Latest Records
Newest first across public DOJ and U.S. Attorney press releases.
Friday 30 January 2026
Former IT Professional Sentenced for Possessing and Attempting to Possess Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – A former IT Professional was sentenced today for possessing and attempting to obtain child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
U.S. District Judge Robert J. Shelby sentenced Jonathan Tyler Gross, 37, of Mounds, for Attempted Receipt of Child Pornography and Possession of Child Pornography. Gross was ordered to serve 123 months imprisonment, followed by 20 years of supervised release. Upon his release, he will also be required to register as a sex offender. Judge Shelby further ordered Gross to pay $3,000 in restitution and $10,000 fine.
In 2025, Gross worked as an IT professional, and his employer reported to law enforcement that he was fired for having child sexual abuse material on his work computer. The employer told agents they believe Gross was accessing encrypted chat rooms. Agents reviewed the devices provided and found several images and videos of children being sexually abused.
From at least November 2022 through his arrest in April 2025, Gross admitted to viewing and possessing images of children being sexually abused and having a sexual interest in children between the ages of 14 and 17. Some of the images found by agents showed children as young as five to seven years old being sexually exploited, including child erotica. The investigation further revealed that law enforcement received a CyberTip from an email provider that Gross was uploading child sexual abuse material to one of the twelve personal email accounts he had. The child sexual abuse material found was sent to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children’s Child Victim Identification Program. They helped identify at least one known victim. A victim impact statement was provided to the court. Restitution paid by Gross will go directly to the child victim identified.
After being indicted in April 2025, a victim came forward. At 15-years-old, the minor victim worked for the Gross family as a housecleaner and babysitter. She reported meeting him through church. Court records show that Gross began grooming her in January 2016, messaging her late at night, and that he contacted her through different aliases on Snapchat. After reviewing Gross’s devices, agents discovered Gross created 22 alias Snapchat accounts from January 2016 through January 2019. During Gross’s plea, he admitted to knowingly engaging in Snapchat conversations with the 15-year-old and to persuading the minor victim to send him sexually explicit photos.
Released on bond, Gross was taken into custody after pleading guilty in October. He will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons. The $10,000 fine that Gross was ordered to pay goes to the Crime Victims Fund to help provide resources to victims of federal crimes.
The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley Robert prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
Former Google Engineer Found Guilty of Economic Espionage and Theft of Confidential AI TechnologyRead the Press Release
Yesterday, a federal jury in San Francisco convicted former Google software engineer Linwei Ding, also known as Leon Ding, 38, on seven counts of economic espionage and seven counts of theft of trade secrets for stealing thousands of pages of confidential information containing Google’s trade secrets related to artificial intelligence technology for the benefit of the People’s Republic of China (PRC). The jury’s verdict follows an 11-day trial before U.S. District Judge Vince Chhabria for the Northern District of California.
“This conviction exposes a calculated breach of trust involving some of the most advanced AI technology in the world at a critical moment in AI development,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “Ding abused his privileged access to steal AI trade secrets while pursuing PRC government-aligned ventures. His duplicity put U.S. technological leadership and competitiveness at risk. I commend the trial team and investigators whose exceptional work resulted in this conviction.”
“In today’s high-stakes race to dominate the field of artificial intelligence, Linwei Ding betrayed both the U.S. and his employer by stealing trade secrets about Google’s AI technology on behalf of China’s government,” said Assistant Director Roman Rozhavsky of the FBI's Counterintelligence and Espionage Division. “Not only does this case mark the first-ever conviction on AI-related economic espionage charges, but it also demonstrates the FBI’s unwavering dedication to protecting American businesses from the increasingly severe threat China poses to our economic and national security. We remain committed to working closely with our partners across the private sector to protect our nation’s innovation, safeguard our trade secrets, and hold our foreign adversaries accountable.”
“Silicon Valley is at the forefront of artificial intelligence innovation, pioneering transformative work that drives economic growth and strengthens our national security. The jury delivered a clear message today that the theft of this valuable technology will not go unpunished. We will vigorously protect American intellectual capital from foreign interests that seek to gain an unfair competitive advantage while putting our national security at risk,” said U.S. Attorney Craig H. Missakian for the Northern District of California.
“This conviction reinforces the FBI’s steadfast commitment to protecting American innovation and national security. The theft and misuse of advanced artificial intelligence technology for the benefit of the People’s Republic of China threatens our technological edge and economic competitiveness,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Sanjay Virmani for the San Francisco Field Office. “The FBI San Francisco division serves Silicon Valley and the companies who lead the world in innovation, and we are committed to safeguarding their work. This case demonstrates the strength of collaboration between the FBI and the private sector, including leading companies like Google, whose partnership is critical to protecting sensitive U.S. technology. Today’s verdict affirms that federal law will be enforced to protect our nation’s most valuable technologies and hold those who steal them accountable.”
Ding was originally indicted in March 2024. A superseding indictment returned in February 2025 described seven categories of trade secrets stolen by Ding and charged Ding with seven counts of economic espionage and seven counts of theft of trade secrets.
According to the evidence presented at trial, between approximately May 2022 and April 2023, while a Google employee, Ding stole more than two thousand pages of confidential information containing Google’s AI trade secrets from Google’s network and uploaded them to his personal Google Cloud account. Ding also secretly affiliated himself with two PRC-based technology companies while he was employed by Google: around June 2022, Ding was in discussions to be the Chief Technology Officer for an early-stage technology company based in the PRC; by early 2023, Ding was in the process of founding his own technology company in the PRC focused on AI and machine learning and was acting as the company’s CEO. In multiple statements to potential investors, Ding claimed that he could build an AI supercomputer by copying and modifying Google’s technology. In December 2023, less than two weeks before he resigned from Google, Ding downloaded the stolen Google trade secrets to his own personal computer.
The jury found that Ding stole trade secrets relating to the hardware infrastructure and software platforms that allow Google’s supercomputing data center to train and serve large AI models. The trade secrets contained detailed information about the architecture and functionality of Google’s custom Tensor Processing Unit chips and systems and Google’s Graphics Processing Unit systems, the software that allows the chips to communicate and execute tasks, and the software that orchestrates thousands of chips into a supercomputer capable of training and executing cutting-edge AI workloads. The trade secrets also pertained to Google’s custom-designed SmartNIC, a type of network interface card used to facilitate high speed communication within Google’s AI supercomputers and cloud networking products.
In presentations to investors, Ding called out the PRC’s national policies prioritizing AI development and innovation in the PRC, and in late 2023 Ding applied for a government sponsored “talent plan” in Shanghai, PRC. The jury heard evidence pertaining to the PRC government’s establishment of talent plans to encourage individuals to come to China to contribute to the PRC’s economic and technological growth. Ding’s application for this talent plan stated that he planned to “help China to have computing power infrastructure capabilities that are on par with the international level.” The evidence at trial also showed that Ding intended to benefit two entities controlled by the government of China by assisting with the development of an AI supercomputer and collaborating on the research and development of custom machine learning chips.
Ding is next scheduled to appear at a status conference on Feb. 3, 2026. Ding faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison for each count of theft of trade secrets in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1832 and 15 years in prison for each count of economic espionage in violation of 18 U.S.C § 1831. Any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the Court only after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the Northern District of California Casey Boome, Molly K. Priedeman, and Roland Chang are prosecuting this case, with assistance from Veronica Hernandez and Trial Attorney Yifei Zheng from the Counterintelligence and Export Control Section, National Security Division. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI.
Florissant Man Sentenced to 170 Months on Child Pornography ChargeRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autrey on Thursday sentenced a man caught with child sexual abuse material, including material that he had produced or solicited, to 170 months in prison.
Patrick Neistat, 24, of Florissant, Missouri, pleaded guilty in October to one count of receipt of child pornography. He admitted possessing images and videos containing child sexual abuse material on multiple cellular phones.
The investigation began on Sept. 8, 2022, when St. Louis County Police Department detectives received an exigent Cyber Tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) indicating that the user of a Skout social media account had uploaded multiple images depicting the sexual abuse of a minor. Detectives traced the account to Neistat’s home. Neistat initially denied having a cellular phone. Detectives learned that he did, and seized the phone.
Neistat had 123 images and 4 videos of child pornography on one phone, as well as 187 images and 18 videos of “age difficult” pornography and 634 CGI/animated images depicting children in sexual acts, his plea agreement says. He also had videos of himself touching a 5-year-old. On a second phone, investigators found 12 images containing CSAM as well as sexually explicit conversations and explicit photos that Neistat had received from a 12-year-old girl and an apparent 14-year-old girl.The FBI and the St. Louis County Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Hayes prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Florida Man Sentenced to Nine Years in Prison for Conspiring to Launder Money and Distribute FentanylRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Florida man has been sentenced in federal court in Boston for drug possession and distribution charges.
Wuesley Pelaez Vela, 34, of Tallahassee, Fla., was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge William G. Young to nine years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. In May 2025, Pelaez Vela pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to launder money and one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl. The defendant was indicted by a federal grand jury in July 2022 along with five alleged co-conspirators.
In 2019, an investigation began into a Colombia-based money laundering organization that was laundering drug proceeds on behalf of multiple drug trafficking organizations. Between 2020 and 2022, Pelaez Vela coordinated with an undercover agent to conduct multiple pick-ups of drug proceeds to be paid out to drug suppliers in Mexico for the purpose of laundering the cash. In total, Pelaez Vela organized 13 money pickups totaling $1,127,573 in drug proceeds.
Additionally, in October 2021, Pelaez Vela instructed an undercover agent to purchase fentanyl, provided the undercover agent with photos of the pills and a code phrase to order the pills containing fentanyl. Two packages sent as part of this transaction, which contained over 600 grams of fentanyl, were subsequently seized.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Jarod A. Forget, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian J. Sullivan of the Narcotics & Money Laundering 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.
Florida Man Sentenced for Misrepresenting Indian Produced GoodsRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Chadwick M. Elgersma, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Jose Farinango Muenala, 47, Casselberry, Florida, pleaded guilty on January 28, 2026, to misrepresenting Indian produced goods. Following the guilty plea, Farinango Muenala was sentenced by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 3 years of probation and a $25,000 fine.
In January 2023, the Indian Arts and Crafts Board received complaints that a man with the business name Southwest Expressions was going to art shows and misrepresenting that the jewelry he was selling was handmade by Pueblo Indians. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service subsequently launched an investigation and identified the man as Farinango Muenala.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service determined that since 2012, Farinango Muenala had attended dozens of art shows as a vendor, including the 2023 Loon Day Festival in Mercer, Wisconsin. At these shows, Farinango Muenala misrepresented himself as a Pueblo or a Native American from New Mexico. He also misrepresented that the jewelry he sold was handmade by himself or other Pueblo Indians, when in fact, the jewelry was mass produced and imported from the Philippines. Between 2012 and 2023, Farinango Muenala’s business Southwest Expressions made 40,905 individual sales, and grossed over $2,686,000.
At sentencing, Judge Conley emphasized that for years, Farinango Muenala profited by regularly and intentionally misrepresenting the jewelry that he sold. Judge Conley also acknowledged the significance of the statute Farinango Muenala violated, noting it was meant to protect Native Americans.
“The Indian Arts and Crafts Board, U.S. Department of the Interior, administers and enforces the Indian Arts and Crafts Act (IACA), a truth in marketing law,” said the Board’s Director Meridith Stanton. “The IACA is intended to rid the Indian arts and crafts marketplace of counterfeits to protect the economic livelihoods and cultural heritage of Indian artists, craftspeople, and their Tribes, as well as the buying public. Authentic Indian art and craftwork is an important tool for passing down cultural traditions, traditional knowledge, and artistic skills from one generation to the next. The defendant in this case falsely claimed to be a third-generation jewelry maker from the Taos Pueblo in New Mexico while he sold imported Philippines jewelry as authentic Indian made across several states. These sales of fake Indian art tear at the very fabric of Indian culture and undercut the marketability of the creative work of federally recognized Tribes.”
U.S. Attorney Elgersma and Director Stanton praised the collaboration between IACA and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and thanked all those who helped bring Farinango Muenala’s conduct to light. Both stressed that his prosecution sends a strong message that violators of the IACA will be held accountable.
The charges against Farinango Muenala were the result of an investigation by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Department of the Interior Indian Arts and Crafts Board. Assistant U.S. Attorney Taylor L. Kraus prosecuted this case.
Florida Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Violate the Anti-Kickback StatuteRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Florida man pleaded guilty yesterday to conspiring to violate the Anti-Kickback Statute.
