber pistol, which was seized. Garcia-Gutierrez’s prior criminal history includes convictions and state prison sentences for aggravated battery and felony battery. As a convicted felon he is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Florida Highway Patrol, and the DeSoto County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Simon Eth.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Another Sentence and Guilty Plea in Mexican-Based Drug Trafficking Ring Involving over 12,900 Pounds of Methamphetamine and 22 DefendantsRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — One defendant was sentenced and one pleaded guilty Monday in an investigation named “Operation Toxic Waste” that involved 22 defendants, 12,900 pounds of methamphetamine, and multiple firearms, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
Sergio Pena, 32, of La Puente, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston to 15 years and eight months in prison for trafficking firearms and methamphetamine. Also, Ruben Saenz, 38, of Los Angeles, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Saenz is scheduled to be sentenced on July 13, 2026. He faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison. Sergio Pena pleaded guilty on April 21, 2026.
According to court documents, Operation Toxic Waste was an investigation into a sophisticated drug trafficking ring that resulted in the seizure of over 12,900 pounds of methamphetamine, over 50 pounds of a fentanyl mixture, 39 pounds of cocaine, and 22 pounds of heroin. The drug trafficking organization smuggled methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine in portable projectors and batteries, under the guise of a legitimate transportation business. The organization also hid thousands of pounds of methamphetamine inside semi-trucks and hundreds of pounds of liquid methamphetamine in the gas tanks of cars driven across the border. The Mexico-based organization monitored the narcotics using GPS tracking devices hidden with the smuggled drugs.
During the conspiracy, Saenz transported thousands of pounds of methamphetamine in a rented moving truck. In September 2023, officers pulled him over after he left a warehouse in Ontario, California, in a moving truck. Officers found more than 4,700 pounds of methamphetamine inside the truck.
Meanwhile, Pena joined the drug trafficking organization in March 2023. He was a U.S.-based reseller of the organization’s methamphetamine. He mailed and sold large amounts of methamphetamine that had been imported from Mexico. During the period under investigation, he also sold more than a dozen firearms and a machine gun conversion device.
In total, 22 individuals have been charged as part of the drug trafficking conspiracy. In addition to Pena and Saenz, the following ten defendants have either been sentenced or have pleaded guilty and await sentencing:
- Jose Nunez, 44, of Lancaster, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. On Aug. 25, 2025, he was sentenced to 21 years and 10 months in prison.
- Jesus Perez Garcia Jr., 26, of Los Angeles, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. On Aug. 25, 2025, he was sentenced to 19 years and seven months in prison.
- Adolfo Montiel, 47, of Lancaster, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl. On March 31, 2025, he was sentenced to 16 years and four months in prison.
- Calvin Guntetong, 28, of North Hollywood, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. On July 28, 2025, he was sentenced to seven years and one month in prison.
- Jesus Rafael Ulloa Vallejo, 27, of North Hills, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. On Jan. 12, 2026, he was sentenced to four years and three months in prison.
- Jacklyn Saenz, 35, of Los Angeles, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. On Oct. 20, 2025, she was sentenced to three years and five months in prison.
- Luz Maria Cobrera Salazar, 43, of Mexico, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. On March 31, 2025, she was sentenced to two years and six months in prison.
- Allen Khamtrashyan, 30, pleaded guilty on Sept. 23, 2025, to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. He is scheduled to be sentenced on June 29, 2026, and faces up to 20 years in prison.
- Christian Jair Sanchez Rodriguez pleaded guilty on Feb. 9, 2026, to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. He is scheduled to be sentenced on May 11, 2026, and faces up to 20 years in prison.
- Emily Vela, 25, of Van Nuys, pleaded guilty on June 23, 2025, to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. She is scheduled to be sentenced on May 18, 2026, and faces up to 20 years in prison.
Charges are pending against the remaining defendants, who face varying maximum sentences of between 20 years and up to life in prison. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. And as to defendants who await sentencing, their sentences will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin J. Gilio and Cody S. Chapple are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (S.O.S.) a program designed to reduce the supply of deadly synthetic opioids in high impact areas as well as identifying wholesale distribution networks and international and domestic suppliers. In July 2018, the Justice Department announced the creation of S.O.S., which is being implemented in the Eastern District of California and nine other federal districts.
