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12 March 2026
Five Sentenced for Helping Overseas Scammers Defraud Elderly VictimsRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Matthew T. Schelp on Thursday sentenced a man who participated in a scheme that stole millions of dollars from elderly victims in ten states to four years in prison.
Judge Schelp also ordered Sital Singh, 43, to pay $6.6 million in restitution to victims.
Singh, Dariona Lambert, 24, Zhamoniq Stevens, 24, Chintankumar Parekh, 52, and Mehulkumar Darji, 42, all pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Lambert and Stevens were couriers who picked up gold bars or coins from scam victims. Darji, Parekh and Singh were the “handlers” who collected the gold and paid the couriers in cash.
Overseas scammers contacted elderly victims via telephone calls and electronic messages, falsely claiming that the victims’ savings and retirement accounts had been compromised. They told their victims that they needed to transfer their funds to keep their accounts secure, often via the purchase of gold bars or coins. The government believes that the overseas scammers netted $9.3 million from victims.
One of the victims, an 82-year-old St. Louis woman, was contacted by someone claiming to represent a computer software support team and told that her financial accounts had been compromised. Among other things, they told her to buy about $250,000 worth of gold bars. They sent Lambert to pick up the gold. On May 1, 2024, she flew from Gainesville, Florida to St. Louis. Parekh rented a car and drove Lambert to a parking lot near the victim’s home. She then took a rideshare to the victim’s home, where she was intercepted by law enforcement agents. After Parekh was alerted by Lambert that she had been apprehended, he fled to Pittsburgh.
Singh worked as a handler in gold bar pickups from victims in Collierville, Tenn.; Universal City, Texas; and Greendale, Wis. Parekh worked as a handler in pickups from victims in Yuma and Scottsdale in Arizona; Placentia and La Jolla in California; Largo, Florida; Chapel Hill, N.C.; and Pittsburgh, Penn. Darji worked as a handler in pickups from Scottsdale, Largo and La Jolla. Lambert worked as a courier in Scottsdale; Placentia; La Jolla; Largo; Universal City; Hanover, Mass.; and Erie, Penn. Stevens worked as a courier in gold bar pickups from victims in Yuma; La Jolla; Collierville; Largo; Greendale; Oxnard, Calif.; Long Island, N.Y.; and Cincinnati, Ohio.
Darji and Parekh have been sentenced to four years in prison. Lambert was sentenced to two years in prison and Stevens was sentenced to 18 months. All were also ordered to pay restitution
Parekh and Darji are in the United States unlawfully and will be deported upon their release from prison. Parekh overstayed his work visa and Darji was removed from the country in 2014.
“Sital Singh and his co-conspirators in the U.S. and overseas are parasites. Their crimes devastated their elderly victims by robbing them of their life savings. In one example, an elderly couple in their 90s lost all the money they had saved to ensure their disabled adult child would be taken care of for life,” said Special Agent in Charge Chris Crocker of the FBI St. Louis Division. “The FBI will continue to aggressively dismantle these types of organized networks operating in the U.S., while working with our international law enforcement partners to go after the ringleaders overseas.”
This case was investigated by the FBI and Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations in Tampa, Florida. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gwen Carroll is prosecuting the case.
If someone you know is a victim of a cyber scam, report it to the FBI. You can file the complaint online with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov or use 1-800-CALL-FBI.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Welcomes New Assistant U.S. Attorneys and Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys at Office TrainingRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – On March 3, 2026, First Assistant U.S. Attorney John A. Sarcone gave welcoming remarks to the Assistant U.S. Attorneys and Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys at the New AUSA Training in Syracuse. The training included an introduction to the federal criminal process and the role of the Special Assistant U.S. Attorney, as well as topics including drug prosecutions, cooperators, the use of informants, and firearms prosecutions, presented by Deputy Criminal Chief and Narcotics and Firearms Chief Nico Commandeur; topics surrounding Project Safe Childhood (“PSC”), presented by PSC Coordinator Michael Gadarian; and the use of search warrants, presented by Senior Litigation Counsel Lisa Fletcher.
Participants at the training included Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paul DerOhannesian, Jeff Brown, Michael Whalen, and Kevin Cheung, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys William Berger (Saratoga County), Kathleen Hofman (Montgomery County), Joseph Frandino (Saratoga County), Marissa Olsen (Madison County), Meghan Horton (Saratoga County), Jed Hudson (Onondaga County), Nolan Pitkin (Jefferson County), Manpreet Kaur (Montgomery County), Sam Rodgers (Madison County), Michael Johnson (Herkimer County), and Arne Soldwedel (Social Security Administration).
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarcone also welcomed the staff and remarked, “We are extremely grateful to have you join the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York. We eagerly look forward to the contributions you will make as we work together to uphold our mission and serve the public as civil servants.”
Pictured above (left to right and back to front): SAUSAWilliam Berger, SAUSA Kathleen Hofman, SAUSA Joseph Frandino, SAUSA Marissa Olsen, SAUSA Meghan Horton, SAUSA Jed Hudson, SAUSA Nolan Pitkin, SAUSA Manpreet Kaur, First Assistant U.S. Attorney John Sarcone, Senior Litigation Counsel Lisa Fletcher, SAUSA Sam Rodgers, AUSA Paul DerOhannesian, AUSA Jeff Brown, SAUSA Michael Johnson, SAUSA Arne Soldwedel, AUSA Michael Whalen, and AUSA Kevin Cheung.
Final Defendant in Large York County Drug Conspiracy Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Jarman Lamar White, 39, of Rock Hill, has been sentenced to 15 years in federal prison for conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute 400 grams of fentanyl and a quantity of cocaine and methamphetamine.
Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that White was responsible for selling drugs that were obtained from members of the Darryl Hemphill drug organization. Agents learned that drugs obtained by this group included pills that resembled Roxicodone 30 mg tablets, also known in the generic form as a oxycodone. The counterfeit pills were produced by members of the organization. The pills were clandestinely manufactured with fentanyl at various locations in the Rock Hill and Charlotte area.
During the investigation, multiple phone calls were intercepted between White and other members of the organization in which it was learned that White was acquiring cocaine and methamphetamine, in addition to fentanyl, from other members. Agents also learned that White allowed the organization to use the basement of his girlfriend’s home in Rock Hill to set up multiple pill-press machines used to manufacture the fentanyl-laced pills. White and others were surveilled and observed moving the pill-press machines into the basement of the residence. White allowed multiple members of the Hemphill organization to utilize this residence to store and later operate multiple pill-press machines to clandestinely manufacture these fentanyl-laced pills. On one occasion, White and members of the organization made approximately 50,000 fentanyl-laced pills in the basement of the residence during a single day. White was paid a quantity of fentanyl-laced pills and several thousand dollars in return for using his residence.
At the time of White’s arrest in June 2018, agents conducted a search at this residence and located multiple pill-press machines, pill binder, masks/respirators, an industrial mixing machine, and a 9mm pistol which was in a backpack belonging to White.
In addition, after the arrest of the other members of the organization, agents of the York County Multijurisdictional Drug Enforcement Unit completed three separate controlled purchase of fentanyl pills from White. Through these controlled purchases, agents learned White had continued to conspire with others to distribute fentanyl-laced pills after his initial arrest.United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis sentenced White to 180 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by a 10-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF comprises agents and officers with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina.
This case was investigated by the FBI Columbia Field Office, Drug Enforcement Administration, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, York County Multijurisdictional Drug Enforcement Unit, South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, and the Richland County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney William K. Witherspoon prosecuted the case.###
Federal grand jury indicts former Rochester school teacher for promoting prostitution from his residenceRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that a federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging Eric Simpson, a/k/a Major Hands, 66, of Macedon, NY, with use of interstate facilities to promote, manage, establish, carry on, and facilitate a prostitution enterprise. The charge carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Casey L. Chalbeck, who is handling the case, stated that Simpson was recently a public-school teacher in Rochester, who lived on Canandaigua Road in Macedon, NY. According to the indictment, between 2021, and December 2025, Simpson maintained and utilized his Canandaigua Road residence as a location where commercial sex workers met with customers and engaged in commercial sex transactions. Simpson regularly promoted, managed, and carried on prostitution parties, arranging to have commercial sex workers present and available to perform commercial sex acts with himself and with those he invited to the parties.
Simpson promoted the prostitution parties via email. In these emails, he detailed how many women would be present, sometimes identifying them by first name. Simpson managed the terms of the prostitution parties, including setting a cover charge for admission to the party, designating what rooms and other accommodations would be available, and telling prospective customers where to park, to avoid being parked too close to his house. The emails directed customers to negotiate “donations” for services directly with the “dancers.”
In addition to the prostitution parties, Simpson promoted, established, and carried on prostitution activity by authorizing commercial sex workers to use his residence to meet with customers and engage in prostitution services even when he was not present. Simpson utilized the internet to advertise which commercial sex workers were working out of his residence, and to inform prospective commercial sex customers what specific sex acts the commercial sex workers would perform.
Simpson was arraigned before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremiah J. McCarthy and was released on conditions.
The indictment is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Erin Keegan, the Macedon Police Department, under the direction of Chief John Colella, and the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Kevin Sucher.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Federal grand jury indicts 3 defendants on charges related to public shootingsRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – Three defendants allegedly involved in public shootings in Cincinnati have now been indicted by a federal grand jury.
Franeek Cobb, 24, and Derrick Long, 29, were originally charged by federal criminal complaint last week. They face felon-in-possession charges for their alleged involvement in a mass shooting on March 1 at Riverfront Live.
Shaquille Ferguson, 24, was allegedly involved in an October 2025 shooting outside the City Bird restaurant on Fountain Square in downtown Cincinnati. He was also originally charged by criminal complaint last week.
According to charging documents for Cobb and Long, on March 1, Cincinnati police officers responded to Riverfront Live on Kellogg Avenue for a report of a shooting inside the night club and event venue. Nine individuals were wounded in the incident.
Cobb and Long were identified as the two alleged shooters based on a review of surveillance footage from Riverfront Live and the recovery of a firearm and ammunition.
Cobb is charged in an indictment filed today with illegally possessing a pistol and ammunition.
Long’s indictment charges him with illegally possessing eight .45 cartridge cases.
As previously convicted felons, Cobb and Long are prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition. Cobb has a 2022 felony conviction of having weapons while under disability. Long has several prior felony convictions, including two separate cases involving trafficking in heroin, trafficking in fentanyl, failure to comply, carrying concealed weapons, arson and receiving stolen property.
According to Ferguson’s charging documents, in October 2025, Ferguson fired three shots and struck two individuals outside City Bird. He was allegedly involved in an altercation inside the restaurant. After exiting the restaurant, he allegedly brandished and fired his weapon. His indictment charges him with illegally possessing three 9mm cartridge cases.
In July 2025, Ferguson was convicted of aggravated assault, prohibiting him from possessing ammunition.
Each of the defendants faces up to 15 years in prison.
Dominick S. Gerace II, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Jorge Rosendo, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF); Cincinnati Interim Police Chief Adam Henni; and Jason Cromartie, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, announced the charges. Members of the ATF & Cincinnati Police Department Crime Gun Intelligence Center (CGIC) participated in the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Ashley N. Brucato is representing the United States in these cases.
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.
An indictment merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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FBI Ten Most Wanted Fugitive Charged in Double Homicide Apprehended in MexicoRead the Press Release
Samuel Ramirez Jr., 33, of Federal Way, Washington, was apprehended without incident on Tuesday, March 10, at 11:13 a.m. PT in Culiacán, Sinaloa, Mexico, only one hour and 13 minutes after being announced as the 538th addition to the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list. The previous record for shortest arrest time was Billie Austin Bryant, arrested in 1969 two hours after being added to the list.
“Unlike the prior Administration, this Department of Justice is arresting the FBI’s Top Ten Most Wanted criminals as quickly as they are added to the list,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “President Trump has unleashed American law enforcement against the worst criminals in our country — Director Patel is doing great work to Make America Safe Again.”
“Samuel Ramirez Jr.’s apprehension is a direct result of the FBI’s relentless pursuit of justice for victims and their families,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “His senseless acts of violence placed him on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives List, and it is that same commitment to the victims that brought him to justice today. There is no border, no amount of time, and no place to hide from the full force of the FBI and its partners.”
“The United States Attorney’s Office supports the pursuit of justice in both federal and state prosecutions,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Neil Floyd for the Western District of Washington. “This case is an example of how a charge of unlawful flight to avoid prosecution can open investigatory avenues and resources to help assist our local law enforcement partners pursue critical prosecutions. Mr. Ramirez’s addition to the FBI’s 10 Most Wanted List brought attention to a case that has deeply affected our community and resulted in a swift apprehension of a dangerous fugitive.”
“This capture shows the power of local, federal, and international law enforcement working together, armed with timely and actionable information from the public,” said Special Agent in Charge W. Mike Herrington, of the FBI Seattle field office. “Assistance from the public quickly helped us learn where Mr. Ramirez was hiding and successfully bring him back to King County to face justice.”
“We are deeply grateful for the FBI’s partnership and the swift coordination among local, federal, and international law enforcement that led to Samuel Ramirez Jr.’s capture so quickly,” said Federal Way Police Chief Andy Hwang. “This arrest is an important step toward justice for the victims, Jessyca Hohn and Katie Duhnke, and toward bringing some measure of closure to their families and our community. We remain committed to ensuring that the suspect is held fully accountable.”