Deane Gilmore, 35, of Brandon, Fla., pleaded guilty today to one count of conspiracy to pay and receive kickbacks before U.S. District Court Judge Brian E. Murphy, who scheduled sentencing for May 12, 2026. Gilmore was charged in December 2025.From March 2020 through approximately April 2022, Gilmore owned and managed two durable medical equipment companies, Jupiter Medical Associates Inc. and Granite Medical Associates Inc. Gilmore, through these companies, illegally paid telemarketers or call centers who obtained medical information from Medicare beneficiaries to prepare orders for durable medical equipment—such as back, knee, wrist, or ankle braces. The documentation made it appear that medical practitioners were legitimately prescribing the DME to these beneficiaries, when, in fact, these orders were frequently medically unnecessary and based on false documentation. By paying these telemarketers on a per-order basis, Gilmore violated the Anti-Kickback Statute.
Over the course of his scheme, Gilmore submitted or caused to be submitted a total of approximately $6.5 million in kickback-tainted claims to Medicare. Medicare ultimately paid out approximately $2.3 million for these kickback-tainted claims.
The charge of conspiracy to pay and receive kickbacks provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greater. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Roberto Coviello, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services’ Office of the Inspector General; Nicholas Bucciarelli, Acting Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; and Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher R. Looney of the National Security Unit is prosecuting the case.
Five Foreign Nationals Sentenced in January for Illegally Reentering the United States After DeportationRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that five foreign nationals convicted separately of illegally reentering the United States after prior deportations were sentenced this month.
Roberto Garcia-Antonio, aka Angel Rondon and Roberto Sandoval-Antonio, 49, a Dominican national, was sentenced by United States District Judge Timothy J. Savage to 18 months in prison for illegal reentry. Upon completing his prison sentence, he will be removed from the United States once again.
Garcia was previously removed from the country five times, and this is his fifth illegal reentry conviction. He was previously prosecuted twice in this District (May 2011 and March 2015) and twice in the Southern District of Texas (January 2013 and November 2016).
In January 2025, law enforcement encountered Garcia while executing a state search warrant at a home in Philadelphia and he was taken into custody by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Garcia was charged by indictment with illegal reentry last May and pleaded guilty in October.
Ricardo Henriquez Carmona, aka Dario Henriquez, 55, a Dominican national, was sentenced by United States District Judge Kelley Brisbon Hodge to 14 months in prison and one year of supervised release for illegal reentry. Upon completing his prison sentence, he will be removed from the United States again.
Henriquez Carmona had previously been removed from the U.S. in the summer of 1997, after pleading guilty to a narcotics offense in the Superior Court of Aguadilla, Puerto Rico. The defendant subsequently reentered the U.S. illegally and had a string of encounters with law enforcement, accruing convictions, under aliases, for selling drugs, stealing property, resisting arrest, trespassing, and committing aggravated assault.
Henriquez Carmona was arrested on a criminal complaint in June of last year, after ICE learned that he’d again entered the country illegally. He was charged by indictment with illegal reentry in July and pleaded guilty in October.
Magdaleno Ochoa-Avalos, 42, a Mexican national, was sentenced by United States District Judge Mia Roberts Perez to 12 months and one day in prison for illegal reentry. Upon completing his prison sentence, he will be removed from the United States for the sixth time.
Ochoa-Avalos had previously been removed from the U.S. in May 2008, after pleading guilty in the Chester County Court of Common Pleas to homicide by vehicle and serving his resulting prison sentence. He was removed three times in August 2008, after encounters with the U.S. Border Patrol in Arizona, and again in August 2020, following his illegal reentry conviction in the District of South Carolina.
In early 2025, ICE received information that Ochoa-Avalos was again in the U.S. illegally. After conducting surveillance to ascertain the defendant’s identity and location, he was arrested in June on a criminal complaint, charged by indictment with illegal reentry in July, and pleaded guilty in September.
Luis Urrutia-Noyola, 33, a Mexican national, was sentenced by United States District Judge Gerald A. McHugh to time served, approximately four months, for illegal reentry. Having completed his sentence, he will be removed from the United States again.
Urrutia-Noyola had previously been removed from the U.S. in April 2018 after an encounter with the U.S. Border Patrol in California.
In March of last year, ICE became aware that the defendant had been arrested by the Oxford (Pa.) Police Department for striking and threatening his domestic partner, and Urrutia-Noyola was then convicted and sentenced in the Chester County Court of Common Pleas. After ICE arrested him in August on a criminal complaint, he was charged by indictment with illegal reentry in September and pleaded guilty in October.
Diego Jacome-Esquibel, 51, a Mexican national, was sentenced by United States District Judge Gail A. Weilheimer to time served, approximately three and a half months, for illegal reentry. Having completed his sentence, he will be removed from the United States again.
Jacome-Esquibel had previously been removed from the U.S. in March 2012 and April 2012, after encounters with the Border Patrol in Texas and Arizona.
Last year, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) learned that the defendant had once again illegally reentered the country. Jacome-Esquibel was arrested on a criminal complaint in October, charged by indictment with illegal reentry in November, and pleaded guilty this month.
These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The cases were investigated by ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations and HSI and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kwambina Coker, Eileen Castilla Geiger, S. Chandler Harris, Justin Ashenfelter, and Jessica Rice.
Final Charged Defendant in GirlsDoPorn Sex Trafficking Conspiracy Sentenced; Adult Film Actor Sentenced to Four Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO –Douglas Wiederhold, a male performer in the massive GirlsDoPorn sex-trafficking conspiracy led by Michael Pratt, was sentenced in federal court today to four years in prison. Wiederhold was paid to perform in 71 adult sex videos that exploited victims.
Wiederhold is the last of seven charged defendants to be sentenced for their roles in the multimillion-dollar criminal empire that lured young women into making sex videos through lies, coercion, and manipulation, and then broadcasting their abuse to millions online.
“Each defendant’s actions unleashed profound harm on hundreds of victims, and today the final conspirator was held accountable,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon. “These strong sentences reflect the bravery of the victims in coming forward and speaking of their abuse. Without them, justice would have been impossible. The Department of Justice thanks these remarkable women.”
“Wiederhold’s sentencing today is another victory for the hundreds of victims subjected by force, fraud, or coercion to engage in commercial sex acts so Michael Pratt and his co-conspirators could make millions off their pain,” said TJ Holland, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI San Diego Field Office. “FBI San Diego and our law enforcement partners relentlessly investigated this case and everyone who played a part in the conspiracy to ensure justice was appropriately served. Each sentence handed down in the GirlsDoPorn case is a direct result of victim cooperation and investigative persistence.”
Pratt was the owner and operator of the pornography website girlsdoporn.com. Girlsdoporn.com featured sex videos of young adult women appearing in their first pornographic video. Girlsdoporn.com charged visitors a subscription fee to access the website’s content. Wiederhold was part of the conspiracy from the start, starting in at least January 2011 through at least March 2012. The young adult women were paid by Pratt to perform sex acts with Wiederhold. Pratt was the camera operator; Pratt also directed the video shoots. Wiederhold was a salaried employee who sometimes traveled with Pratt to pick the young women up at the airport and drive them to the location of the video shoots.
Wiederhold knew Pratt recruited women from all over the United States to appear in these videos. If the women lived far from San Diego, Pratt would book travel and pay for these women to fly to San Diego for their video shoot. Pratt would also pay for the hotels or short-term rentals in San Diego where the video shoots would occur.
At Pratt’s direction, Wiederhold lied to the women, assuring them that the videos would not be posted on the internet. Pratt instructed Wiederhold to tell the women that the videos were only going onto a DVD to a collector in a foreign country or posted to VHS for a small number of viewers in Australia. Wiederhold knew that Pratt made his money by posting the videos onto girlsdoporn.com, where the videos were publicly available on the internet to anyone willing to pay a fee. Wiederhold also knew that Pratt was posting snippets of the videos to Pornhub and other porn websites to drive traffic to girlsdoporn.com.
Even after learning that the sex videos were being posted on the internet, Wiederhold falsely assured at least two women that the videos would not be posted publicly. Further, Wiederhold stood by while Pratt provided false assurances to the women that their videos would not be posted on the internet. Wiederhold would act in the pornographic videos with the women, after the false assurances were made. Women told the agents that they trusted Wiederhold, because he treated them as a friend and helped them feel comfortable.
At today’s hearing, six of the defendant’s victims urged the court to hand down the maximum sentence. One woman explained that “by putting me online and exposing me to the world without my consent, [Wiederhold] didn’t just humiliate me, he branded me …. I spent years unable to look my own family in the eyes.”
Another woman told the court, “The person I was before this happened no longer exists. I am a shell of who I used to be.”
A third addressed the defendant directly, “throughout my experience with you, deception was constant. You lied about who you were, even using a false name to conceal your identity. You misrepresented your intentions and the reality of what I was being drawn into. Nothing about my interactions with you was honest. Every part of it was built on deception … After you got what you wanted from me, you left me alone, scared, humiliated, and overwhelmed by what had just happened.”
U.S. District Judge Janis L. Sammartino told the defendant that even though he left the conspiracy over 10 years ago, “what happened in this case had long lasting harm. Some of the damage [to the women] will be lifelong.”
The defendant was ordered to self-surrender on March 27, 2026, at noon. Judge Sammartino set a restitution hearing for March 6, 2026, at 2 p.m.
The GirlsDoPorn investigation and prosecution spanned years, involving FBI agents, FBI analysts, the U.S. Marshal Service, victim advocates, and prosecutors who worked tirelessly to secure justice for the victims. Multiple co-conspirators have been convicted in connection with the scheme.
DEFENDANT Case Number 23cr1202-JLS
Douglas Wiederhold Age: 42 Sentenced to four years on January 30, 2026
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Conspiracy (Sex Trafficking)– Title 18, U.S.C., Section 371
Maximum penalty: Five years and $250,000 fine
DEFENDANTS Case Number 19cr4488-JLS
Michael Pratt Age: 42 Sentenced to 27 years on September 8, 2025
Matthew Wolfe Age: 43 Sentenced to 14 years on March 20, 2024
Ruben Andre Garcia Age: 36 Sentenced to 20 years on June 4, 2021
Theodore Gyi Age: 47 Sentenced to four years on November 9, 2022
Valorie Moser Age: 43 Sentenced to two years on December 12, 2025
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Sex Trafficking Conspiracy – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1594
Maximum penalty: Life in prison and $250,000 fine
Sex Trafficking – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1591
Mandatory Minimum: Fifteen years in prison
Maximum penalty: Life in prison and $250,000 fine
Conspiracy (Sex Trafficking) – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 371
Maximum penalty: Five years and $250,000 fine
DEFENDANT Case Number 23cr0111-JLS
Alexander Foster Sentenced to one year on April 28, 2023
SUMMARY OF CHARGE
Conspiracy (Stalking) – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 371
Maximum penalty: Five years and $250,000 fine
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
FBI – Southern District of California
San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force
U.S. Marshals Service
Fairfield Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Sexual Exploitation of a Child and Attempted Distribution of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Trevor Clayton Morgan, 34, of Fairfield, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Dena Coggins to 20 years in prison, to be followed by 25 years of supervised release, for sexual exploitation of a minor and attempted distribution of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
According to court documents, in April 2023, Morgan persuaded a minor victim to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a video recording. In November 2023, Morgan attempted to distribute the video to another person on the Telegram app. Morgan also knowingly possessed hundreds of files containing CSAM. Morgan pleaded guilty on July 18, 2025.
The Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations, the Silicon Valley Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, and the Sacramento Valley Hi-Tech Crimes Task Force / Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica Delaney prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Click on the “resources” tab for information about internet-safety education.
Federal Charges Filed Against Registered Sex Offender for Attempting to Entice a Minor for Sex in PensacolaRead the Press Release
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – David A. Girard, 70, of Robertsdale, Alabama, has been indicted in federal court on charges of Attempted Enticement of a Minor and Traveling in Interstate Commerce to Engage in Illicit Sexual Conduct. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida announced the charges.
The indictment also charges enhanced penalty provisions because Girard is a registered sexual offender based upon prior sex offense convictions in 2009. If convicted, Girard faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years’, and up to life, imprisonment.
Girard is scheduled for trial before United States District Judge M. Casey Rodgers at the United States Courthouse in Pensacola, Florida, on March 2, 2026.
The case is being jointly investigated by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, US Customs and Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, Florida Highway Patrol, and the United States Marshals Service. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David L. Goldberg and Christopher C. Patterson.
