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5 March 2026
California Siblings Convicted of Drug Conspiracy ChargesRead the Press Release
CAPE GIRARDEAU – Jurors on Thursday convicted Lorenzo A. Marquez, 32, and Adam A. Marquez, 27, for their role in a large-scale conspiracy to distribute significant quantities of methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine to a drug-trafficking organization in Southeast Missouri. The verdict was reached following a nine-day trial before U.S. District Judge Stephen N. Limbaugh, Jr. at the federal courthouse in Cape Girardeau.
Evidence presented during the trial showed that the Marquez brothers were California-based suppliers of illegal drugs that were shipped to Southeast Missouri via couriers using checked baggage on commercial airlines. Drugs and cash were seized by law enforcement officers at airports in Detroit, Memphis, and Nashville, as well as during a traffic stop in Perry County, Missouri.
During an airport seizure on March 3, 2022, three drug couriers were intercepted in Detroit on their way to Southeast Missouri with approximately 60 pounds of methamphetamine and almost three pounds of cocaine. Lorenzo Marquez had provided the couriers with suitcases containing the drugs in Los Angeles. Evidence at trial showed that the couriers had made several flights between Southeast Missouri and Los Angeles, California, transporting drugs and cash.
The trial began on February 23. The Marquez brothers are scheduled to be sentenced on June 11, 2026. They both face a mandatory minimum of 10 years in federal prison and a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
The Southeast Missouri Drug Task Force, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the FBI, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Mississippi County Sheriff’s Office, the Perry County Sheriff’s Office, the Charleston Department of Public Safety, the Sikeston Department of Public Safety, the Cape Girardeau Police Department, Memphis (Tennessee) Airport Police, the Nashville (Tennessee) Airport Police, the Detroit (Michigan) Airport Police, and Cobb County (Georgia) Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Chris Shelton and Paul Hahn are prosecuting the case.
California Attorney Guilty of Federal Contempt Charge for Failing to Ensure Distribution of Settlement Funds to Relatives of Victims of Lion Air Flight 610Read the Press Release
CHICAGO — A California attorney pleaded guilty today in Chicago to a criminal contempt of court charge for disobeying a court order that called for settlement funds to be distributed to relatives of victims killed in the crash of Lion Air Flight 610.
KEITH GRIFFIN, 54, of Temple City, Calif., entered the plea before U.S. District Judge LaShonda A. Hunt in the Northern District of Illinois. Judge Hunt set sentencing for Aug. 6, 2026.
Griffin worked for the California personal injury law firm Girardi Keese, which represented relatives of victims who were killed in the 2018 crash in the Java Sea. Girardi Keese filed civil lawsuits in federal court in Chicago against the plane’s manufacturer, Boeing Co., and settled the suits in 2020. In connection with the settlements, U.S. District Judge Thomas M. Durkin ordered that the settlement funds, which included a total of $7.5 million, be sent to each client as soon as practicable. Although Boeing wired the settlement funds into Girardi Keese’s client trust account in March 2020, Griffin admitted in a plea agreement that he knew for the next eight months that the firm failed to distribute the full amount of money to the clients, in contravention of Judge Durkin’s order and despite the clients’ repeated inquiries and demands for the money.
Griffin stated in the plea agreement that on multiple occasions he confronted another attorney at the firm, THOMAS GIRARDI, about paying the money to the clients. Griffin knew, however, that Girardi was not distributing those funds as required by Judge Durkin’s order over that eight-month period, the plea agreement states. The Lion Air victims eventually received their settlement funds when another law firm’s insurer paid them.
Griffin’s guilty plea was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jared Hasten and Emily Vermylen.
Girardi, 86, of Seal Beach, Calif., was convicted in 2024 by a federal jury in Los Angeles of embezzling millions of dollars in settlement funds from other clients. In connection with Girardi’s sentencing in that case, prosecutors in Los Angeles apprised the Court that Girardi had misappropriated the settlement funds in the Lion Air matter. Girardi was sentenced last year to more than seven years in federal prison.
Two other Girardi Keese employees were charged in Chicago as part of this investigation. Attorney DAVID LIRA, 65, of Pasadena, Calif., pleaded guilty last year to a criminal contempt charge for his willful failure to abide by Judge Durkin’s settlement payment order. Lira was sentenced to four months in federal prison and four months of home confinement and ordered to perform 200 hours of community service. The firm’s former Chief Financial Officer, CHRISTOPHER KAMON, 51, of Palos Verdes, Calif., pleaded guilty last year to a wire fraud charge for helping Girardi embezzle the victims’ settlement funds. Kamon was sentenced to more than five years in federal prison, which will run concurrently to a ten-year sentence that Kamon received in federal court in Los Angeles for a related embezzlement scheme.
u.s._v._griffin_-_plea_agreement.pdfBryant Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Federal Prison for Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
LITTLE ROCK—Tyler Dane Wooten will spend 360 months in federal prison for production of child pornography. Jonathan D. Ross, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, announced the sentence, which was handed down today by United States District Judge Lee P. Rudofsky.
On October 9, 2024, Wooten, 36, of Bryant, was indicted by a federal grand jury in a 12-count Superseding Indictment on six counts of distribution of child pornography, one count of production of child pornography, two counts of distribution and attempted distribution of child pornography, two counts of receipt and attempted receipt of child pornography, and one count of possession of child pornography. Judge Rudofsky also sentenced Wooten to a lifetime of supervised release and ordered him to pay $81,000 in restitution. There is no parole in the federal system.
In April 2024, an FBI Online Covert Employee (OCE), using an online platform, began chatting with a user whose display name was “Bad Daddy.” An investigation identified “Bad Daddy” as the defendant, Wooten. The OCE and Wooten belonged to a chat group that that was devoted to the exchange of child pornography and videos. A further investigation revealed that on several occasions in April through June 2024, Wooten and other members of the group exchanged child pornography that contained videos depicting adults performing sex acts on children, including toddlers and infants.
On April 24, 2024, Wooten and the OCE were in a private conversation and Wooten stated he previously had “100+ gigs of stuff,” meaning child pornography. Wooten stated to the OCE that he had a “guilty conscience” and a “paranoid episode” and deleted the child pornography but was “just starting back into collecting” and was “…in search of harder and hurtcore baby and toddler stuff” because he “loves good toddler baby stuff.”
A review of Wooten’s online account revealed that he was chatting with another user who was sexually abusing a child at Wooten’s direction and the user filmed the abuse.
On July 30, 2024, Wooten was arrested and at the time of his arrest, law enforcement officers discovered 3,945 videos of child pornography on his devices.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice and led by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Divisions Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), it marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc. Parents are encouraged to always monitor your children’s online activity.
The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kristin Bryant.
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United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at
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Bryan resident sentenced to 14 years for sadistic exploitation of childrenRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 27-year-old area man has been ordered to federal prison after coercing and enticing minors and possession of child sexual abuse material, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Reuben Waller Boyer pleaded guilty Sept. 23, 2025.
U.S. District Judge Lee H. Rosenthal has now sentenced Boyer to 14 years for the coercion and enticement of minors and 10 years for possession of child pornography convictions, respectively. They will run concurrently for a total 168-month term of imprisonment. In handing down the prison terms, the court noted the danger the Boyer presents to the community. Boyer was further ordered to pay $3,000 in restitution to an identified victim and will serve five years on supervised release following completion of his prison term. During that time, he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet. Boyer will also be ordered to register as a sex offender.
On Feb. 19, 2021, law enforcement discovered an online user, later identified as Boyer, sharing files containing child sexual abuse material in a public KIK chat room. The investigation led to the discovery of a MEGA link containing approximately 70 videos of CSAM.
Authorities subsequently discovered communications between Boyer and a 14-year-old minor which detailed the live child pornography Boyer had the child create for Boyer’s sexual gratification.
Law enforcement obtained a search warrant for Boyers’ residence and seized his electronic devices. Forensic analysis resulted in the discovery of over 1,000 images and videos of CSAM depicting the sadistic sexual abuse of pre-pubescent minors.
Boyer will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the future.
FBI - Bryan Resident Agency conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luis Batarse prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources tab on that page.
Brothers from Mexico sentenced to prison for multi-year drug distribution conspiracyRead the Press Release
Seattle – One of two brothers from Mexico, who were both caught with a total of more than 30 pounds of fentanyl powder and pills and a kilo of heroin, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to 42 months in prison, announced First Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Neil Floyd. Benito Perez Aguilar, 29, of Kent, Washinton, and his brother Antonio Perez Aguilar, 32, of Mill Creek, Washington, were arrested in May 2025 following a drug trafficking investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). The men shared the moniker “Miguel” in their drug trafficking from 2022-2025. The investigation documented various drug sales throughout western Washington. Neither brother has legal status in the U.S.
“These men were moving large amounts of fentanyl pills and powder in our community – they were not small-time dealers,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Neil Floyd. “Particularly concerning, Benito Perez Aguilar, while driving impaired, caused a traffic accident on I-5 in n 2017. He remained a fugitive on a state court warrant related to that case, until his federal arrest last year.”
“This investigation shut down a significant fentanyl and heroin distribution operation that was putting lives at risk across western Washington,” said Robert A. Saccone, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Seattle Field Division. “As part of our commitment to a Fentanyl Free America, DEA is committed to disrupting the fentanyl supply chain, reducing the availability of these deadly drugs, and saving American lives. Investigations like this show that DEA and our partners will continue to target the criminal networks responsible for trafficking these deadly drugs and hold those who profit from this poison accountable.”
According to records filed in the case, the DEA moved in on the residences of both brothers on May 16, 2025. At Benito’s residence, law enforcement recovered approximately 76.5 grams of M-30 pills, 1,169 grams of fentanyl powder, as well as scales,
baggies, and $20,285 in cash. In Antonio’s residence, officers seized 1,992.3 grams of M-30 pills; 11,320 grams of fentanyl powder, 1,271.8 grams of heroin, and $12,396 in cash.
In November, Benito Perez Aguilar pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute controlled substances.
In asking for a five-year prison term, prosecutors noted the danger of the drugs the brothers trafficked in the community, and evidence that Mr. Perez had engaged in drug trafficking previously. “On December 15, 2017, Mr. Perez caused a multi-vehicle collision while driving under the influence. He then attempted to escape the scene by offering another driver up to $2,000 to drive him away. After Mr. Perez was located by law enforcement, he was observed to have bloodshot eyes and the
odor of intoxicants. Police officers later conducted a court-authorized search of Mr. Perez’s vehicle and recovered 411 grams of heroin, six scales, five phones, and a box of Ziploc baggies. Mr. Perez failed to appear in court as directed by a summons in 2018. There was an active warrant for Mr. Perez based on this criminal conduct for over seven years, until he was arrested in 2025.”
U.S. District Judge Jamal N. Whitehead ordered Benito Perez Aguilar to serve four years of supervised release following his prison term. However, he likely will be deported following prison due to a lack of legal status in the United States.
Last month Antonio Perez Aguilar was sentenced to four years in prison. He had already been convicted in 2018 of Solicitation to Delivery of a Controlled Substance, Cocaine, in state court, for purchasing $105,000 worth of cocaine. He was sentenced to four months in prison in that case.
The case was investigated by the DEA.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Rachel Yemini.
Brookhaven Man Faces Federal Charges for Trafficking Fentanyl and Cocaine in Metro AtlantaRead the Press Release
ATLANTA – Quincy Adam Rogers, who was on pretrial release for federal drug trafficking charges in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, faces new federal charges related to his alleged distribution of fentanyl and cocaine in Atlanta.
“Dealing drugs while on bond in another case demonstrates shocking disrespect for the law,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “Rogers’s alleged conduct evinces complete disregard for the consequences of his actions, which are severe. Because of the lethal danger posed by fentanyl and cocaine, trafficking the amounts alleged in this case is punishable by life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.”
“This case underscores the persistent threat fentanyl traffickers pose,” said Jae W. Chung, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division. “Even while facing federal charges, this defendant continued to distribute a drug that kills Americans every day. The DEA’s Fentanyl-Free America Initiative is focused on ensuring that those who continue to endanger lives, especially repeat offenders, face swift and serious consequences.”