Ramirez Jr. is a U.S. citizen who was deported from Mexico to the United States to face murder charges in King County Superior Court. Ramirez Jr. returned to Washington state Wednesday night. His next court appearance will be his arraignment, which will be approximately two weeks after he is booked into jail in King County, Washington. Questions about the prosecution of this case should be directed to the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.
Samuel Ramirez Jr. was wanted for his alleged involvement in the murders of two female victims on May 21, 2023, at the Stars Bar and Grill in Federal Way, Washington. A third person was also injured in the shooting. After the homicide, Ramirez Jr. was believed to have fled the state and country. Ramirez Jr. was considered armed and dangerous.
On May 24, 2023, the King County Superior Court, State of Washington, issued an arrest warrant for Ramirez Jr. after he was charged with Murder in the First Degree, Murder in the Second Degree, and Attempted Murder in the First Degree. On Nov. 14, 2025, a federal arrest warrant was issued for Ramirez Jr. in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington after he was charged with Unlawful Flight to Avoid Prosecution.
On Dec. 10, 2025, the FBI announced a reward of up to $25,000 for information leading to his arrest and conviction. On March 10, the FBI increased that amount and offered up to a $1 million reward. Ramirez Jr. was the first new individual added to the Ten Most Wanted Fugitives List to receive the new standard reward amount of up to $1 million, increased from the previous standard reward of up to $250,000.
FBI Seattle credits the FBI’s Legal Attaché office in Mexico City, Mexico, Secretaria de Seguridad y Protección Ciudadana (SSPC), Secretaría de la Defensa Nacional (SEDENA), the Instituto Nacional de Migracion (INM), and the U.S. Attorney’s Office Western District of Washington in coordinating the apprehension of Ramirez Jr.
Charging documents contain only allegations of criminal misconduct, and defendants are presumed to be innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
To protect the privacy of individuals and to ensure the public’s continued cooperation and incentivization for future assistance, the FBI does not confirm the identity of individuals who assist the FBI by providing information or share whether or not reward money is paid, to whom, and in what amounts. The FBI offers monetary rewards to incentivize the public to come forward with tips and information when they have information that law enforcement is seeking to further an investigation and keep the public safe. The FBI has paid reward money to tipsters who have provided valuable information and continues to do so. Receiving tips from the public remains one of the FBI’s best tools in preventing, detecting, and deterring crime.
The FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives List is one of the longest running and most recognizable law enforcement initiatives in U.S. history. Since its creation in 1950, the program has relied on national publicity and public participation to assist in the capture of dangerous fugitives. 538 fugitives have appeared on the list, and 501 have been apprehended or located, many due to tips from citizens.
Over the years, 12 Ten Most Wanted Fugitives have been FBI Seattle cases. In addition, eight fugitives on the list were arrested in Washington state with seven fugitives arrested in the Seattle area and one in Spokane. Additional information and wanted posters in English and Spanish can be found at this link: www.fbi.gov/wanted/topten
Eight New Indictments Returned & Seven Illegal Aliens Convicted of Immigration Offenses in FebruaryRead the Press Release
PENSACOLA and TALLAHASSEE – Today, United States Attorney John P. Heekin announced that eight previously deported illegal aliens have been indicted separately by a federal grand jury for illegal reentry into the United States, and seven illegal aliens were convicted of federal crimes in the month of February.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “My office continues to make positive contributions to the success of Operation Take Back America as we follow the directive set forth by President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi to aggressively prosecute criminal aliens who have repeatedly violated our immigration laws and endangered the safety of our communities. Those who try to lie, cheat, and steal their way into our country will be met with swift justice and quick deportations.”
According to court records, eight illegal aliens indicted in the month of February include:
- Franklin Zelaya-Funez, 33, of Honduras, allegedly reentered the United States illegally and was located in Escambia County in June 2025, after previously being deported in 2021. Trial is set for March 16, 2026, before United States District Judge T. Kent Wetherell, II.
- Mario Lopez-Martinez, 33, of Mexico, allegedly reentered the United States illegally and was located in Madison County in November 2025, after previously being deported in 2017, 2019, and 2020. Trial is set for March 31, 2026, before Chief United States District Judge Allen C. Winsor.
- Benancio Cuyuch-Pelico, 37, of Guatemala, allegedly reentered the United States illegally and was located in Escambia County in January 2026, after previously being deported in 2013. Trial is set for April 20, 2026, before United States District Judge T. Kent Wetherell, II.
- Santos Gonon, 25, of Guatemala, allegedly reentered the United States illegally and was located in Escambia County in January 2026, after previously being deported in 2019. Plea and Sentencing are set for March 25, 2026, before United States District Judge T. Kent Wetherell, II.
- Pablo Cuyuch-Garcia, 35, of Guatemala, allegedly reentered the United States illegally and was located in Escambia County in January 2026, after previously being deported in 2011. Trial is set for April 20, 2026, before United States District Judge T. Kent Wetherell, II.
- Jose Francisco Santizo-Perez, 41, of Guatemala, allegedly reentered the United States illegally and was located in Okaloosa County in January 2026, after previously being deported in 2010, twice in 2019, and 2021. Change of plea is set for March 10, 2026, before United States Magistrate Judge Zachary C. Bolitho.
- Gordolias Perez-Ramirez, 32, of Guatemala, allegedly reentered the United States illegally and was located in Okaloosa County in February 2026, after previously being deported in 2018. Trial is set for April 6, 2026, before United States District Judge M. Casey Rodgers.
- Antonio Isidro-Lopez, 44, of Honduras, allegedly reentered the United States illegally and was located in Escambia County in February 2026, after previously being deported in 2025. Trial is set for April 6, 2026, before United States District Judge M. Casey Rodgers.
The penalty for illegally reentering the United States after deportation is a maximum of two years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Zelaya-Funez and Santizo-Perez each face a maximum of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine pursuant to allegations of prior convictions qualifying for an increased maximum sentence.
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 in a court of law.
In addition to the indictments filed, seven previously indicted defendants were convicted in the month of February for being unlawfully present in the country after a prior removal. The illegal aliens convicted in the month of February include:
- Juan Salgado, of Mexico, who was previously removed in September 2012. He was encountered in Santa Rosa County on November 8, 2025.
- Jose Alberto Orozco-Sanchez, of Mexico, who was previously removed in August 2019 and November 2019. He was encountered in Okaloosa County on November 19, 2025.
- Kevin A. Perez-Portillo, of El Salvador, who was previously removed in August 2017. He was encountered in Santa Rosa County on December 9, 2025.
- Emin Perez-Mendez, of Mexico, who was previously removed in August 2018. He was encountered in Santa Rosa County on December 23, 2025.
- Robin Quinones-Valles, of Honduras, who was previously removed in March 2014. He was encountered in Santa Rosa County on December 10, 2025.
- Brahayan Vargas-Pinzon, of Columbia, who was previously removed in July 2025. He was encountered in Leon County on December 9, 2025.
- Abel DeJesus Ronquillo-Martinez, of El Salvador, who was previously removed in January 2014. He was encountered in Florida on October 8, 2025.
The cases involved investigations by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations, and Enforcement and Removal Operations with assistance from the Madison County Sheriff’s Office, the Leon County Sheriff’s Office, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office, the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office, and the Florida Highway Patrol.
Assistant United States Attorneys Brooke DiSalvo, Eric Welch, Alicia H. Forbes, Jeffrey M. Tharp, Jessica S. Etherton, Justin M. Keen, Joseph A. Ravelo and Christopher C. Patterson are prosecuting the cases.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.
Dominican National Sentenced to More Than Ten Years for Unlawful Reentry into the United States and for Trafficking Fentanyl and MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Dominican National Sentenced to More Than Ten Years for Unlawful Reentry into the United States and for Trafficking Fentanyl and Methamphetamine
CONCORD – A Dominican man was sentenced today in federal court for illegally reentering the United States and drug trafficking, U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan announces.
Robely Eladio De Jesus Guerrero, 38, a citizen of the Dominican Republic, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Landya B. McCafferty to 125 months in federal prison and 5 years of supervised release. In September 2025, De Jesus Guerrero pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien and one count of distribution of a controlled substance, specifically methamphetamine.
“The defendant is a repeat offender who entered the country illegally and distributed dangerous drugs in our state,” said U.S. Attorney Creegan. “Today’s sentence reflects the serious threat posed by those who deal in dangerous drugs like methamphetamine and fentanyl, and the serious sanction that must follow.”
“This sentencing sends a clear message to those who think they can violate our borders and poison our communities with deadly drugs,” said Special Agent in Charge Jarod Forget, New England Field Division “By trafficking both fentanyl and methamphetamine, this individual showed a blatant disregard for human life and the laws of this country. This sentence ensures that a repeat offender is removed from our streets and held accountable for the harm he sought to inflict on New England families. The DEA, alongside our federal and local partners, will never waver in our mission to dismantle the networks that bring these lethal substances into our neighborhoods.”
According to the court documents and statements made in court, in 2020 and 2021, De Jesus Guerrero, a citizen of the Dominican Republic, was convicted of identity theft and a child sex offense in Massachusetts. In November 2021, ICE deported him to the Dominican Republic. The fingerprints on De Jesus Guerrero’s deportation documents match the prints taken when he was arrested in Massachusetts.
After his deportation, De Jesus Guerrero reentered the United Sates and sold fentanyl and methamphetamine to a DEA cooperating source. Between August and September 2024, a DEA cooperating source negotiated the sale of fentanyl and methamphetamine from De Jesus Guerrero. Through two sales in August, De Jesus Guerrero sold the cooperator approximately 120 grams of Fentanyl. In September, De Jesus Guerrero sold the cooperating source approximately one pound of methamphetamine.
The Drug Enforcement Administration investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew T. Hunter prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Dominican Man Sentenced to Eight Years in Federal Prison for Participation in Cocaine Trafficking Organization While Serving State SentenceRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A citizen of the Dominican Republic who entered the United States illegally has been sentenced in federal court to eight years of imprisonment, to be followed by four years of federal supervised release, on his drug trafficking conviction, United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
United States District Judge William S. Stickman IV imposed the sentence on Santos Castro-Mota, 46.
According to information presented to the Court, a joint investigation by federal, state, and local law enforcement operating under the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) program in Beaver County, Pennsylvania, determined that Aliquippa drug trafficker Kijana Lowe frequently communicated with Castro-Mota while Castro-Mota was serving a five-to-ten year sentence at State Correctional Institution Phoenix (Collegeville, Pennsylvania) on a drug trafficking conviction. Recordings of calls between Lowe and Castro-Mota revealed that Lowe would order kilogram quantities of cocaine from Castro-Mota, with the defendants referring to a kilogram of cocaine as a “white car.” After Castro-Mota negotiated the sale with Lowe, Castro-Mota would then direct a co-defendant, who Castro-Mota referred to as “the mechanic,” to deliver the controlled substances to Lowe. The investigation established that Lowe would then supply the drugs to another co-defendant, Anthony Tusweet Smith Jr., who would subsequently sell them to end users.
In November 2021, investigators learned that an in-person delivery of kilogram quantities of cocaine was planned to Lowe in the Western District of Pennsylvania, and, during a surveillance operation, observed Lowe accept a suitcase outside of a Coraopolis motel. Law enforcement detained the individuals involved and executed search warrants on the suitcase, a motel room, and Lowe’s vehicle. The suitcase contained nearly 10 kilograms of cocaine, while Lowe’s vehicle contained over $280,000 that was to be used to purchase the seized cocaine. In conjunction with the interdiction, law enforcement obtained search warrants for cell phones found in the possession of Lowe and a co-defendant (“the mechanic”), with digital extractions from these devices revealing numerous communications and photographs between the conspirators regarding their drug trafficking activity, in addition to Castro-Mota’s involvement in the conspiracy.
Prior to imposing sentence, Judge Stickman emphasized that Castro-Mota entered the country illegally and then engaged in drug trafficking. Judge Stickman stated that Castro-Mota learned “absolutely nothing” from his prior sentence and observed that Castro-Mota has nothing but disregard for the laws of the United States. Finding that Castro-Mota served as the “point person for the distribution of an enormous amount” of drugs into the district, the judge also denied Castro-Mota’s request to have his federal sentence run concurrent to his undischarged state sentence, explaining to the defendant that “Repeat offenders don’t get a discount; they get an enhancement.”
Following the completion of his sentence, Castro-Mota will be deported from the United States.
Judge Stickman previously sentenced Castro-Mota’s co-defendants Kijana Lowe to 10 years of imprisonment and Anthony Tusweet Smith Jr. to five years of imprisonment for their roles in the conspiracy.Assistant United States Attorney Brendan J. McKenna and Special Assistant United States Attorney Kara Cotter prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General and Drug Enforcement Administration for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Castro-Mota and his co-conspirators.
Davenport Man Sentenced to More Than 14 Years in Federal Prison for Possession of Ammunition as a FelonRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, Iowa – A Davenport man was sentenced on March 12, 2026, to 170 months in federal prison for possessing ammunition as a felon.
