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Wednesday 14 January 2026
Meridian Man Sentenced to 42 Months for being a Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
JACKSON, MS – A Meridian man was sentenced on Tuesday, January 13, 2026, to 42 months of incarceration for being a felon in possession of a firearm in Neshoba County. The defendant was also ordered to pay a fine and serve 3 years of supervised release following his incarceration.
According to court documents, Elton Wayne Fairley, 40, was found by Philadelphia Police Department to be in possession of a firearm on February 24, 2025. The firearm was concealed in the vehicle during a traffic stop in Philadelphia, Mississippi, with a round loaded in the firearm’s chamber and a large capacity magazine. Fairley had a previous felony conviction for narcotics offenses and was prohibited from possessing a firearm.
Fairley was indicted by a federal grand jury on July 15, 2025, and pleaded guilty on September 10, 2025. Fairley will serve his term of imprisonment consecutive to a ten-year state sentence from Lauderdale County.
U.S. Attorney J.E. Baxter Kruger of the Southern District of Mississippi and Special Agent in Charge Robert A. Eikhoff of the FBI Jackson Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI investigated this case with assistance from the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; Philadelphia Police Department; and Meridian Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney C. Brett Grantham prosecuted the case.
This case was investigated by the ATF as part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline) 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).
McAlester Resident Pleads Guilty to Illegally Possessing FirearmsRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Larry Douglas Martin, age 54, of McAlester, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Felon in Possession of Firearm, punishable by up to 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The Indictment charged Martin with possessing a semi-automatic rifle and a semi-automatic pistol after having previously been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Pittsburg County Sheriff’s Office.
The Honorable Jason A. Robertson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Martin will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Olivia Staubus represented the United States.
Massachusetts Company Charged with Violating OSHA Rule Leading to Worker’s DeathRead the Press Release
BOSTON – John Oliveira & Sons Stamp Concrete, Inc., a corporation doing business in East Freetown, Mass. has been charged and has agreed to plead guilty to willfully violating Occupational Safety and Health Administration (“OSHA”) safety standards in a 2023 incident that led to a worker’s death.
According to court documents, the company utilized a large soil screener for purposes of processing and screening soil and similar substances. The soil screener was approximately 46 feet long and 13 feet high, and weighed approximately 35,880 lbs. The tail conveyor of the soil screener – which weighed approximately 1,500 pounds – could be placed in a vertical closed position or could be opened to an approximate 45° angle. It is alleged that at various occasions in 2022 or 2023, the tail conveyor of the soil screener closed unexpectedly, and the soil screener had suffered a ruptured hydraulic pressure line.
On Sept. 6, 2023, a company employee was working alongside a co-owner on the tail conveyer of the soil screener, which was in the open position. At the time, there was no equipment in place to prevent the tail conveyer from closing. According to the charging documents, as the employee was seeking to remove a bolt, the tail conveyor closed unexpectedly. The employee held onto the upper frame of the soil screener as the tail conveyer closed into the vertical position, crushing the employee’s head. The employee suffered massive head trauma and was pronounced dead soon thereafter.
For willfully violating an OSHA safety standard, John Oliveira & Sons Stamp Concrete, Inc. faces a term of probation of up to five years, a fine of up to $500,000 and restitution payable to the estate of the deceased victim. Sentences are imposed by a federal judge based upon statutory factors.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Jonathan Mellone, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General; Jeff Erskine, Regional Administrator of the Department of Labor OSHA Boston Region; and Maia Fisher, Regional Solicitor for Department of Labor Boston Region made the announcement today. Assistance in the investigation was also provided by, OSHA Criminal Investigations Team, Boston Region. Assistant U.S. Attorney William F. Abely, Chief of the Criminal Division is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Marshall Man Admits to Drug and Gun OffensesRead the Press Release
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A Marshall, Mo., man pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court to drug and gun charges arising out of a May 2025 search warrant, during which two Pettis County deputies were injured.
