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6 March 2026
Bookkeeper Sentenced to 33 Months in Prison for Embezzling $580,000 from ChurchRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge John A. Ross on Friday sentenced the former parish secretary and bookkeeper who embezzled from a DeSoto, Missouri church to 33 months in prison and ordered her to repay $581,337.
Corie M. Boyer, 50, of Jefferson County, Missouri, stole the funds from the parish in multiple ways from 2017 to 2024, while she was responsible for maintaining the parish's books and records, organizing certain parish fundraisers and assisting in the collection and counting of the weekly offertory. She misused parish credit cards that were intended for fundraising expenses, wrote parish checks to herself and cashed them, used parish bank accounts to pay down the balance on her personal credit cards and stole parishioners’ cash donations from the weekly offertory. She gambled some of the money away and used more to pay for a family vacation, go shopping, pay her taxes and rent and fund a relative’s college tuition. Boyer covered up the theft by falsifying parish records.
“Corie Boyer betrayed her parish when she abused her position of trust for personal gain. She stole funds from the church, spent the money on herself and others, and took steps to cover up the theft,” said IRS-Criminal Investigation St. Louis Special Agent in Charge William Steenson. “IRS-CI remains deeply committed to investigating such abuses of trust and will work with our law enforcement partners to relentlessly pursue justice on behalf of the victims.”
Boyer pleaded guilty in October in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to two counts of wire fraud.
The FBI and IRS - Criminal Investigation investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Clow prosecuted the case.
Biloxi Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison and a Lifetime of Supervised Release for Possession of Images of Minors Engaging in Sexually Explicit ConductRead the Press Release
Gulfport, MS – A Biloxi, Mississippi man was sentenced March 6, 2026 to 10 years in prison, followed by lifetime supervised release, for possessing images of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct, announced U.S. Attorney Baxter Kruger of the Southern District of Mississippi and Robert Eikhoff, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Jackson Office.
In January 2025, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”) executed a search warrant at the residence of Terrence Green, a 46-year-old male, in relation to suspected online activity related to the illegal possession of child sexual abuse material.
During the search warrant, law enforcement seized Mr. Green’s cellphone. A forensic analysis of the phone revealed that the defendant possessed numerous images of child sexual abuse material. It was determined that Mr. Green would access child sexual abuse material on the cellphone and take screenshots of the images, therefore saving them onto his device.
The defendant pled guilty for his conduct in October 2025. The case was investigated by the FBI and the Mississippi Attorney General’s Office, Cybercrime Division.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lee Smith prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Billings woman pleads guilty to carjacking resulting in deathRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – A Billings woman accused of facilitating a carjacking resulting in death admitted to charges today, Acting U.S. Attorney Tim Racicot said.
The defendant, Violet Jeanee Littlelight, 22, pleaded guilty to one count of carjacking resulting in death. Littlelight faces a maximum term of imprisonment of life, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan presided. U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing will be set at a later time. Littlelight was detained pending further proceedings.
The government alleged in court documents that on May 16, 2025, Littlelight arranged for John Doe to pick her up at her residence in Billings. Prior to meeting Doe, Littlelight and co-defendants planned to rob Doe and take his truck. Once they took Doe’s truck, they planned to give it to a drug dealer in Hardin in exchange for drugs or money.
When Littlelight and her co-defendants arrived at the rendezvous point, Doe was suspicious. Littlelight vouched for the co-defendants and told Doe they just needed a ride. Based on her assurances, Doe let all three defendants into his truck.
When they arrived in an alley, Doe was directed to stop when he was stabbed approximately 20 times in his neck, chest, and stomach with a knife. The defendants removed Doe from the driver’s seat and left him in the alley, where he subsequently died from the stab wounds.
The defendants then drove Doe’s truck to Hardin. They changed their clothes and placed the bloody clothes in the truck. They then drove to a house on the Crow reservation. When they arrived, they decided they needed to clean the truck, so they used cleaning products they obtained from the owner of the house and threw their clothes and other incriminating evidence into a burn pit. As they were cleaning the truck, law enforcement officers arrived. The defendants fled, leaving the truck behind.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Colin Rubich and Zeno Baucus prosecuted the case. The FBI, Billings Police Department, and BIA conducted the investigation.
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Billings man sentenced to 10 years in prison for drug chargesRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – A Billings man who distributed methamphetamine was sentenced yesterday to 120 months in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, Acting U.S. Attorney Tim Racicot said.
Logan Scott Bergren, 43, pleaded guilty in November 2025 to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.
The government alleged in court documents that in May 2024, two separate sources of information reported Logan Bergren was selling methamphetamine and using CashApp to
conduct drug transactions. Law enforcement later searched the camper in which Bergren was living and seized over 100 grams of actual methamphetamine in the camper, two pistols, two shotguns, and ammunition. One of the women present at the camper told law enforcement she was there to purchase fentanyl from Bergren. In an interview with law enforcement, Bergren admitted to selling meth.
In January 2024, law enforcement searched Bergren’s hotel room at the Vegas motel in Billings. They located a small amount of methamphetamine and seized $2,500 from his jacket.
Text messages obtained through a search warrant confirmed Bergren was selling methamphetamine and fentanyl and using CashApp to accomplish sales. In those messages, Bergren often referred to methamphetamine as “clear” and fentanyl as “blues” or “blue skies.”
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The ATF, Billings Police Department and State of Montana Division of Criminal Investigations conducted the investigation.
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Beaumont felon charged with federal firearms violation in Eastern District of TexasRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – A Beaumont man has been charged with a federal firearms violation in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Koy Wayne Dodd, 42, was named in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury in the Eastern District of Texas this week charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm.
If convicted, Dodd faces up to 15 years in federal prison.
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 is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Beaumont Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Russell James.
A federal indictment is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Another week, another nearly 400 more charged in SDTX’s relentless border enforcement effortsRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A total of 395 cases have been filed against 396 people in immigration and related matters from Feb. 27-March 5 in continuing enforcement actions to protect the southern border, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Criminal complaints allege 23 people were involved in human smuggling crimes. Another 165 individuals have allegedly entered the country illegally, while 206 face charges of felony reentry after prior removal. Most of those individuals have previous convictions for narcotics, violent crime, immigration offenses and more. The remaining cases relate to other immigration crimes.
Some of those charged with felony reentry this week include two men who have prior convictions for assault with a deadly weapon and were just removed within the last several months, according to their criminal complaints. Authorities allegedly found Cuban national Onnis Alvarez Rubio near Penitas and El Salvadorian national Eduardo Neftali Rodriguez-Cubas near Havana with no authorization to be in the United States.
Four others also charged with felony reentry after prior removal include Mexican nationals Francisco Gonzalez-Angeles, Jesus Lerma-Villarreal, Oswaldo Odinez-Garcia, and Mario Alberto Munoz-Garcia. The complaints allege they have previous convictions such as illegal reentry, transporting/harboring aliens, evading arrest, or driving while intoxicated (third or more). Law enforcement discovered them all in the McAllen and surrounding areas, according to their charges.
All face up to 20 years in prison, if convicted.
In addition to the new cases, “Operation Pick-Off” has now expanded to the Houston area. The SDTX initiative that began in the Rio Grande Valley in August 2025 has now resulted in federal charges in all divisions against illegal alien offenders who were serving terms of probation or supervision for other state crimes while unlawfully residing in the United States.
“Our office created Operation Pick-Off based upon an extremely simple concept—that a state probation sentence should not be a sanctuary from federal immigration laws. Take note, the Southern District of Texas is not a safe harbor for those who enter the United States illegally and commit crimes against our citizens,” said Ganjei. “Now, these offenders, who so brazenly flouted our laws, have earned themselves a jail stay before their one-way flight home. My office promised to bring this targeted operation to every corner of the district. Promise kept.”
Also announced this week was the sentencing of MS-13 gang member Ronald Alberto Rivas-Aguilar. He must now serve 23 months in federal prison for illegally reentering the United States. In 2016, Rivas and another MS-13 member conspired to murder a rival gang member in Fort Bend County. Rivas transported the victim to Buffalo Run Park and tied the victim’s ankles with shoelaces before a coconspirator beat the victim to death with a machete. Authorities later removed Rivas to El Salvador; however, he illegally returned to the United States.
Two other illegal alien felons were also ordered to federal prison for unlawfully reentering into the country. Honduran nationals Angel Arquimedez Coto-Martinez and Kevin Alexander Bueso-Medina received 38 months and 24 months, respectively. Both have multiple prior convictions for illegal reentry. Bueso-Medina was also previously convicted of importation and possession with intent to distribute marijuana, manufacture/delivery of cocaine and driving while intoxicated.
These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations, ICE - Enforcement and Removal Operations, Border Patrol, Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, U.S. Marshals Service and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners.
The cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Under current leadership, public safety and a secure border are the top priorities for this district. Enhanced enforcement both at the border and in the interior of the district have yielded aliens engaged in unlawful activity or with serious criminal histories, including convictions for human trafficking, sexual assault and violence against children.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas remains one of the busiest in the nation. It represents 43 counties and more than nine million people covering 44,000 square miles. Assistant U.S. Attorneys from all seven divisions including Houston, Galveston, Victoria, Corpus Christi, Brownsville, McAllen and Laredo work directly with our law enforcement partners on the federal, state and local levels to prosecute the suspected offenders of these and other federal crimes.
An indictment or criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
AmerisourceBergen Subsidiary Agrees to Pay $1 Million for Allegedly Paying Kickbacks to Health Care Providers and Medical Practice ExecutivesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – ASD Specialty Healthcare, LLC, (ASD) doing business as Oncology Supply Company (Oncology Supply), a distributor of specialty pharmaceutical products and a subsidiary of Cencora, Inc., f/k/a AmerisourceBergen Corporation, has agreed to pay $1 million to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by paying kickbacks to health care providers (HCPs) and medical practice executives to induce them to purchase specialty pharmaceutical products from Oncology Supply.
As part of the settlement agreement, ASD admitted and accepted responsibility for certain facts providing the basis for the settlement. Specifically, from January 2012 to October 2019, another Cencora subsidiary, International Oncology Network (“ION”), hosted conferences for its “Large Practice Program” members. At the conferences, ION and Oncology Supply employees provided meals and alcohol at high-end restaurants and various forms of entertainment to health care providers and medical practice executives, including rounds of golf and outings at bars and nightclubs. Additionally, outside the conference setting, from January 2012 to September 2022, ASD Specialty Healthcare, through 15 Oncology Supply and ION employees, also paid for meals and alcohol at high-end restaurants and various other forms of entertainment for HCPs and medical practice executives, including rounds of golf and outings at bars and nightclubs. At some of the events, ASD even covered the expenses of the spouses of HCPs and medical practice executives. The government alleges that ASD caused physicians to submit false claims to Medicare and Medicaid induced by these kickbacks.
The claims resolved in today’s settlement include claims that were brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act. Under the Act, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. The qui tam case is captioned United States et al. ex rel. Brandon Osborn v. AmerisourceBergen Corporation, et al., No. 20-cv-12018-IT. As part of today’s resolution, the relator will receive 17.5% of the settlement amount.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lindsey Ross handled the matter.Alien Guilty of Using False Claim of Citizenship to Illegally VoteRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – A Canadian alien pleaded guilty to two counts of making false claims certifying that he was a United States citizen on North Carolina voter registration applications in 2022 and 2024 to vote in the 2022 elections and 2024 presidential election.
According to court documents, Denis Bouchard, 70, falsely claimed to be a United States citizen to vote. Bouchard lived in the United States since the 1960’s, but he never obtained United States citizenship.
“This shows that our elections remain under attack from aliens. We will not tolerate noncitizens lying to illegally vote here in North Carolina. Every eligible citizen should have confidence that an alien voting illegally will get sniffed out and prosecuted. As seen as recently as Tuesday, every single vote counts because the difference between winning and losing can come down to two votes. Every ineligible vote cancels out a legal vote. We especially want to thank the vigilance of our N.C. State Board of Elections, who ferreted out this illegal voter.” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle.