According to public court documents, Diamonte Eugene Thomas, 27, discharged a firearm three times from a vehicle toward two individuals entering a Davenport apartment building in October 2023. There were three children in the car with Thomas when he fired the gun. Law enforcement collected three spent shell casings Thomas fired from the scene. Thomas is prohibited from possessing ammunition because he is felon, including a 2023 conviction for unlawful possession with intent to deliver cannabis in the Illinois Circuit Court for Rock Island County.
After completing his term of imprisonment, Thomas will be required to serve a three-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
United States Attorney David C. Waterman of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Davenport Police Department investigated the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
Davenport Man Sentenced to 54 Months in Federal Prison for Possessing Firearms as a FelonRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, Iowa – A Davenport man was sentenced on March 12, 2026, to 54 months in federal prison for possessing firearms as a felon.
According to public court documents, Gregory Francis Young, III, 27, pointed a firearm at victims while at a Davenport gas station in March 2025. During a subsequent traffic stop, law enforcement searched Young’s vehicle and found two loaded firearms in the hood of the vehicle. Young has prior felony convictions, including a 2024 conviction for possession of cocaine, third or subsequent offense, from the Iowa District Court for Scott County, for which he was on probation at the time of the offense.
After completing his term of imprisonment, Young will be required to serve a three-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
United States Attorney David C. Waterman of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Davenport Police Department, Scott County Sheriff’s Office, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives investigated the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
Convicted Felon Sentenced for Illegal Possession of A FirearmRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Darius DeShawn Countee, 48, of Browns Summit, N.C. was sentenced yesterday to 70 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for illegal possession of a firearm, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
Alicia Jones, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division, and Chief Curtis Cheeks, III, of the High Point Police Department, join U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making today’s announcement.
According filed court documents and the sentencing hearing, Countee was previously convicted in North Carolina of Assault with a Deadly Weapon Inflicting Serious Injury and Second Degree Murder. As a result, he is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition.
“Countee is the type of repeat violent offender federal firearms laws are designed to stop,” said U.S. Attorney Ferguson. “Despite prior convictions for serious violent crimes, Countee got hold of illegal guns and used them, putting lives at risk. Time and again Countee has shown reckless disregard for the law and now he will face federal consequences.”
“Repeat offenders have a detrimental effect on the public safety of our communities,” said Special Agent in Charge Jones. “ATF is proud to join our law enforcement partners in all efforts to identify and hold accountable those who disregard our laws and threaten our safety.”
Court documents show that on July 8, 2023, law enforcement responded to an altercation at a QuickTrip convenience store in Charlotte. A review of the store’s surveillance video showed Countee entering the convenience store where an individual was arguing with one of Countee’s associates. Countee then ran to a vehicle parked at a gas pump and retrieved a rifle. He then confronted the individual outside the store and stole his firearm.
The individual returned to his vehicle and attempted to flee but was pursued by Countee and his associates in two vehicles. Over the course of the pursuit, numerous shots were fired at the victim’s vehicle. Countee later returned to the convenience store and was detained by law enforcement. Law enforcement found inside the vehicle an American Tactical 5.56 caliber AR-type weapon with a high-capacity magazine, a black Taurus .40 caliber handgun, and a black Springfield .45 caliber handgun, which was stolen from the individual involved in the altercation.
Court documents show that Countee was later charged in the Middle District of North Carolina for illegal firearm possession in connection with a separate investigation. Countee pleaded guilty to that charge, and the case was transferred to the Western District of North Carolina. The 70-month sentence resolves both federal cases pending against Countee.
Countee is in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.
The ATF and the High Point Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alfredo De La Rosa of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.
Columbia Woman Who Coerced Minor Boy to Engage in Sex Sentenced to 20 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that ALYSON CRANICK, 44, of Columbia, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to 240 months of imprisonment and 10 years of supervised release for coercing a minor boy to engage in sexual activity.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Cranick, first using text messaging and Snapchat, and then using the internet chat service Discord, coerced an 11-year-old boy to engage in sexually explicit conduct with her. Several times during the summer and into the fall of 2022, Cranick induced the minor victim to leave his house after midnight to meet up with her. Cranick sexually assaulted the minor victim during these meetings.
Between July and October 2022, Cranick exchanged more than 4,700 messages with the minor victim on Discord.
Cranick was arrested on related state charges on November 14, 2023, and has been detained since November 28, 2023. She was federally charged in July 2024. On November 18, 2025, she pleaded guilty to coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity.
This matter was investigated by the FBI’s Child Exploitation Task Force and the Connecticut State Police’s Eastern District Major Crime Unit. The FBI’s Child Exploitation Task Force includes federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel E. Cummings and Katherine E. Boyles through the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation.
U.S. Attorney Sullivan thanked the State’s Attorney’s Office for the Judicial District of Tolland for its close cooperation in investigating and prosecuting this matter.
For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com.
Colorado Man Charged with Drug Trafficking Crimes in the District of UtahRead the Press Release
ST. GEORGE, Utah – A Colorado man is facing multiple drug charges after he allegedly attempted to traffic narcotics through the District of Utah. A federal grand jury returned an indictment on March 10, 2026, charging the defendant after he was arrested during a traffic stop when law enforcement located and seized meth, fentanyl, and heroin from the vehicle he was driving.
Travis Christopher Schultz, 37, of Grand Junction, Colorado, was arrested on February 13, 2026, in Blanding, Utah.
According to the allegations in court documents, on February 13, 2026, San Juan County Sheriff Deputies conducted a traffic stop on a truck that Schultz was driving during which deputies suspected Schultz was trafficking illegal narcotics. A K-9 was deployed and detected illegal narcotics. During two separate searches of the vehicle, deputies located and seized from the bed of the vehicle and in a hidden compartment of the vehicle, a total of 30 packages wrapped in cellophane, automotive grease and coffee grounds. The packages consisted of 25.5 pounds of field-tested positive methamphetamine, 2.3 pounds of blue M30 suspected fentanyl pills, 1.1 pounds of field-tested positive fentanyl powder, and 56.7 grams of field-tested positive heroin.
Schultz is charged with possession of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute, possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute, and possession of heroin with intent to distribute. His initial appearance on the indictment is scheduled for March 16, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. in courtroom 2B at the courthouse located at 206 West Tabernacle Street, St. George, Utah 84470.
United States Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the District of Utah made the announcement.
The case is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the San Juan County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph M. Hood 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.
Brooklyn Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Cocaine ChargeRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, Del. – A Brooklyn, New York, man pleaded guilty today to possession with intent to distribute cocaine. U.S. District Judge Gregrory B. Williams accepted the plea.
According to court documents, New Castle County Police officers were on patrol in the area of the Christiana Mall when they saw a car commit several traffic violations. Officers stopped the car and identified Daniel Fernandez, 44, as one of the passengers. Officers called for a drug sniffing dog, which gave a positive alert to the presence of drugs in the car. During a later search of the car, officers discovered approximately 10 kilograms of cocaine, 3 pounds of methamphetamine, and over 300 grams each of heroin and fentanyl. Fernandez admitted that the drugs were his.
Fernandez pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute 5 kilograms or more of a mixture and substance containing cocaine and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine the sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing is scheduled for July 28, 2026.
U.S. Attorney Benjamin L. Wallace and DEA, Philadelphia Field Division, Special Agent in Charge Thomas Hodnett made the announcement.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from the New Castle County Police Department, investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle Thurstlic-O’Neill is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the District of Delaware or on PACER by searching for Case No. 26-cr-004.
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Bridgeport Man Sentenced to More Than 8 Years in Prison for Gunpoint Robberies of Retail Stores, Amazon Delivery TruckRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that MICKYEEM PROFIT, 22, of Bridgeport, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to 102 months of imprisonment and three years of supervised release for his participation in the violent armed robberies of multiple retail stores and an Amazon delivery truck in December 2022.
According to court documents and statements made court, Profit and others committed gunpoint robberies of Omega Deli, located at 999 Maplewood Avenue in Bridgeport, on December 15, 2022; Milford Convenience & Tobacco, located at 784 Boston Post Road in Milford, on December 21, 2022; an Amazon delivery truck and merchandise in Bridgeport on December 23, 2022; and Smoke Shop, located at 2175 Boston Avenue in Bridgeport, on December 23, 2022. In addition, Profit’s associates committed a gunpoint robbery of Cumberland Farms, located at 1290 West Broad Street in Stratford, on January 2, 2023.
During the store robberies, Profit and his accomplices entered businesses with firearms, threatened employees, forced victims to the ground, and stole money and property. At Milford Convenience & Tobacco, Profit stepped on a victim while holding a gun to her head. During the Amazon truck robbery, Profit and his accomplices forced the driver into the back of the truck at gunpoint where they assaulted him.
Profit has been detained since his arrest on January 2, 2023. On October 2, 2025, he pleaded guilty to one count of interference with commerce by robbery (“Hobbs Act robbery”) and one count of carrying, using, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
This matter has been investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bridgeport Police Department, the Stratford Police Department, and the Milford Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nathaniel J. Gentile.
Brazilian National Unlawfully Residing in U.S. Charged with Child Exploitation OffenseRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), New England, today announced that MAX MOTA PINHO, 45, a citizen of Brazil residing in Stamford, has been charged by federal criminal complaint with possession of child pornography.
As alleged in court documents, a cloud-based storage company that provides services for wireless customers made multiple CyberTipline reports to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (“NCMEC”) that a user, subsequently identified as Pinho, had videos and images of child sexual abuse stored on the account. Subsequent investigation confirmed that child sex abuse material was stored on Pinho’s account.
Pinho was arrested yesterday at his Stamford residence. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge S. Dave Vatti in Bridgeport and was released on a $50,000 bond. Pinho, who overstayed a tourist visa issued in 2003, was then taken into U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody.
Possession of child pornography carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.
U.S. Attorney Sullivan stressed that a complaint is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This matter is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Stamford Police Department, the Watertown Police Department, and the Westport Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel P. Gordon.
This prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com.
Bowling Green Man Sentenced to 5 Years in Federal Prison followed by 20 Years of Supervised Release for Using AI to Create Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Bowling Green, KY – A Bowling Green man was sentenced on March 9, 2026, for using artificial intelligence (AI) to produce over 1,300 images of child sexual abuse material.
U.S. Attorney Kyle G. Bumgarner of the Western District of Kentucky, Warren County Commonwealth’s Attorney Kori Beck Bumgarner, and Acting Special Agent in Charge Colin W. Jackson of the Homeland Security Investigations Nashville made the announcement.
Ray Gordon, 37, was sentenced to 5 years in federal prison, followed by a 20-year term of supervised release, for one count of producing obscene visual representations of child abuse and one count of possessing obscene visual representations of child abuse.
For more than a year, Gordon used an AI image generator to create detailed and obscene images of minor children engaged in sexually explicit conduct. In many instances, the images Gordon created depicted young toddlers and preteen girls engaged in sexual activity with adults and in pain. In December 2023, Gordon was found in possession of over 1,300 unique images of child sexual abuse material that he had created.
United States Attorney Kyle Bumgarner stated, “Unfortunately, child predators are using AI to produce child sexual abuse material. It is tragic how deviants continually adapt new technology to further their twisted and evil fetishes. Our office will continue to work with law enforcement to ensure that these deviants are stopped and sent to federal prison.”
Warren County Commonwealth’s Attorney Kori Beck Bumgarner stated, “The Office of the Commonwealth’s Attorney is pleased with the outcome in this case. Justice was served, and this offender has been held accountable for his actions. The twenty-year period of supervision will provide an important safeguard for our community, helping to protect children and ensure continued oversight. Measures like this are valuable tools that help keep our communities safe.”
There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was investigated by HSI.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie M. Zimdahl 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 individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
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Bowling Green Man Sentenced to 27 Years and 6 Months in Federal Prison for Online Enticement of MinorsRead the Press Release
Bowling Green, KY – A Bowling Green man was sentenced on March 10, 2026, for online coercion and enticement of minors, sexual exploitation of a child, receipt of child pornography, cyberstalking and tampering with a witness.
U.S. Attorney Kyle G. Bumgarner of the Western District of Kentucky and Special Agent in Charge Olivia Olson of the FBI Louisville Field Office made the announcement.
James Clark, 40, was sentenced to 27 and a half years in federal prison, followed by a lifetime term of supervised release, for one count of sexual exploitation of children, one count of receipt of child pornography, five counts of online enticement of a minor, one count of cyberstalking and one count of tampering with a witness.
For a span of three years, Clark used social media applications to persuade, induce, entice and coerce five young girls to send him sexually explicit images and videos in exchange for gifts and money. Clark also used threats to coerce young girls to send him sexually explicit images.
United States Attorney Kyle Bumgarner stated, “Clark’s conduct was pure evil. A 40-year-old man preying on young girls is hard to comprehend and simply reprehensible. Because of law enforcement’s strong work, Clark will not see the light of day for nearly three decades and Bowling Green is better off because of it!”
Special Agent in Charge Olivia Olson stated, “For years, Clark terrorized young girls. He not only solicited sexually explicit images from them for his own personal gain, but he also levied threats against them if they didn’t follow through with his demands. His sentence reflects the depravity of his actions, and we hope it serves as a warning to current sex offenders. We will find you and justice will be served.”