According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg and the criminal complaint filed in federal court: Agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration were conducting surveillance at an apartment complex in Atlanta on February 5, 2026. The agents observed Quincy Adam Rogers with a drawstring bag near a vehicle. Later, agents saw Rogers place a duffle bag in the trunk of a different vehicle that had just arrived. After both vehicles left the complex, DeKalb County Police Department (DCPD) stopped the second vehicle as it was traveling on Interstate 85 in Braselton, Georgia.
While searching that vehicle, officers found bags like those that Rogers had been carrying. In the bags, DCPD Officers discovered approximately 825 grams of suspected fentanyl powder and five kilograms of cocaine, along with a kilogram press. A kilogram press is used to form drugs into uniform bricks for transportation and distribution. The wholesale street value of the seized drugs was well over $100,000. DEA agents subsequently arrested Rogers.
At the time of the drug seizures, Rogers was on federal pretrial release for drug trafficking charges pending in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania.
Quincy Adam Rogers, 39 of Brookhaven, Georgia, appeared before a U.S. Magistrate Judge on March 5, 2026, on a criminal complaint that charged him with possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine.
Members of the public are reminded that the criminal complaint only contains charges. The defendant is presumed innocent of the charges, and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
This case is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with valuable assistance provided by the Brookhaven Police Department, Clayton County Police Department, DeKalb County Police Department, and Douglas County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney John DeGenova is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Atlanta recommends parents and children learn about the dangers of drugs at the following web site: www.justthinktwice.gov.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Brockton Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Selling Fentanyl; Multiple Machineguns and Kilograms of Fentanyl Recovered During SearchesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Brockton man associated with Brockton-based Harvard Street Gang (HSG) was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for selling fentanyl to a cooperating witness during multiple controlled purchases. At the time of the controlled purchases, the defendant was on probation for a 2019 fentanyl conviction and on pretrial release for a separate March 2024 drug arrest.
Joshua Tavares, 29, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Brian E. Murphy to 12 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. In May 2025, Tavares pleaded guilty to three counts of distribution and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and fentanyl analogue. In December 2024, Tavares was indicted by a federal grand jury.
As discussed during the sentencing hearing today, in 2023, Tavares was identified as a member of HSG. Tavares conducted six sales of fentanyl and fentanyl analogue to a cooperating witness from September to November of 2024. Over the course of the six transactions, Tavares sold approximately 549 grams of fentanyl analogue to a cooperating witness. All of the transactions were captured on video recording.
After the controlled purchases, an arrest warrant and search warrants were executed on Dec. 3, 2024 at multiple residences and stash houses in Brockton. During the searches, approximately four kilograms of suspected fentanyl, cocaine, packaging materials for distribution of controlled substances and over $89,000 in cash were recovered. A .40 caliber Glock firearm and a 9mm Glock firearm with a machinegun conversion device were also located in the residence where Tavares was located.
A 9mm Glock firearm with a machinegun conversion device and a tactical laser sight was recovered from a stash location along with numerous rounds of ammunition and multiple loaded magazines, including a 50 round “drum” style magazine. Machinegun conversion devices, commonly referred to as “switches,” are designed to convert firearms into fully automatic weapons.
In February 2026, eight members and associates of HSG were charged with drug and firearm offenses. The court papers related to those arrests, refer to Tavares and his membership in HSG. According to court documents, the Harvard Street Gang (HSG) has been subject to federal investigation since 2019. During this time, more than 20 leaders, members and associates of HSG have been charged with state and federal drug trafficking and firearm crimes. Over 100 kilograms of drugs, including cocaine and fentanyl, and over 45 firearms, including multiple machine guns, have been seized. According to court documents, HSG has been involved in gang violence, including shootings, murders and witness intimidation. Numerous HSG leaders, members, and associates have been convicted of drug trafficking and firearm crimes in federal court because of this investigation. At least six defendants have been sentenced to 10 years or more in federal prison, and one member who was convicted after trial was sentenced to 32 years in prison.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police and the Brockton Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip A. Mallard of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit prosecuted the case.
Boonville Man Charged with Drugs, FirearmRead the Press Release
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A Boonville, Mo., man was indicted by a federal grand jury with cocaine, methamphetamine, and gun charges.
Johntelle Bona Millens, 40, is charged with possessing a Heckler and Koch, model VP9, 9 mm semi-automatic handgun between June 17 and July 24, 2025, in Cooper and Howard Counties. Millens is prohibited from possessing a firearm under federal law due to prior felony convictions. The indictment also alleges that Millens possessed, with the intent to distribute, methamphetamine and cocaine in Cooper County on July 24, 2025.
The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren E. Kummerer. It was investigated by the Boonville Police Department, the Cooper County Sheriff’s Office, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
Operation Take Back America
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Beckley Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Jazmir Tyheem Young, 24, of Beckley, was sentenced today to one year and six months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for distribution of more than 5 grams of methamphetamine and a quantity of fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 1, 2024, Young sold more than 5 grams of methamphetamine and a quantity of fentanyl to a confidential informant in a Harper Road parking lot in Beckley. As part of his guilty plea, Young admitted to the transaction.
Young has a criminal history that includes two prior felony convictions. At the time of this offense, Young was on probation for a state-level criminal conviction.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit, which consists of officers from the West Virginia State Police, the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Office, and the Beckley Police Department.
Chief United States District JudgeFrank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney D. Keith Randolph prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:25-cr-119.
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Bangladeshi national to make initial appearance following arrest by the FBI in international sextortion caseRead the Press Release
ANCHORAGE, Alaska – A Bangladeshi national is scheduled to make his initial appearance today in the District of Alaska after he was charged by the United States in 2022 with operating an international child sexual exploitation enterprise.
According to court documents, in July 2022, Zobaidul Amin, 28, was indicted by a federal grand jury in Alaska with charges related to his alleged abuse and exploitation of hundreds of minor victims in Alaska, and elsewhere in the United States and abroad. According to court documents, Amin used social media applications including Instagram and Snapchat to identify and coerce minor victims to produce images and videos of sexually explicit and sadistic conduct.
The FBI and the Justice Department have been working in coordination with Malaysian authorities since September 2022, when Amin was charged by the Attorney General’s Chambers of Malaysia with 13 counts related to the possession and production of child pornography. Amin was living in and attending medical school in Malaysia prior to the charges. Amin was transferred from Malaysia to Alaska by the FBI on March 4, 2026.
“Yesterday’s return from Malaysia of a Bangladeshi national who allegedly abused and sexually exploited hundreds of minor victims worldwide is another successful example of the Administration’s increased efforts to find criminals hiding abroad,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Together with our international partners and the U.S. Department of State, we are countering online child sexual exploitation, protecting our most vulnerable, and bringing these sick abusers to face justice on American soil.”
“The FBI’s commitment to protecting our children from exploitation doesn’t change whether an offender is here in the U.S. or overseas,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “In collaboration with our partners, we will continue to ensure perpetrators like Amin are held accountable and brought to justice.”
“The impact of this case is that of international magnitude. It stands as one of the most prolific cases of alleged online child exploitation the United States has ever seen,” said U.S. Attorney Michael J. Heyman for the District of Alaska. “We are grateful for the steady, strong collaboration among the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, law enforcement agencies and Malaysian partners that made this transfer possible, enabling us to move forward and seek justice for victims.”
“Demonstrated by this significant step taken by the FBI, those who target children online cannot hide behind anonymity or borders,” said Special Agent in Charge Rebecca Day of the FBI Anchorage Field Office. “FBI Anchorage’s successful transport and arrest operation is a testament to the strength of our international law enforcement partnerships, and the FBI’s relentless pursuit of justice for victims.”
Amin is charged with one count of conspiracy to produce child pornography, one count of conspiracy to receive and distribute child pornography, one count of child exploitation enterprise, one count of production of child pornography, one count of receipt of child pornography, one count of cyberstalking, two counts of aggravated identity theft and five counts of wire fraud. The defendant is scheduled to make his initial court appearance today at 1:30 p.m. before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kyle F. Reardon of the U.S. District Court for the District of Alaska. If convicted, he faces between 20 years to life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI Anchorage Field Office’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force investigated the case, with support from the following agencies:
Alaska State Troopers; Anchorage Police Department; Royal Malaysia Police; Laramie Police Department (Wyoming); Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation; Wyoming Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force; Yamhill County Sheriff’s Office (Oregon); Mercer County Sheriff's Office (West Virginia); Raleigh County Sheriff's Office (West Virginia); Kanawha County Sheriff's Office (West Virginia); Guernsey County Sheriff's Department (Oregon); Clay County Sheriff's Office (Florida); Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office (Oregon); Homeland Security Investigations Wenatchee, Washington/Bend, Oregon; and the FBI Field Offices in Atlanta, Cincinnati, Denver, Detroit, Jacksonville, Los Angeles, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, Newark, Oklahoma City, Pittsburgh, Portland, Sacramento, Salt Lake City and Seattle.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Alaska thanks the Government of Malaysia, the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and the FBI’s Law Enforcement Attaché in Kuala Lumpur for working collaboratively to secure Amin’s appearance in the District of Alaska.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adam Alexander and Jennifer Ivers are prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and 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 Justice.gov/PSC.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Bangladeshi National Returned to the United States in International Sextortion CaseRead the Press Release
Amin surrendered in Malaysia.A Bangladeshi national is scheduled to make his initial court appearance today in the District of Alaska to face charges that he operated an international child sexual exploitation enterprise.
According to court documents, in July 2022, Zobaidul Amin, 28, was indicted by a federal grand jury with charges related to his alleged abuse and exploitation of hundreds of minor victims in Alaska, and elsewhere in the United States and abroad. As alleged in the indictment, Amin used social media applications including Instagram and Snapchat to identify and coerce minor victims to produce images and videos of sexually explicit and sadistic conduct.
Prior to the U.S. charges, Amin was living in and attending medical school in Malaysia. In September 2022, Amin was charged by the Attorney General’s Chambers of Malaysia with 13 counts related to the possession and production of child pornography. The FBI and the Justice Department has been working in coordination with Malaysian authorities, and Amin was transferred from Malaysia to Alaska on March 4.
“Yesterday’s return from Malaysia of a Bangladeshi national who allegedly abused and sexually exploited hundreds of minor victims worldwide is another successful example of the Administration’s increased efforts to find criminals hiding abroad,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Together with our international partners and the U.S. Department of State, we are countering online child sexual exploitation, protecting our most vulnerable, and bringing these sick abusers to face justice on American soil.”
“The FBI’s commitment to protecting our children from exploitation doesn’t change whether an offender is here in the United States or overseas,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “In collaboration with our partners, we will continue to ensure perpetrators like Amin are held accountable and brought to justice.”
“The impact of this case is that of international magnitude. It stands as one of the most prolific cases of alleged online child exploitation the United States has ever seen,” said U.S. Attorney Michael J. Heyman for the District of Alaska. “We are grateful for the steady, strong collaboration among the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, law enforcement agencies and Malaysian partners that made this transfer possible, enabling us to move forward and seek justice for victims.”
“Demonstrated by this significant step taken by the FBI, those who target children online cannot hide behind anonymity or borders,” said Special Agent in Charge Rebecca Day of the FBI Anchorage Field Office. “FBI Anchorage’s successful transport and arrest operation is a testament to the strength of our international law enforcement partnerships, and the FBI’s relentless pursuit of justice for victims.”