An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice and led by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Divisions Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), it marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.
El Salvadorian Citizen Sentenced for Resisting Federal Law EnforcementRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A federal judge sentenced an El Salvadorian citizen after he pled guilty to resisting, opposing, impeding, and interfering with federal law enforcement officers.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Ajmel A. Quereshi sentenced Cristian Rivas-Bonilla, 27, to time served, amounting to approximately 51 days Rivas-Bonilla has been detained pending court proceedings, for an incident stemming from a final order of removal from an immigration judge.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty plea and sentencing to the criminal offense with Special Agent in Charge Christopher R. Heck, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) – Maryland.
On November 4, 2025, HSI Baltimore Agents traveled to a Camp Springs, Maryland, address to search for Rivas-Bonilla. After observing Rivas-Bonilla getting into a car at a residence, agents activated the emergency lights on their unmarked vehicles and attempted to conduct a vehicle stop to arrest Rivas-Bonilla. Two agents’ vehicles were behind Rivas-Bonilla and the other agent’s vehicle directly blocked his path of travel. Agents attempted to confirm Rivas-Bonilla’s identity before arresting him to transport him to the Baltimore Field Office for processing.
Agents exited their vehicles and commanded Rivas-Bonilla to stop his car. The agents were clearly identifiable as law-enforcement officers as they wore tactical vests with police decals. Rivas-Bonilla reversed his vehicle and drove onto the sidewalk as he attempted to evade HSI agents. Agents then activated their emergency sirens and pursued him.
Rivas-Bonilla continued to disregard agents’ emergency lights and sirens, causing a chase that reached speeds of approximately 70 miles per hour. One agent drove their vehicle directly in front of him, another agent drove their vehicle on the side of him, and the other agent drove their vehicle directly behind him in attempt to bring Rivas-Bonilla’s vehicle to a stop.
But Rivas-Bonillaquickly swerved his vehicle to the right to avoid the agents’ attempt to slow him down. Rivas-Bonilla continued driving at high speeds as agents continued their efforts to bring his vehicle to a stop. Eventually, Rivas-Bonilla’s vehicle and two of the agents’ vehicles collided, allowing law enforcement to capture and arrest him.
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.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended HSI for its work in this investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael C. Hanlon and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Carolyn Mills who prosecuted this case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
# # #
Eight Defendants Sentenced for $1 Million Methamphetamine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Eight defendants have been sentenced in federal court for their roles in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
William Lee Bailey, 38, Eric S. Poston, 48, Brandon M. Beadel, 40, Alyssa Enlow, 31, and Donald R. Potts, 65, all of Independence, Mo., Dennis L. Morris, 51 of Raymore, Mo.; and Savannah Smith, 35, and Travis Bailey, 35, both of Blue Springs, Mo., have been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann A. Ketchmark.
Each defendant previously admitted to taking part in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine from on or about Aug. 1, 2019, to March 26, 2021. According to court documents, the conspiracy involved the distribution of roughly 105 kilograms of methamphetamine worth over $1,000,000. A search warrant executed at a residence in Independence, Mo., used by the conspiracy revealed a large amount of methamphetamine as well as a surveillance video system that had been recording portions of the residence’s interior. A search warrant executed for the video system and its videos revealed the inner workings of the conspiracy—the conspirators involved, packaging and weighing methamphetamine, conducting drug deals, counting cash, and possessing firearms to further this conspiracy.
As to each defendant, the Court imposed the below-listed sentences:
- William Lee Bailey, who was the leader and organizer of the conspiracy, was sentenced to a 168-month term of imprisonment for the drug conspiracy count, and an additional 60 months for his plea to an additional count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense for a total of 228 months, and ordered to serve four years of supervised release.
- Poston was sentenced to a 120-month term of imprisonment for the drug conspiracy count, and an additional 60 months for his plea to an additional count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense for a total of 180 months, and ordered to serve four years of supervised release.
- Beadel was sentenced to a 120-month term of imprisonment for the drug conspiracy count and ordered to serve three years of supervised release.
- Travis Bailey was sentenced to a 96-month term of imprisonment for the drug conspiracy count and ordered to serve four years of supervised release.
- Morris was sentenced to a 78-month term of imprisonment for the drug conspiracy count and ordered to serve three years of supervised release.
- Potts was sentenced to a 72-month term of imprisonment for the drug conspiracy count and ordered to serve three years of supervised release.
- Smith and Enlow were both sentenced to terms of probation.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean Foley. It was investigated by the Independence, Missouri Police Department.
Operation Take Back America
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Eau Claire Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Chadwick M. Elgersma, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Nathan Hendrickson, 37, Eau Claire, Wisconsin, was sentenced on January 27, 2026, by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 10 years in prison for possessing 500 grams or more of methamphetamine intended for distribution. Hendrickson pleaded guilty to this charge on October 30, 2025.
In September 2024 and January 2025, officers with the West Central Drug Task Force received information that Hendrickson was selling pounds of methamphetamine. Officers conducted controlled buys of methamphetamine from Hendrickson on January 16, January 24, and February 12. When officers searched Hendrickson’s apartment on February 12, they found approximately 678 grams of methamphetamine, a scale, $2,987 cash, and drug paraphernalia.
At sentencing, Judge Conley expressed concern that Hendrickson’s “criminal conduct has been escalating.” In deciding to impose a 10-year sentence, Judge Conley weighed the fact that Hendrickson had previously served only short state sentences against his now “substantial methamphetamine distribution.”
The charge against Hendrickson was the result of an investigation conducted by the Chippewa County, Dunn County, Eau Claire County, and Buffalo County Sheriffs’ Departments, the Eau Claire Police Department, the West Central Drug Task Force, the Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation, and the United States Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Remington prosecuted this case.
Federal prosecutions by the U.S. Department of Justice involving drugs and guns are part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Operation Take Back America. Operation Take Back America is a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department 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. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Double-dealing duo sentenced for mortgage and investment fraud schemeRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Two former financial services specialists were sentenced for conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud affecting financial institutions relating to their unlawful use of client information to obtain loans.
According to court documents, Roberta Leigh Dawson, aka Bird, 63, formerly of Alexandria and current resident of Norlina, North Carolina, was a licensed loan officer with a local mortgage brokerage, and Edward Fitzgerald, 59, of Fairfax, purported to be a financial advisor with an expertise in real estate transactions and investments. Fitzgerald’s clients provided him with access to their money, financial information, and means of identification.
Fitzgerald passed his clients’ information to Dawson to obtain fraudulent real estate loans. In some instances, Fitzgerald and Dawson sold their victims’ homes without their knowledge, including to straw buyers. They would then strip out the equity and use it to pay their own expenses, among other things. They also used their victims’ personal information without their knowledge to obtain loans in their names and submitted to financial institutions loan applications that were replete with misstatements.
Dawson withdrew hundreds of thousands of dollars of victim cash from accounts she controlled after fraudulently diverting the funds into those accounts. Dawson routinely paid Fitzgerald’s credit card, which he used for extravagant travel, luxury items, and daily expenses, with more than $1 million in funds obtained from the fraud scheme.
Dawson pled guilty on Sept. 24, 2025, and was sentenced today to two years and six months in prison. Fitzgerald pled guilty on Sept. 16, 2025, and was sentenced on Jan. 20 to five years in prison.
The FBI Washington Field Office investigated this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Russell L. Carlberg and Annie Zanobini and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Hood for the Eastern District of Virginia and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Pedersen, from Federal Housing Finance Agency, Office of Inspector General, prosecuted 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-145.
District of Arizona Charges 200 Individuals for Immigration-Related Criminal Conduct this WeekRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – During the week of enforcement operations from Jan. 24 through Jan. 30, 2026, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona brought immigration-related criminal charges against 200 individuals. Specifically, the United States filed 109 cases in which aliens illegally re-entered the United States, and the United States also charged 72 aliens for illegally entering the United States. In its ongoing effort to deter unlawful immigration, the United States filed 14 cases against 18 individuals responsible for smuggling illegal aliens into and within the District of Arizona. Protecting law enforcement officers is a key part of border vigilance, and federal prosecutors also charged one defendant for assaulting a Border Patrol agent.
These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE-ERO), ICE- Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Recent matters of interest include:
United States v. Gustavo Duarte-Corona. Duarte-Corona was charged by complaint with Re-entry of Removed Alien, Jan. 29, 2026. The defendant was previously removed from the United States on March 28, 1997, after being convicted of Delivery of a Controlled Substance I, a felony, in the Circuit Court of the State of Oregon, Multnomah County. In that case, Duarte-Corona was sentenced to 18 months of imprisonment followed by 36 months of supervised release. 26-03031MJ, Phoenix.
A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
RELEASE NUMBER: 2026-013_January 30 Immigration Enforcement
# # #
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.
District Man Sentenced to 26 Years for the 2020 Daytime Murder in the Benco Shopping Center in SoutheastRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Antoine Turner, 32, of Washington, DC, was sentenced today to 312 months (26 years) in prison for the November 29, 2020, murder of Demeitri Anderson in the BENCO Shopping Plaza in Washington DC, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Turner pleaded guilty to second degree murder on September 5, 2025, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. His guilty plea, which was contingent upon the Court’s approval, called for an agreed-upon 240–312-month prison sentence, to be followed by five years of supervised release. The Honorable Michael Ryan accepted the plea agreement and sentenced the defendant to 312 months.
According to the government’s evidence, at approximately 12:30 p.m., on November 29, 2020, the defendant, Antoine Turner, drove a rented red Nissan Versa to the 4500 block of B Street SE, Washington, DC, where he parked the car. The defendant then walked around the block from B Street SE to 46th Street SE, then took a left on East Capitol Street SE, and entered the rear alley behind the BENCO Shopping Plaza located at 4528 Benning Rd SE. He then walked to the front of Ken’s Beauty Supply located in the BENCO Shopping Plaza where at approximately 12:38 p.m., the defendant approached the victim, Demeitri Anderson, from behind and shot him repeatedly in the back of the head and body, killing him.
Joining in the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Pirro and Interim Chief Carroll commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Kelly Blakeney and Victim/Witness Advocate Jennifer Clark.
Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrea Coronado, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
2020CF1009131
District Man Pleads Guilty to Domestic Violence Assault and Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Adam Muhammad, 40, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty yesterday for assaulting his ex-romantic partner with a knife and unlawfully possessing a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Muhammad pleaded guilty to one count of assault with a dangerous weapon (knife) and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm (prior conviction), in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia on January 29, 2026. Sentencing is scheduled for April 10, 2026.
According to the government’s evidence, on September 16, 2025, Muhammad went to the home of the victim, his ex-romantic partner, on 7th Street Northwest. The two got into a verbal argument and eventually the defendant grabbed the victim. Fearing for her life, the victim grabbed a kitchen knife. When Muhammad attempted to take the knife from the victim, she slipped and fell on the floor. The defendant secured the knife and got on top of the victim, while she was laying the floor, pinning her in a fetal position and rendering her unable to move. He then dug a finger into her right collar bone with one hand while holding the knife blade to the victim’s neck with the other hand and stated words to the effect of “b***h, I’ll kill you, tell your baby dad you want to die.”
In a separate incident only a week later, the defendant was found at an abandoned apartment complex with a loaded pistol on his person. Due to a prior felony conviction, the defendant was prohibited from possessing firearms of any sort. When officers attempted to detain Muhammad, they felt a rigid metallic object protruding from the defendant’s rear. Officers performed a protective pat down which revealed a firearm. The recovered firearm was a black and silver Smith and Wesson 915 9mm handgun and had eight rounds in a 10-round capacity magazine.
Muhammad was arrested on September 23, 2025, and has been in custody ever since.
Joining in the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department.
The assault case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Elias Feldman and the unlawful possession case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexis Franks.
2025FD3015373
2025CF2012222
District Court Judges Appoint Zachary Keller as U.S. AttorneyRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE– On January 27, 2026, Zachary A. Keller was re-sworn as the United States Attorney of the Western District of Louisiana (WDLA) by Chief Judge Terry A. Doughty after the district court judges for WDLA voted for him to continue in the United States Attorney role that he assumed in September 2025.
“Since beginning my service in September, I’ve woken up every morning with the mindset that serving Louisiana as United States Attorney is the most important and impactful public service I’ll ever perform,” said U.S. Attorney Keller. “I thank the WDLA district court judges for honoring me with the ability to continue serving my home community and helping to make it safe as U.S. Attorney.”