This case is also part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Anchorage doctor sentenced to prison in multi-million-dollar health care, tax fraud schemesRead the Press Release
ANCHORAGE, Alaska – An Anchorage doctor was sentenced today to six and a half years in prison for executing a $12.5 million health care fraud scheme and evading over $4 million in taxes on the profits of their 15-year scheme. Her husband and co-defendant was sentenced to three years’ probation, with two years to be served in home confinement for his role in the fraudulent scheme.
According to court documents, since 2005, Dr. Claribel Tan, 61, and her husband, Daniel Tan, 70, operated a rheumatology medical clinic in Anchorage. Dr. Tan specialized in the treatment of autoimmune and musculoskeletal diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis and psoriatic arthritis, and prescribed injectable medications to treat those conditions. These conditions are often chronic, degenerative and irreversible, but certain medicines can slow or arrest the progression of such diseases. Mr. Tan performed office and management work for the clinic. As part of their scheme, the Tans deceived their patients about the kinds and doses of medications Dr. Tan administered through injections in the office, and fraudulently billed health insurance plans for reimbursement of medications that the Tans did not purchase or administer to patients.
Beginning in 2009 and continuing through 2024, Dr. Tan routinely and surreptitiously underdosed patients, injected them with free samples or a different medication than prescribed, injected them with expired medication, and injected them with medications purchased by other patients. Covert video recordings of Dr. Tan treating two of her patients confirmed her deceit.
The Tans then knowingly billed insurance plans as if Dr. Tan had provided a proper injection to each patient. Specifically, the Tans claimed to have administered 4,829 units of the medications to patients, and billed the insurance plans for that amount, despite only purchasing 369 units of medication.
Mr. Tan helped execute the scheme in part by creating and submitting fraudulent insurance claims and ordering insufficient medication for the clinic. The Tans also made false statements about the length of Dr. Tan’s office visits with her patients and submitted fraudulent claims to insurance plans for services that Dr. Tan never provided. The Tans’ fraud scheme created significant health risks to the patients and caused a loss of over $12.5 to more than 10 insurance plans.
In July 2019, law enforcement executed a search warrant on the clinic, uncovering stockpiles of expired medications prescribed to patients for at-home use, free samples clearly marked as not for sale, and improperly stored and reconstituted syringes of medications. Some of the expired medications, pictured below, were intermingled with other medication stored at the clinic.
U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Alaska; U.S. vs Tan et al, Case #: 3:24-cr-00072Following the search warrant execution, the Tans appeared to temporarily begin purchasing all the medications they billed insurance companies for. In 2021, they reverted to fraudulent billing practices, continuing the scheme until they were indicted by a federal grand jury in July 2024.
The Tans also created false tax records to conceal the health care fraud scheme. The Tans knew that the clinic had not purchased the quantity of medications that they billed insurance plans for, and they fraudulently overstated the clinic’s expenses on the clinic’s tax returns for 2014, 2015, and 2017, allowing them to falsely underreport the clinic’s income. From 2018 to 2021, the Tans willfully failed to file tax returns for the clinic. The Tans’ tax fraud scheme caused a loss of over $4.2 million to the IRS.
In November 2025, the Tans both pleaded guilty to one count of health care fraud and one count of tax evasion.
In 2024 and 2025, the U.S. Attorney’s Office seized approximately $10.4 million in health care fraud proceeds from the Tans. At sentencing, the Court ordered Dr. Tan to serve three years on supervised release following the completion of her custodial sentence, as well as the scheduling of a separate hearing to determine restitution. As part of their plea agreements, the Tans agreed to forfeit the seized funds to the U.S. The Tans also submitted today a $6.3 million payment towards their future restitution judgment. The Tans further paid the U.S. an additional $1.8 million to settle civil claims under the False Claims Act arising from the health care fraud scheme. Dr. Tan has also surrendered her medical license.
More information about the case is available at https://www.justice.gov/usao-ak/united-states-v-tan-et-al. Victims who believe they may be entitled to restitution can email [email protected] for more information.
“For well over a decade, Dr. Tan and her husband operated a fraud scheme and squirreled away millions of dollars at the expense of their patients, callously disregarding the medical needs of those suffering from debilitating diseases so they could become rich,” said U.S. Attorney Michael J. Heyman for the District of Alaska. “Finally, their dangerous deceit is over. Law enforcement seized their fraudulent retirement plan, and Dr. Tan will be spending years in federal prison. I want to thank our attorneys and incredible law enforcement partners for diligently seeking justice in this case.”