FBI Special Agents awaiting Amin's arrival in Alaska.Amin is charged with conspiracy to produce child pornography, conspiracy to receive and distribute child pornography, child exploitation enterprise, production of child pornography, receipt of child pornography, cyberstalking, aggravated identity theft and wire fraud. The defendant is scheduled to make his initial court appearance today at 1:30 p.m. before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kyle F. Reardon of the U.S. District Court for the District of Alaska. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years to life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI Anchorage Field Office’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force investigated the case, with support from the following agencies: Alaska State Troopers; Anchorage Police Department; Royal Malaysia Police; Laramie Police Department (Wyoming); Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation; Wyoming Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force; Yamhill County Sheriff’s Office (Oregon); Mercer County Sheriff's Office (West Virginia); Raleigh County Sheriff's Office (West Virginia); Kanawha County Sheriff's Office (West Virginia); Guernsey County Sheriff's Department (Oregon); Clay County Sheriff's Office (Florida); Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office (Oregon); Homeland Security Investigations Wenatchee, Washington/Bend, Oregon; and the FBI Field Offices in Atlanta, Cincinnati, Denver, Detroit, Jacksonville, Los Angeles, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, Newark, Oklahoma City, Pittsburgh, Portland, Sacramento, Salt Lake City and Seattle.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Alaska thanks the Government of Malaysia, the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and the FBI’s Law Enforcement Attaché in Kuala Lumpur for working collaboratively to secure Amin’s appearance in the District of Alaska.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adam Alexander and Jennifer Ivers for the District of Alaska are prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and 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 Justice.gov/PSC.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Baltimore Man Sentenced for Role in Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A Baltimore man received his sentence today for his role in a drug-trafficking conspiracy.
U.S. District Court Judge Ellen L. Hollander sentenced Rivers Stewart, 55, to eight years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge Christopher C. Goumenis, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) – Washington Division; Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul, FBI – Baltimore Field Office; Secretary Carolyn J. Scruggs, Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services (DPSCS); Commissioner Richard Worley, Baltimore Police Department (BPD); and Chief Robert McCullough, Baltimore County Police Department (BCPD).
According to court documents, in June 2021, based on confidential source information and surveillance, law enforcement identified Carlos Scovens, 59, of Baltimore, Maryland, as an upper-level drug distributor operating in the Baltimore Metropolitan area. As a result, DEA investigators began monitoring Scovens’ drug trafficking activities and determined Stewart was an associate.
Based on a wiretap investigation and confidential informants, law enforcement also discovered that Stewart engaged in a conspiracy to distribute controlled substances with Scovens and others. Investigators intercepted calls between Stewart and Scovens discussing the distribution of controlled substances, including fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, and cocaine base.
During the investigation, law enforcement observed Stewart, along with Scovens, Keyshawna Ellis, 29, of Baltimore, Maryland, and other co-conspirators using a Northeast Baltimore residence as a stash location. Investigators observed Scovens and Stewart meeting at this location on multiple occasions.
On April 18, 2022, investigators executed a search warrant at the stash location where they recovered approximately 3,645 grams of fentanyl, 1,000 grams of cocaine, 399 grams of cocaine base, and 500 grams of heroin/fentanyl mixture. Stewart possessed approximately 3,645 grams of fentanyl and 500 grams of heroin/fentanyl mix with the intent to distribute them prior to the search.
Additionally, law enforcement executed search warrants at multiple other locations it observed Scovens meeting Stewart and at Stewart’s house. Through the additional searches, investigators recovered approximately $45,413, and $17,925, at separate locations associated with Stewart, which are believed to be drug proceeds from other locations.
On January 16, 2026, Judge Hollander sentenced Scovens to 100 months in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute a detectable amount of fentanyl. In December 2024, Ellis pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute a detectable amount of fentanyl. Then in May 2025, Ellis received a two-year federal-prison term.
This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative, which seeks to end the presence of criminal cartels, foreign gangs, and transnational criminal organizations through a collaborative and comprehensive response to the growing threat to public safety and national security. The HSTF integrates personnel, including law enforcement agents, intelligence analysts, and professional staff, from federal agencies to combat crime in our communities.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the DEA, FBI, DPSCS, BPD, and BCPD for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys LaRai Everett and Jon Tsuei who prosecuted the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Baltimore County Man Pleads Guilty to Bribing Former Baltimore City Finance OfficialRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A Baltimore County man pled guilty in federal court today to bribing a Baltimore City official.
James Carroll Erny, Jr., 55, of Glen Arm, Maryland, who is charged with bribery, admitted to paying at least $25,000 in bribes to Joseph Gillespie, a former Baltimore City Department of Finance employee. In exchange, Gillespie extinguished various financial obligations Erny owed to the City of Baltimore. As a result of the criminal conduct, the City of Baltimore suffered financial losses of more than $145,000.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty plea with Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Amaleka McCall-Braithwaite, Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General (SBA-OIG), Eastern Region; and Chief Robert McCullough, Baltimore County Police Department (BCPD).
According to the plea agreement, beginning in December 2019, and continuing until August 2023, Erny engaged in a bribery scheme in which Gillespie abused his position of trust as a public official for his own personal gain. During this period, Erny — who owned at least eight properties in Baltimore City — routinely paid bribes in exchange for Gillespie delaying, removing, or extinguishing financial obligations owed to the City. This included unpaid citations, tax obligations, and water obligations, thereby causing losses to the City.
Erny primarily paid these bribes by cash, providing Gillespie with envelopes containing as much as $1,000 each while the former City employee worked at the Abel Wolman Municipal Building. Sometimes, Erny met Gillespie in a men's bathroom in the City-owned building to give him envelopes containing cash bribes. Erny also routinely provided Gillespie bribe payments via Cash App and Zelle.
Additionally, Erny admitted to engaging in a separate scheme to obtain fraudulent COVID-19 relief loans under both the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program. Ultimately, Erny fraudulently obtained $996,240 in fraudulent PPP funds as part of the scheme, and he attempted to obtain more than a $100,000 worth of EIDL funds.
Erny faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison for bribery. U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett scheduled sentencing for Tuesday, June 9, at 11 a.m. In February 2025, Judge Bennett sentenced Gillespie to four years in prison in connection with the wire-fraud conspiracy.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI, SBA-OIG, and BCPD for their work in the investigation. U.S. Attorney Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sean Delaney and Joseph Wenner who are prosecuting the case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, please visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/report-fraud.
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Auburn Woman Pleads Guilty to Filing False Tax ReturnRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: An Auburn woman pleaded guilty on Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Portland to filing a false tax return and interfering with the administration of federal tax laws.
According to court records, Rakiya Mohamed, 30, filed false federal income tax returns for 2018 and 2019 and provided false records to the IRS when those tax returns were audited. Mohamed owned a language interpretation business called Reliable Language Resources. Mohamed reported the income and expenses for the business on her individual income tax returns. Mohamed reported false and fraudulent expenses for contract labor and office expenses for Reliable Language Resources on those tax returns. The IRS audited Mohamed’s 2018 and 2019 tax returns, and Mohamed provided the auditors with falsified business records to substantiate the false and fraudulent expenses.
Mohamed faces a maximum term of imprisonment of three years, a maximum fine of $250,000, and a maximum term of supervised release of one year. She will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigative report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case.
Arizona Drug Trafficker Who Fled State Charges Sentenced to Ten Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Jose Ramon Lopez, 30, of Yuma, Arizona, was sentenced to 120 months in prison for one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, and the United States Marshals Service.
On August 4, 2025, Lopez pleaded guilty to the charge in federal district court. According to investigators, on May 2, 2021, a trooper conducting a traffic stop on Interstate 40 in Sequoyah County discovered Lopez in possession over 5,000 counterfeit OxyContin pills containing a combined net weight of 562 grams of fentanyl. Law enforcement arrested Lopez and charged him in Sequoyah County District Court, but Lopez posted bond and fled to Mexico. The United States indicted Lopez in February 2022. On December 30, 2024, U.S. Marshals apprehended Lopez coming through the port of entry into Arizona and returned him to Oklahoma to face federal drug trafficking charges.
“This sentence is a warning to those who threaten the safety and peace of our streets by trafficking in illicit drugs,” said United States Attorney Christopher J. Wilson. “The Department of Justice is proud to stand side by side with state, local, and Tribal law enforcement to defend our communities.”
“Drug dealers manufacture and traffic counterfeit pills which look like alprazolam, hydrocodone, or oxycodone but can contain lethal doses of fentanyl. Mr. Lopez was one of those dealers,” said Joseph B. Tucker, DEA Special Agent in Charge of the Dallas Division. “This sentence reflects our continued resolve to partner with our law-enforcement counterparts to fight greed, violence, and substance abuse in Eastern Oklahoma communities.”
“The Oklahoma Highway Patrol is proud of the work our troopers conducted in this case. It underscores our commitment to our most important mission, keeping Oklahomans safe,” said OHP Chief, Colonel Joe Williams. “Fentanyl is an extremely dangerous drug and even a small amount can be deadly. Like all states, we have seen the tragedy that results from this deadly drug. Justice has finally caught up with Jose Ramon Lopez, and this case highlights the importance of strong cooperation with our federal partners in disrupting drug trafficking and protecting our communities. We appreciate the diligent work of the prosecution and thank the court for its careful handling of this case. The Oklahoma Highway Patrol remains committed to continued collaboration with our federal partners to keep Oklahoma safe.”
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 Honorable Ronald A. White, Senior Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Lopez 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.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Olivia Staubus represented the United States at sentencing.
Ada Resident Pleads Guilty to Federal Assault ChargesRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Isaiah Marshall Harjo, age 28, of Ada, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury in Indian Country, punishable by up to ten years in prison and a $250,000 fine, and one count of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to Do Bodily Harm in Indian Country, punishable by up to ten years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The Indictment alleged that on September 25, 2025, Harjo assaulted the victim, resulting in serious bodily injury. The Indictment further alleged that on that same day, Harjo assaulted a second victim with a dangerous weapon, intending to do bodily harm.
The crimes occurred in Pontotoc County, within the boundaries of the Chickasaw Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Ada Police Department.
The Honorable Gerald L. Jackson, Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Harjo will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lewis M. Reagan represented the United States.
18th Street Gangsters, Associates Arrested on Indictments Alleging Murder, Extortion, Drug Trafficking in L.A.’s MacArthur Park AreaRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – Twelve members and associates of 18th Street – Los Angeles’s largest street gang – were arrested today on criminal charges, including the murder of a drug trafficker who failed to pay the gang’s extortionate “taxes,” and further alleging that the gang controlled the city’s MacArthur Park as an open-air drug marketplace, using tents to blend in with the homeless population and avoid detection by law enforcement.
Five of the defendants arrested today are expected to make their initial appearances and be arraigned this afternoon in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles.
During this investigation, federal and local law enforcement have seized more than 175 pounds of methamphetamine and fentanyl. Today, law enforcement seized approximately $80,000 in cash, 10 pounds of fentanyl, five pounds of methamphetamine, and six firearms.
A total of seven federal grand jury indictments have been returned against members and associates of 18th Street. The main federal indictment, which contains seven counts, charges the following seven Los Angeles-based members and associates of 18th Street, with one count of racketeering conspiracy:
- Keiko Marie Gonzalez, 59, a.k.a. “Moms,” “La Señora,” and “La Reina,”
- Edward Escalante, 49, a.k.a. “Toro,”
- Edward Alvarenga, 27, a.k.a. “Tito,”
- George Carillo, 60, a.k.a. “Chuco,”
- Carlos Beltran, 48, a.k.a. “Negro,”
- Felipe De Los Angeles, 51, a.k.a. “Indio,” and
- Edwin Martinez, 32, a.k.a. “Dreamer.”
Law enforcement is looking for six fugitives in this matter. One fugitive is believed to be in Mexico and another is believed to be in Guatemala.
“For far too long, 18th Street and other criminals have been allowed to turn one of the city’s most beautiful public spaces into a crime-infested pit. That ends today,” said First Assistant United States Attorney Bill Essayli. “We are committed to eliminating violent organized crime and open-air drug markets from Los Angeles.”
“The distribution of illegal narcotics in our communities is unacceptable, as is the associated violent crime that many times affects innocent residents,” said Robert Molvar, the Acting Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI's Los Angeles Field Office. “This investigation should send a message to 18th Street Gang members and their Mexican Mafia overlords that we’re going to continue to work with our law enforcement partners to target those responsible for the distribution of illegal narcotics which enrich the gang while they prey on and poison members of our community.”
According to the indictment, 18th Street is historically a Mexican-American street gang that has grown into a transnational gang with more than 100,000 members within the United States, and operates across Mexico, Central and South America, and elsewhere. 18th Street controls numerous neighborhoods in and around Los Angeles, including MacArthur Park and its surrounding blocks.
