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3 March 2026
Longtime offender sentenced to 20 years in prison for running drug operations from Columbus houses & prisonRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A career criminal offender was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to 240 months in prison for leading a narcotics operation, including from jail.
Petrocelli Robertson, 40, of Columbus, was part of a drug trafficking organization that sold fentanyl, cocaine and methamphetamine. Robertson is also known as “Bible” and “Juice.”
According to court documents, from May 2021 until July 2024, Robertson trafficked narcotics out of Columbus residences on Racine and Dana avenues. After his arrest in this case, Robertson directed his other associates to continue his drug operations.
Robertson’s criminal history started at least 20 years ago. In the early 2000s, he was convicted of kidnapping with a firearm and sentenced to serve eight years in prison consecutive to a federal sentence imposed for dealing cocaine base. After serving those prison sentences, he was convicted of illegally conveying drugs into Mansfield Correctional Institution and spitting on a corrections officer at Lebanon Correctional Institution.
Two of Robertson’s four co-defendants in this case are also scheduled to be sentenced this week. Robertson’s former wife, Amber Limoli, pleaded guilty to continuing the drug operation while her husband was in jail. His doorman, Danny Hood, oversaw a residence on South Guilford Avenue where drugs were regularly sold and was in the process of establishing another stash house on Stevens Avenue.
The investigation also revealed that Hood was renting rooms for women engaging in prostitution and was exchanging drugs for things of value. Hood exploited drug-addicted women, often letting them stay with him and assisting them as they engaged in prostitution so they would have cash to purchase drugs from him.
Coconspirator Terrel L. Patterson has also pleaded guilty in this case and awaits sentencing later this month.
Robertson pleaded guilty in July 2025 to conspiring to distribute and possessing with the intent to distribute fentanyl, cocaine and methamphetamine, and to illegally possessing a firearm as a previously convicted felon.
Dominick S. Gerace II, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Jorge Rosendo, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF); Jared Murphey, Acting Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Detroit; and officials with the Central Ohio Human Trafficking Task Force announced the sentence imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Michael H. Watson. Assistant United States Attorneys Elizabeth A. Geraghty and Jennifer M. Rausch are representing the United States in this case.
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Kentucky Man Sentenced to Prison for Fentanyl CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Kody D. Harless, 28, of Tomahawk, Kentucky, was sentenced on Monday, March 2, 2026, to eight years and 10 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute a quantity of fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on August 15, 2023, Harless received approximately 4.75 grams of fentanyl from an individual in Huntington. A law enforcement officer conducted a traffic stop of the vehicle in which Harless was traveling following the transaction and located and seized the fentanyl. As part of his guilty plea, Harless admitted that he obtained the seized fentanyl after arranging to purchase it beforehand, and that he intended to distribute some of it.
Harless also admitted to additional criminal conduct. Harless participated in a conspiracy to receive fentanyl and methamphetamine in the Southern District of West Virginia for distribution. Harless admitted that he took part in the conspiracy from at least July 2023 to in and around November 2023, received methamphetamine and fentanyl on a regular basis from others in the Huntington area, and transported the controlled substances to Kentucky where he distributed them.
Harless is among 27 individuals indicted on charges alleging they participated in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) responsible for distributing large quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl in the Huntington area. Harless and another co-defendant pleaded guilty to separate charges in lieu of the offenses alleged in the indictment. Twenty-three defendants pleaded guilty in the main indictment. Charges against the remaining defendants are pending. An indictment is merely an allegation, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Cabell County Sheriff’s Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), the West Virginia State Police, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. MDENT is composed of the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the Nitro Police Department, the St. Albans Police Department and the South Charleston Police Department..
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Joseph F. Adams and Stephanie Taylor prosecuted the case.
The investigation was part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The program was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and is the keystone of the Department of Justice’s drug reduction strategy. OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States.
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. 3:24-cr-7.
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Justice Department Secures Order Against Michigan Pet Store Owner to Allow Inspectors Access to Assess Health and Well-Being of AnimalsRead the Press Release
A federal court last week issued a temporary restraining order against K&M Pets LLC which owns a pet store in Saginaw, Michigan, that sells and offers encounters with exotic animals. The order was issued based on claims that K&M Pets had repeatedly refused to allow Department of Agriculture (USDA) officials access to inspect its facilities, animals, and records in violation of the Animal Welfare Act (AWA).
“This case shows that there are consequences for dealers and exhibitors who violate the obligations of their license and attempt to evade the Animal Welfare Act requirements that protect the health and safety of the animals in their care,” said Deputy Principal Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Department of Justice’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “The Animal Welfare Act exists to protect these animals, and the Department of Justice will vigorously enforce this law and hold to account those who violate it.”
“This action demonstrates the shared commitment of the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Department of Agriculture to use all available tools to ensure the effective and expeditious enforcement of the Animal Welfare Act,” said General Counsel Tyler Clarkson of the USDA.
The Department of Justice filed a complaint for injunctive relief in the Eastern District of Michigan on Feb. 24 — followed by a motion for temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction three days later — alleging that K&M Pets engaged in a pattern and practice of attempting to avoid its AWA obligations. According to the complaint, the pet store operated by K&M Pets sells dogs and exotic animals, and has evaded federal oversight by denying inspectors from USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) access to its facilities, animals, and records. During the latest attempted inspection in January, the APHIS inspector — who was ultimately unable to conduct an inspection — observed concerning conditions in the public areas of the pet store facility, including animals in enclosures without water or shelter and a sloth that was exposed to harsh drafts of negative-22-degree Michigan winter weather.
USDA referred this matter to the Department of Justice based on concerns of potential conditions animals faced by in facilities operated by K&M Pets. The temporary restraining order will help USDA assess the health and well-being of animals in K&M Pets’ possession. This lawsuit follows Attorney General Pamela Bondi’s “Prioritization of Animal Welfare Enforcement” memorandum and furthers the Department of Justice’s goal of combatting animal cruelty.
USDA’s APHIS is investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Kamela A. Caschette, Christian H. Carrara, and Bonnie M. Ballard of the Environment and Natural Resources Division’s Wildlife and Marine Resources Section are handling this case, with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan.
Justice Department Files Civil Injunction to Bar New Jersey Tax Return Preparer from Preparing Tax Returns for OthersRead the Press Release
The Justice Department filed a civil injunction suit today in federal court in Trenton, New Jersey. The suit seeks to bar a Monmouth County, New Jersey, tax return preparer and his businesses from owning or operating a tax return preparation business and preparing tax returns for others.
The complaint alleges that Thomas Donkor, doing business as VIP Biz Center LLC and VIP Tax Services, prepared federal tax returns for customers on which he claimed fraudulent deductions to purposely underreport the tax his customers owed, and claimed refunds they were not entitled to receive. Specifically, the complaint alleges that Donkor prepared returns that falsify business expenses, income, and losses, and claimed improper itemized deductions for non-deductible rent and unreimbursed business expenses for ineligible taxpayers. In addition to these fictitious and fraudulent claims, the complaint describes how Donkor violated the law by failing to obtain the customer’s signature on the return, failing to provide the customer with a copy of the return, and failing to explain the fee he charged.
According to the complaint, Donkor’s repeated understatement of tax has harmed the United States by causing an estimated revenue loss of over $2.4 million in tax year 2024. In addition to seeking an injunction against Donkor, the government has requested an order disgorging roughly $555,000 in ill-gotten gains to prevent him from profiting from his violation of the Internal Revenue laws.
Deputy Assistant Attorney General Joshua Wu of the Civil Division’s Tax Litigation Branch made the announcement.
Attorney Adam S. Domitz of the Tax Litigation Branch is handling this matter.
Taxpayers seeking a return preparer should remain vigilant against unscrupulous tax preparers. The IRS has information on its website for choosing a tax return preparer and has launched a free directory of federal tax preparers. The IRS also offers 10 tips to avoid tax season fraud and ways to safeguard their personal information.
In addition, IRS Free File, a public-private partnership, offers free online tax preparation and filing options on IRS partner websites for individuals whose adjusted gross income is under $89,000. For individuals whose income is over that threshold, IRS Free File offers electronic federal tax forms that can be filled out and filed online for free.
In the past decade, the Department of Justice has obtained injunctions against hundreds of unscrupulous tax preparers. Information about these cases is available on the Justice Department’s website. An alphabetical listing of persons enjoined from preparing returns and promoting tax schemes can be found on this page. If you believe that one of the enjoined persons or businesses may be violating an injunction, please contact the Civil Division, Tax Litigation Branch with details.
Donkor Complaint.pdfJacksonville Marketing Company Owner Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Defraud Medicare and Medicaid in the Provision of HIV Prophylactic MedicationsRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – Jonathan Simeon Gholston (35, Jacksonville) has pleaded guilty to conspiring to receive kickbacks in return for the referral of Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries for the provision of HIV prophylactic medications. He faces a maximum penalty of 5 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to the plea agreement, Gholston owned and operated a marketing company that entered into an agreement with a Jacksonville pharmacy to market HIV post-exposure prophylactic medications that would be provided by the pharmacy. HIV post-exposure prophylactic medications are medicines that must be taken very soon after a possible exposure to HIV to prevent the virus from taking hold in the body.
The marketing company’s representatives set up tents and tables in Jacksonville, generally in low-income areas and usually near store fronts, and offered to provide free, government-sponsored cellphones to anyone who stopped and agreed to provide their personal information to obtain the phones. As a result of the marketing company’s agreement with the pharmacy, while obtaining the personal information necessary for the person to receive the free cellphone, the marketers also obtained health insurance information, including whether the person was covered by Medicare or Medicaid. The persons who were signed up by the marketers believed that they were agreeing only to receive a free cellphone and did not request or agree to receive HIV medications.
The agreement between the marketing company and the pharmacy provided that pharmacy would pay the marketing company $200 for every person who was referred for the provision of HIV medications but that the pharmacy would pay this amount only if a claim submitted on behalf of the person was paid by Medicare or Medicaid. The marketing company in turn paid its marketers a set amount, usually $50, for every person they referred, but it paid this amount only if the claim for that person was paid by Medicare or Medicaid. Payments to marketers of a set amount based on whether a claim is paid are illegal kickbacks under federal law.
The information gathered by the marketers was sent to the pharmacy, which used the information to generate prescriptions for HIV prophylactic medications that were authorized by a nurse practitioner. The nurse practitioner had never seen, spoken with, or performed any manner of evaluation, examination, or test on the persons for whom the prescriptions were issued. The pharmacy filled the prescriptions, submitted claims to Medicare or Medicaid for the medications, and was reimbursed approximately $4,000 per month for each person for whom a claim was paid.
During the investigation, law enforcement agents interviewed numerous individuals who had received HIV medications without their request or consent. For some of these, taking the medications could have seriously endangered their health, given pre-existing medical conditions from which they suffered.
The actions of Gholston and his co‑conspirators caused the submission of approximately 20,316 fraudulent claims to Medicare and Medicaid, resulting in reimbursements from Medicare totaling approximately $11,681,479 and reimbursements from Medicaid totaling approximately $12,536,267. Accordingly, the total loss to these programs was approximately $24,217,746. From this amount, Gholston received a total of approximately $2,273,000, which he has agreed to forfeit to the government.
This case was investigated by U.S. Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Arnold B. Corsmeier. The forfeiture is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Harrington.
Indictment Charges Investment Advisor with Defrauding Financial Services Companies of $3.3. MillionRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and P.J. O’Brien, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the FBI, today announced that a federal grand jury in New Haven has returned an 11-count indictment charging ANDREW M. KOMAROW, 36, of Avon, with offenses related to his alleged defrauding of three financial services companies of approximately $3.3 million.
The indictment was returned on February 4, 2026. Komarow appeared yesterday before U.S. Magistrate Judge S. Dave Vatti in Bridgeport, pleaded not guilty to the charges in the indictment, and was released on a $50,000 bond.
As alleged in the indictment, Komarow, an investment advisor and broker-dealer who serviced a range of clients, defrauded three financial services companies by taking advantage of credit extended by the financial services companies and exploiting the delay in time from when he initiated Automated Clearing House (“ACH”) fund transfers, also known as electronic fund transfers or “EFTs,” between his personal bank accounts and his personal brokerage accounts, to the time when the transactions were posted and cleared by the financial services companies. Between approximately October 2022 and February 2023, Komarow initiated approximately $8.9 million in EFT/ACH transfers from his bank accounts to multiple, often newly opened, brokerage accounts despite having insufficient funds in his bank accounts to support the transfers. He then used the brokerage accounts to conduct high-risk, short-term options trading in an attempt to make immediate profits to cover his insufficient funds. Through this scheme, the three financial services companies suffered total losses of $3,352,407.
The indictment charges Komarow with 10 counts of wire fraud, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years on each count, and one count of securities fraud, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.
U.S. Attorney Sullivan stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This investigation is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher W. Schmeisser.
Indiana Man Who Targeted a Local Christian Church for Vandalism Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS- Steven James Perkinson, 21, of Plainfield, Indiana has been sentenced to 10 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to intentional damage to religious property and making a false statement to an agency of the United States.
According to court documents, on November 18, 2024, Perkinson vandalized the sign in front of Maple Grove Baptist Church in Plainfield by spray-painting a pitchfork and the numbers “666” over the display, and by painting over the sign’s cross symbol with an “X.”