“For over 15 years, the Tans deceived unsuspecting patients seeking treatment for debilitating diseases while exploiting the TRICARE program for personal gain,” said John Helsing, Special Agent in Charge of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service’s Western Field Office. “As the investigative arm of the Department of Defense’s Office of Inspector General, DCIS remains fully committed to holding accountable those who defraud TRICARE and endanger our nation’s warfighters, retirees, and their family members who rely on this program for care.”
“Mr. and Mrs. Tan didn’t just steal from the government or the healthcare system; they let their patients suffer from treatable diseases for financial gain,” said Carrie Nordyke, Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation’s Seattle Field Office. “This ruling speaks to the human cost of fraud and our duty to hold criminals accountable for it.”
The DCIS Western Field Office and IRS Criminal Investigation Seattle Division led the investigation, with assistance from the FBI Anchorage Field Office, Defense Contract Audit Agency, Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General Criminal Investigations Division, Department of Labor Employee Benefits Security Administration, Food and Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigations, Office of Personnel Management Office of the Inspector General and State of Alaska Division of Insurance Investigation Unit.
Trial Attorney Dominick Giovanniello of the Criminal Division’s Tax Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Seth Beausang and Bill Reed of the District of Alaska prosecuted the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jackie Traini of the District of Alaska led the civil fraud investigation.
UPDATE: This release has been updated to include OPM OIG as an investigating agency.
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16 March 2026
Young Offender Sentenced to over 10 Years in Federal Prison for Armed CarjackingRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – Martavious Wilson, 20, of Memphis, has been sentenced to federal prison for a 2024 armed carjacking. United States Attorney D. Michael Dunavant, for the Western District of Tennessee, announced the sentencing today.
According to court documents, on November 9, 2024, Wilson carjacked and robbed a victim at 850 South Third Street while she was putting air in her tire. Wilson, along with another male, approached the victim and pointed a firearm at her, demanding the keys to her car. They struck the victim over the head with a firearm and drove off with her 2019 Toyota Highlander. Wilson was captured by Memphis police officers after crashing into a utility pole while fleeing from police.
Wilson faced a mandatory minimum sentence for brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. On March 10, 2026, U.S. District Court Judge Mark S. Norris sentenced Wilson to 130 months' imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, "This young offender not only injured and terrorized an innocent victim, but he has also senselessly wasted his own future by committing a violent carjacking. There is a heavy price to pay for a lifestyle of lawlessness, and Wilson will now pay that price with over a decade in a federal prison."
The Memphis Police Department’s Safe Streets Task Force investigated the case.
Assistant United States Attorney Jermal Blanchard prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
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For more information, please contact the Media Relations Team at [email protected]. Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.
York Man Charged with Possessing Guns as A FelonRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Matthew Bair, age 36, of Windsor, Pennsylvania, was indicted on March 4, 2026, by a federal grand jury for unlawfully possessing firearms as a previously convicted felon.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, the indictment alleges that Bair unlawfully possessed an Aero Precision rifle and a Ruger pistol on February 28, 2025, in York County.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Pennsylvania State Police investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Carlo D. Marchioli is prosecuting the case.
The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 15 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following the finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Venezuelan National Convicted of Assaulting Federal OfficerRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Robert Antonio Bastardo Llovera, a Venezuelan national residing illegally in the U.S., was sentenced in federal court today to eight months and two days in custody for assaulting a federal officer near Mission Bay.
Bastardo pleaded guilty March 3, 2026, admitting that on July 15, 2025, he assaulted an Immigration and Customs Enforcement deportation officer by biting him on the forearm.
During his arrest for an immigration violation, Bastardo engaged in a five-minute struggle with federal officers culminating in the bite. Bastardo was living in the United States without legal immigration status and was ordered removed by an Immigration Judge on June 10, 2025, after failing to appear for court.
“Our office will continue to prioritize the protection of federal officers engaged in their lawful duties,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon.
“Assaulting a federal law enforcement officer is a serious offense and any actions that put agents and officers at risk will not be tolerated,” said Kevin Murphy, acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in San Diego. “We will continue to hold all individuals who assault law enforcement or interfere with investigations and operations fully accountable.” This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel F. Casillas and Loren G. Renner.
