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Friday 30 January 2026
Senior Official at United States African Development Foundation Agrees to Plead Guilty to Accepting Gratuities and Making False StatementRead the Press Release
The Director of Financial Management of the United States African Development Foundation (USADF) was charged today by criminal information and has agreed to plead guilty to accepting gratuities from a USADF contractor and then lying to federal law enforcement officers about those payments.
“Mathieu Zahui is charged with accepting payments from a government contractor and then abusing his position by directing USADF funds to that contractor for little-to-no work,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Corruption by senior officials representing the United States cheats American taxpayers and rigs the system against honest work. This plea agreement demonstrates the Criminal Division’s pursuit of bad actors who engage in waste and abuse in government contracting.”
“The USADF Director of Financial Management’s fraudulent acts betrayed the trust of the American people,” said Acting Assistant Inspector General for Investigations Sean M. Bottary of the U.S. Agency for International Development’s Office of Inspector General (USAID-OIG). “As the Inspector General with continued oversight jurisdiction over U.S.-funded foreign assistance, we will utilize our global investigative reach to aggressively detect and disrupt those who defraud taxpayer dollars programmed overseas.”
According to court documents, Mathieu Zahui, 59, of Fairfax, Virginia, who referred to himself as the “CFO” of USADF, arranged for USADF to pay USADF vendors and contractors through a Kenya-based company, Company-1. Company-1 was owned by a government contractor (CC-1), whom Zahui had known for over 20 years. Between June 2020 and December 2023, Zahui arranged for Company-1 to act as a pass-through for USADF’s payments to certain vendors, rather than have USADF pay the vendors directly. For example, when USADF needed to pay a past-due debt to a staffing vendor, Zahui directed the vendor to invoice Company-1 instead of USADF. Company-1 then invoiced USADF for the vendor’s past-due amount, but added a mark-up of over $20,000 to the amount owed. Zahui approved Company-1’s invoice even though he knew that Company-1 had provided no services related to the vendor’s work.
Zahui approved pass-through invoices for Company-1 that included mark-ups ranging from 17% to 66% above the amounts owed to the vendors, even when Company-1 did no work justifying the mark-up. In total, Company-1 submitted more than 20 pass-through invoices to USADF, for which Zahui caused USADF to pay at least $617,625.49 to Company-1. Of this total amount paid, Company-1 retained $134,886.34 as a mark-up. In connection with this pass-through contracting and invoicing by Company-1, as well as other official acts to benefit Company-1, Zahui accepted $12,000 in cash payments directly from CC-1.
Zahui and CC-1 did not disclose this conduct to the Bureau of the Fiscal Service, which oversaw and authorized USADF’s payments to external parties. With Zahui’s involvement, CC-1 falsely stated on Company-1’s invoices that Company-1 had provided “logistical support” to USADF when, in fact, it had nothing to do with logistical support. For example, in late 2020, USADF owed a membership fee of $50,000 to a professional networking organization serving the African diaspora. Instead of having USADF pay its membership fee directly, Zahui directed CC-1 to have Company-1 submit an invoice to USADF that included the membership fee so that Company-1 could act as a pass-through for the $50,000 payment to that organization. The invoice submitted claimed that Company-1 provided “logistical assistance support for ADF” and included a mark-up of $9,900.08.
When interviewed by federal law enforcement agents in 2024, Zahui was asked about his relationship with CC-1 and falsely stated that he had never received any benefits from CC-1 when, in fact, he had received $12,000 in cash payments from CC-1.
Zahui agreed to plead guilty to one count of accepting gratuities from CC-1 and one count of making a false statement to a federal law enforcement officer. He faces a maximum penalty of two years in prison for the gratuities charge and five years in prison for the false statement charge. His plea hearing will be scheduled by a federal district court judge. The judge will thereafter determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
USAID-OIG is investigating the case.
Assistant Chief Kyle Hankey of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Sungtae Kang for the District of Columbia are prosecuting the case.
Senior Official at U.S. African Development Foundation to Plead to Accepting Gratuities from Kenyan ContractorRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Mathieu G. Zahui, 59, the Director of Financial Management for the United States African Development Foundation was charged today by criminal Information for accepting gratuities from a USADF contractor and then lying to federal law enforcement officers about those payments, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Zahui, of Fairfax, Virginia, agreed to plead guilty to one count of accepting gratuities from the contractor and to one count of making a false statement to a federal law enforcement officer. He faces a maximum penalty of two years in prison for the gratuities charge and five years in prison for the false statement charge. His plea hearing will be scheduled by a federal district court judge. The judge will thereafter determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
“President Trump has made it clear that he will put an end to the fraud, waste and abuse that was commonplace throughout these agencies,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “There will be serious consequences whenever corruption is unearthed, whether at the U.S. African Development Foundation or any other foundation.”
“Mathieu Zahui is charged with accepting payments from a government contractor and then abusing his position by directing USADF funds to that contractor for little-to-no work,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Corruption by senior officials representing the United States cheats American taxpayers and rigs the system against honest work. This plea agreement demonstrates the Criminal Division’s pursuit of bad actors who engage in waste and abuse in government contracting.”
“The USADF Director of Financial Management’s fraudulent acts betrayed the trust of the American people,” said Acting Assistant Inspector General for Investigations Sean M. Bottary of the U.S. Agency for International Development’s Office of Inspector General. “As the Inspector General with continued oversight jurisdiction over U.S.-funded foreign assistance, we will utilize our global investigative reach to aggressively detect and disrupt those who defraud taxpayer dollars programmed overseas.”
According to court documents, Zahui arranged for United States African Development Foundation (USADF) to pay the foundation’s vendors and contractors through a Kenya-based company, Company-1.
Company-1 was owned by a government contractor, CC-1, whom Zahui had known for over 20 years. Between June 2020 and December 2023, Zahui arranged for Company-1 to act as a pass-through for USADF’s payments to these vendors, rather than have USADF pay the vendors directly. Zahui approved pass-through invoices for Company-1 that included mark-ups ranging from 17% to 66% above the amounts owed to the vendors, even when Company-1 did no work justifying the mark-up.
For example, when USADF needed to pay a past-due debt to a staffing vendor, Zahui directed the vendor to invoice Company-1 instead of USADF. Company-1 then invoiced USADF for the vendor’s past-due amount, but added a mark-up of over $20,000 to the amount owed. Zahui approved Company-1’s invoice even though he knew that Company-1 had provided no services related to the vendor’s work.
In total, Company-1 submitted more than 20 pass-through invoices to USADF, for which Zahui caused USADF to pay at least $617,625.49 to Company-1. Of this total amount paid Company-1 retained $134.886.34 as a mark-up. In connection with this pass-through contracting and invoicing by Company-1, as well as other official acts to benefit Company-1, Zahui accepted $12,000 in cash payments directly from CC-1.
Zahui and CC-1 did not disclose this conduct to the Bureau of the Fiscal Service, which oversaw and authorized USADF’s payments to external parties. With Zahui’s involvement, CC-1 falsely stated on Company-1’s invoices that Company-1 had provided “logistical support” to USADF when, in fact, it had nothing to do with logistical support. For example, in late 2020, USADF owed a membership fee of $50,000 to a professional networking organization serving the African diaspora. Instead of having USADF pay its membership fee directly, Zahui directed CC-1 to have Company-1 submit an invoice to USADF that included the membership fee so that Company-1 could act as a pass-through for the $50,000 payment to that organization. The invoice submitted claimed that Company-1 provided “logistical assistance support for ADF” and included a mark-up of $9,900.08.
When interviewed by federal law enforcement agents in 2024, Zahui was asked about his relationship with CC-1 and falsely stated that he had never received any benefits from CC-1 when, in fact, he had received $12,000 in cash payments from CC-1.
The U.S. Agency for International Development’s Office of Inspector General (USAID-OIG) is investigating the case.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sungtae Kang for the District of Columbia and Assistant Chief Kyle Hankey of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section.
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San Antonio Woman Sentenced to 11 Years in Prison and over $955K Money Judgment for Role in Deadly Alien Smuggling OperationRead the Press Release
DEL RIO, Texas – A San Antonio woman was sentenced in a federal court in Del Rio on Thursday to 132 months in prison and ordered to pay a money judgment of $955,350 for conspiracy to transport illegal aliens resulting in death.
According to court documents, Erica Aracely Carmona, 36, was a member of an Alien Smuggling Organization that smuggled illegal aliens to San Antonio from the area around Eagle Pass. Carmona’s role included coordinating smuggling operations with co-conspirators in Mexico and directing other members of the conspiracy in regard to payments and driver coordination.
On May 25, 2021, a driver with the ASO transported a trailer containing illegal aliens from a residence in Eagle Pass to San Antonio. When the trailer arrived, one of the aliens was near death, and died about one hour later. Co-conspirators dumped the deceased illegal alien into a ditch within a few miles of a Von Ormy property belonging to Carmona that was being used as a drop-off location. The Bexar County Sheriff’s Office recovered the body along with the deceased alien’s ID card on May 30, 2021.
ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) determined that Carmona had purchased the property in Von Ormy specifically for the purpose of alien smuggling with proceeds from the ASO’s operations. Following the arrest of co-conspirator Evan John Herrera, ICE HSI discovered WhatsApp communications pertaining to alien smuggling between Herrera and Carmona.
The ASO smuggled more than 500 illegal aliens and generated over $4.7 million in proceeds between January 2021 and July 2022. Throughout their operation, the ASO used custom made “tow-behind” trailers to transport illegal aliens. The ASO had begun to use an 18-wheeler with a false compartment inside the tractor trailer that held up to 40 aliens but that trailer was interdicted by federal law enforcement on the first smuggling attempt.
Carmona was arrested on Aug. 23, 2022, and pleaded guilty on Dec. 19, 2022. Herrera was sentenced on May 28, 2025, to 151 months in federal prison with credit for time served. Herrera was also ordered to pay a $955,350 money judgment. On May 1, 2025, co-defendant Miguel Angel Rivera was sentenced to 216 months with credit for time served. Additional co-defendants Pedro Luis Martinez-Jaquez and Jose Eduardo Rodriguez Moreno are scheduled to be sentenced in March. Chief U.S. District Judge Alia Moses presides over the case.
“Alien smuggling organizations and Mexican cartels will always value profit over human lives, and illegal aliens are routinely placed in extremely dangerous situations during their journey, often resulting in death,” said U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas, Justin R. Simmons. “In San Antonio, we’ve seen firsthand how dangerous it can be to transport humans in trailers of any kind, especially tractor trailers. While we mourn the life lost in this case, the amazing work done by federal law enforcement to shut down this criminal organization and their continued use of a tractor trailer no doubt saved lives in the long run.”
“The loss of life in this case is a stark reminder that human smuggling is not just a crime—it is a deadly threat to our communities and those seeking a better future,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge John A. Pasciucco, HSI San Antonio. “Carmona’s sentencing demonstrates that HSI and our partners will relentlessly pursue and dismantle criminal organizations that prioritize profit over human life. We will not tolerate those who exploit and endanger vulnerable individuals, and we will continue to bring the full weight of justice against anyone responsible for these events.”
ICE HSI investigated the case with assistance from the U.S. Border Patrol, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office, and the Maverick County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brett Miner 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.
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U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of TexasA “tow-behind” trailer used by the organization to smuggle illegal aliens from Eagle Pass to San Antonio. The trailers were custom made by Alien Smuggling Organization member, Evan John Herrera, to conceal the illegal aliens in route.
U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of TexasFederal law enforcement interdicted an alien smuggling operation that used the “tow-behind” trailer.