When questioned by FBI agents, Perkinson initially denied knowledge of involvement. Days later, after agents executed a search warrant on his cell phone, he admitted he targeted the sign because it belonged to a Christian church and stated he was motivated by his involvement in various Satanic groups.
A forensic review of Perkinson’s cell phone revealed extensive research into local churches, including searches for “Maple Grove Baptist Church Plainfield,” “Churches near me,” “Plainfield Bible Church photos,” and terms associated with occult organizations such as “Noctulian Blood Covenant” and “Nexion 435.”
Although Perkinson had no prior criminal record, he first came to the attention of the FBI in 2023 after posting on Instagram: “Now I just sit alone in my room for hours a day… Schools are meant for shooting up not learning…” Additional evidence recovered from his phone raised further concerns about violent ideation. Agents found searches for the “address of largest Jewish church in America,” online messages claiming access to firearms and encouraging mass violence, photographs of Perkinson posing with recently deceased animals, and evidence that he had set fire to a dumpster.
“Targeting any house of worship because of its faith is an attack on the fundamental freedoms that define our nation. This defendant’s conduct, paired with his disturbing online activity, posed a real threat to those liberties,” said Tom Wheeler, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “This sentence makes clear that hate‑fueled vandalism and threats of violence will be met with swift and serious federal consequences.”
“Places of worship are meant to be spaces of peace, reflection, and community - not targets of intimidation or hate,” said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Timothy J. O’Malley. “Everyone deserves to feel safe practicing their faith without fear. The FBI will continue to aggressively investigate hate-based crimes and work alongside our partners to ensure those who target religious communities are identified and held accountable.”
The FBI investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Chief Judge James R. Sweeney II.
U.S. Attorney Wheeler thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Peter A. Blackett and Carolyn Haney, as well as Trial Attorney Briana Clark of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section, who prosecuted this case.
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Illinois Man Charged with Production of Child Pornography, Online Enticement, the Commission of A Felony Sex Offense by an Individual Required to Register as A Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Stephen Dalton Fleming, Jr., age 49, of Creve Cour, Illinois, was indicted on February 24, 2026, by a federal grand jury for multiple criminal charges related to child exploitation, including the production of child pornography, online enticement, and the commission of a felony sex offense by an individual required to register as a sex offender.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, the indictment alleges that beginning on or about January 1, 2025 through on or about February 12, 2026, in Pike County, Pennsylvania, Fleming enticed at least one child to produce child pornography by engaging in sexually explicit conduct so that those acts could be memorialized and shared online. At the time Fleming engaged in these acts, he was on lifetime supervision for a prior federal felony offense involving a minor.
The case was investigated by the Homeland Security Investigations. 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.
The maximum penalty under federal law for these offenses is life imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following the finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Illegal Alien Sentenced to Serve More Than Six Years in Federal Prison after Injuring ICE Officer While Fleeing from Traffic StopRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – JOSE MELGAR-RIVAS, 35, of Honduras, has been sentenced to serve 78 months in federal prison for assaulting, resisting, or impeding a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer resulting in bodily injury, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
According to public records, on July 15, 2025, ICE officers conducted a traffic stop on NW 23rd Street in Oklahoma City. The driver, Melgar-Rivas, a Honduran national who had illegally entered the U.S., refused officers’ commands to exit the vehicle. As officers attempted to remove him, a struggle ensued.
During the altercation, Melgar-Rivas placed the vehicle in drive and fled the scene. As the vehicle accelerated, an ICE officer became caught in the vehicle’s door and was dragged down the roadway. The officer was eventually able to free himself but sustained multiple, serious injuries. Melgar-Rivas fled but was arrested several hours later.
“The defendant’s reckless decisions to resist, assault, and flee from law enforcement resulted in serious injury to an ICE officer,” said U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester. “ Today’s sentence demonstrates that those who put law enforcement officers and the community at risk will be held accountable. I commend the coordinated efforts of our federal and local law enforcement partners and the prosecutors who worked to secure justice for the injured officer.”
“This sentencing sends a clear message: Attacks on federal officers will not be tolerated. Our officer endured life-altering injuries simply for doing his job protecting our communities and enforcing the law. HSI stands resolute in defending our personnel and ensuring those who threaten their safety are held fully accountable,” said Travis Pickard, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Dallas Special Agent in Charge. “We are grateful for the unwavering support of our law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in securing justice for our colleague and his family.”
“This defendant made a conscious decision to turn his vehicle into a weapon, a blatant act of contempt for human life and the rule of law,” said FBI Oklahoma City Special Agent in Charge Doug Goodwater. “Today’s sentencing sends an indisputable message: the FBI stands firmly behind our law enforcement partners, and we will act decisively to defend them.”
On August 5, 2025, a federal Grand Jury charged Melgar-Rivas with assaulting, resisting, or impeding a federal officer resulting in bodily injury. Melgar-Rivas pleaded guilty on September 30, 2025, and admitted he impeded and interfered with an ICE officer, resulting in bodily injury to the agent.
At the sentencing hearing today, U.S. District Judge Bernard M. Jones, II, sentenced Melgar-Rivas to serve 78 months in federal prison. In announcing his sentence, Judge Jones noted the harm caused to the victim and the danger Melgar-Rivas presented to himself and others as a result of his actions.
After serving his sentence, Melgar-Rivas will be deported.
This case is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations, and the Oklahoma City Police Department, with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany Edgmon 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, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Reference is made to public filings for additional information.
Huntington Man Sentenced to Prison for Child Pornography CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Konnor Wolfe Lyons, 35, of Huntington, was sentenced on Monday, March 2, 2026, to five years in prison, to be followed by 15 years of supervised release, for receipt or attempted receipt of child pornography. Lyons must also register as a sex offender.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on September 24, 2023, Lyons utilized a peer-to-peer file sharing computer network to download 464 digital media files containing child pornography. As part of his guilty plea, Lyons admitted that he knowingly downloaded the files via an internet connection and knew they depicted minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct including sadistic and masochistic abuse.
Lyons also admitted to additional criminal conduct. On September 2, 2024, Lyons utilized a peer-to-peer file-sharing computer network to download six digital media files containing child pornography. Lyons admitted that the files depicted minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct and he downloaded them using an internet connection.
On November 4, 2025, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Lyons’ residence and seized his cell phone. A forensic extraction of the cell phone revealed 1,546 images of child pornography that Lyons had downloaded from the internet.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Parkersburg Police Department.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Lesley C. Shamblin prosecuted the case.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative of the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
This case is also the result of Operation Restore Justice, a coordinated enforcement effort to identify, track and arrest child sex predators. The operation resulted in the rescue of 115 children and the arrests of 205 child sexual abuse offenders in the nationwide crackdown. The coordinated effort was executed over the course of five days by all 55 FBI field offices, the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section in the Department’s Criminal Division, and United States Attorney’s Offices around the country.
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. 3:25-cr-76.
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Honduran National Sentenced to Federal Prison for Illegal Reentry and Firearm Offense after Carjacking and Forcing Woman to Withdraw CashRead the Press Release
Defendant Faces Additional Aggravated Kidnapping Charge in Texas
OKLAHOMA CITY – EDUARDO JAVIER ORDONEZ-GODOY, 36, of Honduras, has been sentenced to serve 120 months in federal prison for being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm and ammunition and illegal reentry into the United States after a previous deportation, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
According to public records, on December 24, 2024, Ordonez-Godoy approached a woman in the parking lot of an apartment complex in Haltom City, Texas. Armed with a firearm, Ordonez-Godoy forced the victim into the backseat of her vehicle and drove her to a nearby bank, where he ordered her to withdraw cash from an ATM.
After the withdrawal, Ordonez-Godoy forced the victim back into the vehicle and continued driving around the area, threatening to prostitute her and sell her organs. A short time later, Ordonez-Godoy tied the victim to a tree using her shoelaces and fled in her vehicle. The victim freed herself and reported the crimes to law enforcement.
Later that day, the stolen vehicle was involved in a hit-and-run in North Richland Hills, Texas.
On December 25, 2024, an officer with the Oklahoma City Police Department located the stolen vehicle in the parking lot of an apartment complex in Oklahoma City. Ordonez-Godoy was found asleep inside the vehicle and was arrested. Officers recovered 42 rounds of ammunition and cash from his pockets, as well as a loaded firearm from beneath the driver’s seat.
Public records further reflect that Ordonez-Godoy was previously removed from the United States to Honduras on April 3, 2019.
On August 5, 2025, a federal grand jury returned a two-count Indictment charging Ordonez-Godoy with being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm and ammunition and reentry of a removed alien. Ordonez-Godoy pleaded guilty on October 22, 2025, admitting that he knowingly reentered the United States after being previously removed and that he possessed a firearm and ammunition despite being prohibited from doing so.
At the sentencing hearing on February 25, 2026, U.S. District Judge Charles Goodwin sentenced Ordonez-Godoy to serve 120 months in federal prison. In announcing his sentence, Judge Goodwin noted the serious nature of the crimes and the need for deterrence, just punishment, and protection of the public.
Following the sentencing, Ordonez-Godoy faces additional state charges in Tarrant County, Texas, for aggravated kidnapping with a deadly weapon.
This case is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Oklahoma City Police Department, and Haltom City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jordan Ganz 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.
Reference is made to public filings for additional information.
Honduran National Sentenced for Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – JOSE LUIS PAZ-BONILLA, age 47, a citizen of Honduras, was sentenced after previously pleading guilty to illegal reentry of a removed alien, in violation of 8 U.S.C. § 1326(a), announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle.
According to the Bill of Information, JOSE LUIS PAZ-BONILLA reentered the United States on or about November 3, 2025, after having been previously removed on or about September 21, 2000.
U.S. District Judge Nannette Jolivette Brown sentenced JOSE LUIS PAZ-BONILLA to time served, 1-year of supervised release after imprisonment, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee. JOSE LUIS PAZ-BONILLA also has an order for removal from the United States after his sentencing.
U.S. Attorney Courcelle praised the work of the United States Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in investigating this matter. The prosecution of this case was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Irene González in the General Crimes Unit.
Honduran National Found with Fentanyl and Methamphetamine at Oakland Home Where Minors Lived Convicted of Drug Trafficking OffensesRead the Press Release
OAKLAND – A federal jury yesterday convicted Maxfer Palma, who was found with more than two kilograms of methamphetamine and fentanyl in an apartment where multiple children lived, with one count each of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine on premises where children were present or resided, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
The jury’s verdict follows a five-day trial before U.S. District Judge Jon S. Tigar.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Palma, 29, a Honduran national, possessed a black backpack in his apartment in East Oakland that contained more than 400 grams of methamphetamine, more than 200 grams of a mixture containing fentanyl, various other controlled substances, and digital scales. Oakland Police Department officers found the black backpack hidden in a laundry hamper in Palma’s bedroom closet. In addition to the drugs, Palma had a firearm and a magazine loaded with ammunition in the same black backpack.
The jury also found that Palma possessed a green backpack containing four bricks of methamphetamine weighing more than 1,700 grams, which law enforcement found hidden in a dog crate with a small dog in the living room of his apartment.
Multiple children, including two minors who appeared to be under the age of 10, were present in the apartment right before OPD officers searched it and found the drugs, firearm, and ammunition.
“We will continue to aggressively prosecute dealers who poison our communities with these dangerous substances. The defendant’s decisions to store deadly drugs and a firearm in a home where multiple children live showed a callous disregard for human life. We thank the jury for bringing him to account for his inexcusable actions,” said United States Attorney Craig H. Missakian.
“DEA is focused on breaking the command, control, and distribution networks responsible for the fentanyl crisis. Our top operational priority is to eliminate the cartels and foreign terrorist organizations responsible for flooding the United States with fentanyl. Illicit fentanyl is closer to a chemical weapon than a narcotic, just two milligrams – a few grains of salt – can be deadly,” said San Francisco Division DEA Special Agent in Charge Bob P. Beris.
The evidence presented at trial, including text messages from Palma’s phone, showed that Palma trafficked fentanyl, methamphetamine, and other narcotics in East Oakland and the Tenderloin neighborhood of San Francisco over the course of a seven-month period spanning 2022 and 2023.
The jury acquitted Palma of one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine on April 22, 2023, in connection with an incident in the Tenderloin neighborhood.
Palma is currently in federal custody. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for July 17, 2026, before Judge Tigar.
Palma faces 10 years to life in prison and a $10 million fine for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1), (b)(1)(A)(viii); five to 40 years in prison and a $5 million fine for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl in violation of violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1), (b)(1)(B)(vi); a mandatory consecutive sentence of five years in prison for possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c); and a mandatory consecutive sentence of no more than 20 years for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine on premises where children are present or reside in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 860a. Any sentence will be imposed by the court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jared Buszin and Emily Dahlke are prosecuting the case with the assistance of Kevin Costello. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the DEA, the Oakland Police Department, and the San Francisco Police Department.