James Joseph Elsea, 62, pleaded guilty before Chief U.S. Magistrate Judge Willie J. Epps, Jr., to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, discharging and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and possessing firearms after a prior felony conviction. In a plea agreement filed with the court after the hearing, Elsea admitted that while Pettis County Sheriff’s Office deputies were executing a no-knock search warrant at his home on May 2, 2025, Elsea fired shots from inside the residence, hitting and injuring two deputies. Approximately nine minutes after the shots were fired, Elsea made a 911 call reporting that he believed he had shot someone. Later, after the officers arrested Elsea and made entry into his residence, they found evidence that Elsea had discarded methamphetamine down the toilet, leaving loose methamphetamine on the bathroom floor, around and underneath the toilet, on the toilet seat, and in the toilet bowl. Firearms were also found within the home. Elsea has prior felony convictions and is not permitted to possess a gun.
Under federal statutes, Elsea is subject to a sentence of up to 20 years for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and up to 15 years for his possession of a firearm after a prior felony conviction. He is also subject to a sentence of not less than 10 years for possession and discharge of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense, which must be consecutive to any other sentence imposed in the case. These maximum sentences are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes, but Elsea’s ultimate sentence will be determined by the court based on advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren E. Kummerer. It was investigated by the Pettis County Sheriff’s Office, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
Operation Take Back America
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Maplewood Man Admits Selling Machine Gun Conversion DevicesRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A man from Maplewood, Missouri on Wednesday admitted selling nine machine gun conversion devices to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Tanario Darden, 23, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to two felony counts: transporting prohibited weapons without a license and transferring machine guns. He admitted using his Instagram account to offer machine gun conversion devices (MCDs) for sale. MCDs, also known as switches or auto sears, convert a semi-automatic firearm into fully automatic weapon. MCDs are defined as a machine gun under federal law.
ATF agents learned of the Instagram account in the spring of 2024 and an undercover agent contacted Darden. After arranging the sale via Darden, an intermediary delivered two MCDs on April 29, 2024. A different man delivered seven more on May 29, 2024.
Darden is scheduled to be sentenced on April 15.The transporting prohibited weapons charge carries a potential penalty of up to five years in prison. The machine gun charge carries a penalty of 10 years in prison.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Szczucinski is prosecuting the case.
Marianna Man Sentenced to Ten Years in Federal Prison for Distributing MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Lionel Mitchel Crawford, 54, of Marianna, Florida was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison after previously pleading guilty to Distribution of 5 Grams or More of Methamphetamine and 50 Grams or More of a Mixture and Substance Containing Methamphetamine. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Methamphetamine has a devastating impact on our communities, but our state and federal law enforcement partners remain relentless in their execution of operations like this one to rid our streets of this deadly drug and the criminals who peddle it. My office will continue to deliver on the promise made by President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi through Operation Take Back America to use the full force of the law to protect our communities from drug traffickers like this defendant.”
According to court records, on December 12, 2024, the defendant sold over 50 grams of methamphetamine during a law enforcement undercover operation. The sale occurred at the defendant’s property in Jackson County, Florida. The defendant has a previous conviction for a serious drug felony.
“This joint effort brought a methamphetamine trafficker to justice,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Kevin Bobbitt of DEA Miami Field Division. “Methamphetamine destroys families and DEA will not stop until the flow of this poison is stopped.”
The conviction and sentence were the result of a joint investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Eric Welch and Jessica Etherton.
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, human and drug trafficking.
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 for the Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.
Large-Scale Counterfeit Pill Manufacturer Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Cambridge, Mass. man pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston in connection with an ongoing investigation of counterfeit pills containing fentanyl and methamphetamine. Over the course of the past four years, the defendant is alleged to have been responsible for the manufacturing of over 200 kilograms of counterfeit pills.
Schuyler Oppenheimer, a/k/a “SK,” a/k/a “Michael Sylvain,” 35, of Cambridge pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and two counts of wire fraud. U.S. Senior District Court Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV scheduled sentencing for April 17, 2026. In July 2025, Oppenheimer was arrested and charged. He was subsequently was indicted in August 2025.