"Election security is one of the FBI’s top priorities. Americans expect fair elections and democracy requires it. This case is a testament to the FBI’s commitment to working with our partners in North Carolina to arrest and prosecute anyone who illegally participates in our democratic process, and the FBI will fully investigate any individual who attempts to subvert our upcoming 2026 elections,” said Reid Davis, the FBI Special Agent in Charge in North Carolina.
“This conviction exemplifies our strong committed partnerships with the FBI and U.S. Attorney’s Office to enforce our election laws and to safeguard our electoral system. An American citizen’s right to vote is sacred, and we must do everything possible to protect that individual right and the opportunity to exercise it.” said State Board Executive Director Sam Hayes. “The State Board will continue to actively investigate all credible allegations of voter fraud by individuals and organizations with the goal of bolstering confidence in North Carolina’s electoral process.”
When sentenced, he faces a maximum penalty of five years imprisonment on each count.
W. Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after the Honorable Robert T. Numbers, II, U.S. Magistrate Judge, accepted the plea. The FBI is investigating the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Haughton is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on our website. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 7:25-CR-00083-D.
Accountability in Action: Federal Immigration ProsecutionsRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS- Six illegal immigrants, all convicted felons, have been sentenced to federal prison after pleading guilty to illegal reentry in the Southern District of Indiana. The prosecutions, which involved defendants arrested in Bartholomew, Hamilton, Henry, and Marion counties, stemmed from separate investigations. Each case was handled independently.
DefendantSentencePrior RemovalsPrevious ConvictionsFrancisco Cervantes-Venegas, 36, of Mexico4 years, 9 months’ imprisonment
2 years of supervised release
January 2015 & April 20172010
Intentionally Operating a Motor Vehicle without Ever Receiving a License
2013
Intentionally Operating a Motor Vehicle without Ever Receiving a License
2014
Criminal Confinement of a Victim Under 14 (Vehicle Used, Bodily Injury); Domestic Battery Committed in the Presence of a Child Under 16.
2022
Domestic Battery; Criminal Confinement with bodily injury; Strangulation; Sexual Battery by force or Imminent Threat
German Lazo Mendez, 36, of Honduras4 years, 3 months’ imprisonment
2 years of supervised release
September 2015 &
May 2019
Illegal Reentry; Armed Robbey; & Battery Resulting in Bodily Injury.Giovani Ramirez-Soto, 33, of Mexico2.5 years’ imprisonment
2 years of supervised release
April 2013 & September 2020Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute 1 Kilogram or more of Heroin and 50 grams or more of Methamphetamine; Illegal Reentry.
Pending charges in Marion County: Operating a vehicle without ever receiving a license and leaving the scene of an accident.
Bonifacio Ortiz-Pena, 40, of Mexico1.5 years’ imprisonment
2 years of supervised release
June 2005,
February 2020, & March 2020
Illegal Reentry; Operating a Vehicle While Intoxicated Endangering a Person; Operating a Vehicle While IntoxicatedNelgio Tovias DeLeon-Perez, 46, of Mexico1 year, 2 months’ imprisonment
3 years of supervised release
April 2008 & April 2014Transportation of Illegal Aliens and Aiding and Abetting; Illegal Reentry (x2); Intentionally Operating a Vehicle Without Ever Receiving a LicenseMauricio Toto-Xolo, 32, of MexicoTime Served (11 months)November 2011 & March 2016Illegal ReentryAt the time the defendants entered their guilty pleas, they acknowledged that upon completion of their sentence, they will be subject to removal from the United States. Conditions of supervision require the defendants to surrender to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement upon release from federal custody.
“Violent criminal aliens who repeatedly violate our immigration laws and endanger our communities must face real consequences,” said Tom Wheeler, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Through Operation Take Back America, we are unleashing the full force of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal aliens and ensure that those who threaten our security face swift and decisive justice.”
The Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations investigated these cases. The sentences were imposed by U.S. District Judges Matthew P. Brookman, Jane Magnus-Stinson, and Chief Judge James R. Sweeney II.
U.S. Attorney Wheeler thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adam Eakman, Carolyn Haney, MaryAnn Mindrum, and Meredith Wood, who prosecuted these cases.
These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN)
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5 March 2026
“Operation Pick-Off” expands to Houston with arrests of foreign nationals who committed crimes while unlawfully living in the U.S.Read the Press Release
HOUSTON – Several people who unlawfully resided in the greater Houston area are now in custody for illegal reentry into the United States after removal, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Those arrested during recent enforcement actions include Guatemalan nationals Karen Paola Cabeza-Magana aka Karen Hernandez, 29, and Julio Gonzalez-Portillo, 54; Mexican nationals David Rodriguez Solis, 52, and Jose Garcia Zamora, 39; along with Salvadoran national Jose Mario Alvarado aka Julio Mario Alvarado, 57. They remain in custody pending further criminal proceedings.
Those charged include foreign nationals from the countries of Mexico, El Salvador, and Guatemala. All allegedly have convictions for various state crimes, such as assault and aggravated assault of a family member, driving under the influence, and narcotics offenses, among others. They were all allegedly on probation or serving a term of supervision and were at least once already removed from the United States.
“Our office created Operation Pick-Off based upon an extremely simple concept—that a state probation sentence should not be a sanctuary from federal immigration laws. Take note, the Southern District of Texas is not a safe harbor for those who enter the United States illegally and commit crimes against our citizens,” said Ganjei. “Now, these offenders, who so brazenly flouted our laws, have earned themselves a jail stay before their one-way flight home. My office promised to bring this targeted operation to every corner of the district. Promise kept.”
“FBI Houston is levering its intelligence and investigative resources to locate and apprehend individuals who have allegedly committed various crimes and are residing unlawfully in the greater Houston area. All these individuals were previously convicted, deported, and re-entered the United States illegally,” said FBI Houston Special Agent in Charge Jason Hudson. “Through Operation Pick-Off, FBI Houston is partnering with the Department of Homeland Security and federal prosecutors to remove these alleged offenders from our Texas communities.”
“Each of the criminal illegal aliens targeted under this operation have allegedly entered the U.S. at least once, if not multiple times unlawfully, and have gone on to commit criminal offenses in our local communities,” said Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations Houston acting Field Office Director Gabriel Martinez. “By working together with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to expand a commonsense operation like this to the Houston area, we can bring an end to this lawlessness and ensure these alleged criminal aliens are held accountable for their actions.”
“Houston’s close proximity to the Southern border has made it a magnet for dangerous criminal illegal aliens who have illegally reentered the United States multiple times and endanger public safety,” said ICE - Homeland Security Investigations acting Special Agent in Charge Erin Burke. “By expanding this operation to the area and bringing together the resources and expertise of HSI, FBI, and ERO, we will be better postured to protect the local community from harm and hold these criminal illegal aliens accountable for brazenly flouting our nation’s system of laws.”
Operation Pick-Off began in August 2025 in the Rio Grande Valley as a multi-agency immigration and violent crime enforcement effort targeting criminal illegal aliens on state probation or supervision. The initiative has since expanded to additional regions within the Southern District of Texas which now includes Harris, Fort Bend, and Montgomery counties. While enforcement efforts in the region remain in their early stages, Operation Pick-Off will operate on a continuous basis, with authorities engaging in rolling arrests and prosecutions.
Various assistant U.S. attorneys from the Houston Division are prosecuting the cases.
ICE-ERO and FBI-Houston Field Office conducted the Houston area investigations and arrests with ICE-HSI in conjunction with the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
The collaborative effort is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
A criminal complaint or indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Woodbridge drug trafficker sentenced to over 21 years in prison for his role in fentanyl and cocaine conspiracyRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Woodbridge man was sentenced today to 21 years and five months in prison for conspiracy to distribute cocaine and fentanyl.
According to court documents, beginning in at least December 2020, Jorge Ariel Pereira, aka Jae Luca or Kevin Aguirre, 30, was a redistributor of narcotics including marijuana, fentanyl pills, and cocaine. The fentanyl pills were often blue and imprinted “30” to resemble legitimate 30 milligram oxycodone pills. Beginning in at least November 2021, Pereira conspired to sell fentanyl pills and other narcotics with Justice Ansah, 30, of Manassas, and Salvador Paredes Vasquez.
Ansah operated a stash house in Woodbridge. Ansah would often purchase narcotics, including fentanyl pills, from suppliers outside the local area and receive them by mail at addresses provided by Pereira. In December 2021, Pereira received approximately 20,000 fentanyl pills from Ansah to hold while Ansah moved narcotics to other locations. On Dec. 14, 2021, Ansah and Paredes were arrested, and law enforcement found approximately 70,000 fentanyl pills in the stash house and Ansah’s residence as well as 30,000 fentanyl pills en route to Paredes’ address.
After the arrests of Ansah and Paredes, Pereira continued to sell marijuana, fentanyl pills, and cocaine with new co-conspirators. Pereira distributed fentanyl pills and cocaine to Fernando Alexis Orellana Banegas, 25, of Woodbridge, and Dan Benedict Galvez, 25, of Manassas. Pereira used fraudulent identification cards to purchase or rent property, including residences and vehicles, used in his criminal activities. On Jan. 2, 2025, law enforcement arrested Pereira and searched his residence, recovering 608.03 grams of cocaine, a loaded handgun, and fraudulent identification cards used by Pereira. Pereira has previous convictions for, among other crimes, grand larceny, brandishing a firearm, and obtaining money by false pretenses. As a convicted felon, Pereira cannot legally possess firearms or ammunition.
On June 7, 2022, Ansah pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. On Sept. 14, 2022, he was sentenced to 21 years in prison.
On July 6, 2022, Vasquez was charged with conspiring to distribute fentanyl and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. He is currently a fugitive.
On May 8, 2024, Orellana Banegas pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and using or carrying a firearm during and in relation to drug trafficking. On Oct. 31, 2024, he was sentenced to 15 years in prison.
On Aug. 20, 2025, Galvez pled guilty to conspiring to distribute cocaine and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. On Dec. 11, 2025, he was sentenced to 10 years in prison.
The FBI Washington Field Office’s Criminal Division investigated this case with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division, Virginia State Police, and Prince William County Police Department. Additional assistance was provided by the Washington/Baltimore High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher M. Carter and Edgardo J. Rodriguez prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:25-cr-208.
This release was revised on March 9, 2026, to properly credit the Washington/Baltimore HIDTA Task Force.
Waukesha Medical Equipment Company Agrees to Pay Nearly $7 Million to Resolve Allegations of False Billings to Federal Healthcare ProgramsRead the Press Release
Brad D. Schimel, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced today that Kinex Medical Company, LLC, agreed to pay $6,925,000 to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by submitting false claims to Medicare, TRICARE, and other federal programs.
Based in Waukesha, Wisconsin, Kinex sells and distributes durable medical equipment, including knee, shoulder, and hip braces, to patients across the United States. After receiving information from a whistleblower, the United States investigated and alleged that the company submitted false claims to Medicare, TRICARE, the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP), and the Office of Workers Compensation Programs of the Department of Labor (OWCP).
Specifically, the United States alleged that from 2019 through 2024, Kinex provided patients covered by these programs with medical braces that the patients did not need and then billed Medicare, TRICARE, FEHBP, and OWCP as if the braces had been necessary. The United States also alleged that Kinex convinced the patients to accept the braces by waiving costs like patient co-pays and by giving the patients other equipment for free.In addition to paying nearly $7 million to resolve the allegations concerning these false claims, Kinex also entered into a Corporate Integrity Agreement with the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG), to ensure compliance with applicable regulations going forward.
“Medicare, TRICARE, and other federal programs only pay for medical equipment that patients actually need,” said United States Attorney Schimel. “Kinex, however, induced patients to receive braces that neither the patients nor their doctors thought they needed, all in an effort to receive taxpayer money. This settlement imposes a significant penalty on Kinex and will make taxpayers whole for the company’s wrongdoing.”
“Billing taxpayers for medically unnecessary equipment and undermining program safeguards through improper waivers of patient cost sharing can distort medical decision making and erode trust in our healthcare system. Today’s settlement underscores our commitment to protecting federal healthcare programs and the patients they serve,” said Mario M. Pinto, Special Agent in Charge of the HHS-OIG. “Our agency will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners to hold suppliers accountable when they place profits ahead of patient need.”
