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24 September 2026
Criminal Illegal Alien from Mexico Convicted of Unlawful Possession of AmmunitionRead the Press Release
Tallahassee, Florida – Emiliano Rafael Hernandez Escamilla, 26, of Mexico, was sentenced after a federal conviction for possession of ammunition by an alien. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Todd Blanche remain committed to devoting the full might of the Department of Justice toward protecting our communities from criminal illegal aliens threatening the safety of our citizens. My office will continue to aggressively enforce our nation’s laws to deliver the secure borders and safe streets that our citizens deserve.”
A federal investigation revealed that on March 27, 2026, law enforcement located fifty rounds of 9-millimeter ammunition during a lawful search of the Escamilla’s vehicle. Immigration records revealed that Escamilla was a native of Mexico and did not have lawful status in the United States. Escamilla admitted to ownership of the ammunition and admitted he was illegally present in the United States.
Escamilla was sentenced to credit for time served (approximately 134 days) at the United States Courthouse in Tallahassee by District Judge Mark E. Walker. As an illegal alien, Escamilla is subject to deportation.
The case involved a joint investigation by Homeland Security Investigations and the Bay County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph A. Ravelo prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.
Conehatta Man Pleads Guilty to Transportation of a Minor for Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
Jackson, MS – On September 23, 2026, a Conehatta man pleaded guilty to Transportation of a Minor with the Intent to Engage in Criminal Sexual Activity.
According to court documents, Taterrian Tyron Anderson, 22, transported a minor from her home in Oklahoma to his home in the Conehatta Community of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians Reservation. Anderson’s purpose was to have sex with the minor. He was indicted by a federal grand jury in October of 2025.
U.S. Attorney Baxter Kruger of the Southern District of Mississippi, and Robert Eikhoff, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Jackson Office, made the announcement.
Anderson is scheduled to be sentenced in January of 2027 and faces incarceration of not less than ten years to life in prison. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The Choctaw Police Department, Oklahoma City Police Department, the City of Union Police Department, and the FBI located in Oklahoma and Mississippi investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin J. Payne, Brian K. Burns and Special Assistant United States Attorney Kalleigh McCoy prosecuted the case.
Chief Operating Officer Pleads Guilty for Role in $500M COVID-19 Test Billing FraudRead the Press Release
DETROIT – Hasan “Lucas” Seyhun, 45, of Miami, Florida, pleaded guilty yesterday to conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud for his role in a wide-ranging, nationwide scheme that logged more than $500 million in fake claims to government-backed healthcare programs, United States Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon Jr. announced.
“At a time when Americans were scared for their families and their futures, Hasan Seyhun saw an opportunity to turn a national crisis into his own personal payday,” said Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. “Instead of providing the American people with the assistance they needed during a critical time, Seyhun and his colleagues exploited their trust, and lined their pockets from fraudulent insurance claims. The Fraud Division will not let up in its relentless pursuit of COVID era fraudsters.”
“Ripping off the American taxpayer is bad enough. Using the fear and isolation of the COVID pandemic to do it is sickening," said United States Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon Jr. “Not only did Seyhun and his co-conspirators defraud the American public of hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of fake services, but they were so confident in their scheme that they routinely submitted claims for payment before test kits were even delivered to the customer.”
According to court documents, Seyhun served as the Chief Operating Officer of New York-based Fast Lab Technologies, LLC (Fast Lab), which offered to individuals “no cost” Covid‑19 tests during the pandemic that could be ordered online through the company’s website.
Fast Lab then used customers’ insurance information to falsely bill for services that were never provided, including:
- False claims that antigen tests had been observed by medical professionals;
- That saliva samples had been collected by medical personnel;
- And that PCR testing had been conducted on those samples.
In his plea agreement, Seyhun also admitted that he conspired with previously charged defendants Cemhan “Jimmy” Biricik, Fast Lab’s CEO, and Dr. Martin Perlin, Fast Lab’s Medical Director, to carry out the scheme.
Seyhun also acknowledged that in his role as COO he orchestrated the submission of millions of dollars in fraudulent healthcare claims, resulting in at least $35M in illicit payments. Seyhun has agreed to a forfeiture money judgment in the amount of $4,313,153, representing the amount of money he personally received from the scheme.
"A scheme of this magnitude undermines public trust and diverts critical healthcare dollars away from the people and programs who need it most. Today’s guilty plea is an important step toward accountability for conduct that resulted in hundreds of millions of dollars in fraudulent billings,” said Jennifer Runyan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Detroit Field Office. “The FBI will continue working with our law enforcement and prosecutorial partners to track down complex healthcare fraud schemes and hold those who conduct them fully accountable.”
“Laboratories that submit false claims for medical testing and services put profit over patient care at the taxpayers’ expense,” said OPM-OIG Special Agent in Charge Derek M. Holt. “We commend our investigative staff as well as our colleagues and law enforcement partners for their dedicated efforts to hold these companies accountable and safeguard the integrity of the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program.”
“Today’s guilty plea makes clear that exploiting a public health emergency for personal gain will be met with decisive action,” said Special Agent in Charge Thomas Ethridge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS OIG). “This case highlights the strength of our interagency partnerships and the unwavering commitment of federal, state, and local investigators to protect patients and safeguard taxpayer funded programs. When individuals choose fraud over the public good, they will be held accountable.”
“All the defendants in this case had one thing in common – they were motivated by greed,” said Todd Strom, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Detroit Field Office, IRS Criminal Investigation. “Their pursuit of money, and the privileges it brings, led Mr. Seyhun and his associates to take advantage of the healthcare system and misuse funds intended for COVID-19 testing. Thanks to the dedication and financial expertise of IRS-CI special agents, who worked closely with our law enforcement partners, this scheme was brought to light, and these criminals will now face the consequences of their actions.”
Gorgon was also joined in the announcement by:
- Daniel Aronowitz, Assistant Secretary of Labor for the Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA);
- Jessica Herrington, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS);
- Todd E Strom, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Detroit Field Office, Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI);
- Anthony P. D’Esposito, Inspector General, U.S. Department of Labor General (DOL-OIG);
- Felicia B. George, Inspector in Charge, U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS);
- Owen Cypher, U.S. Marshal for the Eastern District of Michigan;
- Dana Nessel, Michigan Attorney General
Offices and Divisions also contributing the case include:
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG);
- U.S. Office of Personnel Management Office of the Inspector General (OPM-OIG);
- The Michigan Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU).
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Regina R. McCullough and Ryan A. Particka.
About the National Fraud Enforcement Division: On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (“Fraud Division”). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
Charlottesville Man, Previously Charged for Sexual Exploitation of Albemarle Teen, Charged in Second Assault of Federal Law Enforcement OfficersRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The Charlottesville man who was indicted in December 2025 on two counts of coercion and enticement of a minor, one count of sexual exploitation of a minor, and one count of possession of child pornography and charged a second time in February 2026 with assaulting a federal law enforcement officer, was indicted yesterday on both the original assault allegation and two additional counts of assault on law enforcement officers in April 2026.
A federal grand jury returned an indictment yesterday charging Gustavo Quintero, 25, with three counts of assault on a federal law enforcement officers.
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Virginia maintains a zero-tolerance policy for assault on law enforcement officers,” First Assistant United States Attorney Robert N. Tracci said today. “Anyone who assaults a federal law enforcement officer will be arrested and prosecuted to the maximum extent of the law.”
“The assault of any officer conducting their lawful duty is simply unacceptable. Quintero was indicted by a grand jury after grave allegations of his sexual assault of a 16-year-old girl. Compounding the seriousness of those initial allegations, his alleged conduct towards officers carrying out their public safety duties resulted in additional charges today,” said Homeland Security Investigations Washington, D.C. Acting Special Agent in Charge Kai Wah Chan.
According to the indictment, on January 15, 2026, agents with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and Immigration and Custom’s Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), along with officers from the Albemarle County Police Department traveled to the Albemarle Charlottesville Regional Jail to execute a federal arrest warrant on Quintero. During an interaction with Quintero, he spit directly into the face of one of the agents.
Months later, on April 13, 2026, Quintero assaulted officers “M.G.” and “C.E.,” causing bodily injury to both. M.G. and C.E. were both officers at the Western Virginia Regional Jail, who were performing services for the United States Marshals Service.
The case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Albemarle County Police Department.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Charlotte Man Charged with Selling Fentanyl, Methamphetamine, Firearms, and a “Glock Switch” Appears in Federal CourtRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A Charlotte man charged with selling fentanyl, methamphetamine, firearms, and a “Glock switch,” appeared in federal court today, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Last week, a federal grand jury returned a 12-count indictment against Abdul Abdullah, 42. Abdullah had his initial appearance this morning before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark T. Odulio following his arrest on Wednesday.
“Firearms and drug trafficking are a dangerous combination, and we have seen the deadly effects when the two are put together,” said U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson. “We are working to save lives by removing fatal drugs from our streets and taking guns from those who peddle them.”
“When traffickers move fentanyl and methamphetamine while arming themselves with guns and conversion switches, they endanger every neighborhood they touch,” said Mark M. Zito, special agent in Charge of HSI Carolinas. “HSI Carolinas will keep working with our partners to disrupt the criminal networks and individuals who traffic deadly drugs and weapons in the Carolinas.”
According to allegations in the indictment, from September 2025 to June 2026, Abdullah distributed fentanyl and methamphetamine in the Charlotte area. It is further alleged that, on at least two occasions, Abdullah possessed an illegal firearm in furtherance of his drug trafficking activities. The indictment also alleges that, in September 2025, Abdullah sold a gold-colored machinegun conversion device, commonly known as a “Glock switch” or “switch,” which is a device that transforms a semi-automatic pistol into a fully automatic machinegun.
Abdullah is in federal custody. He is charged with six counts of distribution of fentanyl, two counts of distribution of methamphetamine, one count of distribution of fentanyl and methamphetamine, two counts of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and one count of transfer of a machinegun. If convicted, he faces up to life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any imposed sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The charges against the defendant are allegations, and he is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Homeland Security Investigations and the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department led the investigation.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Brooklyn Man Convicted of Brandishing a Firearm During Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
Vincenzo Randazzo was convicted today by a federal jury in Brooklyn of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. The conviction arises from Randazzo’s robbery of an Empire State Bank branch in Brooklyn on March 5, 2026. The verdict followed a two-day trial before United States District Judge Carol Bagley Amon. Prior to trial, on August 26, 2026, Randazzo pleaded guilty to the robbery of Empire State Bank on March 5, 2026. When sentenced, Randazzo faces a mandatory minimum sentence of seven years in prison, which must run consecutively to the sentence imposed for the bank robbery.
Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and James C. Barnacle, Jr., Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), announced the verdict.
“Today’s verdict rightly holds the defendant accountable for entering a Brooklyn bank with a loaded firearm, pointing it at a bank employee, and stealing money,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “Brandishing a firearm during a bank robbery endangers innocent victims and transforms an already serious crime into a potentially deadly encounter. Our Office will continue working with our law enforcement partners to vigorously prosecute criminals who use firearms to terrorize our communities.”
Mr. Nocella expressed his appreciation to the New York City Police Department for their assistance in the case.
“Vincenzo Randazzo used a firearm to commit an armed bank robbery – a violent crime with serious consequences. This verdict sends a clear message: the FBI and our NYPD partners on the Joint Violent Crime Task Force will hold violent criminals accountable and protect New Yorkers,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Barnacle.
As proven at trial, on March 5, 2026, Randazzo entered an Empire State Bank branch in Brooklyn, displayed and pointed a loaded firearm at a bank employee, and demanded money. After stealing over $6,000, Randazzo fled the bank in his vehicle, the license plate of which he had concealed, and discarded clothing he had worn during the robbery.
On March 17, 2026, law enforcement officers arrested Randazzo and executed a court-authorized search of his residence. During the search, officers recovered currency taken during the robbery, as well as four firearms together with ammunition and magazines. Three of the recovered firearms resembled the firearm Randazzo brandished during the robbery. In a recorded post-arrest interview, Randazzo admitted that he entered the bank, pulled and pointed a loaded firearm at a teller, and took money from two tellers.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Section. Assistant United States Attorney Michael D. Manzo is in charge of the prosecution with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Stephanie Heyward.