DEFENDANT Case Number 25-cr-3017-H
Robert Antonio Bastardo Llovera Age: 32 San Diego, California
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Assault on a Federal Officer – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 111(a) and (b)
Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison and $250,000 fine
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Homeland Security Investigations
This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF San Diego comprises agents and officers from FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, DEA, ATF, U.S. Marshals, Department of Defense, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Naval Criminal Investigative Service, IRS Criminal Investigation, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Interpol, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California.
Uruguayan fugitive arrives in the United States to face charges of laundering proceeds of his drug-trafficking organizationRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – An alleged cocaine trafficker from Uruguay made an initial appearance in federal court in Alexandria today on charges relating to his alleged role in a money laundering conspiracy.
As alleged in court documents, Uruguayan national Sebastian Enrique Marset Cabrera, 34, is the leader of a large-scale drug trafficking organization that distributed thousands of kilograms of cocaine, including as many as 10 tons at a time, from South America typically to Europe. The Marset drug trafficking organization allegedly traffics cocaine in Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay, Brazil, Belgium, the Netherlands, Portugal, and elsewhere.
Marset’s close associate, Federico Ezequiel Santoro Vassallo, aka Capitan, was a Paraguay-based transnational money launderer for drug-trafficking organizations and facilitated the movement of millions of dollars of drug proceeds from various countries in Europe to South America and elsewhere. Santoro and his co-conspirators arranged for the collection of narcotics proceeds and utilized couriers and tokens to covertly deliver bulk illicit currency, typically in euros. Santoro’s co-conspirators specialized in placing the illicit currency into the global banking system. He then would direct the movement of the funds internationally, usually via bank wire transfer. Santoro typically directed that the funds be delivered in U.S. dollars and a correspondent bank in the United States would facilitate the transaction.
Santoro and, allegedly, Marset threatened violence to protect their drug-trafficking and money laundering activities.
In January 2021, Marset allegedly was owed more than €17 million from the proceeds of a single shipment of cocaine. Santoro arranged the collection and laundering of at least €5 million of those funds, the vast majority of which was laundered using the U.S. banking system.
Santoro pled guilty on May 21, 2025, and was sentenced on July 23, 2025, to 15 years in prison.
If convicted, Marset 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.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anthony T. Aminoff and Catherine Rosenberg are prosecuting the case.
The Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Special Operations Division Bilateral Investigations Unit investigated this case. Significant assistance was provided by the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, U.S. Embassy in Bolivia, U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) and Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL), Bolivian Minister of Government, Bolivian National Police National Intelligence Unit, DEA New York Task Force, DEA Airwing, DEA Country Offices in South America including Lima, Bogota, Buenos Aires, Asunción, São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, and Europol.
In coordination with the Department of Justice, the Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs announced in May 2025 a reward of up to $2 million under the Transnational Organized Crime Rewards Program (TOCRP) for information leading to Marset’s arrest and/or conviction. This was in addition to a $100,000 reward in Bolivia announced in 2023.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:23-cr-143.
An indictment is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
marset_superseding_indictment_189113257979.pdf
AttachmentsU.S. Attorney’s Office Honors Law Enforcement Partners for Outstanding Investigative WorkRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – Federal, state, and local law enforcement investigations that ultimately led to successful outcomes throughout 2025 were recognized at the U.S. Attorney Office’s (USAO) Law Enforcement Awards ceremony held recently.
“Here in our Northern District of Ohio, we have unique relationship with our partners, and that’s not always the case in other regions,” said U.S. Attorney David M. Toepfer for the Northern District of Ohio. “It is my honor to recognize these men and women whose diligent investigations allow us to prosecute dangerous criminals to the fullest extent of the law. Criminal investigators can face roadblocks and dead ends. But because of the persistence of these professionals, and their unwavering commitment to protect and help victims, our office can ensure that justice is served.”
The awards recognized outstanding criminal investigations based out of each of the four Northern District’s offices in Toledo, Cleveland, Akron, and Youngstown. These recognitions spanned a range of cases including Department of Justice (DOJ) mission critical areas such as child sexual exploitation, drug trafficking operations, ransomware, and cybercrime.
Akron/Canton Region
Agent of the Year: FBI Special Agent Pete Mauro
The award was given for exceptional performance in several child exploitation cases that resulted in significant sentences for multiple defendants who distributed, received, produced, and possessed child pornography, thus taking dangerous predators off the street.
