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9 March 2026
U.S. Attorney’s Office Concludes Investigation into Drug Overdose While in Police CustodyRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia announced today that there is insufficient evidence to pursue federal criminal civil rights or District of Columbia charges against two officers with the Metropolitan Police Department arising out of the death of a 56-year-old District resident from a drug overdose that occurred on July 22, 2025.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Metropolitan Police Department Internal Affairs Division conducted a comprehensive review of the incident, which included a review of law enforcement and civilian accounts, Body Worn Camera footage, physical evidence, recorded radio communications, forensic reports, autopsy and toxicology reports, and reports from MPD.
According to the evidence, on July 22, 2025, two officers arrested Darrell Cox inside of a convenience store located in the 2900 block of Martin Luther King Avenue, S.E., Washington, D.C. Cox originally followed one of the officers into the store after he had been acting erratically outside on the sidewalk. Cox’ erratic behavior continued inside. When the owner of the store requested that Cox leave, a minor altercation ensued, and Cox was placed under arrest.
As the officers were waiting to transport Cox, his physical condition began to deteriorate. An ambulance, which had already been summoned to the scene, arrived and Cox was placed in the care of the medical technicians. The decision was made to take Cox to the Cedar Hill Regional Medical Center. Cox became completely unconscious shortly after arriving at the hospital. The physicians were unable to revive him, and he died on the scene. A subsequent autopsy revealed that Cox’s death was accidental and resulted from ingesting a combination of cocaine and phencyclidine (PCP).
After a careful, thorough, and independent review of the evidence, federal prosecutors found insufficient evidence to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the officer willfully violated the civilian’s rights.
Investigations generally
The U.S. Attorney’s Office reviews all police-involved fatalities to determine whether sufficient evidence exists to conclude that any officers violated either federal criminal civil rights laws or District of Columbia law.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office remains committed to investigating allegations of excessive force by law enforcement officers and will continue to devote the resources necessary to ensure that all allegations of serious civil rights violations are investigated fully and completely. The Metropolitan Police Department’s Internal Affairs Division investigates all police-involved fatalities in the District of Columbia.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Begins March with 187 New Immigration Cases in Western District of TexasRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO – Federal prosecutors in the Western District of Texas filed 187 new immigration and immigration-related criminal cases from Feb. 27 to March 5, announced U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons. Charges were brought against human smugglers and illegal aliens with past convictions for violent crimes, DWIs, and multiple prior removals.
Among the new cases, Mexican national Erick Eduardo Carillo-Fierro was charged with illegal re-entry after being arrested by USBP agents near Val Verde. His first deportation was Feb. 6, but he has been convicted three times in California. In 2009, Carillo-Fierro was sentenced to 15 years and 8 months in prison for carjacking and fleeing with a weapon from a pursuing officer. While serving that sentence in 2011, he was convicted for manufacturing a weapon in prison. In 2022, he was convicted for possessing narcotics, drugs, or alcohol in prison.
U.S. Border Patrol agents arrested Mexican national Jorge Salinas-Cabrera near Kinney on Monday. Salinas-Cabrera is charged with illegal re-entry after being previously deported four times, the most recent being on Aug. 16, 2025. In addition to a 2013 illegal re-entry conviction, his criminal history includes two convictions for assault causing bodily injury, one conviction for driving while intoxicated, and one for evading arrest.
Mexican national Luis Fidel Leos-Angel was encountered at the Bexar County Jail in January after he was arrested for assault causing bodily injury to a family member and evading arrest. He was released from the jail on Tuesday and transported to ICE Enforcement Removal Operations San Antonio for processing. Leos-Angel’s criminal history revealed he was previously convicted of aiding and abetting the transportation of an unlawful alien and sentenced to 18 months in prison.
In Austin, a Guatemalan national was arrested for a supervised release violation after serving a 27-month federal prison sentence. Freyman Mejia-Vasquez has been removed from the U.S. seven times, and his criminal record includes interfering with an emergency call, a DWI, and assault causing bodily injury.
Salvadoran national Oscar Enrique Ramos-Tepas is charged in Austin with illegal re-entry, having been previously removed from the U.S. twice. In 2024, he was convicted for assault impeding breath or circulation and tampering with evidence with intent to impair. Ramos-Tepas has also been convicted of a DWI, two violations of a protective order and two additional assaults causing bodily injury.
Mexican national Miguel Angel Torres-Rueda aka Everado Torres-Rueda was found in the Travis County Jail and detained by ICE. Torres-Rueda has been deported twice. His prior convictions include two DWIs, one assault causing bodily injury, and an improper entry by an alien.
Guatemalan national Efrain Celso Garcia-Pedro was found approximately 5.7 miles east of the Tornillo Port of Entry on Feb. 28. He had previously been removed on Aug. 29, 2025, four months after receiving 20 years of probation and community service in Cherokee County, Georgia for exploiting and inflicting pain to deprive essential services to a disabled or elder person.
Mexican national Armando Jose-Gaspar aka Armando Pedro Juan was also arrested in El Paso after he was found near the 4000 block of Truman Avenue. Jose-Gaspar has been removed from the U.S. 10 times, the last being in December through Nogales, Arizona.
These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including ICE, U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the FBI, the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas comprises 68 counties located in the central and western areas of Texas, encompasses nearly 93,000 square miles and an estimated population of 7.6 million people. The district includes three of the five largest cities in Texas—San Antonio, Austin and El Paso—and shares 660 miles of common border with the Republic of Mexico.
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.
Indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Two ISIS Supporters Charged with Attempting to Detonate Explosive Devices During Protests Outside Gracie MansionRead the Press Release
Today, the Department of Justice announced charges against Emir Balat and Ibrahim Kayumi alleging that they attempted to detonate two explosive devices in the vicinity of Gracie Mansion, and that they were acting in support of ISIS, a designated foreign terrorist organization.
“This was an alleged ISIS-inspired act of terrorism that could have killed American citizens,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “We will not allow ISIS’s poisonous, anti-American ideology to threaten this nation—our law enforcement officers will remain vigilant, as they were when these devices were brought to a protest.”
“These men allegedly sought to inflict mass casualties in service to ISIS with the hope of exceeding the carnage of the Boston Marathon bombing,” said Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche. “We are tremendously grateful to the brave law enforcement officers who ran into harm’s way to apprehend these individuals and disarm the explosives before anyone was harmed. Thanks to the quick investigative work by federal law enforcement, this Department of Justice will prosecute these men who pledged allegiance to a foreign terrorist organization to the fullest extent.”
“The defendants allegedly support ISIS and tried to follow the path of that deadly group by attempting to detonate explosive devices in a crowd,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “The FBI and our partners have no tolerance for terrorist organizations or those inspired by them to engage in attacks. We are committed to stopping acts of violence and will hold accountable those who seek to harm our citizens. I want to commend the brave NYPD officers who took action to prevent injuries or loss of life on the streets of New York.”
“This alleged act of terrorism, including the packing of metal shrapnel into explosive devices, reveal an intent to cause multiple deaths or serious injuries,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “This is a sober reminder of the threat posed by ISIS and its despicable ideology. NSD will continue to use all tools at its disposal to protect this Nation and its people.”
“As alleged, on Saturday, March 7, during a protest taking place outside Gracie Mansion on the Upper East Side, Emir Balat and Ibrahim Kayumi attempted to detonate two improvised explosive devices amongst the protesters,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton for the Southern District of New York. “Moreover, after being apprehended by NYPD officers, both Balat and Kayumi stated they were aligned with ISIS. Free speech and peaceable assembly are the bedrock of American democracy. Violence is not protected speech, and it’s not protected protest. In New York, violence—particularly acts of terror—will be met with swift justice. This investigation remains ongoing, and we encourage anyone with further information to please contact tips.fbi.gov online or 1-800-CALL-FBI.”
As alleged in the Complaint:
On or about March 7, 2026, a protest called “Stop the Islamic Takeover of New York City, Stop New York City Public Muslim Prayer” and a counter-protest called “Run Nazis Out of New York City” were held outside of Gracie Mansion in Manhattan, New York. Gracie Mansion is the official residence of the Mayor of New York City.
At approximately 12:15 p.m., Balat ignited and threw an explosive device (Device-1) toward the area where the protesters were gathered, as pictured below:
Immediately after throwing Device-1, Balat ran to another location down the block and received a second explosive device (Device-2) from Kayumi, as pictured below:
After apparently igniting Device-2, Balat dropped Device-2 near where several NYPD officers were standing, ran away from the NYPD officers, and jumped over a barricade. He was tackled and arrested by NYPD officers shortly thereafter, as was Kayumi. Pictured below are Balat mid-flight and Device-2 hitting the ground:
Following his arrest, while en route to the NYPD precinct, Balat stated to NYPD officers: “this isn’t a religion that just stands when people talk about the blessed name of the prophet . . . We take action! We take action!”; and “if I didn’t do it someone else will come and do it.” Then, after arriving at the NYPD precinct, Balat requested a piece of paper and, after being given a paper and pen, wrote the following: “All praise is due to Allah lord of all worlds! I pledge my allegiance to the Islamic State. Die in your rage yu [sic] kuffar! Emir B.” “Kuffar” is an Arabic term that refers to “non-believers” or “infidels,” and “Die in your rage” is a slogan used by ISIS.
Law enforcement officers later asked Balat if he was familiar with the Boston Marathon bombing, and if that was what Balat had hoped to accomplish. Balat responded: “No, even bigger. It was only three deaths.”
After Kayumi was arrested, and as he was being placed inside an NYPD vehicle to be transported from the scene to an NYPD precinct, an individual from the surrounding crowd yelled to Kayumi and asked why Kayumi had done this. Kayumi responded, “ISIS.” Then, at the NYPD precinct, in response to a question from law enforcement about whether he was affiliated with ISIS, Kayumi indicated that he was. He further stated, in substance and part, that: (i) he has watched ISIS propaganda on his phone; (ii) his actions that day were partly inspired by ISIS; (iii) he did not feel comfortable holding the Devices earlier that day; and (iv) he would not feel comfortable if the Devices were in the interrogation room with him.
After Balat and Kayumi were arrested and the Devices were secured, an FBI Special Agent Bomb Technician (SABT) conducted a preliminary examination of the Devices and determined that they were each approximately the size of a mason jar; that they each had an attached fuse; and that they each had nuts and bolts attached to the exterior, surrounded by duct tape. A preliminary analysis of Device-1, the device that Balat threw into the crowd of protesters, showed that it contained TATP, a highly volatile explosive that is colloquially known as the “Mother of Satan” and extremely sensitive to impact, friction, and heat. TATP has been used in multiple terrorist attacks over the last decade.
Pictured below are the contents inside Device-1 after it was opened by law enforcement:
On or about March 8, 2026, law enforcement officers located a parked vehicle registered to a family member of Balat a few blocks from Gracie Mansion. From inside the vehicle, law enforcement officers recovered a coiled green material consistent in appearance with hobby fuse, an empty metal can of the same approximate dimensions and appearance as the can recovered from inside Device-1, and a notebook containing handwritten notes. One page of the notebook contains the note “TATP explosive”; another page contains a list of chemical ingredients, including “hydrogen peroxide,” “sulfuric acid,” and “acetone”; and a third page contains a list of components and quantities, such as “aluminum can x6,” and “a box of bolts ect [sic] 2x.”
As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the charging instrument to date constitutes only allegations, and every fact described herein should be treated as an allegation.
Balat, 18, of Langhorne, Pennsylvania, and Kayumi, 19, of Newtown, Pennsylvania, are charged with attempted provision of material support and resources to a designated foreign terrorist organization, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; use of a weapon of mass destruction, which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison; transportation of explosive materials, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison; interstate transportation and receipt of explosives, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison; and unlawful possession of destructive devices, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.
The minimum and maximum potential sentences are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by a judge.
Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding efforts of the New York Joint Terrorism Task Force of the FBI, which consists of investigators and analysts from the FBI, the NYPD, and over 50 other federal, state, and local agencies. Mr. Clayton also thanked the Counterterrorism Section of the Department of Justice’s National Security Division, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the New York State Police, Homeland Security Investigations, the FBI Newark Field Office, the FBI Philadelphia Field Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives for their assistance.
This case is being handled by the National Security and International Narcotics Unit for the Southern District of New York. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan L. Bodansky and Jane Y. Chong are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Trial Attorney James Donnelly of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section and paralegal specialist Juan Muñoz.
Two ISIS Supporters Charged with Attempting to Detonate Explosive Devices During Protests Outside Gracie MansionRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, Attorney General for the United States, Pamela Bondi, Deputy Attorney General for the United States, Todd Blanche, Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), James C. Barnacle, Jr., and Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), Jessica S. Tisch, announced today charges against EMIR BALAT and IBRAHIM KAYUMI alleging that they attempted to detonate two explosive devices in the vicinity of Gracie Mansion, and that they were acting in support of ISIS, a designated foreign terrorist organization.
“As alleged, on Saturday, March 7, during protests taking place outside Gracie Mansion on the Upper East Side, Emir Balat and Ibrahim Kayumi attempted to detonate two improvised explosive devices amongst the protesters,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “Moreover, after being apprehended by NYPD officers, both Balat and Kayumi stated they were aligned with ISIS. Free speech and peaceable assembly are the bedrock of American democracy. Violence is not protected speech, and it’s not protected protest. In New York, violence—particularly acts of terror—will be met with swift justice. This investigation remains ongoing, and we encourage anyone with further information to please contact tips.fbi.gov online or 1-800-CALL-FBI.”
“This was an alleged ISIS-inspired act of terrorism that could have killed American citizens,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “We will not allow ISIS’s poisonous, anti-American ideology to threaten this nation—our law enforcement officers will remain vigilant, as they were when these devices were brought to a protest.”
“These men allegedly sought to inflict mass casualties in service to ISIS with the hope of exceeding the carnage of the Boston Marathon bombing,” said Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche. “We are tremendously grateful to the brave law enforcement officers who ran into harm’s way to apprehend these individuals and disarm the explosives before anyone was harmed. Thanks to the quick investigative work by federal law enforcement, this Department of Justice will prosecute these men, who pledged allegiance to a foreign terrorist organization, to the fullest extent.”
“Inspired by ISIS, a designated terrorist organization, Emir Balat and Ibrahim Kayumi allegedly threw one improved explosive device, and attempted to toss another, into a crowd gathered on East End Avenue,” said FBI Assistant Director in Charge James C. Barnacle, Jr. “Balat and Kayumi sought to incite fear and mass suffering through this alleged attempted terror attack. Alongside the NYPD, the FBI’s New York Joint Terrorism Task Force will not tolerate those who use violence against targets in New York City to broadcast their terrorist ideologies.”
“As alleged in the complaint, the crimes committed by Emir Balat and Ibrahim Kayumi were not random,” said NYPD Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch. “This was an act of ISIS-inspired terrorism. From the first moments since the attack, the NYPD has been working seamlessly with the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, and I am deeply grateful for their partnership in this investigation. The men and women of the NYPD will continue to stand watch over this city and selflessly run towards the danger to keep the public safe.”
As alleged in the Complaint:[1]
On or about March 7, 2026, a protest called “Stop the Islamic Takeover of New York City, Stop New York City Public Muslim Prayer” and a counter-protest called “Run Nazis Out of New York City” were held outside of Gracie Mansion in Manhattan, New York. Gracie Mansion is the official residence of the Mayor of New York City.