The Defendant:
VINCENZO RANDAZZO
Age: 60
Brooklyn, NYE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 26-CR-74 (CBA)
Atlantic City Director of Constituent Services Charged for Accepting Bribes Related to a Cannabis BusinessRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – An Atlantic City public official was charged in connection with a scheme to solicit bribes from a cannabis business, U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer announced today.
Kashawn McKinley, 42, Director of Constituent Services in Atlantic City and a member of the Atlantic City School Board, was charged by complaint with honest services fraud and two counts of soliciting bribes. McKinley had his initial appearance today, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sharon A. King in federal court in Camden.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
McKinley solicited more than $20,000 in cash and marijuana in exchange for his official assistance to a cannabis business owner in connection with the opening of the business and resolving certain fees owed by the business owner to the City of Atlantic City. In one instance, McKinley received a bribe payment for his assistance in getting the cannabis business classified as a “micro” cannabis business instead of a standard cannabis business, which resulted in the business paying a $2,500 annual fee to renew its mercantile license instead of the $25,000 annual fee required for standard cannabis businesses.
In addition to receiving cash and cannabis, McKinley in one instance expected payment in the form of services. Specifically, in October 2025, McKinley directed the business owner to assault another person in exchange for McKinley’s official assistance in resolving the fee disputes between the business owner and Atlantic City. When McKinley was later shown what appeared to be a photograph of the injured victim, McKinley expressed pleasure and assured the cannabis business owner that when it came to the fee disputes with Atlantic City: “you don’t have to worry about nothing.”
The honest services fraud charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years’ imprisonment and a fine of up to $250,000. The bribery charges each carry a maximum penalty of 10 years’ imprisonment and a fine of up to $250,000.
U.S. Attorney Frazer credited special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Atlantic City Resident Agency and the FBI’s Atlantic City Public Corruption Task Force, both under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy, with the investigation leading to the charges.
The government is represented by Francesca Liquori, Senior Trial Counsel for the Special Prosecutions Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and Assistant United States Attorney Jena Tiernan of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Criminal Division.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Defense counsel: James Maguire, Esq., AFPD
mckinely.complaint.pdfAs Part of Operation Take Back America, an Illegal Alien from Mexico Is Sentenced to 12 Years in Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing FirearmsRead the Press Release
LITTLE ROCK—Candelario Gameros-Ante, who is in the United States illegally, will spend the next 144 months in federal prison after being convicted of being an illegal alien in possession of firearms, being a felon in possession of firearms, and illegal reentry into the United States after he was previously deported. Jonathan D. Ross, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, announced the sentence, which was handed down on Wednesday, September 23, 2026, by United States District Judge Brian S. Miller.
On June 3, 2025, Gameros-Ante, 47, of Mexico, was indicted by a federal grand jury in a three-count Indictment charging him with being a felon in possession of firearms, being an illegal alien in possession of firearms, and illegal reentry of a previously deported alien. On May 6, 2026, Gameros-Ante pleaded guilty to all three counts in the Indictment. In addition to the 12-year sentence, Judge Miller also sentenced Gameros-Ante to two years’ supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
On May 10, 2025, Searcy Police Department officers responded to a vehicle accident to discover that the driver, who was a minor, was shot in the neck and paralyzed. During a search of the area, officers discovered three shell casings in a yard in the proximity of the shooting and ultimately arrested someone who identified himself as Edgar Gameros. After obtaining a search warrant and searching his address, Searcy officers discovered three firearms, including the firearm used to shoot the minor driver. An investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration revealed that Gameros-Ante was in fact the person who previously self-identified as Edgar Gameros at arrest.
Gameros-Ante currently has Arkansas state charges of Terroristic Act and Battery-First Degree pending against him that are related to the shooting of the minor.
Gameros-Ante was previously removed from the United States to Mexico after a January 7, 2004, felony conviction for conspiracy to possess methamphetamine with intent to deliver. Gameros-Ante then illegally reentered the United States and assumed the identity of his brother, Edgar Gameros.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with assistance from the Searcy Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jordan Crews.
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Additional information about the office of the
United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at
https://www.justice.gov/edar
X (formerly known as Twitter):
@USAO_EDAR
Anderson Man to Serve More Than Four Decades in Federal Prison for Child Sexual Abuse CrimesRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS- Keynan Santos, 44, of Anderson, has been sentenced to 44 years and one month in federal prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release, after pleading guilty to sexual exploitation of a child, possession of child sexual abuse material, and committing a felony offense while required to register as a sex offender. Santos was also ordered to pay $10,000 in restitution to Minor Victim 1.
Santos has a prior 2015 conviction for two felony counts of Child Molesting and was sentenced to eight years in the Indiana Department of Correction. As a result of that conviction, he is required to register as a sex offender for life.
According to court documents, between November and December 2024, Santos lived in Anderson, Indiana, with Minor Victim 1, who was under twelve years old at the time and under his care and custody. During this period, Santos sexually abused and exploited the child and recorded the abuse. He also messaged the victim and persuaded her to create and send additional sexually explicit images.
The Hamilton County Metro ICAC Task Force was alerted by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children after Google flagged an upload of child sexual abuse material linked to Santos’ account. Investigators subsequently searched Santos’ laptop and cell phone, discovering more than 600 images of child sexual abuse material across his devices.
“No child should ever fear the person entrusted with their safety. The defendant’s exploitation of a child in his care is a heartbreaking betrayal of the trust every child deserves at home,” said Tom Wheeler, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “The horrific abuse inflicted on this young victim is unconscionable, and our office will continue to work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners to protect children, hold offenders fully accountable, and bring justice to survivors.”
“There is no safe harbor for those who prey on children,” said Homeland Security Investigations Chicago Special Agent in Charge Matthew Scarpino. “This sentence reflects the gravity of the defendant’s crimes: those who abuse children, produce child sexual abuse material, or use the internet to continue their crimes will be found, arrested, and held accountable. HSI is proud to stand with our federal, state, and local partners in protecting victims and bringing offenders to justice.”
“The Indiana Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force commends the collaborative work of the Hamilton County Metro ICAC Task Force and U.S. Homeland Security Investigations, said Indiana State Police Lieutenant Christopher Cecil, the commander of the Indiana ICAC Task Force. “The ICAC is about building teams and working together to make our communities safer for children and their families.”
“We are fortunate to have a strong relationship with our federal partners, and the sentence imposed exemplifies the commitment to holding offenders accountable,” said Lt Doug Baker, Hamilton County Metro ICAC Task Force Supervisor.
The Hamilton County Metro ICAC Task Force investigated this case with assist from Homeland Security Investigations. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Justin R. Olson.
U.S. Attorney Wheeler thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle M. Sawa, who prosecuted this case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, 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.
If you are a victim of child sexual exploitation, please contact your local police department. Resources for victims of child exploitation can be found on our website at https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdin/project-safe-childhood
This investigation was conducted by the Indiana Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, a multiagency task force led by the Indiana State Police that investigates and prosecutes persons who use the internet to sexually exploit or entice children. Each year, Indiana ICAC investigators evaluate thousands of tips, investigate hundreds of cases, and rescue dozens of children from ongoing sexual abuse. Visit https://www.internetcrimesagainstkids.com to learn more about their efforts.
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Amherst man pleads guilty to distributing child pornographyRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Jesus Collins, 26, of Amherst, NY, pleaded guilty to distribution of child pornography before U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr. The charge carries a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum of 20 years, and a fine of $250,000.
In November 2025, the FBI executed a search warrant at Collins’ residence, during which multiple electronic devices were seized, including his cellphone. A review of the cell phone recovered approximately 20 images and 55 videos depicting child pornography. The phone also contained messaging applications such as Signal, SimpleX, Telegram, and Teleguard, which Collins used to distribute and receive child pornography.
On Collins’ Telegram account, investigators discovered that he exchanged child pornography with other users, often offering or agreeing to “trade” child pornography in exchange for images and videos that they had. Over approximately 2,500 unique video files and approximately 600 unique images files constituting child pornography were found in Collins’ Telegram chats, some of which depicted infants and the use of restraints on minor victims. In addition, Collins used Telegram to communicate with minors. These communications included sexually explicit conversations, during which Collins solicited the minors to send him images and videos of themselves engaging in various sexual acts, many constituting child pornography. Collins also sent the minors videos of himself engaged in sexual acts.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas A. C. Penrose. The plea is the result of an investigation by the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Allen D. Davis, II.
Sentencing will be scheduled at a later date.
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Aliens Charged with Illegally Voting in Federal Election and Making False Statements While Applying for U.S. CitizenshipRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – An Essex County man and a Middlesex County woman, both aliens, were each charged with illegally voting in a federal election and making false statements while applying for United States citizenship, U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer announced today.
Patrick Terrance Reid, 61, a Jamaican national and resident of Orange, New Jersey, and Danubis Bernat, 49, a Venezuelan national and resident of South Amboy, New Jersey, were each charged by separate complaints with voting by an alien in a federal election and making false statements while applying for United States citizenship. Reid had his initial appearance on September 24, 2026, before U.S. Magistrate Judge André M. Espinosa in federal court in Newark. Bernat had her initial appearance on September 24, 2026, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Tonianne J. Bongiovanni in federal court in Trenton.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Reid and Bernat were non-citizens when they registered to vote. In their voter registration forms they each falsely certified and attested that they were United States citizens. In order to register, and to vote in federal elections, a person must be a United States citizen.
Each of the defendants, still without United States citizenship, cast ballots in at least one federal election. Reid voted in-person in the presidential elections held in November 2012 and November 2016, and via mail-in ballot in the presidential elections in November 2020 and November 2024. Bernat voted in-person in the 2024 general election. Each of those elections included candidates who were vying for election to federal offices. At the time they cast their respective ballots, Reid, who entered the United States from Jamaica on an SA1 immigrant visa, and Bernat, who entered the United States from Venezuela on a B-2 tourist visa, were not United States citizens and were therefore not authorized to vote in federal elections.
After illegally voting in federal elections, each of the defendants applied to become a United States citizen by submitting applications for naturalization (an N-400). An N-400 requires the applicant to swear under penalty of perjury that the information provided in the application is complete, true, and correct. In their respective N-400 application, both Reid and Bernat falsely claimed that they had never registered to vote or voted in any federal elections.
The counts of voting by an alien, carry a maximum sentence of 1 year’s imprisonment, and a fine of up to $100,000. The counts of making false statements while applying for United States citizenship carry a maximum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment and a fine of up to $250,000.
U.S. Attorney Frazer credited special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy; Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael McCarthy; and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, with the investigations.
The cases were brought under the United States Attorney’s Office’s Election Integrity Task Force, a coalition of federal law enforcement partners focused on preserving and protecting the integrity of elections conducted in the District of New Jersey.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mark McCarren and Joseph McFarlane of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Special Prosecutions Division.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaints are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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bernat.complaint.pdf reid.complaint.pdfAguadilla Man Indicted and Arrested for Child ExploitationRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – On September 23, 2026, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging José Antonio Soto-Ramos, 37, of Aguadilla, Puerto Rico, with possession, receipt and distribution of child sexual abuse material, announced Héctor Ramírez-Carbó, Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. The arrest follows an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) with the assistance of the Puerto Rico Police Bureau (PRPB) and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico.
According to the indictment, in July 2026, Soto-Ramos knowingly received and distributed child exploitation material. From March to July 2026, the defendant possessed images of child pornography in his cellular phone.
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to work with its law enforcement partners to aggressively investigate and prosecute persons who use technology to victimize children who are victims of child exploitation crimes,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Ramírez-Carbó. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office and HSI encourage potential victims to come forward if you have knowledge that this defendant or any other adult has engaged in this type of criminal behavior. Tipsters may remain anonymous.”
“Child predators rarely present themselves as predators. They often disguise their identity as a trusted adult, another child, a female, or someone else to gain access, build trust, and exploit victims,” said HSI San Juan Acting Special Agent in Charge Yariel Ramos. “The arrest of José Soto Ramos, who was found in possession of a significant amount of child sexual abuse material, underscores HSI’s commitment to protecting children and identifying offenders. We encourage parents and guardians to maintain open, ongoing conversations with children, including the importance of pausing before responding to unknown contacts, avoiding private conversations with people they have not met in person, and seeking help from a trusted adult if an interaction feels uncomfortable. If you believe that someone you know may have been victimized by this individual, please contact HSI Communications Center immediately.”