“MacArthur Park served as an open-air marketplace for drug trafficking by 18th Streeters, many of whom operated within tents to conceal the nature of their drug trafficking and to avoid law enforcement detection,” the indictment alleges. “18th Street also controlled a substantial portion of the drug trafficking activities in the Skid Row area of Downtown Los Angeles.”
The gang controls its “territory” through violence and threats of violence against rivals and others, controls and participates in drug trafficking including that of fentanyl and methamphetamine, operates illegal gambling establishments (casitas) and collects extortionate “taxes.”
18th Street is affiliated with the Mexican Mafia prison gang and the Mexican Mafia member who maintained ultimate control over 18th Street is an unindicted co-conspirator – identified in the indictment as “Co-Conspirator 1” – who is an inmate at a California state prison.
From at least July 2020 to March 2026, Gonzalez – the second in command and street boss of 18th Street – directly communicated with Co-Conspirator 1. In this role, Gonzalez had decision-making authority, oversaw the gang’s criminal activity, disciplined members, collected rent, “taxes,” and fines from the gang’s members and associates, and ordered murders of individuals in the gang, the gang’s rivals, or drug traffickers. Gonzalez and others also directed drug trafficking, violent acts, and other criminal activities.
For example, on July 27, 2022, Gonzalez ordered the murder of a victim who failed to pay 18th Street’s extortionate taxes on her drug trafficking activities in the gang’s territory. The victim – identified in the indictment as “M.Z.” – was shot to death. Carillo and Beltran are charged with one count of murder in aid of racketeering for their roles in that murder.
Gonzalez, Escalante, Alvarenga, and De Los Angeles also are charged with one count of conspiracy to interfere with commerce by extortion (Hobbs Act). Escalante additionally is charged with three counts of attempted Hobbs Act extortion, and one count of knowingly and intentionally distributing nearly two pounds of methamphetamine.
“Gang criminals and drug peddlers have been exploiting the MacArthur Park community for far too long,” said Anthony Chrysanthis, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration Los Angeles Field Division. “18th Street has been moving product in MacArthur Park at will. The collaborative work poured into this multi-agency operation is a testament to our resolve to turn the tide. We want to return MacArthur Park back to the community.”
“This indictment exposes a criminal enterprise that relied on illegal activities that generated steady illicit income,” said Tyler Hatcher, Special Agent in Charge, IRS-CI Los Angeles Field Office. “By uncovering the financial structure that supported this organization, we are helping dismantle the network that allowed it to operate and profit at the expense of our communities. IRS CI will continue to use our financial expertise to ensure that violent gangs cannot hide their proceeds and cannot use those profits to fuel further harm.”
An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
If convicted, Carillo and Beltran would face a mandatory sentence of life imprisonment, Gonzalez would face a maximum sentence of life imprisonment, Alvarenga would face up to 40 years in federal prison, De Los Angeles and Martinez would face up to 20 years in federal prison, and Escalante would face a 10-year mandatory minimum prison sentence and a statutory maximum sentence of life in federal prison.
The FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, IRS Criminal Investigation, and the Los Angeles Police Department are investigating this matter with assistance from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and the United States Marshals Service.
Assistant United States Attorneys Jena A. MacCabe of the Major Crimes Section and Daniel H. Weiner of the Transnational Organized Crime Section are prosecuting these cases.
4 March 2026
York County Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison for Production of Child Pornography and Enticement of A Minor to Engage in Illegal Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Jonah Allen Sassam Watt, age 32, of Dover, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on March 3, 2026, by United States District Judge Jennifer P. Wilson to 30 years in federal prison for charges related to the production of child pornography and for his online enticement of minors to engage in illegal sexual activity.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, over the course of several months in 2022, Watt used various social media platforms to coerce children (ranging between the ages of 12-16) to create sexually explicit content of themselves. In some instances, Watt offered them payment for their images and in others, Watt threatened the children to create the images and videos, or he would “hack” their social media accounts. At the time he was intercepted by law enforcement in this case, Watt was in possession of additional images of child pornography, to include children as young as infants and toddlers being sexually assaulted.
In sentencing Watt, Judge Wilson echoed the statements of one of the victim’s mothers who called Watt’s conduct predatory, calculated, and evil.
Judge Wilson also ordered Watt to pay $54,710.00 in restitution and following Watt’s period of incarceration, he is to serve an additional 15 years on federal supervised release.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luisa Honora Berti is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc.
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Worcester Man Pleads Guilty to Drug OffenseRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Worcester man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Worcester to drug offenses involving methamphetamine and materials for pressing illicit pills.
Tong Tran, 35, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. U.S. District Court Judge Margaret R. Guzman scheduled sentencing for June 4, 2026. Tran was charged in April 2025.
According to the charging documents, on or about Sept. 19, 2024, Tran was identified shipping a package at a Worcester Post Office. A search of the package revealed approximately 2.4 kilograms of orange pills containing methamphetamine – concealed in the packaging of a children’s toy. A partial fingerprint on the wrapping materials inside the toy’s box belonged to Tran. On April 14, 2025, during a search of Tran’s residence, a pill press, binding agent and additional equipment used to manufacture pills, including pill dyes were located. The search also resulted in the seizure of 3.3 kilograms of methamphetamine and approximately $8,000 in cash.
The charge of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; Jennifer De La O, Director of Field Operations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Boston Field Office; Nicholas Bucciarelli, Acting Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Boston Division; and Jarod A. Forget, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Auburn Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kaitlin J. Brown of the Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
West Bloomfield Pair Charged with Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud, Husband Arrested for Obstruction of JusticeRead the Press Release
DETROIT – West Bloomfield residents Peter Valente and Angela Toma have been charged with conspiracy to commit over $2.6 million in wire fraud relating to pandemic assistance loans, United States Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon Jr. announced. Valente also faces an obstruction of justice charge.
Gorgon was joined in the announcement by Jared Murphey, acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations Detroit.
According to a criminal complaint unsealed today, Valente and Toma collaborated to fraudulently obtain $2,609,210 from the Paycheck Protection Program. Valente and Toma are alleged to have submitted false loan applications to Paycheck Protection Program lenders using inactive businesses and falsified bank records. When federal agents began investigating the loan fraud, Valente approached them and repeatedly claimed that Toma was solely responsible, and he was unaware of the crime until it had concluded. Further investigation revealed that Valente was in fact an active collaborator in the scheme, going so far as to celebrate with Toma when a fraudulent loan was approved.
A complaint is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Trial cannot be held on felony charges in a complaint. When the investigation is complete, determinations will be made whether to seek felony indictments.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney K. Craig Welkener and investigated by Homeland Security Investigations.
Wagoner Resident Sentenced for Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily InjuryRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Mark Justin Hall, age 47, of Wagoner, Oklahoma, was sentenced to thirty months in prison for one count of Assault Resulting in Substantial Bodily Injury to a Spouse, Intimate Partner, and Dating Partner in Indian Country.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Wagoner Police Department.
On May 6, 2025, Hall pleaded guilty to the charge in federal district court. According to investigators, on October 26, 2024, Hall assaulted the victim, causing substantial bodily injury. The crime occurred in Wagoner County, within the boundaries of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Reservation, in 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. Hall 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 Lewis M. Reagan represented the United States.
United States Leads Dismantlement of One of the World’s Largest Hacker ForumsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON — The Department of Justice announced today the seizure of the LeakBase database, one of the world’s largest online forums for cybercriminals to buy and sell stolen data and cybercrime tools.
According to an affidavit unsealed on March 3, the LeakBase forum had over 142,000 members and more than 215,000 messages between members. Available on the open web and in English, the forum had an enormous and continuously updated archive of hacked databases including many from high profile attacks, including hundreds of millions of account credentials. LeakBase allowed forum users to sell the information from stolen databases, including data illegally obtained from U.S. corporations and individuals, and offered credit and debit card numbers, banking account and routing information, usernames and associated passwords which could facilitate additional account takeovers, as well as other sensitive business and personally identifiable information.
On March 3 and 4, law enforcement agents and officers in 14 countries including the United States took synchronized actions against LeakBase and its users in a coordinated effort hosted by Europol in The Hague. Specifically, the United States and other countries shut down LeakBase, seized its data and two of the domains used by the forum, posted seizure banners on the LeakBase sites, sent prevention messages to LeakBase members, and collected additional evidence. Law enforcement also executed search warrants, arrests, and conducted interviews in the United States, Australia, Belgium, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, and the United Kingdom.
LeakBase Splash Page“The takedown of this cyber forum disrupts a major international platform that cybercriminals use to obtain and profit from the theft of sensitive personal, banking and account credentials,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “This operation illustrates the strength of the United States and our international partners working across the globe to dismantle a critical cybercriminal forum. The Criminal Division will continue to leverage our international relationships to protect victim personal and account information from falling into the hands of transnational criminal organizations.”
“This 14-country operation demonstrates the extraordinary cooperation with our international partners,” said U.S. Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the District of Utah. “Working with our partners, we can take down even the most sophisticated cyber criminals and networks. My office remains steadfast in our commitment to investigate and seek justice for Americans who are targeted by individuals attempting to hide behind foreign borders.”
“The FBI, Europol, and law enforcement agencies from around the world executed a takedown of LeakBase, one of the largest online cybercriminal platforms, seizing users’ accounts, posts, credit details, private messages, and IP logs for evidentiary purposes,” said Assistant Director Brett Leatherman of the FBI’s Cyber Division. “Together with our partners, we are sending a message that no criminal is truly anonymous online and removing an easy point of access to stolen information on American businesses and individuals. The FBI will continue to defend the homeland by dismantling the key services that cybercriminals use to facilitate their attacks.”
“Hiding behind a screen does not shield cybercriminals from accountability,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert Bohls of the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office. “This international operation demonstrates the strength of our global alliances and our shared commitment to disrupting platforms that facilitate the theft of data and the victimization of innocent people and organizations worldwide. Together, we will continue to identify, dismantle, and hold accountable those who seek to profit from cybercrime, no matter where they operate.”
The announcement today follows the disruption of predecessor cybercrime marketplaces RaidForums in 2022 and BreachForums in 2023, in addition to the conviction and subsequent sentencing of the founder of BreachForums in 2025.
The FBI Salt Lake City Field Office is investigating the case. The FBI San Diego Field Office, Utah Department of Public Safety, and Provo Police Department also participated in the operation domestically.
Senior Counsel Matthew A. Lamberti of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brent L. Andrus and Carl D. LeSueur for the District of Utah are prosecuting the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, Europol, and numerous law enforcement authorities in Australia, Belgium, Canada, Germany, Greece, Kosovo, Malaysia, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, and the United Kingdom provided significant assistance.CCIPS investigates and prosecutes cybercrime and intellectual property (IP) crime in coordination with domestic and international law enforcement agencies, often with assistance from the private sector. Since 2020, CCIPS has secured the conviction of over 180 cybercriminals and IP criminals, and court orders for the return of over $350 million in victim funds.
Anyone that has any information regarding LeakBase should contact the FBI at [email protected].
United States Leads Dismantlement of One of the World’s Largest Hacker ForumsRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice announced today the seizure of the LeakBase database, one of the world’s largest online forums for cybercriminals to buy and sell stolen data and cybercrime tools.
According to an affidavit unsealed on March 3, the LeakBase forum had over 142,000 members and more than 215,000 messages between members. Available on the open web and in English, the forum had an enormous and continuously updated archive of hacked databases including many from high profile attacks, including hundreds of millions of account credentials. LeakBase allowed forum users to sell the information from stolen databases, including data illegally obtained from U.S. corporations and individuals, and offered credit and debit card numbers, banking account and routing information, usernames and associated passwords which could facilitate additional account takeovers, as well as other sensitive business and personally identifiable information.
On March 3 and 4, law enforcement agents and officers in 14 countries including the United States took synchronized actions against LeakBase and its users in a coordinated effort hosted by Europol in The Hague. Specifically, the United States and other countries shut down LeakBase, seized its data and two of the domains used by the forum, posted seizure banners on the LeakBase sites, sent prevention messages to LeakBase members, and collected additional evidence. Law enforcement also executed search warrants, arrests, and conducted interviews in the United States, Australia, Belgium, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, and the United Kingdom.