According to court documents, Oppenheimer is known to be technically skilled in the chemical processes used in the synthesis of fentanyl, the compounding of controlled substances for distribution and the manufacturing of counterfeit pills. Recipes, pill press molds used in the manufacturing process, documents and invoices demonstrating that Oppenheimer purchased numerous pill presses and parts for pill presses from online vendors were seized. Multiple packages shipped from China to Oppenheimer, and various female associates of Oppenheimer, that contained pill press parts, were also seized.
Based on the review of orders and invoices from companies selling powders and other substances used in the pill manufacturing process, since 2019, Oppenheimer obtained over 200 kilograms of these filler powders. According to the recipes recovered during the investigation, when manufactured into counterfeit pills, 200 kilograms of filler powder equates to millions of counterfeit pills containing fentanyl and methamphetamine.
Additionally, Oppenheimer communicated directly with an illegal chemical supplier based in China. During this conversation, Oppenheimer inquired about the availability of controlled substances and fentanyl precursor chemicals and sought to purchase kilogram quantities of these substances. Fentanyl precursor chemicals are substances that can be used to synthesize raw fentanyl in a laboratory setting. Oppenheimer sought to synthesize his own fentanyl through the importation of these fentanyl precursor chemicals into the United States.
Lastly, Oppenheimer obtained over $40,000 through two fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program loan applications that were submitted in April 2021. Oppenheimer submitted false statements concerning his income through self-employment for the 2019 tax years and provided false tax return documents substantiating that income.
During the execution of a search warrant on Parker Street in Cambridge on July 18, 2024, over five kilograms of suspected counterfeit Adderall pills containing methamphetamine and a loaded firearm were recovered. Based on prior felony convictions, Oppenheimer is prohibited from possessing firearms.
The charge of possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine provides for a sentence of at least 10 years and up to life in prison, five years and up to life of supervised release and a fine of up to $10,000,000. The charge of wire fraud provides for a maximum penalty of up to 20 years, up to 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 Leah B. Foley; Ted Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Jarod A. Forget, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; Jennifer B. De La O, Director of Field Operations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection; and Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Cambridge Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip A. Mallard of the Organized Crime and Gang Unit is prosecuting the case.
Lackawanna County Man Sentenced to 48 Months’ Imprisonment for Conspiracy and Theft and Concealment of Major ArtworkRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Joseph Atsus, age 51, of Covington Township, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on January 13, 2026, to 48 months’ imprisonment, a term of supervised release, and to pay restitution in the amount of $1,071,150, by Senior United States District Judge Malachy E. Mannion for conspiracy, theft of major artwork and concealment/disposal of major artwork.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, a jury found Atsus guilty of four counts following a nearly month-long trial earlier this year. The jury found that, along with his co-defendants and other co-conspirators, Atsus was responsible for the theft of following:
- “Le Grande Passion” by Andy Warhol and “Springs Winter” purportedly by Jackson Pollock stolen in 2005 from the Everhart Museum in Scranton, Pennsylvania;
- Three antique firearms stolen in 2006 from Space Farms: Zoo & Museum in Wantage, New Jersey.
- “Upper Hudson” by Jasper Crospey, worth approximately $120,000, stolen in 2011 from Ringwood Manor in Ringwood, New Jersey.
- Antique firearms worth over $150,000, stolen in 2011 from Ringwood Manor in Ringwood, New Jersey.
- Memorabilia belonging to Christy Matthewson, stolen in 1999 from Keystone College in Factoryville, Pennsylvania.
- Golf trophies and memorabilia belonging to Art Wall, Jr., stolen in 2011 from the Scranton Country Club located in Clarks Summit, Pennsylvania.
- Over $100,000 worth of gold nuggets stolen in 2011 from the Sterling Hill Mining Museum located in Ogdensburg, New Jersey; and
- Nine World Series rings, seven championship and other rings, and two MVP plaques all belonging to Yogi Berra stolen in 2014 from the Yogi Berra Museum & Learning Center located in Little Falls, New Jersey.