U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of TexasThe exterior of the tractor-trailer that was to be used by the organization to smuggle illegal aliens from Eagle Pass to San Antonio. The trailer was custom built to hold as many as 40 illegal aliens, and it was retrofitted with air conditioning in the false trap compartment. The organization had graduated from the “tow-behind” trailers to 18-wheelers to transport the illegal aliens.
U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of TexasThe top of the trailer that was to be used by the organization to smuggle illegal aliens from Eagle Pass to San Antonio.
U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of TexasThe interior of the false compartment that was to be used by the organization to smuggle illegal aliens from Eagle Pass to San Antonio.
SDTX charges another 307 people with criminal actions this week in support of Operation Take Back AmericaRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – The first month of the new year has come to a close with another 299 filed cases related to immigration and border security, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
From Jan. 23-29, a total of 169 people have been charged with felony reentry after removal, and another 108 face allegations of illegal entry. Most have felony convictions for narcotics, violent crime, various immigration crimes and more. The filed cases also include 26 individuals accused of human smuggling with four others accused of other crimes.
In addition to the new cases, Mexican national Javier Andres Rivera received a 60-month federal prison sentence for illegally reentering the country without authorization. He has prior convictions for aggravated robbery with a firearm, possession of more than 50 pounds of marijuana, terroristic threats and illegal reentry. He was first removed in 2011 and illegally returned three times.
In Laredo, Mexican national Erik Villegas Cusi was ordered to prison for 51 months for conspiring with others in Mexico to smuggle fentanyl and cocaine during a family trip. Authorities discovered the drugs hidden in an aftermarket compartment in the undercarriage of his vehicle as he entered the United States with his wife and minor son.
These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations, ICE - Enforcement and Removal Operations, Border Patrol, Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, U.S. Marshals Service and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners.
The cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Under current leadership, public safety and a secure border are the top priorities for this district. Enhanced enforcement both at the border and in the interior of the district have yielded aliens engaged in unlawful activity or with serious criminal histories, including convictions for human trafficking, sexual assault and violence against children.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas remains one of the busiest in the nation. It represents 43 counties and more than nine million people covering 44,000 square miles. Assistant U.S. Attorneys from all seven divisions including Houston, Galveston, Victoria, Corpus Christi, Brownsville, McAllen and Laredo work directly with our law enforcement partners on the federal, state and local levels to prosecute the suspected offenders of these and other federal crimes.
An indictment or criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Recidivist Drug Dealer Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for a Bulk Methamphetamine-Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – A Bay Minette man was sentenced to 120 months in prison for taking part in a conspiracy to distribute bulk methamphetamine.
According to court documents, Ladarrius Markeil Fields, 30, pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine between October 2024 and December 2024. On December 9, 2024, narcotics investigators received information that a bulk methamphetamine deal was going to occur at a truck stop in Whistler. Agents attempted to conduct a traffic stop of Fields’s vehicle near the truck stop, but Fields reversed out of a parking lot and drove away. As he did so, Fields threw a large bag of methamphetamine from his vehicle into a drainage ditch before coming to a stop. Agents arrested Fields and recovered the bag that he discarded, which contained nearly a pound of methamphetamine packaged in five separate baggies.
Agents then interviewed Fields, who admitted that he had bought a pound of methamphetamine from a supplier with whom he had previously served prison time. Fields has several prior convictions for possession and distribution of narcotics and was released from Alabama state prison in mid-2024.
Fields said that on December 8, 2024, he had met his supplier at a gas station near Meaher Avenue in Prichard. Fields said the supplier had accidentally given him the wrong bag, so Fields came to the truck stop to switch out the drugs the next day. Fields said he had been buying bulk methamphetamine from his supplier for roughly two months and had secured one to two pounds of methamphetamine on about 15 separate occasions. At one point during his interview, Fields said, “Y’all caught me bro, red handed.”
In addition to the 120-month prison sentence, Senior U.S. District Judge William H. Steele ordered Fields to serve a five-year term of supervised release upon his release from prison, during which time he will be subject to drug testing and treatment. The court did not impose a fine, but Judge Steele ordered Fields to pay a total of $100 in special assessments.
U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement.
Homeland Security Investigations and the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Roller prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
This prosecution was part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Mobile comprises agents and officers from, among others, Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Alabama.
Principals of ‘Pre-IPO’ Funds Plead Guilty to Defrauding InvestorsRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, announced today that MARIO GOGLIORMELLA, STEVEN LACAJ, and KARIM IBRAHIM, a/k/a “Chris Hayes,” pled guilty to conspiracy and fraud charges in connection with their management of L & G Capital Corp., Legend Venture Partners LLC, and a related series of funds. GOGLIORMELLA and LACAJ pled guilty before U.S. District Judge Vernon S. Broderick and IBRAHIM pled guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Henry J. Ricardo. The defendants will be sentenced before Judge Broderick at a later date.
“Our pre-IPO markets are important to investors, entrepreneurs, and our economy,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “Their integrity is critical to our continued leadership in technology, healthcare, energy, and other key industries. The defendants used high-pressure sales tactics, false and misleading disclosures, and hidden exorbitant fees to defraud retail investors seeking to invest in private companies that had not yet had initial public offerings. The women and men of our Office and our law enforcement partners continue to focus on our pre-IPO markets and our listed small-cap markets. Our message is clear: marketing and trading in securities of new and smaller companies does not give you a pass to commit fraud.”
According to the allegations contained in the Indictment, public filings, and statements made in court:
GOGLIORMELLA, LACAJ, and IBRAHIM engaged in a scheme to defraud investors in a group of related private funds known generally as the “StraightPath Funds” and the “Legend Funds.” The defendants, and others working at their direction, used “boiler room”-style call centers to market the funds to non-professional investors by promising an opportunity to invest in privately held companies expected to go public in the near future (“pre-IPO companies”). The defendants purported to offer investors the chance to acquire shares in pre-IPO companies at favorable prices in advance of an anticipated public offering, at which time, they claimed, the shares would be worth significantly more. The defendants also claimed there were no upfront fees or commissions, and that they would not get paid until their investors got paid.
These representations that the defendants made to investors were lies. In fact, the defendants sold shares to investors at arbitrarily inflated and excessive prices without disclosing to investors the nature or extent of the markup. The defendants’ fraudulent misrepresentations about the operation of their funds allowed them to raise approximately $185 million from hundreds of investors. Based in large part on the excessive and undisclosed share price markups they charged to investors, the defendants were able to divert nearly $28 million in investor funds to themselves. They also used investor funds to pay their sales representatives at least $17.5 million in fees and commissions, despite making explicit representations to investors that fees were not being charged. In addition to misrepresentations about fees and markups, the defendants also misled investors regarding the nature of their investments and hid the involvement of GOGLIORMELLA and IBRAHIM, who had previously been disciplined by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, in the management of the Funds.
In order to generate interest in the Funds among retail investors, GOGLIORMELLA, LACAJ, and IBRAHIM used finders, or “referral agents,” to pitch prospective investors and thereafter to serve as the investors’ primary point of contact. The defendants used “boiler room”-style call centers wherein salespeople cold-called potential investors, many of whom were not experienced investors, and gave aggressive sales pitches using notes and pitch scripts. The defendants referred to their pitch scripts as “The Bible.” Contrary to the defendants’ claim that they and their agents did not make money unless and until investors received a profit on their investments, the defendants paid referral agents a commission, typically a 10 to 15 percent front-end fee based on the amount of the investment that agents were able to draw to the Funds, plus a portion of the carried interest when the Funds exited their position in a particular company.
At first, the defendants operated this scheme as a marketing arm for StraightPath Venture Partners, Inc. (“StraightPath”). In approximately 2021, multiple individuals associated with StraightPath received subpoenas from the SEC, and in approximately February 2022, StraightPath ceased operations. In approximately February 2022, when StraightPath ceased operations, GOGLIORMELLA, LACAJ, and IBRAHIM began conducting the scheme under the corporate entity Legend Venture Partners, LLC (“Legend”), where they continued to run the same scheme that StraightPath had started. The three principals of StraightPath —Michael Castillero, Francine Lanaia, and Brian Martinsen—were also prosecuted by this Office and convicted at a trial before U.S. District Judge Jesse M. Furman in November 2025.
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GOGLIORMELLA, 48, of Manhasset, New York, STEVEN LACAJ, 28, of New York, New York, and KARIM IBRAHIM, 36, of Queens, New York, each pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit securities fraud, wire fraud, and investment adviser fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison, and one count of investment adviser fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.
The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by a judge.
Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding work of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Mr. Clayton also thanked the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, which has filed a parallel civil action.
The case is being handled by the Office’s Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adam S. Hobson and Matthew R. Shahabian are in charge of the prosecution.
Postal Employee Sentenced for Her Role in Conspiracy to Steal Checks from the MailRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge John A. Ross on Friday sentenced a former mail carrier who aided a check stealing and bank fraud conspiracy to a year and a day in prison and ordered her to repay $21,635.
Cambria M. Hopkins, a postal carrier based in Clayton, sold her “arrow key,” which allows access to U.S. Postal Service collection boxes, to Malik A. Jones on March 20, 2022. She also told Jones which boxes the key would open. Jones then paid others to steal mail using Hopkins’ key. Hopkins also sold checks multiple times to Jones that she’d stolen from mail at the Post Office and from mail while on her route. Jones paid her in cash, via CashApp or in groceries. Jones then recruited others who allowed him to use their bank accounts to deposit forged and fraudulent checks.
“The relatively small amount of money for which (Hopkins) was willing to abuse her position, undermine the public’s trust, and harm those whose mail she stole speaks to the selfishness of her actions,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Clow wrote in a sentencing memo. When confronted, Hopkins “lied to investigators… and attempted to cover up her crimes by then deleting her messages with Jones,” Clow wrote.
Hopkins, 30, of Florissant, Missouri, pleaded guilty in August to one count of conspiracy and one count of unlawful use of a mail key.
Jones, now 28, was sentenced to 42 months in prison after pleading guilty to bank fraud and aggravated identity theft.
“The sentencing in this case illustrates that individuals who steal mail will be held accountable for their actions,” stated Acting Inspector in Charge, Mary Johnson, who leads the Chicago Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, which includes St. Louis. “The Postal Inspection Service is proud to work with our local, state, and federal partners to bring mail theft perpetrators to justice and prevent financial crimes targeting local citizens, postal customers, and financial institutions.”
“This sentencing represents the hard work and dedication by USPS OIG Special Agents working with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to bring charges on this significant mail theft investigation,” said Special Agent in Charge Dennus Bishop, U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General, Central Area Field Office. “The United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General and the United States Postal Inspection Service, along with our law enforcement partners, remain committed to safeguarding the U.S. Mail and ensuring the accountability and integrity of U.S. Postal Service employees.”
The U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General and U.S. Postal Inspection Service investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Clow is prosecuting the case.
Portland Resident Pleads Guilty to Damaging Federal PropertyRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—A Portland resident pleaded guilty yesterday to depredation of government property after damaging cameras affixed to the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) building and setting debris on fire.
Alistair Macfarlane Sidener, 20, pleaded guilty to one count of depredation of government property.
According to court documents, on June 12, 2025, Sidener intentionally damaged several cameras mounted on the facility by shooting paint at them from a water gun and striking cameras with a long metal pole. Shortly after damaging the cameras, Sidener lit debris on fire that had been placed against a metal gate.
On January 28, 2026, Sidener was charged by superseding information with depredation of government property.
Sidener faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, a $250,000, and three years of supervised release. Sidener will be sentenced on May 27, 2026, before a U.S. District Court Judge.