At approximately 12:15 p.m., BALAT ignited and threw an explosive device (“Device-1”) toward the area where the protesters were gathered, as pictured below:
Immediately after throwing Device-1, BALAT ran to another location down the block and received a second explosive device (“Device-2”) from KAYUMI, as pictured below:
After apparently igniting Device-2, BALAT dropped Device-2 near where several NYPD officers were standing, ran away from the NYPD officers, and jumped over a barricade. He was tackled and arrested by NYPD officers shortly thereafter, as was KAYUMI. Pictured below are BALAT mid-flight and Device-2 hitting the ground:
Following his arrest, while en route to the NYPD precinct, BALAT stated to NYPD officers: “this isn’t a religion that just stands when people talk about the blessed name of the prophet . . . We take action! We take action!”; and “if I didn’t do it someone else will come and do it.” Then, after arriving at the NYPD precinct, BALAT requested a piece of paper and, after being given a paper and pen, wrote the following: “All praise is due to Allah lord of all worlds! I pledge my allegiance to the Islamic State. Die in your rage yu [sic] kuffar! Emir B.” “Kuffar” is an Arabic term that refers to “non-believers” or “infidels,” and “Die in your rage” is a slogan used by ISIS.
Law enforcement officers later asked BALAT if he was familiar with the Boston Marathon bombing, and if that was what BALAT had hoped to accomplish. BALAT responded: “No, even bigger. It was only three deaths.”
After KAYUMI was arrested, and as he was being placed inside an NYPD vehicle to be transported from the scene to an NYPD precinct, an individual from the surrounding crowd yelled to KAYUMI and asked why KAYUMI had done this. KAYUMI responded, “ISIS.” Then, at the NYPD precinct, in response to a question from law enforcement about whether he was affiliated with ISIS, KAYUMI indicated that he was. He further stated, in substance and part, that: (i) he has watched ISIS propaganda on his phone; (ii) his actions that day were partly inspired by ISIS; (iii) he did not feel comfortable holding the Devices earlier that day; and (iv) he would not feel comfortable if the Devices were in the interrogation room with him.
After BALAT and KAYUMI were arrested and the Devices were secured, an FBI Special Agent Bomb Technician (“SABT”) conducted a preliminary examination of the Devices and determined that they were each approximately the size of a mason jar; that they each had an attached fuse; and that they each had nuts and bolts attached to the exterior, surrounded by duct tape. A preliminary analysis of Device-1, the device that BALAT threw into the crowd of protesters, showed that it contained TATP, a highly volatile explosive that is colloquially known as the “Mother of Satan” and extremely sensitive to impact, friction, and heat. TATP has been used in multiple terrorist attacks over the last decade.
Pictured below are the contents inside Device-1 after it was opened by law enforcement:
On or about March 8, 2026, law enforcement officers located a parked vehicle registered to a family member of BALAT a few blocks from Gracie Mansion. From inside the vehicle, law enforcement officers recovered a coiled green material consistent in appearance with hobby fuse, an empty metal can of the same approximate dimensions and appearance as the can recovered from inside Device-1, and a notebook containing handwritten notes. One page of the notebook contains the note “TATP explosive”; another page contains a list of chemical ingredients, including “hydrogen peroxide,” “sulfuric acid,” and “acetone”; and a third page contains a list of components and quantities, such as “aluminum can x6,” and “a box of bolts ect [sic] 2x.”
* * *
BALAT, 18, of Langhorne, Pennsylvania, and KAYUMI, 19, of Newtown, Pennsylvania, are charged with attempted provision of material support and resources to a designated foreign terrorist organization, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; use of a weapon of mass destruction, which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison; transportation of explosive materials, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison; interstate transportation and receipt of explosives, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison; and unlawful possession of destructive devices, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.
The minimum and maximum potential sentences are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by a judge.
Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding efforts of the New York Joint Terrorism Task Force of the FBI, which consists of investigators and analysts from the FBI, the NYPD, and over 50 other federal, state, and local agencies. Mr. Clayton also thanked the Counterterrorism Section of the Department of Justice’s National Security Division, the New York City Police Department, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the New York State Police, Homeland Security Investigations, the FBI Newark Field Office, the FBI Philadelphia Field Office, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives for their assistance.
This case is being handled by the Office’s National Security and International Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan L. Bodansky and Jane Y. Chong are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Trial Attorney James Donnelly of the Counterterrorism Section and paralegal specialist Juan Muñoz.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the charging instrument to date constitutes only allegations, and every fact described herein should be treated as an allegation.
Two Admit Roles in Scheme Involving Millions of Dollars Stolen from Victims of Online ScamsRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that two men have pleaded guilty in Hartford federal court to conspiracy charges related to receiving, moving, and converting millions of dollars stolen from victims of online scams.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Richard Fasanella, a U.S. citizen who resided in Venezuela, connected with others who used various online scams, including romance scams, to defraud dozens of primarily elderly victims of millions of dollars. Between approximately 2018 and 2024, Fasanella opened numerous bank accounts in his own name and in the name of various sham companies, and he directed associates, including John J. Intoci, to open bank accounts in the name of various sham companies that Fasanella ultimately controlled. Fasanella, Intoci, and others used these bank accounts to deposit nearly $9 million in checks, cash, and money orders that had been mailed to them from scam victims. Fasanella, Intoci, and others kept a percentage of these funds for themselves, and Fasanella, with the assistance of Intoci and others, moved the remaining money to other bank accounts or financial institutions, and ultimately to the cryptocurrency wallets of the scam operators.
On several occasions, bank employees and law enforcement informed Fasanella that the money he received was from scammed victims, and Fasanella had several accounts closed and had money seized by law enforcement due to fraud. However, he continued to launder money for scammers he met on the internet.
Fasanella, 56, was deported from Bogota, Colombia, and has been detained since January 26, 2024. On March 3, 2026, he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering and illegal monetary transactions, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years. He is scheduled to be sentenced on May 26.
Intoci, 65, of Spring Hill, Florida, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to operate an unlicensed money transmitting business, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of five years. He was arrested on January 16, 2025, and is currently released on a $50,000 bond pending sentencing, which is scheduled for May 29.
This investigation is being conducted the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Global Illicit Financial Team (GIFT); and the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA), with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service and Migración Colombia. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and the Judicial Attaché Office in Bogotá provided assistance. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Heather Cherry and Stephanie Levick.
Tallahassee Man Pleads Guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Theodore Roosevelt Robinson, Jr., 32, of Tallahassee, Florida, pleaded guilty to the federal charge of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi launched Operation Take Back America to devote the full power of the Department of Justice toward cleaning up our streets and removing violent criminals like this defendant from our communities. Our citizens deserve to live in safety, and that is exactly what my office will deliver with aggressive prosecutions of dangerous criminals.”
A federal investigation revealed that on or about September 16, 2025, the defendant sold a 12-gauge shotgun during a law enforcement operation. At the time of the firearm sale, the defendant was a felon and could not legally possess a firearm, based upon his prior convictions on state charges of possession of methamphetamines, drug trafficking, and attempted armed robbery.
Sentencing is scheduled for April 2, 2026, at 1:00 PM at the United States Courthouse in Tallahassee before District Judge Mark E. Walker. He faces up to fifteen years in prison, three years supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000.
The case involved an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Wakulla County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph A. Ravelo 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.
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.
Stilwell Resident Pleads Guilty to Involuntary Manslaughter in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Tyler Morgan Doyle, age 37, of Stilwell, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Involuntary Manslaughter in Indian Country, punishable by up to eight years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The Indictment alleged that on December 6, 2024, Doyle unlawfully killed the victim in the commission of an unlawful act not amounting to a felony, specifically, failing to devote full time and attention to driving, failing to comply with required obedience to traffic laws, and operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol.
The crime occurred in Wagoner County, within the boundaries of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol.
The Honorable Jason A. Robertson, Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Doyle will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lewis M. Reagan represented the United States.
Statement of U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton on the Convictions of Alon, Oren, and Tal AlexanderRead the Press Release
Federal sex offenses are all too prevalent in our society and all too often go unreported and unpunished. The truth is sex trafficking and other federal sex offenses are present in many walks of life and we have not done enough to root it out. The abuse inflicted upon the victims is disgusting, scarring, and should not be tolerated. Our prosecutors, and our law enforcement partners, are committed to breaking these conspiracies, bringing the perpetrators to justice, and sending a message to anyone who would commit or enable these horrific acts.
Today, we take an important step in our fight against sex trafficking.
Moments ago, a unanimous Manhattan jury found three brothers, Alon, Oren, and Tal Alexander guilty of multiple federal sex offenses, including conspiracy to commit sex trafficking. The verdict comes after a weekslong trial where evidence and testimony from 11 brave victims demonstrated that the Alexander brothers conspired to repeatedly lure, drug, and rape young women. These are chilling, reprehensible, and unacceptable acts. We commend the victims for their courage in coming forward and testifying at the trial. They bravely overcame the pain of reliving the abuses inflicted upon them and, as a result, prevented others from becoming victims.
We also commend the jury of New Yorkers for their attention, care, and commitment to our judicial system. The jury saw the Alexander’s conduct for what it was—calculated, brutal sexual abuse that, unimaginably, the defendants celebrated.
This verdict cannot undo the effects of heinous abuse the Alexanders’ many victims endured, but it does send a message: New Yorkers want to bring an end to sex trafficking in all our communities. We encourage anyone who has been a victim of federal sex offenses, or suspects such conduct, to contact our office or our law enforcement partners.
We also acknowledge and thank the women and men of this Office’s Civil Rights and Human Trafficking Unit and our valued colleagues at FBI-NYPD Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force for their commitment to this case. They worked tirelessly on behalf of all victims of sexual abuse and with an unwavering commitment to stopping sex trafficking.
If you have been the victim of sexual abuse, or believe you have seen evidence of sexual abuse, please contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI.
St. Lawrence County Man Pleads Guilty to Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Michael St. Denny, Jr., 36, of St. Lawrence County pled guilty on March 4, 2026, to distribution of child pornography.
First Assistant United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Erin Keegan, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) made the announcement.
As part of his guilty plea, St. Denny admitted that, in 2024, he distributed multiple child pornography files to other users of a social media messaging application, including files depicting the sexual abuse of prepubescent children including some as young as infants.
First Assistant United States Attorney Sarcone stated: “As the Supreme Court recognized over 40 years ago, distribution of child pornography is deeply harmful because the victims are forever haunted by the knowledge that the worst moments of their lives have been memorialized and perpetually viewed by perverted people looking for sexual gratification at their expense. My Office will never stop pursuing those who sexually exploit children, and I applaud our partners at HSI for vigorously investigating these matters.”
HSI Special Agent in Charge Keegan said: “Exploiting children is among the most appalling conduct our agents encounter, and the material distributed in this case reflects a level of cruelty that is simply beyond words. Each day, HSI Massena personnel utilize every tool at our disposal to find and bring to justice anyone who creates, shares, or profits from the sexual abuse of minors. Together with our law enforcement counterparts, HSI will not waver in our mission to stand between predators and the most vulnerable members of our communities.”
At sentencing on July 3, 2026, St. Denny faces a term of imprisonment of at least 5 and up to 20 years, a term of post-release supervision of at least 5 years and up to life, a fine of up to $250,000, restitution to the victims, forfeiture of the property he used to commit the offense, and registration as a sex offender. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the statute the defendant violated, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.
This case was investigated by HSI with the assistance of the New York State Police Computer Crimes Unit and the St. Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael D. Gadarian as part of Project Safe Childhood.
Project Safe Childhood is a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
South Charleston Woman Sentenced to Prison for Role in Kanawha County Drug Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Amanda Marie Mace, also known as “A,” 43, of South Charleston, was sentenced today to five years and 10 months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. Mace admitted to her role in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) responsible for distributing quantities of fentanyl and methamphetamine in the Charleston area between June 2024 and May 2025.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Mace took part in the conspiracy between June 2024 and April 2025. As part of her guilty plea, Mace admitted that she obtained at least 30 pounds of methamphetamine during the time period from co-conspirator Robert Ford, that Ford transported the drugs to West Virginia from Detroit, Michigan, and that she distributed the drugs to multiple customers including significant methamphetamine dealers within the Southern District of West Virginia.
Mace further admitted that she made $200 to $300 for each pound of methamphetamine she sold for Ford, and that her main customers who re-distributed the methamphetamine that she sold to them included co-conspirators Quanda Kiev Wilborne and Michael Allen Corkhill.
Mace has a criminal history that includes two prior convictions for drug-dealing offenses.
Mace, Ford, Wilborne, and Corkhill are among 16 individuals indicted as the result of a federal investigation on charges alleging they participated in the distribution of fentanyl and methamphetamine in the Charleston area between June 2024 and May 2025. Five defendants in the main indictment pleaded guilty in addition to Mace. Wilborne, also known as “Quan” and “Queso,” 30, of Charleston, was sentenced on December 18, 2025, to 10 years in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Corkhill, also known as “Mike” and “Mike Mike,” 31, of Dunbar, is scheduled to be sentenced on April 27, 2026, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Four additional defendants pleaded guilty in separate cases that resulted from the investigation. The indictment against Ford, also known as “Jason” and “J,” 44, of Van Buren Township, Michigan, and the remaining defendants is pending. An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), which is composed of the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the Nitro Police Department, the St. Albans Police Department and the South Charleston Police Department.
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe 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.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-78.
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Seminole Resident Sentenced for Federal Firearm CrimeRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Byron Keith Spencer, age 54, of Seminole, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 92 months in prison for one count of Possession of Stolen Firearm.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Wewoka Police Department, the District 22 Drug and Violent Crime Task Force, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
On June 9, 2025, Spencer pleaded guilty to the charge in federal district court. According to investigators, on May 9, 2023, law enforcement conducting a traffic stop in Wewoka discovered Spencer in possession of a Walther PK380 .380 handgun previously reported as stolen. At the time of the offense, Spencer knew or had reasonable cause to believe the firearm had been stolen.
The Honorable Ronald A. White, Senior Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Spencer will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan E. Soverly and Edith A. Singer represented the United States.
Savani Group Owners and Associate Convicted of Racketeering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that three individuals were convicted today at trial in connection with a racketeering conspiracy encompassing multiple fraud schemes.
The defendants, charged in a 42-count indictment in January 2023, have been convicted as follows:
Dr. Bhaskar Savani, age 60, of Ambler, Pennsylvania, was convicted of one count of conspiring to violate the RICO law; one count of conspiring to commit visa fraud; one count of visa fraud; one count of conspiring to obstruct justice; one count of conspiring to commit healthcare fraud; eleven counts of healthcare fraud; one count of conspiring to engage in money laundering; twelve counts of money laundering; one count of conspiring to defraud the Internal Revenue Service; one count of wire fraud as to a false tax return; and one count of conspiring to violate the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.
Arun Savani, age 58, of Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, was convicted of one count of conspiring to violate the RICO law; one count of conspiring to commit visa fraud; one count of visa fraud; one count of conspiring to obstruct justice; one count of conspiring to commit healthcare fraud; eleven counts of healthcare fraud; one count of conspiring to engage in money laundering; twelve counts of money laundering; one count of conspiring to defraud the Internal Revenue Service; and one count of wire fraud as to a false tax return.