Hammond Man Guilty of Fentanyl, Heroin, Methamphetamine and Cocaine Distribution and ConspiracyRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LA – JOHN TICKLES JR. (“TICKLES JR.”), age 30 of Hammond, Louisiana, plead guilty on February 26, 2026, to violations of the Federal Controlled Substances Act before United States District Judge Barry Ashe, announced United States Attorney David I. Courcelle. Specifically, TICKLES JR. plead guilty to Counts 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 9, 11, 12 and 14 of the Superseding Indictment pending against him. Count One charges him with conspiracy to distribute, and possess with intent to distribute, four hundred (400) grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl, fifty (50) grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, a quantity of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of cocaine, and a quantity of a mixture an substance containing a detectable amount of heroin, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(A), 841(b)(1)(B), 841(b)(1)(C), and 846. Counts Two and Eleven charge him with distribution of forty (40) grams or more of a mixture and substance containing Fentanyl, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(B). Counts Three, Six, Nine, and Twelve charge him with knowingly and intentionally using a communication facility, to wit: a telephone, in committing, causing, and facilitating the commission of a violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 843(b) and Title 18, United States Code, Section 2. Counts Five and Eight charge him with distribution of fifty (50) grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(B). Count Fourteen charges him with possession with intent to distribute four hundred (400) grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of Fentanyl and a quantity of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of cocaine, and a quantity of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of heroin, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(A), and 841(b)(1)(C).
On Counts 1 and 2, TICKLES JR. faces a minimum of 10 years and up to life imprisonment, up to a $10,000,000 fine, and at least 5 years of supervised release following imprisonment. On Counts 2, 5, 8, and 11, TICKLES JR. faces a mandatory minimum term of 5 years and up to 40 years imprisonment, up to a $5,000,000 fine, and at least 4 years of supervised release following imprisonment. On Counts 3, 6, 9, and 12, TICKLES JR. faces up to 4 years imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to 1 year of supervised release following imprisonment.
As to each count, TICKLES JR. also faces payment of a mandatory $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
According to court records, TICKLES JR. conspired with co-defendants, to distribute, and possess with intent to distribute, fentanyl, methamphetamine, cocaine, and heroin in the Eastern District of Louisiana. In a series of wire calls, TICKLES JR. discussed every aspect of his fentanyl business, including co-conspirators, prices, warnings about the location of law enforcement, and coordinated distribution to others.
U.S. Attorney Courcelle praised the work of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, Hammond Police Department, Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, and the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Rachal Cassagne the Narcotics Unit.
Four Operation Mobile Order Defendants Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
MACON, Ga. – Four defendants were sentenced to prison this week after the FBI’s two-year Operation Mobile Order investigation uncovered their Macon-based armed drug trafficking network, responsible for distributing kilograms of cocaine and resulting in the seizure of 26 firearms, including a machinegun.
“Operation Mobile Order demonstrates the strength and coordination of law enforcement working to dismantle violent armed criminal organizations throughout the Middle District of Georgia,” said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes. “No matter how long it takes, we will not stop our efforts to shut down criminal groups threatening the safety of our communities.”
“Operation Mobile Order dismantled a violent drug trafficking organization that treated a Macon neighborhood like a retail storefront for cocaine, backed by an arsenal of firearms,” said Robert Gibbs, Supervisory Senior Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta’s Macon office. “This investigation shows the FBI’s commitment to targeting criminal networks that fuel addiction, violence and fear in our communities. We will continue to work should-to-shoulder with our partners to make Central Georgia a safer place to live.”
“Operation Mobile Order represents the best in local and federal law enforcement partnerships,” said Bibb County Sheriff David Davis. “Together, FBI agents and Bibb County Sheriff’s Office investigators worked tirelessly to bring this cadre of criminals to justice. Our community is much better off with these peddlers of poison off our streets.”
The following defendants were sentenced to prison on March 2:
Devonta Jackson, 31, of Macon, was sentenced to serve 155 months in prison to be followed by four years of supervised release after he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances on Dec. 2, 2025;
Laderion Jacobs, aka “Johnny,” aka “Johnny Cain,” 30, of Macon, was sentenced to serve 100 months in prison to be followed by four years of supervised release after he pleaded to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances on Dec. 2, 2025;
Ladarrious King, 31, of Macon, was sentenced to serve 70 months in prison to be followed by four years of supervised release after he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances on Dec. 2, 2025; and
Tanya Card, 51, of Macon, was sentenced to serve six months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release after she pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine base on Dec. 2, 2025.
The following defendant was sentenced to prison on Feb. 5:
Leroy Mintz, aka “Booman,” 29, of Macon, was sentenced to serve 132 months in prison to be followed by four years of supervised release after he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances on Nov. 20, 2025.
The following defendants pleaded guilty and will be sentenced later:
Eddie Reese, 53, of Atlanta, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances on June 18, 2025, and faces a maximum of 40 years in prison to be followed by four years of supervised release and a maximum $5 million fine;
Roddreckious Williams, 33, of Macon, pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of cocaine base and one count of distribution of cocaine on Jan. 21, and faces a maximum of 20 years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release and a maximum $1 million fine per count;
Antonyo Daniels, aka “Tony,” 30, of Macon, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances on Jan. 8, and faces a maximum of 40 years in prison to be followed by four years of supervised release and a maximum $5 million fine;
Alton Oliver, aka “Alo,” aka “Lo,” 43, of Macon, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime on Jan. 8, and faces a maximum of life in prison;
Trayvon Simmons, aka “Abo,” 28, of Macon, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances on Jan. 6, and faces a maximum of 40 years in prison to be followed by four years of supervised release and a maximum $5 million fine;
Marvin Huff, aka “Black,” 50, of Macon, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances on Jan. 8, and faces a maximum of 40 years in prison to be followed by four years of supervised release and a maximum $5 million fine; and
Roosevelt Cole, aka “Froball,” 52, of Macon, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances on Jan. 6, and faces a maximum of 40 years in prison to be followed by four years of supervised release and a maximum $5 million fine.
Sentencing dates are determined by the Court. There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court documents and statements in court, in 2022 and 2023, the FBI conducted Operation Mobile Order, a Macon-centered investigation targeting an armed drug trafficking organization led by Reese. During the investigation, the FBI ran nine controlled purchases of cocaine and crack cocaine, and intercepted phone calls and text messages, detailing transactions involving kilograms of cocaine from an Atlanta supplier.
The primary “trap house,” or drug distribution site, was on Richard Street in Macon, a busy location that operated like a restaurant, with members of Reese’s drug organization working shifts to distribute drugs. In a series of recorded calls, Reese discussed drug overdoses in the community and said that if the drugs came from his Richard Street trap house, “everyone in Macon would be dead.”
Reese worked with an Atlanta supplier and was recorded ordering kilograms of cocaine from the supplier and making plans to meet with the supplier to purchase the drugs in October and November of 2023, referring to cocaine as “Tylenol,” “charcoal,” or acres of land. He began working with a new supplier in November 2023 and was recorded discussing the purchase of five kilograms of cocaine with the new supplier.
Reese’s leadership over the drug organization was evident, with many recorded interactions of him directing co-conspirators, for example, ordering one co-conspirator to “do your job” or reminding one co-conspirator, “That's what I pay you for, man. Make you get my money, make you handle the business, man. Get the money, handle the business.”
The FBI executed 11 federal search warrants in Macon, Warner Robins and Atlanta on Nov. 20, 2023, including at the Richards Street trap house, seizing cocaine, 26 firearms and $93,247. The machinegun was seized at co-conspirator Oliver’s home on Williamson Road in Macon.
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 FBI and the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.
U.S. Attorney Will Keyes is prosecuting the case for the Government.
Four Deuce Oakland Crips Gang Member Sentenced to Twenty Years in Federal Prison for Drug and Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
A multi-convicted felon who is a Crips gang member was sentenced to more than 20 years in federal prison for drug and gun charges, announced United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould.
In September 2025, Christopher Jamiel Love, 46, of Dallas, Texas, pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance (cocaine and phencyclidine (PCP)) and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. On Monday, March 2, 2026, he was sentenced to 248 months in federal prison by United States District Judge David Godbey.Court records reflect that in January 2024, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosive (ATF) agents initiated “Operation Blue Laces” to identify gang members who were engaged in criminal conduct along two main intersections within the Malcolm X Boulevard corridor of Dallas, Texas. According to court documents, “Operation Blue Laces” was initiated in part to address numerous complaints from residents living and working in the neighborhood that advised that Four Deuce Oakland Crip gang members had taken over the area and had created an environment of fear and lawlessness. Members and associates of the Four Deuce Oakland Crips wore jewelry and clothing that depicted the number “42” to show their allegiance to the gang, as depicted in the images below:
ATF agents identified multiple storefronts within the area that were operated by gang members and used to store numerous firearms and distribute drugs to customers. Agents also identified a residential block (2800 block of Casey Street) that was used as an open-air drug market where drugs were sold twenty-four hours a day by gang members and became known as the “Dead End.”
In court documents, Love admitted that throughout 2024, he and another Four Deuce gang member utilized a residence located on the 3600 block of Malcolm X Boulevard, Dallas, Texas, to store quantities of Schedule I and Schedule II controlled substances that were later sold to customers on the “Dead End” by Love and others. On October 22, 2024, law enforcement agents executed a search warrant at the residence and seized 210 grams of cocaine; 4.6 kilograms of phencyclidine (PCP); 9.8 grams of methamphetamine; 1.4 grams of heroin; one kilogram of K2; multiple kilograms of marijuana and four firearms used in furtherance of the drug conspiracy, depicted in the following images:
To date, ten defendants linked to the Four Deuce Oakland Crips gang that were identified in “Operation Blue Laces” have pled guilty to federal offenses including drug conspiracy, firearms charges and carjacking.
The investigation was conducted by ATF-Dallas Division and the Dallas Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Rick Calvert prosecuted the cases.
This investigation is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department's OCDETFs and Project Safe Neighborhoods.
Former Postal Employee Sentenced for Burglarizing a Local Post Office and Stealing the MailRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A former Postal Employee living in Springfield, Mo., area, was sentenced for his burglary of a local post office building and theft of mail matter.
Zachary M. Walker, 39, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Beth Phillips to 12 months and 1 day imprisonment for his burglary of a local post office building and his theft of mail matter.
On July 24, 2024, inspectors with the United States Postal Inspection Service conducted an undercover operation that included the placement of a secret camera within a local post office building. Law enforcement had learned that a former U.S. Postal employee, Walker, had been burglarizing the local post office building, entering the building after hours, and stealing various items from storage bins within the post office. Walker used his knowledge of postal procedures, and a code to an exterior passcode doorway lock, that allowed him to enter the post office after hours. Walker, familiar with the storage of mail matter within the post office, targeted specific mail bins to steal valuable items being shipped with the U.S. Postal Service. In total, Walker stole $2,100 in property from various mail matter bins.
Walker was also sentenced to pay restitution in the amount of $2,100, a final order of forfeiture was also entered by the Court for $2,100, and he was ordered to serve 3 years of supervised release upon his completion of his term of imprisonment.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Carney. It was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service, and the Springfield, Missouri, Police Department.
Former Philadelphia Nonprofit Executive Pleads Guilty to Fraud and Money Laundering Charges involving $1.6 millionRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that John A. Miller, 76, of Philadelphia, pleaded guilty before United States District Court Judge Kelly B. Hodge to one count of wire fraud and one count of engaging in a monetary transaction involving criminally derived property.
Miller served as the executive director and treasurer of a Philadelphia-based religious nonprofit organization that provided financial assistance to the widows and orphans of deceased clergy members. From 2015 through 2022, he diverted money to himself by masking wires intended for beneficiaries with personal checks issued to himself. To conceal the payments, Miller made false and misleading records in the nonprofit’s internal accounting ledgers. In total, Miller misappropriated more than $1.6 million.
According to court filings, after Miller diverted the nonprofit funds into his personal accounts, he used the proceeds for personal expenses, including luxury travel and the purchase of a luxury condominium in Philadelphia. After being made aware of the fraud investigation, Miller liquidated the proceeds by selling the property. Despite the sale, law enforcement agents seized the fraudulent proceeds as the transaction took place.
Under the plea agreement, the defendant will pay $1,626,556 in restitution and forfeit $281,109.96 in fraud proceeds derived from the sale of the condominium.
Miller faces a maximum possible sentence of 30 years’ imprisonment. Sentencing is scheduled for June 22, 2026.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Alisa Shver and Alexander Bowerman.
Former Passaic County Correctional Officer Sentenced to 17 Months in Prison for Civil Rights Violation and Conspiracy to Obstruct Justice in Connection with Assault of Pretrial DetaineeRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A former Passaic County Correctional Officer was sentenced yesterday for his role in assaulting a pretrial detainee and conspiring to obstruct justice, Senior Counsel Philip Lamparello announced.
Jose Gonzalez, 47, previously pled guilty on May 28, 2025 before U.S. District Judge Michael E. Farbiarz in Newark federal court to a two-count indictment charging him with one count of deprivation of rights under color of law and one count of conspiracy to obstruct justice. Judge Farbiarz imposed the sentence yesterday in Newark federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On January 22, 2021, a pretrial detainee at the Passaic County Jail (PCJ) squirted a mixture containing urine onto a correctional officer. The following day, on January 23, 2021, Gonzalez admitted that he, along with former Sergeant Donald Vinales, and former Correctional Officer Lorenzo Bowden, who were also charged in this case, transported the detainee through an area of the PCJ that does not have a video surveillance camera, which Correctional Officers and inmates at the PCJ have referred to as a “blind spot.” While in that “blind spot,” Gonzalez admitted that he and Vinales assaulted the detainee, while he was handcuffed, when they knocked him to the ground and struck him multiple times. One day after the assault, the detainee was taken to a local hospital, which documented injuries from the assault.