Attorney General Pam Bondi appointed Mr. Keller as interim U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Louisiana on September 29, 2025. Pursuant to the Vacancy Reform Act, the Attorney General may appoint a U.S. Attorney to serve on an interim basis for up to 120 days. After the allotted 120 days, the district court appoints a U.S. Attorney to serve until the confirmation of a presidentially appointed successor. As U.S. Attorney, Mr. Keller oversees the investigation and litigation of all criminal and civil cases brought on behalf of the United States in the Western District of Louisiana. The Western District encompasses 42 of Louisiana’s 64 parishes and approximately two-thirds of the state’s landmass.
A West Monroe native, Mr. Keller graduated from George Welch Elementary, West Monroe Middle School, and West Monroe High School before attending Louisiana State University and Yale Law School. After law school, Mr. Keller began his career at Jones Day’s Dallas office before beginning his work in public service in 2016. Prior to becoming U.S. Attorney, Mr. Keller served as a Deputy Chief and Project Safe Neighborhoods Coordinator in the Major Crimes section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida, where he also served in the Civil, Appellate, and Criminal divisions and prosecuted crimes that ranged from manslaughter and carjacking to money laundering and child exploitation.
###
CONTACT:
Public Affairs
Western District of Louisiana
www.justice.gov/usao-wdla
Twitter @USAO_WDLA
Department of Justice Publishes 3.5 Million Responsive Pages in Compliance with the Epstein Files Transparency ActRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – The Department of Justice today published over 3 million additional pages responsive to the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which was signed into law by President Trump on November 19, 2025.
More than 2,000 videos and 180,000 images are included in today’s additional publication. Combined with prior releases, this makes the total production nearly 3.5 million pages released in compliance with the Act.
These files were collected from five primary sources including the Florida and New York cases against Epstein, the New York case against Maxwell, the New York cases investigating Epstein’s death, the Florida case investigating a former butler of Epstein, Multiple FBI investigations, and the Office of Inspector General investigation into Epstein’s death.
The Department erred on the side of over-collecting materials, and any materials not produced fall within one of the following categories:
- Duplicate documents between SDNY and SDFL investigations.
- Withheld under privilege - deliberative process privilege, attorney client privilege.
- Withheld based upon exceptions under the act (depictions of violence);
- Items that are not part of the case file for Epstein or Maxwell and were completely unrelated to these cases.
More than 500 attorneys and reviewers from the Department contributed to this effort. In addition, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York (USAO-SDNY) employed an additional review protocol to ensure compliance with a Court order requiring United States Attorney Jay Clayton to certify that no victim identifying information would be produced unredacted as part of the public production.
Through the process, the Department provided clear instructions to reviewers that the redactions were to be limited to the protection of victims and their families. Some pornographic images, whether commercial or not, were redacted, given the Department treated all women in those images as victims. Notable individuals and politicians were not redacted in the release of any files.
This production may include fake or falsely submitted images, documents or videos, as everything that was sent to the FBI by the public was included in the production that is responsive to the Act. Some of the documents contain untrue and sensationalist claims against President Trump that were submitted to the FBI right before the 2020 election. To be clear, the claims are unfounded and false, and if they have a shred of credibility, they certainly would have been weaponized against President Trump already.
To access the full letter the Justice Department sent to Congress today, visit:
https://www.justice.gov/letter-to-congress.pdf
To access all files produced, visit: https://www.justice.gov/epstein
D.C. Man Sentenced to 41 Years in Prison for Brutal Murder and Assault in Capitol HillRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Julius Worthy, 42, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today, stemming from the homicide of Orlando Galloway and the attack of Shaquia Lewis on April 2, 2023, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Worthy was found guilty on November 21, 2025, by a Superior Court jury for second-degree murder, assault with intent to kill, and related offenses. The Honorable Jason Park ordered him to serve the prison term of 41 years and five years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, on April 2, 2023, Worthy lived with Orlando Galloway in a one-bedroom apartment in the Capitol Hill area. The evening of the homicide, Worthy returned home and began arguing with Galloway over $20. As Galloway pleaded with Worthy that he would pay him the money, Worthy pulled out a firearm and shot eight times into the apartment, six of which struck Galloway. Worthy then grabbed a kitchen knife from the dishrack and stabbed Galloway five times in the neck. Worthy beat Galloway in the face repeatedly with the firearm, causing a piece of the frame to break off. Worthy then turned to Lewis and stabbed her multiple times while strangling her, causing her to lose consciousness.
Worthy remained in the apartment for over an hour with Galloway’s body and Lewis, calling multiple people on his phone to ask for help “cleaning up this mess,” adding that he was “killing two people.” When Lewis tried to escape through the front door, Worthy attacked her again, stabbing her with a pair of scissors. A neighbor across the street heard Lewis screaming, saw Worthy attacking Lewis, and called 911. Officers arrived shortly thereafter, and Worthy fled out the back door. During the investigation, law enforcement discovered that Worthy texted multiple individuals in the hours after the homicide, including stating, “I killed two people.”
Law enforcement arrested Worthy the following day, April 3, 2023, and he remained in custody since.
Joining in the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
The Metropolitan Police Department’s Homicide Branch investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys William Lawrence and Molly Smith prosecuted the case.
2023CF1002010
Chicago Couple Among Nine Individuals Charged in Federal Drug InvestigationRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A federal drug investigation has resulted in criminal charges against nine individuals for allegedly trafficking cocaine in the Chicago area.
The investigation, led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Chicago Police Department, utilized covert surveillance operations, undercover narcotics purchases, and wiretapped communications to shut down a drug trafficking organization allegedly led by a Chicago couple—JOEL ANDRADE and MARIA BRENDA MORA-HERNANDEZ. A criminal complaint filed this week in federal court in Chicago accuses Joel Andrade and Mora-Hernandez of conspiring to possess at least five kilograms of cocaine with the intent to distribute. The pair also allegedly possessed two semiautomatic handguns in furtherance of their drug trafficking crimes. The seven other defendants allegedly distributed cocaine last year in Chicago or the suburbs of Villa Park, Ill., Addison, Ill., and Rosemont, Ill.
Law enforcement on Thursday arrested seven of the defendants and executed court-authorized searches of multiple locations in the city and suburbs. Those defendants have begun making their initial appearances in federal court in Chicago. The two other defendants are in state custody in Cook County and will make their initial federal court appearances at a later time.
The charges and arrests were announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI, Larry Snelling, Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department, and Nicholas J. Roti, Executive Director of the Chicago High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA). Substantial assistance was provided by the Illinois National Guard’s Counter-Drug Task Force, Carpentersville, Ill. Police Department, Cook County Sheriff’s Office, Aurora, Ill. Police Department, Naperville, Ill. Police Department, Lake County, Ill. Sheriff’s Office’s Special Investigations Group, and Berkeley, Ill. Police Department. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer Chang and Megan Donohue.
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office will not allow our communities to be exploited by drug traffickers peddling poison,” said U.S. Attorney Boutros. “We are proud to partner with FBI, CPD, HIDTA, and our many other federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to hold traffickers accountable and keep dangerous drugs and illegal guns off our streets.”
“The FBI will continue to aggressively combat criminal organizations that degrade our communities by engaging in the trafficking of narcotics,” said FBI SAC DePodesta. “The success of this operation underscores the valuable partnerships the FBI shares with the Chicago Police Department and all members of our Safe Streets Task Force who work together to ensure the safety of our communities.”
The complaint charges Joel Andrade, 34, of Chicago, and Mora-Hernandez, 32, of Chicago, with drug conspiracy, drug distribution, and firearm offenses. The other defendants charged with federal drug offenses are RICHARD RUBIO, 33, of Chicago Ridge, Ill., ALEXIS ANDRADE, 30, of Chicago, JEREMY RUSH, 34, of Downers Grove, Ill., DEVONTE JONES, 30, of Chicago, JOSE NAVARRETE, 23, of Chicago, JEREMIE REYES-GONZALEZ, 21, of Cicero, Ill., and ALEXIS GUTIERREZ, 43, of Riverside, Ill. Rubio and Alexis Andrade are also charged with possessing handguns in furtherance of their drug trafficking crimes.
The public is reminded that a complaint contains only charges and is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
andrade_et_al_complaint.pdfCherokee County Resident Sentenced for Sexual Abuse and Abusive Sexual ContactRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Jimmy Charles Wright, age 48, of Park Hill, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 137 months in prison for one count of Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Indian Country, and to forty-eight months for two counts of Abusive Sexual Contact in Indian Country. The Court ordered the sentences to be served concurrently.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office.
On July 24, 2025, Wright pleaded guilty to the charges. According to investigators, beginning on February 27, 2024, and continuing until March 11, 2024, Wright knowingly engaged in sexual contact and sex acts with a minor child who had attained the age of 12 but was under the age of 16, and was at least four years younger than Wright.
The crimes occurred in Cherokee County, within the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
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. Wright 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. Attorney Emily Wittlinger represented the United States.
Canadian National Pleads Guilty to Sexually Exploiting over 100 Children OnlineRead the Press Release
A Canadian national pleaded guilty today in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia after admitting he sexually exploited over 100 children by creating an online persona and targeting them on social media.
Ramanan Pathmanathan, 40, of Toronto, Canada, pleaded guilty to the production of child pornography and to coercion and enticement of a minor. Pathmanathan was arrested on Dec. 3, 2025, after being temporarily surrendered to the United States, where he has remained incarcerated pending trial.
“Today’s guilty plea marks a critical step toward justice for over 100 targeted victims in the United States who this predator harmed with his diabolical actions,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “For years, while hiding in another country behind a fabricated online persona, he used manipulation, threats, and fear to coerce unsuspecting juveniles into producing and engaging in sexually explicit acts, robbing them of their innocence. We will hold accountable anyone who preys on our children, including those who do it from behind a computer screen to ensure that victims are protected and treated with the dignity they deserve.”
As part of this plea agreement, Pathmanathan admitted that for seven years, up until the day of his arrest in Canada, Pathmanathan sexually exploited over 100 minor females. Pathmanathan posed as an American teenage boy while communicating with the minor victims over popular social media platforms. The victims ranged in ages from 11 to 17-years-old and were located all over the United States. While video chatting with the minor victims, Pathmanathan persuaded and coerced the children to engage in sexually explicit acts and, without their knowledge or consent, Pathmanathan screen recorded the minors while engaged in such behavior — collecting the videos of his abuse. When the children refused to engage in further sexually explicit conduct, Pathmanathan then further exploited them by threatening to distribute the recorded videos to their families and friends.
On Oct. 27, 2022, Pathmanathan pleaded guilty to similar offenses in Canada, and was sentenced to 12 years in prison under Canadian law.
For these charges, Pathmanathan faces a maximum penalty of life in prison, with a mandatory minimum of 25 years in prison, in addition to fines and a period of supervised release. He will also pay restitution consisting of no less than $3,000 per victim. Pathmanathan is scheduled to be sentenced on May 27.
The FBI Houston Field office investigated the case. The Justice Department is grateful to the Toronto Police Service for their invaluable assistance. The Office of International Affairs of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division secured the temporary surrender of Pathmanathan from Canada.
Trial Attorney Kaylynn Foulon of the Justice Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Shinskie for the District of Columbia are 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 CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Canadian Citizen Pleads Guilty in D.C. in Sextortion Scheme that Targeted 145 Children in the U.S.Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Ramanan Pathmanathan, 40, of Toronto, Canada, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in connection with a prolific sextortion scheme that targeted more than 100 young children across the United States, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro and Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division.
Pathmanathan pleaded before Chief Judge James E. Boasberg to one count of production of child pornography and one count of coercion and enticement of a minor. Chief Judge Boasberg scheduled sentencing for May 27, 2026.
“Today my prosecutors took a particularly heinous child predator offline,” said U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro. “Pathmanathan targeted over a hundred children across our country, exposing them to pornography and then forcing them to commit horrendous acts for his own pleasure. Now, the only thing he will be exposed to is the inside of a prison cell. ”
“Today’s guilty plea marks a critical step toward justice for over 100 targeted victims in the United States who this predator harmed with his diabolical actions,” said Assistant Attorney General Duva. “For years, while hiding in another country behind a fabricated online persona, he used manipulation, threats, and fear to coerce unsuspecting juveniles into producing and engaging in sexually explicit acts, robbing them of their innocence. We will hold accountable anyone who preys on our children, including those who do it from behind a computer screen to ensure that victims are protected and treated with the dignity they deserve.”