“Kinex engaged in a scheme to defraud the American taxpayers. The agreement by Kinex to settle this matter and repay over $6.9 million demonstrates the breadth of their fraudulent activity,” said FBI Milwaukee Special Agent in Charge Alan Karr. “The FBI along with our partners will continue to aggressively pursue those who steal from the American people and those engaged in healthcare fraud schemes.”
“This investigation underscores our commitment to preserving the integrity of the TRICARE program and protecting taxpayer-funded health benefits essential to military readiness,” said Special Agent-in-Charge Jason J. Sargenski of the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General’s Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), Southeast Field Office. “Fraud that diverts resources from TRICARE undermines the care promised to service members, retirees, and their families. DCIS remains focused on advancing accountability and deterrence in support of the Department’s mission.”
“Patients expect that the medical equipment received during their treatment is necessary for their care and recovery, not a means for medical companies to profit,” said Derek M. Holt, Special Agent in Charge at the U.S. Office of Personnel Management Office of the Inspector General (OPM-OIG). “We thank our agents and law enforcement partners for their work to hold these companies accountable.”
Because the government’s investigation resulted from a whistleblower complaint filed under the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act, the whistleblower will receive a share of the settlement. The lawsuit is captioned United States ex rel. Geboy v. Kinex Medical Company, LLC, Case No. 24-cv-1461, and is pending in the District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin.
Assistant United States Attorneys Nia Schmaltz and Michael Carter represented the government in this matter. The HHS-OIG, FBI, OPM-OIG, DCIS, and the United States Postal Service, Office of the Inspector General, assisted in the investigation. The settlement agreement states allegations only; Kinex does not admit liability for the allegations.
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For further information contact: Public Affairs Officer Steve Caballero
(414) 297-1700
Follow us on XWashington man sentenced to over 16 years in prison for drug and gun chargesRead the Press Release
MISSOULA – A Washington man who was convicted of possessing drugs and guns was sentenced today to 194 months in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, Acting U.S. Attorney Tim Racicot said.
Felipe Michael Garza, 32, was found guilty by a jury of one count of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and one count of prohibited person in possession of a firearm in November 2025.
U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy presided.
The government alleged in court documents and at trial that on August 13, 2024, Garza was seen driving a black Chevrolet Silverado. He failed to stop at a stop sign and did not have a rear license plate on the truck. Law enforcement initiated a traffic stop, and Garza pulled off on the lawn of a residence that was not his. The officer was advised Garza had a $1,000,000 warrant out of Washington and requested Garza step out of the truck. Garza seemed intent on giving his belongings to the other occupants of the truck. After being arrested, Garza admitted he had fentanyl in his fanny pack and that he had used methamphetamine approximately two hours prior. Garza also admitted there was marijuana and firearms in the truck.
Later that day, the truck and fanny pack were searched. Officers located a bag weighing 144.8 grams containing methamphetamine, a small baggie with 55 grams of suspected fentanyl pills, and $500 cash. The truck contained two firearms in the console, approximately three pounds of marijuana, a blue notebook, a scale, miscellaneous drug paraphernalia, and $1881.00 cash. The notebook contained drug prices related to various drug types and amounts.
Garza has prior convictions for several felony offenses that prohibit him from possessing firearms.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The DEA, Homeland Security Investigations, and Polson Police Department conducted the investigation.
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Vance Woman Charged with Embezzling More Than $10 Million from Former EmployerRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A Vance woman has been charged in connection with her embezzlement of more than $10 million from her former employer, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Catherine L. Crosby.
A seven-count information filed in U.S. District Court charges Laura Lynn Tucker, 56, with six counts of wire fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft. A plea agreement was filed with the information, indicating that Tucker has agreed to plead guilty to all charges.
According to the information and plea agreement, Tucker was employed by a pond management company headquartered in Calera, Alabama, from 2000 through 2024 as the Office Manager/Bookkeeper. In her role as Office Manager/Bookkeeper, Tucker was assigned multiple company credit cards, which she was authorized to use to pay for certain business expenses. However, from approximately February 2020 through December 2024, Tucker used the credit cards assigned to her, credit cards assigned to other employees of the Company, and other credit cards belonging to the Company to pay for personal expenses totaling more than $10 million.
The Court will set a date for Tucker to enter her guilty plea.
FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brett A. Janich and Daniel S. McBrayer are prosecuting the case.
An information contains only charges. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Valparaiso Man Sentenced to 87 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
HAMMOND – On March 5, 2026, Vernon R. Tate II, 39 years old, of Valparaiso, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Gretchen S. Lund after pleading guilty to distribution of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Adam L. Mildred.
Tate was sentenced to 87 months in prison followed by 10 years of supervised release. Tate was also ordered to pay monetary assessments that support services for victims of human trafficking and child sexual abuse.
According to documents in the case, in October 2023, Tate distributed multiple images containing child sex abuse material to an undercover FBI agent on an encrypted messaging platform. The images Tate distributed included depictions of infants and prepubescent minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Zachary D. Heater
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. 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.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Sues the Town of Beekman for Preventing the Operation of A Sober HomeRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, announced today the filing of a civil rights lawsuit against the TOWN OF BEEKMAN (“BEEKMAN”) in Dutchess County. The lawsuit alleges that BEEKMAN refused to allow Bunkhouse Recovery Ranch (“Bunkhouse”) to operate an existing residential property as a sober living home that assists people with disabilities, specifically persons in recovery from drug and alcohol abuse, in violation of the Fair Housing Act. Bunkhouse seeks to assist men who are in recovery from alcoholism or drug addiction to achieve and maintain sobriety, with a focus on veterans, first responders, and family members of veterans or first responders.
“Those who are struggling to defeat their dependence on drugs or alcohol deserve support, not obstruction, especially when they are among our veterans, first responders, and their families,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “The Fair Housing Act makes clear that individuals in recovery are protected from discrimination, and municipalities cannot use zoning classifications or procedural delays to block lawful housing. When a community refuses to treat a sober living home like any other residence, it denies individuals in recovery a fair chance to rebuild their lives. The women and men of this Office are committed to ensuring that federal civil rights protections are fully and fairly enforced.”
According to the Complaint filed in federal court in White Plains:
In June 2023, Bunkhouse founder Patrick Potter (“Potter”) sought to develop a sober living home in New York State for the benefit of male veterans, first responders, and family members of veterans or first responders. He initially received a positive reception from local officials and purchased an existing 4,650 square foot residential property in BEEKMAN. Once Potter purchased the property, however, BEEKMAN, through its Zoning Administrator and counsel, began to erect hurdles to prevent Bunkhouse from operating. In particular, BEEKMAN misclassified the property as an “alternate care facility or nursing home,” required Potter to submit costly and unnecessary site plans and permits, and failed to respond to Potter’s efforts to meet BEEKMAN’s shifting requirements.
The United States Attorney’s Office initially contacted BEEKMAN in October 2024, in an effort to avoid litigation, but BEEKMAN continued to refuse to engage with Potter’s efforts to operate a sober living home on his property. Although Potter submitted applications for a special use permit and site plan approval in April 2025 to meet BEEKMAN’s supposed requirements, BEEKMAN has ignored these good-faith efforts for ten months and counting.
The Fair Housing Act prohibits, among other things, discrimination on the basis of disability, and defines disability to include drug or alcohol addiction where the person is not currently using illegal drugs and is in recovery from addiction. Prospective residents seeking admission to Bunkhouse must be sober and free of illegal drugs and must commit to remaining sober and free of illegal drugs throughout their residency.
To file a complaint alleging discrimination in housing, use the Civil Rights Complaint Form available on the United States Attorney’s Office website: https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/civil-rights. Complaints should be emailed or sent by mail to:
U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District of New York
86 Chambers Street, 3rd Floor
New York, New York 10007
Attention: Chief, Civil Rights Unit
The case is being handled by the Office’s Civil Rights Unit in the Civil Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys David J. Kennedy and Tomoko Onozawa are in charge of the case.
U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle presents at Wake County Quarterly Law Enforcement MeetingRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle Partners with Federal Park Rangers to Strengthen Federal Lands EnforcementRead the Press Release
Two Wild 100s Gang Members Convicted of Murder for Hire Resulting in DeathRead the Press Release
Brad D. Schimel, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced today that Ronnell Bowman of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and Houston, Texas, and Lawrence Turner, of Milwaukee, were convicted yesterday after a week-long jury trial. Both Bowman and Turner were convicted of murder for hire resulting in death, conspiracy to commit murder for hire resulting in death, and discharge of a firearm during a crime of violence. Bowman also was convicted of conspiracy to commit violations of federal firearms laws, attempted witness tampering, and conspiracy to obstruct justice.
At trial, the evidence showed that between March 15, 2021, and April 5, 2021, Bowman and Turner, both members of the Wild 100s gang arranged the murder of N.B. in exchange for Bowman’s offer to pay $10,000. Turner and another gang member, who has already plead guilty to the April 5, 2021, murder of N.B. who suffered more than two dozen gunshot wounds. The evidence showed that Bowman and Turner targeted N.B. and murdered him, because of his believed association with a rival of the Wild 100s gang. Both men face mandatory life imprisonment. Bowman and Turner also were convicted of using, carrying and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence, namely, the murder for hire. That count carries a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years and a maximum penalty of up to life in prison.
Trial evidence further showed that Bowman agreed with others to violate federal firearms laws including possession of machineguns, the transfer of firearms to felons, and the possession of firearms by felons. Bowman also attempted to intimidate, threaten or corruptly persuade witnesses and conspired with others to attempt to obstruct justice and impede the jury trial in this case. The conspiracy to commit violations of federal firearms laws carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and the witness tampering counts each carry a maximum term of 20 years in prison.
Before trial, both Bowman and Turner pled guilty to participating in a mail fraud conspiracy to defraud the Department of Labor through the submission of false and fraudulent applications for benefits under programs such as the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance Program and other unemployment insurance programs. In total, Bowman, Turner and their other conspirators wrongfully obtained millions of federal dollars through their fraudulent activities and used the funds to purchase, among other things, firearms, controlled substances, jewelry, and vacations, and to solicit murder for hire.
“Our community will now be free from the terror inflicted by these violent gang members, and N.B.’s loved ones will finally get the justice for which they have been waiting for years,” said United States Attorney Schimel. “The senseless violence perpetrated by this gang was financed in large part by truly shocking fraud in which these defendants and their fellow gang members stole millions of dollars from a COVID-era benefits program. The convictions in this case were made possible by the very strong collaboration between federal, state and local law enforcement partners. I have been stunned since my appointment as U.S. Attorney at the extraordinary amount fraud committed against the hard-working taxpayers of this nation that has been uncovered by our law enforcement team. Taking down violent offenders and fraudsters will continue to be our top priorities.”
“The FBI is committed to aggressively investigating and dismantling violent criminal gangs. Based on evidence presented at trial, Ronnell Bowman and Lawrence Turner were involved in a murder-for-hire scheme in 2021 that resulted in a man’s death. Bowman and Turner were members of the Wild 100s, a violent Milwaukee street gang that used millions of dollars in fraudulently obtained COVID relief funds to support purchasing guns and drugs,” said FBI Milwaukee Special Agent in Charge Alan Karr. “The FBI is fully committed to working with our law enforcement partners to destroy the ability of violent gangs to operate in our communities.”
“This case exposed the extreme violence and lawlessness behind this gang’s actions,” said Joseph Persails, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the ATF St. Paul Field Division. “These defendants arranged a murder-for-hire, trafficked firearms, possessed machineguns, and attempted to intimidate witnesses to escape justice. I’m proud of the work by ATF special agents and our law enforcement partners who followed the evidence and ensured those responsible were held accountable.”
“These convictions are another step closer to making our community safer for everyone to live, work and play,” said Milwaukee Police Chief Jeffrey Norman. “I am proud of all the hard work of everyone involved in holding these violent individuals accountable.”