The defendants were required to submit documentation regarding their use of force. None of them submitted any such reports.
In March 2022, Gonzalez admitted that he made false statements to federal law enforcement officers during an interview in connection with this investigation. Additionally, in April 2022, after receiving federal grand jury subpoenas in connection with this investigation, Gonzalez, Vinales, Bowden, among others, met to discuss the federal investigation. During that meeting, the group agreed not to cooperate with the federal investigation and also agreed to say that nothing had happened to the detainee, referring to the assault. Thereafter, during an interview with federal investigators in October 2022, Bowden falsely stated that the detainee had not been assaulted and that there had not been any meeting or communication among those who participated in or witnessed the assault.
Bowden pled guilty on April 18, 2024 before Judge Farbiarz to an information charging him with conspiracy to obstruct justice and is awaiting sentencing.
Vinales pled guilty on May 21, 2025 before Judge Farbiarz to a two-count indictment charging him with one count of deprivation of rights under color of law and one count of conspiracy to obstruct justice. He is also awaiting sentencing.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Farbiarz sentenced Gonzalez to two years of supervised release.
Senior Counsel Lamparello credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy in Newark; and the Passaic County Sheriff’s Office Division of Internal Affairs, under the direction of Sheriff Thomas Adamo.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Levin, Deputy Chief of the Cybercrime Unit in Newark, and R. Joseph Gribko, Senior Trial Counsel in Trenton.
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Defense Counsel: Valerie Palma DeLuisi, Esq., Clifton, New Jersey
Former Office Manager Sentenced for Embezzling More Than $1.7 Million from Ocean City Home BuilderRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A former office manager learned her fate in federal court in connection with an embezzlement scheme.
U.S. District Judge Matthew J. Maddox sentenced Tammy Barcus, 57, of Berlin, Maryland, to 48 months in federal prison, followed by two years of supervised release, and ordered her to pay $1,793,688.87 of restitution to a victim home builder, and $562,883 to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), for wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and tax evasion. Additionally, the court imposed a forfeiture money judgment of $1,793,688.87.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge Kareem Carter, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Washington D.C. Field Office.
According to court documents, from 2016 through 2024, Barcus, a former office manager and bookkeeper for an Ocean City-based home builder, embezzled approximately $1.79 million from her former employer. Barcus used her position of trust to embezzle funds from her employer by issuing more than 500 fraudulently authorized checks from the home builder’s business bank account. She forged the signature of one of the owners on the face of the business checks and deposited them into bank accounts she controlled. Barcus then used the money for vehicle payments, boat payments, mortgage payments, and her personal enrichment.
Ownership granted Barcus, who worked with a high degree of independence, substantial control over business records and financial accounts. As part of her daily job duties, Barcus had access to payment systems and accounting records that belonged to the home builder. Barcus concealed the embezzlement from her employer and the IRS by making false entries into the business’ books and records.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended IRS-CI for its work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Jared Murphy and Assistant U.S. Attorney Harry Gruber, who prosecuted the federal case, and recognized Paralegal Specialists Joanna B.N. Huber and Shelbe Mascaro, for their valuable assistance.
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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Former Navy Petty Officer Sentenced to over 8 Years in Federal Prison for Possession of Violent Child PornographyRead the Press Release
HONOLULU – United States Attorney Ken Sorenson announced that Rumaldo Valdez, 22, a former Navy Petty Officer Third Class stationed on Oahu, was sentenced yesterday to 97 months in prison followed by 10 years of supervised release for possessing child pornography. He also must register as a sex offender.
In his plea agreement, Valdez admitted to possessing child pornography on a United States military base. In May 2024, FBI and Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) agents searched Valdez’s residence at the Naval Computer and Telecom Area Master Station Pacific in Wahiawa, Hawaii. Agents found hard drives containing child pornography and child-abuse materials. Some of these materials depicted infant rape, torture of a toddler, and a “fan sign” image in which a nude boy is holding a sign that reads, “Duck#8030.” Valdez used the “Duck#8030” username while previously participating in “Greggy’s Cult,” an online group that produced and distributed child sex abuse material and extorted children into carving “fan signs” bearing the extortionists’ online usernames into their skin. Members of “Greggy’s Cult,” including Valdez, are pending charges in the Eastern District of New York for operating a child exploitation enterprise, among other crimes.
The FBI’s search and arrest of Valdez stemmed from its investigation into “Greggy’s Cult” as part of the Department of Justice’s Operation Relentless Justice, a coordinated enforcement effort to identify, track, and arrest child sex predators. The nationwide crackdown has resulted in hundreds of child victims being located and the arrests of hundreds of child sexual abuse offenders.
“Let Valdez’s sentence serve as a warning to any other depraved and sadistic individuals who seek to harm and exploit children – there is nowhere for you to hide, no corner of the internet you will not be found, and no stone we will leave unturned to bring you to justice,” said U.S. Attorney Ken Sorenson. “The protection of our children is one of our highest priorities, and in concert with our law enforcement partners, we will bring the full weight of the Department of Justice to bear on child predators.”
“Yesterday’s sentencing sends a clear and uncompromising message that those who hide behind screens to exploit and terrorize our children will be brought to justice,” said FBI Honolulu Special Agent in Charge David Porter. “No matter how organized or clandestine these groups think they are, they cannot outrun the consequences of their actions. The FBI remains relentless in our mission to protect the children in our communities, and we will aggressively pursue those who commit these horrific crimes and bring justice to their doorstep.”
“Those who prey on and exploit innocent children violate the most fundamental laws of human society and must be held accountable,” said Special Agent in Charge Anna Ryan of the NCIS Hawaii Field Office. “NCIS and our law enforcement partners remain unwavering in our commitment to rooting out and thoroughly investigating child predators.”
FBI and NCIS investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Wayne A. Myers and Jonathan D. Slack prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
Former Harford County Sheriff’s Office Detective Sentenced to 36 Years for Sexually Exploiting Two ChildrenRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A former Harford County Sheriff’s Office detective learned his fate in federal court today, in connection with child sex exploitation crimes.
U.S. District Judge Brendan A. Hurson sentenced Ryan Christopher Hall, 51, of Woodstock, Maryland, to 36 years in prison, followed by lifetime supervised release, for the sexual exploitation of a child and possession of child sexual abuse material. Hall, who pled guilty to these charges in December 2025, must also register as a sex offender for life.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Christopher R. Heck, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) – Maryland; Carroll County State’s Attorney Haven N. Shoemaker, Jr.; Sheriff James T. DeWees, Carroll County Sheriff’s Office; and Sheriff Jeff Gahler, Harford County Sheriff’s Office.
According to court documents, before May 2017, Hall, who served as a detective for almost 30 years, sexually abused two minor children for at least three years. By May 2017, and through October 2024, Hall sexually exploited the two minor children by capturing explicit images and videos of them by using a surreptitious camera that he installed. Hall is facing related charges for child sexual abuse in the Carroll County Circuit Court.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative, launched in May 2006, by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.justice.gov/psc. Learn more about Internet safety education by clicking on the “Resources” tab on the left of the page.
Know2Protect is a Department of Homeland Security national public awareness campaign to educate and empower children, teens, parents, trusted adults and policymakers to prevent and combat online child sexual exploitation and abuse; explain how to report online enticement and victimization; and offer resources for victims and survivors and their supporters. Learn more about Know2Protect at www.dhs.gov/know2protect.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended HSI, the Carroll County State’s Attorney’s Office Special Victims Unit, and Carroll County Sheriff’s Office Crimes Against Children Unit for their combined effort and work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen Elizabeth McGuinn who prosecuted the federal case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Former Assistant Superintendent and Former IT Director of Patterson Joint Unified School District Sentenced to Prison for Stealing Approximately $1.5 Million in Embezzlement SchemeRead the Press Release
Jeffrey Menge, 45, of Copperopolis, and Eric Drabert, 46, of Modesto, were sentenced today by Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez to 30 months and 18 months in prison, respectively for theft concerning programs receiving federal funds, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
“These defendants were entrusted with safeguarding resources meant to educate and support children; instead, they stole $1.5 million for their own benefit,” said U.S. Attorney Grant. “Today’s sentencing affirms that when those in positions of authority abuse the public trust, they will be held accountable. Our office remains committed to protecting taxpayer dollars and ensuring that funds intended for our schools serve the students and communities they were meant to support.”
“Jeffrey Menge and Eric Drabert betrayed the students, families, and taxpayers of Patterson by exploiting their positions of trust to steal from a school district. Rather than investing those funds in the children they were hired to serve, they lined their pockets with the money they stole,” said FBI Sacramento Special Agent in Charge Sid Patel. “We are grateful to the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Office, Stanislaus County District Attorney’s Bureau of Investigation, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their partnership in bringing Menge and Drabert to justice.”
According to court documents, from 2018 to 2022, Menge served as the Assistant Superintendent and Chief Business Officer of the Patterson Joint Unified School District. In approximately 2020, Menge hired Drabert to serve as IT Director for the school district. Menge and Drabert conducted schemes to embezzle money from the school district. Among other things, they used CenCal Tech LLC, a Nevada company that Menge controlled, to carry out the scheme. Menge used the company to get around the school’s conflicts for being an interested party transacting with the school district. To conceal his ownership of the company, he created a fictitious person, “Frank Barnes,” to serve as an executive for CenCal Tech. Menge and Drabert used CenCal Tech to steal approximately $1.5 million in fraudulent transactions with the school district. The transactions involved double billing, over billing, and billing for items not delivered by CenCal Tech to the school district.
According to court documents, Menge and Drabert stole in additional ways as well. For example, they purchased high-end graphics cards and used those cards, together with other school district property and electricity, to operate a cryptocurrency “mining” farm at the school district without its permission. They then transferred the mined cryptocurrency to wallets under their own personal control. Menge also misused vehicles owned by the school district, including buying a Chevy truck at below-market value and selling it for a profit, and using a Ford Transit van as his own personal vehicle.
In total, Menge embezzled approximately $1.5 million and Drabert stole approximately $276,000 from the school district. Menge used stolen funds to remodel his home, to purchase luxury cars, including a Ferrari 458 sportscar, Audi R8, and a Chevrolet Corvette z06, and for other personal uses. Drabert used stolen funds to remodel his vacation cabin, among other uses. The defendants pleaded guilty on Feb. 21, 2024.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation with assistance from the Stanislaus County District Attorney’s Bureau of Investigation and the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph D. Barton and Cody S. Chapple prosecuted the case.
Foreign National Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Conspiring to Traffic Nuclear Materials, Narcotics, and FirearmsRead the Press Release
Today, Takeshi Ebisawa, a Japanese national, was sentenced to 20 years in prison for his participation in a conspiracy to traffic nuclear materials, including uranium and weapons-grade plutonium, from Burma to other countries, as well as his participation in international narcotics trafficking, weapons, and money laundering crimes. Ebisawa previously pleaded guilty to six counts for those offenses before U.S. District Judge Colleen McMahon for the Southern District of New York.
“National security and public safety are the very tenets of DEA’s mission, and this case demonstrates our ability to dismantle the world’s most dangerous criminal networks,” said Administrator Terrance Cole of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. “Today’s sentence should send a clear message: threatening the United States by trafficking nuclear materials, narcotics, and military-grade weapons will trigger an uncompromising response. DEA will hold conspirators accountable—no matter the distance, no matter their allegiance.”
“Thanks to the exceptional work of the DEA and our DOJ prosecutors, Takeshi Ebisawa has been held accountable for his crimes, including an attempt to sell weapons-grade plutonium to Iran and to flood New York with deadly narcotics,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “The National Security Division will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to identify and dismantle criminal networks that seek to profit from the illicit trade in deadly weapons and substances.”
“The illicit trafficking of nuclear materials is an existential threat to every New Yorker and every American,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton for the Southern District of New York. “Takeshi Ebisawa tried to sell uranium, thorium, and plutonium to fuel a purported nuclear weapons program, along with deadly drugs destined for U.S. streets. In exchange, Ebisawa hoped to procure battlefield weapons for insurgent groups and profit for himself. This case is a testament to the extraordinary efforts of our law enforcement partners, who worked across three continents to stop Ebisawa and bring him to justice in the United States.”
As reflected in the Complaint, the Superseding Indictment, and other filings and information in the public record:
From in or about 2019 until Ebisawa's arrest on or about April 4, 2022, the DEA investigated Ebisawa in connection with the large-scale trafficking of narcotics, weapons, and nuclear materials. During the investigation, Ebisawa unwittingly introduced an undercover DEA agent (“UC-1”), posing as a narcotics and weapons trafficker, to Ebisawa's international network of criminal associates, which spanned Japan, Thailand, Burma, Sri Lanka, and the United States, among other places, for the purpose of arranging criminal transactions. Over the course of three years, Ebisawa and his associates negotiated four sets of transactions with UC-1.