There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was investigated by the FBI.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Danielle M. Yannelli 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 individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
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Authorities Dismantle Global Malicious Proxy Service that Deployed Malware and Defrauded Thousands of U.S. Persons, Businesses, and Financial Institutions of Millions of Dollars in LossesRead the Press Release
Yesterday a court-authorized international law enforcement operation led by the U.S. Justice Department disrupted SocksEscort, a residential proxy network used to exploit thousands of residential routers worldwide and commit large-scale fraud. The U.S. government executed seizure warrants against a few dozen U.S.-registered internet domains allegedly engaged in the cyber-enabled criminal activity, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
According to court documents, SocksEscort infected home and small business internet routers with malware. The malware allowed SocksEscort to direct internet traffic through the infected routers. SocksEscort sold this access to its customers. Since the summer of 2020, SocksEscort has offered to sell access to about 369,000 different IP addresses. As of February 2026, the SocksEscort application listed approximately 8,000 infected routers to which its customers could buy access, of those, 2,500 were in the United States.
Cybercriminals used the access they purchased on SocksEscort to conceal their true originating IP addresses and locations, which furthered frauds like takeovers of U.S. bank and cryptocurrency accounts and fraudulent unemployment insurance claims. These frauds cost Americans millions of dollars. Examples of victims defrauded include a customer of a cryptocurrency exchange who lived in New York and was defrauded of $1 million worth of cryptocurrency; a manufacturing business in Pennsylvania that was defrauded of $700,000; and current and former United States service members with MILITARY STAR cards who were defrauded out of $100,000.
Law enforcement agencies from Austria, France, and the Netherlands successfully took down numerous SocksEscort servers.
The FBI Sacramento Field Office, the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General’s Defense Criminal Investigative Service, and IRS Criminal Investigation Oakland Field Office are investigating the case.
Investigators and prosecutors from several jurisdictions provided assistance, including Europol, Eurojust, and authorities in the following countries:
- Austria: Vienna Public Prosecutors Office (Staatsanwaltschaft Wien) Criminal Intelligence Service - Cybercrime-Competence-Center (Bundeskriminalamt – C4)
- Bulgaria: District Public Prosecution Office Plovdiv, Cybercrime Directorate of the General Directorate Combating Organized Crime - Ministry of Interior
- France: Public Prosecution Office Paris J3 Anti-Cybercrime unit; Investigative judge from JIRS/JUNALCO Financial and Cybercrime section - Court of Paris; Judicial Police - Office for Cybercrime Prevention (Police judiciaire - office anti-cybercriminalité (OFAC))
- Germany: Düsseldorf Police Headquarters; Central Contact Point for Cybercrime North Rhine-Westphalia (ZAC NRW)
- Hungary: Prosecution Service of Hungary; National Bureau of Investigation Cybercrime Department (Nemzeti Nyomozó Iroda Kiberbűnözés Elleni Főosztály)
- Netherlands: Public Prosecutors Office Limburg (Openbaar Ministerie); Police (Politie) Limburg
- Romania: Prosecution Office of the High Court of Cassation and Justice; Directorate for investigation of Organized Crime and Terrorism, Central Office; Directorate for Combating Organized Crime, Central Cybercrime Unit; General Inspectorate of the Romanian Police
The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, the National Security Division’s National Security Cyber Section and the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, and the International Computer Hacking and Intellectual Property (ICHIP) program based in The Hague, the Treasury Department’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, and the California Highway Patrol provided crucial support to this operation.
Additionally, the Department of Justice offers its thanks to Lumen’s Black Lotus Labs and the Shadowserver Foundation for the assistance provided by each during the investigation and the operation.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the Eastern District of California Nicholas M. Fogg, Sam Stefanki, and Kevin Khasigian handled the litigation.
The Justice Department is providing intellectual property and cybercrime technical assistance to foreign law enforcement, prosecutorial, and judicial partners in other countries through the International Computer Hacking and Intellectual Property (ICHIP) program. Learn more about the Criminal Division’s ICHIP Program, jointly administered by the Criminal Division’s Office of Overseas Prosecutorial Development, Assistance and Training (OPDAT) and the Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section through partnership between the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, here.
Attempted Mass Shooter’s Assets Ordered Sold to Pay Restitution to Crime VictimsRead the Press Release
On March 9, the United States Attorney’s Office completed forfeiture of four firearms, an assortment of magazines and ammunition, and a vehicle tied to an attempted domestic terrorist plot in Yellowstone National Park in 2024.
On July 3, 2024, at approximately 10:00 p.m., Samson Lucas Bariah Fussner held a woman at gunpoint for two hours at Canyon Village in Yellowstone, Wyoming. In a hate-filled diatribe, Fussner confessed to the victim his plan to carry out a mass shooting in the park on the Fourth of July. Sometime around midnight, Fussner left the victim and went into hiding. National Park Service law enforcement rangers attempted to locate Fussner while setting up a perimeter around his intended targets. At around 8:05 a.m., Fussner emerged from the forest and, when confronted by law enforcement, began firing a semi-automatic rifle at them. After a shootout with law enforcement rangers, Fussner was pronounced dead. As a result of Fussner’s attack, one law enforcement ranger suffered severe injuries to his foot.
In addition to the semi-automatic rifle, Fussner was carrying a Glock pistol and numerous magazines of ammunition. In preparation for the attack, Fussner had strategically positioned his 2021 Nissan Rogue as a getaway vehicle, where he also kept another pistol, shotgun, and an assortment of magazines and ammunition. In response to this violent attack, the U.S. Attorney’s Office sought forfeiture of the Nissan and all firearms, magazines, and ammunition used by Fussner. Both Fussner’s father and brother attempted to claim the assets, including the attempted murder weapon, but were unsuccessful.
Federal law provides for forfeiture of assets derived from or used to facilitate certain crimes including drug trafficking, money laundering, fraud, or terrorism. Forfeited assets are sold so that the proceeds can be used for a variety of purposes, including restitution to crime victims.Arizona Cardiology Group to Pay $4.75M to Resolve Allegations of Unnecessary Vein AblationsRead the Press Release
Note, View settlement here.
Tri-City Cardiology, P.C., a physician group based in the metro area of Phoenix, Arizona, and three individual physicians, have agreed to pay $4.75 million to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act by performing medically unnecessary vein ablations.
“Physicians should not prioritize profit over patient needs,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Medicare and other federal programs pay only for medical care that meets accepted standards, and the falsification of medical records undermines efforts to assess whether medical care was appropriate.”
“Paying for unnecessary medical procedures reduces federal programs’ capacity to pay for truly necessary procedures,” said Timothy Courchaine, United States Attorney for the District of Arizona. “When medical providers do not respect the difference between the two and bill in the interest of their own bottom line instead of their patients, the United States Attorney’s Office has pursued and will continue to pursue appropriate recoveries to protect taxpayer funds.”
The civil settlement announced today resolves allegations that, from January 1, 2017, to April 27, 2022, Dr. Jaskamal Kahlon, Dr. Joshua D. Cohen, and Dr. M. Joshua Berkowitz knowingly performed ablations on perforator veins that did not qualify for treatment under accepted standards of medical practice. Perforator veins are small veins that connect deep and superficial leg veins and require treatment only in certain circumstances. The United States contends that Tri-City and the physicians acted knowingly in incorrectly measuring or documenting in medical records the duration of outward blood flow, the diameter of veins, patient symptoms, and conservative therapy measures, which gave the appearance that the ablations met accepted medical standards and were justified.
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona, with assistance from HHS-OIG.
The investigation and resolution of this matter illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating healthcare fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement, can be reported to HHS at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).
The matter was handled by Senior Trial Counsel Nicholas C. Perros of the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Lon Leavitt of the District of Arizona.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
Tri-City Settlement Agreement - Executed.pdfArizona Cardiology Group to Pay $4.75M to Resolve Allegations of Unnecessary Vein AblationsRead the Press Release
PHOENIX— Tri-City Cardiology, P.C., a physician group based in the metro area of Phoenix, Arizona, and three individual physicians, have agreed to pay $4.75 million to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act by performing medically unnecessary vein ablations.
“Physicians should not prioritize profit over patient needs,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Medicare and other federal programs pay only for medical care that meets accepted standards, and the falsification of medical records undermines efforts to assess whether medical care was appropriate.”
“Paying for unnecessary medical procedures reduces federal programs’ capacity to pay for truly necessary procedures,” said Timothy Courchaine, United States Attorney for the District of Arizona. “When medical providers do not respect the difference between the two and bill in the interest of their own bottom line instead of their patients, the United States Attorney’s Office has pursued and will continue to pursue appropriate recoveries to protect taxpayer funds.”
The civil settlement announced today resolves allegations that, from January 1, 2017, to April 27, 2022, Dr. Jaskamal Kahlon, Dr. Joshua D. Cohen, and Dr. M. Joshua Berkowitz knowingly performed ablations on perforator veins that did not qualify for treatment under accepted standards of medical practice. Perforator veins are small veins that connect deep and superficial leg veins and require treatment only in certain circumstances. The United States contends that Tri-City and the physicians acted knowingly in incorrectly measuring or documenting in medical records the duration of outward blood flow, the diameter of veins, patient symptoms, and conservative therapy measures, which gave the appearance that the ablations met accepted medical standards and were justified.
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona, with assistance from HHS-OIG.
The investigation and resolution of this matter illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating healthcare fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement, can be reported to HHS at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).
The matter was handled by Senior Trial Counsel Nicholas C. Perros of the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Lon Leavitt of the District of Arizona.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
RELEASE NUMBER: 2026-047_TriCity Cardiology
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.
Annapolis Man Indicted on Child Sex Abuse ChargesRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A federal grand jury indicted an Anne Arundel County, Maryland, man in connection with child sex abuse crimes.
Shawn Livingston, 38, of Annapolis, Maryland, is charged with two counts of coercion and enticement of minors and 12 counts of receipt of child sexual abuse material. Livingston, an information technology professional, was formerly employed by an Annapolis private school.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the indictment with William Ferrari, Deputy Assistant Director, U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) – Office of Investigations, and Colonel Michael A. Jackson, Secretary of State Police, Maryland State Police (MSP).
According to the indictment, beginning in 2022, Livingston utilized several Snapchat internet-based accounts to meet and communicate with minor females. Livingston used the social media accounts to coerce and entice the minor victims to send visual depictions of themselves engaged in sexually explicit conduct in exchange for money. He sent payments via peer-to-peer payment applications including CashApp and Venmo. Livingston received sexually explicit depictions of at least five minor victims, who were between 15 and 16 years old, and living throughout the United States.
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, Livingston faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and a maximum sentence of life in federal prison for each count of coercion and enticement, and a minimum sentence of five years and maximum sentence of 20 years for each count of receipt of child sexual abuse material.
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 DSS and MSP for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Steven T. Brantley and Colleen Elizabeth McGuinn who are prosecuting the federal 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.
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Activity in the U.S. Attorney's OfficeRead the Press Release
Drug Trafficking
Cathy Lynn Mink, 39, of Lander, Wyoming, was sentenced to 32 months imprisonment with three years of supervised release for distribution of fentanyl. According to court documents, in April 2025, the Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) learned that Mink was selling fentanyl on the Wind River Reservation. Agents conducted a controlled buy from her, purchasing 150 fentanyl tablets. Subsequently, in another event, the Wind River Police Department attempted a traffic stop of a stolen vehicle. Mink, who was driving the vehicle, initially evaded officers, abandoned the vehicle, and fled on foot before being apprehended. When Mink was booked into the Wind River Detention Center, she was found to have 180+ fentanyl tablets in her underwear. DCI and The FBI Rocky Mountain Safe Trails Task Force investigated the offense with assistance of the Wind River Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy W. Gist prosecuted the case. Mink was indicted on July 16, 2025, and pleaded guilty on Dec. 8, 2025. U.S. District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson imposed the sentence on Feb. 26, 2026, in Cheyenne.
Samuel J. Pratts, 32, of Jackson, Wyoming, was sentenced to 110 months’ imprisonment with five years of supervised release to follow for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. According to court documents, in March 2025, law enforcement began investigating Samuel Pratts for the distribution of controlled substances in Teton and Sublette Counties. On April 18, 2025, a Teton County Sheriff’s Office deputy conducted a traffic stop on Mr. Pratts with a dog alerting to the odor of illegal substances in his car. Investigators conducted a subsequent search of the vehicle and located over 350 grams of methamphetamine. Sublette County Sheriff’s Office, Jackson Police Department, Teton County Sheriff’s Office and the Drug Enforcement Administration investigated the crime. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paige Hammer prosecuted the case. Pratts waived indictment and pleaded guilty on Dec. 26, 2025. U.S. District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl imposed the sentence on March 4 in Cheyenne.
About the United States Attorney’s Office
The United States Attorney’s Office is responsible for representing the federal government in virtually all litigation involving the United States in the District of Wyoming, including all criminal prosecutions for violations of federal law, civil lawsuits brought by or against the government, and actions to collect judgments and restitution on behalf of victims and taxpayers. The Office is involved in several programs designed to make our communities safer. They include: Project Safe Childhood
Project Safe Childhood (PSC) is a DOJ initiative that combats the proliferation of technology-facilitated sexual exploitation crimes against children. The threat of sexual predators soliciting children for sexual contact is well-known and serious.