Task Force Officer (TFO) of the Year: FBI TFO Heather Blohm Stover, of the Medway Drug Enforcement Agency
The award was given to a local law enforcement officer who is a designated member of the FBI Task Force for her exceptional performance in two cases which involved child sex abuse and several cases involving illegal drug trafficking and firearms.
Partnership of the Year: The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Operation Double Eagle
The award was given for exceptional performance in the takedown of an Akron drug trafficking operation that resulted in 17 indictments that charged thirty defendants with drug trafficking and firearms violations. Several defendants have already been sentenced to federal prison and other cases are still pending.
Cleveland Region
Agent of the Year: FBI Special Agent Jeff Kassouf
The award was given for exceptional performance in a multinational and extremely complex cybercrime investigation.
Task Force Officer of the Year: FBI TFO Craig Payne, of the Lorain Police Department
The award was given to a local law enforcement officer who is a designated member of the FBI Task Force for his exceptional performance in two drug trafficking investigations. One case resulted in criminal charges against 15 defendants of the Whitaker drug trafficking organization for possession with intent to distribute and distribution of controlled substances. The second case resulted in a sentence of 21 years in the Freddie Sanchez trial.
Partnership of the Year: FBI Special Agent Milan Kosanovich and FBI Special Agent Matt Richter
The award was given for exceptional performance in a cryptocurrency fraud investigation where the victim lost approximately $425,000. The investigation resulted in a (civil) forfeiture case in federal district court. In the case, the United States forfeited a total of $947,883 and the victim was able to obtain full recovery.
Toledo Region
Agent of the Year: FBI Special Agent Alexander Hunt
The award was given for exceptional performance in a child exploitation case that resulted in criminal charges for coercion and enticement, and for receipt and distribution of child pornography. The investigation also led to the arrest of at least eight other individuals for child exploitation related offenses across Northwest Ohio.
Task Force Officer of the Year: United States Secret Service (USSS) TFO Justin Craig, of the Ohio State Highway Patrol
The award was given to a local law enforcement officer who is a designated member of the USSS Task Force and was given for his exceptional performance in a child exploitation case that resulted in a receipt and distribution of child pornography criminal charge that carries a mandatory minimum of five years in prison up to a maximum of 20.
Partnership of the Year: Northwest Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force
The award was given for exceptional performance in the investigation of a child exploitation case that resulted in the receipt and production of child pornography criminal charges and a sentence of 360 years, as well as a state prosecution for hands-on sex offenses.
Youngstown Region
Agent of the Year: ATF Special Agent Jason Petaccio
and
Task Force Officer of the Year:
DEA TFO Michael Bender, of the Adult Parole Authority
These two awards were given for exceptional performance in the investigation of a fatal shooting that occurred in Warren, Ohio, in August of 2025. SA Petaccio and TFO Bender’s work resulted in the apprehension of multiple suspects and criminal charges that carry up to 15 years in prison.
Partnership of the Year: Homeland Security Investigations/Mahoning Valley Law Enforcement Task Force
The award was given for exceptional performance in a drug investigation that resulted in criminal charges of possession with intent to distribute and distribution of a controlled substance and a sentence of 23 years.
District Agency of the Year
United States Marshals Service (USMS)
Under the Leadership of U.S. Marshal Pete Elliott, the USMS received an award for outstanding collaboration with other law enforcement partners. The USMS leads the Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force (NOVFTF), which is comprised of seven divisions that include Cleveland, Lorain, Painesville, Akron, Canton, Youngstown, Richland, and Toledo. The NOVFTF finds and arrests dangerous fugitives in the Northern District of Ohio. In 2025, NOVFTF arrested 2,709 offenders, seized 106 firearms and over 3,400 rounds of ammunition, approximately $75,000, and over 7 kilograms of narcotics. In addition to apprehending fugitives, the USMS Missing Child Unit dedicates full-time investigators to locating missing and endangered youth. A dedicated team also locates and prosecutes sex offenders who fail to register as required.