First, Ebisawa attempted to broker the sale of nuclear materials in exchange for military-grade weapons, including surface-to-air missiles, for an ethnic insurgent group in Burma. Ebisawa intended to sell this nuclear material to UC-1’s associate, who was posing as an Iranian general in charge of Iran’s nuclear weapons program (the “General”). After initially offering uranium, Ebisawa proposed to supply the General with “plutonium” that would be even “better” and more “powerful” than uranium for Iran’s use. In or about February 2022, Ebisawa and two co-conspirators met with UC-1 in Thailand, where one of the co-conspirators showed UC-1 samples of the nuclear materials (the “Nuclear Samples”). With the assistance of Thai authorities, the Nuclear Samples were seized and subsequently transferred to the custody of U.S. law enforcement. A U.S. nuclear forensic laboratory examined the Nuclear Samples and determined they contained detectable quantities of uranium, thorium, and weapons-grade plutonium.
Second, Ebisawa attempted to broker the sale of methamphetamine and heroin to UC-1 in exchange for heavy weapons for another ethnic insurgent group in Burma. Ebisawa planned for the heroin and methamphetamine to be distributed in the New York market, and he understood the weapons to have been manufactured in the United States and taken from U.S. military bases in Afghanistan. In or about February 2021, Ebisawa traveled to Denmark to inspect some of the purported weapons, including anti-tank rocket weapons, machine guns, and automatic rifles.
Third, Ebisawa conspired to sell, in a separate transaction, approximately 500 kilograms of methamphetamine and 500 kilograms of heroin to UC-1 for distribution in New York. In furtherance of that transaction, in or about June 2021 and September 2021, one of Ebisawa's co-conspirators provided samples in Thailand of approximately one kilogram of methamphetamine and approximately 1.4 kilograms of heroin. The methamphetamine had a purity of approximately 98%, and the heroin had a purity of approximately 86% to 87%.
Finally, Ebisawa laundered $100,000, which UC-1 described to Ebisawa as narcotics proceeds, from the United States to Japan, in exchange for a 15% commission. In or about November 2021, the DEA transferred $100,000 to U.S. bank accounts controlled by one of Ebisawa's co-conspirators, and Ebisawa then delivered the Yen equivalent of approximately $85,000 in cash in Tokyo.
In addition to the prison term, Ebisawa, 61, was sentenced to five years of supervised release.
The investigation was led by the DEA’s Special Operations Division Bilateral Investigations Unit and the IRS Criminal Investigation. The DEA Tokyo Country Office, DEA Bangkok Country Office, DEA Chiang Mai Resident Office, DEA Jakarta Country Office, DEA Copenhagen Country Office, DEA New York Field Office, DEA New Delhi Country Office, the Counterterrorism Section of the Department of Justice’s National Security Division, the Office of International Affairs of the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division, and law enforcement partners in Denmark, Indonesia, Japan, and the Kingdom of Thailand provided assistance.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kaylan E. Lasky, Alexander Li, and Kevin T. Sullivan for the Southern District of New York's National Security and International Narcotics Unit are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from the National Security Division's Counterterrorism Section.
Felon Sentenced to 21 Months for Illegal Possession of a Firearm While on Supervised ProbationRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Terrance Kelly, 37, a previously convicted felon residing in the District of Columbia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court for illegally carrying a firearm while on supervised probation, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Kelly pleaded guilty on Dec. 4, 2025, to one count of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon. In addition to the prison term, Judge Dabney L. Friedrich ordered Kelly to serve three years of supervised release.
According to court documents, Special Police Officers (SPOs) detained Kelly on Aug. 28, 2025, for threatening one of the officers. During the encounter, Kelly voluntarily handed a small satchel he had been carrying to one of the SPOs. The satchel contained a loaded Glock 23 .40 caliber pistol with a 22-cartridge magazine.
Kelly has been convicted eight times for prior offenses between 2006 and 2025, including three convictions for driving under the influence, two convictions for assault, two convictions for unlawful possession of a firearm and convictions for both resisting a public officer and assault of a police officer. He was on supervised probation for a felony when he was arrested with the pistol in his satchel.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kate Naseef.
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Federal Jury Finds Former San Diego County Sheriff’s Deputy Guilty in Fatal Shooting of Unarmed Fleeing ArresteeRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – A federal jury today convicted former San Diego County Sheriff’s Deputy Aaron Richard Russell in the fatal shooting of a 36-year-old unarmed man who was shot four times from behind while running away from authorities.
Following a two-week trial and less than seven hours of deliberation, the jury found that Russell violated the civil rights of the victim in taking his life by shooting him in the back as he ran away. He was convicted on both counts filed against him - Deprivation of Rights Under Color of Law and Use and Discharge of a Firearm During and In Relation to a Crime of Violence.
Russell is scheduled to be sentenced on May 29, 2026, before U.S. District Judge Todd W. Robinson. He was allowed to remain free on bond. Russell faces a 10-year mandatory minimum sentence and up to life in prison.
“This is an important verdict because it demonstrates our commitment to impartially and unceasingly seeking justice,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon.
“Civil rights have long been a priority for the FBI,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge TJ Holland of the FBI San Diego Field Office. “In conjunction with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the FBI will vigorously investigate any potential violations.”
According to evidence presented at trial, on May 1, 2020, Russell – who at the time was a deputy with the San Diego Sheriff’s Department – fired five shots at the victim, N.B. – who was unarmed – as he attempted to flee from custody while California State Parks Police officers were transporting him to the San Diego Central Jail in downtown San Diego. The victim was struck multiple times, including once squarely in the back. That shot punctured his lung and struck his heart, and N.B. died as a result of the multiple gunshots.
The initial encounter with the victim began on the afternoon of May 1, 2020, when a California State Parks officer approached N.B. in the Old Town State Historic Park because she saw him hitting golf balls to his dog while the park was closed by COVID-19 regulations. N.B. ran from the officer, who chased him on foot.
A short time later, N.B. was taken into custody. He was searched and handcuffed before being placed into the back of a law enforcement vehicle for transport to the San Diego Central Jail, located at Front and B Streets in downtown San Diego. Due to COVID-19 protocols in place at the time, the officers traveled in separate vehicles.
The transport was uneventful until they arrived at the intersection in front of the jail. As they pulled through the intersection and up to the jail’s sallyport, N.B. slipped one hand free from his handcuffs, managed to get his arm through the partially lowered rear passenger window – which had been lowered pursuant to a COVID-19 protocol to allow for ventilation – and was able to open the rear passenger door from the outside.
N.B. opened the rear door, exited the sedan, and briefly attempted to prevent the California State Parks officer in the other vehicle from exiting his truck before turning and running northbound on Front Street. That officer was only momentarily delayed and chased N.B., only a few feet behind.
At the same time, the defendant and another deputy were standing at the intersection of Front and B Streets. The defendant immediately stepped into the street, drew his firearm, and fired five shots in rapid succession at close range. No other officer even pulled their firearm, and at trial, multiple officers testified that it was apparent that N.B. was not a threat to anyone, that they never for a moment considered shooting N.B., and that it “wasn’t even a close call.” Other eyewitnesses, including a nurse and a firefighter, testified that they were “shocked” that the defendant shot N.B. in the back.
Four of the rounds fired by the defendant struck N.B., including one that entered his back and fatally pierced his heart and lung. N.B. staggered to the northwest corner of Front and B Streets, where he collapsed, his body falling half on the sidewalk and half in a planter next to a tree. Other officers and paramedics tried to save his life, but he was pronounced dead shortly after being transported to the hospital.
The shooting was captured on multiple surveillance cameras along Front Street, as well as on body-worn camera footage from officers who responded to the scene shortly afterward. The fifth round fired by the defendant struck the driver’s side fog lamp of a civilian’s vehicle that was traveling southbound on Front Street.
The defendant was indicted by a federal grand jury on May 16, 2024. Russell’s first trial on the charged offenses in May 2025 ended when the jury could not reach a unanimous verdict.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Seth Askins and Michael Songer and Department of Justice Civil Rights Trial Attorney Lia Wright Tesconi.
DEFENDANT Case Number 24-cr-1015-TWR
Aaron Richard Russell Age: 29
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Deprivation of Rights Under Color of Law Using a Dangerous Weapon and Resulting in Death – 18 U.S.C. § 242
Maximum penalty: Life in prison and $500,000 fine
Use and Discharge of a Firearm During and In Relation to a Crime of Violence – 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)
Maximum penalty: Mandatory Minimum 10 years in prison and $500,000 fine
INVESTIGATING AGENCY
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Farmington Resident Pleads Guilty to Distributing and Possessing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Farmington, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of violating federal laws regarding the sexual exploitation of a minor, United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
Nathan Fike, 41, pleaded guilty before United States District Judge Marilyn J. Horan.
In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, on or about October 4, 2023, Fike distributed videos of minor children engaged in sexually explicit conduct to an undercover agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Further, on or about February 9, 2024, federal agents executing a search warrant at Fike’s residence found the defendant in possession of videos and still images depicting the sexual exploitation of minors, some of whom were prepubescent and under 12 years of age.
Judge Horan scheduled sentencing for June 24, 2026. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not less than five years and up to 20 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.
Assistant United States Attorney V. Joseph Sonson is prosecuting this case on behalf of the United States.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Fike.
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.
Federal Charges Filed for Criminal Threats Against the PresidentRead the Press Release
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Markus E. Hamlett, 46, has been indicted in federal court on one count of threat upon the President of the United States. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the charge.
Hamlett appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Hope T. Cannon for his initial appearance at the United States Courthouse in Pensacola, Florida. Trial is scheduled for April 6, 2026, before District Court Judge M. Casey Rodgers.
If convicted, Hamlett faces up to 5 years’ imprisonment and a $250,000 fine.
This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Christopher C. Patterson.
An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
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.
Española man sentenced for 2023 beating and strangulation of his dating partnerRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – An Española man was sentenced to 46 months in prison for attacking and severely beating his dating partner in 2023, causing serious bodily injuries over her entire body.
There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court records, in the early morning hours of September 21, 2023, Isiah Gutierrez-Arquero, 30, an enrolled member of the Santa Clara Pueblo, punched and kicked Jane Doe, threw her against a wall (causing a hole in the wall), sat on her chest, and strangled her with both hands during a beating that lasted several hours. As a result of the assault, Jane Doe sustained serious bodily injuries to her head, torso, and extremities.
Gutierrez-Arquero pleaded guilty to assault by strangulation and assault resulting in serious bodily injury. The Court recommended Defendant complete the Residential Drug Abuse Program, the Bureau of Prisons’ most intensive treatment program. Upon his release from prison, Gutierrez-Arquero will be subject to three years of supervised release.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison made the announcement today.
The Bureau of Indian Affairs investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary C. Jones is prosecuting the case.
Dover Man Sentenced to Federal Prison after Defrauding Bank out of More Than $800,000Read the Press Release
Ordered to Pay $874,893.39 in restitution
OKLAHOMA CITY – TIMOTHY ABERCROMBIE, 43, of Dover, Oklahoma, has been sentenced to serve 18 months in federal prison for committing bank fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
According to public records, from May 2019 through February 2024, Abercrombie was employed as a vice president and loan officer at InterBank in Kingfisher, Oklahoma. During that time, Abercrombie used customers’ personal identifying information to prepare fraudulent loan applications. After the loans were approved, he deposited the proceeds into checking accounts that he controlled which were opened in the customers’ names, all without their knowledge or consent. As a result of the scheme, InterBank suffered a loss of more than $800,000.
On April 1, 2025, Abercrombie was charged by Information with bank fraud. Abercrombie pleaded guilty to the Information on May 15, 2025, and admitted he executed a scheme to defraud InterBank.
At the sentencing hearing on March 2, 2026, U.S. District Judge Bernard M. Jones, II, sentenced Abercrombie to serve 18 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered Abercrombie to pay $874,893.39 in restitution. In announcing his sentence, Judge Jones noted the seriousness of the offense, the need to provide just punishment, and the importance of deterring others.
This case is the result of an investigation by the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Danielle London prosecuted the case.
Reference is made to public filings for additional information.
Deltona Man Convicted of Coercing and Enticing Minor to Engage in Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – A federal jury has found James Bernard Grover (Deltona, 63) guilty of coercing and enticing a minor to engage in sexual activity. Grover faces a maximum penalty of life in federal prison. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for May 28, 2026. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, Grover was the founder and executive director of the Special Needs Advocacy Program, or “SNAP,” a nonprofit organization based in Sanford, Florida. Through SNAP, Grover met an autistic minor and coerced and enticed the minor victim to engage in sexual activity.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office, the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office, and the Sanford Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Diane S. Hu and Robert D. Sowell.
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 United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), 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.
D.C. Man Previously Convicted Under Youth Rehabilitation Act Gets 17 Years in Prison for Killing Man on South Capitol StreetRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Roy Jordan, 23, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced on Friday for the shooting death of Gary Love III on November 20, 2023, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Jordan entered a guilty plea to voluntary manslaughter while armed before Superior Court Associate Judge Rainey Brandt on December 12, 2025.
On February 27, 2026, Judge Brandt sentenced Jordan to 17 years of incarceration, the maximum recommended sentence under the D.C. Voluntary Sentencing Guidelines, to be followed by five years of supervised release. At the time of the offense, Jordan was on probation in Maryland for a July 2021 carjacking. He had also been previously sentenced under the Youth Rehabilitation Act in Washington D.C. in a gun possession case.