Operation Take Back America
Operation Take Back America is a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. It also streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Victim Witness Program
The Victim Witness Coordinator for the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Wyoming is dedicated to ensuring victims of federal crimes and their family members are treated with compassion, fairness, and respect.To report a federal crime, go to: https://www.justice.gov/actioncenter/report-crime
11 March 2026
Wilkes-Barre Man Charged with Drug Trafficking OffensesRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Reneard Harris, age 67, of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, was indicted by a federal grand jury on drug trafficking charges.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, the indictment alleges that Harris either distributed or possessed with intent to distribute quantities of cocaine base on three separate occasions between February 18, 2026, and March 3, 2026, in Luzerne County. Harris had been on pre-trial release in another federal drug trafficking case at the time of his distribution and possession with intent to distribute the cocaine base.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Wilkes-Barre City Police Department, the Luzerne County Drug Task Force, and the Luzerne County District Attorney’s Office investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney James M. Buchanan is prosecuting the case.
The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 20 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following the finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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West Columbia Man Sentenced to 21 Years in Federal Prison for Production of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Robert K. Bonesteel, 63, of West Columbia, has been sentenced to more than 21 years in federal prison for producing child sexual abuse material. *
Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that in November 2023, law enforcement agencies executed an undercover chat operation targeted at identifying child sex offenders. During the chat operation, undercover officers posed as a 14-year-old boy and chatted with Bonesteel on a social media application. Bonesteel discussed “ravaging” him and engaging in oral sex, before agreeing to meet the child at his home in Lexington where Bonesteel believed he was home alone. Bonesteel arrived at what he believed to be the minor’s home with condoms and was arrested. Following his arrest, law enforcement searched Bonesteel’s phone and discovered that Bonesteel had produced and disseminated child sexual abuse material. Further social media messages revealed that Bonesteel coached other individuals on how to groom children and sexually abuse them.
United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis sentenced Bonesteel to 260 months imprisonment, to be followed by a term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system. The court ordered that restitution be paid to the minor victim.
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.
This case was investigated by the FBI Columbia Field Office, the U.S. Secret Service, the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department, and the Lexington Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elle E. Klein prosecuted the case.###
Waterloo Woman Sentenced to Federal Prison for Role in Stealing GunsRead the Press Release
A woman who helped her boyfriend steal fifteen guns from a house in Waterloo was sentenced on March 9, 2026, to more than three years in federal prison.
Jena Lea Wells, age 30, from Silvis, Illinois, received the prison term after a September 19, 2025, guilty plea to possession of stolen firearms.
Information from the plea and sentencing hearings showed that in June 2024, Wells was living in Waterloo, Iowa. She was in a relationship with Justin Barnes. That month, the two of them stole fifteen guns from an unoccupied house in Waterloo. Wells acted as a lookout while Barnes stole the guns. They took the stolen guns to Wells’s residence.
Barnes then tried to sell the guns. During a traffic stop on June 10, 2024, Waterloo police officers located several of the stolen guns in Barnes’s backpack. Wells attempted to hide the bag from the officers during the stop by pulling it to where she was sitting in the car. Officers then searched Wells’s home twice. During the first search, Wells lied about any stolen firearms being in the home. When officers returned and found additional, stolen firearms at Wells’s home during the second search, she falsely denied knowing that the guns were there.
Wells was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Wells was sentenced to 41 months’ imprisonment. She must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Barnes has pled guilty in federal court and is scheduled to be sentenced on May 1, 2026.
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.
Wells is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until she can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kyndra Lundquist and investigated by a Federal Task Force composed of the Waterloo Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms assisted by the Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Office and Cedar Falls Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-CR-2022.
Visitors Caught Defacing Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore Property Fined $500 and Banished for One YearRead the Press Release
MARQUETTE, MICHIGAN – U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Timothy VerHey today announced that four visitors to Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore were fined and banished from the park for one year after engaging in acts of vandalism there.
On July 25, 2025, while on a routine marine patrol, United States Park Rangers contacted multiple vessels along the cliffs making up the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. The occupants of these vessels had been carving large letters into the cliff faces and had collected over 100 pounds of rocks with the intent to take them home.
Park rangers cited the Illinois visitors for defacing and collecting park resources. On December 9, 2025, the defendants were ordered to appear in U.S. District Court in Marquette for a mandatory appearance on the violations. Each of the four was ordered to pay a $500 fine and received a one-year ban from Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. One of the four was ordered to pay an additional $250 fine for taking the rocks.
U.S. Attorney VerHey said, “Pictured Rocks is one of Michigan’s iconic natural wonders. There is no other place like it, and we will not get another one. Everyone is welcome to see and enjoy this beautiful place, but no one is allowed to inflict damage on it. Anyone who does will be punished: these four people were lucky to get off with a fine and banishment because the judge could have given each of them six months in jail. I applaud the Park Rangers for putting a stop to this vandalism.”
"This case is a great example of how our Park Rangers use proactive marine patrols to investigate criminal violations and protect park resources." said Pictured Rocks Chief Ranger Joseph Hughes, "I would like to remind all park visitors that as we spend time outdoors, it’s important to be conscious of our actions. It takes all of us to protect this wonderful place."
Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore spans over 42 miles of Lake Superior coastline, including towering sandstone cliffs, deep forests, pristine wetlands and over 100 miles of trails.
Virginia Man Sentenced in Traveling to the District Intending to Sexually Abuse a Six-Year-Old GirlRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Timothy Brockerman, 35, of Herndon, Virginia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 96 months in prison in connection with traveling to the District where he intended to sexually abuse a six-year-old child, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Brockerman pleaded guilty on Sept. 19, 2025, before Judge Randolph D. Moss to one count of travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual contact. In addition to the 96-month prison term, Judge Moss ordered Brockerman to serve 20 years of supervised release.
"Timothy Brockerman drove across state lines to the District intending to sexually abuse a 6-year-old child. He didn't fantasize, he acted,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “This office, along with our law enforcement partners, will prosecute anyone who intends to harm a child and bring the full force of justice against them."
According to court documents, on April 21, 2025, Brockerman communicated with another internet user in an online chat group. Brockerman discussed his sexual interest in children. The other user stated that he was the father of a 6-year-old child. Brockerman indicated to the user that he was willing to travel to the District to sexually abuse the child.
On April 29, 2025, police arrested Brockerman after he traveled from his home in Virginia to meet the online user.
When Brockerman was arrested, law enforcement seized a cell phone that contained videos and images of child sexual abuse material. The phone also contained chats and text messages with other individuals that discussed the sexual abuse of children.
Joining U.S. Attorney Pirro in the announcement were FBI Assistant Director in Charge Darren B. Cox of the Washington Field Office and Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
This case was investigated by the MPD-FBI Child Exploitation Task Force. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachel Bohlen and was brought as part of Operation Restore Justice and 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.
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Victim Advisory- Divine Youth Case UpdatesRead the Press Release
CASE NAME: United States v. E’mon Ambers, et al., Crim. No. 3:26-cr-24; United States v. T’Aisya Squire, Crim. No. 3:26-cr-11
COURT: U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, Richmond Division
CASE SUMMARY: In January and February 2026, charges were filed against four defendants who allegedly operated a scheme to defraud Medicaid through a mental health agency known as Divine Youth Counseling, LLC.
On February 17, 2026, defendants E’mon Ambers, Armone’ Ambers, and TraQuan Brown were charged in a 12-count criminal indictment in Criminal Case No. 3:26-cr-24. Count One of the indictment charges the three defendants with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and health care fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1349; Counts Two through Four charge health care fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1347; Counts Five through Seven charge aggravated identity theft, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1028A; Counts Eight and Nine charge payment of illegal kickbacks, in violation of 42 U.S.C. § 1320a-7b(b)(2)(B); Counts Ten through Twelve charge transactional money laundering, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1957.
On Jan. 22, 2026, defendant T’Aisya Squire was charged in a single-count criminal information in Criminal Case No. 3:26-cr-11 with making false statements relating to health care matters, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1035(a)(2).
E’mon Ambers, Armone’ Ambers, Brown, and Squire each worked at Divine Youth and allegedly participated in the same scheme. According to court documents, between January 2022 and October 2025, Divine Youth submitted more than $11 million in fraudulent claims to Medicaid for mental health services known as Crisis Stabilization and Mobile Crisis. The scheme had two primary components.
The coconspirators allegedly falsely claimed that two mental health professionals simultaneously provided services to Medicaid recipients, when in truth, at most a single mental health professional was present for the service. The false claims that two professionals provided “Team Treatment” services caused millions of dollars of loss to Medicaid.
The coconspirators allegedly paid more than $470,000 in illegal kickbacks in the form of purchasing hotel rooms for Medicaid recipients. The coconspirators allegedly used the hotel rooms to incentivize recipients to obtain Medicaid services from Divine Youth, a practice the coconspirators knew and understood was wrong and unlawful.
Additional aspects of the scheme are set forth in the charging documents.
CASE STATUS: In United States v. E’mon Ambers, et al., Crim. No. 3:26-cr-24, the case is currently scheduled for a jury trial to begin on May 4, 2026. In United States v. T’Aisya Squire, Crim. No. 3:26-cr-11, Squire is scheduled to enter a guilty plea on March 16, 2026.
VICTIM RESPONSE: To ensure that members of the public, including potential victims of the alleged fraud scheme perpetrated through Divine Youth, are informed of developments in this ongoing case, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has established a page on its website, available at the following link:
https://www.justice.gov/usao-edva/united-states-v-emon-ambers-et-al-crim-no-326-cr-24-united-states-v-taisya-squire-crim-no
The website currently includes a copy of the indictment and other pleadings filed in the cases. Victims with questions can call 1-866-DOJ-4YOU (1-866-365-4968) (TDD/TTY:1-866-228-4619; International 1-502-213-2767) and reference the above case names and docket numbers. Victim impact statements can be emailed to EDVA Victim Witness, or mailed to:
U.S. Attorney’s Office
Attn: Victim Witness
919 E Main St, Suite 1900
Richmond, VA 23219Contact
Victim/Witness Coordinator
United States Attorney’s Office
919 E Main St, Suite 1900
Richmond, VA 23219
(804)-819-7429
[email protected]Two Men Admit Pocketing Millions in Donations from Petco Park and Snapdragon Stadium Meant for CharityRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Noly Hermoso Ilarde of San Diego pleaded guilty in federal court today, admitting that he and a co-conspirator created a sham charity and then fraudulently pocketed millions of dollars in donations.
Ilarde and his partner in crime, Martin Jose Rebollo Jr., presented themselves as the non-profit “Chula Vista Fast Pitch,” a defunct charity that provided support for youth softball activities. They applied and were selected to provide unpaid volunteers to work concessions at Petco Park and Snapdragon Stadium in exchange for approximately 10 percent of the sales going to their charity.
However, Ilarde and Rebollo admitted they paid each supposed volunteer about $50 in cash per event and then divided the remaining money between themselves.
Ilarde pleaded guilty to Wire Fraud Conspiracy. In his plea agreement, he admitted the fake charity received approximately $3.5 million in payments from Delaware North, the hospitality management company in charge of concessions at Petco Park, and more than $250,000 in payments from Aztec Shops, the non-profit in charge of concessions at Snapdragon Stadium. Delaware North and Aztec Shops deposited money into bank accounts under the control of Rebollo, and Ilarde and Rebollo used that money to pay volunteers in cash before splitting the remaining money. Ilarde admitted that he personally gained more than $550,000 from the scheme.
Rebollo pleaded guilty in December 2025 to Wire Fraud Conspiracy, Filing a False Tax Return and
Social Security Fraud in connection with the scheme. He is scheduled to be sentenced on June 5, 2026. According to his plea agreement, Rebollo’ gain as a result of this conspiracy is greater than $1.5 million – which he failed to report on his tax return.According to the plea agreements, the defendants did not pay any funds to the Chula Vista Fast Pitch charity, and no funds were used for any youth softball activities or other charitable or non-profit purposes.
This case was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorneys Jeffrey D. Hill.
DEFENDANT Case Number: 26-CR-0643
Noly Hermoso Ilarde Age: 57 San Diego
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Wire Fraud Conspiracy – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1349
Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison and $250,000 fine or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greater
DEFENDANT Case Number: 25-CR-4668
Martin Jose Rebollo Jr Age: 58 Chula Vista
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Wire Fraud Conspiracy – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1349
Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison and $250,000 fine or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greater
Filing a False Tax Return – Title 26, U.S.C., Section 7206(1)
Maximum penalty: Three years in prison and $250,000 fine or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greater
Failure to Disclose Event to the Social Security Administration – Title 42, U.S.C., Section 408(a)(4)
Maximum penalty: Five years in prison and $250,000 fine or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greater
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Federal Bureau of Investigation
IRS Criminal Investigation
Social Security Administration – Office of the Inspector General
Two MS-13 Members Sentenced to 55 and 48 Years in Prison for Committing Two Murders in QueensRead the Press Release
Yesterday and today in federal court in Brooklyn, defendants Ramiro Gutierrez and Tito Martinez Alvarenga were sentenced to 55 years and 48 years in prison, respectively, for their participation in the murders of Abel Mosso in 2019 and Victor Alvarenga in 2018. Both Gutierrez and Tito Martinez Alvarenga pleaded guilty to these crimes in January 2025.
Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, James C. Barnacle, Jr., Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), Michael Alfonso, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations, New York (HSI New York), and Jessica S. Tisch, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), announced the sentences.
“In committing these terrible murders, these defendants and MS-13 put entire communities at risk, including innocent commuters,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “They will spend decades in prison for their crimes, and our Office and our law enforcement partners will keep working to ensure that any gang member who does not learn from their example is similarly held accountable.”
Mr. Nocella also thanked the Queens County District Attorney’s Office for their valuable coordination with the investigation.
"MS-13 members Ramiro Gutierrez and Tito Martinez Alvarenga, murdered two victims to satisfy a kill order by their leadership and retaliate against a perceived rival. These brazen displays of cold-blooded ruthlessness demonstrate the gang's propensity to repeatedly endanger the lives of our communities' residents. May today's sentencing highlight the FBI's sustained collaboration with our law enforcement partners to eradicate senseless gang violence plaguing our neighborhoods," stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Barnacle.
“The defendants’ ruthless actions as MS-13 members — including orchestrating the shooting of Victor Alvarenga, and the cold-blooded killing of Abel Mosso on a busy subway platform — have not only led to the loss of innocent lives but also spread fear, trauma, and devastation throughout our communities,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Alfonso. “These horrific crimes underscore the urgent need for continued coordinated law enforcement action to confront gang violence. HSI New York, together with our partners, will leave no stone unturned in protecting New Yorkers and holding those responsible fully accountable.”
“As part of a vicious, ruthless international gang, these two defendants terrorized innocent people for years,” said NYPD Commissioner Tisch. “Now, they will pay for their crimes with lengthy prison sentences. The NYPD will continue to pursue justice against anyone who threatens our communities, and New York City is a safer place today with these two convicted murderers behind bars. I thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their continued partnership, and all the NYPD investigators who worked to hold these violent criminals accountable.”
Murder of Victor Alvarenga
In the early morning hours of November 4, 2018, MS-13 members shot and killed Victor Alvarenga near his home in Flushing, Queens. As proven at the trial of four co-defendants, Edenilson Velasquez Larin, a national MS-13 leader, gave the order to kill Alvarenga, and the murder was overseen by Jose Espinoza Sanchez. On the night of the murder, Gutierrez, Tito Martinez Alvarenga, Espinoza Sanchez and two other MS-13 members waited for Alvarenga near his home. When Alvarenga arrived home, MS-13 members shot him multiple times. Tito Martinez Alvarenga had called Alvarenga multiple times prior to the murder, and to conceal his involvement, Tito Martinez Alvarenga took Alvarenga’s phone from Alvarenga as Alvarenga lay dying. Gutierrez served as the getaway driver and helped plan the murder.
Murder of Abel Mosso
As also proven at the trial of four co-defendants, in the early afternoon of February 3, 2019, Gutierrez, Tito Martinez Alvarenga and Victor Lopez followed Mosso, whom they believed to be a member of the rival 18th Street gang, onto the 7 train at the Main Street station in Flushing, Queens. Lopez and Tito Martinez Alvarenga assaulted Mosso inside a subway car and then dragged him out onto the platform at the 90th Street station in Jackson Heights, Queens. The defendants pulled out a gun, but Mosso wrestled it away. One of the defendants shouted in Spanish, “Nobody get involved, we’re MS-13, we’re going to kill him.” Gutierrez then grabbed the gun from Mosso and shot him multiple times in the head, killing him.
These sentencings are the latest in a series of federal prosecutions by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York targeting members of the MS-13. MS-13’s leadership was based in El Salvador and Honduras, but the gang has thousands of members across the United States. Since 2003, hundreds of MS-13 members, including dozens of clique leaders, have been convicted on federal felony charges in the Eastern District of New York. A majority of those MS-13 members have been convicted on federal racketeering charges for participating in murders, attempted murders and assaults. Since 2010, this Office has obtained indictments charging MS-13 members with carrying out more than 75 murders in the district and has convicted dozens of MS-13 leaders and members in connection with those murders. These prosecutions are the product of investigations led by our law enforcement partners including HSI and the FBI’s Safe Streets Task Force, comprising agents and officers of the FBI and NYPD.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Organized Crime and Gangs Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Jonathan Siegel, Anna L. Karamigios and Kamil Ammari are in charge of the prosecution, with the assistance of Paralegal Specialists Timothy Migliaro and Danielle Barber.
The Defendants:
RAMIRO GUTIERREZ (also known as “Cara de Malo”)
Age: 31
Flushing, New YorkTITO MARTINEZ ALVARENGA (also known as “Imprudente”)
Age: 24
Flushing, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 20-CR-228 (S-3) (LDH)
Two Individuals Plead Guilty for Introducing Adulterated Animal Drugs into Puerto RicoRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – Adrián García Hernández pleaded guilty on March 10, 2026, to introducing adulterated animal drugs into Puerto Rico, announced W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico.
According to court documents, Adrián García-Hernández, 50, of Dorado, Puerto Rico pleaded guilty to one count of introducing adulterated animal drugs into interstate commerce, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §331(a) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FDCA). The adulterated animal drugs being imported into the United States by García-Hernández were not approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
García-Hernández, who is not a licensed veterinarian in Puerto Rico, caused 50 boxes of “Equiet Xilacina 10%,” commonly referred to as “xylazine,” among other animal drugs, to be mailed from Bogota, Colombia to Puerto Rico via Federal Express. The shipment was detained and seized by United States Customs and Border Protection (“CBP”) officers on October 22, 2024.
García-Hernández also caused 23 boxes of “Equiet Xilacina 10%,” to be mailed from Bogota, Colombia to Puerto Rico via Federal Express, which were detained and seized by CBP on November 20, 2024. García-Hernández is scheduled by sentenced by District Judge María Antongiorgi-Jordán on June 9, 2026.
In a separate case, on December 5, 2025, Waldemar Ojeda Ramos, 49, of Mayagüez, Puerto Rico pleaded guilty to one count of delivering adulterated animal drugs for payment and one count of misbranding of animal drugs in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 331(c) and (k) of the FDCA. According to the plea agreement, Ojeda Ramos, who is not a licensed veterinarian, sold ten vials of xylazine, 50 ml, on March 30, 2023. The ten vials of xylazine included five vials of Procin, a prescription animal drug containing xylazine manufactured in Mexico, and five vials of Xilazil, a prescription animal drug that contained xylazine manufactured in Argentina.
Ojeda Ramos also sold nine vials of xylazine, 50 ml, on October 4, 2023, including Xilacina and Xilapet, which are prescription animal drugs containing xylazine manufactured in Mexico. Neither Procin, Xilazil, Xilacina, nor Xilapet are approved for veterinary use in the United States by the FDA. Ojeda Ramos is scheduled to be sentenced by District Judge Francisco A. Besosa on March 23, 2026.
Xylazine is a non-opiate sedative, analgesic, and muscle relaxant commonly known as “tranq”. FDA-approved xylazine is used as an analgesic and as a preanesthetic to local and general non-human anesthesia, and as such, any animal drugs that contained xylazine are prescription drugs, available only by or on the order of a licensed veterinarian. While xylazine is not approved for use in humans, it has been detected in the illicit drug supply and in human drug overdoses. Xylazine is not shown to be safe for use in humans and has resulted in serious and life-threatening side effects. As a result, FDA issued Import Alert 68-20 on February 28, 2023, to prevent finished drug products containing xylazine from entering the United States market.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico (USAO-DPR) and its law enforcement partners remain committed to enforcing import laws like the FDCA which protect the United States and Puerto Rico from public health and safety risks. The FDA, DEA, and CBP investigated these cases which are being prosecuted by FDA Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyrsten L. Melander.
The USAO-DPR, FDA, DEA, and CBP coordinated this action through the Department of Justice’s Trade Fraud Task Force, a cross-agency law enforcement effort that also involves the Criminal and Civil Divisions’ Fraud Sections, the Environment and Natural Resources Division, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois, the Department of Homeland Security, and U.S. Attorney’s Offices nationwide. The Task Force was created to leverage all of the Department’s tools and authorities to prevent trade fraud that deprives the government of vital revenue, threatens critical domestic industries, undermines consumer confidence, and weakens national security. The Task Force is designed to pursue enforcement actions against parties who seek to evade tariffs and other duties, as well as smugglers who seek to import prohibited goods into the American economy. The Justice Department encourages whistleblowers to alert the government to credible allegations of fraud, including utilizing the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act or through the Criminal Division’s Corporate Whistleblower Program at [email protected] using the form available here.
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Two Illegal Alien Men from Mexico Indicted for Multiple Child Exploitation OffensesRead the Press Release
FARGO – United States Attorney Nicholas W. Chase announced that a federal grand jury has returned Indictments charging Lidio Santiz Julian, 26, and Hugo Lopez Diaz, 21, both Mexican nationals, with multiple child exploitation offenses related to the attempted production, receipt, transportation, and possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
As alleged, on February 6, 2026, following a months-long child exploitation investigation conducted by the Department of Homeland Security–Homeland Security Investigations and the North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation, federal and state agents executed a search warrant on a residence in Stanley, North Dakota. That day, Santiz Julian was arrested in connection with CSAM. Multiple electronic devices were seized during the search of the residence. Forensic analysis of these devices by HSI revealed that another person living at the residence, Lopez Diaz, was also connected with CSAM. Lopez Diaz was arrested by federal agents on February 10, 2026.
As a result of this investigation, Lidio Santiz Julian is charged with Receipt and Possession of Child Pornography, and Hugo Lopez Diaz is charged with Attempted Production, Transportation, and Possession of Child Pornography.
An indictment is an accusation and notice of charges. The defendants are presumed innocent under the law unless and until proven guilty.
This case is being investigated by the Department of Homeland Security–Homeland Security Investigations and the North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation, with assistance from the Mountrail County Sheriff’s Office, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David L. Rappenecker.
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Tangipahoa Parish Man Sentenced for PPP Fraud, Drug Trafficking, and Money Laundering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LA – DEQUARIUS HAMLER (“HAMLER”), age 38, of Tangipahoa Parish, was sentenced on March 6, 2026 to 135 months imprisonment by U. S. District Judge Greg Guidry on March 5, 2026, after previously pleading guilty to: conspiracy to distribute, and possess with intent to distribute, over 500 grams of cocaine and a quantity of marijuana, in violation of Title 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1), § 841(b)(1)(B), § 841(b)(1)(C), and 846; distribution of 50 grams or more of pure methamphetamine, and a quantity of cocaine, in violation of Title 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1), § 841(b)(1)(A), and § 841(b)(1)(C); making false statements to the Small Business Administration, in violation of Title 18 U.S.C. §1001; and conspiracy to launder monetary instruments, in violation of Title 18 U.S.C. §1956(h), announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle.
According to court documents, in 2022, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) began a drug trafficking investigation into HAMLER. On three separate occasions in 2023, HAMLER sold a quantity of cocaine and over 50 grams of methamphetamine to an individual he thought was a legitimate buyer. Over the course of the investigation, law enforcement officials began to suspect HAMLER was having his girlfriend, Latijeria Martin, deposit his illegal drug trafficking proceeds into a local bank to launder this drug money as legitimate funds. Bank records and financial documents showed that between January 1, 2021, through September 9, 2023, Martin and HAMLER made numerous cash deposits totaling $454,589.10 through seven different bank accounts. Martin’s deposits to and from bank accounts operating under her name totaled $328,159.10 while deposits to and from back accounts operating under HAMLER’S name totaled $126,430. Martin would make these bank deposits and withdrawals at the direction and instruction of HAMLER, whom Martin knew to be a drug dealer, and that these funds came from HAMLER’S drug dealing. Bank employees confirmed Martin visited the bank numerous times, sometimes multiple times a day, to make cash deposits and withdrawals. Frequently, the cash money Martin deposited smelled of marijuana. At some point, a bank employee informed Martin that the deposit and withdrawal actions amounted to criminal structuring and money laundering, and that the bank would no longer allow such deposits. Despite Martin’s warning and notice to HAMLER that their actions were considered criminal by the bank, HAMLER told Martin to keep laundering his drug proceeds through their bank accounts. Through investigation, it was determined that the amount of cash Martin and HAMLER deposited, and withdrew, greatly exceeded any legitimate income they reported on their tax returns.
As part of this investigation, a search warrant was ultimately executed on HAMLER’S residence. Large amounts of illegal narcotics and financial documents were located in the residence. In a post-Miranda interview, HAMLER confessed to distributing kilogram amounts of cocaine and marijuana over the past decade.
A review of HAMLER’S bank records uncovered that during the Covid-19 pandemic, HAMLER submitted fraudulent IRS records to the Small Business Administration in hopes of obtaining a loan through the Paycheck Protection Program. Through these fraudulent documents, HAMLER ultimately obtained over $19,000 for a small business he claimed to operate, but in fact did not exist. HAMLER later shared this money with Martin.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stuart Theriot of the Narcotics Unit.
For more information on the Department of Justice’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Sturgis Man Sentenced to over 10 Years in Federal Prison for Sexual Enticement of a Minor Using the InternetRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a Sturgis, South Dakota, man convicted of Enticement of a Minor Using the Internet. The sentencing took place on March 9, 2026.
Bryson Priest, 26, was sentenced to 10 years and three months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $95 in restitution and $100 in special assessments to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Forfeiture was also ordered.