LeakBase Splash Page“The takedown of this cyber forum disrupts a major international platform that cybercriminals use to obtain and profit from the theft of sensitive personal, banking and account credentials,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “This operation illustrates the strength of the United States and our international partners working across the globe to dismantle a critical cybercriminal forum. The Criminal Division will continue to leverage our international relationships to protect victim personal and account information from falling into the hands of transnational criminal organizations.”
“This 14-country operation demonstrates the extraordinary cooperation with our international partners,” said U.S. Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the District of Utah. “Working with our partners, we can take down even the most sophisticated cyber criminals and networks. My office remains steadfast in our commitment to investigate and seek justice for Americans who are targeted by individuals attempting to hide behind foreign borders.”
“The FBI, Europol, and law enforcement agencies from around the world executed a takedown of LeakBase, one of the largest online cybercriminal platforms, seizing users’ accounts, posts, credit details, private messages, and IP logs for evidentiary purposes,” said Assistant Director Brett Leatherman of the FBI’s Cyber Division. “Together with our partners, we are sending a message that no criminal is truly anonymous online and removing an easy point of access to stolen information on American businesses and individuals. The FBI will continue to defend the homeland by dismantling the key services that cybercriminals use to facilitate their attacks.”
“Hiding behind a screen does not shield cybercriminals from accountability,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert Bohls of the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office. “This international operation demonstrates the strength of our global alliances and our shared commitment to disrupting platforms that facilitate the theft of data and the victimization of innocent people and organizations worldwide. Together, we will continue to identify, dismantle, and hold accountable those who seek to profit from cybercrime, no matter where they operate.”
The announcement today follows the disruption of predecessor cybercrime marketplaces RaidForums in 2022 and BreachForums in 2023, in addition to the conviction and subsequent sentencing of the founder of BreachForums in 2025.
The FBI Salt Lake City Field Office is investigating the case. The FBI San Diego Field Office, Utah Department of Public Safety, and Provo Police Department also participated in the operation domestically.
Senior Counsel Matthew A. Lamberti of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brent L. Andrus and Carl D. LeSueur for the District of Utah are prosecuting the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, Europol, and numerous law enforcement authorities in Australia, Belgium, Canada, Germany, Greece, Kosovo, Malaysia, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, and the United Kingdom provided significant assistance.
CCIPS investigates and prosecutes cybercrime and intellectual property (IP) crime in coordination with domestic and international law enforcement agencies, often with assistance from the private sector. Since 2020, CCIPS has secured the conviction of over 180 cybercriminals and IP criminals, and court orders for the return of over $350 million in victim funds.
Anyone that has any information regarding LeakBase should contact the FBI at [email protected].
Tyler County Woman Admits to Methamphetamine OffenseRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – An Alma, West Virginia woman is facing 15 years in prison after pleading to a methamphetamine charge, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew L. Harvey.
Jamie Ann Tanner, 44, of Alma, West Virginia, pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. During an investigation into Tanner’s drug activity, officers executed a search warrant at her home, where they seized more than 1200 grams of methamphetamine.
Tanner is facing 180 months in prison per the plea agreement. She will be sentenced at a later date.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Clayton Reid is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government.
Investigative agencies include Marshall County Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative; the Tyler County Sheriff’s Office; and the Wetzel County Sheriff’s Office.
U.S. Magistrate Judge James P. Mazzone presided.
This case is a part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime, and repel the invasion of illegal immigration.
Two foreign nationals, who returned to the U.S. following deportation, sentenced to federal prison termsRead the Press Release
Seattle – Two federal defendants who repeatedly returned to the U.S. following deportation were each sentenced to six-month federal prison terms with the expectation that they will then be deported, announced First Assistant United States Attorney Charles Neil Floyd. Alberto Figeroa-Luque,45, a Mexican national and Fredy Ottoniel Alonzo Carcamo, 54, a Guatemalan national were both taken into federal custody following arrests on state crimes. Judge Tana Lin noted that each man had repeatedly returned to the U.S. without authorization.
“Those here illegally who are breaking our laws and making our communities unsafe remain a priority for our office,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Floyd. “While many we arrest are removed before we secure convictions, here are two examples of criminal aliens arrested based on the administration’s priorities. One of these defendants was arrested illegally carrying a firearm and possessing narcotics, the other is a sex offender who failed to register and was caught peeping into a neighbor’s window. Both had been previously deported but returned and broke the law again.”
According to records in his case, Alberto Figeroa-Luque, was ordered removed to Mexico for the first time in 2012. Since that time, he has been removed an additional four times. Figeroa-Luque came to the attention of federal law enforcement when he was arrested by Marysville Police for knowingly using a controlled substance in a public place. A search of his backpack revealed cocaine, fentanyl, and a semi-automatic handgun with a loaded magazine. Based on a judicial warrant, Figeroa-Luque was transferred from state to federal custody. In December 2025, Figeroa-Luque pleaded guilty to Reentry of a Removed Alien.
According to records filed in his case, Fredy Ottoniel Alonzo Carcamo, was convicted in February 2007, of Attempted Voyeurism in King County Superior Court. In July of 2007 he was ordered deported, but removal did not occur. In February 2020, Alonzo Carcamo was convicted of First-Degree Voyeurism in King County Superior Court, after he was caught peering through a broken blind at a woman and young child at 4:00 am. He was removed to Guatemala in July 2021. He was arrested unlawfully entering the U.S. in Arizona in September 2021 and removed a second time in February 2022. In November 2025, Alonzo Carcamo was arrested in King County and charged with failing to register as a sex offender. Based on a judicial warrant Alonzo Carcamo was transferred from state to federal custody, and in December 2025, Alonzo Carcamo pleaded guilty to Reentry of a Removed Alien.
Both cases were investigated by Homeland Security Investigations.
Special Assistant United States Attorneys Jordan Steveson and Christine Caceres prosecuted the cases.
Two Montgomery Men Sentenced on Federal Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Today, Acting United States Attorney Kevin Davidson announced that two Montgomery men have been sentenced to federal prison for unlawfully possessing a firearm.
On February 25, 2026, a federal judge sentenced 37-year-old Stacy Rodrekus Calloway, of Montgomery, Alabama, to 60 months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm and for violating the terms of his federal supervised release. The court also imposed three years of supervised release to follow his term of imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system.
According to his plea agreement and court records, Calloway was residing in Montgomery in 2025 while on supervised release after completing a 148-month federal sentence imposed in 2013 for drug and firearms convictions.
On April 11, 2025, law enforcement officers with the Montgomery Area Crime Suppression (MACS) Unit conducted a traffic stop after observing a traffic violation. Before bringing the vehicle to a stop, officers observed the driver, later identified as Calloway, throwing an object from the window. Officers recovered the object, which was a handgun. Because of his prior felony convictions, federal law prohibited Calloway from possessing a firearm. His possession of the handgun also violated the conditions of his supervised release.
Officers also identified a passenger in the vehicle, 47-year-old British Tremain George, of Montgomery. George, who has prior felony convictions, was also found in possession of a handgun. As a convicted felon, George is prohibited under federal law from possessing a firearm or ammunition.
On November 3, 2025, both Calloway and George pleaded guilty to being felons in possession of firearms. The court sentenced George to 20 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release.
The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the United States Probation Office for the Middle District of Alabama investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney J. Patrick Lamb prosecuted this case.
Turtle Creek Resident Pleads Guilty to Sexual Exploitation of MinorsRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Turtle Creek, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to charges related to the sexual exploitation of minors, United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
Robert Bookshar, 49, pleaded guilty to two counts before United States District Judge William S. Stickman IV on March 3, 2026.
In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, from in and around September 2021 through in and around June 2023, Bookshar communicated with an online criminal organization that offered child sexual abuse material in the form of “Ultimate Packages”—which investigation determined consisted of seven videos and 30 images of a nude minor female engaged in sexually explicit conduct—as well as a “menu” of minor females who were available for the creation of child sexual abuse material during live video calls. Bookshar requested images, videos, and live video calls depicting child sexual abuse from the criminal organization on a social media app, participated in the live video calls through a second social media app, and paid for the material with gift cards or through various mobile payment apps. Specifically, Bookshar pleaded guilty to the inducement of two minors, one on August 23, 2022, and the other on May 12, 2023, for the purpose of creating child sexual abuse material during a live video call.
Judge Stickman scheduled sentencing for July 8, 2026. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 30 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant. Bookshar remains in custody pending sentencing.
Assistant United States Attorney Heidi M. Grogan is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Allegheny County Police Department, Tampa (Florida) Police Department, and Colorado Springs (Colorado) Police Department conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Bookshar.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Tidewater narcotics trafficker sentenced to over 10 years in prisonRead the Press Release
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Newport News man was sentenced yesterday to 10 years and three months in prison for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.
According to court documents, in 2025, Kenneth Matthews, 48, was receiving narcotics in Maryland and selling large quantities in the Tidewater area. On July 12, 2025, the Virginia State Police (VSP) located Matthews and conducted a traffic stop on his vehicle. A search of the vehicle was conducted after a narcotics canine alerted to the presence of narcotics. Investigators located more than 300 grams of fentanyl divided into distributable quantities, as well as a handgun and approximately $1,000.
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C., and VSP investigated this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric M. Hurt 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. 4:25-cr-54.
Three Drug Dealers Sentenced to Federal Prison for Trafficking More Than 69 Kilograms of Illegal SubstancesRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – Three Ohio men have been sentenced to prison for their roles in a conspiracy to traffic dangerous and illegal drugs—including fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine—throughout Greater Cleveland.
The defendants were each sentenced to imprisonment by U.S. District Judge Donald C. Nugent after pleading guilty to their roles in the drug trafficking conspiracy. All three men were previously incarcerated for drug convictions and were therefore eligible to be designated as career offenders to receive enhanced penalties. The defendants’ sentencings are as follows:
Chantez Moore, 45, of Westlake, Ohio, was sentenced to 276 months (23 years) in prison and ordered to serve 10 years of supervised release after imprisonment. He previously pleaded guilty to:
- Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with the Intent to Distribute Controlled Substances
- Distribution of Methamphetamine
- Possession with the Intent to Distribute Fentanyl
- Possession with the Intent to Distribute Fluorofentanyl
- Possession with the Intent to Distribute Cocaine
Kevin Lanier, 42, of Highland Heights, Ohio, was sentenced to 240 months (20 years) in prison and ordered to serve 10 years of supervised release after imprisonment. He previously pleaded guilty to:
- Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with the Intent to Distribute Controlled Substances
- Distribution of Fentanyl
- Distribution of Methamphetamine
- Possession with the Intent to Distribute Fentanyl
- Possession with the Intent to Distribute Fluorofentanyl
James C. Lang, 36, of Cleveland, was sentenced to 120 months (10 years) in prison and ordered to serve five years of supervised release after imprisonment. He previously pleaded guilty to:
- Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with the Intent to Distribute Controlled Substances
- Possession with the Intent to Distribute Fentanyl
- Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine
- Felon in Possession of a Firearm
The case began in early 2023 when federal agents were investigating significant drug trafficking activity in the Cleveland area believed to be connected to Mexican drug cartels. According to court documents, from about February 2023 to May 2024, defendants Moore, Lanier, and Lang were observed conducting drug transactions and making frequent visits to several apartments. Some apartments in question were later discovered to be rented under false names. Moore was found to be leasing apartments under fake names at two locations, and Lang also used a fake name to lease an apartment. During executions of search warrants at residences suspected of being connected to the drug conspiracy, agents seized:
- 67 kilograms of fentanyl with 57 kilograms in pill form disguised as Percocet 30s
- One kilogram of cocaine
- One kilogram of methamphetamine
- Numerous firearms: a Taurus G3C 9mm pistol, a Glock 42 .380 pistol, an Anderson AM-15 rifle, and a KelTec Sub 2000 9mm rifle.
The investigation was led by the FBI Cleveland Division, the Cleveland Division of Police, and the Cartel, Gang, Narcotics, and Money Laundering Task Force, a Cleveland-area, multi-agency entity comprised of federal, state, and local law enforcement.
Assistant United States Attorney Vasile C. Katsaros for the Northern District of Ohio led the prosecution.