Aleksandra Radomiak, a/k/a “Ola”, age 48, of Lansdale, Pennsylvania, was convicted of one count of conspiring to violate the RICO law; one count of conspiring to commit healthcare fraud; and one count of healthcare fraud.
As proven at trial, the brothers Bhaskar Savani and Arun Savani built a complex criminal enterprise (the “Savani Group”) that amassed millions of dollars through multiple fraud schemes. Defendant Bhaskar Savani was a dentist by training. Defendant Arun Savani generally controlled the finances of the Savani Group. Through their criminal enterprise, Bhaskar and Arun Savani orchestrated long-running schemes to enrich themselves, including through:
- A visa fraud scheme to file false H-1B visa applications and petitions with the U.S. Department of Labor and U. S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to exploit a workforce comprised of foreign nationals, mostly from India, who were dependent on the Savani Group and forced to kickback wages and fees to the Savani Group.
- A health care fraud scheme to fraudulently obtain Medicaid contracts and fraudulently bill Medicaid using nominee business owners after Savani Group dental practices were terminated from Medicaid insurance contracts. The Savani Group defrauded Medicaid of more than $30 million through the scheme.
- A health care fraud scheme to submit false bills to Medicaid using another dentist’s National Provider Identifier (NPI) on dates when the other dentist was physically outside of the United States and for dental services performed by uncredentialed dentists.
- A money laundering scheme to transfer and conceal health care fraud proceeds from the nominee-owned dental practices through a complex web of Savani group corporate entities’ bank accounts that ultimately benefited the Savani brothers and their associated corporate entities.
- A tax and wire fraud scheme involving false business expenses and the failure to report some taxable payroll to fraudulently decrease the amount of personal and payroll taxes due and owing. Through the scheme the Savani brothers and their companies failed to pay taxes on approximately $1.6 million of unreported personal income and $1.1 million of their employees’ unreported income. They failed to pay personal and payroll taxes and fraudulently expensed through their businesses, among other personal expenses, college tuition payments, personal property taxes, and pool and lawn maintenance costs for their personal homes.
- A mail fraud scheme and Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FDCA) conspiracy to place prototype dental implants, labeled “Not For Human Use,” not cleared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, in human patients without their knowledge or consent.
The defendants will be sentenced in July 2026. Bhaskar and Arun Savani, respectively, face a statutory maximum sentence of 420 years’ imprisonment and 415 years’ imprisonment, along with fines. Defendant Aleksandra Radomiak also faces a substantial sentence, with up to 40 years’ imprisonment and fines.
“This sprawling investigation and prosecution meant untangling a complex web of fraudulent billing practices and sham medical entities,” said U.S. Attorney Metcalf. “Our office worked with numerous state and federal partner agencies to unravel and prove the multiple healthcare fraud schemes at the heart of this operation. It’s gratifying to dismantle this crooked enterprise and hold those responsible to account. Fraud and abuse cost U.S. taxpayers billions of dollars a year and rob the healthcare system of vital resources.”
“This significant prosecution exemplifies the commitment of the Department of Justice and its law enforcement partners to protect taxpayer-funded programs from fraudsters and corrupt healthcare professionals who seek their own personal enrichment by bilking government programs and then laundering their ill gotten gains,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva. “The Criminal Division, and all of our partners including the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, will continue using every law enforcement tool available to identify, disrupt and dismantle organized fraud and those who corruptly manipulate the worker visa and Medicaid programs. Fraudsters and money launderers like Bhaskar and Arun Savani and their associates who do so will pay a heavy price.”
“This conviction demonstrates the critical importance of partnerships across law enforcement agencies when confronting complex financial and organized criminal activity,” said Wayne A. Jacobs, special agent in charge of FBI Philadelphia. “By leveraging our collective expertise and resources, we were able to expose and dismantle a racketeering enterprise built on deception and fraud. The FBI, working closely alongside our law enforcement and prosecutorial partners, will continue to pursue those who exploit others for personal profit and bring them to justice.”
“Today’s verdict sends a clear message: those who corrupt the Medicaid program for personal gain—no matter how elaborate their schemes—will be held fully accountable,” said Maureen Dixon, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS‑OIG). “The Savani Enterprise exploited vulnerable patients, manipulated government programs, and siphoned taxpayer dollars for their own benefit. HHS‑OIG, alongside our federal and state law enforcement partners, remains unwavering in our commitment to protect the integrity of Medicaid and to defend the public’s trust in our healthcare system.”
“The defendants orchestrated a years‑long scheme to defraud Medicaid, evade taxes, and launder millions of dollars through a complex network of companies and accounts,” stated Special Agent in Charge Jenifer L. Piovesan, IRS Criminal Investigation, Newark Field Office. “These crimes do not just enrich wrongdoers, they drain vital public resources and erode trust in government programs. These convictions make clear that those who defraud the government will be held accountable. IRS‑CI will continue to work alongside our law enforcement partners to dismantle financial fraud schemes and protect the public.”
“Today’s convictions send a clear message that those who build criminal enterprises on the backs of vulnerable patients, exploited workers, and U.S. taxpayers will be held to account,” said Special Agent in Charge of HSI Philadelphia, Eric McLoughlin, “For years, the Savani Group manipulated our immigration system, corrupted healthcare programs, and laundered their illicit proceeds through a maze of shell companies and accounts. This investigation and resulting prosecution reflect the strength of our partnerships with federal and state agencies and our shared commitment to dismantling complex fraud schemes wherever they take root.”
“Visa fraud undermines our legal immigration system and often victimizes those seeking legitimate opportunities in the United States,” said Anthony Tortora, Resident Agent in Charge at the DSS Philadelphia Resident Office. “The Diplomatic Security Service is committed to investigating these schemes and protecting the integrity of the visa process. This conviction sends a clear message that such fraud will not be tolerated.”
“The FDA’s approval process exists to protect patients from untested medical devices,” said Fernando McMillan, Acting Special Agent in Charge, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations, Metro Washington Field Office. “These defendants deliberately circumvented that safeguard by implanting unapproved dental devices into unsuspecting patients. The FDA will not tolerate such disregard for public safety and federal law.”
“Today’s verdict holds the defendants accountable for their criminal conduct. The U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General is unwavering in its commitment to protect the integrity of the Foreign Labor Certification programs. When bad actors exploit vulnerable workers or attempt to game the system, we investigate, we expose, and we hold them accountable,” said Anthony P. D’Esposito, Inspector General, Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General. “We will continue working with our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to ensure these programs serve legitimate labor needs — not criminal enterprises. Fraud will not be tolerated. Accountability is not optional.”
This case was investigated by the FBI, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigations, Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, Food and Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigations, and the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Anthony D. Scicchitano, Paul Shapiro, and J. Andrew Jenemann, and Department of Justice Money Laundering, Narcotics, and Forfeiture Section Attorneys Kenneth P. Kaplan and Chelsea R. Rooney.
Registered sex offender sentenced to three years in prison for possession of child sexual abuse imagesRead the Press Release
Seattle – A Seattle registered sex offender who was communicating with another person who has since been federally indicted for child sexual abuse, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to three years in prison and 15 years of supervised release for possession of images of child sexual abuse, announced First Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Neil Floyd. Christopher Randall Hamilton, 39, came to the attention of law enforcement because of disturbing communications he had with a Port Orchard, Washington, man who was arrested in a law enforcement sting operation for seeking to have sex with children. At today’s sentencing hearing U.S. District Judge Kymberly K. Evanson said Hamilton’s conduct was “extremely troubling. The images involved very young children and were violent. The discussions [with the other defendant] are very concerning.”
According to records filed in the case, Hamilton was arrested in March 2025, when the analysis of his phone revealed that he possessed approximately 180 videos and 1,500 images of child sexual abuse. Hamilton had been communicating with a man who was arrested after he drove to eastern Washington believing he was meeting with an adult who would allow him to sexually assault a young child. The child was fictitious, and the man was arrested and charged federally. A review of his phone led to Hamilton. The two men had discussed locating a mother with young children at a mall such as Southcenter Mall, so that they could sexually molest children.
In court today, prosecutors argued for, and the judge approved, a 15-year term of supervised release to follow prison so that Hamilton’s communications and electronic devices can be monitored by federal probation. Hamilton was previously convicted in Michigan of possession of images of child sexual abuse.
The case was investigated by the Washington State Patrol (WSP), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the Seattle Police Department (SPD).
The case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Laura Harmon. Ms. Harmon is a Senior Deputy Prosecutor for the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, specially designated to prosecute child exploitation crimes in federal court.
Quincy Man Sentenced to over One Year in Prison for Bank Fraud and Money Laundering as Part of Stolen Treasury Check RingRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Quincy man was sentenced On March 4, 2026 in federal court in Boston for bank fraud and money laundering.
Eric Banks, 71, was sentenced by Chief U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper 14 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. In November 2025, Banks pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud and five counts of money laundering.
Banks obtained a stolen U.S. Treasury check for $1,127,331.80 made out to a New York-based company. Banks formed a Massachusetts-based entity with the same name, opened a bank account for that fake entity and deposited the check. Banks then conducted multiple illegal money transactions designed to conceal the source of the funds from the stolen Treasury check. In addition, Banks created a second fake entity and opened a bank account in the name of this second fake entity. Other individuals who obtained and deposited stolen U.S. Treasury checks transferred over $1.3 million to this bank account created by Banks. This was part of a scheme involving seven other defendants charged in separate charging documents:1. Gino Rosario Tyler Alexander Allegra, 31, of Brockton, charged with theft of $861,646 in government funds; 2. Jesse El-Ghoul, 31, of Leominster, charged with theft of $1,355,863 in government funds; 3. Nnamdi Opara, 30, of Woburn, charged with theft of $700,767 in government funds; 4. Gurprit Singh, 34, of Framingham, charged with theft of $2,547,508 in government funds; 5. Amarpreet Singh, 33, of Framingham, charged with theft of $536,214 in government funds; 6. Lonnie Smith-Matthews, 33, of Hyde Park, charged with theft of $150,000 in government funds and bank fraud of $232,588; and
7. Domingo Villari, 49, of Framingham, charged with theft of $1,288,575 in government funds.United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Thomas Demeo, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Boston Field Office; Michael Carpenter, Special Agent in Charge of the Treasury Inspector General; and Nicholas Bucciarelli, Acting Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Boston Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Needham Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian Sullivan and Seth Kosto of the Criminal Division are prosecuting the cases.
Psychiatrist Reaches Civil Settlement of $360,000 to Resolve Allegations of False Claims to Federal Health Care ProgramsRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Missouri and a Missouri psychiatrist have reached a $360,000 civil settlement that will resolve False Claims Act (FCA) allegations, U.S. Attorney Thomas C Albus announced Monday.
The settlement resolves allegations that from Jan. 1, 2019, through May 31, 2024, Dr. Shazia Malik falsely indicated to both Medicare and Missouri Medicaid that she provided face-to-face psychotherapy to patients, including by submitting false claims for payment for services when she was out of town and for services that were provided by other practitioners. Dr. Malik was employed at Behavioral Health Services LLC which was owned and operated Psych Care Consultants in St. Louis, Missouri.
The settlement with Dr. Malik consists of $155,000 in restitution to Medicare and $25,000 to Missouri Medicaid. The restitution amount is doubled under the FCA.
The civil settlement contains no admission of liability. In December of 2025, Dr. Shazia Malik pleaded guilty to two counts of making false statements related to health care matters.“Health care professionals who knowingly submit false claims to federal health care programs undermine the financial integrity of those taxpayer-funded programs,” stated Special Agent in Charge Linda T. Hanley of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “Today’s settlement reflects HHS-OIG’s commitment to ensuring Medicare and Medicaid are billed only for services actually provided and to continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners to protect the well-being of patients and to safeguard public funds.”
Dr. Malik’s brother, Modh Azfar Malik, was part-owner of Behavioral Health Services. In July of 2025, he entered a civil settlement resolving similar conduct and paid $501,556. In April of 2025, he pleaded guilty to making a false statement to a federal health care program. In January, his medical license was revoked for four years as part of a settlement with the Missouri State Board of Registration for the Healing Arts.
This investigation was a result of the combined work of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Missouri, HHS-OIG Office of Investigations, the Missouri Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit and the FBI.
Prolific fentanyl dealer with alleged cartel ties faces federal chargesRead the Press Release
ATLANTA – Kevin Martinez appeared in federal court earlier today on charges related to his alleged distribution of significant quantities of fentanyl in the metro-Atlanta area. Martinez allegedly operated under the direction of the La Nueva Familia Michoacana drug cartel.
“Martinez allegedly worked on behalf of a terrorist drug cartel, flooding our communities with massive quantities of lethal fentanyl,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “As a result of the tireless and courageous work of law enforcement, Martinez is in federal custody, and the cartel’s deadly drugs are off the street.”
“This arrest demonstrates DEA’s unwavering commitment to combating the fentanyl crisis,” said Jae W. Chung, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division. “The distribution of fentanyl poses an extreme danger to our communities, and we will continue to work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners to disrupt and dismantle those responsible. Through the Fentanyl Free America Initiative, DEA is intensifying efforts nationwide to keep this deadly drug off our streets and protect the American public.”
According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: A DEA investigation revealed that Martinez was allegedly distributing large quantities of fentanyl in metro-Atlanta. The fentanyl was uniquely stamped with a “Pacman” symbol eating an “LV” symbol. Agents seized six pounds of this stamped fentanyl during traffic stops in Fulton County, Georgia and Henry County, Georgia on February 4, 2026, and February 18, 2026.
On March 6, 2026, agents executed a federal search warrant at Martinez’s apartment in Doraville, Georgia. During the search, agents located approximately 44 pounds of fentanyl concealed in car batteries, as well as six firearms and a money counter. The DEA investigation revealed that Martinez allegedly has ties to the Mexico-based La Nueva Familia Michoacana drug cartel.
Kevin Martinez, 20, of Doraville, Georgia, appeared before a federal magistrate judge earlier today on a criminal complaint that charged him with possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl.
Members of the public are reminded that the criminal complaint only contains charges. The defendant is presumed innocent of the charges, and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
This case is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration with valuable assistance provided by the Newton County Sheriff’s Office, the Coweta County Sheriff’s Office, the Fulton County Police Department, and the Henry County Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Eric White and Sandy Strippoli are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Atlanta recommends parents and children learn about the dangers of drugs at the following web site: www.justthinktwice.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.
Previously Convicted Felon on Probation Sentenced for Possession of AmmunitionRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Charles Washington, Jr., 34, a previously convicted felon residing in the District of Columbia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 27 months in prison for illegally possessing ammunition while he was on probation, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Washington pleaded guilty Nov. 12, 2025, before Judge Reggie B. Walton to one count of unlawful possession of ammunition by a felon. In addition to the prison term, Judge Walton ordered Washington to serve three years of supervised release.
According to court documents, Metropolitan Police officers responded at 4:05 p.m. on March 12, 2025, to the 2800 block of Alabama Ave. SE, for reported firearms.
Multiple individuals, including Washington, were gathered near a grey car. Washington was seen leaning on the vehicle. As MPD officers arrived, Washington took off running while holding his waistband. At one point, he stopped, hunched over a sewer drain, and appeared to toss an object down the drain. The officers observed Washington was no longer holding his waistband.