Priest was indicted for the charge by a federal grand jury in October 2024. He pleaded guilty on November 21, 2025.
Between March 2021 and January 2023, Priest engaged in sexually explicit communications with a female minor who was 15 years old when they began communicating, and Priest was between 21 and 23 years old. Priest persuaded the minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct during their online communications. Priest then created images of the minor by taking screen shots with his cell phone of the images and videos she sent him of her engaging in the sexually explicit activity or by recording his cell phone screen while she “live-streamed” with him over Snapchat. Priest was also in possession of other child sexual abuse material, discovered after law enforcement searched accounts and devices belonging to Priest.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
This case was investigated by the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and the Rapid City Police Department. Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Knox and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn N. Rich prosecuted the case.
Priest was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Stafford man sentenced to life in prison for child sexual abuse crimes he committed while on supervised release for previous convictionsRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Stafford man was sentenced today to life in prison for sexual exploitation of children after prior convictions, coercion and enticement of a minor, receipt of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) after prior convictions, possession of CSAM after prior convictions, and commission of sexual exploitation of children offenses while a registered sex offender.
According to court documents, Nicholas Wayne Hanlon, 40, pled guilty on Nov. 5, 2013, in the District of Columbia, to two counts of receipt of CSAM and one count of travel with the intent to engage in sexually illicit conduct after he attempted to meet with a purported 12-year-old girl for sex. Hanlon was sentenced to eight years in prison and 10 years of supervised release and was required to register as a sex offender. His term of supervised release began on Feb. 14, 2020.
From November 2020 through July 2024, Hanlon used SnapChat and Instagram to engage in sexually explicit conversations with and request and receive CSAM from at least seven minors across multiple states. Throughout his conversations with the minor victims, Hanlon requested, at times on a near daily basis, that they send him videos and photographs of themselves engaged in sexually explicit activity. Hanlon mapped out where many of the minors lived, looking up driving directions in several instances. Hanlon told multiple victims that he was a teenager.
Investigators found approximately 150 child pornography images and 20 child pornography videos depicting Hanlon’s victims on his cellphone and numerous additional videos and images in his SnapChat and Instagram accounts.
The FBI Washington Field Office investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys April N. Russo and Vanessa K. Strobbe, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Lyndi McVey prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:25-cr-151.
St. Louis Man Caught Twice with Guns and Drugs Sentenced to 200 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autrey on Wednesday sentenced a man caught twice with guns and drugs on the same block in St. Louis to 200 months in prison.
At Irven L. White’s trial in U.S. District Court in St. Louis in October, evidence and testimony showed that on Nov. 1, 2023, a St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department officer saw White conducting what appeared to be a hand-to-hand drug transaction in the 4400 block of Farlin Avenue. When other officers approached, White fled, discarding a firearm, but he was immediately detained. Officers found fentanyl, cocaine and cocaine base. On August 26, 2024, officers were notified that White, who had an outstanding warrant for the November 1 incident, was again conducting a hand-to-hand drug transaction in the same block. He fled officers again, leaving behind a bag containing two guns. He was arrested in a nearby home, where officers found fentanyl and cocaine base.
White has multiple prior felony convictions and is thus barred from possessing firearms. Among his prior convictions is one for second degree murder involving a drug-linked shooting in the 4400 block of Farlin Avenue on Aug. 4, 1997. At the time of the Nov. 1, 2023, incident, he was on supervised release from a 2009 federal conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm – an offense that occurred in the same block of Farlin.
White, 47, of St. Louis, was found guilty at trial of six felonies: two counts each of possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl, possession with the intent to distribute cocaine base and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christian Goeke prosecuted the case.
Second defendant pleads guilty to carjacking resulting in deathRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – A Billings woman accused of facilitating a carjacking which resulted in death admitted to charges today, Acting U.S. Attorney Tim Racicot said.
The defendant, Shyanna Jo Whitewolf, 21, pleaded guilty to one count of carjacking resulting in death. Whitewolf faces a maximum term of imprisonment of life, a $250,000 fine, and 3 years of supervised release.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan presided. U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing will be set at a later time. Whitewolf was detained pending further proceedings.
The government alleged in court documents that on May 16, 2025, Violet Littlelight arranged for Keith Breckenridge to pick her up at her residence in Billings. Prior to meeting Breckenridge, Littlelight, Whitewolf and another co-defendant planned to rob Breckenridge and take his truck. Once they took Breckenridge’s truck, they planned to give it to a drug dealer in Hardin in exchange for drugs or money.
When Whitewolf, Littlelight, and the third co-defendant arrived at the rendezvous point, Breckenridge was suspicious. Littlelight vouched for Whitewolf and the other co-defendant and told Breckenridge they just needed a ride. Based on her assurances, Breckenridge let all three defendants into his truck.
As they drove, Whitewolf engaged Breckenridge in conversation to keep him calm. When they arrived in an alley, Breckenridge was directed to stop when he was stabbed approximately 20 times in his neck, chest, and stomach with a knife. The defendants removed Breckenridge from the driver’s seat and left him in the alley, where he subsequently died from the stab wounds.
The defendants then drove Breckenridge’s truck to Hardin. They changed their clothes and placed the bloody clothes in the truck. They then drove to a house on the Crow reservation. When they arrived, they decided they needed to clean the truck, so they used cleaning products they obtained from the owner of the house and threw their clothes and other incriminating evidence into a burn pit. As they were cleaning the truck, law enforcement officers arrived. Littlelight and the other co-defendant fled, leaving the truck behind. Whitewolf remained at the scene but falsely told law enforcement she was not involved with the truck. Consequently, Whitewolf was not arrested until several days later.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Colin Rubich and Zeno Baucus prosecuted the case. The FBI, Billings Police Department, and BIA conducted the investigation.
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Romanian national sentenced to prison for defrauding farmers with phony equipment salesRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, Georgia: An illegal alien who participated in a scheme to sell fictitious farm equipment in Georgia and across the country has been sentenced to prison after pleading guilty to wire fraud.
Viorel Cristea, 33, a Romanian citizen illegally present in the United States, was sentenced to 21 months in prison after pleading guilty to one count of Wire Fraud, said Margaret E. “Meg” Heap, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. U.S. District Court Chief Judge R. Stan Baker also ordered Cristea to pay restitution to victims of $679,100, and to be deported upon completion of his prison term.
There is no parole in the federal system.
“Farmers in Georgia and around our nation already face enormous challenges to provide our citizens with food and fiber. Getting ripped off by unscrupulous scam artists – especially those who are illegal aliens – shouldn’t be one of those hardships,” said U.S. Attorney Heap. “We applaud the exceptional work of the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations in bringing Cristea to justice.”
A co-conspirator in the case, Bogdan Alexandru Gherghevici, a/k/a “Victor Zema,” 27, also was illegally in the United States and fled when the investigation began. He is considered a fugitive and believed to be in Romania, where he is a citizen. Gherghevici is considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The investigation began in May 2025 when a victim contacted the Pierce County, Georgia, Sheriff’s Office regarding suspicious activity from a farm equipment dealer purported to be located in Blackshear, in the Southern District of Georgia. Sheriff’s Office investigators and Homeland Security Investigations agents determined the company was fraudulent, and HSI agents identified Cristea and Gherghevici as conspirators.
Both men were named in a 14-count federal indictment in August 2025, alleging that at least as early as March 2025, and up to and including May 2025, the two participated in an extensive scheme falsely claiming to sell used farm equipment. This fraudulent scheme victimized more than a dozen prospective purchasers across the country, many of them elderly, and resulted in a total loss of more than $600,000.
As described in the plea agreement, Cristea and the conspirators “employed a host of false representations to induce victims to ‘purchase’ the fictitious farming equipment,” inducing the buyers to wire transfer large sums of money to bank accounts owned by Cristea and co-conspirators. The victims were told their equipment would be delivered in the coming days and weeks, and when the machinery didn’t arrive the “sellers” would no longer respond to inquiries.
“When hardworking farmers are targeted by scams like this, it’s not just their livelihoods that are threatened – it’s the communities and families who depend on them,” said Steven N. Schrank, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Georgia and Alabama. “HSI is committed to protecting honest people from fraudsters who prey on trust and vulnerability. This case shows that, together with our law enforcement partners, we will pursue those who exploit others and ensure they are held accountable for their actions.”
“We appreciate the help of our federal partners in this prosecution,” said Pierce County Sheriff Ramsey Bennett. “It’s refreshing to see a con artist prosecuted for stealing from hard-working Americans. Thank you to the investigators and prosecutors who made this happen for the victims.”
The HSI Savannah Field Office is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Bondura for the Southern District of Georgia is prosecuting the case.
Rockland County Man Pleads Guilty to Defrauding Investors in Investment SchemeRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, announced that SOLOMON LICHTENSTEIN pled guilty today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Victoria Reznik to securities fraud in connection with a scheme to defraud investors in two investment vehicles he managed and promoted.
“Solomon Lichtenstein solicited and received millions of dollars from friends, relatives, and members of his community on the back of false statements and misrepresentations regarding his investment qualifications and strategy, track record, and returns,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “When investment advisers abuse the trust of their clients and use New Yorkers’ hard-earned money for their personal benefit, our Office will hold them criminally accountable.”
According to the Information, plea agreement, and statements made in court:
Over a period of roughly two years from July 2022 through August 2024, LICHTENSTEIN defrauded investors in two investment entities he operated. He raised more than $3 million from dozens of victims. LICHTENSTEIN falsely represented to investors and prospective investors that his unique trading and risk mitigation strategies were generating large returns. In reality, he invested less than $600,000 of the funds he received and incurred significant losses on those funds through losing trades. LICHTENSTEIN also took approximately $1 million in investor funds for personal use, including home mortgage payments, travel and dining expenses, and cash withdrawals. Accounting for funds that were returned, investors lost more than $1.5 million through LICHTENSTEIN’s scheme.
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LICHTENSTEIN, 30, of Stony Point, New York, pled guilty to one count of securities fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.
The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge. LICHTENSTEIN is scheduled to be sentenced on July 8, 2026.
Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Mr. Clayton also thanked the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, which has filed a separate civil action against LICHTENSTEIN, for its assistance and cooperation in the investigation.
The prosecution is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Reyhan Watson, James McMahon, and John Sarlitto are in charge of the prosecution.
Roanoke Woman Sentenced in Paycheck Protection Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
ROANOKE, Va. – The Roanoke woman who orchestrated a wide-ranging conspiracy to commit wire fraud as part of a scheme to steal from the Small Business Association’s Paycheck Protection Program, was sentenced today to eight years in federal prison and ordered to pay more than $1.8 million in restitution.
Jaimeka Michelle Austin, 32, pled guilty in March 2025 to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of money laundering. In addition to prison time, Austin was ordered to pay full restitution to the Small Business Administration (SBA) and has agreed to a forfeiture money judgment in the sum of $190,390.
Austin was indicted in June 2024 along with 23 others as part of a 142-count indictment alleging wire fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, money laundering, making false statements, and fraud in relation to an emergency benefits program.
The Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) was a COVID-19 pandemic relief program administered by the SBA that provided forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses.
Between June 2020 and December 2020, Austin communicated with several individuals about helping them to defraud another pandemic relief program, the Economy Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program. Austin helped multiple individuals submit fraudulent applications to the EIDL program and also did so herself, getting $9,000 in EIDL money.
In January 2021, Austin asked her tax preparer, Artebia Hobbs, if she knew how to obtain PPP loans. Hobbs agreed to help Austin get fraudulent PPP loans for Austin herself and also to help Austin submit fraudulent PPP applications on behalf of others. They agreed to charge prospective loan applicants $5,000 (to be split evenly between them) to obtain a $20,000 PPP loan.
Austin recruited individuals to apply for PPP loans via social media and word of mouth, knowing that most who would be applying were not eligible to receive such loans because they did not own a business and were not self-employed at the time – two conditions required for PPP loans.
Austin and her co-conspirators submitted more than 100 fraudulent PPP loan applications on behalf of dozens of applicants, including for those who did not have a pre-existing business. These applications included multiple false statements, including inflated business income and fraudulent IRS Schedule C forms.
Austin also submitted fraudulent PPP loan applications for her own business, Mechelle’s Boutique. As a part of these applications, Austin vastly inflated the amount of revenue that Mechelle’s Boutique received. Based on her fraudulent submissions, Austin ultimately received two PPP loans totaling over $52,000.
In total, Austin received, and helped others receive, nearly $2 million in fraudulent PPP loans.
Austin used the proceeds of her fraudulent loans and her commissions from helping others with their own fraudulent loans for various retail and vacation expenses. Austin spent significant sums of money at luxury retailers like Burberry and Gucci. And she spent large amounts of money on vacations, including travels to Miami, Houston, Los Angeles, and Puerto Rico. On her trip to Puerto Rico, Austin spent over $10,000 while staying at a high-end resort.
On October 4, 2021, Austin used some of the proceeds from her PPP fraud scheme to purchase a new-construction single-family home in Charlotte, North Carolina. However, because Austin was already concerned that the “feds” were watching her and did not want to draw additional attention from the federal government, she sought to conceal the source of the funds she was using to make her $70,000 down payment on the home.