Rivera-Santos had his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mariana Bauzá Almonte and was ordered to remain temporarily detained at the Guaynabo Metropolitan Detention Center pending further proceedings. If convicted for the charges the defendant faces the following penalties: (1) receipt of child exploitation material - a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years; and (2) possession of child exploitation material - a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years. All charges of conviction are to be followed by a term of supervised release after imprisonment of no less than 5 years up to life. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Elba Gorbea of the Crimes Against Children, Human Trafficking and Immigration Unit, prosecuted the case. The Puerto Rico Crimes Against Children Task Force led by HSI was in charge of the investigation, with the collaboration of the Puerto Rico Police Department. To report suspicious activities, call 787-729-6969.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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23 September 2026
Wewahitchka Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Distribution of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Pensacola, Florida –Ronnie Lee Small Jr., 48, of Wewahitchka, Florida, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison after previously being convicted of three counts of distribution of methamphetamine at jury trial. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “If the message from my office isn’t already abundantly clear, let me say it plainly now: if you peddle deadly drugs in our communities, my exceptional prosecutors will send you to federal prison. The citizens of this District deserve to live in safe, drug-free communities, and that is exactly what my office will deliver with continued aggressive prosecutions and lengthy prison sentences like this one.”
Evidence at trial demonstrated that the defendant sold methamphetamine to a confidential source working with the Gulf County Sheriff’s Office on three separate occasions with approximate weights of one ounce, one ounce, and two ounces.
This sentencing was the result of a joint investigation by the Gulf County Sheriff’s Office and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant United States Attorneys Michelle Spaven and James A. McCain prosecuted the case.
“This sentencing reflects the strong partnership between the Gulf County Sheriff’s Office and our local, state, and federal partners,” said Gulf County Sheriff Mike Harrison. “Together, we remain dedicated to protecting our communities and ensuring offenders are held accountable.”
“We are coming for methamphetamine traffickers in the Florida Panhandle,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Daniel Escobar, Tampa Field Division. “Our agents maintain a strong presence in that region and will continue to do so until these criminals are brought to justice.”
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.
U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro Announces Creation of Fraud and Asset Recovery Division to Strengthen Federal Anti Fraud EnforcementRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro today announced the creation of the Fraud and Asset Recovery Division, a specialized unit dedicated to investigating and pursuing fraud cases, with a particular focus on the False Claims Act. The new division marks a significant expansion of federal civil fraud enforcement capacity in the nation’s capital. Recent years have seen record setting False Claims Act recoveries and qui tam lawsuits. By creating a new division with AUSAs and support staff devoted to investigating and litigating cases involving all types of fraud against the government, this office will be a premier destination to fight rampant fraud in the epicenter of the federal government.
"President Trump has prioritized the elimination of fraud, waste, and abuse involving federal agencies and programs,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “This new Fraud and Asset Recovery Division will reinforce and consolidate our resources to hold fraudsters accountable and recover taxpayer dollars. We are sending a clear message: those who cheat the federal government will face decisive, coordinated action."
The U.S. Attorney’s Office will significantly increase and realign its resources from its existing Affirmative Civil Enforcement unit within the Civil Division to form the new division. The reorganization draws a clear line between affirmative civil enforcement and the important defensive workload of the Civil Division, centralizing experience and maximizing results.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office has a long history of combatting fraud and recovering billions of dollars on behalf of American taxpayers under the False Claims Act. Working in partnership with the Justice Department’s Civil Fraud Section, federal investigative agencies, and whistleblowers, the office has successfully resolved major cases, including:
- A large government contractor for improperly billing commercial and international costs to government contracts;
- A software manufacturer for defrauding the government through false disclosures and intentional overbilling;
- A medical device manufacturer for misbranding and off-label marketing; and
- A pharmaceutical manufacturer for failing to comply with laws regulating medication.
In recent years, the overwhelming demands of the office’s civil defensive docket have limited available resources for affirmative investigations and litigation. The creation of the Fraud and Asset Recovery Division ensures dedicated resources to establish a premier anti-fraud enforcement unit at the epicenter of the federal government in Washington, DC.
The Division will be comprised of dedicated AUSAs, investigators, auditors, and support staff. In addition to False Claims Act cases, the Division will handle other affirmative civil enforcement matters, including civil collections on behalf of federal agencies, enforcement of agency and OIG subpoenas, and civil asset forfeiture actions.
The Financial Litigation Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office will also be part of the Fraud and Asset Recovery Division. This unit collects special assessments, fines, and restitution debts imposed in criminal cases, and civil debts owed to the United States and Federal agencies such as civil judgments and settlements in affirmative cases, and student loan debts owed to the Department of Education.
Dan Schiffer will serve as Chief and Sean M. Tepe will serve as Deputy Chief overseeing the Division.
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Two Ocala Men Arrested for Distributing Cocaine and MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – Phillip Washington, Jr. (66, Ocala), a/k/a “Big Phil,” and Reginald Cornelius Sesler (46, Ocala), a/k/a “Hot Boy,” have been charged by indictment with distribution and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. Washington is charged in three counts and Sesler is charged in two counts. If convicted, Washington faces a minimum penalty of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison on each count. Sesler faces a minimum penalty of 5 years, up to 40, in federal prison on each count. Both are currently detained pending the resolution of the criminal case. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to the indictment, Washington and Sesler, aiding and abetting each other, distributed and possessed with intent to distribute cocaine on June 10, 2024. Washington is also separately charged with distributing and possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl on June 18 and July 18, 2024. Sesler is charged with distributing and possessing with intent to distribute cocaine during another incident on July 25, 2024.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Marion County Unified Drug Enforcement Strike Team. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg.
Two Men Each Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Firearm Crimes Committed in Monroe and Many as Part of Project Safe Neighborhoods InitiativeRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT – On September 17, 2026, United States District Judge S. Maurice Hicks, Jr., sentenced Jamison Keontai King, 35, of Wallisville, Texas, to 60 months in federal prison after his guilty plea for Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Offense.
On September 18, 2026, United States District Judge David C. Joseph sentenced Alonzo Deshaun Young, 41, of Monroe, to 60 months in federal prison after his guilty plea for Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition by a Convicted Felon.
KING
According to court documents, King was taken into custody by Many, Louisiana, police officers (MPD) on October 23, 2024, after officers responded to a call made by a person who identified King as the suspect in a disturbance. Officers found methamphetamine and a Romarm/Cugir Micro Draco 7.62x39mm firearm in his possession at the time he was taken into custody. King admitted he intended to distribute the methamphetamine and that he possessed the firearm to further and advance his drug trafficking activities.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and MPD investigated this case. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney William Gaskins with assistance from Legal Assistant Emily Favrot.
YOUNG
According to court documents, on May 28, 2025, Louisiana State Police (LSP) responded to a single car crash along Interstate 20 in Monroe. Young, the sole occupant of the vehicle, appeared unaware that he had been in an accident. Troopers found a partially burnt cigarette soaked in PCP on the driver’s floorboard and a loaded Smith & Wesson M&P 9 Shield (M2.0) pistol on the passenger floorboard. Young admitted possessing the firearm and acknowledged that his prior felony conviction made it illegal for him to do so.
ATF and LSP investigated this case. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cheyenne Y. Wilson with assistance from Legal Assistant Amanda Morgan.
U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Keller for the Western District of Louisiana made the announcements.
You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Louisiana at www.justice.gov/usao-wdla.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Western District of Louisiana at www.lawd.uscourts.gov or at https://www.lawd.uscourts.gov/cmecf-pacer, under Case Number 5:26 cr 00042 01 (King) and 3:26 cr 00006 (Young.)
This prosecution was part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities. Learn more at www.justice.gov/psn.
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(337) 262-6704Two Men Charged After 10.7 Kilograms of Fentanyl Seized During Traffic StopRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Two men are facing federal charges after New Mexico State Police allegedly discovered approximately 10.7 kilograms of fentanyl during a traffic stop.
According to court documents, on September 16, 2026, Armando Cordova-Rugerio, 25, and Francisco Javier Utrera Perez, 21, were traveling eastbound on Interstate 40 in Cibola County in a white sedan that had been identified by an out-of-state law enforcement agency as associated with a narcotics distribution ring.
A New Mexico State Police officer conducting patrol operations near mile marker 85 observed the sedan traveling in the left lane despite having an opportunity to return to the right lane and initiated a traffic stop. Rugerio was driving the vehicle, which was registered to Perez, who was seated in the passenger seat. Rugerio and Perez told the officer they were traveling to Albuquerque to visit Rugerio’s aunt.
A second New Mexico State Police officer arrived with a narcotics detection canine, which alerted to the vehicle during an open-air sniff. Both Rugerio and Perez consented to a search of the sedan.
Officers allegedly discovered multiple packages of blue pills concealed behind the trunk lining on both sides of the vehicle. A subsequent search at Homeland Security Investigations in Albuquerque uncovered additional packages of pills alongside the rear quarter panel. A sample of the pills tested positive for fentanyl. In total, officers recovered approximately 10.7 kilograms of fentanyl pills.
Rugerio and Perez are charged with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. Perez will remain in third party custody pending trial, which has not been scheduled. Rugerio will remain in custody pending a detention hearing, which is scheduled for Monday, September 28, 2026. If convicted of the current charge, Rugerio and Perez face up to life in prison.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Acting Special Agent in Charge Ryan G. McRae of Homeland Security Investigations El Paso made the announcement today.
HSI Albuquerque investigated this case with assistance from the New Mexico State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nancy Cortesi is prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Two Illegal Aliens from Mexico Indicted After Homeland Security Task Force Investigation Leads to Seizure of Nearly 60 Kilograms of Crystal Methamphetamine and FentanylRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Two illegal aliens from Mexico with alleged ties to a Mexico-based drug trafficking organization (DTO) have been indicted after an investigation by the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) led to the seizure of nearly 60 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine and fentanyl, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
Martin Eduardo Hernandez Nunez, 36, and Juan Carlos Mojarro Sanchez, 38, are charged with conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute crystal methamphetamine; distribution of crystal methamphetamine; possession with intent to distribute crystal methamphetamine and fentanyl; and possession with intent to distribute crystal methamphetamine.
“We are laser focused on identifying transnational criminal organizations and their operatives who smuggle deadly drugs into our communities, fueling addiction and violence,” said U.S Attorney Russ Ferguson. “We are going after these organizations at every level to stop their drugs from reaching our streets.”
“Drug trafficking organizations don’t care who they hurt. They push dangerous drugs into our neighborhoods, fuel crime, and put lives at risk,” said Mark M. Zito, Special Agent in Charge of HSI Carolinas. “In this case, the Homeland Security Task Force took nearly 60 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine, fentanyl, a gun, and alleged drug money out of circulation. HSI and our partners will keep going after these networks and the people who bring this poison into North Carolina.”
According to allegations in charging documents, Hernandez Nunez and Mojarro Sanchez had ties to a Mexico-based transnational criminal organization responsible for distributing significant quantities of methamphetamine in the Charlotte area. In May 2026, investigators recovered from the defendants’ residence nearly 30 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine and two kilograms of fentanyl, and an additional four kilograms of crystal methamphetamine through controlled drug buys with the defendants. Investigators also seized from the residence a firearm, vacuum sealers, a money counter, drug ledgers, digital scales, and a large kilo press commonly used for repackaging narcotics. Law enforcement also executed a search warrant at a storage unit used by the defendants, seizing an additional 30 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine. Investigators also seized more than $66,000 in alleged drug proceeds over the course of the investigation.
Hernandez Nunez and Mojarro Sanchez are in federal custody. If convicted, they face a minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any imposed sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The charges against the defendants are allegations, and they are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Nick J. Miller of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte is prosecuting the case.
The Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) is an 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 CORE 23 (Charlotte) is comprised of agents and officers from HSI; FBI; DEA; ATF; IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI); U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS); U.S. Marshals Service (USMS); U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP); ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations; U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division (CID); the Naval Criminal investigative Service (NCIS); the U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service; the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FIDC) Office of Inspector General (OIG); the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security; the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA)’s OIG; the North Carolina Insurance Bureau; South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED); North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (SBI); the North Carolina Department of Public Safety (NCDPS); Greensville County Multi-Jurisdictional Drug Enforcement Unit (DEU); South Carolina Department of Corrections; police departments from jurisdictions in North and South Carolina: Anderson City, Cary, Charleston County Airport, Charleston, Charlotte-Mecklenburg (CMPD), Cornelius, Eden, Gastonia, Greensboro, Greenville-Spartanburg (GSP) International Airport, Huntersville, Kannapolis, Kings Mountain, Matthews, Nags Head, Piedmont Triad Internal Airport, Pineville, Raleigh, Stallings, Summerville, Waxhaw, Wilmington, and Winston-Salem; and sheriff’s offices from counties in North and South Carolina: Alamance, Alexander, Berkeley, Brunswick, Cabarrus, Chatham, Cherokee, Clarendon, Craven, Currituck, Dare, Davie, Durham, Florence, Forsyth, Gaston, Greenville, Halifax, Iredell, Lee, Nash, New Hanover, Oconee, Richmond, Rowan, Sampson, Spartanburg, and Wake.
Prosecution is being led by the Offices of the U.S. Attorneys for the Districts of North and South Carolina.
Toilet Flush Fail! Fentanyl Trafficker Sentenced to 6 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Raleigh. N.C. – A federal judge sentenced Monted Quintrell Council, also known as “Rude,” 39, to 6 years in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute 40 grams of fentanyl. On June 11, 2026, Council pleaded guilty in federal court.
“Council flooded our communities with fentanyl, treating neighborhoods like hunting grounds without any regard to the families he left in shambles, broke and broken. Today’s sentence sends a stern warning across Eastern North Carolina; we will track every dealer who thinks they can slither through the weeds in the shadows, slash the smothering vines of their drug networks, and lock them away where they can’t spread poison. Simple Lesson: Drugs Kill, Prison Awaits – Do Right,” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle.
In November 2024, the ATF and the Edgecombe County Sheriff’s Office launched an investigation into Council’s fentanyl‑trafficking operation. Investigators quickly gathered evidence, including a controlled purchase of fentanyl pills from Council. On December 12, 2024, officers moved in with a search warrant. As they breached his house, Council attempted to flush his stash of fentanyl pills down the toilet. He failed. Law enforcement recovered 55 grams of fentanyl from his septic tank, illustrating the lengths he would stoop to hide his crimes.
Council has multiple North Carolina state convictions, including a 2010 conviction for possessing a Schedule VI controlled substance, a 2010 conviction for possessing marijuana with intent to sell or deliver, and a 2017 conviction for maintaining a place for selling illegal drugs.
"Thank you to our community, narcotics team and our local, state, federal partners,” said Edgecombe County Sheriff Cleveland Atkinson. “We will remain committed to hold drug dealers accountable for the drugs they distribute in our community."
Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III. The ATF and the Edgecombe County Sheriff’s Office collaborated on this investigation.
A copy of this press release is located on our website. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:26CR0005D-1.
Texas Man Convicted of Sex Trafficking in the District of ColumbiaRead the Press Release
A federal jury in the District of Columbia convicted Devontee Parker, 38, of Dallas, today for sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion, interstate transportation for purpose of prostitution, and interstate travel in aid of racketeering.
“Devontee Parker trafficked vulnerable women by intimidating them with physical violence to make money,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The courage of the victim resulted in compelling testimony that secured this important conviction, which will ensure that Parker will never be able to traffic victims again.”
“I am proud of the deep expertise our prosecutors bring to human trafficking cases,” said U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro for the District of Columbia. “Their exceptional work is a key reason we hold a 100% conviction rate in these prosecutions. With FBI agents embedded in our office, we have strengthened both our commitment to eradicating human trafficking and the successful results we are seeing in court.”
“Today’s verdict underscores the victims’ remarkable courage and the unwavering commitment of our agents and partners who pursued justice in this case,” said Assistant Director in Charge Darren B. Cox of the FBI Washington Field Office. “The FBI will continue to lead aggressive investigations that hold traffickers accountable and connect victims with the support they need to rebuild their lives.”
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Parker met the victim in 2021 while she was struggling with housing insecurity, financial instability, and grieving the loss of a beloved family member. Parker made the victim believe he cared about her and enticed her to come live with him in Texas. Once the victim agreed, Parker advertised the victim online, set prices for the commercial sex acts, and drove her to sex buyers in multiple states as well as the District of Columbia.
Parker demanded that the victim turn over all her earnings to him and controlled her access to money, food, and other necessities. He also set a daily earning quota for the victim and punished her with violence if she did not make enough money. The victim testified that during one incident, Parker strangled her until she lost consciousness. During another incident, Parker gave her a black eye.
Parker also routinely looked through the victim’s phone to monitor her communications with others and forbade her from speaking with friends after they witnessed his abuse. Parker also introduced the victim to drugs, including cocaine, and routinely supplied her with illicit substances while instructing her to have sex with men for money. After several unsuccessful attempts to leave Parker, the victim escaped in 2024 when he was arrested on prostitution-related charges by state authorities. Parker was indicted in Texas on charges of sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion related to additional victims in August 2026.
The jury convicted Parker of sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion, interstate transportation for purpose of prostitution, and interstate travel in aid of racketeering. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 3, 2027. Parker faces a minimum penalty of 15 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Trial Attorney Jessica Arco of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rachel Bohlen and Karen Shinskie for the District of Columbia are prosecuting the case.
The FBI Washington Field Office and the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department are investigating the case.
Anyone who has information about human trafficking should report that information to the National Human Trafficking Hotline toll-free at 1-888-373-7888, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more information about human trafficking, please visit www.humantraffickinghotline.org. Information on the Justice Department’s efforts to combat human trafficking can be found at www.justice.gov/humantrafficking.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Tech CEO, Russian National Arrested on Complaint Alleging They Hid Russian Ownership and Development of Software Sold to U.S. GovernmentRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – The CEO of a Virginia-based software company and a Russian national have been arrested on a federal criminal complaint charging them with concealing from U.S. government agencies that their company was owned and controlled by Russian nationals and that its software was developed in Russia, the Justice Department announced today.
Lee Reiber, 55, of Boise, Idaho, was arrested in Idaho on Sunday, made his initial appearance on Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Idaho, and was ordered released on bond. He is expected to be arraigned in Los Angeles federal court in the coming weeks.
Oleg Sergeyevich Davydov, 52, of Moscow, Russia, was arrested on Sunday at London Heathrow Airport in the United Kingdom prior to boarding a flight to Istanbul. The United States expects to seek Davydov’s extradition.
The defendants are charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
Reiber allegedly represented to the government that the company had no foreign ownership or control and that its software was developed in the United States, when in fact five Russian nationals, including Davydov, owned and controlled the company and its software was developed in Russia.
The complaint does not allege that the software contained malicious code or that it was used to gain unauthorized access to any customer’s computer systems or data.
In a separate proceeding, a federal magistrate judge in the Central District of California on September 19 issued a warrant authorizing the seizure of corporate bank accounts, approximately 57 domains, and other cyberinfrastructure used in furtherance of the alleged acts. The domains and related infrastructure were seized on September 20.
According to an affidavit filed with the criminal complaint, from March 2022 to the present, Reiber, Davydov, and others conspired to obtain contracts from federal agencies through Oxygen Forensics Inc., a digital forensics company based in Alexandria, Virginia.
Digital forensic software is used to recover, preserve, and analyze electronic data from digital devices while keeping the original files unchanged.
The affidavit identifies the affected agencies as the U.S. Department of War and three components of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS). These components include the U.S. Secret Service and its National Computer Forensics Institute (NCFI); Homeland Security Investigations; and the DHS Office of Inspector General.
According to the affidavit, Oxygen Forensics held itself out to the U.S. government as being an independent, U.S.-based company. In fact, Davydov and four other Russian nationals owned and controlled the company through a holding company based in Cyprus.
The same five individuals also owned a Russian company, known until September 2022 as Oxygen Software LLC and now as MKO Systems LLC, which Davydov co-founded in 2000. The developers who wrote the software worked in Russia, and MKO sold the software in Russia under different product names to customers that reportedly included the Russian Federal Security Service (known as the FSB), the Russian Investigative Committee, and the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs.
Davydov was the Russian company’s chief technology officer and was responsible for the development of its software. He helped establish Oxygen Forensics in Virginia in 2013. Reiber joined the company in August 2015.
After the United States imposed expanded sanctions on Russia in early 2022 in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Davydov, Reiber, and the Russian co-conspirators agreed to conceal Oxygen Forensics’ true ownership and the development of its software in Russia. Reiber was installed as the company’s CEO, president, and chairman of the board in March 2022. The Russian owners were then removed from the company’s public corporate filings.
The company’s Russian owners continued to make significant decisions and set Reiber’s compensation, overruled him on payments, and held signatory authority over the company’s bank accounts.
In December 2022 and October 2023, Reiber falsely certified to the U.S. government that Oxygen Forensics had no immediate or highest-level owner. According to the affidavit, in November 2023, a reporter asked Reiber about Oxygen Forensics’ ownership and its connection to the Russian company. Reiber then wrote to Davydov and two other Russian owners that public reporting on the connection “could destroy this entire opportunity,” referring to a pending contract with the National Computer Forensics Institute, and that the “current existence of this company hangs in the balance.”
In September 2024, the NCFI awarded a five-year contract for the software. The award file included Reiber’s October 2023 certification that the company had no immediate or highest-level owner.
In July 2024, at Reiber’s direction, Oxygen Forensics certified to the Department of War that no foreign person had the power to control the appointment of the company's directors or managers or to direct its other decisions or activities. As Reiber then knew, the company’s Russian owners were foreign persons who controlled its decisions and one of them had recently been appointed to its board under a Turkish identity.
Reiber and the Russian owners also concealed that the software was developed in Russia. In March 2026, Reiber told DHS personnel that no Russian was involved in developing the software and that no one in Russia had access to the environment in which it was built. Days later, Reiber authored a statement, published on the company's website, declaring that the company had no development presence in any restricted jurisdiction. According to the complaint, the software was written and managed by a team in Russia under Davydov’s direction, in a cloud environment administered by one of the Russian owners.
A criminal complaint merely contains allegations. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
If convicted, each defendant would face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison.
The United States Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security is investigating this matter with assistance from the Department of War Office of Inspector General Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Cyber Field Office. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs is assisting in the provisional arrest and anticipated extradition of Davydov.
Assistant United States Attorneys David C. Lachman of the Major Frauds Section and Joshua O. Mausner of the National Security Division are prosecuting this case. Assistant United States Attorney James E. Dochterman of the Asset Forfeiture and Recovery Section is handling the civil and criminal forfeitures of the seized property.
Tampa Man Arrested for Distribution of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – Aspen Chae Cartwright (21, Tampa) has been charged by indictment with distribution of child sexual abuse material. If convicted, he faces a minimum sentence of 5 years, and up to 20 years, in federal prison. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court records, in May 2025, Cartwright engaged in a sexually explicit conversation with an individual whom he believed was a 13-year-old girl. During that conversation, on May 22, 2025, Cartwright distributed an image depicting child sexual abuse material. The minor was actually an undercover agent from Homeland Security Investigations. Cartwright was later arrested and is currently detained pending the resolution of the criminal case.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations with assistance from the Marion County Sheriff’s Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg.
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.
Statement of U.S. Attorney Jamie McDonald on the Conviction of John LivigniRead the Press Release
“Moments ago, a jury returned a unanimous verdict finding John Livigni, a leader of the Washington Square Park drug ring, guilty of all narcotics charges, including three overdoses—two of which resulted in death. One of the victims was just 18 years old. Our Office’s commitment to keeping New Yorkers and their families safe includes ensuring they can use public spaces without the interference of dangerous drug dealers. For far too long, New Yorkers were forced to live with the dangerous drug dealers who had turned Washington Square Park, in the heart of Greenwich Village, into an open-air drug market. Not anymore: as a result of our Office’s dedication and the continued commitment of our partners at the NYPD and DEA, New Yorkers are able to enjoy our iconic Washington Square Park in peace—and safely.”
September Federal Grand Jury 2025-B Indictments AnnouncedRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Christopher J. Nassar today announced the results of the September Federal Grand Jury 2025-B Indictments.