Several regional agencies attended the recognition ceremony including:
- Akron Police Department
- University of Akron Police Department
- Adult Parole Authority
- The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF)
- Barberton Police Department
- Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)
- Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
- FBI – Northweast Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force
- High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area-Youngstown
- U.S. Homeland Security Investigations
- Lorain Police Department
- Mahoning County Sheriff Office
- Mahoning Valley Law Enforcement Task Force
- Medway Drug Enforcement Agency
- Ohio State Highway Patrol
- Summit County Sheriff Office
- Toledo Police Department
- United States Marshal Service
U.S. Attorney Announces Additional Enforcement Action as Part of National Effort to Combat Electrical Stimulation Fraud Scheme and Recover MillionsRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced the filing of a complaint under the False Claims Act in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. This is the latest action in the national investigation into the scheme of improper billing using the RST-Sanexas neoGEN-series electric stimulation device. Federal healthcare programs do not reimburse for electrical nerve stimulation treatments furnished in outpatient clinics to treat pain, nor do they cover vitamin injections used in conjunction with such treatments. As detailed below, this District and others have pursued and settled various False Claims Act cases against electrical stimulation providers, recovering millions.
The complaint is against Drs. Michael Glickert and Joseph Novof of St. Louis, Missouri, as well as their integrated chiropractic clinic, The Vanguard Clinic LLC, and Sanexas device distributorship, Fleur de Lis, LLC, alleging violations of the False Claims Act. As alleged in the complaint, Glickert is a chiropractor who helped develop the scheme for billing Sanexas treatment and vitamin injections to insurance and promoted that scheme nationwide. Novof is an emergency room physician who served as Medical Director for Vanguard, as well as two other Sanexas clinics, and distributed Sanexas devices nationwide.
Beginning in late 2018, Glickert promoted Sanexas treatment and vitamin injections as reimbursable by Medicare and provided coding instructions. But the United States alleges that Glickert knew that billing Medicare could be considered fraudulent. And despite later admitting in a federal complaint that their billing of Sanexas treatment and vitamin injections was not covered by Medicare, Glickert continued to bill Medicare. Meanwhile, Novof falsely certified that vitamin injections were medically necessary, despite not even knowing the ingredients in those injections.
“Our office continues to lead the national charge to hold alleged fraudsters accountable for improper Sanexas billing,” said U.S. Attorney Metcalf. “We will continue working closely with our partners at CMS’s Center for Program Integrity, the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, the Justice Department’s Civil Division, and sister U.S. Attorney’s Offices around the country to pursue any other providers who inappropriately billed for these devices and caused false claims to be submitted.”
The ongoing national effort to identify and combat electrical stimulation billing fraud is a collaboration between this District, the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (“CMS”) Center for Program Integrity, the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (“HHS-OIG”), other federal healthcare programs, state partners, and sister U.S. Attorney’s Offices around the country.
The cases in this District have been investigated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General. They have been handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Eric S. Wolfish and Civil Chief Gregory B. David.
Prior DOJ press releases related to the Sanexas national initiative include:
- https://www.justice.gov/usao-edpa/pr/two-doctors-and-their-medical-practice-pay-more-181000-resolve-false-claims-act
- https://www.justice.gov/usao-edpa/pr/us-attorney-announces-two-additional-civil-settlements-part-national-effort-combat
- https://www.justice.gov/usao-edpa/pr/us-attorney-announces-additional-civil-settlement-chiropractor-and-his-practice-part
- https://www.justice.gov/usao-edpa/pr/rst-sanexas-inc-and-its-owners-agree-pay-15-million-resolve-allegations-they-caused
The investigation and pursuit of this matter illustrate the government’s emphasis on combating healthcare fraud, including in the healthcare technology arena. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the FCA. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement, can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).
The claims above are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
Two Wilmington Men Charged with Federal Fentanyl and Gun OffensesRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, Del. – Two Wilmington men were arrested March 10, 2026, for unlawfully possessing guns and over 400 grams of fentanyl.
According to court documents, Marcus Warren and Donavan McGriff, both 35, were the subjects of a drug investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the New Castle County Police Department (NCCPD).
On Tuesday, March 10, 2026, members of the DEA, NCCPD, and the Delaware State Police Special Operations Response Team executed search warrants for Warren and McGriff, their residences in Wilmington, and McGriff’s car. Both Warren and McGriff were occupants of the car at the time of the search. The car search revealed over 400 grams of fentanyl pills.