As part of the plea agreement, Sidener has agreed to pay restitution in full.
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon.
Peabody Man Arrested for Theft of Government MoneyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Peabody man has been arrested and charged with fraudulently obtaining over $100,000 in coronavirus relief funds.
Jonathan Carpenter, 41, was indicted on one count of theft of government money. Carpenter was arrested yesterday and released on conditions following an initial appearance in federal court in Boston.
According to the charging documents, Carpenter defrauded the United States Small Business Administration (SBA) in 2020 by applying for and obtaining an Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL). The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act authorized SBA to provide EIDLs to eligible small business experiencing financial disruption due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
It is alleged that Carpenter fraudulently obtained $125,000 in EIDL funds for Homeland Electric, an electrical contractor that had not existed for approximately five years at the time of his application. It is further alleged that Carpenter falsely claimed that Homeland Electric was established on March 1, 2011; had gross receipts of $250,000; and had eight employees as of Jan. 21, 2020. Carpenter also allegedly failed to indicate that he had a criminal record.
The charge of theft of government money provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by Peabody Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy E. Moran of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.
Palestinian Immigrant Guilty Second Time in Murder for Hire SchemeRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – A federal jury convicted a Rocky Mount man on three counts of Interstate phone calls in a Murder-for-Hire scheme.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Nahro Sudoi INNAB, 70, attempted to arrange the murders of three people. He did all this after pleading guilty to the same conduct, while sitting in jail awaiting the start of his prison term. INNAB tried to pay other inmates $10,000 per head to murder these men. The intended victims were Rocky Mount small business owners. A cooperating defendant informed the FBI of the plot and captured an audio recording of INNAB’s murderous plan.
“This Palestinian immigrant came here to take advantage of the American dream, but he has repeatedly tried to hire thugs to murder his perceived enemies,” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle. “We will not tolerate this type of terror spreading behavior. He needs to learn his lesson and behave in a civilized manner.”
"Even after being federally charged, arrested, and pleading guilty to a murder for hire plot, Nahro Innab continued his demented and dangerous plans. Thankfully, a coordinated law enforcement effort thwarted multiple murderous plots, and he will be safely behind prison bars for years to come," said James C. Barnacle Jr., the FBI Special Agent in Charge in North Carolina.
INNAB faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for each crime the federal jury convicted him of committing.
W. Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III accepted the verdict. The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney John P. Newby, Jr. is prosecuting 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-307-D-RN.
Pensacola Tax Preparers Face Federal Charges for Fraudulent Tax Return SchemeRead the Press Release
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – D’ontrinique K. Johnson, formerly known as D’ontrinique K. Wilkerson, 30, and Tequilla D. Nairn, formerly known as Tequilla D. Robinson, 37, both of Pensacola, Florida, have been indicted in federal court for one count of conspiracy to aid or assist in preparation of false tax returns and to steal government money and three counts of filing false tax returns. Nairn has additionally been charged with one count of aggravated identity theft and one count of wire fraud. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida announced the charges.
Johnson appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Hope T. Cannon for her arraignment at the United States Courthouse in Pensacola, Florida. Trial is scheduled for March 16, 2026, at 8:30 am before District Court Judge T. Kent Wetherell, II.
If convicted, Johnson faces up to 5 years’ imprisonment for the conspiracy count and up to 3 years’ imprisonment for each count related to filing a false tax return.
Nairn appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Zachary C. Bolitho for her arraignment at the United States Courthouse in Pensacola, Florida. Trial is scheduled for March 16, 2026, at 8:30 am before District Court Judge T. Kent Wetherell, II.
If convicted, Nairn faces up to 5 years’ imprisonment for the conspiracy count, up to 3 years’ imprisonment for each count related to filing a false tax return, a mandatory consecutive 2 years’ imprisonment for the aggravated identity theft count, and up to 20 years’ imprisonment for the wire fraud count.
The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Alicia H. Forbes.
An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
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.
Orlando Doctor Sentenced to Two Years for Injecting Silicone Oil into PatientsRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – Nhan Pham (55, Orlando) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge John Antoon II to two years in federal prison for receipt in interstate commerce and proffered delivery of an adulterated device, in violation of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. Pham pleaded guilty on May 7, 2025. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents, between 2015 and 2019, Pham, a physician who performed cosmetic procedures, ordered silicone oil online and injected the silicone into his patients for gluteal and buttock enhancement procedures at his office and residence. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not approved the use of injectable silicone for body contouring or enhancement and has issued warnings to the public advising them of the illegality of and health risks associated with silicone injections.
Pham inaccurately represented to his patients before performing the procedures that the substance he was injecting into their bodies was “safe,” “natural,” and would dissolve over time. After receiving the silicone oil injections, patients experienced complications, such as sharp and severe pain, discomfort, discoloration, itchiness, burning, inflammation, soreness, and hardness in the injection areas. On September 24, 2019, Pham offered to perform silicone oil injections on an undercover law enforcement agent.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration – Office of Criminal Investigations and the Metropolitan Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office and United States Marshals Service. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Diane Hu.
Oklahoma County Resident Sentenced for Felony AssaultRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Bryan Dewayne Goodbear, a/k/a Bryan D. Goodbear, a/k/a Bryan W. Goodbear, a/k/a Sonny F. Goodbear, age 29, formerly of Edmond, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 174 months in prison for one count of Assault with Intent to Commit Murder in Indian Country.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Oklahoma Department of Corrections.
On June 18, 2025, Goodbear pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on August 16, 2023, Goodbear and two other inmates of the Davis Correctional Facility stabbed a fellow inmate over 70 times, causing severe injuries to the victim’s neck, chest, and abdomen. The crime occurred in Hughes County, within the boundaries of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The Honorable Robert J. Shelby, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court of Utah, sitting by special appointment, presided over the hearing. Goodbear 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 Lewis M. Reagan, T. Cameron McEwen, and Patrick M. Flanigan represented the United States.
Nine Charged with Conspiracy to Straw Purchase FirearmsRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – On Jan. 27, 2026, the following nine people were charged by federal criminal complaint with Conspiracy to Commit the Offense of Material False Statement During the Purchase of a Firearm: Jorge Alain Corona, 28, of Gilroy, California; Alejandro Corona, 32, of Yuma, Arizona; Jonathan Ventura Bravo, 32, of Phoenix, Arizona; Marvin Agustin Teutle, 29, of Laveen, Arizona; Jesus Roberto Corella Mares, 33, of Mesa, Arizona; Rosario Agustin Teutle, 27, of Buckeye, Arizona; April Denise Corral Aldecoa, 24, of Yuma, Arizona; Linda-Ana Grace Camarillo, 22, of Kalispell, Montana; and Jose Ruben Quiroz, 26, of Yuma, Arizona.
“This case exposes a scheme to lie, buy, and funnel dangerous firearms into the hands of nefarious actors, including trafficking firearms across our southern border,” said U.S. Attorney Timothy Courchaine. “It is particularly alarming when these weapons are intended for use by criminal organizations. This office will continue working in tandem with our law enforcement partners to block the flow of illegal firearms to those who would use them to harm others.”
“Straw purchasers aren’t just lying on a form- they’re often putting firearms directly onto the hands of criminals,” said Shawn Stallo, acting special agent in charge for the Phoenix Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. “Straw purchasing is a serious felony that can carry penalties of up to 10 years in jail and a $250,000 fine.”
“Straw purchasing undermines public safety by intentionally concealing the identity of the actual offender and defeating lawful safeguards,” said Matthew Murphy, acting special agent in charge for HSI Arizona. “HSI and our law enforcement partners remain steadfast in our commitment to protecting the public, thoroughly investigating this criminal activity and reviewing all facts objectively and with integrity — because community safety depends on it.”
According to the complaint, between March 2020 and January 2024, defendants acted to unlawfully acquire firearms by making false representations to the firearms seller. Specifically, at the time of purchase, the straw purchaser would sign forms claiming that they were the actual purchaser of the firearm, when in fact they were acquiring the firearm on behalf of another individual. Over the course of the investigation, these individuals conspired to straw purchase more than 15 firearms, including at least three Barrett .50 caliber and 10 belt-fed semi-automatic rifles, which were intended to be smuggled into Mexico.
On July 26, 2023, law enforcement was able to seize six of the firearms shortly after they were illegally obtained. On March 24, 2025, authorities with the Government of Mexico seized another firearm identified in this investigation as illegally acquired by this conspiracy.
This investigation 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.
This HSTF investigation comprises agents and officers from Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), with the prosecution being led by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Travis L. Wheeler and Bradley Baugher of the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona, Phoenix.
A criminal complaint is simply a method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
CASE NUMBER: 26-3011MJ
RELEASE NUMBER: 2026-014_Corona, et. al
Photos of firearms seized.
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.
New York Man Pleads Guilty and Is Sentenced for Federal Fraud CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Xavier Booker, 38, of New York City, pleaded guilty on Thursday, January 29, 2026, to aiding and abetting a false statement on a loan and credit application and was sentenced to time served.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on November 27, 2024, Booker presented a false North Carolina driver’s license at a federal credit union in Parkersburg in an attempt to obtain proceeds from a loan fraudulently applied for in the name appearing on the false driver’s license.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Parkersburg Police Department and the assistance provided by the West Virginia Fusion Center.
United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston presided over the hearing and imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer D. Gordon prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-95.
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New Orleans Man Indicted for Being a Felon in Possession of FirearmRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – KYLE ARMSTRONG, age 23, of New Orleans, was indicted on January 29, 2026, for being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8), announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle. If convicted, ARMSTRONG faces a maximum sentence of 15 years of imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and up to 3 years of supervised release.
According to the indictment, on July 19, 2025, in the Eastern District of Louisiana, ARMSTRONG possessed a Canik Model TP9 SF, nine-millimeter handgun, knowing that he had been previously convicted on November 8, 2022 of felonies including, Theft or Receipt of Stolen Mail Matter, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1708, and Unlawful Possession of Postal Key, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1704.
U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle reiterated that the indictment is merely an allegation and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
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).
This case is being investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service and the Louisiana State Police. Assistant United States Attorney Rachal Cassagne of the Narcotics Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
New Bedford Couple Charged with Defrauding Clients of over $750,000 in Connection with their Insurance BusinessRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A married couple was charged today for their alleged involvement in a scheme to defraud individuals seeking insurance coverage through the couple’s business, BL Insurance Brokerage, LLC.
Brendan Lawler, 58, and Lisa Lawler, 45, of New Bedford, Mass., were charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Both defendants will appear in federal court in Boston at a later date. The Lawlers were charged by criminal complaint in August 2025.
According to the charging documents, from March 2023 through March 2024, the Lawlers allegedly solicited and collected insurance payments from BL Insurance’s clients, which should have been paid to the clients’ insurance providers. But instead of paying the insurance companies, the Lawlers allegedly pocketed their clients’ payments and used the money for their own purposes. To conceal this theft of client funds and to keep their BL Insurance afloat to perpetuate the scheme, the Lawlers allegedly used incoming client funds to pay outstanding balances due to other clients’ insurers. The Lawlers also allegedly created and distributed certain insurance documents to clients that falsely suggested that the clients were insured. In total, through this scheme, the Lawlers allegedly defrauded at least 50 individuals or insurance providers and stole more than $750,000 from insurance providers, premium finance companies and hard money lenders.
Members of the public who believe they may be a victim of this case or have any relevant information related to this case are requested to please fill out the attached form to be contacted by a member of law enforcement: https://forms.fbi.gov/victims/BLInsuranceVictims/view.