Tahlequah Resident Sentenced for Illegal Possession of Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Bradley Eugene Davis, a/k/a Bradley Eugene Mefford, age 31, of Tahlequah, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 21 months in prison for one count of Felon in Possession of Firearm and Ammunition.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the United States Marshals Service.
On December 29, 2025, Davis pleaded guilty to the charge in federal district court. According to investigators, on November 18, 2025, David possessed a .22 caliber revolver and seven rounds of ammunition after having been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment or a term exceeding one year.
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 Honorable Ronald A. White, Senior Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Davis will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan E. Soverly and Edith A. Singer represented the United States.
Stern Therapy Consultants Agrees to Pay $315,000 to Settle Allegations of Causing False Claims to MedicareRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Stern Therapy Consultants (Stern), a New York long-term care therapy provider, has agreed to pay $315,000 to resolve allegations that, between Jan. 1, 2017 and Sept. 30, 2019, it conspired with RegalCare Management Group, LLC, RegalCare Management 2.0 (together RegalCare), RegalCare’s owner Eliyahu Mirlis and RegalCare executive Hector Caraballo, to cause the submission of false claims to Medicare for unnecessary skilled nursing facility therapy services. The settlement resolves allegations against Stern in a False Claims Act complaint the government filed in February 2025 against Stern, RegalCare, Mirlis and Caraballo.
Skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) are inpatient facilities that provide transitional care to patients following a 72-hour or more hospital stay. Federal healthcare programs, including Medicare, reimburse providers for medically reasonable and necessary services rendered to SNF patients. The False Claims Act prohibits individuals or entities from submitting, or causing the submission of, false claims for payment and false statements material to claims for payment from federal healthcare programs.
As detailed in the settlement agreement, Stern admitted that at various times between January 2017 and September 2019, Stern’s therapists provided Ultra High Resource Utilization Group (RUG) SNF rehabilitation therapy services—the most comprehensive and highest reimbursing services—to RegalCare’s Medicare patients after documenting that patients should stop receiving such services, and after patients informed the therapists that they were physically unable to perform and/or refused to perform the services. Stern further admitted that its Senior Regional Director for the RegalCare facilities, who had no clinical experience and no clinical license, certified that a terminated former Stern employee completed Ultra High RUG therapy services for a RegalCare SNF patient without knowing or confirming whether the services were performed by the terminated former employee to justify billing for reimbursement.
The settlement resolves the government’s complaint against Stern. That complaint alleged that Stern caused RegalCare to submit false claims to Medicare for medically unreasonable and unnecessary services to patients of RegalCare’s SNFs. The government’s case against RegalCare, Mirlis and Caraballo is ongoing.
The claims against Stern were brought under the whistleblower or qui tam provision of the False Claims Act. Under the FCA, private parties may sue on behalf of the government for false claims for government funds and receive a share of any recovery. The relator will receive $61,875.00 from the proceeds of the settlement. The lawsuit is captioned United States and Commonwealth of Massachusetts ex rel. McCormick v. RegalCare Management 2.0, LLC, et al., No. 20-cv-11805-IT (D. Mass).
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Roberto Coviello, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services’ Office of the Inspector General made the announcement today. This case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Steven Sharobem and Olivia Benjamin of the Affirmative Civil Enforcement Unit.
St. Tammany Parish Man Indicted for Assaulting Federal Court Security OfficerRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – JOSEPH E. MCMANUS, (“MCMANUS”), age 48, of Pearl River, was indicted on February 26, 2026 for assaulting a federal officer, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 111(a)(1), announced United States Attorney David I. Courcelle.
According to court documents, on or about October 6, 2025, MCMANUS, assaulted a Special Deputy United States Marshal while he was engaged in, and on account of, his official duties.
For the offense, MCMANUS faces a maximum term of imprisonment of eight (8) years, a fine of up to $250,000, up to three (3) years of supervised release, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee.
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 United States Marshal’s Service, Federal Protective Services, and the New Orleans Police Department in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Duane A. Evans of the General Crimes Unit is prosecuting the matter.
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Springfield Man Sentenced to over 12 Years in Prison for Federal Hate Crime ViolationRead the Press Release
A Springfield, Oregon, man was sentenced to federal prison today for a federal hate crime after assaulting a victim on the basis of their sexual orientation.
Daniel Andrew McGee, 26, was sentenced to 151 months in federal prison and five years of supervised release.
“The right to live safely in one’s community is a fundamental civil right,” said U.S. Attorney Scott E. Bradford for the District of Oregon. “The District of Oregon remains committed to combatting hate crimes and protecting that right for all. While no conviction can undo the harm caused, we hope this sentence will bring some measure of justice to the victim and our community.”
“Hate crimes impact not just individuals, but entire communities,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Matt Torres of the FBI Portland Field Office. “The FBI works together with our partners to prevent hate crimes from impacting our communities, and every attack on someone because of who and what they are deserves to be acted on by the full extent of the law.”
According to court documents, on the evening of July 5, 2021, McGee met the victim at the victim’s apartment after communicating on the dating application Grindr, an application originally designed for, and primarily used by, gay men. McGee assaulted the victim over the course of several minutes, striking the victim on the head with a wooden tire thumper and using his hands to try to gouge the victim’s eyes out. The victim sustained life-threatening injuries during the assault, including serious head wounds.
The investigation revealed McGee had been researching and planning the attack for weeks. For at least one month prior to the attack, McGee searched the internet for homophobic and graphically violent anti-gay material. McGee planned for the attack by purchasing the weapon and other materials from Amazon and searching the internet for suggestions on how to get away with murder.
On Nov. 18, 2021, a federal grand jury in Eugene, Oregon, returned a one-count indictment charging McGee with a federal hate crime involving an attempt to kill.
On Nov. 25, 2025, McGee pleaded guilty to count one of the indictment.
The FBI investigated the case with assistance from the Eugene Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Huynh for the District of Oregon and Trial Attorney Tenette Smith for the Civil Rights Division Criminal Section prosecuted the case.
South Carolina Man Sentenced for Distributing Methamphetamine Supplied by Mexico-Based Drug SourceRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A South Carolina man was sentenced to prison today for distributing kilogram quantities of methamphetamine supplied by a Mexico-based drug trafficking organization (DTO) with ties to the Sinaloa cartel, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
Nicolas Yarcil Uribe-Tamayo, 26, of Easley, S.C., was ordered to serve 151 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release. Previously, on November 7, 2024, Uribe-Tamayo pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of actual methamphetamine.
According to court documents and information presented at the sentencing hearing, in 2023, law enforcement learned that a Mexico-based DTO with ties to the Sinaloa cartel was shipping kilogram quantities of methamphetamine into North Carolina. During the investigation, Uribe-Tamayo was identified as a local distributor for the DTO. While being surveilled by law enforcement, another member of the DTO met with Uribe-Tamayo and provided him with a kilogram of methamphetamine. After the drug delivery was completed, law enforcement observed Uribe-Tamayo’s vehicle as he traveled to Charlotte. Uribe-Tamayo drove recklessly and at a high rate of speed until stopping at a local restaurant on West Sugar Creek Road. Law enforcement approached Uribe-Tamayo to inquire about his driving and detected the odor of marijuana emanating from the vehicle. Law enforcement conducted a search of the vehicle and found a kilogram of methamphetamine on the floorboard of the rear seat area. Law enforcement also found an AR-15 style rifle, a loaded hi-capacity magazine loaded with 32 rounds of ammunition, and digital scales.
“Cartels like Sinaloa are infiltrating our communities with drugs, not to mention guns and violence,” said U.S. Attorney Ferguson. “We are committed to their total elimination.”
According to court records, during the investigation, law enforcement learned that Uribe-Tamayo had been involved with the DTO for nearly two years. On multiple occasions while working with the DTO, Uribe-Tamayo was provided with large quantities of narcotics that he would deliver to customers.
Uribe-Tamayo will remain in federal custody until he is transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.
In making today’s announcement U.S. Attorney Ferguson commended the Department of Homeland Security (HSI), the North Carolina Highway Patrol, the Davidson County Sheriff’s Office, the Lexington Police Department, and the Rowan County Sheriff’s Office, for their investigation of this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Nick J. Miller of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.
Snow Hill Check Fraudster Sentenced to Almost 3 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, N.C. – A federal judge sentenced Eric Lamont Salvant, 35, to almost three years in federal prison for his role in a sophisticated check-fraud ring. Inmate Salvant pleaded guilty to the charge.
According to court documents and other information presented in court, Inmate Salvant conspired with two others to obtain stolen checks through an encrypted messaging app. They altered those stolen checks and created new counterfeit checks. Once the checks had been altered or counterfeited, Inmate Salvant and his coconspirators deposited them into bank accounts held in the names of various money mules recruited by Inmate Salvant, then quickly converted the proceeds to cash.
When a bank teller in Shallotte alerted police to their attempt to deposit a counterfeit check, Police searched their car. Inmate Salvant attempted to hide a bag full of over 50 stolen and counterfeit checks and over 30 debit cards in a variety of names on a grocery-store shelf while the police arrested his coconspirators outside.
“Despite the many technological advances in our financial system, some fraudsters are still up to their old tricks,” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle. “Checks can be stolen and used to cheat banks or innocent citizens out of honest money, especially when sent through the mail. Citizens and businesses in our district should carefully monitor payments made by check to ensure delivery and deposit as intended. Our office will continue to protect the good people of Eastern North Carolina by holding fraudsters to account and working with our law enforcement partners to disrupt the criminal networks that enable these shameless crimes. Cheaters. Never. Win.”
W. Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement. The United States Secret Service investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Cogburn 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. 5:25-CR-48-M-KS.
Six Plead Guilty to, and Two Others Charged with, Illegal Re-entry into the U.S.Read the Press Release
TOLEDO, Ohio – The United States Attorney’s Office (USAO) announced immigration enforcement actions in the Northern District of Ohio. These are separate cases and are not related. The following individuals pleaded guilty Feb. 19, unless otherwise noted, to illegal reentry of a removed alien, in violation of Title 8 U.S. Code 1326.
- Francisco Constancio-Mariscal, 38, a citizen of Mexico, was previously removed from the U.S. on at least two occasions with the most recent being April 28, 2011. He was found in Port Clinton, Ottawa County, on Jan. 4. Sentencing is set for April 2.
- Marcos Alberto Bardales Lopez, 27, a citizen of Honduras, was previously removed from the U.S. on at least one occasion with the most recent being Dec. 6, 2019. He was found in Maumee, Lucas County, on Jan. 12. Sentencing is set for April 2.
- Oscar Mendoza, 52, a citizen of Honduras, was previously removed from the U.S. on at least one occasion with the most recent being Jan. 17, 2008. He was found in Maumee, Lucas County, on Jan. 12. Sentencing is set for April 2.
- Alvaro Veliz Gonzalez, 35, a citizen of Guatemala, was previously removed from the U.S. on at least four occasions with the most recent being Oct. 11, 2021. He was found in Toledo, Lucas County, on Dec. 8, 2025. Sentencing is set for April 2.
- Guillermo Gutierrez-Rivas, 36, a citizen of Mexico, was previously removed from the U.S. on at least one occasion with the most recent being June 29, 2024. He was found in Benton Township, Ottawa County, on Dec. 19, 2025. Sentencing is set for April 2.
- Juviny A. Sabillon-Fernandez, 38, a citizen of Honduras, was previously removed from the U.S. on at least one occasion with the most recent being Nov. 8, 2016. He was found in Saybrook, Ashtabula County, on Jan. 19. He pleaded guilty Feb. 17 and is scheduled to be sentenced March 23.
Federal grand juries also returned indictments charging two individuals with violating Title 8 U.S. Code 1326. They were found in the Northern District of Ohio without the consent of the U.S. Attorney General or the Secretary for Homeland Security for readmission.
- Jorge Alfaro-Rosales, 34, a citizen of Guatemala, was previously removed from the U.S. on at least one occasion with the most recent being May 31, 2013. He was found in Toledo, Ohio, Lucas County, on Feb. 2.