Shortly after discarding the item, Washington tripped and officers apprehended him. Officers went to the sewer drain, lifted the manhole cover, and recovered a black “ghost gun,” a privately made firearm with a Polymer 80 frame, with an attached Glock 23 slide and barrel, loaded with 12 rounds and one in the chamber.
Joining U.S. Attorney Pirro in the announcement were ATF Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
This case was investigated by the MPD and the ATF. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Emory V. Cole.
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Pennsylvania Brothers Convicted of Decades Long Racketeering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Three individuals were convicted today at trial in connection with a racketeering conspiracy encompassing multiple fraud schemes, including visa fraud to employ foreign workers unlawfully, soliciting salary kickbacks from the employed workers, and health care fraud billing schemes resulting in over $32 million in losses to Pennsylvania Medicaid.
As proven at trial, Bhaskar and Arun Savani built a complex criminal enterprise they dubbed “the Savani Group” that amassed tens of millions of dollars through outright fraud at every turn. Bhaskar was a dentist by training and controlled the numerous dental practices of the Savani Group, and Arun generally controlled the finances and real property holdings of the Savani Group. Ola Radomiak was a long-term employee and executive at the Savani Group and facilitated the Savanis’ conspiracy to defraud Medicaid. Through their criminal enterprise, Bhaskar and Arun Savani substantially enriched themselves over the course of a decade. Their offenses included filing numerous false H-1B visa applications, fraudulently billing health care benefit programs in the names of non-treating dentists, obstructing a grand jury investigation, laundering fraud proceeds through a complex web of financial transactions, wire fraud, and mail fraud. By their fraud, they obtained more than $32 million from Medicaid through nominee-owned dental practices used to bill Medicaid after the Savani Group’s Medicaid contracts were terminated.
“This significant prosecution exemplifies the commitment of the Department of Justice and its law enforcement partners to protect taxpayer-funded programs from fraudsters and corrupt healthcare professionals who seek their own personal enrichment by bilking government programs and then laundering their ill gotten gains,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department's Criminal Division. “The Criminal Division, and all of our partners including the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, will continue using every law enforcement tool available to identify, disrupt and dismantle organized fraud and those who corruptly manipulate the worker visa and Medicaid programs. Fraudsters and money launderers like Bhaskar and Arun Savani and their associates who do so will pay a heavy price.”
“This sprawling investigation and prosecution meant untangling a complex web of fraudulent billing practices and sham medical entities,” said U.S. Attorney David Metcalf for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. “Our office worked with numerous state and federal partner agencies to unravel and prove the multiple healthcare fraud schemes at the heart of this operation. It’s gratifying to dismantle this crooked enterprise and hold those responsible to account. Fraud and abuse cost U.S. taxpayers billions of dollars a year and rob the healthcare system of vital resources.”
“This conviction demonstrates the critical importance of partnerships across law enforcement agencies when confronting complex financial and organized criminal activity,” said Special Agent in Charge Wayne A. Jacobs of the FBI Philadelphia Field Office. “By leveraging our collective expertise and resources, we were able to expose and dismantle a racketeering enterprise built on deception and fraud. The FBI, working closely alongside our law enforcement and prosecutorial partners, will continue to pursue those who exploit others for personal profit and bring them to justice.”
“Today’s verdict sends a clear message: those who corrupt the Medicaid program for personal gain — no matter how elaborate their schemes — will be held fully accountable,” said Acting Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Scott J. Lampert of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “The Savani Enterprise exploited vulnerable patients, manipulated government programs, and siphoned taxpayer dollars for their own benefit. HHS‑OIG, alongside our federal and state law enforcement partners, remains unwavering in our commitment to protect the integrity of Medicaid and to defend the public’s trust in our healthcare system.”
“The defendants orchestrated a years‑long scheme to defraud Medicaid, evade taxes, and launder millions of dollars through a complex network of companies and accounts,” said Special Agent in Charge Jenifer L. Piovesan of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Newark Field Office. “These crimes do not just enrich wrongdoers, they drain vital public resources and erode trust in government programs. These convictions make clear that those who defraud the government will be held accountable. IRS‑CI will continue to work alongside our law enforcement partners to dismantle financial fraud schemes and protect the public.”
“Today’s convictions send a clear message that those who build criminal enterprises on the backs of vulnerable patients, exploited workers, and U.S. taxpayers will be held to account,” said Special Agent in Charge of Eric McLoughlin of the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Philadelphia Field Office. “For years, the Savani Group manipulated our immigration system, corrupted healthcare programs, and laundered their illicit proceeds through a maze of shell companies and accounts. This investigation and resulting prosecution reflect the strength of our partnerships with federal and state agencies and our shared commitment to dismantling complex fraud schemes wherever they take root.”
“Visa fraud undermines our legal immigration system and often victimizes those seeking legitimate opportunities in the United States,” said Resident Agent in Charge Anthony Tortora of the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) Philadelphia Resident Office. “The Diplomatic Security Service is committed to investigating these schemes and protecting the integrity of the visa process. This conviction sends a clear message that such fraud will not be tolerated.”
“Today’s verdict holds the defendants accountable for their criminal conduct,” said Inspector General Anthony P. D’Esposito of the Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG). “The U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General is unwavering in its commitment to protect the integrity of the Foreign Labor Certification programs. When bad actors exploit vulnerable workers or attempt to game the system, we investigate, we expose, and we hold them accountable. We will continue working with our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to ensure these programs serve legitimate labor needs — not criminal enterprises. Fraud will not be tolerated. Accountability is not optional.”
Brothers Bhaskar and Arun Savani, charged in January 2023, have now been convicted by a jury of conspiracy to conduct a racketeering enterprise, conspiracy to commit visa fraud, visa fraud, conspiracy to obstruct justice, conspiracy to commit health care fraud, health care fraud, money laundering conspiracy, concealment and transactional money laundering, conspiracy to defraud the U.S. Treasury, and wire fraud. Bhaskar Savani was also convicted of conspiracy to distribute in interstate commerce an adulterated and misbranded medical device.
Bhaskar and Arun Savani, respectively, face a statutory maximum penalty of 420 years in prison and 415 years in prison. Sentencing hearings are scheduled on July 8 for Bhaskar Savani and July 9 for Arun Savani.
Aleksandra “Ola” Radomiak was convicted of conspiracy to conduct a racketeering enterprise, conspiracy to commit health care fraud, and health care fraud. Ola Radomiak’s sentencing hearing is scheduled before the Honorable Jeffrey L. Schmehl on July 14.
This case was investigated by the FBI, HHS-OIG, IRS-CI, HSI, DSS, Food and Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigations, DOL-OIG, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, and the State of Iowa Medicaid Fraud Control Unit.
The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Kenneth Kaplan and Chelsea Rooney of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section and Assistant United States Attorneys Anthony Scicchitano, Paul Shapiro, and J. Andrew Jenemann for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
The Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section’s (MNF) mission is to take the profit out of crime, eliminate drug cartels, and protect the U.S. financial system. MNF pursues criminal prosecutions and criminal and civil asset recovery actions involving: financial facilitators who launder profits for criminals; financial institutions and their officers and employees whose actions threaten the U.S. financial system and financial institutions; international money launderers who support transnational organized crime; and the top command and control of international drug trafficking organizations.
MNF’s Money Laundering and Forfeiture Unit investigates and prosecutes sophisticated money laundering schemes involving financial facilitators, gatekeepers, and other individuals and entities laundering criminal proceeds, and litigates complex civil forfeiture cases to recover assets on behalf of victims.
Par Funding Pleads Guilty to Defrauding InvestorsRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Complete Business Solutions Group, Inc., doing business as Par Funding (“Par Funding”), entered a plea of guilty before United States District Court Judge Mark A. Kearney to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and securities fraud arising from a wide‑ranging scheme that defrauded investors out of hundreds of millions of dollars. Par Funding is currently under the control of a receiver appointed by a federal judge in the Securities and Exchange Commission’s civil lawsuit against Par Funding and its principals, and that receiver appeared today to enter the plea on behalf of the corporation.
In January 2025, the Court found the Par Funding fraud scheme caused an actual fraud loss of approximately $404,737,299, which it reduced to $288,395,088 after factoring in credit for collateral that federal authorities seized from Par Funding when the investigation became public in July 2020, upon the SEC placing Par Funding in receivership.
According to court filings and statements made in court, Par Funding operated a merchant cash advance company in Center City Philadelphia that provided short‑term financing to small businesses across the country. To fund those advances, the company and its principals raised hundreds of millions of dollars from investors while making materially false and misleading representations regarding the company’s leadership, underwriting practices, financial condition, and risk profile.
As described in the indictment, the defendants concealed the identity and criminal history of company founder Joseph LaForte, misrepresented the company’s underwriting standards and portfolio performance, and misled investors about default rates, profitability, insurance coverage, and self‑dealing by company insiders. These misrepresentations were used to solicit and maintain investments used to finance the company’s merchant cash advance business, which failed to generate enough profit to sustain itself without the continued influx of new investor money.The Par Funding investigation has also resulted in guilty pleas and sentences for the company’s primary principals. Joe LaForte, the company’s founder and leader, pleaded guilty to racketeering conspiracy and related offenses, and was sentenced to approximately 15½ years in prison. His brother, James LaForte, a senior executive involved in enforcing collections, also pleaded guilty and received a sentence of roughly 11½ years. Joseph Cole Barleta, the company’s CFO, pleaded guilty to racketeering conspiracy and was sentenced to 5½ years in prison. Perry Abbonizio, Renato Gioe, and Lisa McElhone, and tax professionals Rodney Ermel and Kenneth Bacon, also pleaded guilty to felony offenses related to their involvement with Par Funding and the LaFortes, and where each received a prison sentence.
This case was investigated by the FBI, FDIC OIG, IRS Criminal Investigation, and the Pennsylvania State Police and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Matthew Newcomer, Samuel Dalke, and Eric Gill. The SEC in Florida investigated and litigated the civil securities fraud charges, which formed the basis of a portion of the criminal prosecution.
Owner of Durable Medical Equipment Company Sentenced for $59M Medicare FraudRead the Press Release
A Texas man was sentenced Friday to 90 months in prison for his role in a $59.9 million conspiracy to pay kickbacks and submit claims for medically unnecessary durable medical equipment (DME) to Medicare.
According to court documents, Patrick Cassells, 65, of Fulshear, Texas, owned and operated three DME companies and concealed his role in one of those companies by falsely identifying another individual as the sole owner and manager in a Medicare enrollment application. Cassells paid illegal kickbacks to co-conspirators who sent him signed doctors’ orders and other paperwork necessary to bill Medicare for orthotic braces such as knee, back, shoulder and wrist braces. The kickbacks were disguised by referring to the doctors’ orders as “leads” and the services provided as “marketing.” Based on these orders, which were issued without doctors examining or treating the patients, Cassells submitted claims to Medicare that falsely represented that the braces were medically necessary. In total, through the three companies, Cassells caused over $59.9 million in false and fraudulent claims to Medicare, for which Medicare paid over $27 million. Cassells used proceeds of the fraud to purchase personal vehicles and vehicles that he intended to export to Nigeria.
In June 2024, Cassells pleaded guilty in the Southern District of Texas to one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud.
In addition to the prison sentence, Cassells was ordered to pay $25,402,614.97 in restitution and forfeiture, and to forfeit four vehicles and three properties in the Houston area.
Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei for the Southern District of Texas; Special Agent in Charge Jason Meadows of the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General’s (HHS-OIG) Dallas Region; Special Agent in Charge Douglas Williams of the FBI’s Houston Field Office; and Chief William Marlow of the Texas Attorney General’s Office, Medicaid Fraud Control Unit made the announcement.
HHS-OIG, FBI, and the Texas Medicaid Fraud Control Unit investigated the case.
Acting Assistant Chief Catherine Wagner and Trial Attorney Adam Tisdall of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristine Rollinson for the Southern District of Texas prosecuted the case.
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of eight strike forces operating in federal districts across the country, has charged more than 6,200 defendants who collectively billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $45 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
Ohio Man Sentenced for Illegal Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
COVINGTON, Ky. – A Cincinnati, Ohio, man, Brian E. Hunter, 33, was sentenced on Friday, to 48 months in prison, by Chief U.S. District Judge David Bunning for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
According to court records, on May 26, 2025, law enforcement stopped a vehicle driven by Hunter for traffic violations. During the search of the vehicle, law enforcement located remnants of marijuana and a stolen, loaded pistol on the driver’s side floorboard. Hunter also had a large amount of cash in his pocket that was not seized. Hunter was aware at the time of the traffic stop that he had prior felony convictions and was prohibited from possessing a firearm.
Hunter was previously convicted in 2013 of Having Weapons Under Disability for illegally possessing a firearm after his alleged involvement in a shootout at the A to Z market in Cincinnati, and in 2014 for Felonious Assault and Trafficking in Cocaine.
Under federal law, Hunter must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for three years.
Paul McCaffrey, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; John Nokes, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Louisville Field Division; and Sheriff Les Hill, Boone County Sheriff’s Office, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by ATF and Boone County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joel King is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
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Ohio Man Charged with Stalking, Making Threatening Communications, and Submitting False Reports to the FBIRead the Press Release
TOLEDO, Ohio – A 44-year-old Hancock County man has been charged for allegedly harassing, intimidating, and threatening two men and their families over the course of four months.
A federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Simon Andrew Tuck, of Findlay, with the following:
- Stalking
- False Information and Hoaxes
- Threatening Communications
According to the allegations in the indictment, beginning around November 2025 through February 2026, Tuck used several methods to carry out a course of conduct to harass and intimidate the victims. These included submitting several false reports and complaints to law enforcement, a sexual assault hotline, and the employer of one of the victims. The stalking and harassment became increasingly threatening, resulting in substantial emotional distress to the victims and their families.
The investigation in this case is being conducted by the FBI Toledo Resident Agency.
Assistant United States Attorney Tracey Ballard Tangeman for the Northern District of Ohio is leading the prosecution.
If convicted, the defendant faces up to five years in federal prison on each count. The sentence will be determined by the court after a review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense, and the characteristics of the violations.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Defendants are entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Northeast Georgia Man Sentenced to Prison for Possessing CSAMRead the Press Release
ATHENS, Ga. – A Walton County man was sentenced to 11 years in prison after law enforcement discovered he was in possession of thousands of images of child sexual abuse material, also known as CSAM, including 2,754 images of previously identified victims of child exploitation and abuse from across the world.
Gerald Scott Collins, 56, of Monroe, Georgia, was sentenced to serve 132 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Tilman E. “Tripp” Self on March 9, after he previously pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child pornography on Nov. 10, 2025. Collins will have to register as a sex offender upon release from federal custody. A sentencing date will be determined by the Court. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Child sexual abuse material is evidence of real children being abused, and once online, it can be shared endlessly,” said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes. “Our office will seek maximum punishment for child predators possessing CSAM. We are thankful for the efforts of our local, state and federal law enforcement and community partners who continue to do everything in their power to protect children.”
According to court documents and statements referenced in court, law enforcement became aware of Collins’s possession of CSAM in 2022. Homeland Security Investigations agents obtained and executed search warrants for the seized electronic devices, including a laptop computer, tablets, USB drives, external hard drives and SD cards. Nine of Collins’ devices contained a total of 9,996 images, 19 videos and an additional 791 documents containing CSAM.