According to court documents, Pathmanathan used multiple social media accounts – primarily Instagram and Facebook Messenger – to establish contact with at least 145 young girls and boys. Between at least March 2014 up until the day of his arrest on March 10, 2021, Pathmanathan posed as a teenage boy from New Jersey.
Pathmanathan demanded the minor victims engage in sexually explicit conduct while they participated in video chats with him. He directed them to expose their genitals, to penetrate their vaginas, and to engage in sexual acts with dogs, siblings, and other relatives. In almost all the video chats with his minor victims, Pathmanathan sent the children images of adults engaged in sexual acts to show them how to do what he was requesting.
Pathmanathan recorded his victims’ sexually explicit conduct and saved the files on his desktop computer. Some of the victims were as young as six-years-old. When the minor victims would decline to continue to engage in sexually explicit conduct or blocked Pathmanathan’s social media accounts, he threatened to send images to the children’s friends or family.
On Oct. 27, 2022, Pathmanathan pleaded guilty to similar offenses in Canada, and was later sentenced to 12 years in prison.
This case was investigated by the FBI Houston Field Office. The Department of Justice is grateful to the Toronto Police Service for their invaluable assistance. The Office of International Affairs of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division secured the temporary surrender of Pathmanathan from Canada.
It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Shinskie and Trial Attorney Kaylynn Foulon of the Justice Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section.
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.
22cr150
California Man Sentenced to 37 Months in Prison for Multi-State Identity Theft and Bank Fraud Ring ChargesRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Muhammed Drammeh, 30, of Huntington Beach, California, was sentenced on Jan. 27, 2026, by U.S. District Judge Angela M. Martinez to 37 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. Drammeh previously pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud.
The defendant and his co-conspirators engaged in a bank fraud and identity theft scheme that targeted individuals and banks in Arizona, Colorado, and California. The co-conspirators unlawfully and without authorization used victims’ personal identifying information and fraudulent identifications to open phony business accounts linked to the victims’ legitimate bank accounts. The two then transferred the victims’ funds from the victims’ legitimate bank accounts to the phony business bank accounts created and controlled by the co-conspirators. Once the victims’ funds were transferred to the phony business accounts, the co-conspirators withdrew the fraudulently obtained proceeds in cash at financial institutions and casinos.
Drammeh recruited other co-conspirators to impersonate victims using stolen identities and provided them fake identifications to further the scheme. Drammeh supervised at least one or more co-conspirators when they opened fraudulent accounts in victims’ names and withdrew the funds from banks and casinos.
The FBI, Tucson office, conducted the investigation in this case. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, Financial Crimes and Public Corruption Unit, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-24-00927-AMM-MSA
RELEASE NUMBER: 2026-012_DRAMMEH
# # #
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.
Baltimore County Softball Coach Indicted on Child Sex CrimesRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A federal grand jury indicted a Perry Hall, Maryland, softball coach in connection with child sexual abuse charges.
Michael Joseph Pusateri, 59, of Nottingham, Maryland, is charged with producing child sexual abuse material (CSAM), coercion and enticement, receipt of CSAM, and possession of CSAM.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the indictment with Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul, FBI – Baltimore Field Office; Baltimore County State’s Attorney Scott Shellenberger; and Chief Robert McCullough, Baltimore County Police Department (BCPD).
According to the indictment, between April 2025 and August 2025, Pusateri sent sexually explicit text messages to a minor victim, and later engaged in a physical sexual relationship with the child. Pusateri allegedly asked the minor victim to meet him at local-business parking lots to engage in sex acts. He groomed the minor victim through text messages and coerced and enticed the child into sending him sexual images. Pusateri also sent the minor victim several pictures of his genitals.
When law enforcement seized his phone, BCPD uncovered over 400 phone calls between Pusateri and minor victim from March 21, 2025, through July 25.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit justice.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit justice.gov/psc and click on the “Resources” tab on the left of the page.
An indictment is not a finding of guilt. Individuals charged by indictment are presumed innocent until proven guilty at a later criminal proceeding.
If convicted, Pusateri faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years, with a maximum of 30 years in federal prison for CSAM production; 10 years to life for coercion and enticement; and up to 10 years for CSAM possession.
Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI, the Baltimore County State’s Attorney’s Office, and BCPD for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen Elizabeth McGuinn who is prosecuting the federal case.
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.
# # #
Atlanta Return Preparers Agree to Permanent Injunction and to Pay Back $600,000 in Ill-Gotten GainsRead the Press Release
The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia issued a permanent injunction yesterday against Atlanta tax return preparers Mabika Ilunga, Simon Ilunga Sr., and Simon Ilunga Jr., both individually and doing business as Metro Insurance and Tax Service (together, the Defendants). The injunction bars the Defendants from preparing tax returns, working for, or having any ownership stake in any tax preparation business, assisting others (including family members) prepare tax returns or set up business as a preparer, and transferring or assigning customer lists to any other person or entity. The Defendants agreed to the terms of the injunction and to pay back to the United States $600,000 in ill-gotten gains they received from their return preparation business.
According to the complaint, the Defendants prepared and filed tax returns that falsely understated their customers’ federal income tax liabilities by fabricating, among other things:
- Eligibility for the Earned Income Tax Credit.
- Businesses and related business expenses and losses;
- Education and qualified electric vehicle credits;
- Unreimbursed employee business expenses; and
- Dependents and filing status.
As a result of the court’s order, the Defendants must post a copy of the injunction at all locations where they conduct business, and post a link to the injunction on their business’s website.
Deputy Assistant Attorney General Joshua Wu of the Civil Division’s Tax Litigation Branch made the announcement. Tax Litigation Branch attorney Daniel Causey handled this matter.
Taxpayers seeking a return preparer should remain vigilant against unscrupulous tax preparers. The IRS has information on its website for choosing a tax return preparer and has launched a free directory of federal tax preparers. The IRS also offers 10 tips to avoid tax season fraud and ways to safeguard their personal information.
In the past decade, the Department of Justice has obtained injunctions against hundreds of unscrupulous tax preparers. Information about these cases is available on the Justice Department’s website. An alphabetical listing of persons enjoined from preparing returns and promoting tax schemes can be found on this page. If you believe that one of the enjoined persons or businesses may be violating an injunction, please contact the Civil Division, Tax Litigation Branch with details.
Thursday 29 January 2026
Zuni Man Sentenced for Stabbing Unarmed VictimRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Zuni man has been sentenced to 37 months in prison after pleading guilty to stabbing an unarmed victim with a sharp metal object, causing severe internal injuries that required life-saving medical treatment.
There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court records, on June 16, 2025, Adrian Cheama, 37, an enrolled member of the Zuni Pueblo, stabbed an unarmed man in the abdomen with a sharp metal object without apparent provocation, then disposed of the weapon, preventing law enforcement from recovering it. The victim was airlifted to a hospital, where he received life-saving treatment for the stab wound and resulting severe internal injuries. At the time of his arrest, Cheama denied responsibility for the stabbing.
Cheama subsequently pled guilty to assault with a dangerous weapon and assault resulting in serious bodily injury. He was ordered to pay $36,567 in restitution. Upon his release from prison, Cheama will be subject to two years of supervised release.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Gallup Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Zuni Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron O. Jordan is prosecuting the case.
Yadkinville Woman Sentenced in Connection with Multi-Million Dollar Medicaid Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Greensboro, N.C. – A Yadkinville woman was sentenced to 24 months of imprisonment, 13 months of home detention, and two years of supervised release in connection with a scheme to submit fraudulent claims for incontinence products to Medicaid, announced United States Attorney Dan Bishop of the Middle District of North Carolina (MDNC).
Kathy Briggs, 65, pled guilty to one count of health care fraud on October 8, 2025. The court also ordered Briggs to pay restitution totaling $2,483,855.72.
According to court documents, Briggs co-owned Neveah & Company d/b/a Restorative Medical located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Restorative Medical had contracts with approximately 50 assisted living facilities across the state to supply incontinence supplies, such as adult diapers, and other products for the residents in those facilities. Between around 2018 and January 2024, Restorative Medical, at Briggs’s direction, consistently and fraudulently submitted claims to Medicaid for the maximum number of incontinence products per patient that Medicaid would reimburse.
When employees of Restorative Medical went to assisted living facilities to deliver products, they would count supplies and restock inventory. For example, if there were already 100 diapers on the shelf, Restorative Medical would deliver 100 more diapers to reach 200 -- the maximum quantity Medicaid would reimburse per beneficiary each month. However, at Briggs’s direction, Restorative Medical would consistently submit claims to Medicaid for 200 diapers (or the maximum allowable amount), without regard to how many diapers Restorative Medical actually delivered to the facility. Over the course of the scheme, Medicaid reimbursed Restorative Medical approximately $2.4 million to which it was not entitled.
The Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General, North Carolina Attorney General’s Office, Medicaid Investigations Division, the United States Department of Defense – Office of Inspector General, the United States Department of Veterans Affairs – Office of Inspector General, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, are investigating the case, and it is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ashley Waid and Special Assistant United States Attorney Daniel Spillman.
###
Western District of Virginia Recognizes National Human Trafficking Prevention MonthRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Today the Western District of Virginia observes National Human Trafficking Prevention Month and joins the Departments of Justice (DOJ) and Homeland Security (DHS) in reaffirming the administration’s commitment to combating all forms of human trafficking and protecting victims and survivors. Human Trafficking Prevention Month presents an opportunity for DHS and DOJ, through Homeland Security Task Forces (HSTF) to intensify operational efforts, raise public awareness, and strengthen partnerships across federal, state, and local agencies to disrupt trafficking networks, protect vulnerable individuals, and ensure traffickers are brought to justice.
“This Department of Justice is working tirelessly alongside our partners to dismantle human trafficking networks, help survivors, and protect vulnerable populations from being exploited,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Under this administration we have seen an increase in human trafficking prosecutions, and during Human Trafficking Prevention Month we reaffirm our commitment to prosecuting traffickers and encourage Americans to report instances of human trafficking in their communities.”
“Through the Homeland Security Task Force, President Trump is taking the fight directly to human trafficking networks and disrupting their modern-day slave trade while seizing their assets and arresting their kingpins and foot soldiers. The American people should not have to live in fear of cartels, gang bangers, and foreign terrorists preying upon the most vulnerable among us,” the United States Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem said in a statement. “The Homeland Security Task Force is the largest coordinated campaign against transnational criminal organizations in U.S. history, and I’m proud to co-lead it with Attorney General Bondi.”
“During Human Trafficking Prevention Month, the FBI reiterates our work with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies and national victim-based advocacy groups in joint task forces to protect our communities across the country,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “The horrifying reach of human trafficking spreads far and wide. Homeland Security Task Forces are fighting back to disrupt these perilous networks and put a stop to that reach. The FBI will continue our investigations and bring justice to those exploited by human traffickers.
“The Western District of Virginia will continue to work with our partners at the FBI, DHS, and other federal and state agencies to combat human trafficking, protect victims, and bring to justice those who line their pockets by exploiting and dehumanizing others,” Acting United States Attorney Robert N. Tracci said today. “Human trafficking is modern day slavery. It has no place in a civilized society, and we are dedicated to its eradication in the Western District of Virginia.”
In January 2025, President Donald J. Trump signed Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. Section 6 of this order directed the Attorney General and the Secretary of Homeland Security to jointly establish HSTFs in every state nationwide. The HSTF objective is to end the presence of criminal cartels, foreign gangs, and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) throughout the United States; dismantle cross-border human smuggling and trafficking networks; end the scourge of human smuggling and trafficking, with a particular focus on such offenses involving children; and ensure the use of all available law enforcement tools to faithfully execute the immigration laws of the United States.
In January 2026, DHS and DOJ are surging resources to fight and raise awareness about human trafficking, including:
• Identifying ongoing investigations and prioritizing featured operations across 45 federal locations and 10 state locations with an emphasis on border states.
• Coordinating with FBI Human Trafficking Squads and multi-agency Human Trafficking Task Forces to conduct victim recovery.
• Partnering with AMTRAK and FAMS to increase law enforcement resources and distribute posters with QR codes for reporting human trafficking in all station bathrooms and trains.
• Running advertisements related to $250 million recovery from Backpage to distribute to victims and additional victim restitution efforts by DOL-OIG.
• Organizing Human Trafficking seminars and outreach events with DHS Center for Countering Human Trafficking at high schools and colleges to highlight the role of HSTFs in addressing human trafficking.