- Hugo Hernandez Lopez, aka Pedro Hernandez, aka Pedro Hernandez-Lopez, 36, a citizen of Mexico, was previously removed from the U.S. on at least four occasions with the most recent being Sept. 22, 2024. He was found in Toledo, Ohio, Lucas County, on Jan. 28.
Additionally, on Feb. 19, Jaime Sanchez-Tlehuactle, 37, a citizen of Mexico, was sentenced to 20 months in prison after pleading guilty to illegal reentry. He was previously removed from the United States on at least one occasion with the most recent being April 21, 2021. He is subject to a detainer from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and will be taken into administrative immigration custody for removal from the U.S. following the completion of his sentence.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The investigations in these cases leading to the indictments were conducted by the U.S. Border Patrol-Sandusky Bay Station.
Prosecutions are being led by Assistant United States Attorneys Ava Rotell Dustin, Sara Al-Sorghali, Jennifer King, Robert N. Melching, Matthew D. Simko, Alissa M. Sterling, and Tracey Ballard Tangeman for the Northern District of Ohio.
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, and to protect communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Sioux Falls Man Sentenced to Nearly 2 Years in Federal Prison for Possessing a Firearm as a FelonRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person. The sentencing took place on March 2, 2026.
Donald Hoff, 34, was sentenced to 22 months in federal prison, followed by two years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Hoff was indicted for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person by a federal grand jury in August 2025. He pleaded guilty on December 30, 2025.
Hoff possessed a Taurus 9mm pistol on March 21, 2025, in Sioux Falls, as well as approximately 27 grams of methamphetamine. He was prohibited from possessing the firearm because he had previously been convicted of a felony—possession of a stolen vehicle—under South Dakota law.
This case was investigated by ATF and the South Dakota Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Joyce prosecuted the case.
Hoff was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Serial Robber Sentenced to over 32 Years for Terrorizing More Than a Dozen Victims in Philadelphia Between 2022 and 2023Read the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Montez Moore, 32, of Philadelphia, was sentenced to 32 years in prison, 5 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay over $200,000 in restitution to victims by United States District Court Judge Gail A. Weilheimer for robbing several cellphone stores and individuals who sold high-end merchandise on Facebook Marketplace, and, in one instance, kidnapping and carjacking an employee of a business.
Moore was charged in three separate indictments filed in October 2023, December 2023, and March 2025. As charged in the first indictment, in March 2022, Moore robbed a jeweler at gunpoint after Moore tricked the jeweler into believing that Moore intended to purchase a high-end watch from him on Rising Sun Avenue. As charged in the second indictment, in December 2022, Moore and several other defendants robbed a Castor Avenue cellphone store at gunpoint and stole a firearm from the manager of the store. In May 2023, Moore was arrested at his Henry Avenue apartment in possession of the manager’s firearm. In that same case, also in December 2022, Moore also conspired with others to rob a Castor Avenue check cashing business that resulted in the owner of that business being kidnapped and carjacked at gunpoint. As charged in the third indictment, Moore and several other defendants robbed two cellphone stores at gunpoint, one on South Broad Street in December 2021, and one on Castor Avenue in November 2022. Prior to the robbery on South Broad Street, Moore and his codefendants kidnapped and carjacked an employee of the store. Additionally, Moore committed seven additional gunpoint robberies and one burglary in Philadelphia between December 2022 and February 2023.
In November 2025, Moore pled guilty to interference with interstate commerce by robbery, kidnapping, carjacking, and using and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. At the time of his guilty plea, all of Moore’s charges in indictments were consolidated for sentencing. The facts of Moore’s three cases revealed one constant, overarching theme— Moore was a conman who robbed innocent victims after deploying trickery or ambush. He selected his victims either by using the internet or stalking businesses that he thought would be easy to rob. In some instances, Moore created a phony Facebook Marketplace account and purported to be a man from Delaware who moonlighted as a high-end jewelry salesman and sold goods on the secondary market. Moore then solicited transactions from individuals who offered to sell him watches, jewelry, and handbags, and arranged to meet his victims under the guise of engaging them in legitimate financial transactions. But, when the victims arrived at the agreed upon location to conduct business, Moore stuck a gun in their faces and stole their property. On one another occasion, Moore selected a cellphone store on South Broad Street as a business to rob. He recruited two accomplices to follow an employee of the store home on New Year’s Eve in 2021. When the victim arrived at the parking lot of his apartment complex, Moore’s accomplices forced the victim into his own car at gunpoint and drove him back to the store where Moore met them and used the victim’s keys to access the store and steal cellphones, tablets, and videogame consoles worth tens of thousands of dollars.
In all, Moore harmed fourteen people in the wake of his crimes. He decided to use a gun to exert power over victims who had what he wanted: cash, cellphones, watches, jewelry, handbags, and electronics. The seriousness of the offenses cannot be overstated, and the severe punishment he received is warranted and necessary to protect the public. The citizens of this district and country expect that violent crimes committed against innocent, hardworking people are treated seriously and carry significant consequences. The lengthy sentence Moore received accounts for the public’s basic expectations and serves to promote respect for the law and how it is enforced.
The case was investigated by the FBI Philadelphia Division and the Philadelphia Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Justin Ashenfelter.
Schenectady Man Pleads Guilty to Distribution and Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Gregory Magin, age 45, of Glenville, New York, pled guilty on March 2, 2026 to one count each of distribution of child pornography and possession of child pornography.
First Assistant United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III; Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Division Craig Tremaroli; and New York State Police (NYSP) Superintendent Steven G. James made the announcement.
As part of his guilty plea, Magin admitted that in July 2024, he used an Internet-based messaging application (“application”) to encourage the production of multiple child pornography videos by another user who was actively sexually abusing a 14-year-old child. Magin then used the application to distribute one of those child pornography videos to another user. Additionally, during that same month, Magin possessed and distributed approximately 14 child pornography videos to other users of the application, including a video depicting the sexual abuse of a prepubescent child.
First Assistant United States Attorney Sarcone stated: “As admitted through Magin’s plea agreement, Magin actively encouraged the sexual abuse of a minor and promoted the creation of multiple child pornography videos capturing that abuse. Magin’s monstrous crimes will not be tolerated by this Office and now Magin will be off the street and unable to victimize children for a long, long time. Let this be a warning to those who promote the sexual abuse of children: this Office will stop at nothing to identify you, prosecute you, and remove you from our communities. I thank the FBI and New York State Police for their steadfast dedication to investigating and bringing to justice those who prey on children.”
FBI Special Agent in Charge Tremaroli stated: “Not only did Mr. Magin encourage the abuse of a child, but he further exploited the victim by sharing the disgusting images of the abuse with other predators. Today’s plea ensures he will spend a substantial amount of time in federal prison for his horrific acts. The FBI will continue to use every resource available to our Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force to investigate and hold accountable dangerous predators preying on our most vulnerable.”
NYSP Superintendent Steven G. James stated: “Acts that threaten the well-being of children are unconscionable, and we will continue to seek justice for those who have been victimized. Anyone who preys upon and is involved in predatory acts against children must understand that such crimes will not be tolerated. I thank our State Police members, the United States Attorney’s Office, and partners in law enforcement for their unwavering proactive work on this case.”
At his sentencing on July 2, 2026, Magin faces a term of imprisonment of at least 15 years and up to 30 years in prison. Magin also faces a fine of up to $250,000 and a term of supervised release of at least 5 years and up to life. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statutes the defendant is convicted of violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors. He will also be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison.
This case was investigated by FBI with the assistance of the Colonie Police Department and the New York State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney A.J. Vickey is prosecuting this case as part of Project Safe Childhood.
Project Safe Childhood is a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Sandston business owner pleads guilty to filing false tax returns and fraudulent pandemic relief applicationsRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Sandston man pled guilty today to subscribing to a false tax return and wire fraud.
According to court documents, Kevin Alphonso Starlings, 40, was the sole owner and operator of several businesses, including Jeremiah Enterprises, Starlings Enterprises, The Service Sharks, ProSource Property Solutions, and Jeremiah Entertainment LLC. Starlings issued Form W-2 Wage and Tax Statements from his five businesses to himself, purportedly reflecting the wages, tips, and other compensation he was paid, and the trust fund taxes and federal income tax that were purportedly withheld and paid over to the IRS on his behalf.
For calendar years 2016 through 2022, Starlings filed false Forms 1040 falsely reporting, among other things, that his companies had withheld hundreds of thousands of dollars in federal tax from his income and that he had paid those funds to the IRS. In total, for years 2016 through 2022, Starlings falsely reported that he had withheld and paid to the IRS $827,290. None of Starlings’ companies made any withholding or payment of federal taxes to the IRS on Starlings’ behalf for those years.
From April 2020 through at least September 2021, Starlings fraudulently obtained COVID-19 relief funds by submitting false and misleading applications to the Small Business Administration (SBA), Virginia Employment Commission (VEC), and North Carolina Division of Employment Security (DES).
For example, despite owning and operating his companies and reporting on his tax return that he earned $628,450 in wages in 2020, Starlings filed unemployment applications with the VEC and DES falsely claiming that he was laid off, terminated, or separated from his employment on March 20, 2020. Unaware of Starlings’ fraud, the VEC and DES approved the fraudulent applications and Starlings received approximately $61,726 in unemployment funds.
Starlings also submitted fraudulent applications SBA for loans through the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program, intended to enable small businesses to meet financial obligations and operating expenses during the pandemic. Starlings submitted 11 EIDL applications for his businesses with misrepresentations including false gross revenue and costs and inflated or fabricated employee counts. Most of Starlings’ EIDL applications were rejected by the SBA, but one application was approved causing the agency to disburse $15,000 to Starlings.
Starlings is scheduled to be sentenced on July 16. He faces up to 30 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
IRS Criminal Investigation and the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, investigated this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Carla Jordan-Detamore is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:26-cr-21.
Russian Ransomware Administrator Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – A Russian national pled guilty in federal court today to a charge connected to a ransomware conspiracy.
Evgenii Ptitsyn, 43, administered the sale, distribution, and operation of Phobos ransomware. Phobos ransomware, through its affiliates, victimized more than 1,000 public and private entities in the United States and around the world, and extorted ransom payments worth more than $39 million. Ptitsyn, who authorities extradited from South Korea in November 2024, pled guilty in federal court to wire fraud conspiracy.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty plea with Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva, Department of Justice (DOJ) – Criminal Division, Assistant Director Brett Leatherman, FBI Cyber Division, and Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul, FBI Baltimore Field Office.
According to the guilty plea, beginning in at least November 2020, Ptitsyn and others conspired to engage in an international computer hacking and extortion scheme that victimized public and private entities through the deployment of Phobos ransomware. As part of the scheme, Ptitsyn and his co-conspirators developed and offered access to Phobos ransomware to other criminals or “affiliates” to encrypt victims’ data and extort ransom payments from victims. The administrators operated a darknet website to coordinate the sale and distribution of Phobos ransomware to co-conspirators and used online monikers to advertise their services on criminal forums and messaging platforms.
Affiliates then hacked into the victims’ computer networks, often using stolen or otherwise unauthorized credentials; copied and stole files and programs on the victims’ networks; and encrypted the original versions of the stolen data on the networks by installing and executing Phobos ransomware. Then affiliates extorted the victims for ransom payments in exchange for decryption keys to regain access to encrypted data by leaving ransom notes on compromised victims’ computers and calling and emailing victims to initiate the ransom payment negotiations. Additionally, affiliates threatened to expose victims’ stolen files to the public — or to the victims’ clients, customers, or constituents — if the victims didn’t pay.
After a successful Phobos ransomware attack, criminal affiliates paid fees to Phobos administrators like Ptitsyn for a decryption key to regain access to the encrypted files. Each deployment of Phobos ransomware was assigned a unique alphanumeric string to match it to the corresponding decryption key, and each affiliate was directed to pay the decryption key fee to a cryptocurrency wallet unique to the affiliate. From December 2021 to April 2024, the decryption key fees were then transferred from the unique affiliate cryptocurrency wallet to a wallet Ptitsyn controlled. Ptitsyn also received a portion of the ransomware payments made by victims.
Ptitsyn faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for wire fraud count. Sentencing is set for Wednesday, July 15, at 2:30 p.m.