The following individuals have been charged with violations of United States law in indictments returned by the Grand Jury. The return of an indictment is a method of informing a defendant of alleged violations of federal law, which must be proven in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt to overcome a defendant’s presumption of innocence.
Alejandro Aragon Nicolas. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Aragon Nicolas, 34, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in 2011 and 2016. Homeland Security Investigations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Trevion Freeman is prosecuting the case. 26-CR-357
Brandon Michael Cherry. Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. Cherry, 41, of Claremore, is an individual who is knowingly required to register as a sex offender. He is charged with failing to register as a sex offender in August 2026. The U.S. Marshals Service is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michele Hulgaard is prosecuting the case. 26-CR-349
Imelda Corral Rodriguez. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Corral Rodriguez, 48, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in 1999. Homeland Security Investigations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jack Osborn is prosecuting the case. 26-CR-358
Mark Franklin, II. Possession of Child Pornography. Franklin, 31, of Guthrie, is charged with possessing visual images of the sexual abuse of children under 12 years old. Homeland Security Investigations and the U.S. Marshals Service are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Bailey is prosecuting the case. 26-CR-350
Mauricio Humberto Garcia Alvarado. Alien Unlawfully in the United States in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition. Garcia Alvarado, 18, a Mexican national, is charged with possessing a firearm and ammunition, knowing he was unlawfully residing in the United States. Homeland Security Investigations and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jack Osborn is prosecuting the case. 26-CR-351
James Dontal Garner. Possession of Child Pornography. Garner, 48, of Tulsa, is charged with possessing videos of the sexual abuse of children under 12 years old. The Tulsa Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, and the FBI are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley Robert is prosecuting the case. 26-CR-353
Pedro Gomez Perez. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Gomez Perez, 49, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in 2010. Homeland Security Investigations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Keller is prosecuting the case. 26-CR-352
George William Horton. Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country; Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury in Indian Country. Horton, 20, of Tulsa and a member of the Muscogee Creek Nation, is charged with assaulting the victim with a knife with the intent to do bodily injury, and with assault resulting in serious bodily injury. The FBI and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stacey Todd is prosecuting the case.
26-CR-355Jose Manuel Ibarra Gonzalez. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Ibarra Gonzalez, 37, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in 2010 and 2012. Homeland Security Investigations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jorge Diaz-Guma is prosecuting the case. 26-CR-354
Dany Isaias Lopez Juarez. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Lopez Juarez, 40, a Guatemalan national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in 2010, 2012, and 2013. Homeland Security Investigations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Trevion Freeman is prosecuting the case. 26-CR-356
Joshua Sadr-Ghadar-Ghadr. Possession of Child Pornography. Sadr-Ghadar-Ghadr, 39, of Oaks, is charged with possessing visual images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of children under 12 years old. The FBI is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie Ihler is prosecuting the case. 26-CR-359
David Less Stephens, Jr. First Degree Burglary in Indian Country; Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country; Carrying, Using, Brandishing, and Discharging a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence. Stephens, 37, of Skiatook and a member of the Cherokee Nation, is charged with breaking into an occupied home with the intent to commit a crime. He is charged with assaulting the victims with a firearm and with intent to do bodily harm and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney John W. Dowdell is prosecuting the case. 26-CR-360
James Kevin Stonecipher. Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition; Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition After a Misdemeanor Domestic Violence Conviction. Stonecipher, 55, of Tulsa, is charged with possessing a firearm and ammunition, knowing he was previously convicted of a felony and a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office, and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Keller is prosecuting the case. 26-CR-348
Romanian National Admits to Conspiracy to Commit Marriage FraudRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A Romanian national admitted to conspiring with an American to enter into a sham marriage so that she could obtain U.S. citizenship, U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer announced.
Antonia-Beatrice Mircea, 33, of Atlantic City, pled guilty to conspiracy to commit marriage fraud before U.S. District Court Judge Christine P. O’Hearn in Camden federal court. According to statements made in court and documents filed in the case, Mircea is a citizen of Romania and entered into a sham marriage with U.S. citizen Victor Purilla for the purpose of obtaining permanent residence in the United States. On forms submitted to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, Mircea falsely stated that she lived with Purilla in Atlantic City when, in fact, Purilla never lived with Mircea and maintained his own residence in Absecon. Judge O’Hearn scheduled sentencing for January 25, 2027.
The charge of conspiracy to commit marriage fraud has a maximum penalty of five years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and a term of three years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Frazer credited special agents of the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael S. McCarthy, and of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Newark Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy, and USCIS Fraud Detection and National Security officers, with the investigation.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph McFarlane in Camden.
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Defense counsel: Timothy Farrow, Esq., Domers Bonamassa & Farrow, P.C.
mircea.information.pdfRepeat Sex Offender Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Possession of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – A Las Vegas man was sentenced today by Chief United States District Judge Andrew P. Gordon to 120 months in prison to be followed by 30 years of supervised release for possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) on his digital devices while he was on federal supervision for a prior conviction of coercion and enticement of a minor. The government recommended a sentence of 120 months in prison.
“Today's sentence reflects the gravity of these horrific crimes and the necessity of removing repeat predators from our communities,” said First Assistant United States Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada. “Individuals who continue to possess and consume child sexual abuse material inflict lasting harm on vulnerable children. Our office will remain relentless in pursuing and prosecuting those who perpetuate this cycle of abuse, especially recidivist offenders who defy prior court interventions.”
“To anyone targeting our children, understand this: you cannot outrun or evade justice,” said Special Agent in Charge Christopher S. Delzotto for the FBI Las Vegas Field Office. “Law enforcement will find you, and you will face the full consequences of your actions. Our community has zero tolerance for child predators. The FBI remains fiercely dedicated to securing justice for victims and aggressively preventing future exploitation.”
According to court documents, Max Milton was on supervision for a prior federal conviction of coercion and enticement of a minor. While on supervised release, he possessed over 10 images and videos of CSAM depicting prepubescent minors.
Milton pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child pornography. In addition to his sentence of imprisonment, Milton will be required to pay restitution to his victims and to register as a sex offender in the place where he resides, where he is an employee, and where he is a student, under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA).
The FBI investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Afroza Yeasmin prosecuted the case.
These cases are a part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
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North Fort Myers Man Charged for Threatening to Injure and Kill a U.S. Congressmember and His FamilyRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – Jacob Lloyd Lashbrook (31, North Fort Myers) has been charged by indictment with two counts of influencing, impeding, or retaliating against a member of Congress by threat and one count of interstate communication of threats to injure and kill. If convicted, Lashbrook faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison on each of the first two counts and a maximum of 5 years’ imprisonment on the third count. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to the indictment, in July 2026, Lashbrook threatened to assault and murder a member of the United States House of Representatives. He also threatened to assault family members of the congressmember, with the intent to impede, intimidate and interfere with the congressmember’s performance of official duties. The indictment alleges that Lashbrook transmitted and communicated a true threat to injure the congressmember and members of his family and staff using highly inflammatory, profane, and obscene language.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the United States Capitol Police – Threat Assessment Section and the Lee County Sheriff’s Office. It will be prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Joseph Wheeler, III.
Nigerian national indicted for illegally votingRead the Press Release
Kansas City, KAN. – A federal grand jury in Topeka returned an indictment charging a Nigerian national with falsely claiming to be a United States citizen to illegally vote in elections.
According to court documents, George Olawunmi Johnson, 67, who was residing in Olathe, Kansas, is charged with one count of false claim to United States citizenship, one count of false claim to United States citizenship in order to vote, one count of fraudulent election conduct, and one count of voting by an alien in a federal election.
Johnson is accused of falsely indicating that he is a U.S. citizen while registering to vote in February 2010 in Johnson County, Kansas. In November 2024, Johnson allegedly cast a ballot in Kansas that included candidates for the offices of U.S. President, Vice President, Senate, and House of Representatives after falsely certifying that he was eligible to vote as a U.S. citizen when he is in fact a permanent resident.
Johnson made his his initial court appearance September 23, 2026, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Angel D. Mitchell of the U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas.
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Larry Fadler is prosecuting 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.
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Michigan Man Sentenced to 120 Months in Prison for Controlled Substance OffenseRead the Press Release
SOUTH BEND – Robert Newton, 34 years old, of Niles, Michigan, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Damon R. Leichty after pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, announced United States Attorney Adam L. Mildred.
Newton was sentenced to 120 months in prison followed by 5 years of supervised release.
According to documents in the case, Newton was driving in Michigan City, Indiana, when police pulled him over for a traffic infraction and discovered three baggies containing a total of about 59.5 grams of methamphetamine hidden in the back hatch of Newton’s rental car.
“Robert Newton poisoned our communities with deadly drugs, and he will be confined ten years for it. For years, methamphetamine has torn apart Indiana families, fueled violent crime, and devastated our streets. The defendant chose to profit from that misery, operating with a blatant disregard for the law until police intercepted his vehicle and uncovered nearly 60 grams of pure methamphetamine. His sentence is not only entirely appropriate given the scale of his crimes, but it also serves as a critical deterrent to anyone else thinking of trafficking poison into our neighborhoods. This successful prosecution was made possible by the seamless coordination and strong partnerships of our local, state, and federal law enforcement teams. Thanks to the tireless work of the Drug Enforcement Administration, the DEA North Central Laboratory, the LaPorte County Drug Task Force, the Long Beach Police Department, and the Michigan City Police Department, there is one less major dealer on our streets today, and our community is safer for it," said United States Attorney Adam L. Mildred.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the DEA North Central Laboratory, the LaPorte County Drug Task Force, the Long Beach Police Department, and the Michigan City Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lydia T. Lucius.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.
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Massachusetts Man Sentenced to Six Years in Prison for Attempted Transfer of Obscene Material to a MinorRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Brookline, Mass. man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for attempting to transfer obscene material to a minor.
William Kahn, 28, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge William G. Young to six years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. As a result of the conviction, Kahn will be required to register as a sex offender. In May 2026, Kahn pleaded guilty to attempted transfer of obscene material to a minor. Kahn was charged in December 2025.
Between June 2025 and August 2025, Kahn engaged in online conversations with an undercover agent purporting to be a 14-year-old girl. Kahn engaged in sexually explicit chat discussions with the purported minor and sent a photograph of adult genitalia.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Brookline, Boston and Arlington Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Suzanne Sullivan Jacobus of the Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
The case is brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identity and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/.
Massachusetts Man Sentenced to Almost 10 Years in Prison for Threatening to Injure Congressman Randy Fine and His ChildrenRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – Edwin Guerrero (26, MA) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Anne-Leigh Gaylord Moe to 9 years and 11 months in federal prison and a $15,000 fine for making interstate threats to injure the person of another. Guerrero pleaded guilty on March 23, 2026. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents, between August 10 and 15, 2024, Guerrero used his social media account to make a series of antisemitic posts and threats directed to Congressman Randy Fine. At the time of the offense, Congressman Fine was a member of the Florida House of Representatives. The posts included the following threatening statements:
“Looks like I’m taking a little field trip to brevard county Florida let's play a game @VoteRandyFine” from an IP address in Spain. Attached to the post was a photo of an individual holding what appears to be a firearm.
“@VoteRandyFine when he steps out in Florida don't worry your 2 little precious. Jewish boys will suffer the same fate.” from an IP address in Spain. Attached to the post was a photo of a deceased male with significant head trauma.
“This is gonna be Randy Fine very very soon ... see you in Florida !” from an IP address in Spain. Attached to the post was the same photo of a deceased male with significant head trauma.
“Why don't you show us where you're at? @VoteRandyFine your scared of getting your brains blown in ? Don't worry we'll make sure your sons watch ...” from an IP address in Spain.
The investigation revealed that Guerrero was in Spain when he made the threats. Upon his return to the United States, Guerrero was interviewed and admitted to using his social media account to send the above threatening messages to the congressman. A subsequent search of Guerrero’s phone showed search history containing antisemitic and anti-Israel content, including “israel should burn in hell.”
During the sentencing hearing, Congressman Fine stated, “My boys are now victims of a crime;” “I was afraid for me, and I was afraid for my boys.” According to Congressman Fine, Guerrero’s threats involving his sons crossed a line and “made my blood run cold.” He expressed his hope that Guerrero’s sentence sends a clear message that this unacceptable behavior cannot be allowed in the United States of America.