According to the government’s evidence, on November 20, 2023, at approximately 9:30 p.m., Jordan walked into a store in the 4600 block of South Capitol Street, SW, to purchase some items. A few minutes later, Jordan ran out of the store and pointed a firearm at Mr. Love who was standing outside. A gunfight then ensued between the two men. Mr. Love was shot in the head and after all life-saving measures, he succumbed to his injuries the next morning. Jordan confirmed that, when he shot the victim, he was acting voluntarily and that he was not acting in self-defense.
Joining in the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Pirro and Interim Chief Carroll commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also acknowledged Assistant U.S. Attorney Miles Janssen who prosecuted the case.
2023 CF1 008881
D.C. Man Gets More Than 14 Years in Prison for Killing Man Following a Fight Between Two High School GirlsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – David Pena, 49, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced on February 27, 2026, for the shooting death of Maurice Robinson on June 12, 2023, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
On November 25, 2025, a D.C. Superior Court jury convicted Pena on one count of voluntary manslaughter while armed, assault with a dangerous weapon, and related firearm offenses. Superior Court Associate Judge Danya Dayson sentenced Pena on Friday to 14 ½ years in prison. Pena had two prior gun convictions and faced a maximum sentence of 60 years. The government requested a 25-year prison sentence.
According to the government’s evidence, on June 12, 2023, Pena’s daughter and her best friend agreed to fight each other to settle an argument they were having. Robinson was part of a larger group that had arrived to watch the fight. As the girls were fighting, Pena became angry and pulled a gun, shooting Robinson in the back four times as he was running away, killing him. A second victim was nearby but was not struck by the gunfire. Although Pena claimed he was acting in self-defense, no weapons were recovered from any of the victims.
Joining in the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Pirro and Interim Chief Carroll commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also acknowledged Assistant U.S. Attorneys Miles Janssen and Zach Horton, who prosecuted the case.
2023 CF2 003881
Convicted Rapist Sentenced to 30 Months in Prison for Violation of the Sex Offender Registration and Notification ActRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – A Mobile man was sentenced to 30 months in prison for violating the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act by failing to register as a sex offender.
According to court documents, Russell Lee Stanley, 46, was convicted of Forcible Sexual Intercourse – Rape on October 3, 2011, in Harrison County, Mississippi. He was sentenced to 25 years’ incarceration, with 12 years to serve day-for-day, and the remaining 13 years suspended for five years of post-release supervision. As a result, Stanley was required to register as a sex offender in any county where he resides or works.
Upon release in 2022, Stanley registered in Mississippi. In July 2023, the sex offender coordinator in Mississippi reported Stanley had failed to re-register as required. Warrants were issued for his arrest. The United States Marshals Service was alerted that Stanley may be located in Mobile, Alabama, and that he failed to register as required with the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office or Mobile Police Department. An investigation revealed that Stanley had been residing and working in Mobile since May 2023 without complying with SORNA requirements. Stanley was arrested on June 20, 2025.
A five-year term of supervised release will follow the term of imprisonment, during which Stanley will be required to participate in drug, alcohol, mental health and sex offender treatment.
U.S. Attorney Sean Costello of the Southern District of Alabama and made the announcement.
The United States Marshals Service investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Tandice H. Blackwood prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
Convicted Felon Sentenced to Ten Years in Federal Prison on Ammunition, Methamphetamine Trafficking, and Multiple Weapons ChargesRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE – Deanthony Moton, 26, of Nashville, was sentenced yesterday to ten years in federal prison on charges of possession of ammunition by a felon, possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute it, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and possession of a firearm by a felon, announced United States Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee Braden H. Boucek. Moton previously pled guilty to the charges.
“Violent offenses deserve swift and serious punishment,” said United States Attorney Braden H. Boucek. “This Office will continue to prioritize the public safety by prosecuting those who combine drugs and guns and flee at a high speed.”
On August 29, 2021, at 1:40 a.m., the House of Legends Club on Jefferson Street in Nashville was full of patrons, many of whom had come outside to the parking lot in front of the club. A club security guard saw someone firing shots in the direction of the club, hitting five people, then fleeing in a blue sedan. The security guard returned fire. None of the victims knew who shot them or saw the shooter. Metropolitan Nashville Police Department (“MNPD”) officers arrived on the scene with members of their Crime Scene Unit which recovered 25 9mm shell casings, eight .40 caliber shell casings, and three projectiles.
The shooting was captured on security cameras in the area, and detectives were ultimately able to identify the defendant as the person who shot into the crowd based on still photos from the video footage of the shooting, video which depicted the defendant’s attire in the club prior to the shooting, his nickname, videos from his YouTube channel, and his criminal history records.
On September 24, 2021, a Mount Juliet Police Department (“MJPD”) officer stopped a car on I-40 after determining it was going 99 miles per hour in a 70-miles per hour speed zone. The defendant was the front seat passenger in the car. When the officer approached the car and asked the driver for the car’s registration, the driver opened the glove box. In plain view in the glove box was a black Glock Model 22 .40 caliber pistol. The officer immediately asked if there were any other firearms in the car besides the one on the glovebox. For officer safety, the officer told the driver and the defendant that he would temporarily remove the firearm during the traffic stop. They agreed, and the officer removed the firearm from the glove box to keep it away from them. Other MJPD officers arrived and, as they spoke with the driver and defendant, the defendant appeared nervous, was moving around excessively, and digging around under his seat. Officers repeatedly told the defendant not to reach around. The defendant failed to heed their instructions, and officers removed him from the car out of fear that there may be additional firearms in the car.
When the defendant was removed from the car, he began to walk past officers, which they perceived as an attempt to flee. He wore very baggy pants which fell down as he walked away from officers. One officer observed a plastic bag containing white material fall from the defendant’s boxers into one of his pant legs. The baggie contained 146.11 grams of methamphetamine, according to a subsequent Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (“TBI”) Crime Lab analysis. The defendant also had $4,833 in two separate bundles of different denominations of cash at the time.
As the defendant was being detained, an officer asked him, “Whose gun is that?” and he responded, “That’s my gun.” Direct comparison by the TBI confirmed that the firearm located in the glove box fired the .40 caliber shell casings from the House of Legends shooting.
Before these events, on May 20, 2016, the defendant was convicted in the State of Michigan of Fleeing and Eluding a Police Officer, Receiving Stolen Property, and Lying to Police. He received sentences of 1-5 years on the first two offenses and 1-2 years on the last offense.
After his term of incarceration, the defendant will serve a term of four years of supervised release.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Metropolitan Nashville Police Department, and Mount Juliet Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachel Stephens prosecuted the case.
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Convicted Felon Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition in the Deschutes National ForestRead the Press Release
EUGENE, Ore.—A Bend, Oregon, man was sentenced to federal prison today for felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition after officers responded to gunfire in the Deschutes National Forest.
Cody Joe Hunt, 38, was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison and three years of supervised release.
According to court documents, on Feb. 13, 2025, U.S. Forest Service law enforcement officers responded to gunfire in the Deschutes National Forest near China Hat Road. Officers arrived to find Hunt fleeing into the woods, leaving behind an assault rifle and shell casings. They tracked him through the snow and discovered ammunition in his pockets matching the assault rifle. He was arrested on separate charges. A search warrant for Hunt’s devices revealed additional evidence that he had possessed the rifle found in the woods in the preceding weeks after participating in its purchase at a local firearm dealer. Hunt is a convicted felon and is therefore prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition.
On Sept. 18, 2025, a federal grand jury in Eugene returned a two-count superseding indictment charging Hunt with felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
On Nov. 18, 2025, Hunt pleaded guilty to counts one and two.
The U.S. Forest Service investigated the case with support from the Deschutes County Digital Forensics Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney William M. McLaren prosecuted the case.
Columbia Man Agrees to Plead Guilty to Hate CrimeRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Jonathan Andrew Felkel, 34, of Columbia, has agreed to plead guilty to violating the housing rights of his black neighbor, J.M. A federal grand jury returned an indictment, presented by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, in December 2025.
According to court documents, on July 17, 2025, Felkel was driving into the gated community where both he and J.M. lived when he saw J.M. standing at the gate of the community. Felkel fired a gun and shouted, “You better keep running, boy!” at J.M.
Felkel has agreed to plead guilty to a federal charge which criminalizes the use of force or threatened force to injure, intimidate, or interfere with someone’s housing rights based on race. Felkel faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000 and a term of supervised release to follow any term of imprisonment. Felkel will enter his change of plea in federal court before United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis on a future date.
The FBI Columbia Field Office and the Richland County Sheriff’s Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elle Klein and Lamar Fyall of the District of South Carolina and Trial Attorney Sarah Armstrong of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section are prosecuting the case.###
Columbia Felon Pleads Guilty to Gun Charge Amidst Girlfriend’s Murder InvestigationRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Anthony Demetrius Reese, 55, of Columbia, has pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that on Aug. 31, 2025, Columbia Police Department officers were investigating the suspicious disappearance of Columbia woman Angela Fuller. Fuller, Reese’s girlfriend, had been reported missing by a relative and was last seen with Reese.
Columbia Police officers spotted Reese’s vehicle and attempted to conduct a traffic stop, but he instead fled and eventually crashed in Lexington. A loaded firearm was recovered from Reese’s vehicle. Reese has prior felony convictions for domestic violence of a high and aggravated nature, shoplifting 3rd offense or above, burglary 2nd degree, and assault and battery 2nd degree. He is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition. Law enforcement later recovered Fuller’s body after an extensive search. Testing confirmed that the firearm recovered from Reese’s vehicle matched the murder weapon.
Reese faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. He also faces a fine of up to $250,000, restitution, and three years of supervision to follow the term of imprisonment. United States District Judge Joseph F. Anderson Jr. accepted the guilty plea and will sentence Reese after receiving and reviewing a sentencing report prepared by the U.S. Probation Office.
Reese has pleaded not guilty to state charges of murder, unauthorized removal of a dead body, possession of a weapon during a violent crime, and possession of a stolen pistol. He remains innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt on those charges.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the City of Columbia Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Major is prosecuting the case.
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Canadian national charged with assaulting detention center officerRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 26-year-old woman has been arrested for forcibly assaulting a federal officer, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Grace Kirkness has now made her initial appearance in federal court before U.S. Magistrate Judge Dena H. Palermo.
According to the criminal complaint filed March 2, Kirkness was being held at the Houston Contract Detention Facility in Houston pending her removal to Canada.
On Jan. 21, Kirkness allegedly refused to follow orders from contract detention officers at the facility. When authorities attempted to place her in handcuffs, she allegedly punched, kicked, and bit an officer, according to the charges.
If convicted, she faces up to 20 years in federal prison as well as a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Ganz is prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
California Woman Sentenced to Nearly 3 Years in Federal Prison for Conspiracy to Commit Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Riverside, California, woman convicted of Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering. The sentencing took place on February 9, 2026.
Destiny Canty, 46, was sentenced to 34 months in federal prison, followed by one year of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Canty was indicted for Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering by a federal grand jury in May 2024. She pleaded guilty on November 10, 2025.
Canty received payments from co-conspirators in South Dakota and elsewhere, utilizing various electronic means including CashApp, electronic deposits, and Western Union, and was aware that the funds were generated from the illegal sale of narcotics. She then provided the funds to the leader of the drug trafficking organization. The payments were made in this manner to hide the narcotic-related source and true owner of the funds. In total, Canty was found to have laundered approximately $80,000. The total amount of money laundered by the organization that Canty was associated with was over $700,000.
“Our law enforcement partners are using every available tool to dismantle drug trafficking organizations,” said U.S. Attorney Parsons. “That includes following the money and prosecuting those who try to launder it for these criminal groups. For this defendant, and many more to come, the money trail ends in a federal prison cell.”
“IRS Criminal Investigation is committed to working alongside other law enforcement agencies to dismantle drug trafficking organizations,” said IRS-CI Special Agent in Charge William Steenson. “We use our financial expertise to track down members of these organizations to shut down their funding sources and bring them to justice. Each one who goes to prison is a victory for our communities.”
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, IRS Criminal Investigation, and the Sioux Falls Area Drug Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Hodges prosecuted the case.
Canty was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Minneapolis comprises agents and officers from FBI, HSI, DEA, ATF, USMS, USPIS, SD DCI, SFPD, MCSO, and SDHP with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of South Dakota.
Byrd Gang Leader Sentenced to 360 Months for Rico Conspiracy, Heroin, Fentanyl Distribution Conspiracy, and Firearms Possession ConspiracyRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – TIM JACKSON, a/k/a T-Maf,” “Maf,” 37 years old and of New Orleans, was sentenced on February 25, 2026, by United States District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo for a RICO conspiracy, drug trafficking conspiracy, and firearms conspiracy. As part of a plea agreement, JACKSON was sentenced to 360 months imprisonment, 5 years of supervised release, and a $300.00 mandatory special assessment fee, announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle.
After four days of a trial against him, JACKSON pled guilty to a 30-year sentence to avoid a possible life sentence if convicted. JACKSON’s co-defendants, Terran Williams, Tyrone Bovia and Javonta Doleman, went to trial in the Spring of 2025, and all three were found guilty of various charges, including two counts of Violent Crime in Aid of Racketeering (Murder), for which each faces a mandatory life sentence.