The charge of conspiracy to commit wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000, or twice the loss to the victim. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts Division of Insurance and Insurance Fraud Bureau. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan Cleary of the Criminal Division is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
New Orleans Man Sentenced for Being Felon in Possession of FirearmRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – HAVEN PATTERSON (“PATTERSON”), age 43, a resident of New Orleans, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Wendy B. Vitter on January 29, 2026, for being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle. Chief Judge Vitter sentenced PATTERSON to 48 months imprisonment to be followed by three years of supervised release.
According to court records, on February 27, 2025, PATTERSON intentionally possessed a loaded 40 caliber semi-automatic handgun and a loaded .380 caliber semi-automatic handgun. PATTERSON is prohibited from possessing firearms due to a prior Louisiana State conviction.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Chandra Menon of the of the Public Integrity Unit.
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).
Missouri Man Admits Sexual Abuse of TeenRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A Washington County, Missouri man on Friday admitted sexually abusing a girl and soliciting child sexual abuse material from her.
William R. Murphy, 41, of Washington County, pleaded guilty U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of production of child pornography and one count of coercion and enticement of a minor. He admitted engaging in sexual contact with a juvenile when she was between the ages of 13 and 17. Sometimes Murphy threatened the victim to obtain images from her that constitute child sexual abuse material, his plea agreement says.
Murphy is scheduled to be sentenced April 29. Both the U.S. Attorney’s office and Murphy’s lawyer have agreed to recommend 27 years in prison.
The Washington County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jillian Anderson is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Mexican national sentenced for smuggling drugs with family in vehicleRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – A 50-year-old resident of Queretaro, Queretaro, Mexico, has been ordered to federal prison after admitting to conspiring to import four kilograms of fentanyl and two kilograms of cocaine from Mexico, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Erik Villegas Cusi pleaded guilty Sept. 29, 2025.
U.S. District Judge Diana Saldaña has now ordered Cusi to serve 51 months in federal prison. Not a U.S. citizen, he is expected to face removal proceedings following his imprisonment. In handing down the sentence Jan. 29, the court noted the toxic nature of this drug and the effect it currently has on the population of the United States.
On Feb. 14, 2025, Cusi approached the International Bridge No. 2 in a sedan with his wife and minor son as passengers. An x-ray of his vehicle revealed anomalies in the center of the car, prompting further inspection. Authorities drilled into the undercarriage and discovered an aftermarket compartment containing six bundles with 4.02 kilograms of fentanyl and 2.05 kilograms of cocaine.
Cusi initially denied knowledge of the drugs and claimed a mechanic in Mexico may have been responsible. In the presence of law enforcement, he contacted the mechanic who confirmed he had only performed brake work.
Further investigation revealed significant underbody modifications to create the hidden compartment. The muffler and catalytic converter had been removed, reshaped and rewelded before installation. There were also cuts beneath the center console and additional insulation used to seal the compartment after the drugs were placed there.
As part of his plea, Cusi admitted he had conspired with others in Mexico to smuggle the drugs into the United States during the family trip. According to documents filed with the court, Cusi knew he was transporting the drugs from Mexico into the United States at Laredo and was then supposed to deliver the drug-laden vehicle to other people in the United States.
Cusi has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of Customs and Border Protection, its Laredo Evidence Collection Team and the Drug Enforcement Administration Southwest Regional Laboratory. Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Homero Ramirez 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.
Massachusetts Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Fentanyl DistributionRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Springfield, Mass. man was sentenced yesterday to a decade in federal prison for conspiring to possess more than 400 grams of fentanyl with intent to distribute.
Abraham Heredia, 25, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni to 10 years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. In October 2025, Heredia pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute more than 400 grams of fentanyl.
From at least November 2022 to June 2023, Heredia conspired with others to distribute larges amounts of fentanyl throughout Western Massachusetts. On one occasion in June of 2023, Heredia conspired to distribute nearly one and a half kilograms of fentanyl, which was intercepted by law enforcement. The investigation revealed a number of other occasions during which Heredia supplied mid-level drug dealers with large amounts of fentanyl.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; Massachusetts State Police; the Berkshire, Hampden and Franklin County Sherriff’s Offices; and the Holyoke, Springfield, Chicopee, West Springfield and Easthampton Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Neil L. Desroches, Chief of the Springfield Branch Unit prosecuted the case.
This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Boston is comprised of agents and officers from HSI, FBI, DEA, ATF, USMS, IRS-CI, USPIS, DOL-OIG and DSS, as well as several state and local law enforcement agencies, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts.
Maryland Man Pleads Guilty to Attempting to Provide Material Support to IsisRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A Hanover, Maryland, man entered a guilty plea in federal court today, in connection with charges stemming from his attempt to join and fight for ISIS.
Michael Sam Teekaye, Jr., 22, pled guilty to attempting to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty plea with Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul, FBI - Baltimore Field Office.
According to the plea agreement, between March and April 2023, Teekaye engaged in multiple conversations with an undercover officer (UCO). During these conversations, Teekaye told the UCO he wanted to travel to Africa to join ISIS as a “mujahid,” or fighter. Teekaye also told the UCO that his “plan B” was to carry out an attack in the United States against Jews and people who support Israel. He said that he researched buildings close to him that support Israel and thought about how to “gun down key members or anyone involved.”
On three occasions in May and June 2024, Teekaye purchased ammunition and range time at a shooting range in Severn, Maryland, which he later told the UCO was part of his “training.” In July 2024, Teekaye attempted to purchase a Kalashnikov K-9 9mm assault rifle, but since Teekaye was on probation in a state criminal case, the purchase was denied.
“Teekaye aspired to become an ISIS fighter to unleash attacks on the homeland. He took real-world steps to carry out a terrorist attack in Maryland, including attempting to purchase an assault rifle and researching locations where he could kill Jews and supporters of Israel,” Hayes said. “Thanks to the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, we stopped Teekaye before he could harm anyone. There is no margin for error when it comes to terrorism.”
“Michael Teekaye spent years maliciously plotting to join ISIS and murder Americans. His evil plans failed thanks to the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force. Their swift action and coordination stopped Teekaye from carrying out his deadly plans against Americans,” Paul said. “The FBI remains steadfastly committed to protecting our nation.”
During conversations with the UCO between August and October 2024, Teekaye told the UCO that he engaged with a Somali ISIS fighter regarding his plans to travel to Somalia to join ISIS. Teekaye explained that first, he would fly to Turkey, then travel to Ethiopia, and then cross the border into Somalia. He sent the UCO screenshots of an Ethiopian e-Visa he obtained from the ISIS fighter. On October 4, 2024, Teekaye told the UCO that he received airline tickets from the ISIS fighter. He also sent the UCO screenshots of his travel itinerary showing that he planned to depart from Baltimore/Washington International Airport (BWI) on October 14, and fly to Istanbul, Turkey, with a layover in London.
Then on October 10, Teekaye sent the UCO a photo of himself wearing a black mask and holding a large machete, and he added, “Victory or shahada [i.e., martyrdom] … either you do it here or over there or both.” On October 11, the UCO asked whether Teekaye was “sure” he wanted to join ISIS. Teekaye responded that he was “sure” because he had done “a lot of research” and “they are the only group that has the most true and sincere intentions.”
On October 14, FBI agents arrested Teekaye at BWI after he checked in for his flight and proceeded through security. Following his arrest, Teekaye made the following unprovoked statements, among others: “I’m just gonna get out in 20 years and I’m just gonna do it here. Okay? Okay? It will never stop. Jihad will never stop. I’ll just do it here then, when I get out. . . . You think 20 years is something? I’ll be like 40 when I get out, then I’ll just do it. I don’t care. It will never stop. Jihad will never stop. I’ll come and I’ll kill your soldiers. I’ll kill you, and I’ll kill . . . .” While making these statements, Teekaye kicked and spat on one of the arresting agents.
Teekaye faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison and lifetime supervised release for attempting to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization. U.S. District Judge Adam B. Abelson scheduled sentencing for Wednesday, July 8, at 10 a.m.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI Baltimore Field Office for its outstanding work in the investigation and praised the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, along with the FBI’s Newark and Richmond Field Offices and New York Police Department, for their valuable assistance. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Christina Hoffman, who is prosecuting this case, with the assistance of Trial Attorney Elisa Poteat, DOJ’s National Security Division Counterterrorism Section.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Maryland Man Charged with Distributing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A complaint unsealed this morning in U.S. District Court charges Brandon Postow, 40, of Maryland, with distribution of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
According to court documents, starting on January 15, 2026, Postow communicated with a user on Telegram regarding his sexual interest in children. Postow, aka “Michael Brandon Russell,” distributed four videos depicting the sexual abuse of teenage and prepubescent boys during those communications. When the Telegram user mentioned that he had a young son, Postow stated that he was interested in sexually abusing the child.
Joining U.S. Attorney Pirro in the announcement was FBI Assistant Director in Charge Darren B. Cox of the Washington Field Office.
This case is being investigated by FBI’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Janani Iyengar.
This case was brought as part of the Department of Justice's Project Safe Childhood initiative. In February 2006, the Attorney General created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorney's Offices, 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 identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Charges in a complaint are merely allegations, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Manderson Man Sentenced to 5 Years in Federal Prison for Receipt of Child Pornography and AssaultRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a Manderson, South Dakota, man convicted of Receipt of Child Pornography and Assault by Beating, Striking or Wounding. The sentencing took place on January 26, 2026.
John Steele, Jr., 51, was sentenced to five years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $3,000 in restitution and $125 in special assessments to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Forfeiture was also ordered.
A federal grand jury indicted Steele for the charges in July 2024. He pleaded guilty on October 30, 2025.
Between 2012 and 2016, Steele hid his Samsung cellular phone in the bathroom of the home he shared with his girlfriend. Steele surreptitiously photographed a minor female as she exited the shower when the girl was approximately 13 years old. In 2023, Steele assaulted the adult female by striking her with his hand at Manderson. When Steele’s cellular phone was examined as part of the assault investigation, the sexually explicit photos Steele took of the minor were discovered.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian country be prosecuted in Federal court as opposed to State court.
This case was investigated by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Knox prosecuted the case.
Steele was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Magoffin County Man and Former Teacher Sentenced for Attempted Online Enticement of a MinorRead the Press Release
ASHLAND, Ky. – A Salyersville, Ky., man, Jordan Cobb, 32, was sentenced by Chief U.S. District Judge David Bunning to 132 months in prison, for attempted online enticement of a minor.
According to his plea agreement, in April and May 2023, Cobb was employed as a middle school teacher, and he engaged in a Snapchat conversation with a former student of his, who was a minor. In the course of the conversation, Cobb sent the minor a series of sexually explicit messages, offers to provide the minor with marijuana, and a plan to meet for sexual intercourse.
Under federal law, Cobb must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for 10 years.
Paul McCaffrey, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Olivia Olson, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Division; and Col. Phillip J. Burnett, Jr., Commissioner of the Kentucky State Police jointly announced the conviction.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI and KSP. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Blankenship is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States. The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted this case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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Louisiana Man Sentenced to Life in Federal Prison for Killing Lafayette Parish Woman in Armed CarjackingRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE – On January 27, 2026, Brandon Jermaine Francisco, 39, of Mansura, Louisiana was sentenced to life in prison after pleading guilty to committing a carjacking that resulted in the death of victim E.G., a Lafayette Parish woman who had been missing for three years.