These defendants were charged based on a joint and collaborative investigation by law enforcement officers from FBI, ATF, the Milwaukee Police Department (MPD), and Department of Labor-OIG, and prosecutors from the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office and the United States Attorney’s Office. This case was tried by Assistant United States Attorneys Laura Kwaterski and Michael Schindhelm.
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For further information contact: Public Affairs Officer Steve Caballero
(414) 297-1700
Follow us on XTulsa Man Sentenced for Admittedly Strangling GirlfriendRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – A Tulsa man was sentenced today after admitting to strangling his girlfriend, announced U.S. Attorney
Clint Johnson.Donny Ray Spencer, 36, was sentenced for Assault of an Intimate/Dating Partner by Strangling and Suffocating in
Indian Country. U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell ordered Spencer to serve 56 months imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release.In July 2025, Spencer was heavily intoxicated and fell, reopening stitches on his head. A relative called 911 to request medical assistance. Court records show that Spencer became belligerent with medical personnel, and they had to leave until police arrived to assist. When officers arrived, Spencer’s girlfriend met officers on the front porch with their three-year-old. While officers spoke with the girlfriend, Spencer approached officers while yelling and making threats. Officers de-escalated Spencer and continued speaking with the girlfriend. When officers questioned her about the visible bruising on her body, she disclosed that Spencer was very intoxicated, and they argued earlier in the day. During that argument, Spencer strangled her and struck her with a broom in the presence of their child.
Tribal court dockets show that Spencer had a pending arrest warrant after failing to appear for a hearing. He was on bond after being charged in April with Domestic Assault and Battery with a Dangerous Weapon and Felony Resisting Arrest.
Officers arrested Spencer on his outstanding tribal warrants. While being transported to booking, Spencer admitted to strangling his girlfriend.Spencer is a citizen of the Cherokee Nation and will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.
The FBI and the Tulsa Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Flynn prosecuted the case.
Torrington Man Sentenced to 5 Years in Federal Prison for Role in Cocaine Trafficking RingRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that BRIAN MARTINEZ RIVERA, 29, of Torrington, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to 60 months of imprisonment and four years of supervised release for his role in a cocaine trafficking conspiracy.
According to court documents and statements made in court, an investigation led by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Narcotics and Bulk Cash Trafficking Task Force identified Joseph Giovanni Soto as the leader of a cocaine trafficking operation that involved the shipment of parcels containing kilogram quantities of cocaine from U.S. Post Offices in Puerto Rico to various “drop addresses” in New Britain and Meriden, Connecticut, as well as addresses in Holyoke and West Springfield, Massachusetts. The organization used “runners” to pick up the parcels from the drop addresses and deliver them to Soto’s residence in Bloomfield and the residence of Soto’s uncle, Ramon Soto, in New Britain. Typically, Ramon Soto, at Joseph Soto’s direction, then delivered the cocaine to individuals in the Bronx, New York, and elsewhere, in return for payment.
During the investigation, task force members intercepted and seized 10 suspicious parcels, each of which contained approximately two kilograms of cocaine, and identified approximately 280 suspicious parcels likely containing kilogram quantities of cocaine that had been delivered to the various drop addresses.
Joseph Giovanni Soto was arrested on May 1, 2023. In August 2023, investigators saw a reemergence of suspicious parcels coming from Puerto Rico to the New Britain and Meriden areas, and then to a Waterbury address where Jatniel Morales Gonzalez was living. Investigators determined that Morales Gonzalez and Soto had worked together prior to Soto’s arrest, and that Morales Gonzalez had assumed control of the Connecticut side of the cocaine trafficking network after Soto’s arrest. Investigators identified several new drop addresses for suspicious parcels and observed Morales Gonzalez, Martinez Rivera, and others retrieving the parcels and bringing them to Morales Gonzalez’s residence before they were ultimately delivered to the Bronx. During this part of the investigation, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service identified more than 90 additional suspicious parcels, 11 of which had been shipped to Martinez Rivera’s residence in Torrington. Court-authorized searches of four seized parcels found that they each contained approximately two kilograms of cocaine.
Martinez Rivera was arrested on December 19, 2024. On August 21, 2025, he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine. He has been detained since October 2, 2025, when his bond was revoked.
Joseph Giovanni Soto, Ramon Soto, and Morales Gonzales pleaded guilty and were sentenced to prison terms of 14 years, 10 years, and 10 years, respectively.
This matter has been investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Narcotics and Bulk Cash Trafficking Task Force, which includes members from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the U.S. Postal Service – Office of the Inspector General, the Connecticut State Police, the Hartford Police Department, and the Plainville Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephanie Levick and Konstantin Lantsman.
Third Man Pleads Guilty for Role in $10 Million International Fraudulent Market Survey ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Third Man Pleads Guilty for Role in $10 Million International Fraudulent Market Survey Conspiracy
CONCORD – A Texas man pleaded guilty today for participating in an international scheme to sell fabricated market survey data, U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan announces.
Ryan Stoudt, 39, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. U.S. District Judge Landya B. McCafferty scheduled sentencing for June 25, 2026.
According to the public record, Op4G and Slice were market research companies based in New Hampshire and Illinois, respectively. Clients would hire the companies to conduct market research surveys. As part of their business model, Op4G and Slice maintained “panels” consisting of individuals potentially eligible to take surveys. Stoudt initially worked for Op4G before moving over to Slice.
In 2014, several conspirators, including Frank Hayden and Daniel Harriman, decided to increase company revenues by generating fabricated survey data. Stoudt then joined the conspiracy. To execute the scheme, the conspirators recruited “ants,” who pretended to be legitimate survey takers but instead were paid a nominal fee for completing surveys that produced false market research data. Some of the conspirators even served as “ants” and fraudulently took large quantities of surveys themselves, receiving significant payments.
To evade detection, the conspirators exchanged instructions with each other and the “ants.” These instructions included directions on how to answer survey screener questions, provided parameters on how long “ants” should remain on surveys, and encouraged the use of virtual private network (VPN) services to conceal real IP addresses.
Between 2014 and the beginning of 2025, Op4G and Slice billed over $10 million to clients for work tainted with fraudulent survey data. In more recent years, false market research data was used to generate approximately 90% of Op4G and Slice’s revenues.
The charging statute provides a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, up to 3 years of supervised release, and a maximum fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
The FBI led the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander S. Chen is prosecuting the case.
Co-defendant Frank Hayden pleaded guilty on February 2, 2026 and is scheduled to be sentenced on May 12, 2026. Co-defendant Daniel Harriman pleaded guilty on February 24, 2026, and is scheduled to be sentenced on June 15, 2026.
Staten Island Man Convicted of Firearms Trafficking Conspiracy and Obstruction of JusticeRead the Press Release
Earlier today, a federal jury in Brooklyn convicted Brandon Nudelman on all three counts of a second superseding indictment charging him with firearms trafficking conspiracy, firearms trafficking, and conspiracy to obstruct justice. The charges relate to the defendant’s participation in a scheme to manufacture and sell untraceable ghost guns in Staten Island and Pennsylvania. The verdict followed a six-day trial before United States District Judge Ann M. Donnelly. When sentenced, the defendant faces up to 30 years in prison.
Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Bryan DiGirolamo, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, New York Division (ATF), and Jessica S. Tisch, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD) announced the verdict.
“Brandon Nudelman was the money man behind a ghost gun factory printing lethal weapons in Staten Island,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “The defendant and his co-conspirators manufactured and sold guns and converted machineguns at marked up prices to people who should not have them. Law enforcement then thwarted the defendant’s effort to cover up his crimes. Today’s verdict is an important victory in our Office’s work to hold accountable those who seek to profit from the scourge of 3D-printed guns and underscores the Department of Justice’s commitment to reducing gun violence.”
Mr. Nocella expressed his appreciation to the United States Secret Service and the NYPD Intelligence Division’s Major Case Team and Intelligence Analytical Team for their work on the case.
“This conviction shows that individuals who finance and support illegal firearms trafficking will be held accountable. The defendant helped facilitate a dangerous scheme involving privately made firearms and machine gun conversion devices, distributing weapons outside lawful channels,” stated ATF New York Special Agent in Charge DiGirolamo. “ATF NY remains committed to disrupting illegal firearms trafficking and reducing violent gun crime. Thanks to the collaboration of ATF’s Crime Gun Enforcement Team (C-GET), NYPD Intelligence Division’s Major Case Intelligence Team, the United States Secret Service New York Field Division’s Digital Forensic Laboratory, ATF Firearms and Ammunition Technology Division and U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York. Together, we will continue working to protect the public and keep our communities safe.”
“Today’s guilty verdict is yet another example of how the NYPD is working to remove dangerous weapons from the hands of criminals and keep communities across New York City safe,” stated NYPD Commissioner Tisch. “The defendant illegally manufactured and trafficked ghost guns – weapons that are just as dangerous as traditional firearms and only exist to evade law enforcement. NYPD detectives worked tirelessly to investigate and shut this dangerous operation down, and I am grateful to the U.S. Attorney’s office and our other partners for their work on this case.”
As proven at trial, between approximately January 2023 and September 2023, Brandon Nudelman conspired with others to illegally manufacture and traffic firearms. Co-conspirators Ronnie Mershon, Michael Daddea, and Justin Nudelman, who is the defendant’s brother, used so called “Polymer 80” kits and 3D printers and parts sourced from online retailers to assemble privately made and untraceable firearms, commonly called “ghost guns.” These 3D-printed firearms included at least nine devices called “auto sears” or “switches” which convert semi-automatic guns into fully automatic weapons and are considered machine guns under federal law. The defendants made the untraceable ghost guns that they assembled available for sale without obtaining a license or otherwise notifying government authorities. On September 7, 2023, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Justin Nudelman’s residence and recovered multiple homemade firearms, nine switches, 3D printers, and over 100 rounds of ammunition. The evidence at trial included videos showing the defendant and co-conspirators firing weapons equipped with these machinegun conversion devices.
On September 7, 2023, following the search at Justin Nudelman’s residence, law enforcement officers sought to seize Justin Nudelman’s phone pursuant to a judicially authorized search warrant. The defendant conspired with Justin Nudelman to conceal the phone and render its contents inaccessible to law enforcement by deleting messages and cracking the phone in multiple places.
All three of Brandon Nudelman’s co-defendants have pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing. Justin Nudelman pleaded guilty to gun trafficking conspiracy and conspiracy to obstruct justice in January 2026. Ronnie Mershon pleaded guilty to gun trafficking conspiracy and unlawfully possessing a machinegun in December 2025. In December 2025, Michael Daddea pleaded guilty to gun trafficking conspiracy.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. As part of the program, U.S. Attorney’s Offices work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and their local communities to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York is currently partnering with the SCPD, the NYPD, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, ATF, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Drug Enforcement Administration in its PSN mission.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Section. Trial Attorney Arun Bodapati and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Samuel Rackear are in charge of the prosecution with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist David Harrison.
The Defendant: BRANDON NUDELMAN
Age: 33
Staten Island, New YorkThe Defendants Previously Convicted:
JUSTIN NUDELMAN
Age: 31
Staten Island, New YorkRONNIE MERSHON
Age: 28
Staten Island, New YorkMICHAEL DADDEA
Age: 30
Tampa, FloridaE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 23-CR-437(S-2) (AMD)
St. Louis Tax Preparer Admits Stealing Client FundsRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A tax preparer from St. Louis on Thursday admitted stealing at least $52,000 in clients’ tax refunds and COVID-19 stimulus payments.
Mark A. Murphy, 40, pleaded guilty to one count of theft of government property. Between 2016 and 2020, Murphy prepared tax returns for clients but did not list himself as the paid return preparer, instead making it appear that the taxpayers themselves had submitted the returns. He also signed the taxpayers’ names and opened bank accounts for clients without their knowledge or authorization. Murphy then used these unauthorized bank accounts to collect his tax preparation fees from clients’ tax refunds.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Murphy stole Economic Impact Payments (EIPs) that were issued by the IRS to his clients. The EIPs were issued directly to taxpayers and deposited into the bank accounts designated on the 2018 or 2019 federal income tax returns. Murphy withdrew the EIP funds in cash from the bank accounts he had secretly set up and used debit cards linked to the accounts to make personal purchases. During this period, Murphy also kept some clients’ entire tax refunds for himself. Murphy stole a total of at least $52,080 in EIPs and refunds from clients from April 2020 to March 2021.