JACKSON was a leader of the Byrd Gang, also known as M3RE, MagFischer, 315 and Piff Gang, which operated primarily out of the former Magnolia Housing Development, but also had ties to the Westbank. Daily, its members distributed drugs such as heroin, fentanyl, crack cocaine and marijuana, and always possessed a multitude of firearms. JACKSON participated in numerous drug trafficking activities and violent crimes for the Byrd Gang.
Members of the enterprise, including JACKSON, participated in acts of violence, to include, but not limited to the July 18, 2016, murder of Kent Franklin; the September 3, 2016, murder of Javon Johnigan; the October 29, 2016, shooting of rival M.A.; the November 25, 2016, shooting of Ghost Gang member, D.A.; the December 20, 2016, shooting of rival M.A.; the December 30, 2016, shooting of Ghost Gang member, D.A.; the January 31, 2017, double murder of Ghost Gang member, Wynston Jackson, and Lawrence Williams, IV; the May 3, 2017, shooting at M.I.; and the August 25, 2017, shooting of Ghost Gang member T.H., that happened in a busy shopping corridor of Magazine Street.
In both trials, the government’s evidence regarding the existence and nature of the enterprise came from the testimony of witnesses and cooperating informants, cooperating defendants, police searches and seizures, Title III wiretaps, historical arrests of members of the enterprise, including of JACKSON, among other sources. JACKSON, led the Byrd Gang and was the principal supplier of controlled substances for the enterprise, specifically heroin, while also acting as a gunman for the enterprise. JACKSON unlawfully and knowingly conspired with Byrd Gang members to conduct and participate, in the operation of the enterprise through committing racketeering activities including murders, in violation of Title 14, Louisiana Revised Statutes Sections 24 (Principals), 26 (Criminal Conspiracy), 27 (Attempt) and 30.1 (Second Degree Murder); as well as heroin, fentanyl, crack cocaine, and marijuana trafficking, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 846.
As part of the conspiracy, JACKSON, and each co-defendant, agreed that a conspirator would commit at least two acts of racketeering for the benefit of the Byrd Gang. JACKSON himself participated in numerous such racketeering acts. Specifically, between 2014 and January 2017, when JACKSON was arrested on federal charges, for which he is still serving a sentence, JACKSON regularly purchased large quantities of heroin from R.L. During this period, JACKSON was the leader of the Byrd Gang and its most prolific drug dealer. JACKSON provided several drug stash houses from which Byrd Gang members would distribute drugs.
During the trial, Evidence presented at trial showed numerous back-and-forth retaliatory shootings between the Byrd Gang and the Ghost Gang, some of which killed innocent bystanders, fueled largely by social media posts, rap music, and videos.
During the investigation, dozens of firearms, most with large-capacity magazines, as well as hundreds of rounds of ammunition, were recovered from Byrd Gang members, including from JACKSON.
U.S. Attorney Courcelle praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the New Orleans Police Department in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorneys Elizabeth Privitera and Sarah Dawkins are in charge of the prosecution.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
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British Man Sentenced to 140 Months in Prison for Possessing Child Pornography and Traveling with Intent to Engage in Illicit Sexual ConductRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A British citizen was sentenced to 140 months’ imprisonment for possessing multiple images of child sexual abuse and traveling with the intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct, Senior Counsel Philip Lamparello announced.
Stephen Hudson, 54, of Ealing, England, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Michael E. Farbiarz in Newark federal court on February 10, 2026, to an information charging him with possession of child pornography and travelling with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From April 14, 2022 to May 6, 2022, Hudson communicated with undercover agents using an encrypted email account, in an attempt to make arrangements to sexually abuse two minor female children. Hudson agreed to travel from Massachusetts to New Jersey and pay approximately $1,200 in cash in exchange for, among other things: engaging in sexual acts with minor girls; illicit drugs that he planned to administer with alcohol to the minor girls. On May 6, 2022, Hudson traveled to an agreed-upon location in New Jersey to have sex with the two minors and provided approximately $1,200 in cash to the undercover law enforcement agents as previously agreed. After providing the cash to law enforcement, Hudson was arrested.
A search of Hudson’s laptop revealed 1,751 images of child sexual abuse, including material portraying prepubescent minors and the sexual abuse and exploitation of infants and toddlers.
In addition to a prison term, Judge Farbiarz sentenced Hudson to 5 years of supervised release.
Senior Counsel Philip Lamparello credited special agents of Homeland Security Investigations Newark, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael McCarthy, with the investigation.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean Nadel of the Narcotics/International Trafficking Unit in Newark.
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Defense counsel: Rahul Sharma Esq., Assistant Federal Public Defender, Newark
Brazilian National Living in Yarmouth Sentenced for Selling Firearms without a LicenseRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Brazilian national unlawfully living in Yarmouth was sentenced today for conspiracy and engaging in the business of to sell firearms without a license.
Lucas Nascimento-Silva, 28, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Angel Kelley to time served (17.5 months in prison) to be followed by two years of supervised release. The defendant is now subject to deportation. In July 2025, Nascimento-Silva pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to engage in the business of dealing firearms without a license and one count of engaging in the business of dealing firearms without a license.
Between August 2024 and September 2024, Nascimento-Silva sold 12 firearms to a cooperating witness without the required license in exchange for cash. Nascimento-Silva also conspired with others to obtain the firearms in South Carolina and sell them in Massachusetts. In addition to firearms, Nascimento-Silva also sold ammunition and magazines, some of which were large capacity magazines.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Thomas Greco, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; and Patricia H. Hyde, Field Office Director, Boston, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police and the Barnstable Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael J. Crowley and John Reynolds of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit prosecuted the case.
Boone County Man Sentenced to Prison for Violating the Federal Sex Offender Registration and Notification ActRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Richard Dale Turner, 44, of Julian, was sentenced on Monday, March 2, 2026, to two years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for failure to update his registration to report a change in employment and interstate travel, as required by the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA).
According to court documents and statements made in court, Turner is required to register as a sex offender as a result of his conviction for third-degree sexual assault in Mason County Circuit Court on March 8, 2016. Turner failed to report a change in his employment status as required when he left a job with a trucking firm on January 3, 2025. An arrest warrant was issued for Turner when he failed to appear for a scheduled court appearance on June 23, 2025. On August 15, 2025, law enforcement officers captured Turner in Santa Rosa County, Florida. Turner failed to register as a sex offender in Florida or report his interstate travel in West Virginia.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the United States Marshals Service (USMS).
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan T. Storage prosecuted the case.
SORNA is part of the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006 and provides a comprehensive set of minimum standards for sex offender registration and notification in the United States. SORNA seeks to strengthen the nationwide network of sex offender registration and notification programs, in part by requiring registered sex offenders to register and keep their registration current in each jurisdiction in which they reside, work, or go to school.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-168.
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Alleged Boss of Violent Sinaloa Cartel Indicted on Drug, Firearm and Material Support of Terrorism ChargesRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A federal grand jury in Chicago has indicted an alleged boss of the violent Sinaloa Cartel in Mexico on drug, firearm, and material support of terrorism charges.
JESUS OMAR IBARRA FELIX led an armed security group known as the Las Fuerzas Especiales de Chuta (FECH), which engaged in armed conflict on behalf of the Guzman faction of the Sinaloa Cartel, a U.S. designated foreign terrorist organization previously headed by Joaquin Guzman Loera, also known as “El Chapo,” according to an indictment returned Thursday in the Northern District of Illinois. Ibarra Felix’s group allegedly provided armed security in support of Guzman Loera’s four sons, collectively known as “the Chapitos,” who took over leadership of the Sinaloa Cartel after Guzman Loera’s arrest in 2016. Guzman Loera was later convicted by a federal jury in Brooklyn, N.Y., and sentenced to life in prison.
The indictment alleges that from 2016 to 2026, Ibarra Felix supplied machineguns to the Chapitos and conspired with them and others to import methamphetamine and fentanyl into the United States from Mexico. One of the alleged co-conspirators—Fausto Isidro Meza Flores—worked with Ibarra Flores to deploy the armed guards, the indictment states. Meza Flores was indicted in 2019 in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia and is currently on the FBI’s Top Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list.
In addition to leading the FECH, the indictment accuses Ibarra Felix of serving as a “plaza boss,” overseeing drug trafficking operations in his assigned region near Ahome, Mexico, from 2016 to 2025.
The indictment charges Ibarra Felix, also known as “El Chuta,” 49, of Los Mochis, Mexico, with terrorism, drug, and firearm charges. The charges are punishable by a maximum sentence of life in federal prison. Ibarra Felix is not in custody, and a warrant has been issued for his arrest.
The indictment is the result of a collaboration between prosecutors in the Northern District of Illinois and Southern District of California, as well as law enforcement partners from the FBI’s Washington, D.C. and San Diego Field Offices, and Homeland Security Investigations’ San Diego and Arizona offices.
The indictment was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Adam Gordon, United States Attorney for the Southern District of California, Darren Cox, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI Washington, D.C. Field Office, TJ Holland, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge of the FBI San Diego Field Office, Kevin Murphy, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge of HSI San Diego, and Matthew Murphy, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge of HSI Arizona. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Maione, Michelle Parthum, and Hanna Helwig of the Northern District of Illinois and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua Mellor and Matthew Sutton of the Southern District of California.
The indictment was announced as part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to achieve various law enforcement goals, including the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) and protect American communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
“The indictment of El Chuta should leave no doubt that this Administration is going to aggressively pursue transnational criminal organizations and hold their highest-ranking members accountable for poisoning the American public with illegal and harmful drugs and for the violence they perpetrate in the process,” said U.S. Attorney Boutros. “The Chicago U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to prioritize the investigation and prosecution of violent drug cartels, several of which, including the Sinaloa Cartel, have very deservedly been designated as foreign terrorist organizations. Working closely with other prosecutors and law enforcement partners across the United States, our goal is crystal clear: to disrupt and dismantle the cartels’ drug empire and bring its leaders to justice.”
“The indictment of El Chuta reinforces a simple message to him and other Sinaloa Cartel leaders: Foreign terrorist organizations may operate across borders–but justice doesn’t stop at them,” said U.S. Attorney Gordon.
“Ibarra Felix allegedly led an armed security group that committed heinous acts of violence in defense of the Sinaloa Cartel and its illicit drug trafficking monopoly,” said FBI Washington Assistant Director in Charge Cox. “His indictment is the first step toward bringing him to justice for facilitating the distribution of fentanyl and methamphetamine in the U.S. and the terrorization of communities in Ahome.”
“This indictment makes clear that Jesus Omar Ibarra Felix would do whatever it took to reap the spoils of his alleged illicit cartel activities,” said FBI San Diego Acting SAC Holland. “It is the FBI’s priority to dismantle and eliminate these designated foreign terrorist organizations, so they can no longer threaten our communities with guns and drugs and violence. The FBI will remain relentless until we achieve this mission.”
“The indictment of Ibarra Felix underscores HSI’s dedication to disrupting transnational criminal organizations operating in the United States and abroad,” said HSI San Diego Acting SAC Murphy. “This major impact to Sinaloa cartel leadership is the result of persistent investigative efforts by HSI and our partner agencies to bring criminals to justice, protect our communities, and safeguard our nation.”
“This indictment underscores the unwavering commitment of Homeland Security Investigations to disrupt and dismantle violent transnational criminal organizations that threaten the safety of our communities,” said HSI Arizona Acting SAC Murphy. “HSI will continue to work alongside our law enforcement partners to ensure those responsible for trafficking dangerous drugs and perpetrating violence are brought to justice.”
The public is reminded that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Alleged Boss of Violent Sinaloa Cartel Indicted in Chicago on Drug, Firearm, and Material Support of Terrorism ChargesRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A federal grand jury in Chicago has indicted an alleged boss of the violent Sinaloa Cartel in Mexico on drug, firearm, and material support of terrorism charges.
JESUS OMAR IBARRA FELIX led an armed security group known as the Las Fuerzas Especiales de Chuta (FECH), which engaged in armed conflict on behalf of the Guzman faction of the Sinaloa Cartel, a U.S. designated foreign terrorist organization previously headed by Joaquin Guzman Loera, also known as “El Chapo,” according to an indictment returned Thursday in the Northern District of Illinois. Ibarra Felix’s group allegedly provided armed security in support of Guzman Loera’s four sons, collectively known as “the Chapitos,” who took over leadership of the Sinaloa Cartel after Guzman Loera’s arrest in 2016. Guzman Loera was later convicted by a federal jury in Brooklyn, N.Y., and sentenced to life in prison.
The indictment alleges that from 2016 to 2026, Ibarra Felix supplied machineguns to the Chapitos and conspired with them and others to import methamphetamine and fentanyl into the United States from Mexico. One of the alleged co-conspirators—Fausto Isidro Meza Flores—worked with Ibarra Flores to deploy the armed guards, the indictment states. Meza Flores was indicted in 2019 in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia and is currently on the FBI’s Top Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list.
In addition to leading the FECH, the indictment accuses Ibarra Felix of serving as a “plaza boss,” overseeing drug trafficking operations in his assigned region near Ahome, Mexico, from 2016 to 2025.