The CSAM involved prepubescent females under the age of 12, including toddlers, who were subjected to sexual abuse and exploitation. Some of the images depicted violent and sadistic online exploitation. Law enforcement agents forwarded the images and videos to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children for comparison using the organization’s Child Recognition and Identification System. This system, in partnership with national and international law enforcement, helps identify victims and perpetrators worldwide by compiling previously identified victims into distinct series. NCMEC determined that 2,754 images of previously identified victims were found across 226 named series from the United States, the United Kingdom, Europe, Latin America and Asia.
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 www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
For more information about HSI’s efforts to protect children from sexual predators, visit Know2Protect.gov. To report suspicious activities, call 787-729-6969.
HSI and the Walton County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Tamara Jarrett is prosecuting the case for the Government.
Nantucket Gang Associate Sentenced to Prison for Dealing Fentanyl and Cocaine in Nantucket and ElsewhereRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Nantucket man who is an associate of the transnational criminal organization 18th Street Gang, was sentenced on March 6, 2026 in federal court in Boston for drug distribution charges.
John Angel, 32, was sentenced yesterday by United States District Judge Myong J. Joun to two years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. In November 2025, Angel pleaded guilty to two counts of distribution of and possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine.
Between March 2024 and July 2024, Angel met with a cooperating witness three times to sell approximately 117 grams of fentanyl, 28 grams of cocaine and a Glock 9mm semi-automatic handgun for a combined sum of over $7,000. Specifically, on March 27, 2024, Angel directed the cooperating witness to meet him in East Boston, where he sold “a 50” (approximately 50 grams of powder fentanyl). Later, on July 10, 2024, Angel met the cooperating witness on Nantucket and sold more powder fentanyl together with a quantity of cocaine. During the drug deals, Angel flaunted his prominence as a high-level drug supplier by boasting of his connections in the 18th Street Gang and in one instance, showing the cooperating witness a backpack containing a kilogram of cocaine and a bag of orange pills and, elsewhere in his apartment, what appeared to be another kilogram of fentanyl. At the third meeting, Angel sold the Glock handgun together with a quantity of fentanyl and claimed he could also obtain Glock “switches,” machinegun conversion devices, for the cooperating witness.
The charge of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Thomas Greco, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations; the Suffolk County and Middlesex County District Attorney’s Offices; and the Boston, Chelsea, Everett, Falmouth, Lynn, Medford, Nantucket and Revere Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Fred Wyshak and Sarah Hoefle of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case.
This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Boston is comprised of agents and officers from HSI, FBI, DEA, ATF, USMS, IRS-CI, USPIS, DOL-OIG and DSS, as well as several state and local law enforcement agencies, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts.
Mexican national sentenced in cartel-linked smuggling resulting in deathRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – A 24-year-old Mexican national has been sentenced for his role in bringing illegal aliens into the United States resulting in death, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Alejandro Hernandez-Alcudia pleaded guilty Nov. 24, 2025.
U.S. District Judge Diana Saldana has now ordered Hernandez-Alcudia to serve 70 months in federal prison. Not a U.S. citizen, he is expected to face removal proceedings following his imprisonment. In handing down the sentence, the court noted Hernandez-Alcudia made the deliberate decision to leave the victim behind, resulting in his death.
The investigation revealed Hernandez-Alcudia had been involved in human smuggling for at least three months as a guide.
On Aug. 1, 2025, authorities apprehended four illegal aliens walking through the brush near El Cenizo. Hernandez-Alcudia had assisted them in crossing the Rio Grande by raft earlier that day and then continued guiding them through the brush.
According to the aliens, the group ran out of water approximately five hours earlier. When one-member became ill, Hernandez-Alcudia instructed him to sit and rest but continued leading the others, abandoning him in the brush.
When law enforcement approached, Hernandez-Alcudia ordered the group to flee and ran in the opposite direction to avoid apprehension.
Authorities later located the deceased man, who was identified as a 37-year-old Mexican national that had died as a result of heat stroke. Records show temperatures ranged from 93 to 106 degrees during the time the group traveled through the brush.
Hernandez-Alcudia admitted taking orders from an individual linked to Cartel del Noreste. He further acknowledged being paid to smuggle illegal aliens across the Rio Grande and guide them through the brush.
He will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations
and Border Patrol conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer L. Day prosecuted the case.
This arrest is part of the Homeland Security Task Force initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of U.S. law enforcement towards identifying, investigating and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes these organizations commit, 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 South Texas comprises agents and officers from ICE-HSI; FBI; Drug Enforcement Administration; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; U.S. Marshals Service; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; Department of Transportation/IRS; Interpol/Department of State and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas leading the prosecution.
The investigation and charges are supported and prosecuted by Joint Task Force Alpha, the Department’s lead effort in combating high-impact human smuggling and trafficking that cartels and Transnational Criminal Organizations commit. A highly successful partnership between the departments of Justice and Homeland Security, JTFA investigates and prosecutes human smuggling and trafficking and related immigration crimes that impact public safety and border security. JTFA’s mission is to target the leaders and organizers of cartels and TCOs involved in human smuggling and trafficking throughout the Americas. The Attorney General has elevated and expanded JTFA to target the most prolific and dangerous human smuggling and trafficking groups operating not only in Mexico and the Northern Triangle countries of Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras, but also in Canada, the Caribbean and maritime border, and elsewhere. Led by the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and supported by the Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section, Office of International Affairs and Office of Enforcement Operations, among others, JTFA has dedicated Assistant U.S. Attorney detailees from the Southern District of Texas, Western District of Texas; Southern District of California; Southern District of Florida; Northern District of New York; and Districts of Arizona, New Mexico and Vermont. JTFA also partners with other U.S. Attorney’s Offices throughout the country and supports high-priority cases in any district. All JTFA cases rely on substantial law enforcement resources from DHS, including ICE-HSI and Customs and Border Protection, Border Patrol and Office of Field Operations as well as FBI and other law enforcement agencies. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 440 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers and significant facilitators of alien smuggling and/or trafficking; more than 390 U.S. convictions; more than 330 significant jail sentences imposed, and forfeitures of substantial assets.
Mexican National Sentenced to 7 Years in Federal Prison for Trafficking Firearms to MexicoRead the Press Release
DEL RIO, Texas – A Mexican national was sentenced in a federal court in Del Rio to 84 months in prison for conspiracy to traffic firearms, announced U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas, Justin R. Simmons.
According to court documents, Martin Edgar Garza Pacheco, 42, of Melchor Muzquiz, Coahuila, was arrested at the Eagle Pass Port of Entry based on an investigation into the trafficking of firearms from the U.S. into Mexico. The investigation determined Garza Pacheco used co-conspirators Shiddartha Salinas Avila and Victor Ulysses Ybarra-Daniels to purchase a total of 36 firearms at various retail stores in the San Antonio area. Once the firearms were purchased, Garza Pacheco would travel from Mexico to San Antonio via the Eagle Pass POE, then smuggle the firearms back to Mexico in his vehicle.
Garza Pacheco was arrested April 22, 2023, and charged with one count of conspiracy to traffic firearms. He pleaded guilty to the indictment on Aug. 21, 2023.
Chief U.S. District Judge Alia Moses presided over the case. Ybarra-Daniels was sentenced to 48 months in federal prison on Oct. 8, and Salinas Avila was sentenced to 42 months on Nov. 3, 2025.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, ICE Homeland Security Investigations, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nallely Duarte and Daisy Gonzalez prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
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Mexican National Found Guilty of Being an Illegal Alien in Possession of a Firearm after Overstaying VisaRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – A Mexican national who overstayed his visa and illegally possessed a semi-automatic pistol and ammunition was convicted by a federal jury on Feb. 26, 2026.
Luis Donaldo Garcia Lopez, 31, of Guasave, Sinaloa, Mexico, was found guilty of Alien in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition, following a three-day trial. Sentencing is scheduled for May 21, 2026, before U.S. District Judge John J. Tuchi.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, ICE-ERO officers learned that Garcia was unlawfully present in the United States. On Feb. 21, 2025, officers pulled Garcia over. During the stop, officers asked if he had any weapons, and Garcia stated that he had a firearm in a lunchbox inside his vehicle. Officers checked the lunchbox and found a Glock semi-automatic handgun loaded with five rounds of ammunition. An agent from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) was called and took custody of the firearm while Garcia was arrested for immigration violations.
At trial, federal prosecutors presented evidence that Garcia was knowingly present in the United States after his period of authorized stay expired. The expiration of his period of authorized stay made him unlawfully present in the United States, and due to that status, he was not permitted to possess a firearm. Record checks showed that Garcia had a B1/B2 Border Crossing Card visa that he used to enter the United States on 27 separate occasions. Garcia’s last lawful entry into the United States was July 26, 2020, when his Mexican passport was stamped with a one-year permit that expired July 24, 2021. In addition, Garcia’s visa expired in March 2023. Prosecutors showed that Garcia never renewed his entry permit, never applied for a new visa, and never lawfully entered the United States after his permit and visa expired.
A conviction for Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, a fine of $250,000 and a maximum term of three years of supervised release.
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 Phoenix Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Enforcement and Removal Operations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Field Operations; and the U.S. Department of State's Diplomatic Security Service conducted the investigation. The U.S. Attorney’s Office District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-25-00339
RELEASE NUMBER: 2026-046_Garcia Lopez
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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.
Massachusetts Man Sentenced to 7 years in Federal Prison for Traveling with Intent to Engage in Illicit Sexual ConductRead the Press Release
Massachusetts Man Sentenced to 7 years in Federal Prison for Traveling with Intent to Engage in Illicit Sexual Conduct
CONCORD – Arthur Picanco, 43, of Bradford, Massachusetts, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge Samantha D. Elliott to 7 years in federal prison and 5 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan announces. Picanco previously pleaded guilty to one count of travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct.
“Individuals who travel across state lines to exploit children in New Hampshire will be found, prosecuted, and held accountable,” said U.S. Attorney Creegan. “The defendant deliberately traveled from Massachusetts to New Hampshire intending to purchase sex from someone he believed to be a minor. Today’s significant sentence recognizes the seriousness of his conduct.”
“Picanco actively chose to pursue a child. He believed he was chatting with a trafficker offering him a chance to assault a child for a fee and he made deliberate choices to make it happen. He agreed on a price, he drove to New Hampshire, and he arrived with cash in hand. Now, after today’s sentencing, he’ll serve serious federal prison time,” said Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Krol for Homeland Security Investigations in New England. “Through undercover operations like this, we can find and arrest child predators before they have a chance to prey on real children.”
On November 14, 2024, in a proactive law enforcement operation, agents posted and monitored an advertisement on a website commonly used to advertise commercial sex. The advertisement contained images of what appeared to be two minor females, and a contact phone number. Law enforcement agents monitored the phone line and used it to communicate with potential sex buyers, including Picanco. Picanco arranged to pay $100 to have sex with a person who Picanco believed to be a 14-year-old girl. The undercover agent then provided Picanco with the address of a hotel in Manchester and Picanco traveled from Massachusetts to New Hampshire to the hotel. Once at the hotel, Picanco confirmed he had the cash and wanted to go up to the hotel room to meet the 14-year-old girl. When police arrested Picanco, they found that he had a condom and over $100 in cash in his pocket.
Homeland Security Investigations led the investigation. Manchester Police Department, the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office, and the New Hampshire Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anna Krasinski Matthew Vicinanzo, and Alex Chen prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by 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.
Mason City Man Sentenced to 13 Years in Federal Prison for Methamphetamine Conspiracy and DistributionRead the Press Release
Kevin Knight, age 45, from Mason City, Iowa, was sentenced March 6, 2026, to 13 years in federal prison, after an October 8, 2025, guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, and three counts of distribution of methamphetamine.
Evidence in the case revealed that between January 2024 and continuing through February 2025, Knight was involved in an ongoing methamphetamine distribution conspiracy based in Mason City, Iowa, where law enforcement documented Knight actively engaged in drug trafficking. Knight has a lengthy criminal history. His prior convictions include numerous thefts, forgeries, and/or burglaries, a domestic abuse assault, and four prior methamphetamine-related convictions.
Knight was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand to 156 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a 5-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Knight is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was investigated Cerro Gordo County Sheriff’s Department and the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ron Timmons.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-3019.
Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Maryland Man Pleads Guilty to Drug Trafficking and Firearm CrimesRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A Brooklyn, Maryland, man pled guilty in federal court in connection with drug trafficking and firearm offenses.
Sadontae Barnett, 22, is charged with possessing fentanyl with the intent to distribute and possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty plea with Christopher R. Heck, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) – Maryland, and Colonel Michael A. Jackson, Secretary of State Police, Maryland State Police (MSP).
According to the guilty plea, on February 22, 2024, law enforcement conducted a controlled delivery of a package containing narcotics to Barnett’s residence. The day before, law enforcement interdicted the package and discovered it contained a large quantity of fentanyl pills. The package included approximately 40 grams of pills. Barnett put the package in a backpack and armed himself with a Glock Model 36, .45 caliber handgun. When law enforcement attempted to stop Barnett, he ran and tossed the backpack and firearm before officers quickly apprehended him.
Barnett faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and a maximum sentence of life. His sentencing date is forthcoming.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended HSI and MSP for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stanton Lawyer and Jonathan Tsuei who are prosecuting this 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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Lumberton Man Sentenced to Almost 6 Years for Drug Dealing with a GunRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, N.C. – A federal judge sentenced Kendrick Dakota Locklear, 25, to nearly six years in federal prison for selling marijuana and possessing a gun in furtherance of selling drugs. Inmate Locklear pleaded guilty to the charges.
“Some claim dealing marijuana isn’t that bad, but when you have a machinegun at your side, you inject violence into the community and place everyone’s life at risk just to feed your greed.” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle. “Stop putting the families at risk just because you want a little bit of money. We will find you and put you in federal prison to think about how you can become a productive member of society.”
According to court documents and other information presented in court, the Robeson County Sheriff’s Office investigated Locklear for selling marijuana. They executed a search warrant at his home and found over $6,000 cash, over ten pounds of marijuana, cocaine, and three guns, including a handgun equipped with a machinegun conversion device. After he pleaded guilty, an ATF task force officer found evidence that Locklear continued selling marijuana up until as recently as October of 2025.
Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after sentencing by Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II. The Angier Police Department and the Homeland Security Investigations branch of the Department of Homeland Security investigated the case, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on our website. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 7:24-CR-107-M-BM.
Lancaster County Felons Sentenced to Federal Prison in Separate CasesRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Two felons in Lancaster County have been sentenced to federal prison for drug and firearm offenses in two separate cases.
“Both of these defendants are convicted felons who continued to bring guns and drugs into Lancaster County,” said U.S. Attorney Bryan Stirling for the District of South Carolina. “We’re committed to working with our state and federal law enforcement partners to identify violent offenders like McGriff and Hood and prosecute them federally.”
“These cases are a great example of the value of partnerships in law enforcement,” said Lancaster County Sheriff Barry Faile. “Our officers made a traffic stop and found McGriff to be in possession of substantial quantities of fentanyl and methamphetamine and a handgun. On another traffic stop we found Hood, who is prohibited from having firearms and ammunition, with a pistol. From there we had the assistance of the FBI and the ATF in preparing the cases for prosecution in federal court. I am grateful for their help and the efforts of the Department of Justice and the United States Attorney’s Office in getting these cases into court quickly and sending McGriff and Hood to federal prison for their illegal narcotics and weapons activities in Lancaster County.”