Murphy is scheduled to be sentenced on June 9. The theft charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. He will also be ordered to repay the money.
The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) and IRS – Criminal Investigation handled the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Clow is prosecuting the case.
St. Louis County Woman Who Had Her Fiancé Murdered Sentenced to 225 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Audrey G. Fleissig on Thursday sentenced a woman who secretly took out insurance on her fiancé before having him killed to 225 months in prison.
Victoria Rena Williams, 67, pleaded guilty in September to one count each of conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire, aiding and abetting murder-for-hire and conspiracy to commit money laundering. Michael Grady, 70, was convicted by a jury on Monday of the same three counts.
Charles Harris III, who worked for an alarm company, was described in court as a churchgoing man who was about to open his own clothing store when he was killed.
According to Williams’ plea and the evidence and testimony at Grady’s trial, the conspiracy began in 2010. It was at that time that Grady suggested obtaining a $250,000 accidental death policy. Williams did so in 2010 without Harris’ knowledge and after confirming that it would pay out if he was killed during a robbery.
In October of 2011, she arranged a meeting between Harris, who sold suits out of his home on the side, and two potential customers. She told jurors at Grady’s trial that she backed out twice, but Grady told her it could be “bad for you,” when she tried to back out again.
Harris was fatally shot in his home on Langford Drive on Oct. 5, 2011. After a dispute with the insurance company, Williams eventually received $224,444 and then obtained a cashier’s check for $110,000 payable to Grady’s wife. Williams also received $175,762 from another insurance policy.
The shooter or shooters, who were hired by Grady, have not been identified, according to trial testimony.
Grady is scheduled to be sentenced on June 4 and faces life in prison without parole. He is already serving a 226-month federal prison sentence for aiding a large-scale, violent drug conspiracy by trying to determine who was cooperating with investigators and prosecutors.
The St. Louis County Police Department and the FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ryan Finlen, Nino Przulj and Donald Boyce are prosecuting the case.
St. Louis County Tax Preparer Admits $1.2 Million in Pandemic FraudRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A tax preparer from St. Louis County on Thursday admitted fraudulently obtaining a total of least $1.2 million in Paycheck Protection Program loans and COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loans for herself and others from 2020 to 2021.
Nacole M. Taylor, 43, pleaded guilty to three counts of wire fraud and one count of engaging in an unlawful monetary transaction.
Taylor submitted at least 15 fraudulent PPP loan applications on behalf of eight corporations registered with Missouri for which she was the registered agent. Only two, Accurate Tax LLC and 4th Generation Home Care Services LLC, had any income. Taylor created the other businesses and opened bank accounts for them for the sole purpose of applying for PPP loans. She submitted fraudulent applications with inflated payroll and income figures and fraudulent tax forms purporting to have been prepared by Accurate Tax. Taylor obtained approximately $255,114 in PPP loans. Taylor then submitted applications for loan forgiveness for many of the loans, falsely claiming that she’d spent the loan money on payroll. Taylor spent the PPP loan proceeds on personal expenses, including luxury items from Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Vincent’s Jewelers, Fendi and Nordstrom.
Taylor also recruited others, including clients of Accurate Tax, to allow her to submit fraudulent applications for PPP and EIDL loans in their names in exchange for kickbacks. Taylor and her co-conspirators either used a pre-existing business or created a fictitious business to apply for the loans. She fabricated payroll and income information and supplied fraudulent tax forms to bolster the applications. In all, Taylor submitted at least 24 fraudulent applications and obtained at least $986,659 in loans for coconspirators. She was paid at least $152,205 in kickbacks.
Taylor, of Breckenridge Hills, is scheduled to be sentenced on June 9. Wire fraud carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and the unlawful monetary transaction charge carries a maximum of 10 years in prison. She will be ordered to repay the money.
IRS – Criminal Investigation and the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Clow is prosecuting the case.
Slidell Man Charged with Cares Act FraudRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – On February 27, 2026, MARCEL GROSS, age 51, of Slidell, was charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle.
A bill of information alleges that GROSS fraudulently obtained a $350,272 Paycheck Protection Program loan, which was a form of assistance authorized by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Such loans were forgivable and designed to enable businesses to meet payroll expenses. It is alleged that GROSS complied with a coconspirator’s instructions to pay the coconspirator 40 percent of the loan amount in the form of numerous checks that would be negotiated over multiple weeks so as not to “flag.”
If convicted, GROSS faces a maximum term of imprisonment of five years, which may be followed by up to three years of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000, and payment of a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
U.S. Attorney Courcelle reiterated that the bill of information is merely a charging document and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chandra Menon of the Public Integrity Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
For more information on the Department of Justice’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form
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Sex offender sentenced to prison for distributing child sexual abuse material while on supervision for previous convictionRead the Press Release
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Newport News man was sentenced today to 15 years in prison for distribution of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
According to court documents, on March 31, 2015, David Christopher Schaefer, 38, was convicted of possession of CSAM and was sentenced to over eight years in prison and a life term of supervised release. Among the conditions of supervision were a restriction to use only computers or cellular devices approved by the Probation Office. Schaefer was allowed to have a flip phone without access to the Internet and a laptop computer with installed monitoring.
Law enforcement notified Schaefer’s probation officer that Schaefer was issued a summons on March 21, 2025, in the City of Newport News for texting and driving. Probation officers searched Schaefer’s residence and located six unauthorized Internet-capable devices and three unreported storage drives. Among these were three smartphones, which Schaefer admitted to using to access, view, download, and exchange CSAM. On one of the phones, investigators found hundreds of images and videos of CSAM. Schaefer was attributed with over 25,000 CSAM images.
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C., investigated this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lisa R. McKeel prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:25-cr-51.
Sex Offender Sentenced for Failing to RegisterRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Nicholas Hammer, age 47, formerly of Tahlequah, Oklahoma, was sentenced to thirty-eight months in prison for one count of Failure to Register as Sex Offender.
The charge arose from an investigation by the United States Marshals Service and the Cherokee Nation Marshal Service.
On March 25, 2025, Hammer pleaded guilty to the charge. Hammer was convicted of Rape—First Degree on January 4, 2001, in the State of Oklahoma and is required to register as a sex offender. According to investigators, Hammer failed to register and update his registration from October 10, 2024, until November 4, 2024, despite entering, leaving, or residing in Indian country, within the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The Honorable Ronald A. White, Senior Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Hammer will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Wittlinger represented the United States.
Second Member of Dallas-Based Methamphetamine and Heroin Trafficking Cell Sentenced to Twenty Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A Dallas-area man was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for distributing narcotics, announced United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould.
Victor Manuel Gaona, 29, pled guilty in July 2024 to one count of possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine. He was sentenced on Tuesday, March 5, 2026, to 240 months in federal prison by United States District Judge Ada E. Brown.
According to court documents and statements made at sentencing, Gaona admitted that on or about June 18, 2024, federal agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration executed a search warrant at a residence on Ben Hur Street, Dallas, Texas, which agents had previously linked to drug-trafficking activity associated with Gaona and co-defendants Omar Castro-Sandoval and Epifanio Flores Magana. During the search, agents located a clandestine methamphetamine recrystallization laboratory in the residence’s back room along with two minor children residing at the 952-square foot location. The clandestine laboratory contained liquid, intermediate-stage, and finished methamphetamine along with a propane tank, large burner, sieves, gloves, and large Ziploc baggies. Additional finished methamphetamine was also found in a bedroom shared by Gaona and Flores Magana. Heroin, which was bagged for distribution, was located in a utility closet underneath children’s luggage.
Court records reflect that Gaona was ultimately held responsible for nearly 100,000 kilograms of narcotics calculated in converted drug weight. Co-defendant Castro-Sandoval, who was present at the time of the execution, was sentenced by Judge Brown to 168 months imprisonment on January 20, 2026. Co-defendant Flores Magana’s sentencing is scheduled for April 14, 2026.
This case 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 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 Dallas comprises agents and officers from the Drug Enforcement Administration with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas.
Sarasota Lab Agrees to Pay $980,000 to Resolve False Claims Act ViolationsRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida– Allin IP DX LLC, a laboratory located in Sarasota, Florida, has agreed to pay $980,000 to resolve allegations that the company violated the Anti-Kickback Statute and False Claims Act by unlawfully paying a marketing service for referrals of Medicare beneficiaries. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
The United States contends that, between January 2 and June 15, 2023, Allin paid remuneration to independent marketers in exchange for the referral of lab specimens to Allin in violation of the Anti-Kickback Statute resulting in the submission of false claims to the Medicare program in violation of the False Claims Act. Allin voluntarily self-disclosed this conduct to the United States and cooperated with the government’s investigation by providing the United States with a detailed disclosure statement and other supplemental information to assist the United States in its investigation.
The Anti-Kickback Statute prohibits offering, paying, soliciting, or receiving remuneration to induce referrals of items or services covered by Medicare, Medicaid, and other federally funded healthcare programs. It seeks to ensure that medical providers’ judgments are not compromised by improper financial incentives and are instead based on the best interests of their patients.
“This settlement is a reflection of our commitment to protect our healthcare programs and deter those who violate federal laws at the expense of our taxpayers,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe. “Laboratory testing is important to our beneficiaries, and we will hold providers accountable to safeguard our programs and ensure the provision of appropriate lab services to patients.”
“Medicare beneficiaries rely on the integrity of the Medicare program,” said Special Agent in Charge Isaac M. Bledsoe of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “Today’s resolution demonstrates our continued commitment to holding providers accountable and ensuring that medical decisions are driven by patient needs, not illegal incentives.”
This matter was investigated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General. It was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Sean Keefe.
The claims resolved by this settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
Steinhatchee Man Faces Federal Drug and Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – David Christopher Jensen, 54, of Steinhatchee, Florida, has been indicted in federal court for two counts of distribution of marijuana, four counts of possession of a firearm by an unlawful user of a controlled substance, two counts of distribution of cocaine, one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine and marijuana, one count of possession of an unregistered firearm, and one count of possession of an explosive by a convicted felon. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida announced the charges.
Jensen appeared in federal court for his arraignment before United States Magistrate Judge Martin A. Fitzpatrick, in Tallahassee Florida. Jury trial is scheduled for April 6, 2026, at 8:15 am before District Court Judge Robert L. Hinkle in Tallahassee, Florida.
If convicted, Jensen faces up to 5 years’ imprisonment on each count of distribution of marijuana; up to 15 years’ imprisonment on each count of possession of a firearm by an unlawful user of a controlled substance; up to 20 years’ imprisonment on each count of distribution of cocaine; up to 20 years’ imprisonment on the count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine and marijuana; up to 10 years’ imprisonment on the count of possession of an unregistered firearm; and up to 10 years’ imprisonment on the count of possession of an explosive by a convicted felon.
The case is being jointly investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Taylor County Sheriff’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Joseph A. Ravelo.
An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
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.
SDNY U.S. Attorney’s Office Announces Settlement Agreement with Spring Valley to Increase Supply of Affordable HousingRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, announced the settlement of a lawsuit against the VILLAGE OF SPRING VALLEY (“SPRING VALLEY”), which will result in the completion of 22 units of affordable rental housing within the Village over the next five years.
The settlement under the Fair Housing Act (“FHA”) resolves a claim that SPRING VALLEY breached a Voluntary Compliance Agreement and Conciliation Agreement (“VCA”), which it entered into in 2018 with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (“HUD”). The lawsuit remains pending as to ROCKLAND COUNTY, the other defendant in the action, which was also a party to the VCA.
“I applaud the commitment of the Village of Spring Valley to build more affordable housing as part of this resolution,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “Local regulations, including restrictions on new construction and unduly burdensome permitting processes, are driving housing construction costs out of sight. It’s basic economics: if it costs too much to build new homes, the cost of existing homes is only going to go up. This agreement shows there is a way forward, and we appreciate the commitment of Spring Valley to lower the costs of, and time it takes, to build affordable housing.”