On August 25, 2025, HSTF officially launched its effort to protect the Homeland with a September Surge encompassing 400 operations nationwide. In just 43 days, HSTF nationwide operations resulted in 3,266 arrests and seizures including:
• 1,041 Sinaloa members,
• 856 Cártel Jalisco Nueva Generación (“CJNG”) members,
• 641 MS-13 members,
• 456 Tren de Aragua members,
• 1,067 weapons
• More than $3,250,000 in currency
• Approximately 91 metric tons of narcotics
Virginia Man Pleads Guilty to Making a Bomb Threat on a PlaneRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – Taj Malik Taylor (27, Madison Heights, VA) has pleaded guilty to one count of false information and making threats. Taylor faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to the plea agreement, on July 6, 2025, Taylor was a passenger on an aircraft en route from the Saint Pete-Clearwater International Airport in Florida to the Roanoke-Blacksburg Regional Airport in Virginia. The plane was in the air and had just left Saint Pete-Clearwater International Airport when Taylor stated out loud that his laptop was a bomb. Several passengers heard Taylor make this statement. Taylor made the statement knowing that the information was false and with reckless disregard for the safety of human life. The flight crew rerouted the flight back to Saint Pete-Clearwater Airport because of Taylor’s statement.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Karyna Valdes.
Union County Former Teacher Sentenced to 78 Months for Receiving and Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Union County man was sentenced to 78 months in prison for receiving and possessing child pornography, Senior Counsel Philip Lamparello announced.
Jack Wilder, 27, of Somerville, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Jamel K. Semper in Newark federal court to an information charging him with one count of receipt of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. Judge Semper imposed the sentence on January 27, 2026.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
In July 2024, when Wilder was a teacher at a school in Plainfield, New Jersey, law enforcement searched Wilder’s cell phone and found child pornography. Then, in May 2025, when law enforcement arrested Wilder, they found additional child pornography that Wilder received on a second cell phone.
Senior Counsel Lamparello credited the work of the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations Newark, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael S. McCarthy, with the investigation leading up to this sentencing.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Casey S. Smith of the Criminal Division in Newark.
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 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
###
Defense counsel: Michael Baldassare, Esq.
Jeff Hawriluk, Esq.
Undocumented Alleged Drug Traffickers Indicted After Agents Seized 177,000 Fentanyl Pills in the District of UtahRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Three undocumented Mexican nationals, living in Utah, appeared in court today after they were indicted by a federal grand jury and charged with multiple drug crimes. The charges come after law enforcement seized large quantities of fentanyl and heroin from defendants’ homes and hidden compartments of their vehicles.
Silvano Gonzalez Venavidez, aka Eduardo Torres-Zepeda, 34; Edgar Ulises Torres Cervantes, aka Juan Maldonado Garcia, 38; and Carlos Roberto Limon Martinez, 21, all from Mexico, living in Salt Lake City were charged by complaint on January 15, 2026.
According to the allegations in court documents, beginning in November 2025, the FBI Wasatch Metro Drug Task Force (WMDTF) initiated a criminal investigation into Venavidez, Cervantes, and Martinez and other members of a drug trafficking organization. Agents believed the defendants and the organization were distributing large quantities of narcotics into Utah. On January 13, 2026, agents executed search warrants on residences and vehicles believed to be used for drug trafficking by Venavidez, Cervantes, and Martinez. Agents first located Martinez in his vehicle and seized approximately 135.08 grams of field-tested positive heroin and 513.35 grams of field-tested fentanyl (approximately 5,000 fentanyl pills) in a concealed area of the vehicle. Agents also seized approximately 1472.49 grams of field-tested positive fentanyl (approximately 14,000 fentanyl pills) and 427.03 grams of field-tested positive heroin.
As alleged in court documents, during a subsequent search of Venavidez’s residence, agents located approximately 14,982 grams of field-tested positive fentanyl (approximately 150,000 fentanyl pills) and 427.03 grams of field-tested heroin. Lastly, according to court documents, agents located Cervantes in his vehicle and seized approximately 204.54 grams of field-tested positive heroin and 879.04 grams of field-tested fentanyl (approximately 8,000 fentanyl pills) in a concealed compartment of the vehicle.
Venavidez, Cervantes, and Martinez are charged with conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, conspiracy to distribute heroin, possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute, and possession of heroin with intent to distribute. A three-day jury trial is scheduled for April 6, 2026, at 8:30 a.m. in courtroom 8.3 before a U.S. District Court Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.
United States Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the District of Utah made the announcement.
The case is being investigated by the FBI Wasatch Metro Drug Task Force. Valuable assistance was provided by the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Special Assistant United States Attorney Peter Reichman of the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
U.S. Obtains Legal Title to $400 Million in Assets Tied to Helix Cryptocurrency MixerRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON — The United States last week obtained legal title to more than $400 million worth of seized cryptocurrencies, real estate, and monetary assets tied to the operation of the darknet mixing service Helix, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
The assets were previously seized from Larry Dean Harmon, the operator of the Helix mixing service, which processed transactions involving over $300 million worth of cryptocurrency from 2014 to 2017.
“This case demonstrates that those who think the darknet provides a safe harbor for crime are dead wrong," said U.S. Attorney Pirro. "My office, the Department of Justice, and our law enforcement partners will continue to hold criminals accountable—whether they act in broad daylight or hide behind a computer screen. We will find them, we will prosecute them, and we will cut them down.”
Harmon pleaded guilty in August 2021 to conspiracy to commit money laundering. He was sentenced in November 2024 to 36 months imprisonment, three years of supervised release, a forfeiture money judgment, and forfeiture of seized property. On Jan. 21, 2026—following the government’s settlement with a mortgage-holder on one of Harmon’s properties—Judge Howell of the District Court for the District of Columbia entered a final order of forfeiture, declaring the assets forfeited to the government.
According to court documents, Helix was one of the most popular mixing services on the darknet and was highly sought after by online drug dealers who needed to launder their illicit proceeds. Helix was connected to Grams, a darknet search engine also run by Harmon. Helix processed at least approximately 354,468 bitcoin — the equivalent of approximately $311,145,854 in U.S. dollars at the time of the transactions — on behalf of its customers. Much of those funds were coming from or going to darknet drug markets. Harmon retained a percentage of these transactions as his commissions and fees for operating Helix.
Grams and Helix were designed to connect to or otherwise support all of the major darknet markets at the time. Helix’s Application Program Interface (API) enabled darknet markets to integrate Helix directly into their bitcoin withdrawal systems. Investigators traced tens of millions of dollars from darknet markets to Helix.
Joining in the announcement were Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Chief of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Guy Ficco, and FBI Assistant Director Brett Leatherman of the FBI’s Cyber Division.
The IRS-CI Cyber Crimes Unit and FBI Washington Field Office investigated the case, with valuable assistance for the investigation and seizure of assets provided by the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio.
The Attorney General’s Ministry of Belize and the Belize Police Department provided essential support for the investigation and seizure of assets, coordinated through U.S. Embassy Belmopan. The investigation was coordinated with the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network.
This case was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rick Blaylock, Jr. of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, Trial Attorneys C. Alden Pelker of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS) and Christopher B. Brown of the National Security Division’s National Security Cyber Section (formerly of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia).19cr395
U.S. Attorney’s Office Collects Nearly $1.9 million in Civil and Criminal Actions in Fiscal Year 2025Read the Press Release
The U.S. Attorney’s Office collected $1,859,147.53 in criminal and civil actions in fiscal year 2025. Of this amount, $1,722,362.25 was collected in criminal actions and $136,785.28 was collected in civil actions.
The U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, along with the department’s litigating divisions, are responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the U.S. and criminal debts owed to federal crime victims. The law requires defendants to pay restitution to victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered a physical injury or financial loss. While restitution is paid to the victim, criminal fines and felony assessments are paid to the department’s Crime Victims Fund, which distributes the funds collected to federal and state victim compensation and victim assistance programs.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office works consistently with partner agencies and divisions to collect assets. In the District of Wyoming, collection efforts are conducted through the U.S. Attorney’s Office Financial Litigation Program (FLP) and Asset Forfeiture Unit. Forfeited assets are deposited into the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund and used to restore funds to crime victims and for various law enforcement purposes.
“This component of the USAO is an essential part of the justice system,” said U.S. Attorney Darin Smith. “The FLP’s responsibility in collecting restitution under criminal judgments ensures timely payments to victims of crimes, including federal and state agencies. The FLP is also responsible for assuring timely payments are collected to satisfy civil judgments. I am extremely proud of the work our FLP has done in recovering nearly $2 million from criminal and civil actions last year.”
The Civil and Criminal Divisions work together to pursue effective recovery for crime victims. For example, in October 2025, through the combined effort of the FLP and Criminal Division, the U.S. Attorney’s Office collected $469,796 against Defendant Shu Ping Chen, Case No. 1:25‑cr‑00102‑ABJ. Chen was convicted of one count of filing a false tax return, in violation of 26 U.S.C. § 7206(1). Chen was ordered to pay a $100 special assessment, $359,696 in restitution, $75,000 fine, and $35,000 for the costs of prosecution. As a result of the diligent efforts of the FLP and Criminal Division, the U.S. Attorney’s Office recovered the entire restitution amount prior to sentencing and the fine/costs amounts immediately after sentencing.
Two Sentenced for Cocaine and Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Two men have been sentenced to federal prison for drug trafficking in the Northern Panhandle of West Virginia, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew L. Harvey.
Gerald Lee Young, 58, of Wintersville, Ohio, was sentenced to 77 months in prison for possessing cocaine base. Young was stopped in his vehicle for traveling the wrong way on a one-way street in Weirton, West Virginia. Young admitted to the officer that there might be controlled substances in the car. A K9 was deployed, and the officer found 49 grams of cocaine base and $1114 in cash in Young’s vehicle. Two residences Young was associated with were later searched. Officers found nearly 2 grams of fentanyl, 1.3 grams of cocaine base and nearly 9 grams of methamphetamine, along with $1,918 in cash and a firearm. Young has prior drug convictions.
James Thomas Howard, 37, of Washington, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 77 months for distributing methamphetamine. Howard, also known as “Jim Tom,” sold 32 grams of meth to someone in Marshall County. He has multiple prior drug convictions.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Clayton Reid prosecuted the cases on behalf of the government.
Investigative agencies include the Hancock Brooke Weirton Drug Task Force and the Marshall County Drug Task Force, each a HIDTA-funded initiative.
These cases are a part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime, and repel the invasion of illegal immigration.
U.S. District Judge John Preston Bailey presided.
Two Mexican Nationals with Prior Felony Convictions and Multiple Deportations Charged for Illegally Reentering the United StatesRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – Two Mexican nationals unlawfully residing in Las Vegas made their initial court appearances today to face charges of illegally reentering the United States after previously being removed from the country.
Victor Alfonso Cabada-Landeros, 33, and Ezequiel Lopez-Fuentes, 42, are both charged with one-count of deported alien found in the United States. Preliminary hearings for both defendants are scheduled for February 12, 2026, before United States Magistrate Judge Nancy J Koppe.
According to allegations contained in the criminal complaints and statements made during court proceedings, Cabada-Landeros and Lopez-Fuentes are both citizens and nationals of Mexico and were both previously deported and removed from the United States and reentered the United States illegally. On January 21, 2026, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Fugitive Operations Team arrested both Cabada-Landeros and Lopez-Fuentes in targeted operations.
Cabada-Landeros had previously been deported by ICE on or about February 18, 2015, and again on or about November 9, 2019. Cabada-Landeros has prior felony convictions for Conspiracy to Violate Uniform Controlled Substances Act and for Illegal Reentry after Deportation, the same offense he is currently charged with. Both convictions are out of Clark County, Nevada.
Lopez-Fuentes had previously been deported by ICE on four prior occasions with the last deportation being on or about or about June 18, 2023. Lopez-Fuentes has prior felony convictions for Unlawful Delivery of Heroin, out of Portland, Oregon, and for Trafficking in Controlled Substance out of Clark County, Nevada.
If convicted, both Cabada-Landeros and Lopez-Fuentes each face a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison, a three-year term of supervised release, a $250,000 fine, and a $100 special assessment.
First Assistant United States Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada and Salt Lake City Acting Field Office Director Brian Henke made the announcement.
The ICE Salt Lake City, Las Vegas Sub-Office investigated the case; and the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada is prosecuting the case.
Members of the public can report crimes and suspicious activity by dialing 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or completing the online tip form.
A complaint is merely an accusation, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
###
Two Kansans indicted for making threats against federal officials in separate, unrelated incidentsRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. – In separate, unrelated cases, a federal grand jury in Wichita returned indictments charging two Kansas men with threatening violence against federal officials.