Joblicenarius W’Yarian McGriff, 28, of Lancaster, has been sentenced to more than six years in federal prison for possession with intent of distributing fentanyl and methamphetamine and possession of a firearm during a drug trafficking offense.
Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that on March 2, 2024, a Lancaster County Sheriff’s deputy initiated a traffic stop on a vehicle in which McGriff was a passenger. The deputy conducted a probable cause search of the vehicle and found McGriff’s gray bookbag on the floor of the backseat. In the backpack, officers discovered narcotics, including over 23 grams of fentanyl and over 5 grams of methamphetamine, and a handgun. Further investigation uncovered hotel surveillance video of McGriff carrying the same bookbag just before the traffic stop.
La’Jameion Vartavious Hood, 25, of Lancaster was sentenced to more than three years in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm.On June 24, 2024, Lancaster County Sheriff’s deputies conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle where Hood was a passenger. During a search, officers recovered a 9mm firearm, which was loaded with 15 rounds in the magazine and one round chambered, under the passenger seat where Hood was seated. Hood has prior convictions for accessory after the fact to murder, unlawful carry, assault and battery – 3rd and discharging a firearm into a dwelling.
United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis sentenced McGriff to 78 total months imprisonment, to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. United States District Judge Joseph F. Anderson, Jr. sentenced Hood to 37 months imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system.These cases are 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.
This case was investigated by the FBI Columbia Field Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney E. Elizabeth Major and Department of Justice Trial Attorney Christopher Matthews of the Justice Department’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section prosecuted the case against McGriff. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elle E. Klein prosecuted the case against Hood.
###Kansas City Woman Pleads Guilty to COVID-19 FraudRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., woman has pleaded guilty in federal court to fraudulently receiving two Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) Loans totaling $426,600. The program that was part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
Ashli Forbes, 40, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Greg Kays today to a federal indictment that charged her with wire fraud and money laundering.
The purpose of the CARES Act was to provide emergency financial assistance due to the economic impact caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The CARES Act authorized the Small Business Administration to provide PPP Loans to eligible small businesses that experienced substantial financial disruption due to the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
By pleading guilty today, Forbes admitted she submitted false applications and supporting documents for PPP loans for Forbes Realty Company LLC and Left Lane Motors LLC. Forbes was the owner of both companies.
On April 22 and 28, 2020, Forbes submitted loan application and supporting documents stated that Forbes Reality Company, LLC, had an average monthly payroll of $82,519. As part of the application, FRC payroll records for Forbes listed 2019 Medicare wages of $240,000. In fact, Ashli Forbes’ 2019 tax return did not include any income from Forbes Reality Company LLC. Ashli Forbes did not file a 2020 tax return.
On April 30, 2020, Commerce Bank sent a wire communication, the loan application, from Kansas City to the Small Business Administration in Sterling, Virginia. On May 6, 2020, Forbes Reality Company LLC received $206,200 PPP loan in its Commerce Bank account.
On June 19, 2020, defendant Ashli Forbes created an application for a PPP loan under the CARES Act for a business, Left Lane Motors, LLC (LLM). The application and supporting documents submitted to Commerce Bank stated that Left Lane Motors, LLC, had an average monthly payroll of $79,836. As part of the application, a 2019 Schedule C for Left Lane Motors, LLC, was submitted which listed gross receipts of $1,376,541, wages of $958,032, and a net profit of $292,606. Forms 941 and 944 (Employer’s Quarterly and Annual Tax Reports) were provided to Commerce Bank as part of the PPP application process. The application requested a loan in the amount of $220,400. In fact, Forms 941 and 944 were never filed with the IRS and the payments listed on the Forms were never received by the IRS.
On June 23, 2020, Commerce Bank sent a wire communication, the loan application, from Kansas City to the Small Business Administration in Sterling, Virgina. On June 29, 2020, LLM’s Commerce Bank account received the $220,400 PPP loan.
On January 22, 2021, Ashli Forbes transferred $20,000 of the funds obtained in the fraud from the FRC Commerce Bank account to pay an insurance bill, which provided the factual basis for her guilty plea to money laundering.
As part of her plea agreement, Forbes admitted submitting or assisting in fraudulent PPP loans for four other companies, totaling $1,362,133.00 in fraudulent loans.
Under federal statutes, Forbes is subject to a sentence of up to 30 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul S. Becker. It was investigated by Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation and the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department.
Jamestown man pleads guilty to fentanyl charge and kidnappingRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that a Dwayne Lowery aka Chi Chi, 31, of Jamestown, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo to possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and kidnapping, which carry a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum of life, and a fine of $5,000,000.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Donna M. Duncan, Joshua A. Violanti, and Louis A. Testani, who are handling the case, stated that on December 7, 2022, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Lowery’s West Cowden Place residence, seizing approximately 59 grams of fentanyl, $1,140 in cash, and drug paraphernalia. Prior to the search warrant, investigators conducted two controlled purchases of fentanyl from Lowery at his residence.
In mid-October 2023, Lowery invited an individual (Victim) to a North Union Street residence in Olean, NY. For the next approximately 22 days, the Victim was held by Lowery at various locations, including residences associated with Lowery in Buffalo and Olean, and a Buffalo hotel. When the Victim attempted to flee, Lowery physically prevented her from doing so. During this time, the defendant regularly provided the Victim with narcotics. On November 3, 2023, the Victim escaped Lowery’s Buffalo residence, went to Buffalo Police headquarters, and reported that she was being held against her will.
The plea is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Erin Keegan, the Jamestown Police Department, under the direction of Acting Chief Scott Forster, the Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff James Quattrone, and the Olean Police Department under the direction of Police Chief Ron Richardson.
Sentencing is scheduled for July 20, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. before Judge Vilardo.
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Jalen Smith Pleads Guilty to Bribery and Point-Shaving Scheme to Fix NCAA, CBA Men’s Basketball GamesRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Jalen Smith, 30, of Charlotte, North Carolina, entered a plea of guilty before United States District Court Judge Nitza I. Quiñones Alejandro on charges in connection with a bribery and point-shaving scheme to fix National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I men’s basketball games and Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) games and charges related to an unlawful possession of a firearm. Smith pleaded guilty to Counts One, Two, and Five of the indictment charging him with bribery in sporting contests, and aiding and abetting, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 224 and 2 (Count One); conspiracy to commit wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1349 (Count Two); and wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1343 (Count Five); and to Count One of an information charging him with possession of a firearm by a felon, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1).
In an indictment unsealed on January 15, 2026, Smith had been charged in connection with the bribery and point-shaving scheme. Smith engaged in the scheme to influence or fix NCAA and CBA men’s basketball games from at least in or about September 2022 through at least in or about February 2025. After co-schemers profited on fixed CBA games, the co-schemers turned their attention to fixing NCAA men’s basketball games and Smith was enlisted as a “fixer,” working together with others to recruit and bribe NCAA men’s basketball players to underperform and help ensure their team failed to cover the spread in games during the 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 NCAA men’s basketball seasons. Then, through various sportsbooks, Smith helped to arrange for large wagers to be placed on those games, betting against the team whose player or players they had bribed to engage in this point-shaving scheme. Smith had a leadership role in the scheme, particularly in recruiting, managing, and paying players for their roles in the scheme. Smith and other fixers approached and communicated with the players, in person and through social media, text message communications, and cellular telephone calls, offering the players bribe payments, usually ranging from $10,000 to $30,000 per game.
Smith and other fixers specifically targeted college players for whom the bribe payments would meaningfully supplement, or exceed, the student-athletes’ legitimate opportunities for “Name-Image-Likeness” compensation. The fixers also generally targeted their scheme players on teams that were underdogs in games and sought to have them fail to cover the spreads in those games. Many of these players accepted the offers and agreed to help fix specific games so that the fixers would win their wagers. The bribery and point-shaving scheme involved, in total, more than 39 players on more than 17 different NCAA Division I men’s basketball teams who then fixed and attempted to fix more than 29 NCAA games.
In early March 2024, for example, Smith and other fixers recruited and offered a bribe to a player on an NCAA men’s basketball team, and the player agreed to underperform in an upcoming game. Around halftime of that game, when the score was tied, Smith texted the player, expressed his concern about the score, and urged the player to underperform in the second half, telling him that the game “need[ed] to be a blowout,” that the player was “supposed to be . . . losing” and was costing him money, and that the team needed to get “blow[n] out next half.”
To capitalize on this scheme, the fixers made wagers totaling millions of dollars, generating substantial proceeds for the fixers and the players who collectively received hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribe payments for fixing their teams’ basketball games. When the fixers were successful with their wagers on fixed games, Smith and other co-schemers traveled to NCAA campuses and made cash bribe payments to the players who had agreed to participate in the point-shaving scheme.
On March 6, 2026, Smith was charged by information with possession of a firearm by a felon. This firearms charge arose from a search of Smith’s residence in Charlotte, North Carolina, on May 21, 2025, where Smith was found in unlawful possession of a loaded Khar Arms CT380 semi-automatic pistol.
The bribery in sporting contests charge carries a maximum possible sentence of five years of imprisonment, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. Each count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud brings a maximum possible sentence of 20 years of imprisonment, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. The firearms charge carries a maximum possible sentence of 15 years of imprisonment, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
This case was investigated by FBI and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Louis D. Lappen and Jerome M. Maiatico.
Anyone who believes they may have information about these crimes and would like to report the information is asked to call FBI Philadelphia at 215-418-4000 and reference “NCAA point-shaving.”
Illegal alien faces federal charges for distributing kilograms of purple fentanylRead the Press Release
ATLANTA – Martin Armando Gonzalez-Martinez, an illegal alien working directly with Mexico-based drug traffickers, appeared in federal court on charges related to his alleged distribution of purple fentanyl in the Atlanta area.
“Fentanyl is so extremely dangerous that just a couple milligrams can be lethal,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “My office proudly partners with law enforcement to identify, arrest, and prosecute individuals who, while illegally present in our country, traffic this deadly drug, which is responsible for killing tens of thousands of Americans every year.”
“Fentanyl traffickers continue to push dangerous and deceptive products into our communities, and the distribution of kilograms of purple fentanyl represents a significant threat to public safety,” said Jae W. Chung, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division. “These federal charges reflect our unwavering commitment to protect the public and disrupt the criminal organizations responsible for this deadly trade. As part of the DEA’s Fentanyl Free America initiative, we will continue working with our law enforcement partners to stop fentanyl at every level of distribution.”
According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: Gonzalez-Martinez is an illegal alien who entered the United States by illegally crossing the southwest border several years ago. Gonzalez-Martinez then allegedly began to distribute drugs, including fentanyl, in the Atlanta area.
On March 4, 2026, Gonzalez-Martinez allegedly attempted to sell approximately four kilograms of fentanyl in the parking lot of a business in Morrow, Georgia. When a customer arrived, Gonzalez-Martinez displayed the drugs in his backpack. As Gonzalez-Martinez returned to his car, DEA agents arrested him and searched his backpack, which was full of suspected fentanyl.
Last week, Martin Armando Gonzalez-Martinez, 22, of Oaxaca, Mexico appeared before a U.S. magistrate judge on a criminal complaint that charged him with possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl.
Members of the public are reminded that the indictment only contains charges. The defendant is presumed innocent of the charges and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
This case is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with valuable assistance provided by the Georgia State Patrol.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew R. LaGrone 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.
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.
Illegal Alien from Mexico Charged with Carjacking in Orange County and with Illegally Reentering the U.S. Following DeportationRead the Press Release
SANTA ANA, California – A twice-deported illegal immigrant from Mexico has been federally charged with carjacking a restaurant employee in Orange County last month – assaulting both the victim and her coworker who rushed to help her and nearly hitting them with the stolen vehicle – and with illegally reentering the United States, the Justice Department announced today.
Miguel Abrajan-Morales, 30, of Fullerton, is charged in a federal criminal complaint with carjacking. He also is charged in a separate federal criminal complaint with being an illegal alien found in the United States following deportation or removal.
Abrajan-Morales is in state custody at the Theo Lacy Facility in Orange. He faces a criminal charge in Orange County Superior Court of assault with a deadly weapon. He is expected to make his initial appearance on the federal charges in United States District Court in Santa Ana in the coming weeks.
According to affidavits filed with the federal complaints, during the evening of February 27, two restaurant employees were leaving work in Placentia. One victim – later identified as a woman with whom Abrajan-Morales previously had a romantic relationship – walked to her 2025 Ford Bronco and sat in the driver’s seat. Unexpectedly and without her permission, Abrajan-Morales opened and entered the vehicle’s front passenger seat and struck her in the face several times. To escape, the victim left the Ford Bronco from the driver’s door and left the vehicle running.
The victim’s coworker was entering his vehicle and witnessed the assault. To defend the victim, he ran toward the Ford Bronco and began fighting Abrajan-Morales. During this fight, Abrajan-Morales and he struck each other several times.
After the fight, Abrajan-Morales walked around to the driver’s side of the Ford Bronco, sat in the driver’s seat, and drove away. He nearly struck both restaurant employees with the vehicle as he exited the parking lot – colliding with a parked Honda Civic near where they were standing. Both victims – who had visible injuries – told law enforcement they believed he intentionally tried to strike them with the Ford Bronco.
On March 1, Abrajan-Morales was arrested in Ontario.
Law enforcement reviewed his immigration status and determined that Abrajan-Morales had twice been deported from the United States to Mexico in October 2016. There is no record of any application nor permission from the Secretary of Homeland Security or the United States Attorney General granting Abrajan-Morales permission to reenter the United States.
A complaint contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in court.
If convicted, Abrajan-Morales would face a statutory maximum sentence of 15 years in federal prison on the carjacking charge and up to two years in federal prison on the illegal reentry charge.
The Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Integrated Operations Group (IOG) and the Placentia Police Department are investigating the carjacking matter with assistance from the Ontario Police Department. IOG is a task force comprised of participation from HSI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the FBI, United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and the United States Marshals Service. HSI-OIG is investigating the illegal reentry matter.
Assistant United States Attorney Aylin B. Kuzucan of the General Crimes Section is prosecuting the carjacking case. Special Assistant United States Attorney Elizabeth D. Bisland of the Domestic Security and Immigration Crimes Section is prosecuting the illegal reentry case.
Illegal Alien from Guatemala Sentenced to Four Years in Federal Prison for Being an Alien in Possession of a Firearm and Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
LITTLE ROCK—Juan Carlos Contreras-Najarro will spend the next 48 months in federal prison after being convicted of being an alien in possession of a firearm and felon in possession of a firearm. Jonathan D. Ross, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, announced the sentence, which was handed down today by United States District Judge D. P. Marshall, Jr.