The search of Warren’s residence resulted in the recovery of approximately one kilogram of suspected fentanyl and three guns, including a privately made firearm or “ghost gun” with no serial number. The search of McGriff’s residence resulted in the recovery of an additional gun.
Warren is charged with possession with intent to distribute more than 400 grams of fentanyl and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. If convicted, Warren faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison.
McGriff is charged with possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. If convicted, McGriff faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison.
Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Benjamin L. Wallace and DEA Philadelphia Field Division Special Agent in Charge Thomas Hodnett made the announcement.
The DEA and NCCPD investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin B. Smith is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the District of Delaware or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:26-mj-00120.
The charges contained in the criminal complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Two Men Sentenced to Consecutive Life Terms Plus 100 Years for Contract Killing of 17-Year-Old GirlRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – Lenard White (38), a/k/a “Len,” “Mike Williams,” and “Stick” and Sheldon Robinson (22), a/k/a “Poboy,” have each been sentenced by U.S. District Judge William Jung to two consecutive terms of life imprisonment, plus 100 years, for the 2023 murder of I.S. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
On October 29, 2025, a federal jury found both men guilty of all charges, including conspiracy to commit murder for hire, murder for hire, premeditated first degree murder, discharge of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence which caused the death of I.S., discharge of a firearm in furtherance of a violent crime, tampering with witnesses, and obstruction of justice.
According to evidence presented at trial, on February 6, 2023, I.S., a 17-year-old high school student and a member of her school’s tennis team and ROTC program, and her mother, L.P., reported to the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office that I.S. had been sexually assaulted. The next day, Robinson came to their house and knocked on the door. When the door was opened, Robinson fired a barrage of gunshots at I.S. and L.P., killing I.S. The bullet that killed I.S. struck her in the back as she ran away from her front door for help. L.P. was struck several times but survived. L.P. collapsed on the ground and watched her daughter die.
The evidence showed the murder was orchestrated by White, the man who had sexually assaulted her, and who had left the state prior to her murder to give himself an alibi. His cousin, Robinson, committed the murder for $6,000.
The Hernando County Sheriff’s Office, working alongside the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) immediately began investigating the case. After more than 70 federal and state search warrants, investigators obtained a step-by-step blueprint for how Robinson killed I.S., including the individuals that he had recruited to help him carry it out. Six months after I.S.’s murder, and as the investigation was unfolding, detectives from the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office and ATF agents executed a second search warrant in Robinson’s home. Buried in a wooded area behind his home, investigators recovered the gun Robinson used to murder I.S.
As the investigation continued, White and Robinson repeatedly attempted to hinder the investigation by disposing of evidence, tampering with witnesses, obstructing justice, and making false statements to law enforcement. The two also discussed plans of having another witness against them killed.
A third defendant, Keshawn Woods, previously pleaded guilty to his role in the murder of I.S. On January 13, 2026, Woods was sentenced to 17 years in federal prison.
This case was investigated by the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with substantial assistance from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the State Attorney’s Office for the Fifth Judicial Circuit. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Diego F. Novaes and Samantha Newman.
Twice-Convicted Criminal Alien Pleads Guilty to Illegally Reentering the CountryRead the Press Release
Pensacola, Florida – Jose Francisco Santizo-Perez, also known as “Jose Mynor Castillo Lazaro,” 41, a Guatemalan national, pleaded guilty in federal court to illegal reentry by a removed alien. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “For too long, criminal aliens have completely disregarded our nation’s borders and immigration laws, but President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi launched Operation Take Back America to repel the invasion of illegal immigration and keep our communities safe. With this successful prosecution, we are one step closer to achieving that goal, and we will continue to aggressively prosecute criminal aliens, like this defendant, who will come to realize we take the robust enforcement of our nation’s borders and laws seriously.”
Court documents reflect that the defendant has been deported from the United States four times and has twice been convicted of illegal reentry by a removed alien, first in 2018 in this district, and again in 2020 in the Western District of Texas. After his most recent deportation in 2021, he illegally returned to the United States and was found in Okaloosa County, Florida, in January 2026. He now faces up to ten years in prison followed by removal from the United States.
The case was investigated by U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations. Assistant United States Attorney Alicia H. Forbes is prosecuting the case.
Santizo-Perez’s sentencing is scheduled for May 18, 2026, at 11:00 am at the United States District Courthouse in Pensacola before United States District Judge M. Casey Rodgers.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.