Atsus committed the above thefts as part of a larger, eight-person conspiracy. Co-conspirators Nicholas Dombek, age 55, of Thornhurst, Pennsylvania, and Damien Boland, age 50, of Covington Township, Pennsylvania, were also convicted alongside Atsus of conspiracy to commit theft of major artwork, concealment and disposal of major artwork, and interstate transportation of stolen property, as well as multiple related substantive offenses. Boland was sentenced last month to 108 months’ imprisonment. Dombek is presently awaiting sentencing.
Three additional co-conspirators pled guilty pursuant to felony informations and were sentenced by Judge Mannion earlier this year. They include:
- Thomas Trotta, age 50, of Dunmore, Pennsylvania, who was sentenced to 96 months’ imprisonment for theft of major artwork;
- Dawn Trotta, age 53, of Dunmore, Pennsylvania, who was sentenced to 15 months’ imprisonment for conspiracy to commit theft of major artwork, concealment and disposal of major artwork, and interstate transportation of stolen property;
- Frank Tassiello, age 52, of Taylor, Pennsylvania, who was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment for conspiracy to commit theft of major artwork, concealment and disposal of major artwork, and interstate transportation of stolen property; and
- Ralph Parry, age 47, of Springbrook Township, Pennsylvania, who was sentenced to three years of probation as well as a period of home-confinement for conspiracy to commit theft of major artwork, concealment and disposal of major artwork, and interstate transportation of stolen property.
After stealing the above-described items, the conspirators would transport the stolen goods back to Northeastern Pennsylvania, often to the residence of Dombek, and melt the memorabilia down into easily transportable metal discs or bars. The conspirators would then sell the raw metal to fences in the New York City area for hundreds or a few thousands of dollars, significantly less than the sports memorabilia would be worth at fair market value.
Dombek burnt the painting “Upper Hudson” by Jasper Crospey, valued at approximately $125,000, to avoid the painting being recovered by investigators and used as evidence against the members of the conspiracy. The whereabouts of many of the other paintings and stolen objects are currently unknown, however, several antique firearms stolen from the Space Farms: Zoo and Museum and the Ringwood Manor Museum, both in New Jersey, were recovered by investigators, including an antique gun which Boland had earlier hidden at a relative’s house in a different state.
The matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Pennsylvania State Police, the New Jersey State Police, the New York State Police, the New Jersey State Park Police, the Newport Police Department (Rhode Island), the Fargo Police Department (North Dakota), the Chester Police Department (New York), the Exeter Borough Police Department (Pennsylvania), the Scranton Police Department, the Franklin Police Department (New Jersey), the Village of Goshen Police Department (New York), the Metropolitan Police Department (Washington, D.C.), the West Milord Township Police Department (New Jersey), the Montclair Police Department (New Jersey), the Saratoga Springs Police Department (New York), the Canastota Police Department (New York), the South Abington Police Department (Pennsylvania), the Bernards Township Police Department (New Jersey), the Salisbury Township Police Department (Pennsylvania), the Montclair State University Police Department (New Jersey) the Lackawanna County District Attorney’s Office (Pennsylvania), the Sussex County Prosecutor’s Office (New Jersey), the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office (New Jersey), the Orange County District Attorney’s Office (New York), and multiple other local law enforcement agencies from across the country. Assistant United States Attorneys James M. Buchanan and Jenny Roberts prosecuted the case.
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Kemper County Man Sentenced to 37 Months for being a Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
JACKSON, MS – A Preston man was sentenced on Tuesday, January 13, 2026, to 37 months of incarceration for being a felon in possession of a firearm in Kemper County. The defendant was also ordered to pay a fine and serve 3 years of supervised release following his incarceration.
According to court documents, Joshua Ryan Burns, 41, was found by Kemper County Sheriff’s Department to be in possession of a sawed-off shotgun and a pistol during a probation home visit in Preston, Mississippi. Burns had previous felony convictions for burglary and aggravated assault which prohibited him from possessing a firearm.
Burns was indicted by a federal grand jury on March 19, 2025, and pleaded guilty on September 10, 2025. Burns will serve his term of imprisonment consecutive to a 16-year state sentence from Neshoba County.
U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Mississippi, J.E. Baxter Kruger and Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson of the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives made the announcement.