On March 5, 2024, Contreras-Najarro, 32, of Guatemala, but residing in Little Rock, was indicted by a federal grand jury in a two-count Indictment on being an alien in possession of a firearm and felon in possession of a firearm. Contreras-Najarro pleaded guilty on January 21, 2025, to both counts in the Indictment. Judge Marshall also sentenced Contreras-Najarro to three years’ supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
An investigation revealed that on January 20, 2024, officers from the Little Rock Police Department observed a stolen Honda driven by Contreras-Najarro and conducted a traffic stop. Officers asked Contreras-Najarro if the stolen vehicle belonged to him and Contreras-Najarro told officers the vehicle was “given to him.” During a search of Contreras-Najarro’s person, officers located a bag containing a small amount of methamphetamine. In the vehicle officers located a defaced Lorcin .380 caliber firearm between the console and driver’s seat. Officers also located in the trunk of the vehicle a suitcase containing three glass smoking devices and located a bag of marijuana inside a jacket on the passenger seat, two credit cards belonging to two victims, and five individual checks belonging to five separate victims. A further investigation revealed that Contreras-Najarro was a convicted felon who entered the United States illegally approximately 13 or 14 years ago.
Contreras-Najarro’s criminal history includes felony convictions for possession of methamphetamine, possession of methamphetamine with purpose to deliver, possession of fentanyl with purpose to deliver, possession of hydrocodone with purpose to deliver, and second-degree forgery.
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 investigation was conducted by the United States Department of Homeland Security with assistance from the Little Rock Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shelby Shelton.
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Additional information about the office of the
United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at
https://www.justice.gov/edar
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@USAO_EDAR
Hartford Man Sentenced to 57 Months in Prison for Fraudulently Collecting Social Security, Unemployment, and Food Stamp BenefitsRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that RICARDO SANTIAGO, 60, of Hartford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Vernon D. Oliver in Hartford to 57 months of imprisonment and three years of supervised release for fraudulently obtaining Social Security, unemployment, and Food Stamp benefits.
According to court documents and statements made in court, between 2002 and 2024, Santiago held jobs with more than 20 employers and earned income totaling more than $580,000. Santiago concealed his income from federal and state government agencies by providing to employers false identification, including a Social Security number and card belonging to another individual, and, in at least one instance, a false Social Security card.
In 2002, Santiago applied for Retirement Survivors Disability Insurance (RSDI) benefits, representing to the Social Security Administration that he was unable to work due to disability. As a result, he began receiving RSDI payments in September 2002. In 2017, Santiago completed paperwork to maintain his benefits in which he asserted that he remained disabled and had not worked for the past two years. Santiago ultimately collected more than $316,000 in RSDI payments to which he was not entitled.
In February 2017, Santiago submitted to the Connecticut Department of Social Services (CT-DSS) an application for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits (“Food Stamps”), representing to the CT-DSS and the U.S. Department of Agriculture that he earned no income from employment. He began receiving SNAP benefits in March 2017 and subsequently completed forms to renew his SNAP benefits on which he again represented that he had no change in his income and that he earned no money from employment. Santiago made more than $18,000 in purchases with SNAP benefits to which he was not entitled.
In April 2020, Santiago applied to the Connecticut Department of Labor (CT-DOL) for Unemployment Insurance benefits. On the application, Santiago used a Social Security number belonging to another individual, and he represented to the CT-DOL and U.S. Department of Labor that he was unemployed but available for work and physically able to work. He subsequently completed weekly certifications making the same representations. From April 2020 through February 2021, Santiago received more than $36,000 in payments to which he was not entitled.
Judge Oliver ordered Santiago to pay $371,686 in restitution.
Santiago was arrested on May 7, 2024. On February 24, 2025, he pleaded guilty to wire fraud.
In September 2025, while released on bond and awaiting sentencing, Santiago staged his and his daughter’s drowning in the Connecticut River and attempted to flee. Hartford Police located Santiago and his daughter in Hartford on September 20, 2025. Santiago has been detained since that date.
This matter was investigated by the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of the Inspector General, the U.S. Department of Labor Office of the Inspector General, and the U.S. Department of Transportation Office of the Inspector General. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nathan J. Guevremont.
Hagerstown Man Pleads Guilty to Sexually Exploiting Ecuadorian MinorsRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A 76-year-old Maryland man pled guilty in federal court today to sexually exploiting minor victims living in South America.
William Foster Alger, of Hagerstown, Maryland, is charged with coercion and enticement of a child. A federal grand jury indicted Alger on child sex-abuse charges in February 2025.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty plea with Christopher R. Heck, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) – Maryland; Colonel Paul Joey Kifer, Chief of Police of the Hagerstown Police Department (HPD); and Washington County State’s Attorney Gina Cirincion.
According to the guilty plea, between November 2023 and December 2024, Alger used mobile phones and online applications to persuade, induce, entice, and coerce three minor victims to engage in sexual activity. Alger paid the victims’ mothers, through Western Union payments, to send him images of the minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct.
The victims lived in Ecuador where Alger traveled to frequently. He eventually purchased land in Ecuador and built a residence. Alger’s iCloud account included numerous photos of him at his Ecuador residence with minor victims and their mothers.
Alger faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and a maximum sentence of life in prison for coercion and enticement.
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.
Know2Protect is a Department of Homeland Security national public awareness campaign to educate and empower children, teens, parents, trusted adults and policymakers to prevent and combat online child sexual exploitation and abuse; explain how to report online enticement and victimization; and offer resources for victims and survivors and their supporters. Learn more about Know2Protect at www.dhs.gov/know2protect.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended HSI, HPD, and the Washington County State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul E. Budlow who is prosecuting the federal case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Hattiesburg Man Pleads Guilty to Tax Offense Involving over $2 Million LossRead the Press Release
Hattiesburg, MS – A Hattiesburg, Mississippi man pleaded guilty today to failing to pay over funds that were withheld from employee paychecks announced Southern District of Mississippi United States Attorney Baxter Kruger.
According to court documents and information presented to the Court, Duke Kimbrell Rodgers, 68, conducted a business under the name Rodgers Family Pharmacy. From 2013 to 2020, Rodgers withheld over $1,500,828.73 from his employees’ pay for trust fund taxes. However, he failed to remit those funds to the Government. In addition, because of those withholdings and his failure to remit withholdings from his own paycheck, Rodgers submitted fraudulent personal tax forms that resulted in additional $629,831.00 loss. As part of his plea, Rodgers agreed to pay restitution of over $2 million to the Internal Revenue Service.
Rodgers is scheduled to be sentenced on June 18, 2026. He faces a statutory maximum of 5 years imprisonment.
The Internal Revenue Service is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Buckner is prosecuting the case.
Guatemalan National Sentenced for Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Guatemalan national residing in Framingham was sentenced on March 4, 2026 in federal court in Boston for unlawfully reentering the United States after deportation. Defendant previously deported five times to Guatemala and convicted of illegal re-entry twice.
Ariel Humberto Diaz, 33, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge Denise J. Casper to 14 months in prison, to be followed by two years of supervised release. The defendant is subject to deportation upon completion of the imposed sentence. In October 2025, Diaz pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien. Diaz was indicted by a federal grand jury in June 2025.
Diaz was most recently deported from the United States to Guatemala in March 2022. Sometime after his March 2022 removal, Diaz illegally reentered the United States without permission. Diaz had previously been removed to Guatemala in May 2014, April 2016, October 2016 and November 2018. In addition, Diaz had previously twice been convicted of illegal re-entry in federal court.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Patricia H. Hyde, Acting Field Office Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations in Boston made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alexandra W. Amrhein and Jennifer Zacks of the Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
Georgia man going to prison for his role in fraud conspiracyRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Lorenzo Jones, 38, of Atlanta, Georgia, who was convicted of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and aggravated ID theft, was sentenced to serve 34 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paul E. Bonanno and Sasha Mascarenhas, who handled the case, stated that between January and September 2022, Jones, along with co-conspirators Ameer Clark, Quentavious Price, and Montez White, and others, conspired to defraud financial institutions. Members of the conspiracy would travel from Atlanta, Georgia, to the Western District of New York, and steal genuine checks from businesses. Using those checks, they would create fraudulent checks drawn on the bank accounts of the businesses. Members of the conspiracy then recruited individuals to cash the fraudulent checks, buy clothes for the individuals to make them appear to be construction workers or laborers, and then drive them to area financial institutions and direct them to cash the fraudulent checks. If the checks were successfully cashed, the individuals received a small payment. Specifically:
- in January 2022, Jones, Price, and two others flew from Atlanta to Buffalo and drove an individual to various KeyBank branches to cash or attempt to cash fraudulent checks drawn on the KeyBank accounts of a business based in Elma, NY, and a second business based in Tonawanda, NY.
- in March 2022, Price and two others came to Buffalo from Atlanta and drove three individuals to M&T Bank branches, Bank on Buffalo branches, and Evans Bank branches to cash, or attempt to cash, fraudulent checks drawn on the bank accounts of businesses based in Tonawanda, Clarence, NY, and Sanborn, NY.
- in September 2022, Jones, Clark, Price, and White flew from Atlanta to Rochester, NY, and drove six individuals to M&T Bank branches, KeyBank branches, Northwest Bank branches, Bank on Buffalo branches, and Evans Bank branches, to cash or attempt to cash, fraudulent checks drawn on the bank accounts of two businesses based in Rochester, and one based in Alden, NY.
The total loss amount, including actual loss and intended loss, Is $64,979.67.
Co-conspirators Ameer Clark, Quentavious Price and Montez White were all previously convicted.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special-Agent-in-Charge Erin Keegan, and the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Amie P. Feroleto.
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Georgia Man Charged with Transmitting Threat to South Florida VictimRead the Press Release
MIAMI – A Georgia man made his initial appearance in federal court today after allegedly leaving a threatening voicemail for a victim in the Southern District of Florida.
According to court documents, on Sept. 19, 2025, Henry Paul Demarco, 64, left a voicemail message threatening to “blow [the victim’s] head off.” The call was transmitted from Georgia to the Southern District of Florida.
Demarco was granted bond with a condition that he have no contact with the victim.
Demarco is charged with interstate transmission of a threat to injure. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison.
U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida, Special Agent in Charge Brett D. Skiles of the FBI, Miami Field Office, and Police Chief Michael Coleman of the Riviera Beach Police Department made the announcement.
FBI Miami is investigating the case with valuable assistance from the Riviera Beach Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Juan Albino is prosecuting the case.
An indictment/complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 26-cr-80050.
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Ganjei announces intent to resign from position of United States AttorneyRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei has announced he will resign as chief law enforcement officer for the Southern District of Texas effective upon his appointment to the federal bench.
“The American people provided our office with a mandate to secure the border, annihilate the drug trade, and crack down on violent crime in their communities—and every day the men and women of SDTX work tirelessly to deliver on that commitment. In the past year we’ve accomplished more than we ever thought possible, but there’s still no time to rest,” said Ganjei. “Ensuring that the Southern District of Texas is a safe place to live, work, and raise a family is more than just a job, it’s a promise we’ve made to our fellow citizens. In meeting this challenge, I could not have asked for greater colleagues, greater law enforcement partners, or greater support from our Southern District communities. Although I will now be hanging up my spurs as an advocate, I look forward to serving the American people in a new capacity.”
Ganjei was responsible for prosecuting and defending the interests of the United States in one of the largest districts in the country, with the Southern District of Texas stretching across 43 counties, covering 44,000 square miles, and having over nine million residents. Ganjei oversaw nearly 400 employees, including over 200 Assistant U.S. Attorneys, spread across the district’s seven offices.
Since Ganjei’s appointment in January 2025, the Southern District of Texas has prioritized border security and immigration enforcement, the aggressive prosecution of violent crime, and the dismantling of transnational criminal organizations, particularly narcoterrorists.
During his tenure, SDTX prided itself on being both aggressive and nimble, filing over 10,000 indictments and nearly 18,000 criminal complaints, while maintaining a 96 percent conviction rate. To date in fiscal year 2026, SDTX is projected to file more cases than any other district nationwide.
In 2025, SDTX delivered a record number of southern border-related enforcement actions, with over 14,000 individuals charged in cases related to immigration and smuggling, assaults on officers, firearms offenses, violent crimes, narcotics trafficking, and other matters. To date in 2026, over 2000 additional persons have already been charged in similar actions. The number of illegal crossings and encounters have plummeted to their lowest level in more than half a century.
The Southern District of Texas’s Civil Division also played a major role in the office’s efforts to secure the border, working to obtain parcels of land and easements to facilitate border wall construction, as well as handling over 1300 habeas corpus petitions brought by illegal aliens seeking immediate release from custody.
On the criminal side of border security, the Southern District secured the extradition of three Guatemalan nationals on charges arising from a fatal human smuggling event in Chiapas, Mexico in 2021. This event, in which a tractor-trailer, packed with at least 160 people, crashed, resulted in the death of more than 50 people, including unaccompanied children, and injured over 100 more. The smugglers, now in federal court in Laredo, face a potential life sentence.
Under Ganjei, the Southern District of Texas has been a national leader in the prosecution of narcoterrorist gangs and cartels. In December of 2025, SDTX charged four alleged members of Tren de Aragua (“TdA”) with material support of a terrorist organization and cocaine distribution. Two of the men charged—Yohan Jose Romero and Juan Gabriel Rivas Nunez—are believed to be two of the top three leaders of TdA. In Galveston, eight high-level Mara Salvatrucha (“MS-13”) gang members pleaded guilty to racketeering activity, including murder, extortion, and drug trafficking, and are now facing prison terms of 35-50 years. In Operation Liquid Death, the Southern District of Texas indicted a father and son on charges of conspiring to materially support a Mexican cartel and money laundering based on the duo’s alleged illegal importation of tens of millions of dollars of stolen oil.
The Southern District has also been tireless in its pursuit of U.S.-based criminal organizations and has adopted a more aggressive posture toward the use of federal racketeering (RICO) charges, which carry a maximum penalty of life imprisonment. In Houston, SDTX brought racketeering, murder, firearms, and drug trafficking charges against 20 suspected members and associates of the “Free Money” gang, a group accused of committing numerous high-profile violent crimes, including a brazen June 2022 daytime shootout in a shopping center parking lot. Also in 2025, the Southern District of Texas indicted 14 members of the Katy-based “Welcome to Hell” chapter of the Bandidos Outlaw Motorcycle Gang on 22 counts of racketeering, assault, and murder stemming from, in part, a violent turf war with a rival motorcycle gang.
Under Ganjei’s leadership, SDTX also launched several innovative, “first of its kind” initiatives to address to address longstanding and persistent criminal threats. One such program was Operation Lighthouse, an effort to combat sexual assault of rideshare passengers. The initiative leverages federal resources and sentencing laws to secure more meaningful penalties against perpetrators, bring justice to victims, and ultimately promote a greater sense of safety within the ridesharing community.
Another initiative, Operation Pick-Off, targets criminal illegal aliens who are currently serving terms of probation following convictions for state crimes, such as murder, drug offenses, human smuggling, fraud, burglary, assault, and other crimes. The multiagency effort, launched in August 2025 in the Rio Grande Valley, will remain an ongoing enforcement priority for the Southern District.
In one quality-of-life initiative, Operation Double Down, the Southern District targeted and shut down 30 illegal gaming rooms in greater Houston, which operated openly and attracted drug dealing, prostitution and other blight. The operation, believed to be one of the largest in the Southern District’s history, resulted in the indictment of 16 defendants and the seizure of over $16 million in currency, accounts, and assets.