“Today’s sentence ensures that the defendant will spend the rest of his life in federal prison for a brutal and senseless crime,” said United States Attorney Zachary A. Keller. “While no prison sentence can repay or erase the loss suffered by the victim’s family, including her young children, this case reflects our commitment alongside our state and federal partners to hold violent offenders accountable and pursue justice for victims.”
“Convicted carjacker Brandon Jermaine Francisco will be permanently removed from society and unable to hurt the people of Louisiana ever again," said Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Tapp of the FBI's New Orleans Field Office. "Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family of the victim, and we are so sorry for your loss. We are very grateful for our partners at the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Louisiana and the Louisiana State Police and the FBI Special Agents who relentlessly pursued justice for the innocent victim of this awful crime.”
While pleading guilty, Francisco admitted to the following facts: Francisco carjacked the victim, an Uber and Lyft driver, on March 9, 2022, while attempting to avoid an attempted murder charge in Louisiana. Francisco contacted E.G. about transportation to Missouri, and the two agreed that E.G. would meet him in Lafayette, Louisiana, and E.G. would drive him as far as Houston, Texas. After leaving Houston, the two headed eastbound back into Louisiana. Around Iowa, Louisiana, Francisco took control of the vehicle, shot E.G. several times, and disposed of her body before fleeing with the vehicle, ultimately reaching Missouri. Francisco was arrested in Missouri while possessing the firearm that killed E.G. as well as the key fob to E.G.’s vehicle roughly two weeks later, on March 25, 2022.
U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Keller for the Western District of Louisiana made the announcement.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Louisiana State Police, St. Joseph’s Police Department, Bedford Police Department, and Scott Police Department investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys John W. Nickel and Casey N. Stelly are prosecuting the case with assistance from Legal Assistant Dru Casebonne.
You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Louisiana at www.justice.gov/usao-wdla.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Western District of Louisiana at www.lawd.uscourts.gov or at https://www.lawd.uscourts.gov/cmecf-pacer, under Case Number 24-CR-00249.
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Public Affairs
United States Attorney’s Office
Western District of Louisiana
www.justice.gov/usao-wdla
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Long Beach Man Found Guilty of Distributing Fentanyl-Laced Cocaine that Caused Fatal Overdoses of Engaged Couple in Orange CountyRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A Long Beach man was found guilty by a jury today of distributing fentanyl-laced cocaine that resulted in the overdose deaths on the same day in Orange County of two victims who were engaged to be married.
Stephen Johnson, 43, a.k.a. “Stephen Jo,” was found guilty of two counts of distribution of fentanyl resulting in death and two counts of distribution of cocaine.
According to evidence presented at a four-day trial, the victims paid Johnson $240 on the night of May 24, 2023, and in exchange he twice gave them cocaine. The victims then attended a concert in West Hollywood before returning to Johnson’s residence at approximately 3 a.m. on May 25, 2023, to pick up the remainder of their cocaine – which contained fentanyl.
The victims then returned to their residence in Brea, where they consumed the narcotics and suffered fatal overdoses.
United States District Judge Stephen V. Wilson scheduled an April 20 sentencing hearing, at which time Johnson will face a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years in federal prison and a statutory maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
The FBI and the Brea Police Department investigated this matter.
Assistant United States Attorneys Kevin Y. Fu of the Orange County Office, and Christopher R. Jones, Christina R.B. López, and William Kanellis of the General Crimes Section are prosecuting this case.
Lincoln Man Sentenced to 30 Years for Drug ChargeRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Jamaal McNeil, 48, of Lincoln, Nebraska, was sentenced on January 29, 2026, in federal court in Lincoln for one count of possession with intent to distribute 50 grams of methamphetamine actual with 1 prior conviction for a serious drug felony. United States District Judge Susan M. Bazis sentenced McNeil to a total of 360 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After McNeil’s release from prison, he will begin a 10-year term of supervised release.
McNeil was responsible for selling methamphetamine, cocaine, and marijuana in Lincoln for at least six months in 2023. On November 29, 2023, he was contacted by the Lincoln Police Department in his vehicle. A probable cause search of the vehicle was conducted due to the odor of marijuana. Investigators found multiple plastic baggies. Six of the baggies field-tested positive for cocaine, six baggies field-tested positive for methamphetamine, and three baggies contained marijuana. Investigators also found four hydrocodone pills. McNeil was arrested and $853 was found on his person.
A search warrant was executed at McNeil’s residence in Lincoln. Investigators found additional quantities of methamphetamine, cocaine, and marijuana, as well as digital scales, and $2,495 in U.S. currency. The methamphetamine and cocaine were sent to the State Crime Lab. The lab confirmed there were at least 180 grams of methamphetamine actual and more than 212 grams of a mixture or substance containing methamphetamine. Additionally, the lab confirmed McNeil possessed more than 50 grams of cocaine and at least 6 grams of cocaine base.
McNeil was convicted in 2007 in the Nebraska federal court in Omaha for possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine as was sentenced to 120 months’ imprisonment.
This case was investigated by the Lincoln Police Department and the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office.
Leslie County Man Sentenced for Attempted Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
ASHLAND, Ky. – A Hyden, Ky., man, Finley Wooton, 33, was sentenced by Chief U.S. District Judge David Bunning to 180 months in prison, following his conviction for attempted production of child pornography.
According to his plea agreement, on April 10, 2023, Wooton engaged in a Facebook Messenger conversation with a minor victim. During the conversation, Wooton sent sexually explicit images and asked for sexually explicit images in return. By doing so, Wooton used Facebook Messenger to attempt to persuade the minor victim to produce child pornography.
Under federal law, Wooton must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for 10 years.
Paul McCaffrey, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Olivia Olson, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Division; and Col. Phillip J. Burnett, Jr., Commissioner of the Kentucky State Police jointly announced the conviction.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI and KSP. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Blankenship is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States. The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted this case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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Leader of Trans-Pacific Drug Trafficking Organization Sentenced to over 28 Years in Federal Prison for Drug and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
HONOLULU – United States Attorney Ken Sorenson announced that Leonard Gutierrez, 65, of Whittier, California, was sentenced yesterday in federal court by Senior United States District Judge Leslie E. Kobayashi to 340 months in prison followed by 5 years of supervised release after pleading guilty to conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, fentanyl, and carfentanil, nine counts of distribution of 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, and possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking. Gutierrez has been detained since his initial arrest in this case on April 9, 2024.
Judge Kobayashi found that Gutierrez was one of the leaders of the organization, and responsible for bringing more than 26 kilograms of methamphetamine, 1 kilogram of fentanyl, and over 4 kilograms of carfentanil into the Hawaiian Islands, using a variety of methods, and collecting thousands of dollars in illegal drug proceeds.
Carfentanil is a fentanyl analogue and is used as a tranquilizing agent for elephants and other large mammals. Carfentanil is approximately 100 times more potent than fentanyl, which can be lethal at the 2-milligram range, depending on route of administration and other factors.
Gutierrez is one of eleven defendants charged in three separate indictments for crimes related to the operation of a trans-Pacific drug trafficking network, nine of whom have pled guilty with the remaining awaiting trial. The investigation yielded seizures of more than 150 pounds of methamphetamine, several kilograms of fentanyl and carfentanil, eight firearms, ammunition, and over $150,000 in cash.
Gutierrez is the sixth defendant of eleven to be sentenced. Those charged in his and other related indictments have been sentenced as follows:
- On April 30, 2025, Shawn Pauahi Santana was sentenced to 240 months’ imprisonment and 5 years’ supervised release after pleading guilty to conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and to distributing methamphetamine.
- On December 10, 2025, Faith Michelle Nelson was sentenced to 151 months’ imprisonment and 5 years’ supervised release after pleading guilty to possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
- On December 16, 2025, Francis Anthony Abergas, Jr. was sentenced to 210 months’ imprisonment and 5 years’ supervised release after pleading guilty to possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possessing a firearm and ammunition after having been previously convicted of a felony.
- On January 8, 2026, Trish Leila Henderson was sentenced to 36 months’ imprisonment and 5 years’ supervised release after pleading guilty to possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
- On January 12, 2026, Travis Kalani Hong-Ah Nee was sentenced to 78 months’ imprisonment and 5 years’ supervised release after pleading guilty to conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute carfentanil and possessing with intent to distribute carfentanil and possessing ammunition after having been previously convicted of a felony.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Honolulu, Kauai, and Maui Police Departments, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Margaret C. Nammar is prosecuting the case.
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 Hawaii is comprised of agents and officers from ICE-HSI, FBI, ATF, CBP, CGIS, DCIS, DEA, DSS, IRS-CI, NCIS, USMS, USPIS and HHIDTA, and the prosecution is being led by the Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Hawaii.
Lafourche Parish Resident Guilty of Cocaine Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LA – JOHN PAUL GAGE JR., (“GAGE JR.”) age 43, of Des Allemands, Louisiana, pled guilty on January 27, 2026 before U.S. District Judge Brandon S. Long to one count of conspiracy to distribute, and possess with the intent to distribute, five kilograms or more of cocaine, and a quantity of methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21, U.S.C. §841(a)(1), §841(b)(1)(A), §841(b)(1)(C), and §846, as well as two counts of illegal use of communications facility, in violation of Title 21, U.S.C. §843(b) and Title 18, U.S.C. §2, announced the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana.
Judge Long scheduled sentencing for April 28, 2026.
At sentencing, GAGE JR. faces a mandatory minimum sentence of ten (10) years, and up to life imprisonment, up to a $10,000,000 fine, and at least five (5) years of supervised release as to the conspiracy count. For the two phone counts, he faces up to 4 years imprisonment, up to $1,000,000 fine, and at least 3 years supervised release following imprisonment. As to all counts, he also faces payment of a mandatory $100 special assessment fee.
According to the indictment, beginning on a time unknown but continuing until at least June 5, 2024, GAGE JR. conspired with several individuals to distribute, and possess with intent to distribute, cocaine and methamphetamine throughout the Lafourche and Terrebonne Parish region of the Eastern District of Louisiana. The conspiracy involved obtaining narcotics from Houston, Texas and transporting the narcotics to Thibodaux, Louisiana. The conspiracy was carried out through wire and electronic communications, and the use of multiple vehicles. On numerous occasions, GAGE JR. used his cell phone to further this conspiracy and distributed cocaine and methamphetamine to numerous customers in Thibodaux, Louisiana. GAGE JR. worked with Linez Green to distribute methamphetamine to customers and also had Yolanda Tillman pay others to help further this conspiracy by transporting drugs. Both Green and Tillman have also previously pled guilty in this case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at http://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
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.
Kansas bookkeeper indicted for failing to pay payroll taxes for clientsRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. – A federal grand jury in Wichita returned an indictment charging a Kansas business owner with allegedly defrauding her clients by failing to make tax payments estimated at over $1.5 million.
According to court documents, Nicole Clem, 42, of Augusta was indicted on 19 counts of wire fraud, seven counts of money laundering, three counts of aggravated identity theft, and 21 counts of failure to pay employment taxes.
Clem, as owner of a business named Bookkeeping N Beyond, is tasked with collecting funds from her clients to pay their employee payroll taxes to the federal government and state government. From November 2017 to June 2024, Clem is accused of either making no tax payments or partial tax payments on behalf of her clients and allegedly using the money for her own personal use.
IRS – Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Hart is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
###Justice Department Requires Reddy Ice to Divest Assets to Proceed with Proposed Acquisition of Arctic GlacierRead the Press Release
The Justice Department’s Antitrust Division announced today that it will require Stone Canyon Industries Holdings LP (owner of Reddy Ice) and Chill Parent Holdco LP (owner of Arctic Glacier) to divest assets in California, Massachusetts, New York, Oregon, and Washington to resolve antitrust concerns arising from Reddy Ice’s proposed more-than $126 million acquisition of Arctic Glacier. The proposed divestitures preserve competition for packaged ice sold to retail chains, airlines, and airline caterers in these states.