According to the Complaint filed in White Plains federal court and the Agreement entered by the court:
The VCA between HUD, SPRING VALLEY, and ROCKLAND COUNTY resolved a prior HUD investigation into allegations regarding a private developer who used HUD funds overseen by SPRING VALLEY and ROCKLAND COUNTY to build affordable housing, but unlawfully designed and marketed the resulting units almost exclusively for sale to White Hasidic Jewish prospective homebuyers, in violation of federal law. Administrative complaints made to HUD alleged that SPRING VALLEY and ROCKLAND COUNTY became aware of allegations that the developer was excluding interested homebuyers based on protected characteristics, but failed to ensure that appropriate remedial steps were taken before the project was completed and the units were sold.
In 2018, SPRING VALLEY and ROCKLAND COUNTY entered into the VCA with HUD to resolve those administrative complaints. The VCA required SPRING VALLEY and ROCKLAND COUNTY to build 62 units of affordable housing, meeting specified criteria for affordability by specified deadlines. However, only four affordable units qualifying under the VCA were built by the time this lawsuit was filed in 2025, despite an amendment of the VCA in 2021 that provided SPRING VALLEY and ROCKLAND COUNTY additional time to complete the required units.
The resolution between the United States and SPRING VALLEY, in the form of a court-approved settlement agreement (the “Agreement”), was entered yesterday by U.S. District Judge Cathy Seibel. The Agreement requires SPRING VALLEY to ensure the completion of 22 affordable rental units by December 1, 2030. These units are required to be occupied by households with incomes at or below 75% of the Area Median Income for Rockland County, with deed restrictions or other legal measures to ensure continued affordability for at least 50 years. The Agreement also requires SPRING VALLEY to ensure appropriate monitoring of HUD grantees and institute training for the Village’s employees regarding the FHA and related federal requirements. SPRING VALLEY also agreed to pay a $15,000 civil penalty.
As stated previously, the lawsuit against ROCKLAND COUNTY remains pending.
Mr. Clayton thanked the staff of HUD’s Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity for their assistance in this matter.
The case is being handled by the Office’s Civil Rights Unit in the Civil Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Samuel Dolinger is in charge of the case.
Russian Citizen Charged with Laundering over $1.2M Connected to $400M in Fraudulent Medicare ClaimsRead the Press Release
A Russian national made his initial appearance in Houston, Texas, today on a charge that he laundered over $1.2 million derived from a health care fraud scheme that targeted Medicare Advantage Organizations (MAOs) that administer Medicare Part C.
According to court documents, Nikolai Buzolin, 38, formerly of Houston, Texas, and originally of Tyumen, Russia, established Verisola, Inc. in Houston and registered it as a durable medical equipment (DME) company in July 2025. Over the course of just nine days from July through August 2025, Buzolin allegedly opened six different bank accounts in the name of Verisola at six different financial institutions. He opened an additional two bank accounts at two other financial institutions in September and October 2025. To disguise the true ownership and control of Verisola, Buzolin allegedly submitted false documentation to these financial institutions listing himself as the sole owner, member or president, when in fact he did not have beneficial ownership or control of Verisola.
From August 2025 through January 2026, Verisola allegedly submitted over $400 million in false and fraudulent claims to MAOs for DME, including orthotic braces and glucose monitors that were never actually provided to patients. Based on these fraudulent claims, the MAOs collectively reimbursed Verisola at least $1.7 million, which was deposited into the various Verisola bank accounts that Buzolin opened. Buzolin then allegedly moved these fraud proceeds between bank accounts for no legitimate business purpose. Buzolin and his co-conspirators wired at least $1.2 million of fraud proceeds to overseas entities and bank accounts.
According to the indictment, after Verisola wound down its fraudulent billing scheme, Buzolin traveled from Houston, Texas, to Los Angeles, California, where he purchased a same-day airline ticket for a one-way flight to Moscow, Russia. The FBI arrested Buzolin before he boarded the flight, and he remains detained pending trial.
Buzolin is charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering by concealing and disguising the true nature, location, source and ownership of the fraud proceeds and by engaging in financial transactions greater than $10,000 knowing that they involved the proceeds of unlawful activity. If convicted, he faces a statutory maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.
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; 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); Acting Special Agent in Charge Jason M. Hudson of the FBI’s Houston Field Office; Chief William Marlowe of the Texas Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit; and Commissioner Amanda Crawford of the Texas Department of Insurance made the announcement.
HHS-OIG, FBI, the Texas Medicaid Fraud Control Unit and the Texas Department of Insurance are investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Andrew Tamayo and Emily Reeder-Ricchetti of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting 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.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Richmond felon returning to prison for federal firearms convictionRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Richmond man was sentenced today to five years in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents, on July 10, 2024, a Richmond Police officer responded to a call reporting a subject who matched the description of a robbery suspect from earlier in the day. The officer arrived on the scene and called out to Waheed Richardson, 23, who fled on foot. During the pursuit, Richardson discarded a handgun and loaded firearm magazine, then laid down on the ground. The officer detained Richardson, who was still in possession of another loaded magazine and a baggie with counterfeit oxycodone "M-30" pills containing fentanyl. The officer then recovered the handgun and magazine Richardson had possessed. The handgun was equipped with a machinegun conversion device, rendering it capable of automatic fire and considered a machinegun.
In 2021, Richardson was convicted of malicious wounding and discharging a firearm from a vehicle. Richardson was released from prison on Feb. 12, 2024, five months before being arrested for the offense for which he was sentenced today. As a previously convicted felon, Richardson cannot legally possess firearms or ammunition.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division and the Richmond Police Department investigated this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick J. McGorman prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-146.
Repeat Offender Guilty of Armed Drug Trafficking in ColumbusRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ga. – A Georgia man with a violent criminal past whose supervised release was revoked for a prior federal conviction for assaulting a law enforcement officer was found guilty by a federal jury of possessing fentanyl, methamphetamine and heroin while illegally possessing seven firearms and ammunition.
Nimesh Vijay Desai, was found guilty of one count of possession of methamphetamine, one count of possession of fentanyl, one count of possession of heroin, one count of possession of a firearm and one count of possession of firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon on March 4, following a three-day trial that began on March 2, before U.S. District Clay Land. The defendant faces a maximum of 15 years in prison. A sentencing date will be scheduled by the Court. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Violent offenders will face justice at the federal level in the Middle District of Georgia, where there is no parole,” said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes. “Working alongside law enforcement, we will use every available resource to track down and hold accountable repeat criminals with firearms, fentanyl and other deadly illegal drugs.”
“This defendant callously picked up right where he left off from prior convictions,” said FBI Georgia Acting Special Agent in Charge Peter Ellis. “The FBI will continue to investigate anyone who repeatedly violates the law by illegally arming themselves and committing crimes that continue to harm the community.”
According to court documents and statements referenced at trial, law enforcement executed two searches on Feb. 28, 2024, at a Columbus apartment and a storage unit leased to Desai, resulting from an ongoing investigation into armed drug trafficking in the community. During the searches, agents seized 2.2 kilograms of methamphetamine and 800 grams of fentanyl and heroin, along with scales and grinders often used in the distribution of illegal drugs, and $12,800.
Law enforcement also recovered seven firearms and numerous rounds of ammunition, including magazines, all belonging to Desai. At the time of the searches, Desai was on federal supervised release for his 2012 convictions in the Middle District for distributing methamphetamine, possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking and assaulting federal agents with a deadly weapon. Desai is currently serving 60 months in federal prison because of a revocation of his supervised release for these prior convictions.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
FBI investigated the case with assistance from the Harris County Sheriff’s Office.
Criminal Chief Leah McEwen is prosecuting the case for the Government.
Repeat Drug Trafficking Offender in Moses Lake Sentenced to 15 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
Spokane, Washington – First Assistant United States Attorney Pete Serrano announced that United States District Judge Thomas O. Rice has sentenced Gregory Wilson, 55, of Moses Lake, Washington to a 15-year term of incarceration, to be followed by 10 years of court supervision upon his release stemming from his repeated drug trafficking activities.
According to court documents and information discussed during the sentencing hearing, in 2015 Wilson was convicted of selling large quantities of methamphetamine and sentenced to 120 months in federal prison; however, he was released a few years later pursuant to a compassionate release motion, over the United States’ objection, after serving less than half of his initial sentence (1:15-CR-2065-SAB). In his compassionate release motion, Wilson assured the Court he was a changed man—he just wanted to be with his elderly parents and minor child. His term of supervised release was terminated early, over the United States’ objection.
Within 6 months of the termination of his supervised release, the Moses Lake Police Department received information Wilson was again engaged in significant drug trafficking activities and began the current investigation. A state investigation was initiated in 2023 at which time Moses Lake Streets Crimes Unit conducted a controlled buy of methamphetamine from Wilson and a search of his Moses Lake area residence. He was arrested on state charges and soon bonded out. From evidence obtained during the 2025 federal investigation, it became clear Wilson had never ceased his drug trafficking activities. As the federal investigation progressed, law enforcement was able to locate him traveling from Yakima with a drug load of methamphetamine and fentanyl bound for the Moses Lake community. Based upon the evidence from both the state and federal investigations, he was indicted for his pervasive drug trafficking activities from 2023-2025. This sentence reflects the seriousness of his criminal conduct.
“Prolific drug traffickers like Mr. Wilson have proven that they will deceive the Court to obtain benefits and reductions they are not entitled to in order to be set free to continue harming our communities,” said First Assistant Pete Serrano. “Reduction programs only work if they are applied to those who are truly qualified. Sadly, what occurred here was the early release of a dangerous Defendant into the community with no safety measures in place to monitor his activities. Thanks to the tireless dedication of our state and federal law enforcement partners and the commitment of our office to bring this Defendant to justice, we were able to remove this threat from the Moses Lake community.”
“Drug traffickers who repeatedly choose to profit by distributing dangerous narcotics in our communities will face the full force of the United States justice system. Let this serve as a clear message to anyone who traffics in deadly drugs: ATF and our law enforcement partners will relentlessly pursue you, dismantle your networks, and hold you accountable for the harm you inflict on our communities. ATF and the Moses Lake PD Street Crimes Unit remain ever vigilant in our fight to keep our Eastern Washington communities safe,” stated Seattle Field Division Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Blais.
“I am proud of and thankful for our partnership with ATF as it allows us to amplify our Street Crimes Unit and pursue pervasive drug dealers who choose to distribute their poison into our community,” said Moses Lake Police Department Chief Dave Sands.
This case was investigated by the Moses Lake Police Department Street Crimes Unit in partnership with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Caitlin Baunsgard.
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Ramah man sentenced for federal assault and firearm charges after shooting into vehicleRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Ramah man was sentenced to nine years in prison for shooting into a vehicle occupied by three people after a near-collision.
There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court documents, on March 18, 2025,John Doe swerved his vehicle to avoid colliding with a blue Jeep driven by Leon Garcia, 42, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation. After the near-miss, John Doe followed Garcia to a residence on the Ramah Navajo Reservation in Cibola County. When the vehicles stopped, Garcia exited his Jeep armed with a rifle, pointed the firearm at the three occupants and fired multiple shots into the vehicle with intent to do bodily harm. Garcia continued shooting as the victims attempted to turn around and again as they drove away.
Garcia pleaded guilty to three counts of assault with a dangerous weapon and one count of using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. Upon his release from prison, Garcia will be subject to three years of supervised release.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Gallup Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Ramah-Navajo Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron O. Jordan is prosecuting the case.
Portsmouth man sentenced to over two years in prison for auto loan fraud schemeRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Portsmouth man was sentenced today to two years and six months in prison for bank fraud.
According to court documents, on July 23, 2021, Deviyon Nichols, 33, submitted an application to obtain an auto loan from a credit union to purchase a 2014 BMW X-5. Nichols used a fraudulent South Carolina driver's license under the name “Davyion Martin” as well as a false social security number to obtain the loan, as his felony criminal history and poor credit score would have made a loan unlikely. Based on his use of the false name and social security number, the credit union approved the loan and provided Nichols $31,718.24 to complete the purchase.