“Threats of intimidation or harm against public officials or anyone for their political or religious beliefs will not be tolerated,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe. “We will take such acts seriously and prosecute these offenders to the fullest extent of the law.”
During the sentencing hearing, U.S. District Judge Moe held that Guerrero’s threats against Congressman Fine and his minor children were motivated by hate. Judge Moe emphasized the seriousness of Guerrero’s threats against Jewish people, and the need for general deterrence for threats against all people, including elected officials and people in protected classes.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Courtney Richardson-Jones.
Justice Department Issues Statements on the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan’s Decision in People of the State of Michigan vs. BP, P.L.C., et al.Read the Press Release
The Justice Department issued the following statements regarding the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan’s decision yesterday in People of the State of Michigan vs. BP, P.L.C., et al., which was an antitrust lawsuit brought by the state against energy companies.The Justice Department’s Antitrust Division and Energy and Natural Resources Division (ENRD) had previously filed a statement of interest to inform the court of legal doctrines that limited the state’s claims.
“This dismissal should make states rethink the use of lawfare to enact climate change policy,” said Associate Attorney General Stanley E. Woodward, Jr. “We are committed to upholding antitrust and environmental law. Michigan’s case would have accomplished neither. That is what we highlighted in our statement of interest.”
“Last May, we filed a complaint against Michigan to prevent it from suing energy companies for climate change under state law theories that are preempted by federal law,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of ENRD. “After we filed our complaint, Michigan pivoted to the novel antitrust claims that the court dismissed yesterday. We are pleased that the district court has rejected another aggressively anti-energy lawsuit, and we are committed to protecting American energy from this sort of state overreach.”
“Antitrust law protects competition and thereby consumers; it is not a tool to advance societal goals unrelated to competition,” said Deputy Assistant Attorney General G. Charles Beller of the Antitrust Division. “The court’s dismissal of Michigan’s novel antitrust claims reiterates the bedrock principle that State plaintiffs, like other private parties, must establish antitrust standing. This standing doctrine ensures that the relief provided to private parties is appropriately tailored to redress harms to competition. On behalf of the American people, we are proud to have worked with ENRD to protect and defend the proper application of federal law.”
Jacksonville Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Attempting to Entice and Meet a 13-Year-Old Child for Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – Orlin Eli Gonzalez (27, Jacksonville) has been sentenced by United States District Judge Wendy W. Berger to 10 years in federal prison for attempting to entice a 13-year-old child to engage in sexual activity. Gonzalez was also ordered to serve a 10-year term of supervised release and to register as a sex offender. He was arrested on September 4, 2025, and has remained in federal custody. Gonzalez pleaded guilty on June 17, 2026. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents, from August 28 through September 4, 2025, an FBI agent (UC) in Jacksonville was conducting an undercover operation on an online social media application (app) to identify adults who were seeking to make online contact with and engage in sexual activity with children. UC was posing as a 13-year-old child. UC and app user “Orlean” exchanged several private online messages on the app as well as via text messaging. After UC advised that the “child” was 13 years old, app user “Orlean” asked the “child” about “her” sexual experience and if “she” liked performing a particular sexual act. “Orlean” requested that the “child” send him nude photos and texted, “I wanna see you naked” and asked the “child” if “she” wanted to have sex. Further investigation by the FBI identified app user “Orlean” as Gonzalez.
On September 4, 2025, Gonzalez and the “child” exchanged more text messages. Gonzalez confirmed that he had intended to meet the “child” for sexual activity at “her” home in Jacksonville and asked the “child” to provide “her” address. That same afternoon, Gonzalez was observed biking toward the agreed-upon location. Upon his arrival, Gonzalez was arrested by FBI agents.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown.
It is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 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, rescue, and seek justice for child victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Illegal Alien Charged with Illegally Voting in Three Federal ElectionsRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – Christiane Vinette Young (75), a Canadian national illegally present in the United States, has been charged by information with three counts of voting by an alien. If convicted on all counts, she faces a maximum penalty of three years in federal prison. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to the information, Young voted in three federal elections—the 2024 general election, 2022 general election, and 2022 primary—despite knowing that she was not a citizen of the United States.
An information is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, with assistance from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the Lee County Supervisor of Elections. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Benjamin S. Winter.
Hondo Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Threatening to Violently Overthrow the GovernmentRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO – A Hondo man was sentenced in a federal court today to 27 months in prison for threatening a violent attack to overthrow the government, announced U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Jay Anthony Villarreal, 25, left his home in Hondo on June 28, 2025, with the intent to carry out an attack in Washington D.C., to overthrow the government. Villarreal was armed with an AR-15 semi-automatic assault weapon, a .45 caliber semi-automatic pistol, and a 9mm semi-automatic pistol, along with extra loaded magazines and multiple boxes of ammunition for each gun. He also possessed in his vehicle a police scanner, binoculars, and a copy of the Texas Penal Code.
As part of his plan to overthrow the government, Villarreal used social media in an effort to solicit military veterans to join him. A friend of Villarreal’s in Maryland saw the social media post on the morning of June 29, 2025, viewed it as potential mass murder situation, and reported it to the FBI. Another of Villarreal’s acquaintances from Hondo was disturbed by the messages and wanted to avert a mass killing so he reported it to the Hondo police. Furthermore, multiple family members and friends sent messages to Villarreal while he was on his drive from Hondo to Washington D.C., prompting him to turn around in the Beaumont area and return home on June 29 at approximately 8:00 pm. Later that day, FBI agents searched Villarreal’s home, resulting in the discovery of two U.S. military smoke grenades—all in addition to the firearms and materials he had in his vehicle.
Villarreal was arrested on July 2, 2025, and convicted by a federal jury on June 17, 2026. Today, U.S. District Judge Fred Biery sentenced Villarreal to 27 months in federal prison and three years of supervised release. Villarreal was also ordered to forfeit the firearms and ammunition.
“Jay Villarreal set out on a mission loaded with weapons and ammunition to violently overthrow the United States government in our nation’s capital,” said U.S. Attorney Simmons. “Fortunately, those closest to him took his public threats seriously and did the right thing by reporting him to law enforcement while simultaneously talking him down. My office and our federal law enforcement partners continue to urge community members to speak up and make that same call whenever necessary. We will answer that call in order to ensure Americans remain safe.”
“This ruling sends a clear message to those who attempt to undermine our democracy,” said FBI San Antonio Special Agent in Charge Daniel Faith. “These crimes will not be tolerated and those who perpetrate them will be brought to justice.”
The FBI-Joint Terrorism Task Force, including the San Antonio Police Department, Hondo Police Department, and UTSA Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mark Roomberg and Kirk Mangels prosecuted the case.
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Greenville Tax Preparer Sentenced to over 2 Years in Fraud CaseRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – A federal judge sentenced Danielle Melissa Staten, 40, to over 2 years in federal prison and one year of supervised release for aiding and assisting in the preparation of a false tax return. The Court also ordered Staten to pay $1,508,171 in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service.
‘This is yet another example of crooks milking the system to simply defraud the hard-working taxpayers of this great country,” said U.S, Attorney Ellis Boyle. “This serves as a stark warning to those who think they can pad their pockets with stolen taxpayer dollars: we will find you, we will prosecute you, and a federal prison cell waits for you. Cheaters. Never. Win.”
Staten engaged in a scheme to prepare and file false and fraudulent federal income tax returns (Forms 1040) for others from 2018 to 2023, resulting in approximately $1.5 million in fake tax losses. Staten owned and operated Precise Tax Preparation, LLC, a tax return preparation in Greenville, North Carolina. It was anything but precise. She prepared false tax returns for clients that reported phony information to increase her client’s tax refunds. Many of the offending returns included false Schedules C, to report annual profit and loss from a small business. Staten generated false Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) claims by making up the income and expenses on the Schedules C, which fraudulently allowed the taxpayer to maximize the EITC credit.
“Dishonest tax return preparers erode the integrity of the tax system by abusing their position of trust and placing honest taxpayers at risk,” said Special Agent in Charge Donald ‘Trey’ Eakins of IRS Criminal Investigation’s Charlotte Field Office. “IRS Criminal Investigation and the U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to expose these schemes and hold corrupt preparers accountable.”
W. Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after the Honorable James C. Dever III pronounced the sentence. IRS-CI investigated the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:26-CR-15-D.
A copy of this press release is located on our website.
Gainesville Violent Felon Pleads Guilty to Unlawful Possession of Gun & AmmunitionRead the Press Release
Gainesville, Florida – Ramone Ron Young, Jr., 34, of Gainesville, Florida, pleaded guilty in federal court to one count of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Keeping dangerous, violent felons off our streets is one of my office’s top priorities, and thanks to the excellent investigative work of the Gainesville Police Department, with support from our federal law enforcement partners, we have delivered another successful prosecution in this case. Under the leadership of President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Todd Blanche, my office is aggressively prosecuting criminal offenders to ensure our citizens can enjoy the safe, crime-free streets they deserve.”
Court documents reflect that on May 28, 2026, law enforcement responded to a report that the defendant had pointed a gun at another individual. Through investigation, officers determined the defendant possessed a loaded FMK .40-caliber pistol, despite being legally prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition because he had been previously convicted of robbery with a weapon and cocaine possession.
Young faces up to 15 years’ imprisonment on the possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon count.
Young’s sentencing is scheduled for November 23, 2026, at 11:30 a.m. before Chief United States District Allen Winsor at the United States Courthouse in Gainesville, Florida.
The plea was the result of a joint investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Gainesville Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tyler Fleming.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.
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.
Former Police Officer Pleads Guilty to Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Tallahassee, Florida – Keagan Garrett Bohlinger, 26, of Monticello, Florida, pleaded guilty in federal court to 11 counts of production of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography from the internet. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “It is one of my office’s top priorities to target and aggressively prosecute anyone who sexually exploits and victimizes a child. The fact that this defendant served as a public safety officer makes the commission of his heinous crimes even more egregious, and my office will pursue maximum punishment to achieve justice for the minor victim.”
Court documents reflect that the defendant was a Monticello Police Department Officer who sexually abused a young child and produced multiple videos and images of the sexual abuse on three occasions in January 2026. He also possessed videos and images of child pornography downloaded from the internet.
The defendant faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison and a maximum of 350 years, which includes up to 30 years per production count, and 20 years for possession, all potentially running consecutively. After his release from prison, the defendant will be a registered sex offender and will be sentenced to supervised release for at least 5 years and up to life.
The case involved an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations and the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney James A. McCain.
Sentencing is scheduled for December 11, 2026, at 11:00 am, in the United States Courthouse in Tallahassee before United States District Judge Mark E. Walker.
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 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.
Final Kiccdoe gang member in 21-defendant prosecution sentenced for RICO conspiracy involving murder, robbery and drug traffickingRead the Press Release
FORT WORTH, Texas — United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould announced that a member of the violent North Texas street gang Kiccdoe was sentenced Sept. 17 to more than 13 years in federal prison for his role in a racketeering conspiracy involving acts of violence, armed robbery and drug trafficking.
Blake Aaron Scott, 22, of Arlington, Texas, pleaded guilty to RICO conspiracy on June 3.
“This defendant fueled a violent criminal enterprise that terrorized North Texas neighborhoods with shootings, robberies and drug trafficking,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould. “Let me be unmistakably clear: My office will not tolerate this type of violence in North Texas. We will dismantle any gang that threatens our communities and aggressively prosecute its offenders.”
“This defendant’s role in a violent gang that terrorized the Arlington community warrants the sentence imposed in this case,” said FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock. “We will continue working with our law enforcement partners to dismantle violent criminal organizations that threaten the safety of our communities.”
“This is a significant win for our community,” said Arlington Police Chief Al Jones. “In Arlington alone, we documented more than 180 criminal incidents, many of them violent, involving the members of this street gang. Our city is safer with these defendants of our streets. I’m extremely grateful to the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas for partnering with us on this case and for successfully prosecuting everyone who was part of this conspiracy.”
According to court documents, Scott was a member and associate of the Kiccdoe gang—an organization whose members engaged in murder, shootings, armed robberies, intimidation and narcotics trafficking throughout Arlington and other North Texas communities.