U.S. Attorney Kelly O. Hayes commended the FBI, along with law enforcement partners in South Korea, the United Kingdom, Japan, Spain, Belgium, Poland, Czech Republic, France, Romania, and Europol, and the U.S. Department of Defense Cyber Crime Center, for its work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas M. Sullivan, along with Senior Counsel Frank Lin of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS), who are prosecuting this federal case.
Additional details on protecting networks against Phobos ransomware are available at StopRansomware.gov, including Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency Advisory AA24-060A.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, please visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/report-fraud.
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Pine Ridge Woman Sentenced to 2 Years of Federal Probation for Participating in an Assault within the Pine Ridge ReservationRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. Magistrate Judge Daneta L. Wollmann has sentenced a Pine Ridge, South Dakota, woman convicted of Assault by Beating, Striking, or Wounding. The sentencing took place on February 27, 2026.
Joann Sutton, 24, was sentenced to two years of federal probation and ordered to pay a $25 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Sutton was indicted for Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury – Aiding and Abetting and Assault with a Dangerous Weapon – Aiding and Abetting by a federal grand jury in November 2024. She pleaded guilty on December 1, 2025.
Accompanying her sister, Jessie Sutton, Joann Sutton set upon and attacked another woman beating her about her body with a weapon and kicking her. The woman suffered injuries requiring immediate medical attention. Jessie Sutton, charged with a federal felony assault charge, is scheduled to be sentenced later.
This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in Federal court as opposed to State court.
This case was investigated by the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety Criminal Investigations Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anna Lindrooth prosecuted the case.
Philadelphia Correctional Officer and His Former Supervisor Convicted at Trial in Connection with Violation of Inmate’s Constitutional RightsRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that a correctional officer and his former supervisor were convicted at trial, in connection with the violation of an inmate’s constitutional rights and an attempt to cover it up.
Jahaan Andrews, 34, and Georgia Malloy, 58, both of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, worked at the Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility. Andrews was a correctional officer (“C.O.”) and Malloy was a lieutenant with the Philadelphia Department of Prisons (“PDP”) who supervised him.
Andrews and Malloy were charged by indictment in September of last year, along with another C.O., Oneil Murray, 31, of Philadelphia, with Deprivation of rights under color of law resulting in bodily injury and aiding and abetting, Falsification of records, and other related charges. Murray pleaded guilty to the charges earlier this month.
As proven at trial, on or about October 6, 2020, Andrews detained Inmate 1, a pretrial detainee, in a holding room, purportedly because Inmate 1 was wearing the wrong color jumpsuit. The defendants, along with the correctional sergeant, charged elsewhere, and another C.O. subsequently removed Inmate 1 from the holding room and escorted him to his cell, to conduct a strip search of Inmate 1 and have him change into the correct jumpsuit.
Once inside Inmate 1’s cell, the group of correctional officers ordered Inmate 1 to strip. They then punched, kicked and assaulted Inmate 1 numerous times, knocking him to the ground. As a result of the assault, Inmate 1 was hospitalized with injuries to his face, ribs, and scrotum, and had to undergo emergency surgery.
After any use of force by a C.O. against an inmate, PDP correctional officers who used force, and those who witnessed another C.O. use force, were required to complete reports about what happened, prior to the end of their shift.
In the weeks that followed the assault, the defendants and the correctional sergeant conspired to falsify records, with the intent to impede, obstruct, and influence the investigation and proper administration of a matter within the jurisdiction of the FBI.
Andrews and Murray wrote their use of force reports about the October 6 incident, and Malloy her investigation report, so that they exaggerated the aggressiveness of Inmate 1 and disclosed as little of the true nature of the force the C.O.s used against him as they believed was necessary, to avoid scrutiny of their conduct by their superior officers and others. The reports also falsely claimed that the correctional sergeant did not use force in the October 6, incident.
Andrews faces a maximum possible sentence of 35 years in prison and Malloy a maximum possible sentence of 40 years in prison.
“Correctional officers hold extraordinary power over those in their custody, and with that power comes a clear obligation to protect individuals’ rights while in custody,” said U. S. Attorney Metcalf. “The defendants abused that authority by violently assaulting an inmate and then attempting to conceal their misconduct. This guilty verdict affirms that civil rights violations, especially by those sworn to uphold the law, will be investigated and prosecuted, and those responsible will be held accountable.”
"Let these convictions show that no law enforcement officer is above the law," said Wayne A. Jacobs, special agent in charge of the FBI's Philadelphia Field Office. "Together with our law enforcement partners, the FBI will continue to aggressively investigate potential abuses of power and civil rights violations in our community. We remain steadfast in investigating and bringing to justice those who abuse their authority."
This case was investigated by the FBI, with significant assistance from the Philadelphia Department of Prisons, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Everett Witherell and Michael Miller.
Peruvian National Sentenced to Prison for Illegally Reentering U.S.Read the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that CHRISTIAN MAXIMO CASTANEDA NEGRETE, 47, a citizen of Peru, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in New Haven to six months of imprisonment for illegally reentering the United States after being deported.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in July 2001, Castaneda Negrete was admitted to the U.S. on a nonimmigrant visa lasting for a period not to exceed one year. In February 2004, Castaneda Negrete was convicted in Connecticut Superior Court in New Britain of burglary in the first degree and unlawful restraint, and was sentenced to six years of incarceration, suspended after nine months. In March 2012, Castaneda Negrete was removed to Peru. Castaneda Negrete illegally reentered the U.S. and, on November 20, 2024, was arrested by the Hartford Police Department and charged with sexual assault in the second degree.
This matter was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Enforcement and Removal Operations. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Lembo.
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.
Perry Felon Pleads Guilty to Distribution of Methamphetamine While on Supervised ReleaseRead the Press Release
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Robert “Bobby” Shane Willis, 46, of Perry, Florida, pleaded guilty in federal court to distribution of 5 grams or more of methamphetamine, with a sentencing enhancement due to a prior conviction for a serious drug felony. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Peddling deadly drugs in the Northern District of Florida is a one-way ticket to federal prison, but this defendant clearly didn’t learn his lesson the first time so he has punched his ticket for yet another extended period of incarceration. The citizens of this District deserve safe, drug-free streets, and that is exactly what my office will deliver by continuing to aggressively prosecute crimes and criminals like this until that promise is fulfilled.”
Court documents reflect on March 5, 2025, the defendant sold 6.6 grams of 97% pure methamphetamine during an undercover law enforcement operation. Willis had previously served 108 months in federal prison for drug-trafficking and firearms charges. At the time he committed the current offense, he was still on federal supervised release for those prior convictions.
Willis faces an enhanced sentence requiring a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison as well as a pending violation of supervised release for the prior felonies.
The case involved a joint investigation by the Perry Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney James A. McCain.
Sentencing for Willis is scheduled for May 6, 2026, at 10:00 am, at the United States Courthouse in Tallahassee, Florida before Chief United States District Judge Allen C. Winsor.
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.
Owner of Chicago-Area Convenience Stores Sentenced to Four Years in Prison for Defrauding Low-Income Food ProgramRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A federal judge has sentenced the owner of several Chicago-area convenience stores to four years in prison for scheming to defraud a low-income food program for women and children.
From 2010 to 2018, HASSAN ABDELLATIF schemed with eight other convenience store owners or workers in the Chicago area to fraudulently redeem checks from the Women, Infants, and Children (“WIC”) program, a federally funded initiative designed to provide a nutritious diet to low-income children and pregnant, breastfeeding, and post-partum women. Abdellatif and the others knowingly allowed customers to provide their WIC checks as payment for ineligible items at the stores, often at inflated prices. In all, ten stores involved in the scheme redeemed more than $19 million in WIC checks.
A federal jury last year convicted Abdellatif, 37, of Chicago, on all five counts against him, including two counts of wire fraud, one count of fraudulently obtaining government benefits, and two counts of willfully failing to file corporate tax returns. In addition to the four-year prison term, U.S. District Judge Jorge L. Alonso on Tuesday ordered Abdellatif to pay more than $8.8 million in restitution to the government.
Eight others were charged in federal court as part of this investigation. All eight have pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing.
The sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI, Shantel R. Robinson, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Midwest Regional Office of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General, and Adam Jobes, Special Agent-in-Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation in Chicago. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kartik K. Raman and Rick Young.
“Hassan Abdellatif and his co-schemers engaged in conduct that was extremely serious, complex, and wide-ranging in scope,” AUSA Raman argued in the government’s sentencing memorandum. “Vulnerable communities are impacted when individuals steal from those programs.”
Orangeburg County Felon Sentenced to Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing a GunRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Kamari Johnson, 26, of Orangeburg, has been sentenced to more than four years in federal prison for illegally possessing a firearm.
Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Orangeburg Department of Public Safety believed that Johnson was selling cocaine in the area. On May 13, 2024, law enforcement used a confidential informant to arrange the purchase of a firearm and cocaine from Johnson. Johnson agreed and sold the informant a gun and a small amount of cocaine.
Johnson was prohibited from possessing the firearm based upon prior convictions for burglary and pointing and presenting a firearm.
United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis sentenced Johnson to 57 months imprisonment, to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was investigated by Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Orangeburg Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney William K. Witherspoon prosecuted the case.
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Okmulgee County Resident Sentenced for RobberyRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Darin Treyvon Miles, a/k/a Elmo, age 22, of Okmulgee, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 84 months in prison for one count of Robbery in Indian Country.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Okmulgee Police Department, and the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Lighthorse Tribal Police Department.
On August 11, 2025, Miles pleaded guilty to the charge in federal district court. According to investigators, on May 8, 2025, Miles stole the victim’s wallet and cell phone at gunpoint. During the robbery, the victim was shot in the shoulder, suffering serious bodily injury. The crime occurred in Okmulgee County, within the boundaries of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Reservation, in 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. Miles 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 Jonathan E. Soverly represented the United States.
Ohio Man Sentenced to 60 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
FORT WAYNE – On March 4, 2026, Parke Althaus, 31 years old, of Findlay, Ohio, was sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge Holly A. Brady after pleading guilty to a three count Indictment charging him with distribution of a controlled substance, including charges that carried mandatory minimum sentence, announced United States Attorney Adam L. Mildred.
Althaus was sentenced to 60 months in prison followed by 4 years of supervised release.
According to documents in the case, on three occasions between February and April 2025, Althaus sold a combination of LSD, Ketamine, and MDMA to another individual.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration with assistance from the Fort Wayne Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dawn Ransom.
Nebraska Man to Federal Prison for Illegal Possession of a Firearm and Meth Distribution in IowaRead the Press Release
Chad Billheimer, 48, from Wayne, Nebraska, was sentenced on March 4, 2026, in federal court to 180 months’ imprisonment.
Billheimer pled guilty October 6, 2025, to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, possession and aiding and abetting another in the possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings showed that Billheimer was involved in a conspiracy that distributed more than 2500 grams of meth from 2022 through November 2024. On November 9, 2024, Billheimer was stopped by Sioux City law enforcement for driving the wrong way on a one-way street. During the traffic stop a K-9 alerted on the vehicle. A search of the vehicle revealed a firearm, a 9mm handgun, (later determined to be stolen) from a backpack in the backseat and about two ounces of methamphetamine. Billheimer admitted to dealing over 5 pounds of methamphetamine obtained from a source of supply in Nebraska that he further distributed in Iowa and Nebraska. Billheimer further admitted that he acquired the firearm prior to dealing drugs but now had the handgun to protect himself when he was dealing methamphetamine. Billheimer was previously convicted of driving under the influence, third offense in Nebraska in 2009, a felony, which prohibits him from possessing any firearm.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand sentenced Billheimer to 180 months’ imprisonment and he must serve a five-year term of supervised release following imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. Billheimer remains in custody of the United States Marshal until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by the Tri-State Drug Task Force based in Sioux City, Iowa, that consists of law enforcement personnel from the Drug Enforcement Administration; Sioux City, Iowa, Police Department; Homeland Security Investigations; Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office; South Sioux City, Nebraska, Police Department; Nebraska State Patrol; Iowa National Guard; Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; United States Marshals Service; South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation; and Woodbury County Attorney’s Office.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-4008. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.