Nichols lost the vehicle when it was impounded after a traffic stop and the credit union lost money on the transaction. When Nichols was stopped, he attempted to flee. Inside the vehicle, police found narcotics and a firearm.
In April 2021, Nichols used the false name, ID, and social security number to obtain an auto loan from another bank to purchase a 2014 Honda Accord. Based on this false information, the bank approved the loan and provided Nichols $15,684.60 to complete the purchase. Nichols lost the vehicle when it was wrecked in a traffic accident and the bank lost money on the transaction.
The FBI’s Norfolk Field Office investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Kosky prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-88.
Plains man sentenced to 7 years in prison for illegal firearm possessionRead the Press Release
MISSOULA – A Plains man who was prohibited from owning firearms was sentenced today to 84 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, Acting U.S. Attorney Tim Racicot said.
Graham Anthony Bowden, 49, pleaded guilty in November 2025 to one count of prohibited person in possession of a firearm and two counts of possession of an unregistered silencer.
U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy presided.
The government alleged in court documents that in the fall of 2024, law enforcement officers encountered Bowden in several instances in which they either observed him to be armed with a firearm or with firearms accessories. Based in part on those incidents, a federal search warrant was obtained to search Bowden’s residence, which was a camper parked on the property of Bowden’s friend. Also on the property was a freestanding home belonging to Bowden’s friend.
Agents located eight firearms belonging to Bowden, along with two silencers and assorted ammunition.
Law enforcement interviewed Bowden and he admitted he owned the firearms had been meaning to register them. Bowden acknowledged he had signed paperwork related to his California convictions that prohibited him from possessing firearms but said he thought his rights had been automatically restored at some point. Bowden produced no paperwork to support that assertion.
Bowden also admitted to possessing the two silencers, saying one came with a firearm he purchased and that the other was a blank. Bowden said he didn’t know suppressors were federally controlled and needed to be registered. The silencers were not registered in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record.
On January 6, 2012, Bowden was convicted of six counts of robbery in the second degree with a firearms enhancement in Orange County Superior Court of California and sentenced to 12 years in prison. He was paroled from custody in 2020.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Lowney prosecuted the case. The ATF, Plains Police Department, and Sanders County Sheriff’s Department conducted the investigation.
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Placerville Man Pleads Guilty to Interstate Theft ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Stephan James Evanovich, 46, of Placerville, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to transport stolen property and to interstate transportation of stolen property, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
According to court documents, Evanovich worked with co-conspirators Trevor Fountain, 38, of Sacramento; Jonathan Matthew Curl, 36, of Sacramento; and Andrea Carter, 35, formerly of Sacramento, to illegally enter communications towers and steal rectifiers and other communications equipment. Rectifiers are a power source necessary to maintain power at communications towers. Fountain, Carter, and Curl were responsible for stealing equipment and transferring it to Evanovich, who then paid them for the stolen equipment. Evanovich sold the stolen property to legitimate third-party vendors in California, Illinois, Colorado, and Texas. The conspirators stole, sold, and shipped more than 485 stolen rectifiers across state lines.
As part of the scheme, Evanovich instructed other conspirators to create invoices in the name of false businesses. These false invoices were used to make it appear as though Evanovich had obtained the stolen rectifiers from legitimate businesses.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation with assistance from Weld County Sheriff’s Office in Colorado. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica Delaney and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Nchekube Onyima are prosecuting the case.
Carter pleaded guilty and was sentenced on June 5, 2025, to 29 months in prison. Fountain pleaded guilty on Sept. 25, 2025, and is scheduled to be sentenced on May 21, 2026. Curl pleaded guilty on Jan. 8, 2026, and is scheduled to be sentenced on April 23, 2026.
Evanovich is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Daniel J. Calabretta on June 11, 2026. Evanovich faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Fountain and Curl face maximum statutory penalties of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentences, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
Pittsburgh Woman Sentenced and Ordered to Pay over $54,000 in Restitution for SNAP Trafficking at Her African Food StoreRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, was sentenced in federal court on March 4, 2026, to two years of probation, including 90 days of home confinement, and ordered to pay over $54,000 in restitution on her conviction of food stamp fraud, United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
United States District Judge Marilyn J. Horan imposed the sentence on Bolaji Michael, 46, who pleaded guilty on October 7, 2025, to one count of food stamp fraud.
According to information presented to the Court, Michael owned and operated an African food market where she knowingly allowed individuals to exchange their Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), or food stamp, benefits for cash. SNAP benefits may only be used to purchase eligible food items and cannot be exchanged for cash. In addition to exchanging SNAP benefits for cash herself, Michael also authorized others at her store to make such exchanges, despite knowing that doing so was a violation of the SNAP program’s rules and regulations. The monetary loss associated with Michael’s conduct for the charged timeframe totaled $54,996.05.
Assistant United States Attorney Nicole A. Stockey prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Rivetti commended the United States Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General, Homeland Security Investigations, and Pennsylvania State Police Organized Crime Unit West for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Michael.
Parkersburg Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Kevin Wayne Gardner, 42, of Parkersburg, pleaded guilty today to possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on June 16, 2025, law enforcement officers conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle driven by Gardner in the Parkersburg area of Wood County. Officers seized approximately 2 pounds of methamphetamine during a search of the vehicle.
Gardner is scheduled to be sentenced on June 25, 2026, and faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $10 million.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Parkersburg Violent Crime and Narcotics Task Force and the Wood County Sheriff's Office.
United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-190.
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Over $12 Million Medicaid Fraud Scheme Leads to 14 Years of Prison for Substance Abuse Facility, Owner, Compliance Officer, and Office ManagerRead the Press Release
NEW BERN, N.C. – A federal judge has handed down more than 14 years in federal prison to participants in a $12.7 Million Medicaid fraud scheme that paid more than $1 Million in kickbacks to drug addict patients. The case also resulted in the permanent closure of the fake substance abuse facility that carried out the crime, a $15 Million dollar fine, and the seizure of more than $6 Million in criminal proceeds, including cash, cars, and homes.
“This is shocking Minnesota-Somali-style fraud right here in North Carolina. For too long, government has allowed grifters to steal taxpayer dollars with impunity. Here, these vultures exploited particularly susceptible drug abusers trying to recover their lives and dignity. Shameful abuse, no remorse. They better learn, and everyone should get the message. Cheaters. Never. Win.” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle.
According to court documents, Keke Komeko Johnson, 53, of Goldsboro; Francine Sims Super, 64, of Kinston; Brandon Eugene Sims, 40, of Manvel, Texas; and Kimberly Mable Sims, 39, of Snow Hill; operated Life Touch, LLC, a purported substance abuse facility operating in Kinston and Goldsboro, and 1st Choice Healthcare Services, a urine drug screening company. Between 2018 and 2023, Inmates Johnson and Super oversaw payments of more than $1 Million in illegal kickbacks to Life Touch’s Medicaid patients, who were drug users. They paid these kickbacks to lure patients to show up for costly substance abuse and lab services that Inmate Johnson billed to Medicaid on behalf of Life Touch and 1st Choice. Inmate Sims, Inmate Super’s daughter, owned 1st Choice Healthcare, and paid Medicaid kickbacks to Inmates Super and Johnson for fake lab services ordered by Life Touch, LLC. Meanwhile, Inmate Brandon Sims, who owned Life Touch and resided in Texas, received Millions in illegal proceeds from the Life Touch operation, but failed to file or pay taxes on that money. The gift card kickback scheme resulted in more than $12.7 Million fake billings to the Medicaid program.
Inmates Johnson and Super deceived the North Carolina Medicaid in multiple audits. They repeatedly lied and falsified documents to make it appear to Eastpointe, a Managed Care Organization, that Life Touch never paid illegal kickbacks to patients when, in fact, they did. Inmate Johnson later lied again regarding the gift cards during a civil investigation conducted by the Medicaid Investigations Division. At the time of these lies, Inmate Johnson served as the compliance officer for Life Touch, and Inmate Super served as the office manager in Kinston.
During the investigation, federal agents seized and forfeited more than $6 Million in assets in the form of cash, real estate, and other assets. In November 2023, after becoming aware of the criminal investigation, Inmate Brandon Sims withdrew more than $1 Million in cash from a bank account, hiding it in a safe at his Texas home. Agents executed a search warrant and seized $1.3 million in cash, a 2021 Rolls Royce Cullinan, a 2021 Chevrolet Corvette, and a 2020 Chevrolet Silverado. Agents seized Millions more in other real property.
The Judge sentenced Inmate Johnson, the company’s “Compliance Director,” to six years in federal prison and to pay $15,286,912.91 in restitution to North Carolina Medicaid and $331,851.00 to the IRS. On August 14, 2025, Inmate Johnson pleaded guilty to a health care fraud conspiracy, including making and receiving illegal payments, making and using materially false documents, and failing to file a tax return.
The Judge sentenced Inmate Super, the “Kinston office manager,” to six years in federal prison, and to pay $15,286,912.91 in restitution to North Carolina Medicaid and $373,810.00 to the IRS. She previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to pay illegal kickbacks, healthcare fraud, and making and using materially false documents. She also pleaded guilty to failure to file a tax return.
The Judge sentenced Inmate Kimberly Sims to two years in federal prison and to pay $1,845,276.95 in restitution to North Carolina Medicaid and $207,383.00 to the IRS. She previously pleaded guilty to a conspiracy to paying illegal kickbacks, healthcare fraud, making and using materially false documents, and filing a false tax return.
The Judge sentenced Life Touch, LLC, to pay a $15 Million fine, to dissolve, and serve five years of probation and repay $12,762,511.30 in restitution to the North Carolina Medicaid program. Life Touch, LLC, previously pleaded guilty to health care fraud, and the owner, Inmate Brandon Sims pleaded guilty to failing to file federal tax returns. The Judge sentenced Inmate Brandon Sims to two and a half years and six months in federal prison, and to pay $1,892,919.40 in restitution to the IRS. Inmate Brandon Sims also forfeit all traceable proceeds of the Life Touch scheme to the United States.
"Healthcare Fraud robs American taxpayers and betrays the very programs meant to protect our most vulnerable citizens. In this case, more than $12 million was stolen by these defendants directly from those who need it most," said Reid Davis, the FBI Special Agent in Charge North Carolina. "These defendants now face more than 170 months in federal prison, over $30 million in restitution to North Carolina Medicaid, and a $15 million fine. This outcome sends a clear message: those who defraud public healthcare programs will be held accountable."
“Fraud against our healthcare and tax systems is a crime and betrays public trust,” said Donald "Trey" Eakins, Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation's Charlotte Field Office. “Tax evasion depletes resources intended for those in need and compromises our communities. IRS-CI special agents, in collaboration with the U.S. Attorney's Office and other partners, will continue to target those who exploit federal programs for personal gain, ensuring taxpayer funds are protected."
“These defendants orchestrated an egregious scheme involving illegal kickbacks, placing greed above patient care. Fraudulent operations like this undermine the availability of federal health care program funds intended to support millions of beneficiaries,” said Special Agent in Charge Kelly Blackmon of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS‑OIG). “Together with our law enforcement partners, HHS‑OIG will continue to safeguard the integrity of Medicaid and other federally funded health care programs.”
Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan. The FBI, IRS, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services-OIG, and the North Carolina AG’s Office – Medicaid Investigations Division investigated the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney William M. Gilmore and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Tasha Gardner 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. 4:25-CR-00025-FL-1, 4:25-CR-00025-FL-2 and Case No. 4:25-CR-00027-FL-1.
North Carolina Man Who Trafficked Fentanyl into Virginia Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – A North Carolina man who trafficked fentanyl from North Carolina into Virginia pled guilty this week to federal drug charges.
Semaj Montaque Sledge, 35, pled guilty to one count of distributing 400 grams or more of fentanyl and one count of distributing 40 grams or more of fentanyl.