According to court documents, Adam Lee Osborn, 60, of Wichita was indicted on one count of interstate communications with a threat to injure and one count of influencing, impeding, and retaliating against a federal official by threatening.
On January 23, 2026, Osborn allegedly indicated via social media that he intended to murder Congresswoman Ilhan Omar, a member of the U.S. House of Representatives.
In a separate case, Joaquin Hernandez, 23, of Wichita was indicted on one count of interstate communications with threat to injure and one count of retaliating against a federal official by threatening.
On January 22, 2026, Hernandez is accused of posting a video on social media threatening to assault and murder federal law enforcement agents with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) carrying out their duties in Wichita.
“Threats of political violence will not be tolerated,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser. “In a democracy, we settle our differences at the ballot box after robust public debate. For our system of government to work, it’s vital that certain lines are not crossed when it comes to self-expression. Threats of political violence destabilize the very core of our system of governance.”
The Wichita Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) are investigating both cases.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
###Two Drug Traffickers Charged After Ramming DEA Vehicles and Leading a High Speed Chase in Fresno CountyRead the Press Release
Two Los Angeles County residents were charged Monday for their roles in a drug trafficking conspiracy and an assault on federal law enforcement officers, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
Kevin Guzman and Julian Alcantara-Aguirre, both 23, were charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl. Alcantara-Aguirre was also charged with assault on a federal officer.
According to court documents, on Jan. 22, 2026, Guzman and Alcantara-Aguirre traveled from Los Angeles County to Fresno to carry out a planned sale of 5 kilograms of fentanyl. When they spotted law enforcement officers in the area, Guzman and Alcantara-Aguirre fled in their black Toyota Matrix.
As Alcantara‑Aguirre attempted to escape, he rammed the Toyota Matrix into multiple government vehicles occupied by DEA agents. Guzman and Alcantara‑Aguirre then led agents on a high‑speed pursuit along State Routes 99 and 180 before coming to a stop and fleeing on foot. Both men were apprehended shortly after a coordinated law enforcement response. During the pursuit, officers recovered approximately 5 kilograms of fentanyl that had been thrown from the Toyota Matrix.
“Fentanyl is a poison in this District and throughout the nation,” said U.S. Attorney Grant. “In coordination with DEA and our local and state law enforcement partners, this Office will vigorously prosecute those who traffic in that poison. And we will not tolerate violent assaults on federal officers who steadfastly enforce our drug laws.”
“The men and women of the Drug Enforcement Administration are dedicated to saving lives,” said Special Agent in Charge Bob P. Beris of the DEA San Francisco Field Division. “As part of DEA’s Fentanyl Free America Campaign, this operation targeted large scale fentanyl dealers, peddling poison in our communities. There is no doubt this seizure saved lives. We are thankful for our law enforcement partners that worked with us on this operation.”
The Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, the Fresno Police Department, and the California Highway Patrol conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chan Hee Chu is prosecuting the case.
If convicted of the conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, the defendants face a minimum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum of life in prison, and a $10 million fine. If convicted of assault on a federal officer, Alcantara-Aguirre faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Troy man accused of threatening to kill ICE agents in MinneapolisRead the Press Release
EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – A Troy man is facing a federal charge for threatening to kill federal agents working for Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Minneapolis.
A federal complaint charged Jeffrey A. Mullinix, 67, with one count of interstate communication with a threat to injure.
“Violence and threats against law enforcement officers can never be tolerated, and those responsible will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” said U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft. “At the same time, I call on everyone to lower the temperature and seek calm. Our country faces real challenges, but threats and violence only make things worse for our communities, our officers, and the rule of law.”
According to the complaint, Mullinix is accused of posting a threatening comment on a YouTube video on Jan. 21. In the comment, Mullinix allegedly stated he was on his way to Minneapolis with weapons, had prior military experience and would knock at least 50 of the law enforcement agents out. An anonymous tipster notified the FBI of Mullinix’s comment.
"Threats of violence against law enforcement are taken seriously. The statements made by Mr. Mullinix were not off handed, but were direct and specific," said Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Springfield Field Office, Karen Marinos. "FBI Springfield thanks our law enforcement partners for the assistance they provided in this matter and for treating it with the seriousness it deserved."
On Jan. 22, law enforcement interviewed Mullinix at his residence and seized two rifles.
A complaint is merely an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The FBI Springfield Field Office is leading the investigation.
Troy Rivetti Appointed to Serve as United States Attorney for the Western District of PennsylvaniaRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA – Troy Rivetti was appointed by Attorney General Pamela Bondi on January 28, 2026, to serve as United States Attorney for the Western District of Pennsylvania, and was sworn into the role yesterday afternoon by the Honorable J. Nicholas Ranjan, United States District Court Judge.
Mr. Rivetti has led the office since the resignation of United States Attorney Eric Olshan in January 2025, with Rivetti having served as Acting United States Attorney until November 2025 and then continuing to lead the office as First Assistant United States Attorney, the role Rivetti held prior to becoming Acting United States Attorney.
Mr. Rivetti’s career in the Department of Justice has spanned nearly 30 years and has included a series of leadership positions in the U.S. Attorney’s Office. In addition to previously holding the positions of Acting United States Attorney (February 2023 to June 2023) and First Assistant United States Attorney (November 2021 to January 2025), Rivetti served as Chief of the office’s Criminal Division from 2019 to 2021. He joined the U.S. Attorney’s Office in 1997.
Throughout his career as a federal prosecutor, Mr. Rivetti’s primary area of concentration has involved the investigation and prosecution of violent crime, including large-scale drug trafficking organizations and firearms offenses. Of particular note, Rivetti co-led the multi-year investigation and prosecution of United States v. Robert Bowers, the perpetrator of the worst antisemitic mass shooting in U.S. history. He served as first chair for the trial team throughout the three-month capital jury selection, trial, and sentencing.
Mr. Rivetti obtained his Bachelor of Arts degree from Dickinson College and his Juris Doctor from Georgetown University. Following graduation from law school, Rivetti was employed for five years as a litigation associate at a large Pittsburgh law firm. He then served as a law clerk for two years for the Honorable D. Brooks Smith.
Title Company Owner Sentenced for EmbezzlementRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – Jonathan Yasko (46, Winter Springs) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Julie S. Sneed to 27 months in federal prison for wire fraud. Yasko pleaded guilty on May 22, 2025. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents, Yasko owned or controlled various title companies that conducted real estate settlement services and issued title insurance policies on behalf of title insurance underwriters. Each of Yasko’s title companies was required to deposit the funds it received from the lenders, buyers, and homeowners into an escrow account to segregate these monies from its own funds and were also legally required to disburse the lender’s funds in the manner specified in the instructions sent by the financial institutions. Yasko’s title companies also had a fiduciary duty to the financial institutions and were required to act in the best interests of the party providing the funds, rather than using these funds for its own self-interest.
From January 2021 through August 2023, Yasko engaged in a scheme to defraud financial institutions through the use of interstate wires. As part of his scheme, Yasko promised to keep the financial institution’s funds segregated in escrow accounts prior to closing in according with Florida law; promised to disburse the financial institution’s funds that were sent via interstate wire transfers affecting interstate commerce in accordance with the financial institution’s closing instructions; initiated fraudulent interstate wire transfers of the lender funds from the segregated escrow accounts to other escrow accounts that had insufficient funds to conduct separate closings; and initiated fraudulent interstate wire transfers of lender funds from the segregated escrow accounts to Yasko’s title company operating accounts for illicit purposes and embezzled mortgage lenders funds, which prevented the real estate settlements from taking place. As a result, the title insurance underwriter paid out settlements to the victim financial institutions. Numerous botched real estate closings involved mortgage loans purchased or owned by Freddie Mac.
In exchange for his role in the scheme to defraud, Yasko also received ill-gotten title insurance premiums. Yasko has agreed to forfeit $201,004.57, the proceeds of the charged criminal conduct.
This case was investigated by the Federal Housing Finance Agency – Office of Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Chris Poor.
Technician indicted for stealing controlled substances from pharmacyRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. – A federal grand jury in Wichita returned an indictment charging a Kansas woman with illegally taking controlled substances from her employer’s inventory.
According to court documents, Janice Mae Brown, 39, of Russell was indicted on one count of acquiring a controlled substance by deception.
Beginning at a date unknown and continuing through March 2025, Brown is accused of using her position as a pharmacy technician to remove amphetamine (Adderall) and methylphenidate (Ritalin) from a pharmacy without proper authorization.
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is investigating the case.
OTHER INDICTMENTS
Miguel De La Cruz, 22, a Guatemalan national residing illegally in Arkansas City was indicted on one count of resisting, opposing, impeding, and interfering with a federal officer. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) is investigating the case.
Jose Garcia-Villa, 43, a Mexican national residing illegally in the United States was indicted on one count of illegal reentry after deportation. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) is investigating 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.
###Tallahassee Felon Indicted for Unlawful Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Joseph Columbus Williams, 64, of Tallahassee, Florida, has been indicted in federal court for two counts of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida announced the charges.
Williams appeared in federal court for his arraignment before United States Magistrate Judge Martin A. Fitzpatrick in Tallahassee, Florida. Jury trial is scheduled for March 16, 2026, at 8:15 am before District Court Judge Robert L. Hinkle in Tallahassee, Florida.
Williams faces 15 years’, and up to life, imprisonment on each count.
The case is being jointly investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Tallahassee Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney James A. McCain.
An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime, human and drug trafficking.
As part of its PSN strategy, the United States Attorney’s Office is encouraging everyone to lock their car doors, particularly at night. Burglaries from unlocked automobiles are a significant source of guns for criminals in the Northern District of Florida. Please do your part and protect yourself by locking your car doors.
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.
Sun City Center Man Pleads Guilty to Two Counts of Falsely Impersonating A Federal OfficerRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – Marcus Jose Luis Brand (20, Sun City Center) has pleaded guilty to two counts of false impersonation of an officer. Brand faces a maximum penalty of six years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents, on October 3, 2024, Brand falsely claimed to be a U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division Special Agent and conducted canvas interviews of several individuals, at their homes, in a neighborhood in the Middle District of Florida. Brand was wearing a badge on his waist band and told the victims that he was a U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division Special Agent. Brand then proceeded to ask the victims questions, stating he was investigating a dispute between some of the neighbors.
Brand has never been a U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division Special Agent and has never had authority to conduct investigations. Several of his interactions with the victims were captured on home surveillance cameras.
Further, on October 18, 2024, Brand, attended a football game at Lennard High School wearing a badge and handcuffs and, again, falsely claimed to be a U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division Special Agent.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Karyna Valdes.
Startup CEO Charged with FraudRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), James C. Barnacle, Jr., and Inspector in Charge of the New York Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (“USPIS”), Ketty Larco-Ward, announced today the filing of a Superseding Indictment charging GÖKÇE GÜVEN with securities fraud, wire fraud, visa fraud, and aggravated identity theft. The charges arise from an alleged scheme by the defendant to defraud investors in her technology startup Kalder Inc. (“Kalder”) through material misrepresentations regarding Kalder’s financials, brand partners, and paying customers. GÜVEN, a citizen of Turkey, also used lies about Kalder, as well as forged documents, to obtain an O-1A visa, reserved for individuals of “extraordinary ability,” that would allow her to live and work in the U.S. GÜVEN was previously arrested on November 27, 2025. The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge Lewis A. Kaplan.
“As alleged, Gökçe Güven built her seed round on fake revenue, inflated brand partnerships, and fabricated documents, and then used the same lies to secure a visa reserved for extraordinary ability,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “Beware of fraud masquerading as entrepreneurship. This Office, alongside our law enforcement partners, will continue to vigorously pursue market participants who use fraud and deception to victimize investors.”
“Gökçe Güven allegedly exaggerated her company’s fiscal condition and partnerships to swindle more than seven million dollars from prospective investors before using these misrepresentations to unlawfully obtain a highly acclaimed visa to the United States,” said FBI Assistant Director in Charge James C. Barnacle, Jr. “Güven allegedly curated a façade of her business ingenuity to unlawfully reap financial and personal benefits. The FBI will continue to expose any manipulative tactics employed to advertise misleading investment opportunities at the cost of their related stakeholders.”
“This indictment displays the lengths that individuals will go through to defraud investors and the American public, and how they are ultimately caught to pay for their crimes,” said USPIS Inspector in Charge Ketty Larco-Ward. “Investors placed their trust in this emerging fintech founder and CEO, only to be misled and scammed, as alleged. We commend the work and partnership of the FBI and the Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force to put end to self-serving executives and their fraudulent schemes.”