The Antitrust Division filed a civil antitrust lawsuit today in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to block the proposed transaction. At the same time, the Division filed a proposed settlement that, if approved by the court, would resolve the competitive harm alleged in the lawsuit.
“The Antitrust Division is committed to enforcing the antitrust laws in markets that impact American consumers and businesses,” said Assistant Attorney General Abigail Slater of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “This transaction, as originally proposed, would have led to higher prices and lower service quality on packaged ice, a staple Americans enjoy everywhere from backyard cookouts to cross-country flights. Today’s settlement will maintain competition for the sale of packaged ice to the benefit of American consumers.”
As detailed in the complaint, Reddy Ice and Arctic Glacier are the largest suppliers of packaged ice sold to retail chains in Oregon, Washington, and Imperial and Riverside counties in southern California. They are also the largest suppliers of packaged ice sold to airlines and airline caterers in the Boston and New York City metropolitan areas.
The proposed settlement resolves anticompetitive concerns in these geographies where the parties currently compete, either directly via their facilities or via co-packers that manufacture and deliver ice to the parties’ customers on their behalf.
Under the terms of the proposed settlement, the parties must divest (1) Reddy Ice’s manufacturing and distribution facilities and customer relationships and contracts, along with other assets, in Imperial and Riverside counties in southern California and in Washington; and (2) divest customer relationships and contracts, along with other assets, in Oregon and in the Boston and New York City metropolitan areas. The parties must also provide advance notification for certain future transactions and allow a monitor to supervise the parties’ divestiture of the assets and compliance with the consent decree.
Reddy Ice is the largest producer of packaged ice in the United States with annual revenues of approximately $511 million. The company sells packaged ice in 37 states and the District of Columbia.
Arctic Glacier is the third largest producer of packaged ice in the United States with annual revenues of approximately $306 million. It sells packaged ice in 19 states.
As required by the Tunney Act, the proposed settlement, along with a competitive impact statement, will be published in the Federal Register. Any person should submit written comments concerning the proposed settlement within 60 days following the publication to Jill Maguire, Acting Chief, Healthcare and Consumer Products Section, Antitrust Division, U.S. Department of Justice, 450 Fifth Street NW, Suite 4100, Washington, DC 20530. At the conclusion of the public comment period, the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia may enter the final judgment upon finding it is in the public interest.
Note: View the Proposed Final Judgement here and the Complaint here.
Jefferson Parish Man Indicted for Mail TheftRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – DEVIN HUTTON (“HUTTON”), of Kenner, Louisiana, was indicted on January 29, 2026, for theft of mail, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1708, announced United States Attorney David I. Courcelle. According to the indictment, HUTTON stole mail from mailboxes at an apartment complex in Metairie, Louisiana.
If convicted, HUTTON faces a maximum penalty of five (5) years of imprisonment, followed by up to three (3) years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000.00. A mandatory special assessment fee of $100 also applies.
U.S. Attorney Courcelle reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
The case was investigated by the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office and the United States Postal Inspection Service. Assistant United States Attorney Christine M. Calogero of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
Joint Statement of Federal Law Enforcement Agencies Regarding Pilgrim Rest Missionary Baptist Church FireRead the Press Release
TALLAHASSEE — Today, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, issued the following joint statement:
We are actively coordinating with local and state partners regarding a suspicious fire at the Pilgrim Rest Missionary Baptist Church in Havana, Florida, and stand ready to offer additional federal resources needed for this state-led investigation. This alleged arson is just the latest in an alarming trend of attacks and threats directed toward our churches, synagogues, and houses of worship nationwide.
As made clear by President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi, we have zero-tolerance for attacks and threats directed at our churches, synagogues, and houses of worship, and the Department of Justice will ensure those vital institutions, and the congregants who gather to freely practice their religion, are kept safe and secure.
Indian national convicted at trial for sexual assault during an airline flightRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A federal jury convicted an Indian national yesterday on charges of abusive sexual contact and assault onboard a flight.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, on Aug. 29, 2024, during final approach on a flight from Rhode Island T.F. Green International Airport to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, a passenger awoke to find Varun Arora, 38, sexually groping her. Arora, who was wearing a sleep mask, feigned sleep as he continued to place his hand on the victim despite her repeatedly removing his hand.
Arora is present in the United States without lawful status. He faces up to two years in prison when sentenced on May 7. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI Washington Field Office investigated this case.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Madison Mumma and Assistant U.S. Attorney Russell L. Carlberg are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:25-cr-288.
Illegal Immigrant from Mexico Sentenced to 4 Years in Federal Prison for Throwing Molotov Cocktail at LASD Deputies During Anti-ICE RiotRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – An illegal immigrant from Mexico was sentenced today to 48 months in federal prison for lighting and throwing a Molotov cocktail at law enforcement during an anti-immigration enforcement riot in Paramount last year.
Emiliano Garduño Gálvez, 23, of Paramount, was sentenced by United States District Judge André Birotte Jr.
Gálvez pleaded guilty in October 2025 to one count of possession of an unregistered destructive device and one count of obstructing, impeding, or interfering with law enforcement during a civil disorder. He has been in federal custody since June 2025.
“This defendant’s reckless behavior threatened the lives and safety of law enforcement officers and that of a lawful protester,” said First Assistant United States Attorney Bill Essayli. “My office remains steadfast in its efforts to prosecute and punish those who commit acts of violence against others.”
On June 7, 2025, in Paramount, Gálvez was present during a civil disorder, a public disturbance involving acts of violence by an assemblage of more than three people that caused immediate danger of and resulted in damage to property or other people.
Specifically, groups of individuals in Paramount amassed around federal personnel, and later local law enforcement, all of whom were lawfully engaged in the performance of their official duties. The demonstration’s purpose was to protest the federal enforcement of immigration laws in Los Angeles County.
For several hours, the group threw objects, including rocks or chunks of cinder blocks, at federal and local law enforcement, lit objects on fire, and set off fireworks in the direction of law enforcement. Law enforcement declared the protest an unlawful assembly.
The civil disorder interfered with a federally protected function, namely, the coordination of federal agencies’ personnel and preparation for immigration enforcement activities. Rioters also caused The Home Depot, a local business, to temporarily close, and they stole store products during the disorder.
The streets in this area were blocked by the civil disorder and objects individuals lit on fire, affecting access to The Home Depot and other businesses in the area.
Hiding behind a stone wall, Gálvez lit and threw a Molotov cocktail towards Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD) deputies who were on duty in Paramount during the civil disorder. Gálvez admitted he threw the Molotov cocktail intending to obstruct, interfere with, and impede the sheriff’s deputies who were lawfully engaged in their official duties.
The Molotov cocktail Gálvez threw landed in a grassy area near the foot of a protestor in the crowd and approximately 15 feet from LASD deputies. Gálvez had never registered this Molotov cocktail, nor any destructive device, with the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record. He then fled the area.
“[Gálvez] threw an incendiary device capable of killing someone,” prosecutors argued in a sentencing memorandum. “And his destructive device came far closer to injuring a civilian holding a sign, as opposed to [Gálvez’s] intended target – the sheriff’s deputies.”
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated this matter with the assistance of the FBI and LASD.
Assistant United States Attorney Jenna W. Long of the National Security Division prosecuted this case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Houston-area resident pleads guilty in stock investment Ponzi schemeRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 40-year-old Mont Belvieu man has admitted to wire fraud in connection with a Ponzi-style investment scheme, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
From January 2022 through August 2023, Carl Channing Spence operated “AEI Financial” from his residence. He solicited friends, acquaintances and colleagues by promising high returns through stock trading specializing in “meme stocks.” Spence promised victims 10 to 12 percent returns by investing in popular stocks during a period of rapid stock market gains. Instead, he diverted funds for personal use and to make purported returns to earlier investors.
Once victims provided funds, Spence created fraudulent account statements that falsely showed investment growth and returns which he used to persuade victims to reinvest. In reality, he commingled investor funds into a single account and lost much of the money through unsuccessful trades.
The scheme resulted in numerous victims who received fraudulent account statements but never recovered their original investments or promised returns. Spence took in approximately $2.1 million from the known victims.
U.S. District Judge Lee H. Rosenthal will impose sentencing April 14. At that time, Spence faces up to 20 years in prison as well as a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas Carter and Brad Gray are prosecuting the case.
Homeland Security Task Force Investigation Takes Down Drug and Gun Trafficking Ring; Six ArrestedRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that the following six individuals were arrested today on federal charges related to their alleged involvement in a narcotics and firearms trafficking ring:
MANOLIN VARGAS D’OLON, also known as “Robelin,” 30, of Waterbury
GIOVANNI BENOIT, 41, of New York, New York
ALVARO PEREZ, 40, of Waterbury
ANDERSON AMADOR NOVA, 35, of Waterbury
ANGEL VASQUEZ, also known as “Bebo,” 36, of Hamden
ANDY MARTINEZ, 46, of Paterson, New JerseyAs alleged in court documents and statements made in court, the FBI and the Homeland Security Task Force New Haven (HSTF New Haven) have been investigating a narcotics and firearms trafficking organization led by a Dominican national who resides in the Dominican Republic. The Dominican national coordinates the distribution of narcotics and firearms in Connecticut, New York, and New Jersey, through multiple redistributors in those locations. During the investigation, investigators made more than 30 controlled purchases from redistributors totaling more than one kilogram of fentanyl, more than 200 grams of methamphetamine, and 17 firearms. Laboratory analysis of the purchased fentanyl revealed that some of it was mixed with bromazolam, which is a relatively new synthetic benzodiazepine that was unscheduled at the time it was sold, and which is increasingly found as a component in mixtures of drugs resulting in overdoses.
It is alleged that the Dominican national made statements to sources suggesting that he had the ability to direct violence against individuals in the U.S.
The six defendants appeared today in federal court. Vargas D’Olon and Perez, who are citizens of the Dominican Republic, and Nova and Vasquez, were detained. Benoit and Martinez were released on bond to home confinement.
On December 9, 2025, a federal grand jury in New Haven returned a 15-count indictment charging the six defendants. The indictment, which was unsealed today, charges Vargas D’Olon, Benoit, Perez, Amador Nova, and Vasquez with conspiracy to distribute, and to possess with intent to distribute, fentanyl and methamphetamine. If convicted of this charge, based on the type and quantity of drug attributed to each defendant, Vargas D’Olon faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of life; Benoit, Perez, and Amador Nova face a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 40 years; and Vasquez faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years. The indictment also charges Vargas D’Olon, Benoit, Perez, Amador Nova, and Vasquez with one or more counts related to the distribution of controlled substances. The indictment also charges Vargas D’Olon, Benoit, Perez, Amador Nova, and Vasquez with one or more counts related to the distribution of controlled substances.
In addition, the indictment charges Vargas D’Olon, Benoit, Vasquez, and Martinez with engaging in a firearms trafficking conspiracy; Vargas D’Olon with unlawful possession of a firearm by an alien illegally present in the United States; Vasquez with unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon; and Vargas D’Olon, Benoit, and Vasquez with unlawful transfer of a firearm. Each of these charges carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 15 years.
It is further alleged that in May 2025, Vargas D’Olon was arrested on state narcotics charges. Analysis of a cellphone seized from him at the time of his arrest revealed cache folders for the encrypted messaging service Telegram that contained video and image files depicting child pornography. On December 9, the New Haven grand jury returned a separate indictment charging D’Olon with possession of child pornography, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.