The indictment charges Ibarra Felix, also known as “El Chuta,” 49, of Los Mochis, Mexico, with terrorism, drug, and firearm charges. The charges are punishable by a maximum sentence of life in federal prison. Ibarra Felix is not in custody, and a warrant has been issued for his arrest.
The indictment is the result of a collaboration between prosecutors in the Northern District of Illinois and Southern District of California, as well as law enforcement partners from the FBI’s Washington, D.C. and San Diego Field Offices, and Homeland Security Investigations’ San Diego and Arizona offices.
The indictment was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Adam Gordon, United States Attorney for the Southern District of California, Darren Cox, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI Washington, D.C. Field Office, TJ Holland, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge of the FBI San Diego Field Office, Kevin Murphy, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge of HSI San Diego, and Matthew Murphy, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge of HSI Arizona. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Maione, Michelle Parthum, and Hanna Helwig of the Northern District of Illinois and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua Mellor and Matthew Sutton of the Southern District of California.
The indictment was announced as part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to achieve various law enforcement goals, including the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) and protect American communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
“The indictment of El Chuta should leave no doubt that this Administration is going to aggressively pursue transnational criminal organizations and hold their highest-ranking members accountable for poisoning the American public with illegal and harmful drugs and for the violence they perpetrate in the process,” said U.S. Attorney Boutros. “The Chicago U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to prioritize the investigation and prosecution of violent drug cartels, several of which, including the Sinaloa Cartel, have very deservedly been designated as foreign terrorist organizations. Working closely with other prosecutors and law enforcement partners across the United States, our goal is crystal clear: to disrupt and dismantle the cartels’ drug empire and bring its leaders to justice.”
“The indictment of El Chuta reinforces a simple message to him and other Sinaloa Cartel leaders: Foreign terrorist organizations may operate across borders–but justice doesn’t stop at them,” said U.S. Attorney Gordon.
“Ibarra Felix allegedly led an armed security group that committed heinous acts of violence in defense of the Sinaloa Cartel and its illicit drug trafficking monopoly,” said FBI Washington Assistant Director in Charge Cox. “His indictment is the first step toward bringing him to justice for facilitating the distribution of fentanyl and methamphetamine in the U.S. and the terrorization of communities in Ahome.”
“This indictment makes clear that Jesus Omar Ibarra Felix would do whatever it took to reap the spoils of his alleged illicit cartel activities,” said FBI San Diego Acting SAC Holland. “It is the FBI’s priority to dismantle and eliminate these designated foreign terrorist organizations, so they can no longer threaten our communities with guns and drugs and violence. The FBI will remain relentless until we achieve this mission.”
“The indictment of Ibarra Felix underscores HSI’s dedication to disrupting transnational criminal organizations operating in the United States and abroad,” said HSI San Diego Acting SAC Murphy. “This major impact to Sinaloa cartel leadership is the result of persistent investigative efforts by HSI and our partner agencies to bring criminals to justice, protect our communities, and safeguard our nation.”
“This indictment underscores the unwavering commitment of Homeland Security Investigations to disrupt and dismantle violent transnational criminal organizations that threaten the safety of our communities,” said HSI Arizona Acting SAC Murphy. “HSI will continue to work alongside our law enforcement partners to ensure those responsible for trafficking dangerous drugs and perpetrating violence are brought to justice.”
The public is reminded that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
ibarra_felix_indictment.pdf2 Cincinnati men involved in mass shooting now face federal chargesRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – Two Cincinnati men previously arrested on local charges related to a shooting on March 1 at Riverfront Live now face federal charges.
Franeek Cobb, 24, and Derrick Long, 29, are each charged federally with illegally possessing a firearm or ammunition as a convicted felon.
“Gun violence in Cincinnati must end,” said U.S. Attorney Dominick S. Gerace II. “Our top priority is protecting our communities and holding accountable those who threaten them. If you pull a trigger in an illegal act of violence or otherwise illegally possess a firearm or ammunition, rest assured we will do everything we can to send you to federal prison.”
“I am pleased with the aggressive and expeditious manner in which this offense was investigated. The full force of law enforcement — including the Cincinnati Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the FBI, prosecutors, and the United States Attorney’s Office — worked in close partnership to bring these alleged violent criminals to justice,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Jorge Rosendo. “This level of coordination and commitment is exactly what makes our communities safer for everyone.”
According to charging documents, on March 1, Cincinnati police officers responded to Riverfront Live on Kellogg Avenue for a report of a shooting inside the night club and event venue. Nine individuals were wounded in the incident.
Long and Cobb were identified as the two alleged shooters based on a review of surveillance footage from Riverfront Live.
An affidavit details that Cobb observed Long in his immediate vicinity, pulled out a firearm and began firing shots towards Long, causing patrons to seek cover. Long fell to the ground, then allegedly brandished a firearm and began firing multiple gunshots in the direction of Cobb.
Law enforcement seized a handgun that Cobb allegedly dropped at the bar while fleeing the scene. The ATF determined casings recovered from the area where Long was shooting were all fired from the same .45 caliber gun. National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) examination showed that only two firearms were discharged during the shooting.
As previously convicted felons, Cobb and Long are prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition. Cobb has a 2022 felony conviction of having weapons while under disability. Long has several prior felony convictions, including two separate cases involving trafficking in heroin, trafficking in fentanyl, failure to comply, carrying concealed weapons, arson and receiving stolen property.
Each defendant faces up to 15 years in prison.
Dominick S. Gerace II, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Jorge Rosendo, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF); Cincinnati Interim Police Chief Adam Henni; and Jason Cromartie, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, announced the charges. Members of the ATF & Cincinnati Police Department Crime Gun Intelligence Center (CGIC) participated in the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Ashley N. Brucato is representing the United States in this case.
These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
A complaint merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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2 March 2026
Wichita business owner indicted for trafficking marijuana from his storesRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. – A Kansas businessman made his initial appearance after a federal grand jury in Wichita returned an indictment charging him with trafficking marijuana from his commercial properties and charging him with illegally possessing firearms and ammunition.
According to court documents, Justin Lane, 36, of Maize was indicted on the following charges:
• One count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance, • Six counts of using or maintaining drug premises, • Two counts of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, • Six counts of distribution of marijuana, • One count of prohibited person in possession of a firearm, and
• Eight counts of possession of an unregistered firearm.Lane is owner of High Hopes ICT, a business with multiple locations in the Wichita area. Starting on a date unknown and continuing through November 2025, Lane allegedly distributed marijuana from his stores on North Mead Street, West 13th Street North, West Street, West Douglas Avenue, North Maize Road, and South Greenwich Road. Lane is also accused of having firearms and silencers that he is not allowed by law to possess.
Another defendant in this case, Sauntsye D. Love, 40, of Wichita was indicted on one count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance.
The Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) are investigating the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
###United States Attorney’s Office Files Civil Forfeiture Action to Recover Cryptocurrency Involved in Money Laundering SchemeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The United States Attorney’s Office filed a civil forfeiture action to recover 327,829.720952 USDT (Tether), a form of cryptocurrency, alleged to be involved in a money laundering scheme to conceal funds that originated from an online romance fraud scheme targeting a Massachusetts resident. The cryptocurrency currently has an estimated value of approximately $327,829.
In Fall 2024, an investigation began into an online romance fraud scheme. According to court documents, in November 2024, a Massachusetts resident was approached on an online dating application. After communicating for several weeks, an individual going by the name “Linda Brown” explained she had a cryptocurrency investment opportunity. Under the guise of legitimately investing the victim’s money, Brown instead tricked the victim into sending funds to wallets controlled by Brown and/or their co-conspirators. The victim found out that the investment was a scam when they unsuccessfully attempted to withdraw their money.
The complaint alleges that victim funds were transferred through multiple intermediary wallets and the cryptocurrency was converted from one type of cryptocurrency to USDT, tactics typically used by money launderers to conceal the true origin of victim funds and ill-gotten gains.
Some of the victim’s funds were traced to multiple unhosted cryptocurrency wallets, which were seized in August 2025. The complaint alleges that all cryptocurrency associated with those wallets was property involved in money laundering.
It is a violation of federal law to conduct a financial transaction knowing that the transaction is designed to conceal the nature, location, source, ownership, or control of criminal proceeds. A civil forfeiture action allows third parties to assert claims to property, which must be resolved before the property can be forfeited to the United States and returned to victims.
This is one of several civil forfeiture actions the U.S. Attorney’s Office has filed seeking to forfeit cryptocurrency traced to fraud schemes targeting Massachusetts victims.
Members of the public who believe they are victims of a cybercrime – including cryptocurrency scams, romance scams, investment scams and business email compromise fraud scams – should contact [email protected].
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. Assistant U.S. Attorney Annapurna Balakrishna of the Asset Recovery Unit is prosecuting the case.
The accusations in the complaint, and the description of the complaint, constitute allegations that certain property is subject to forfeiture. The United States must prove, by a standard of preponderance of the evidence, that the property is subject to forfeiture.
United States Attorney Erin Creegan Announces Her Senior Leadership TeamRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Erin Creegan Announces Her Senior Leadership Team
CONCORD – U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan has announced appointment and onboarding of her leadership team for the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
USAO - NH Leadership Team: Ryan Martin; Raphael Katz; Erin Creegan; Jennifer Cole Davis; Kiersten Korczynski; John Kennedy
Kiersten Korczynski – First Assistant United States Attorney. U.S. Attorney Creegan has appointed Kiersten Korczynski to serve as the First Assistant United States Attorney for the District of New Hampshire. Ms. Korczynski formerly served as a Trial Attorney in the Department of Justice National Security Division, Counterterrorism Section where she managed high-profile international terrorism prosecutions, coordinated the investigative efforts of federal and state law enforcement agents, and developed strategies to protect classified information at trial. Before the Department of Justice, Ms. Korczynski served ten years in the U.S. Navy Judge Advocate General’s Corps as a defense counsel representing servicemembers in military courts-martial and as a prosecutor in the Guantanamo Bay trial of the five al-Qaeda members accused of orchestrating the September 11, 2001 attacks. Prior to joining the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Ms. Korczynski worked as in-house counsel for Exxon Mobil Corporation, recently serving as General Counsel for its Indonesian operations. She is a graduate of the Catholic University Columbus School of Law.
Jennifer Cole Davis – Chief of the Criminal Division. U.S. Attorney Creegan has asked Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA) Davis to continue her service as Criminal Division Chief for the District of New Hampshire after her initial appointment in February of 2024. A 32-year veteran of the office, Ms. Davis has conducted numerous complex long-term narcotics investigations as the District’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Coordinator and National Opioid Coordinator. She has also served as Criminal Division Deputy Chief and a mentor to her colleagues as Senior Litigation Counsel. Ms. Davis has prosecuted a broad range of federal offenses, including firearms violations, drug trafficking crimes, immigration offenses, and complex white-collar matters. Earlier in her career, Ms. Davis was detailed as an Assistant Director for Criminal Programs at the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Legal Education, where she oversaw the implementation of criminal trainings for the country’s federal prosecutors. She is a graduate of the Marquette University Law School.
John Kennedy – Deputy Chief of the Criminal Division. U.S. Attorney Creegan has asked AUSA John Kennedy to continue his service as Criminal Division Deputy Chief for the District of New Hampshire after his initial appointment in December of 2024. Mr. Kennedy has more than a decade of experience as a prosecutor in New Hampshire, serving as both an Assistant United States Attorney and an Assistant Attorney General. In these roles, Mr. Kennedy has led investigations into a variety of federal and state crimes, including homicide, voter fraud, drug and firearm offenses, and complex financial fraud. He is a graduate of Notre Dame Law School.
Raphael Katz – Chief of the Civil Division. U.S. Attorney Creegan appointed AUSA Katz to serve as Civil Division Chief for the District of New Hampshire in December of 2025 following his initial appointment as Acting Chief in May of 2025. Mr. Katz also serves as the Affirmative Civil Enforcement Coordinator. He has successfully resolved healthcare fraud, customs fraud, and financial fraud cases, as well as drug diversion and civil rights enforcement matters, recovering millions of dollars on behalf of the United States. Prior to joining the U.S. Attorney’s Office in 2019, Mr. Katz worked in private practice for more than thirteen years handling False Claims Act cases and other complex litigation. He is an Honors graduate of Emory University School of Law.
Ryan Martin – Administrative Officer. U.S. Attorney Creegan appointed Ryan Martin as the Administrative Officer for the District of New Hampshire in January of 2026. He is responsible for supervising the budget, facilities, procurement, human resources, IT, and records management resources for the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Since joining the U.S. Department of Justice in 2022, Mr. Martin has served as the Administrative Services Specialist, Contracting Officer, and District Office Security Manager. Prior to joining the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Mr. Martin had a 23-year law enforcement career, where he earned the rank of Captain in the Tilton Police Department.
“I am so pleased to be working with such a talented and dedicated group of public servants,” said U.S Attorney Creegan. “Since 1789, when President George Washington appointed the first U.S. Attorney for the District of New Hampshire, this office has served the people of this state. Every person in the U.S. Attorney’s Office works tirelessly to uphold the rule of law and keep New Hampshire safe, free, and prosperous. These leaders have accepted the responsibility of serving both their colleagues as well as their fellow Granite Staters. They represent our fulfillment of a 237-year old promise. New Hampshire is fortunate to have their leadership, and I am grateful for their service.”