From at least August 2021 through 2025, Scott and other Kiccdoe members conspired to conduct the affairs of the enterprise through a pattern of racketeering activity, including:
- Conspiracy to commit murder and attempted murder: On Jan. 20, 2022, during a shooting at a residence in Arlington targeting an individual identified as N.C., Scott urged Kiccdoe members to locate and kill rivals in Instagram communications.
- Armed robbery: On May 7, 2022, Scott participated in a gunpoint robbery during which approximately $250 and personal items were taken from W.B. Scott later helped co-conspirators evade law enforcement.
- Drug trafficking: From at least August 2022 through November 2025, Scott used Instagram to advertise drug sales, posted images of large marijuana quantities and engaged in hand‑to‑hand deliveries. Proceeds were used to purchase firearms for use in further violent crimes.
The Kiccdoe Enterprise
Court records describe Kiccdoe as a criminal enterprise operating in Arlington, Texas, since approximately 2017. Gang members use violence, intimidation, narcotics distribution and social media promotion to maintain territory, influence and profits and climb in rank by trafficking controlled substances and committing violent acts, referred to as “standing on business.”
In court papers, Scott admitted that he knew the enterprise’s objectives, agreed to its goals and committed essential elements of the charged racketeering conspiracy.
U.S. District Judge Mark T. Pittman sentenced Scott to 157 months in federal prison, followed by four years of supervised release. Scott was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service following sentencing.
Scott is the last of 21 defendants convicted and sentenced in this racketeering conspiracy.
The FBI’s Dallas Field Office and Arlington Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Laura G. Montes and Eric B. Chen from the Fort Worth Division prosecuted the case with assistance from Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Capoccia.
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Federal Prison Awaits Wilson Gang Banger for Drug and Gun PossessionRead the Press Release
NEW BERN N.C. – A federal judge sentenced Mijuel Taylor, also known as “Mthang,” 24, of Wilson to almost 12 years in federal prison for possessing meth with intent to distribute it and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
“Stashing a loaded gun in your waistband while standing in a house tied to gang shootings, with a pocket full of meth, is a fast track to federal prison,” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle. “Wilson has seen far too many gang‑related shootings and lawlessness. This conduct only fuels more violence in a vicious cycle. The rules for staying out of trouble are simple: no gangs, no illegal guns, and don’t sell drugs. These young thugs destroy their families and communities with guns and drugs and the inevitable violence that follows. If you somehow avoid getting shot, you go to prison to rot. Get smart. Choose better.”
In the summer of 2024, Wilson experienced at least 12 gang‑related shootings. Investigators determined the violence fueled from a dangerous rivalry between two local hybrid gangs; the “600/Snail/Taliban,” tied to the Nine Trey Gangster Bloods, and “D.M.G.,” linked to the 52 Hoover Gangster Crips. During the investigation, law enforcement learned that the gang banger stored firearms tied to the gang shootings at a residence in Wilson.
On July 25, 2024, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at that residence suspected of hiding guns tied to gang‑related shootings. As they moved in, officers confronted Taylor near a side door and immediately detained him. During the search, they found a loaded 9‑millimeter handgun tucked into his waistband and more than 48 pills containing meth in his pocket.
“This sentencing underscores the FBI’s unwavering commitment to safeguarding the public and dismantling the violent criminal networks that undermine community safety. Gang-related violence remains a significant driver of violent crime nationwide, with federal assessments showing that criminal gangs are responsible for a substantial share of shootings and gun trafficking activity across the United States. Through close coordination with our law enforcement partners, we will continue to disrupt the organizations that fuel this violence, remove illegally possessed firearms from our streets, and ensure that individuals who traffic in narcotics and weapons are held fully accountable under federal law," said Reid Davis, the FBI Special Agent in Charge in North Carolina.
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.
W. Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan. The FBI’s Raleigh Durham Safe Streets Task Force and the Wilson Police Department investigated the case.
A copy of this press release is located on our website. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:24-cr-00325-FL.
Dual Citizen Convicted of Smuggling Goods from the United States to RussiaRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The President of a freight forwarding company has been convicted by a federal jury in Boston of unlawfully exporting an Orbitrap Exploris GC 240 Mass Spectrometer from the United States into Russia without a license.
Kirill Gordei, 37, was convicted yesterday following a four day trial, of one count of conspiracy to commit offenses against the United States; one count of smuggling goods from the United States; and one count of export of a spectrometer which is a commerce control item. U.S. District Court Judge Myong J. Joun scheduled sentencing for Jan. 12, 2027. Gordei was arrested and charged in June 2024.
Gordei, a citizen of Belarus and the United States who resides in Hallandale, Fla., is the President of Apelsin Logistics, a freight forwarding company, located in Hallandale Beach, Fla. Apelsin also has an address in Russia and two websites both of which are registered and hosted in Russia.
Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022, a series of stringent export controls were implemented that restrict Russia’s access to the technologies and other items that it needs to sustain its attack on Ukraine. As of April 8, 2022, license requirements for exports, reexports and transfers to or within Russia were expanded to cover the most sensitive items subject to controls on the Commerce Control List.
In August 2023, Gordei facilitated the export of an Orbitrap Exploris GC 240 Mass Spectrometer – an item that delivers high data quality and versatility to accelerate scientific discovery for academic, industry research, government and omics laboratories – from the United States to Russia via Turkey, in violation of the licensing requirements. In order to facilitate the transaction, Gordei provided falsified documentation to an American freight forwarding company indicating that the mass spectrometer was destined to Uzbekistan, rather than to Russia. Gordei simultaneously arranged for the mass spectrometer to be shipped directly to Moscow after it arrived in Turkey.
“Mr. Gordei went to great lengths to evade U.S. export controls, falsifying the destination of controlled technology and routing it through Turkey before sending it to Russia,” said United States Attorney Leah B. Foley. “Export controls are a vital tool for protecting national and international security. We will continue to hold those who deliberately circumvent export controls accountable.”
“The Bureau of Industry and Security will relentlessly pursue those who violate U.S. export control laws,” stated David Peters, Assistant Secretary for Export Enforcement, U.S. Department of Commerce. “This conviction demonstrates our commitment to dismantling these dangerous criminal networks.”
The charge of violating the Export Control Reform Act provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $1,000,000. The charge of smuggling goods from the United States provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of conspiracy to commit offenses against the United States provides for a sentence of five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
U.S. Attorney Foley, Assistant Attorney General John A. Eisenberg of the National Security Division and Assistant Secretary Peters made the announcement today. Valuable assistance in the investigation was provided by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection; U.S. Marshals Service; and the Transportation Security Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Timonthy Kistner and Christopher Looney of the National Security Unit are prosecuting the case with assistance from Trial Attorney Christopher Magnani of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence & Export Control Section.
Defendant Convicted of Violent Robbery of Postal Worker, Theft of Mail, and Bank FraudRead the Press Release
A federal jury in Brooklyn yesterday convicted Mahwanga Campbell, also known as “Mahwanga Elijah Solo Campbell” and “Elijah Campbell,” on all counts of a superseding indictment charging him with conspiracy to rob a mail carrier, possession of stolen mail, and the fraudulent deposit of stolen and/or altered United States Treasury checks. The charges arise from Campbell’s participation in the violent assault and robbery of a United States Postal Service (USPS) mail carrier in Queens, New York. The verdict was delivered after a two-week trial before United States District Judge Eric N. Vitaliano. When sentenced, Campbell faces up to 30 years’ imprisonment. Campbell’s co-conspirators remain at large.
Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge, United States Postal Inspection Service, New York Division (USPIS), announced the verdict.
“Today’s verdict holds the defendant accountable for the violent robbery of a United States Postal Service mail carrier,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “Mail carriers perform a vital function and are part of the fabric of our communities. Our Office will vigorously prosecute criminals who assault government employees while they are doing their job and we will not rest until the co-conspirators in this cowardly attack are also brought to justice.”“U.S. Postal Service Letter Carriers perform a core function in serving the community every day and they should be able to do so without fear. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service will aggressively investigate all those who seek to commit violence against USPS Letter Carriers and with the help of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District Court of New York hold all who would commit such acts accountable,” stated USPS Inspector in Charge Larco-Ward
As proved at trial, on September 2, 2023, a USPS mail carrier was delivering mail in the vicinity of Union Hall Street in Jamaica, Queens, when he was punched in the face, thrown to the pavement, and robbed of his arrow key (a USPS key used by mail carriers to open mailboxes) by two of Campbell’s co‑conspirators, while Campbell acted as the getaway driver. The victim suffered pain to his head and a cracked tooth as a result of the attack. Law enforcement traced the getaway vehicle driven by Campbell using surveillance video and license plate trackers. On February 11, 2025, pursuant to a warrant, Campbell was arrested during a traffic stop by a police officer in Charlotte, South Carolina, and Campbell’s cell phones were seized.
Campbell’s phones were searched pursuant to a judicially authorized search warrant and found to contain images and videos of checks made out to people other than Campbell, as well as identification documents in the names of other people. The checks depicted on Campbell’s phones were issued to various payees other than Campbell by various individuals and companies across multiple states, including New York, Delaware, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Georgia, with issue dates ranging from at least June 2023 to February 2025. Several of the checks depicted on the phones were issued by payors located within the geographic area where mailboxes can be accessed with the stolen arrow key and were dated within three weeks of the date of the robbery in Queens. Campbell’s phone also contained videos showing how stolen checks were altered: first by “washing” the recipient and dollar amount off the stolen checks by dissolving the handwritten ink in acetone or brake fluid, and then by replacing those with a new recipient and dollar amount.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Russell Noble, Alessandra Rafalson, and Andrew Wang are in charge of the prosecution with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Johnson Peow.
The Defendant:
MAHWANGA CAMPBELL (also known as” Mahwanga Elijah Solo Campbell” and “Elijah Campbell”)
Age: 34
Charlotte, North CarolinaE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 25-CR-218 (ENV)
Columbus drug dealer sentenced to 20 years in prisonRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A high-level narcotics trafficker was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 240 months in prison for drug and gun crimes.
David Ector, 51, of Columbus, pleaded guilty in October 2025 to conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute narcotics, illegally possessing a firearm as a previously convicted felon and conspiring to commit money laundering.
According to court documents, between 2012 and 2024, Ector generated millions of dollars through illicit drug sales. Ector served as a source of supply of large quantities of cocaine, heroin and fentanyl to drug traffickers operating on the west side of Columbus. Ector would also fly to California to obtain bulk amounts of narcotics to send back to Ohio.
Investigations by the Central Ohio Human Trafficking Task Force (COHTTF), Columbus Division of Police, Ohio Attorney General's Office (AGO) Ohio Organized Crime Investigations Commission (OOCIC) and High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force, and Internal Revenue Service- Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) revealed that Ector kept notes in his cell phone that contained coded references to drug sales and a ledger including nicknames for individuals and how much money they owed.
Ector conspired to launder proceeds of his drug trafficking, in part through a front business called “Daze Auto Sales.” The Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles has no records of the business ever buying, selling or owning any vehicles in Ohio. He also orchestrated numerous deposits of money to various bank accounts and obtained properties. One of those properties that Ector purchased with drug trafficking proceeds was a multiunit apartment building in Columbus being utilized as a sober living facility.
As a part of his plea agreement, the Court ordered the forfeiture of two real properties owned by Ector as well as five firearms, a Cartier watch and a Rolex watch.
Ector was charged by a bill of information in October 2025.
Dominick S. Gerace II, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, Ohio Attorney General Andy Wilson and Columbus Police Chief Elaine Bryant announced the sentence imposed on Sept. 22 by Chief U.S. District Court Judge Sarah D. Morrison. Assistant United States Attorneys Emily Czerniejewski and Timothy D. Prichard are representing the United States in this case.
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Columbia Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Firearm Offense Related to Columbia Woman’s MurderRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Anthony Detemrius Reese, 56, of Columbia, has been sentenced to 15 years in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm in relation to the murder of a Columbia woman.
Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that on the night of Aug. 29, 2025, Reese left a residence in Cayce with Angela Fuller. In the early morning of Aug. 30, 2025, Reese dumped Fuller’s dead body in a wooded area off Two Notch Road.
The Columbia Police Department identified Reese as the last person with Fuller. On Aug. 31, 2025, Columbia Police officers spotted Reese’s vehicle and attempted to conduct a traffic stop, but he instead fled, led officers on a high-speed chase, and eventually crashed the car in Lexington. Officers recovered a loaded firearm from Reese’s vehicle. Following an extensive search, law enforcement recovered Fuller’s body. Ballistic testing confirmed that the firearm found in Reese’s possession was used to kill Fuller.