U.S. Attorney Sullivan stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
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 toward 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 New Haven comprises agents and officers from the FBI, DEA, HSI, ATF, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, U.S. Department of Labor, and Connecticut State Police, with prosecutions led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Connecticut.
This investigation was assisted by FBI New York, FBI Newark, FBI Tampa, FBI Orlando Resident Agency, FBI Legal Attache (LEGAT) – Santo Domingo, and the New Haven, East Haven, North Haven, Milford, and Waterbury Police Departments.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nathan J. Guevremont.
Haileyville Resident Sentenced for Stealing Property from Army Ammunition PlantRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Garland Leon Seay, age 39, of Haileyville, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 5 years’ probation for two counts of Theft of Government Property, and 5 years’ probation for one count of Entering a Military Installation for a Purpose Prohibited by Law. All three counts are to be served concurrently.
The charges arose from an investigation by the McAlester Army Ammunition Plant Police Department, the Pittsburg County Sheriff’s Office, the Savanna Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
On April 22, 2026, Seay pleaded guilty to the charges. According to investigators, on July 22, 2024, law enforcement discovered Seay in possession of various items he had stolen from the McAlester Army Ammunition Plant (MCAAP), including an inert training missile. During the ensuing investigation, law enforcement recovered additional MCAAP property stolen by Seay over the prior year.
The Honorable Robert J. Shelby, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the District of Utah, sitting by assignment, presided over the hearing in Muskogee, Oklahoma.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lewis M. Reagan and T. Cameron McEwen represented the United States.
Guatemalan National Charged with Illegally Reentering U.S.Read the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced MARIO RAMIRO ARAGON-RUANO, also known as Mario Ramiro Aragon and Jose Juana-Zapata, 38, a citizen of Guatemala, has been charged by federal criminal complaint with illegally reentering the United States after being deported.
As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, in August 2006, Aragon-Ruano, using the name Jose Juana-Zapata, was encountered by U.S. Border Patrol in Arizona. He was deported to Guatemala later that month and warned that he could not return to the U.S. for a period of five years. He subsequently reentered the U.S. and was arrested in 2007.
In August 2008, Aragon-Ruano was convicted, under the name Mario Ramiro Aragon, in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York on a federal charge of murder for hire, and was sentenced to 87 months of imprisonment. In September 2013, he was again deported to Guatemala.
In July 2019, U.S. Border Patrol encountered Aragon-Ruano in Arizona. In January 2020, he was convicted in U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona for illegally reentering the U.S. after being deported and he was sentenced to 13 months and one day of imprisonment. He was deported to Guatemala a third time in July 2020.
Aragon-Ruano subsequently unlawfully reentered the U.S. On January 10, 2026, he was arrested by Waterbury Police and charged with criminal trespass in the first degree and breach of peace in the second degree. After Aragon-Ruano was released on bond on those state charges, he was arrested by ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations on January 12, 2026, in Waterbury.
Aragon-Ruano appeared today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Thomas O. Farrish in Hartford and was ordered detained.
If convicted of the charge of unlawful reentry, Aragon-Ruano faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.
U.S. Attorney Sullivan stressed that a complaint is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This matter is being investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Enforcement and Removal Operations. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Neeraj N. Patel.
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.
Georgia Man with Prior Aggravated Assault Conviction Sentenced to Prison for Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
VALDOSTA, Ga. – A South Georgia man with prior assault and drug convictions was sentenced to prison after police found him with a stolen gun following a traffic stop and car crash.
Ricky Hill, 39, of Lakeland, Georgia, was sentenced to serve 130 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release by Senior U.S. District Judge Louis Sands on Jan. 29. Hill pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon on Oct. 1, 2025. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Convicted felons with violent criminal histories who are caught with illegal firearms will be prosecuted federally, where there is no parole,” said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes. “We are working with law enforcement at every level to identify and prosecute repeat offenders with stolen guns.”
"This case underscores our commitment to ensuring that individuals with violent criminal histories face the full force of the law. We will not allow convicted felons to jeopardize public safety with illegal firearms,” said ATF Atlanta Assistant Special Agent in Charge Beau Kolodka.
“We are grateful to the United States Attorney’s Office for their steadfast partnership and persistence in cases like this one. Their commitment to pursuing federal charges against violent offenders who are illegally in possession of firearms, sends a clear message that this type of dangerous behavior will not be tolerated in our community,” said Valdosta Police Chief Leslie Manahan. “Working together, we are holding individuals accountable and making our neighborhoods safer for the families we serve.”
According to court documents and statements referenced in court, a Valdosta Police Department officer pulled Hill over for driving without headlights or taillights at night on Sept. 16, 2024, on East Hill Avenue. Hill did not have a license and, while holding his phone in his left hand, began reaching under the driver seat, stating he was searching for his phone. The officer observed a magazine for a firearm on the passenger seat of the vehicle and instructed Hill to stop reaching under his seat and exit the car. Hill put his vehicle in drive, accelerated and fled from the traffic stop. Hill then drove his car into a utility pole and ran from his car. Officers located Hill and took him into custody. Officers found a stolen Glock firearm under the front seat, where Hill had been reaching during the traffic stop, along with a 33-round magazine extension, 35 rounds of 9mm ammunition and $2,565 in the car or on Hill. Hill has prior felony convictions for aggravated assault and distributing cocaine. It is illegal for a convicted felon to possess a firearm.
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).
The Valdosta Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Monica Daniels is prosecuting the case for the Government.
Franklin men sentenced to over eight years in prison for armed robbery and firearms offensesRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – Two Franklin men were sentenced to eight years and four months in prison today for robbery and firearms crimes relating to a 2024 robbery.
According to court documents, Leondre Douglas, aka Worm, 27, set up a drug transaction on Oct. 28, 2024, with a marijuana dealer and Janathian Porter, aka Frankboy Nate, Nate, or Nate Dog, 28. When they met for the transaction, Porter robbed the dealer at gunpoint, taking the dealer’s firearm. Porter and Douglas then fled in separate vehicles.
On Nov. 1, 2024, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle that reportedly had been involved in the Oct. 28, 2024, robbery. Douglas was driving, and three children were inside the vehicle. Officers recovered a stolen handgun from underneath the driver seat. As a previously convicted felon, Douglas cannot legally possess firearms or ammunition.
On Nov. 12, 2024, a man observed Porter rummaging through the man’s vehicle at his home. The victim entered his vehicle, noticed that a speaker had been stolen, and followed Porter, who was attempting to flee in another vehicle. The victim pursued Porter to the end of a cul-de-sac, where Porter shot at the victim. Shell casings at the scene matched a firearm that a witness reported stolen the same evening from his vehicle near where Porter was observed breaking into cars.
Porter is an eight-time convicted felon, including for breaking and entering, grand larceny, buying/receiving stolen goods, eluding/endangering police, and twice each for probation violations and hit and run.
Douglas pled guilty on Aug. 25, 2025, to conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery and being a felon in possession of a firearm. A federal jury convicted Porter on Aug. 26, 2025, of conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery and being a felon in possession of ammunition.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division investigated this case. The Isle of Wight Sheriff’s Office assisted in the investigation of the Oct. 28, 2024, and Nov. 1, 2024, offenses. The Franklin Police Department assisted in the investigation of the Nov. 12, 2024, offense.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amanda L. Cheney and Matthew Heck and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Nikolas Nelson 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 protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
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 Nos. 2:25-cr-62, 2:25-cr-77, and 2:25-cr-78.
Fort Dodge Man to Federal Prison for Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Aaron StandsAndLooksBack, a/k/a Aaron Woodman, 42, from Fort Dodge, Iowa, was sentenced on January 29, 2026, to 300 months’ imprisonment. StandsAndLooksBack pled guilty June 4, 2025, in federal court in Sioux City to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings showed that between December 2020 and December 2023, StandsAndLooksBack and others conspired to distribute at least 45 kilograms of methamphetamine. Evidence also showed that StandsAndLooksBack obtained methamphetamine, by buying or stealing it from sources to distribute to others. StandsAndLooksBack specifically admitted that he stole sizable amounts of methamphetamine from his mother, who was also sentenced to federal prison for methamphetamine trafficking, then re-distributed the methamphetamine to others in the Fort Dodge, Iowa area.
Sentencing was held before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. StandsAndLooksBack was sentenced to 300 months’ imprisonment and must serve a term of five years of supervised release following imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. StandsAndLooksBack remains in custody of the United States Marshal until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Fort Dodge Iowa Police Department, Webster County Sheriff’s Office, Carroll County Sheriff’s Office, and the Iowa DCI Laboratory.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-3053. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Former TD Bank Employee Pleads Guilty to Accepting Bribes, Laundering $5.5 Million to ColombiaRead the Press Release
NEWARK – A former Florida-based employee of TD Bank, N.A., Leonardo Ayala (“Ayala”), pleaded guilty today to accepting bribes in return for facilitating a money laundering network’s movement of over $5.5 million to Colombia through TD Bank accounts.
Ayala, 25, pleaded guilty today before the Honorable Esther Salas in Newark to a two-count Information charging him with conspiring to launder monetary instruments and for receipt of bribes by a bank employee. He is scheduled to be sentenced on June 11.
According to court filings and statements made in court, from June 2023 to November 2023, Ayala, 25, of Homestead, Florida, then a TD Bank employee in Doral, Florida, accepted bribes and leveraged his position to facilitate a money laundering network’s expatriation of over $5.5 million from the United States to Colombia. Ayala, who bragged about being “tapped in with them Venezuelans,” opened fraudulent bank accounts, issued debit cards, unblocked debit cards that TD Bank had restricted due to questionable activity, and provided other banking services to his co-conspirators. In particular, Ayala issued over 150 debit cards to six business accounts that had been opened by a different TD Bank employee in Scotch Plains, New Jersey. Those debit cards were then used to make over 10,000 ATM withdrawals throughout Colombia, totaling approximately $4,723,114.64. Ayala’s co-conspirators paid him over $6,000 in exchange for these services, typically either in cash or through a peer-to-peer digital payment network.
The charge of money laundering conspiracy carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of $500,000 or twice the amount involved in the offense, whichever is greater. The charge of receipt of bribes by a bank employee carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a fine of $1,000,000 or three times the amount involved in the offense, whichever is greater.
The DEA, IRS-CI, and FDIC-OIG investigated the case. The department also thanks the Morristown Police Department for their assistance with the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Marko Pesce, Chief of the Bank Integrity, Money Laundering, and Recovery Unit for the District of New Jersey and Trial Attorneys D. Zachary Adams and Chelsea Rooney of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section are prosecuting the case.
The Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section’s Bank Integrity Unit investigates and prosecutes banks and other financial institutions, including their officers, managers and employees whose actions threaten the integrity of the individual institution or the wider financial system.
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Defense counsel: Peter Katz, Esq.
ayala.information.pdfFormer TD Bank Employee Pleads Guilty to Accepting Bribes, Laundering $5.5 Million to ColombiaRead the Press Release
A Florida man pleaded guilty Wednesday to accepting bribes and facilitating the laundering of more than $5.5 million to Colombia while employed by TD Bank, N.A.
According to court filings, Leonardo Ayala, 25, of Homestead, Florida, accepted bribes and exploited his position as a bank employee to help launder drug money to Colombia. From June to Nov. 2023, Ayala opened fraudulent accounts, issued over 150 debit cards to shell companies, and unblocked debit cards that TD Bank had restricted due to questionable activity. The bank accounts and debit cards were then used to make more than 12,000 ATM withdrawals in Colombia, funneling approximately $5.5 million out of the United States. In exchange, Ayala received more than $6,000 in bribes paid in cash and through a peer-to-peer digital payment network.