As a result, Austin gave $70,000 of her fraudulent proceeds to a third party; the third party then wired the funds to the closing attorney. Austin and the third party falsely represented that this money was a gift from the third party and that it did not originate from Austin. Austin closed on the Charlotte property two days later and used her fraud proceeds to pay some of the mortgage payments on the property. In May 2022, Austin filed a quitclaim deed granting herself and her mother joint ownership rights over the Charlotte property.
In April 2023, Austin and her mother listed the Charlotte property for sale, and it went under contract for $398,000. Austin and her mother were set to receive just under $95,000 in proceeds from this sale. In May 2023, the United States seized these sale proceeds, and, pursuant to an August 2024 default judgment, this money was forfeited to the United States.
Acting United States Attorney Robert N. Tracci, Ian Kaufmann, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Division, and Kareem A. Carter, Special Agent in Charge of IRS – Criminal Investigation, Washington DC Field Office, made the announcement.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jason M. Scheff and Lee S. Brett are prosecuting the case for the United States.
Reston man who was previously convicted of threatening the President sentenced to over two years in prison for latest threatsRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Reston man was sentenced today to two years and four months in prison for sending threats online to kill the President.
According to court documents, between Feb. 15, 2025, and May 15, 2025, Valeriy Kouznetsov, 41, made multiple threats toward the President of the United States, his family, and other government officials. Kouznetsov posted these threats on X (formerly Twitter), some of which he sent directly to the X accounts belonging to the President and other officials. For example, on March 28, 2025, Kouznetsov posted a message threatening the President with a “7/13 secret service repeat Philadelphia,” a reference to the July 13, 2024, attempted assassination of President Trump at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. On April 17, 2025, Kouznetsov threatened, “you are a hopeless and helpless American (expletive) I will murder all of you filthy rats.” Two days later, he publicly posted “I murder all of you including (the President).”
Kouznetsov has a history of threatening the life of the President. In July 2020, Kouznetsov approached the Trump International Hotel in Washington, climbed over the bike rack fencing, and attempted to enter the facility. When he encountered hotel staff, Kouznetsov threatened to harm hotel employees and stab the President. Kouznetsov was arrested, convicted of threatening to kill or injure the President, and sentenced to two years and three months in prison and a three-year term of supervised release. On April 5, 2023, Kouznetsov was arrested on a supervised release violation after he entered the area around the White House. His supervised release was revoked, and he was sentenced to a year and a day in prison.
The U.S. Secret Service’s Washington Field Office investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Halper and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacob Mercer 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-271.
Repeat sex offender sentenced for possessing child sex abuse materialRead the Press Release
GAINESVILLE, Ga. - Keith Wolf, a registered sex offender who spent nearly a decade in state prison for child molestation and sexual exploitation of children, has been sentenced to federal prison for possessing a large collection of child sex abuse material. A law enforcement investigation revealed that Wolf started to build that collection and distribute images from it shortly after his release from state custody.
“Wolf is a predator with an appetite for innocent children,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “His decision to re-engage in exploitation shows his irrepressible depravity, disrespect for the law, and danger to the community. Thankfully, the Court’s sentence ensures Wolf’s removal from society for a decade. In the interim, we will continue to work with our local, state, and federal partners to protect children by using every asset available to hunt and punish these offenders.”
“Once is too many times for child exploitation. As repeat offender, Wolf has demonstrated his inability or willingness to reform. Removing him from our community is the best way to enhance the safety of our children,” said Forsyth County Sheriff Ron Freeman, “We appreciate the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Atlanta for their continued support in holding criminals responsible for their actions.”
According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: In October 2023, Google sent multiple cyber tips to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) related to a Google user who had disseminated child sex abuse material to other users through Google chat. NCMEC notified the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office because the Google user had accessed the internet from an address in Cumming, Georgia.
The Sheriff’s Office identified the offending Google user as Keith Wolf, who had previously been convicted of child molestation in 2012 and sexual exploitation of children in 2016. Wolf was released from state prison in August 2023, just a few weeks before Google began sending its tips to NCMEC.
Deputies executed a search warrant at Wolf’s residence and recovered Wolf’s cell phone. A review of that device revealed hundreds of images and dozens of videos of depicting sexual abuse of prepubescent children, including infants and toddlers.
Keith Matthew Wolf, 36, of Cumming, Georgia, has been sentenced to 10 years in prison to be followed by 15 years of supervised release, and $19,000 in restitution. Wolf pleaded guilty to possession of child sex abuse material on September 16, 2025.
This case was investigated by the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Keen prosecuted the case.
This case is being brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In February 2006, the Attorney General launched Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices around the country, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Registered Sex Offender Pleads Guilty to Federal Child Pornography ChargeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Lunenburg man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Worcester to possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
Michael Myers, 39, pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child pornography. U.S. District Court Judge Margaret R. Guzman scheduled sentencing for June 16, 2026. Myers was arrested and charged by criminal complaint in December 2024 and has remained in federal custody since that time.
In 2015, Myers was convicted of possession of CSAM, for which he was sentenced to two years’ probation by state authorities. He is a Level One Sex Offender.
In August 2023, Myers was identified as the owner of a Kik Messenger account transmitting CSAM files. One of the files depicted a male victim, approximately as young at eight years old, being raped by an adult male. Separately, in April 2024, Myers was identified as the owner of a Reddit account transmitting CSAM files depicting the abuse of a minor male victim. Search warrants obtained for both the Kik and Reddit accounts revealed several chats further demonstrating Myers’ criminal sexual interest in young boys.
During a search of his Lunenburg residence in December 2024, an anonymous private messenger application was found on Myers’ cell phone and showed that several videos and pictures depicting CSAM were sent and received.
Due to Myers’ prior conviction, the charging statute provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and up to 20 years in prison, a minimum of five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; and Lunenburg Police Interim Police Chief Jeffrey M. Thibodeau made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Danial Bennett of the Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Raleigh County Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Francis Combs, 58, of Cool Ridge, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on July 30, 2024, Combs sold a Bryco Arms model Jennings J-22 .22-caliber pistol to a confidential informant in Raleigh County. As part of his guilty plea, Combs admitted to conducting the transaction at his residence and after selling a quantity of fentanyl to the confidential informant at a gas station in Ghent.
Combs also admitted to selling a quantity of fentanyl and a Jimenez Arms model JA-Nine 9mm pistol to a confidential informant at his residence on August 1, 2024.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Combs knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony convictions for first-degree robbery in Raleigh County Circuit Court on June 26, 2007, and being a felon in possession of a firearm in Wyoming County Circuit Court on October 1, 2019.
Combs is scheduled to be sentenced on June 24, 2026, and faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit, which consists of officers from the West Virginia State Police, the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Office, and the Beckley Police Department.
United States Magistrate Judge Omar J. Aboulhosn presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Lesley C. Shamblin and former Assistant United States Attorney Alexander A. Redmon have prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:24-cr-188.
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Registered Sex Offender Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Child Pornography OffenseRead the Press Release
Spokane, Washington – On March 11, 2026, United States District Court Judge Thomas O. Rice sentenced Steven Eric Prestwood, age 39, to 15 years in federal prison followed by a lifetime term of supervised release after pleading guilty to receipt of child pornography. The Court also imposed $72,000 in restitution to go to the known victims portrayed in the images and ordered Prestwood to comply with sex offender registration requirements amongst several other stringent conditions upon release from prison.
According to court documents, in April 2025, the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office received multiple tips from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) regarding uploads of child sexual abuse material linked to an online messaging account associated with Prestwood. Investigators identified communications in which Prestwood sought and received explicit images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of minors, including prepubescent children and infants.
Law enforcement officers later arrested Prestwood and seized Prestwood’s cellular phone. A forensic examination revealed hundreds of images and videos depicting the sexual exploitation of children. Many of the files involved extremely violent and sadistic conduct against young victims. Investigators also determined that hundreds of the images and videos had previously been identified by NCMEC and were linked to numerous known child victims.
Prestwood was previously convicted in 2021 in Spokane County Superior Court for possession of depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. At the time of the federal offense, he was a registered sex offender and was out of compliance with registration requirements.
In imposing sentence, the Court found that a significant term of imprisonment was necessary to reflect the seriousness of the offense, promote respect for the law, provide just punishment, protect the public, and deter future criminal conduct. The Court sentenced Prestwood to 180 months (15 years) in federal custody, to be followed by a lifetime term of supervised release.
“This sentence reflects the grave harm caused by the exploitation of children and the continued danger posed by repeat offenders,” said First Assistant United States Attorney Pete Serrano. “The Department of Justice remains committed to aggressively investigating and prosecuting those who seek out and distribute child sexual abuse material.”
“This case is extremely disturbing, made even more so by the fact that he did not learn his lesson from his last offense and continued his harmful behavior,” said W. Mike Herrington, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Seattle field office. “Mr. Prestwood not only possessed thousands of meticulously organized images and videos of child sexual abuse, but much of it was especially violent, even depicting the torture of children. I’m grateful for the law enforcement officers and prosecutors who investigate these horrifying cases to hold dangerous child predators accountable.”
“Sexual predators forever alter the lives of the innocent children they victimize,” said Spokane County Sheriff John Nowels. “Working together with NCMEC and our local, state, and federal partners, we will relentlessly work to identify and hold accountable those who exploit and harm the vulnerable children in our community.”
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Alison L. Gregoire of the Eastern District of Washington.
For additional information, please contact the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Washington.
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Philadelphia Man Sentenced to 18 Months in Federal Prison for Government TheftRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, Del. – A Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, man was sentenced on March 10, 2026, to 18 months in prison for stealing COVID-19 relief funds and ordered to pay $866,171 in restitution. Chief U.S. District Judge Colm F. Connolly imposed the sentence.
Congress created the Employee Retention Credit (ERC), a federal tax credit, to provide emergency financial assistance in connection with the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The ERC was introduced in 2020 to incentivize businesses to continue paying employees during the pandemic. At first, the ERC provided for a 50% credit on up to $10,000 in wages per employee per calendar year for businesses that were either closed by government order or that had a 50% drop in gross receipts due to the pandemic. By 2021, the percentage credit increased to 70% per employee per quarter. To obtain ERC, entities had to file an IRS Form 941 setting forth their eligibility for ERC.
According to court documents, Andre Summerville, 55, participated in a tax scheme designed to defraud the United States out of money intended to help small businesses weather the economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic. Summerville, who operated a Delaware-based business, provided an associate with his personal and business information. That information was used to submit false tax forms to the IRS seeking ERC to which Summerville was not entitled. Based on those false filings, the IRS sent Summerville over $866,000 worth of checks that Summerville then deposited into his own accounts. More than $170,000 of those funds were then withdrawn in cash. Summerville also used the money to buy luxury items and to transfer tens of thousands of dollars to other people involved in the scheme.
U.S. Attorney Benjamin L. Wallace commented on the case, “Congress passed COVID-19 relief legislation to help hard-working Americans cope with the financial turmoil caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. It is an insult to the American taxpayer when fraudsters like Andre Summerville divert those relief funds to enable themselves to lead lives of luxury. My office and our law enforcement partners will continue to investigate and hold responsible all those who steal from the government and the American people to line their own pockets.”
“Mr. Summerville deliberately defrauded a government program designed to assist eligible businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Philadelphia Field Office Special Agent in Charge Yury Kruty of Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI). “Yesterday’s sentencing holds Mr. Summerville accountable for his criminal actions and shows that our office will continue working to bring charges against individuals who commit these crimes.”
This case was investigated by IRS-CI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jesse S. Wenger prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the District of Delaware or on PACER by searching for Case No. 25-127.
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Philadelphia Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Violent Home Invasion RobberyRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Tyrek Byrd, 37, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today by United States District Court Judge Cynthia M. Rufe to 15 years in prison for his role in a violent home invasion robbery targeting a local business owner and his family.
In September 2025, a federal jury convicted Byrd of conspiring to commit armed home invasion robberies, Hobbs Act robbery, and using and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
As proven at trial, in December 2019, Byrd and two co‑conspirators carried out a violent home invasion robbery targeting business owners whom they believed kept large amounts of cash at their homes. The conspirators researched their victims and businesses and used a GPS tracking device to determine where the victims lived before carrying out the robberies.
On the night of December 31, 2019, Byrd and two accomplices confronted the owner of a Delaware County nail salon as the victim returned to the business. The robbers forced the victim inside, zip‑tied his wrists, covered his mouth with duct tape, and beat him while demanding money.
The men then forced the victim to take them to his home, where they encountered the victim’s wife, children, and nanny. Inside the residence, the robbers zip‑tied the family members, ransacked the home, and continued assaulting the victim while demanding cash. During the ordeal, the assailants threatened the family and stated that they had been watching the victims for weeks.
After terrorizing the family for approximately 40 minutes, the robbers fled with thousands of dollars in business proceeds, jewelry, and other valuables.
Byrd’s coconspirator, Shaquan Brown, was previously sentenced to more than 22 years’ in prison for his role in this and other robberies. Another coconspirator, Willie Singletary, received a sentence of 17 years’ imprisonment for this role in the conspiracy.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives the Haverford Police Department, Uwchlan Township Police Department, with assistance from the FBI and the Montgomery County Criminal Investigation Division and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Anthony Carissimi, Brian Doherty, and J. Jeanette Kang.