“Fentanyl is a poison that continues to kill our citizens and destroy our communities,” Acting United States Attorney Robert N. Tracci said today. “The United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Virginia will continue to work with federal, state and local partners to aggressively prosecute fentanyl traffickers in this district.”
“Drug traffickers like this individual prioritize profit over the lives and families they destroy. They exploit the trust of vulnerable citizens by distributing poisons like fentanyl. DEA is actively working with local, state and federal law enforcement partners to disrupt the fentanyl supply chain and combat drug trafficking in Virginia and beyond. Together we are working for a Fentanyl Free America,” said DEA Washington Division Special Agent in Charge Christopher Goumennis.
According to court documents, on August 26, 2025, Sledge traveled from North Carolina to Virginia to sell an individual approximately 252 grams of pressed fentanyl in exchange for $8,000. The transaction was observed by law enforcement.
Several days later, Sledge once again traveled from North Carolina to Virginia to sell the same individual fentanyl. This time selling 437 grams of fentanyl in exchange for $14,500. This purchase was once again observed by law enforcement.
A few weeks later, officers with the Virginia State Police and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) arrested Sledge along I-64 near Zions Crossroads in Virginia.
The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Virginia State Police are investigating the case.
Assistant United States Attorney Rachel Swartz is prosecuting the case for the United States.
New York Woman Indicted for Allegedly Smuggling Eight Kilograms of Cocaine from the Dominican Republic Hidden in Duty-Free Alcohol BoxesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A New York woman has been indicted by a federal grand jury for allegedly smuggling more than eight kilograms of cocaine in duty-free alcohol boxes via a commercial flight from the Dominican Republic to Boston Logan International Airport.
Stacey Medina Guzman, 24, of Corona, N.Y., was charged with one count of importation of five kilograms or more of cocaine, one count of possession with the intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine and one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. Medina Guzman appear in federal court in Boston at a later date.
According to court filings, on the evening of Feb. 4, 2026, Medina Guzman arrived at Boston Logan International Airport aboard a Jet Blue flight from Punta Cana. When encountered by U.S. Customs and Border Protection at the airport’s Port of Entry for international flights, Medina Guzman was allegedly carrying a duty-free bag containing two boxes of Chivas Regal alcohol. A CBP K-9 screening the duty-free bag alerted agents of the presence of narcotics.
A search of the bag allegedly revealed that the two boxes packaged as Chivas Regal alcohol had been resealed with glue. When cut open, the boxes allegedly contained 12 bricks of cocaine weighing approximately eight kilograms.
The charge of importation of five kilograms or more of cocaine provides for a sentence of at least 10 years and up to life in prison, five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $10 million. The charge of possession with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine provides for a sentence of at least 10 years and up to life in prison, five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $10 million. The charge of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances provides for a sentence of at least 10 years and up to life in prison, five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $10 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 and Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Colin T. Missett and Lauren A. Graber of the Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
New Orleans Tax Preparer Indicted for $2 Million Covid Fraud Conspiracy and Making False Statements to AgentsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – On February 27, 2026, DENISE DIXON, age 52, was indicted on multiple counts for conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, and false statements to federal agents, announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle.
Count One of the Indictment charged DIXON with conspiring to commit wire fraud between 2020 and 2022, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1349 and 1343. In Counts Two through Seven, DIXON was charged with wire fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1343. Count Eight charged DIXON with making false statements to federal agents in April 2023, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1343.
According to the Indictment, DIXON owned a tax preparation business in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Indictment alleges that DIXON caused the submission of numerous applications seeking over two million dollars in loans from the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (“EIDL”) program on behalf of herself, her family members, and clients. DIXON and her co-conspirators made false representations on the applications and attached falsified tax documentation.
If convicted of Counts One through Seven, DIXON faces a maximum penalty of twenty (20) years of imprisonment, up to three (3) years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000, per count. As to Count Eight, DIXON faces a maximum penalty of up to five (5) years of imprisonment, up to three (3) years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. A mandatory $100 special assessment fee for each count is also applicable.
U.S. Attorney Courcelle reiterated that an indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
U.S. Attorney Courcelle praised the work of the Internal Revenue Service, the Department of Homeland Security Investigations, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorneys Maria M. Carboni of the Public Integrity Unit and Edward Rivera of the Financial Crimes Unit are in charge of the prosecution.
For more information on the Department of Justice’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
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New Orleans Man Sentenced for Cares Act Fraud and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – IRVIN C. FRANCOIS, III (“FRANCOIS”), age 54, of New Orleans, was sentenced by United States District Judge Jay C. Zainey, after previously pleading guilty to making false statements, and money laundering related to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle.
On March 27, 2020, the President of the United States signed into law the CARES Act, which provided emergency assistance, administered by the United States Small Business Administration (SBA), to small business owners affected by the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. One of the primary sources of funding for small businesses was the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).
According to court records, on or about March 24, 2021, FRANCOIS, on behalf of a business that he owned, made false statements to an approved lender to obtain approximately $144,790 for a PPP loan. FRANCOIS then committed money laundering by using these ill-gotten funds to buy an automobile from a dealership in Kenner, Louisiana.
In addition to three years of probation, FRANCOIS was sentenced to 50 hours of community service and ordered to pay $153,171.95 in restitution to the Small Business Administration and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee for each count.
For more information on the Department of Justice’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
This case was investigated by an agent assigned to the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee (PRAC) Fraud Task Force. The PRAC was established to serve the American public by promoting transparency and facilitating coordinated oversight of the federal government’s COVID-19 pandemic response. The PRAC’s 21 member Inspectors General identify major risks that cross program and agency boundaries to detect fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement in the more than $5 trillion in COVID-19 spending. The PRAC Fraud Task Force brings together agents from 15 Inspectors General to investigate fraud involving a variety of programs, including the Paycheck Protection Program. Task force agents who are detailed to the PRAC receive expanded authority to investigate pandemic fraud as well as tools and training to support their investigations.
U.S. Attorney Courcelle praised the work of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs - Office of Inspector General (a member of the PRAC) and the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation in investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward J. Rivera of the Financial Crimes Unit was in charge of the prosecution.
New Jersey Man Pleads Guilty in Threatening Red Mass Attendees at St. Matthews CathedralRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Louis Geri, 41, of Vineland, New Jersey, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in connection with threatening to detonate more than 100 homemade explosive devices on the steps of St. Matthew's Cathedral during the annual Red Mass attended by U.S. Supreme Court Justices and other senior government officials, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Geri pleaded guilty before Judge Randolph M. Moss to a count of Hobbs Act extortion by wrongful use of force, violence, or fear, and to a count of possession of an unregistered firearm (destructive device). Judge Moss scheduled sentencing for July 27, 2026. Geri's final plea will be accepted at sentencing.
“Threatening to detonate devices on the steps of a Catholic church—or any religious institution—is a violation not only of our way of life, but of the First Amendment right to the free exercise of religion,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “Terrorizing people of faith will result in serious consequences and significant prison time.”
According to the plea agreement, on the evening of Oct. 4, 2025, Geri rode his motorcycle to St. Matthew's Cathedral, on the 1700 block of Rhode Island Ave. NW, and erected a tent on the church's front steps. Inside the tent, he assembled more than 100 explosive devices he had manufactured from materials — including nitromethane, magnesium, charcoal, and thermite — purchased in Arkansas and assembled in Virginia. He also carried a nine-page list of written demands.
The Red Mass, a high-profile annual religious ceremony attended by members of the Supreme Court, Cabinet, Congress, and the diplomatic corps, was scheduled at the cathedral for the following morning.
About 5 a.m. on October 5, 2025, Metropolitan Police Department officers approached Geri's tent while patrolling the area before the service. When officers told him he would need to move, Geri refused and threatened to throw one of his explosive devices into the street to demonstrate its destructive power. He told officers that "several of your people are gonna die from one of these" if federal agents did not come to negotiate his demands.
Geri's written demands included hundreds of thousands of dollars in payments to himself and others, extended accommodations at the Mayflower Hotel, an expatriation flight to Japan, and requests that the Supreme Court remove Arizona from the United States and declare it a “foreign enemy.” He also made numerous demands directed at leaders of the Catholic and Jewish faiths.
Law enforcement established a barricade around the tent and apprehended Geri about 5:53 a.m. when he briefly emerged. Officers found one explosive device in his pocket along with a butane lighter. A search of the tent revealed more than 100 additional devices. Testing by an FBI laboratory confirmed the devices were improvised explosive devices in operable condition.
Following his arrest, Geri waived his Miranda rights and described the devices as “grenades” and “rockets.” He admitted that he intended to use the threat of force to coerce negotiations and that he was willing to use the devices to harm people and property — including St. Matthew's Cathedral, the White House, the Washington Monument, the U.S. Capitol, and the Supreme Court.
The investigation was conducted by the Metropolitan Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Washington Field Division, with valuable assistance from the FBI's Washington Field Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Josh Satter for the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia.
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New Jersey Man Flew Home After a Failed Smuggling Attempt in Texas, Now Spending over 10 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
DEL RIO, Texas – A New Jersey man was sentenced in a federal court in Del Rio to 120 months in prison for his role in a failed human smuggling event, announced U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas, Justin R. Simmons.
On April 6, 2023, Texas Department of Public Safety agents working in La Pryor pulled over a vehicle and detained one of several fleeing backseat occupants before the vehicle took off at a high rate of speed. The detained individual was determined to be a Mexican national who had no lawful status in the U.S. According to court documents, Cameron Alexander Ford, 23, of Camden, New Jersey, was determined to be the owner of an abandoned cell phone found by the troopers in the same area.
An investigation revealed that the vehicle was a rental from the Philadelphia International Airport, reported stolen two days after the smuggling event, on April 8. The abandoned cell phone contained photos leading to Ford, whose name yielded a warrant for robbery from the Philadelphia Police Department. Ford’s phone also contained location information showing he stayed at a hotel in Eagle Pass on April 5 and 6. Text conversations and other evidence found on the phone revealed a smuggling conspiracy between Ford and co-defendant John Klotz aka “Remy,” who was determined to be the son of the woman that reported the stolen rental vehicle.
The investigation revealed that Ford and Klotz drove the rental vehicle from New Jersey to Eagle Pass in the days preceding the smuggling attempt. After the two conspirators fled from DPS on April 6, they managed to fly from San Antonio to Philadelphia.
Further search warrants identified a third conspirator, Van Donovan Brown aka “Sledge,” as the individual that facilitated the smuggling attempt through a WhatsApp group chat. Records also indicated that Brown paid Klotz through CashApp.
Ford was indicted along with Klotz and Brown on Oct. 2, 2024. He was arrested on April 1, 2025. He pleaded guilty on Sept. 29, 2025, to one count of conspiracy to transport aliens and placing lives in jeopardy. Ford’s 10-year sentence will run consecutive to a 47-month sentence he received from the U.S. District Court in Philadelphia for carjacking and aiding and abetting.
Klotz and Brown have also pleaded guilty and are both scheduled to be sentenced on April 23. A fourth defendant, Jeffrey Ray Jilpas was named in a superseding indictment on Feb. 11 and arrested on Feb. 20. U.S. District Judge Ernest Gonzalez presides over the case.
“This smuggler thought that he could come to Texas, break the law, flee from law enforcement, and then resume his life back home as if nothing happened,” said U.S. Attorney Simmons. “Thanks to a lengthy and thorough investigation by our law enforcement partners and federal prosecutors’ dogged commitment to justice, his home for the foreseeable future will be a prison cell.”
“This 10-year prison sentence is a testament to the resolve and expertise of Homeland Security Investigations in confronting the threat posed by human smuggling,” said acting Special Agent in Charge, John A. Pasciucco, HSI San Antonio. “HSI’s special agents worked relentlessly to dismantle a criminal network that showed blatant disregard for human life and the rule of law. We will not tolerate those who exploit vulnerable individuals and undermine our nation’s security. HSI remains committed to pursuing justice and protecting our communities from these dangerous operations.”
Homeland Security Investigations and the Texas Department of Public Safety investigated the case with assistance from the U.S. Border Patrol, the Zavala County Sheriff’s Offices, and the Frio County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley Ellis-Dotson 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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