As alleged in the Superseding Indictment and other public filings in this case:[1]
GÜVEN was the founder and CEO of Kalder, a New York-based technology startup focused on business loyalty and rewards programs. GÜVEN promoted Kalder as a “fintech-marketing platform” that brands could use to create and monetize customized reward programs. In April 2024, GÜVEN began raising Kalder’s “seed round,” soliciting investments from dozens of venture capitalists. GÜVEN provided prospective investors with false statements, misleading claims, and fabricated documents regarding Kalder’s revenue and brand partners. GÜVEN transmitted to potential investors a pitch deck that misrepresented, among other things, that Kalder had 26 brands “using Kalder” and 53 brands in “live freemium” (that is, using basic Kalder services free of charge). As to some brands, Kalder had only entered into pilot programs to provide services for a limited time period and typically at a heavily discounted price. Other brands had no agreement with Kalder whatsoever—not even for free services. Kalder’s pitch deck also falsely reported that Kalder’s recurring revenue had steadily grown month over month since February 2023 and that by March 2024, Kalder had reached $1.2 million in annual recurring revenue. GÜVEN concealed the true financial condition of the company from multiple investors by maintaining two sets of books—one internal set containing Kalder’s accurate monthly and annual financial information that was prepared by Kalder’s outside accounting firm, and a second set with false and inflated numbers that was transmitted to investors and prospective investors. As a result, GÜVEN raised approximately $7 million from more than a dozen investors.
GÜVEN, a citizen of Turkey, also made false statements and fabricated documents as part of a visa application. Following the expiration of her student visa, GÜVEN caused Kalder to sponsor her for an O-1A visa, which is typically issued to individuals with extraordinary ability in the sciences, education, business, or athletics. GÜVEN’s application repeated the same sorts of misrepresentations that GÜVEN had provided to Kalder’s investors. GÜVEN also supplied letters of support and reference purportedly signed by business executives but that, in fact, GÜVEN had digitally signed herself without the executives’ knowledge or consent. GÜVEN was ultimately issued an O-1A visa in the fall of 2025.
* * *
GÜVEN, 26, of New York, New York, and Turkey, is charged with securities fraud and wire fraud, each of which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; visa fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison; and aggravated identity theft, which carries a mandatory consecutive sentence of two years in prison.
The maximum potential sentences are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding work of the FBI and USPIS. Mr. Clayton also expressed appreciation for the assistance of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
The case is being handled by the Office’s Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Allison Nichols and Alexandra N. Rothman are in charge of the prosecution.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Superseding Indictment and the descriptions of the Indictment set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Stamford Drug Trafficker Sentenced to 9 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that SAMUEL ELIE, 49, of Stamford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Vernon D. Oliver in Hartford to 108 months of imprisonment and five years of supervised release for distributing narcotics.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in November 2024, Stamford Police learned that Elie was selling fentanyl, powder cocaine, and crack cocaine from his house and his vehicles. Investigators made three controlled purchases of fentanyl from Elie in December 2024 and January 2025. Elie was arrested on related state charges on January 22, 2025. On that date, a search of his residence revealed approximately 152 grams of fentanyl, 215 grams of crack cocaine, 91 grams of powder cocaine, eight grams of methamphetamine, a gun magazine, and 50 rounds of assorted ammunition.
Elie’s criminal history includes felony convictions for firearm, drug, robbery, and other offenses.
Elie has been detained since his arrest. On September 29, 2025, he pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and a quantity of cocaine.
This matter was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Stamford Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary G. Vitale.
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.
Southampton Investment Advisor Sentenced to 72 Months in Prison for Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Earlier today, in federal court in Central Islip, Jeffrey Slothower was sentenced by United States District Judge Gary R. Brown to 72 months in prison for wire fraud, investment adviser fraud and money laundering in connection with a scheme to misappropriate more than $1 million from clients. In addition to the terms of imprisonment, Judge Brown ordered Slothower to pay $1,160,936 in restitution and in forfeiture.
Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York and James C. Barnacle, Jr., Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI) announced the sentence.
“Jeffrey Slothower used his position as an investment advisor to steal over a million dollars from an unsuspecting couple,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “Today’s sentence sends a message to all those that would use their positions as financial professionals to line their own pockets – our Office will prosecute you to the full extent of the law.”
“Jeffrey Slothower crafted fabrications of profitable returns to conceal his true intention of reaching into his clients’ wallets and personally pocketing their investments,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Barnacle. “Slothower stole more than one million dollars from his investors to fund extravagant purchases and repay his own credit card bills. The FBI will continue to unravel any web of lies used to unlawfully solicit investments at the cost of trusting clients.”
As proven at trial, Slothower orchestrated a scheme to misappropriate more than $1 million from current and prospective clients. Specifically, while operating Battery Private, a New York investment advisory firm, Slothower solicited business from Victim-1 and Victim-2, a couple from California whose money Slothower had managed at another financial services firm where he was previously employed. Slothower promised the victims he could beat any rate of return they were receiving and do so without market risk. In 2017, he offered to invest Victim-1’s money into what Slothower described as bonds backed by homeowner’s association fees (the “HOA Bonds”), which would pay an eight percent return.
Based on Slothower’s representations, in January 2017, Victim-1 sent more than $500,000 to Slothower at Battery Private to be invested in the purported HOA Bonds. Instead of investing in HOA Bonds or holding the funds as promised, however, Slothower funneled the money into his personal bank accounts, and then used those funds to purchase a $125,000 Mercedes Benz SUV, and membership dues at Long Island National Golf Club, a private East End country club. To further the fraudulent scheme, Slothower made payments to Victim-1 that were falsely represented as quarterly distributions from Victim-1’s “investment.”
Later, Slothower solicited Victim-1 to invest additional money, including funds controlled by Victim-2, who was then a Battery Private client. Enticed by the supposedly steady rate of return, Victim-2 agreed to invest in the same purported HOA Bonds, and in December 2017, Victim-2 sent more than $500,000 to Slothower at Battery Private. However, like Victim-1, Victim-2’s money was not invested in HOA Bonds. Instead, Slothower used that money to pay tens of thousands of dollars in personal credit card debt traced to an approximately $6,500 Chanel purse, an approximately $13,000 Rolex watch, and more than $11,000 in Ralph Lauren clothing, among other things. To further the fraudulent scheme, Slothower made payments to Victim-2 that were falsely represented as quarterly distributions from Victim-2’s investment. Slothower’s scheme continued through June 2018, when he defrauded Victim-1 out of another approximately $84,000. Slothower used Victim-1’s money to make purported quarterly payments to Victim-1 and Victim-2 that were falsely represented as their investment returns and to pay membership dues at the private golf club.
During the same period that Slothower defrauded Victim-1 and Victim-2, he also engaged in mortgage fraud. While attempting to refinance a mortgage on a residence he owned, Slothower misrepresented to the mortgage lender, both orally and through the submission of false invoices, that the victims’ funds came from Slothower’s sale of a wine collection, a stamp collection, and a fine art collection. At his trial, Slothower lied under oath when he denied classifying the victims’ funds as the proceeds of an asset sale.
The government’s case is being handled by the Criminal Section of the Office’s Long Island Division and the Office’s Business and Securities Fraud Section. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adam Toporovsky and Benjamin Weintraub are in charge of the prosecution, with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Janelle Robinson.
The Defendant:
JEFFREY SLOTHOWER
Age: 47
Southampton, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 21-CR-602 (GRB)
Sixteen Defendants Charged with Violently Assaulting Federal Officers and PropertyRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – Sixteen individuals who violently assaulted federal officers and federal property over the past several weeks have been charged in criminal complaints, announced United States Attorney Daniel N. Rosen.
Rosen was joined in the announcement by HSI Acting Executive Associate Director, Homeland Security Investigations John A. Condon.
Among those charged were:
Gillian Etherington, of Minneapolis, Minnesota, who is alleged to have rammed her car into a United States Border Patrol vehicle and drove away. Border Patrol Agents followed Etherington who drove into oncoming traffic and struck an unmarked law enforcement vehicle near a high school. Etherington refused to comply with Agents’ commands to exit her car. As Agents attempted to remove her from the car, Etherington put the car in gear. Agents were ultimately able to pull Etherington from the car, but she resisted arrest and yelled: “Free Palestine!” Etherington also tried to grab one of the Border Patrol Agent’s firearm, which fell to the ground and out of the Agent’s reach.
Paul Johnson, of Minneapolis, Minnesota, who is alleged to have been following Customs and Border Protection Officers in his van. Johnson exited his van and approached the CBP Officers’ vehicle with a baseball bat in his hand. After Officers told Johnson to stop approaching and get back, Johnson returned to his van, left the baseball bat, but grabbed a canister of pressurized oleoresin capsicum (“pepper spray”), and sprayed the CBP Officer’s vehicle. When Officers attempted to arrest Johnson – who had entered his running van – he resisted arrest, attempted to put the van in gear, and sprayed the faces of multiple officers with pepper spray.
Matrim James Charlebois, of Minneapolis, Minnesota, who is alleged to have stood in front of a law enforcement vehicle and obstructed its path. Charlebois then used two hands to swing a metal cane at federal law enforcement officer, narrowly missing the officer’s head. Charlebois then struck a federal law enforcement vehicle multiple times with the metal cane.
Ilan Wilson-Soler, of Minneapolis, Minnesota, who is alleged to have approached federal law enforcement officers with a large fire extinguisher, pointed it at the officers, sprayed them, and then ran away. While Wilson-Soler was running away, he collided with another federal law enforcement officer and hit her in the knee with the fire extinguisher.
Abdikadir Noor, of St. Cloud, Minnesota, who is alleged to have thrown a brick at Immigration and Customs Enforcement Officers. When Officers attempted to arrest Noor, he fled and, once caught, attempted to avoid being handcuffed by grappling with the Officers.
Margaret Sager, of Minneapolis, Minnesota, who is alleged to have jumped on the back of an Immigration and Customs Enforcement Officer and put her arm around his neck in what appeared to be a strangle hold. At the time of Sager’s assault on the Officer, the Officer had arrested an illegal alien and was escorting the illegal alien to a vehicle for transportation.
Also charged were Kirubele Adbebe of Rosemont, Minnesota; Nasra Ahmed of Woodberry, Minnesota; Helicity Borowska of Mahtomedi, Minnesota; Joshua Doyle of Robbinsdale, Minnesota; Nitzana Flores of South Haven, Minnesota; Christina Rank of St. Paul, Minnesota; Madeline Tschida of Becker, Minnesota; Alice Valentine of St. Cloud, Minnesota; William Vermie of Minneapolis, Minnesota; and Quentin Williams of Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota.
United States Attorney Rosen stated, “We do not tolerate assaults on federal officers and those who commit that crime will be held accountable.”
“People need to understand their actions have consequences and that obstruction, assault and impeding is not protected under the disguise of protesting,” said HSI Acting Executive Associate Director, Homeland Security Investigations John A. Condon. “We will continue to work with the Department of Justice to ensure anyone that oversteps that line of peaceful protester to illegal agitator will be apprehended and prosecuted to the full extent of the law.”
A complaint is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent. As a felony trial cannot be held on a complaint, a decision to seek an indictment will be made in the near future.
These cases are being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations.
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.
Shiprock Man Charged Federally After Shooting into ResidenceRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Shiprock man is facing federal charges in connection with a shooting that sent multiple rounds into an occupied residence.
According to court documents, on January 21, 2026, Navajo Police Department dispatch received a call from a reporting party who stated that Taylon Keeswood, 20, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, was shooting at a house in Shiprock, New Mexico. Responding officers located and detained Keeswood near the house shortly after the call. Investigators responded to the shooting scene, where they recovered shell casings and confirmed that a residence occupied by an adult and three children had been struck numerous times by gunfire. No one inside the home was injured.
Keeswood later admitted to investigators that he fired an AK-style rifle from his hip, emptying a 30-round magazine at the residence, which he believed was the home of an individual with whom he had prior disputes, before fleeing the area and hiding the firearm. Law enforcement later recovered the firearm at the location Keeswood identified after hiding it while evading police.
Keeswood is charged with assault with a dangerous weapon and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. He will remain on conditions of release pending trial, which has not been scheduled. If convicted of the current charges, Keeswood faces a minimum of ten years in prison.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Police Department and Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Mondragon is prosecuting the case.
View the Criminal Complaint (Keeswood).pdfAn indictment or criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.