Ayala pleaded guilty to a two-count information charging him with conspiring to launder monetary instruments and receipt of bribes by a bank employee. The charge of money laundering conspiracy carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. The charge of receipt of bribes by a bank employee carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison. Ayala’s sentencing has been set for June 11. A federal judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and Senior Counsel Philip Lamparello of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey made the announcement.
The DEA, IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) and FDIC-OIG are investigating the case. The department also thanks the Morristown Police Department for their assistance with the investigation.
Trial Attorneys D. Zachary Adams and Chelsea Rooney of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Marko Pesce, Chief of the Bank Integrity, Money Laundering and Recovery Unit for the District of New Jersey are prosecuting the case.
The Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section’s Bank Integrity Unit investigates and prosecutes banks and other financial institutions, including their officers, managers and employees whose actions threaten the integrity of the individual institution or the wider financial system.
Former Paralegal for Chicago-Area Company Sentenced in Federal Court for $100,000 Embezzlement SchemeRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A former paralegal for a Chicago-area public company has been sentenced in federal court for embezzling nearly $100,000 from the company.
As part of her paralegal duties, NAKESHA DAVIS facilitated payments from the company to former employees with whom the company had entered into settlement agreements. Davis created and submitted false approvals from managers in the company’s legal department purporting to approve settlement payments to certain former employees. Davis knew, however, that those former employees either did not have a settlement agreement with the company or, if they did, the amount of the settlement was different than the amount specified in Davis’s submissions. Davis supplied the company’s payroll department with her own bank account information in place of the former employee’s information, causing the company to issue the settlement payments directly to Davis.
In total, Davis caused the company to fraudulently issue her $99,905.17.
Davis, 46, of South Holland, Ill., pleaded guilty last year to a federal wire fraud charge. On Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Manish S. Shah sentenced Davis to six months of home confinement as part of a two-year term of probation. Judge Shah also ordered Davis to pay restitution to the company in the amount of $99,905.17.
The sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Hayley Altabef.
Former Nashville Auto Dealer and Co-Defendants Sentenced on Federal Fraud ChargesRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE – Mark Janbakhsh, 51, of Brentwood, Tennessee, was sentenced yesterday to 42 months in federal prison on multiple federal fraud charges, including Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud, Bank Fraud, Making False Statements to a Bank, Bankruptcy Fraud, and Making False Statements Under Oath, announced United States Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee Braden H. Boucek. Mark Janbakhsh was found guilty after a jury trial in August 2025. Three other co-conspirators, each of whom had previously pled guilty, were also sentenced for their involvement in the fraud scheme. Ron Janbakhsh, 46, of Niceville, Florida, was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison, Steven L. Piper, 54, of Nashville, Tennessee, was sentenced to 12 months in federal prison, and Christian Quiroz, 46, of Thompson’s Station, Tennessee, was sentenced to 6 months in federal prison.
“People who think they can commit fraud against businesses here in Tennessee need to know that our office will prosecute you and that you will go to federal prison,” said United States Attorney Braden H. Boucek. “Middle Tennessee is one of the best places in America to do business and our office is committed to making sure that those who try to ruin that with fraudulent activities are held accountable for their actions.”
According to the evidence presented at trial, Janbakhsh was the chief executive officer and majority owner of a car dealership company named Auto Masters. In addition to Auto Masters, Janbakhsh owned several other Nashville area businesses, including Plaza Mariachi. Between approximately 2013 and 2017, Auto Masters had a line of credit with Capital One and First Tennessee Bank (now First Horizon Bank). Janbakhsh conspired with his brother Ron Janbakhsh, and their co-conspirators, Steve Piper and Christian Quiroz, who also worked for Auto Masters, to submit false documentation to Capital One to artificially inflate the value of the company’s collateral which would allow Mark Janbakhsh to draw on lines of credit he was otherwise not entitled to take. During the course of the scheme, Auto Masters fraudulently obtained over $24 million dollars that it was not entitled to receive.
From at least 2013 until October 2017, Mark Janbakhsh conspired with Piper, Ron Janbakhsh, and Quiroz to submit false borrowing base certificates to Capital One—by inflating their collateral—so that Auto Masters could take draws on the line of credit that they were not entitled to take. The reason for committing this fraud scheme was simple: Mark Janbakhsh wanted access to additional money to pay for his lifestyle and his other business ventures (as did his brother Ron). Mark Janbakhsh lived a lavish lifestyle—he and his wife drove luxury cars (including a Bentley and Ferrari) and his family took expensive vacations, including to places like Dubai. But the biggest driver was Mark Janbakhsh’s need for money to support his other businesses and, in particular, the construction of Plaza Mariachi.
As investigators and bankruptcy proceedings loomed, the evidence showed that Mark Janbakhsh directed company employees to delete data, emails, and other company information that would have shown his fraudulent dealings. Auto Masters declared bankruptcy in 2017, and Mark Janbakhsh lied about the fraud while under oath during the bankruptcy proceedings. When Mark Janbakhsh learned that federal agents who were investigating the fraud were attempting to speak with co-conspirators, he offered Quiroz over $300,000 if he would leave the jurisdiction in order to thwart the investigation.
In addition to their terms of imprisonment, Mark Janbakhsh, Steven Piper, and Christian Quiroz were ordered to pay $11,272,521.20 in restitution and to serve one year of supervised release. Ron Janbakhsh was ordered by pay $4,185,478 in restitution and to serve one year of supervised release.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Nashville Field Office, and IRS Criminal Investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney J. Christopher Suedekum prosecuted the case.
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Former Milford Resident Pleads Guilty to Fraud and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that MARC ANTHONY ALEXANDER, 45, of formerly of Milford, pleaded guilty yesterday before U.S. District Judge Sarah F. Russell in New Haven to fraud and firearm offenses.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in 2022, a business known as “Traveling Graces, LLC” was registered with the State of Connecticut with Melanie Ham as its registered agent and “Dr. Marc Anthony Alexander” as its manager. Between July 2023 and December 2023, Alexander and Ham misrepresented to a Connecticut resident (the “victim”), who Alexander had met on a dating app, that Traveling Graces was a legitimate business and they were looking for investors. The victim provided two bank checks totaling $167,000 to Alexander and Ham, which they used for their own purposes.
In May 2024, Alexander met with an employee of the residential community in which he resided and claimed to be an FBI agent who required additional parking spaces assigned to him for professional reasons. He wore clothing that falsely identified him as an FBI agent, showed a fake FBI identification badge, and possessed a Hellcat 9mm pistol in a holster.
Alexander pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years, and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 15 years. A sentencing date is not scheduled.
Alexander’s criminal history includes convictions for fraud and other offenses. In April 2017, he was sentenced in New Haven federal court to 96 months of imprisonment and three years of supervised release for his involvement in a scheme related to the theft and negotiation of postal money orders that defrauded the U.S. Postal Service of more than $300,000, and his role in a separate scheme that involved the fraudulent sale of financed vehicles, which defrauded lenders of more than $1 million. Alexander was released from federal prison in February 2023.
In February 2024, while he was on supervised release, Alexander was arrested by Stamford Police for illegal operation of a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol/drugs, illegal operation of a motor vehicle under suspension, illegal operation of a motor vehicle without minimum insurance, and failure to drive in a proper lane. In November 2024, Alexander is alleged to have used a bank statement he manipulated with false information to facilitate the purchase of a vehicle from a car dealership in Dartmouth, Massachusetts. Alexander also falsely reported his address to his probation officer, left Connecticut without permission, and opened nine new lines of credit, all in violation of the terms and conditions of his supervised release.
Alexander has been detained in federal custody since January 13, 2025. On February 26, 2025, he was sentenced in Hartford federal court to two years of imprisonment for violating the conditions of his supervised release.
On November 19, 2025, Ham pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. She awaits sentencing.
This matter is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ray Miller.
Former Massachusetts State Senator Sentenced to One Year in Prison for Obstruction of Justice and False StatementsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Former Massachusetts State Senator Dean Tran was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for attempting to cover up a fraudulent job offer and job offer letter from his sister’s company.
Tran, 50, of Fitchburg, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV to one year in prison, 11 months to run concurrent with his current sentence and one month to run consecutive, to be followed by 18 months of supervised release to run concurrent with his current sentence. In December 2025, Tran pleaded guilty to one count of obstruction of justice and one count of making a false statement. Tran was indicted by a federal grand jury in June 2024 along with his sister, Tuyet T. Martin.
Tran was convicted by a federal jury in September 2024 for fraudulent collection of Pandemic Unemployment Assistance benefits and his willful omission of consulting and rental income from his tax returns in 2020, 2021 and 2022. He is currently serving an 18-month sentence in federal prison for those convictions.
“This case is clear and simple. It is about entitlement. Entitlement to benefits Mr. Tran was not owed, entitlement to lie when confronted and entitlement to blame everyone but himself. Dean Tran did not only commit fraud; he lied, obstructed justice and tried to derail a federal investigation to protect himself. Even after being convicted, Dean Tran continued to deny responsibility for his actions,” said United States Attorney Leah B. Foley. “Today’s sentence makes one thing clear: if you think you can lie to federal agents, manipulate the system and obstruct justice – you are sorely mistaken. As we have said over and over, no one is above the law. Justice is blind to power, wealth and status.”
“This investigation underscores our continued commitment to protecting the integrity of the unemployment insurance system,” said Anthony P. D’Esposito, Inspector General, Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General. “Mr. Tran’s fraudulent receipt of pandemic unemployment benefits was compounded by false statements made to federal law enforcement during the execution of a lawful search warrant. Individuals who exploit critical benefit programs and attempt to obstruct investigations will be held accountable.”
“Today’s sentencing of Dean Tran demonstrates that lying to federal law enforcement officers is a serious offense,” said Thomas Demeo, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Boston Field Office. “Obstruction of justice, at a minimum, prolongs an investigation and costs the American taxpayers thousands of additional dollars. In these situations, obstruction can lead to the destruction or loss of evidence, allowing guilty parties to evade justice and deprive their victims of a fair and just outcome.”
“Anyone who obstructs a federal investigation is attempting to subvert the course of justice, and when a former Massachusetts State Senator does it, that’s even more egregious,” said Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division. “The FBI and our partners will always seek to hold those foolish enough to try to interfere with our cases accountable because it is a direct threat to our entire system of justice.”
As part of an ongoing investigation into unemployment benefits and tax fraud schemes, federal law enforcement interviewed Tran at his residence while executing a federal search warrant. During the interview, Tran was asked about a letter he provided to unemployment agency officials when his benefits were briefly suspended, and he was attempting to have benefits reinstated. Tran made material misrepresentations to the federal law enforcement agents about the letter, including that his sister and co-defendant, Tuyet Martin, had authored the letter when she was not the sole author of the letter and Tran had revised it before the letter was finalized and submitted to unemployment officials. Tran also told federal law enforcement agents that his sister’s signature appeared on the letter when in fact Tran had signed the letter, not his sister.
In January 2026, Martin pleaded guilty to one count of obstruction of justice. She is scheduled to be sentenced on May 13, 2026.
U.S. Attorney Foley; DOL IG D’Esposito; IRS-CI SAC Demeo; and FBI SAC Docks made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys John T. Mulcahy, Lauren Maynard and Dustin Chao of the Public Corruption & Special Prosecutions Unit prosecuted the case.