During Ganjei’s tenure, the Southern District of Texas also took a more aggressive approach to the threat posed by Chinese-backed espionage against the United States. The Southern District indicted Xu Zewei, an alleged China state-sponsored hacker, for his suspected involvement in U.S. computer intrusions, including that of U.S.-based universities and researchers conducting COVID-19 vaccine, treatment, and testing research. Zewei was later arrested in Italy at the United States’ request. More recently, in Operation Gatekeeper, SDTX indicted three individuals for their alleged role in the illegal smuggling of $160 million of critical AI technology destined for the PRC.
Finally, the Southern District collected a total of $148,149,674.47 in combined criminal, civil, and asset forfeiture actions in calendar year 2025. Across all criminal matters, SDTX collected $21,572,847.34 in restitution for crime victims and recovered an additional $85,932,764.13 through civil enforcement actions for the American taxpayer. Working with partner agencies and divisions, the Southern District also collected $40,644,063 through asset forfeiture. Forfeited assets deposited into the Department of Justice’s Asset Forfeiture Fund are used to restore funds to crime victims and for a variety of law enforcement purposes.
Then-Acting Attorney General James McHenry named Ganjei as U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas Jan. 29, 2025. Ganjei later received the unanimous vote of the district judges in May 2025, re-appointing him to continue his service to the district.
Ganjei is a longtime federal prosecutor who previously served as Acting U.S. Attorney and First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Texas.
Ganjei joined the Department of Justice in 2008 as an Assistant U.S. Attorney on the U.S.–Mexico border. As an AUSA, Ganjei prosecuted organized crime, immigration, narcotics, and human trafficking cases, as well as fraud, public corruption and white collar matters.
Before joining the Department, Ganjei clerked for the Honorable Richard Allen Griffin of the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals and for then-U.S. District Judge Ralph R. Erickson, who has since been elevated to the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals. Ganjei has also taught on the subjects of civil, criminal, and constitutional law at both the collegiate and law school levels.
Immediately prior to his service with the Southern District of Texas, Ganjei was Chief Counsel to U.S. Senator Ted Cruz and the Senate Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on the Constitution, where he oversaw all legal matters related to criminal justice, border security, judicial nominations, antitrust, intellectual property, and religious liberty.
On Nov. 12, 2025, President Trump nominated Ganjei to serve as a United States district court judge for the Southern District of Texas. The United States Senate confirmed Ganjei on Feb. 3, 2026. Ganjei is now set to begin his tenure as a judge in the Houston Division of the Southern District.
Ganjei was the first Persian-American to ever serve as a United States Attorney anywhere in the country, and, upon appointment to the federal bench, will become the first-ever Persian-American federal Article III judge.
Upon Ganjei’s departure, management responsibilities will be handed off to John G.E. Marck, who presently serves as the office’s First Assistant U.S. Attorney.
Four Members of D.C. Gang Sentenced in Conspiracy Case that Resulted in Two Murders and a Non-Fatal Drive-By Shooting in Southeast, Washington, D.C.Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Derrico Johnson, 21, Ronald Henderson, 19, Daveon Robinson, 18, and Demarco Robinson, 22, were sentenced Friday in connection with three different day-time shootings that occurred in Southeast Washington, D.C. between April 2022 and January 2023, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Superior Court Judge Michael Ryan sentenced Derrico Johnson to 22 years of incarceration, Ronald Henderson to 22 years of incarceration, Daveon Robinson to eight years of incarceration, and Demarco Robinson to four years of incarceration on March 6, 2026. Each defendant was also sentenced to a period of supervised release at the conclusion of their sentences.
The government’s evidence indicates that on April 12, 2022, Johnson shot and killed Clayton Marshall (who does not appear to have been the intended target) and shot and injured another individual (who also does not appear to have been the intended target) during a daytime drive-by shooting at Shipley Market (a known hang-out spot associated with the “Deuce Deuce” crew). About six weeks later, on May 26, 2022, Johnson, Henderson, and a still-unidentified third individual traveled by foot to the Savannah Terrace Circle associated with the “23rd and Savannah” crew, where they shot and killed 16-year-old Justin Johnson aka “23 Rackz.” On January 2, 2023, Henderson and Daveon Robinson shot and injured two individuals who were standing outside Alabama Convenience Store (a known hang-out spot associated with the “23rd and Savannah” crew) in another daytime drive-by shooting in which the evidence indicates Dionzai Parker was also inside the suspect vehicle. The case against Dionzai Parker, the fifth defendant in this conspiracy case, is still active.
Each of the defendants, who are members of the Southeast D.C. “Get Back Gang” and/or “the Z,” previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit murder or armed crime of violence stemming from their involvement in a months-long conspiracy that included two murders and a non-fatal drive-by shooting that left multiple people injured. Derrico Johnson, Ronald Henderson, and Daveon Robinson also pleaded guilty to charges related to specific acts of violence. This crew is part of a broader group driving violence in Washington, D.C. over the past several years, known as “Fox 5 Gang.”
Joining the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department, Drug Enforcement Administration, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. It was prosecuted by former Assistant United States Attorney Ryan Sellinger, Assistant United States Attorneys John Parron and Wes Faulkner, Jr.
2022 CF1 003590
Four Houston gang members guilty of conspiracy to commit bank robberies and juggingsRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – Four Houston criminal street gang members have been convicted of conspiracy and bank robbery in connection with a string of ATM robberies and “juggings” in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Charles Bernard Byrd, a/k/a “Doughboy,” 34, of Houston, was found guilty by a jury of conspiracy to commit bank robbery and aiding and abetting bank robbery.
Byrd’s co-defendants, Kendrick Douglas Warren, a/k/a “Bullet,” 38, Derrick Deshaun Brooks, a/k/a “D-Brooks,” 36, and Derramy Deonita Foster, 42, all of Houston, pleaded guilty prior to trial.
The verdict against Byrd was reached on March 5, 2026, following a four-day trial before U.S. District Judge Michael J. Truncale. Byrd faces up to 25 years in federal prison at sentencing.
According to evidence introduced at trial, the Beaumont Police Department and FBI were investigating a series of bank robberies targeting ATM repair technicians during 2024. On October 8, 2024, at approximately 4:45 p.m., two men wearing masks and gloves (later identified as Derrick Brooks and Derramy Foster) robbed an ATM repairman in the drive-through of PNC Bank located on Phelan Boulevard in Beaumont. The men pushed the technician out of the way and removed $153,000 of the bank’s cash before speeding away in a black sedan toward Interstate 10. The men completed the heist in less than 20 seconds. Security cameras videoed the robbery but there were no suspects or leads.
A similar robbery was committed around 1:15 p.m. on December 31, 2024, when two men wearing masks and gloves (later identified as Derrick Brooks and Kendrick Warren) robbed an ATM repairman in the drive-through of the Education First Federal Credit Union located on Laurel Avenue in Beaumont. The men rushed the technician, ordered him to “move,” and took $146,000 of the bank’s cash. The men completed the heist in less than twenty seconds and sped away in a stolen red SUV.
Just fifteen minutes later, BPD officer John Cross located the SUV abandoned in a nearby parking lot. Although the license plate had been removed, police were able to use license plate reader images from earlier in the day to identify the SUV. The police also found that it had caravaned from Houston to Beaumont with a black 2018 truck that was registered to Brooks. Investigators also learned that minutes after the robbery the same black truck left Beaumont travelling west on I-10 toward Houston.
BPD requested assistance from the Houston Police Department Criminal Apprehension Team and were able to locate and stop the black truck as it exited I-10 in Houston, just 84 minutes after the robbery in Beaumont. At the arrest, Byrd was the get-away driver and Warren and Brooks were passengers. The officers also found a bag containing exactly $146,000 cash, the same amount that had been taken from the credit union, as well as gloves like the ones used in the robbery and a Texas paper license plate that matched the one displayed on the red SUV earlier in the day.
Further investigation revealed that Byrd, Warren, Brooks, and Foster were members of the 100% Third Ward gang that operates from the Third Ward area of Houston to commit a variety of criminal acts, including juggings and robberies. “Juggings” are burglaries or robberies that target victims observed leaving a bank or other financial business in supposed possession of cash or other items of value. The 100% Third Ward gang is also known as the “103 gang.”
Other evidence introduced at trial showed that the men engaged in a conspiracy from Oct. 1 to Dec. 31, 2024, during which they orchestrated multiple juggings, burglaries, auto thefts, and the two ATM bank robberies. Byrd and his coconspirators committed one of their juggings just an hour before robbing the Education First Federal Credit Union on New Year’s Eve. In that instance, the men positioned the black truck to surveil the drive-through line at Chase Bank on Dowlen Road in Beaumont. After the defendants saw a customer accept a cash pouch from the teller, they followed her truck from the bank to the HEB down the road, where the men positioned the red SUV and waited for her to enter the store before smashing her window and burgling her truck while she shopped.
Warren pleaded guilty on September 15, 2025, to conspiracy and bank robbery and faces up to 25 years in federal prison at sentencing.
Brooks pleaded guilty on September 16, 2025, to conspiracy and two counts of bank robbery, and faces up to 45 years in federal prison at sentencing.
Foster pleaded guilty on September 15, 2025, to bank robbery and faces up to 20 years federal prison as sentencing.
The maximum statutory sentence prescribed by Congress is provided here for information purposes, as the sentencing will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office.
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.
This case was investigated by the Beaumont Police Department, the Houston Police Department, the Texas Department of Public Safety, the Memorial Villages Police Department, the West University Police Department, the Shiner Police Department, and the FBI, and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys John B. Ross and Jonathan Lee.
Former St. Louis Lawyer Sentenced to 21 Months in Prison for $379,900 Pandemic FraudRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Sarah E. Pitlyk on Monday sentenced a former St. Louis lawyer who committed $379,900 in pandemic fraud to 21 months in prison and fined him $50,000.
John J. Diehl Jr., 60, has already repaid the loan money.
Diehl applied for an Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) on behalf of his law firm, the Diehl Law Group, on March 30, 2020, and obtained $94,900. In March of 2022, Diehl requested an EIDL loan modification. In both applications Diehl pledged that Diehl Law Group would use the funds “to alleviate economic injury caused by disaster.” He received $285,000 from the second loan, for a total of $379,900. The EIDL program was designed to help struggling small businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic by providing deferred, low interest loans for working capital, payroll and other fixed debts of businesses caused by the pandemic.
“This defendant’s law practice didn’t suffer at all during the COVID-19 pandemic,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Hal Goldsmith said in court, adding that Diehl did not use any of the loan for the firm. Diehl, he said, “saw a way to make some easy and cheap money.” Diehl transferred a total of about $200,000 of the EIDL proceeds to the Diehl Law Group’s retirement plan. He was the only participant in the plan. Diehl used loan proceeds for personal Tesla, Audi and Jeep vehicle payments, personal credit card bills, residential mortgage payments, fees paid to a St. Louis law firm for a personal legal matter, a family member’s college tuition, pool maintenance, country club expenses and cash withdrawals for personal expenses.
Diehl pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis in September to one count of wire fraud.
“Although he legitimately obtained pandemic relief loans for his law practice, Diehl diverted those funds for personal use rather than the purposes Congress intended,” said Special Agent in Charge Chris Crocker of the FBI St. Louis Division. "Relief programs like these were created to help small businesses survive the COVID-19 pandemic—not to line someone’s pockets.”
Diehl formerly served as an alderman for Town and Country, Missouri, the Chairman of the St. Louis County Board of Election Commissioners and the Speaker of the Missouri House of Representatives. He resigned as speaker in 2015.
In 2023, Diehl entered into a consent order with the Missouri Ethics Commission after improperly using $6,762.70 of campaign committee funds to pay for personal expenses unrelated to any political campaign and failing to report additional expenditures of campaign committee funds, including at least $28,700 of personal expenses. Diehl was fined $47,392.
The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Hal Goldsmith prosecuted the case.
Former Quincy Official Pleads Guilty to Embezzling City FundsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Fitchburg man and former Quincy official pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to a scheme to embezzle funds from the City of Quincy, Mass.
Thomas F. Clasby, Jr., 61, pleaded guilty to embezzlement, mail and wire fraud and interstate transportation of stolen property. U.S. Senior District Court Judge Patti B. Saris scheduled sentencing for June 17, 2026. Clasby was indicted by a federal grand jury in January 2025.
Clasby was the Director of the Quincy Department of Elder Services (Elder Services) between approximately 1999 and April 2024. Beginning in 2019, Clasby used the City’s purchasing process to pay personal expenses and generate cash for himself. For example, Clasby arranged for the City to pay $8,950 to a music studio to produce recordings of Clasby singing songs; $2,236 to food service vendors for 153 pounds of bourbon steak tips; $4,800 for a Toyota Prius; and $1,658 for a signature, lacquered, mounted and framed self-portrait, all of which were personal expenses.
In addition, Clasby arranged for the City to pay over $38,000 to a New York consulting company owned by Clasby’s friend. The consulting company never provided goods or services to any City department. Instead, Clasby’s friend cashed the City checks and delivered the cash to Clasby at a rest stop in Framingham, Mass., a ferry terminal in Bridgeport, Conn. and at the friend’s New York apartment. Starting in June 2021, Clasby stole the majority of cash receipts generated by Elder Services at the Kennedy Center in Quincy.
The charge of embezzlement provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charges of mail and wire fraud provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of interstate transportation of stolen property provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years 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 and Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Quincy Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristina E. Barclay of the Public Corruption and Special Prosecutions Unit is prosecuting the case.
Final Defendant Sentenced to Federal Prison for Methamphetamine Trafficking OperationRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – The last of four defendants charged in a methamphetamine trafficking conspiracy was sentenced last week to 10 months in federal prison. Three other defendants were sentenced to federal prison previously.
U.S. Attorney Kyle G. Bumgarner of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Olivia Olson of the FBI Louisville Field Office, and Chief Paul Humphrey of the Louisville Metro Police Department made the announcement.
On March 5, 2026, Geramy Frederick, 45, of Louisville, was sentenced to 10 years in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, for one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, one count of possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, and three counts of distribution of methamphetamine.
On January 9, 2026, Scott Sabol, 61, of Louisville, was sentenced to 5 years and 10 months in prison, followed by 4 years of supervised release, for one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and three counts of distribution of methamphetamine.
On December 18, 2025, Michael Vaden, 37, of Louisville, was sentenced to 6 years and 7 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and three counts of distribution of methamphetamine.
On October 15, 2025, Jessica Stout, 45, of Louisville, was sentenced to 10 years in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, for one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substance, one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and one count of distribution of methamphetamine.
According to Court documents, Frederick, Sabol, Vaden, and Stout, conspired with each other and others to possess with the intent to distribute and distributed large quantities of methamphetamine between February and March of 2024 in and around Louisville. Frederick distributed half-pound quantities of methamphetamine to another in February, March, and April of 2024. He also possessed with the intent to distribute over 50 grams of methamphetamine in April of 2024. In May and June of 2024, Sabol distributed 51 grams of methamphetamine, 88 grams of methamphetamine, and 330 grams of methamphetamine to another. Vaden sold pound quantities of methamphetamine to another in April and June of 2024 and two pounds of methamphetamine in July of 2024. Finally, Stout possessed with the intent to distribute methamphetamine in April of 2024 and distributed 51 grams of methamphetamine to another in May of 2024.
There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is being investigated by the FBI and LMPD.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Emily Lantz and Frank Dahl are prosecuting this case, with assistance from paralegal specialist Adela Alic.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
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