Reese has prior felony convictions for domestic violence of a high and aggravated nature, shoplifting, burglary, and assault and battery. He is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition.United States District Judge Joseph F. Anderson concluded that Reese was responsible for Fuller’s murder and that the firearm was used to commit the murder. Judge Anderson sentenced Reese to 180 months’ imprisonment, the statutory maximum, to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the City of Columbia Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lamar J. Fyall is prosecuting the case.
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Brockton Man Pleads Guilty to Distribution of Crack CocaineRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Brockton man pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to drug distribution and conspiracy charges.
Antonio Dossantos-Tirado, 36, pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of 28 grams or more of cocaine base and one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. U.S. Senior District Court Judge William G. Young scheduled sentencing for Dec. 21, 2026. Dossantos-Tirado was arrested and charged in October 2025.
On May 29, 2025, Dossantos-Tirado sold 55 grams of crack-cocaine in the Sunset Hill housing development in Fall River, Mass. On June 10, 2025 Dossantos-Tirado organized the sale of cocaine, fentanyl and a firearm between a relative and a cooperating witness.
The charge of distribution of 28 grams or more of cocaine base carries a sentence of no less than five years and up to 40 years in prison, no less than four years and up to a lifetime of supervision and a fine of up to $5 million. The charge of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of $1 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Thomas Greco, Special Agent in Charge of the Boston Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police and the Fall River Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney John J. Reynolds III of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit is prosecuting the cases.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Bloomfield Man Pleads Guilty to Fatal StabbingRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Bloomfield man pleaded guilty to fatally stabbing a man during an argument.
According to court documents, on May 20, 2026, Seviano Kee, 18, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, got into a physical altercation with John Doe. During the altercation, Kee fatally stabbed John Doe with a kitchen knife and was not acting in self-defense.
Kee pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter. At sentencing, he faces up to 15 years in prison followed by three years of supervised release.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Special Agent in Charge Justin A. Garris of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office made the announcement today.
The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Nation Police Department and Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Mondragon is prosecuting the case.
Baltimore Man Pleads Guilty to Drug-Trafficking and Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A Baltimore man pled guilty in federal court to charges stemming from his role as a drug trafficker.
Kanye Green, 23, admitted to possession of a firearm and ammunition by the respondent of a domestic violence protective order and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty plea with Special Agent in Charge Charles Doerrer, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), and Commissioner Richard Worley, Baltimore Police Department (BPD).
According to court documents, on October 28, 2025, as BPD officers conducted proactive enforcement in Northwest Baltimore, they observed Green standing on a corner. Officers noticed Green’s jacket seemed to bulge out, indicating that he possessed a heavy object consistent with a firearm.
Then officers approached Green and asked him if he possessed a firearm. Green then lifted his shirt and replied “no,” but stated he had weed on him. As Green removed the packet of marijuana from his clothing, an officer observed the handle of a firearm inside of his jacket. Then officers patted Green down and located a handgun in his jacket pocket.
Officers then arrested Green and subsequently recovered several vials of a controlled substance from his person. Further testing revealed the substance was cocaine and cocaine base.
Additionally, at the time of the arrest, Green was the respondent of a final order of protection for a domestic violence order by the District Court for Baltimore County which prohibited him from possessing firearms and ammunition during the duration of the order.
Green faces a minimum of five years and a maximum of life in prison for possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime. He is also facing a maximum of 15 years in prison for possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. U.S. District Court Judge Deborah K. Chasanow set sentencing for Friday, Jan. 8, 2027, at 1 p.m.
Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This prosecution is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) and Project Safe Home. These programs bring 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. Project Safe Home is an initiative under the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) through the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) to reduce domestic violence and prevent escalation to lethal violence by targeting offenders who use or possess handguns with a history of Domestic Violence.
In response, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland is working closely with its federal, local, and state partners — along with Baltimore City community organizations — to reduce violent crime and enhance public safety. This partnership and coordination between the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the City of Baltimore ensures that federal resources are leveraged effectively to address intimidate-partner firearm violence.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the ATF and BPD for their collaborative efforts in this investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathleen Godwin and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kim Y. Hagan who are prosecuting this case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md.
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10 Indicted in Takedown of Major Philadelphia Cocaine Trafficking Organization That Coordinated with Mexican CartelRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – At a news conference this morning, United States Attorney David Metcalf announced the indictment and takedown of a major Philadelphia drug trafficking organization, resulting in the seizure locally of over $8 million in cocaine and multiple firearms. In total, along with partners in other districts, over $17 million in cocaine was seized over the course of the investigation.
The indictment charges 10 alleged members of the Jones-Basley Drug Trafficking Organization (“DTO”) with conspiracy to distribute cocaine and related offenses.
U.S. Attorney Metcalf discussed the case today alongside FBI Philadelphia Special Agent in Charge Wayne Jacobs and Philadelphia Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel.
“Literal truckloads of cocaine have been seized as a result of this case and kept from flooding our city,” said U.S. Attorney Metcalf. “Know that the investigation is ongoing and there will more arrests to come. We, the FBI, and the Philadelphia Police Department are zeroing in on the drug traffickers and cartels poisoning our neighborhoods and communities.”
“Drug trafficking does not simply end with the transaction. Its impact can reach far beyond those involved in the criminal activity, threatening the safety and well-being of our neighborhoods, and putting families and communities at risk,” said Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Philadelphia. “No one agency can do this work alone. We appreciate our partners at the Philadelphia Police Department and the United States Attorney’s Office for their diligent efforts in this investigation. We will continue working alongside them to identify those who bringing dangerous drugs into our city, take down the organizations behind this activity, and bring those responsible to justice.”
“This investigation is another example of what is possible when local and federal law enforcement work together with a shared mission,” said Philadelphia Police Commissioner Kevin J. Bethel. “Drug trafficking organizations operating at this scale fuel violence, destabilize neighborhoods and cause tremendous harm in our communities. I am especially proud of the Philadelphia Police Department members assigned to this task force, whose work alongside our federal partners helped bring this investigation to this point. I want to thank U.S. Attorney Metcalf, Special Agent in Charge Jacobs, the FBI, and every investigator and partner who contributed to this case. We will continue working shoulder-to-shoulder to disrupt these organizations, hold those responsible accountable and make Philadelphia safer.”
As alleged in the indictment, the Jones-Basley DTO, led by Gregory Jones, aka “Smallz,” 48, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Edward Basley, aka “Beeb,” 47, of Wayne, Pa., coordinated with a Mexican drug cartel to transport hundreds of kilograms of cocaine from Mexico to Philadelphia, with the DTO pushing between $5 million and $10 million dollars’ worth of cocaine onto the city’s streets every month.
Jones and Basley are both charged with conspiracy to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine and possession with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine.
In addition, Jones is charged with possession with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine within 1,000 feet of an elementary school, and Basley with possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Their eight co-defendants — Shawn Bell, 54, of Cheltenham, Pa., Jabari Savage, 46, Renard Brown, 43, Jermaine Singleton, 52, Farid Haddad, 48, and David McField, 43, all of Philadelphia, Orenthial Bailey, 50, of Temple, Texas, and Eduard Amador, 38, of Manassas, Virginia — are charged with conspiracy to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine. The indictment alleges that they are active members or associates of the Jones-Basley DTO.
Five defendants were arrested by the FBI in coordinated operations yesterday. Five defendants were already in state or federal custody.
If convicted, all the defendants face maximum possible sentences of life imprisonment.
This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (“HSTF”) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of U.S. 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 Philadelphia is co-led by Homeland Security Investigations and the FBI, and partner agencies include the Drug Enforcement Administration, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the U.S. Marshals Service, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
The case was investigated by the FBI and the Philadelphia Police Department, with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Probation Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General’s Bureau of Narcotics Investigation, Tennessee Highway Patrol, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Tennessee, Delaware State Police, Maryland State Police, and Virginia State Police. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Lauren Stram and Christopher Parisi.
The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
22 September 2026
Valdosta Man Convicted of Domestic Violence Faces 15 Years in Prison for Illegally Possessing FirearmsRead the Press Release
Albany, Ga. – A Valdosta resident is facing up to 15 years in federal prison after he admitted to illegally possessing three firearms, including a stolen machine gun, when he was taken into custody for a probation violation for a prior domestic violence misdemeanor conviction.
“Individuals who are prohibited from possessing firearms can expect to be held accountable at the federal level, especially when they have a violent criminal history and illegally possess a machine gun,” said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes. “This case underscores that people with prior domestic violence convictions, including misdemeanors, are generally prohibited from possessing firearms under federal law. Working with law enforcement, we are identifying repeat offenders with violent criminal pasts and bringing them to justice.”
“Individuals prohibited by federal law from possessing firearms cannot disregard that prohibition without consequences—especially when the weapons involved include an illegal machine gun,” said ATF Assistant Special Agent in Charge Brian Graves. “This conviction demonstrates the strength of our partnership with the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office and our shared commitment to protecting communities from armed repeat offenders.”
“We appreciate the strong cooperation we have with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, which helps us keep repeat offenders with guns off the streets,” said Lowndes County Sheriff Ashley Paulk. “Their collaboration with our office is essential in ensuring these individuals are held accountable.”
Eddie Arnold, 24, of Valdosta, pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a firearm by a person convicted of a crime of domestic violence before U.S. District Judge Leslie Abrams Gardner on September 21. Arnold faces a maximum sentence of 15 years imprisonment to be followed by a maximum term of supervised release of three years and a maximum fine of $250,000. There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court documents and statements in court, Arnold was wanted for probation violation for a prior domestic violence conviction. Investigators arrested Arnold on Jan. 9, 2025, at his residence on Ponderosa Drive in Valdosta. Investigators obtained a search warrant and found two semiautomatic firearms and a 9mm Glock stolen from Gainesville, Florida, with a machine gun conversion device attached, located in Arnold’s bedroom. Arnold was previously convicted of simple battery family violence in Lowndes County and is therefore prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sonja Profit is prosecuting the case for the Government.
Two Alexandria Men Sentenced on Federal Drug and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA – On September 15, 2026, United States District Judge Jerry Edwards, Jr., sentenced Terrence D. Taylor, Jr., 28, of Alexandria, to 102 months in federal prison with six years of supervised release, after his guilty plea to Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine and Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime.
On the same day, Judge Edwards also sentenced Mikell Dewayne Boyd, 30, also of Alexandria, to 37 months in federal prison, with two years of supervised release, after his guilty plea to Possession of a Firearm or Ammunition by a Person Subject to a Domestic Violence Protective Order.
TAYLOR
Taylor, a previously convicted felon, was encountered by Louisiana Probation and Parole (LPP) and Louisiana State Police (LSP) on May 9, 2024, for arrest on outstanding warrants. During the arrest, officers saw marijuana in plain view inside his residence. Taylor admitted there was a backpack inside the residence containing methamphetamine and a Glock firearm. A search warrant was executed, and investigators recovered the backpack containing approximately 27.87 grams of methamphetamine—a distribution amount—and a loaded Glock Model 42 firearm that was later determined to be stolen.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), LPP, and LSP. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney J. Daniel Siefker, Jr., with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Denise Duhon.
BOYD
On March 31, 2025, Boyd was in possession of a loaded Omni Hybrid .223 pistol and .223 ammunition. At the time he possessed the firearm and ammunition, Boyd was subject to a Louisiana domestic violence protective order which prohibited him from doing so. Boyd admitted the firearm and ammunition were in his possession despite the court order.
This case was investigated by the ATF and Alexandria Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas A. Johnson with assistance from Legal Assistant Tanya Broussard.
U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Keller for the Western District of Louisiana made the announcements.
These cases were prosecuted as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.
You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Louisiana at www.justice.gov/usao-wdla.
Related court documents and information may be found at www.lawd.uscourts.gov or at https://www.lawd.uscourts.gov/cmecf-pacer, under Case Numbers 26-cr-00047 (Taylor) and 26-cr-00061 (Boyd).
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Public Affairs
United States Attorney’s Office
Western District of Louisiana [email protected] www.justice.gov/usao-wdla
(337) 262-6704