The ATF investigated this case with assistance from the Kemper County Sheriff’s Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney C. Brett Grantham prosecuted the case.
This case was investigated by the ATF as part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline) 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).
Kansas City Man Indicted for Distribution of Controlled Substances and Illegal Sales of FirearmsRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – German Alvarez-Rubio, 28, of Kansas City, Mo., was indicted by a federal grand jury for conspiracy and distribution of cocaine, methamphetamine, and psilocybin as well as firearms offenses.
Alvarez-Rubio made his first appearance in federal court after his arrest on January 12, 2026.
The indictment alleges that on July 22, 2025, the Alvarez-Rubio distributed cocaine. On July 29, 2025, Alvarez-Rubio distributed cocaine and methamphetamine and illegally sold ten firearms. On August 19, 2025, Alvarez-Rubio distributed methamphetamine, cocaine, and psilocybin (mushrooms) and illegally possessed a machinegun.
The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Siegele. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
Operation Take Back America
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Kaiser Permanente Affiliates Pay $556m to Resolve False Claims Act AllegationsRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO — Affiliates of Kaiser Permanente, an integrated healthcare consortium headquartered in Oakland, California, have agreed to pay $556 million to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act by submitting invalid diagnosis codes for their Medicare Advantage Plan enrollees in order to receive higher payments from the government.
The settling Kaiser Permanente affiliates are Kaiser Foundation Health Plan Inc.; Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of Colorado; The Permanente Medical Group Inc.; Southern California Permanente Medical Group; and Colorado Permanente Medical Group P.C. (collectively Kaiser).
Under the Medicare Advantage (MA) Program, also known as Medicare Part C, Medicare beneficiaries may opt out of traditional Medicare and enroll in private health plans offered by insurance companies known as Medicare Advantage Organizations, or MAOs. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) pays the MAOs a fixed monthly amount for each Medicare beneficiary enrolled in their plans. CMS adjusts these monthly payments to account for various “risk” factors that affect expected health expenditures for the beneficiary. In general, CMS pays MAOs more for sicker beneficiaries expected to incur higher healthcare costs and less for healthier beneficiaries expected to incur lower costs. To make these “risk adjustments,” CMS collects medical diagnosis codes from the MAOs. The diagnoses must be supported by the medical record of a face-to-face visit between a patient and a provider, and for outpatient visits, must have required or affected patient care, treatment, or management at the visit.
Kaiser owns and operates MAOs that offer MA plans to beneficiaries across the country. In a complaint filed in the Northern District of California in October 2021, the United States alleged that Kaiser engaged in a scheme in California and Colorado to improperly increase its risk adjustment payments. Specifically, the United States alleged that Kaiser systematically pressured its physicians to alter medical records after patient visits to add diagnoses that the physicians had not considered or addressed at those visits, in violation of CMS rules.
“More than half of our nation’s Medicare beneficiaries are enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans, and the government expects those who participate in the program to provide truthful and accurate information,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Today’s resolution sends the clear message that the United States holds healthcare providers and plans accountable when they knowingly submit or cause to be submitted false information to CMS to obtain inflated Medicare payments.”
“Medicare Advantage is a vital program that must serve patients’ needs, not corporate profits,” said U.S. Attorney Craig H. Missakian for the Northern District of California. “Fraud on Medicare costs the public billions annually, so when a health plan knowingly submits false information to obtain higher payments, everyone — from beneficiaries to taxpayers — loses. We have an obligation to protect the American taxpayer from waste, fraud, and abuse and we will relentlessly pursue individuals and organizations that compromise the integrity of the Medicare program.”
“The federal government supports the health care of millions of beneficiaries by paying hundreds of billions of dollars every year to Medicare Advantage Plans,” said U.S. Attorney Peter McNeilly for the District of Colorado. “Medicare relies on the accuracy of the information submitted by those plans. This resolution sends a clear message that we will hold health care plans accountable if they seek to game the system and pad their profits by submitting false information.”
“Deliberately inflating diagnosis codes to boost profits is a serious violation of public trust and undermines the integrity of the Medicare Advantage program,” said Acting Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Scott J. Lampert at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “This outcome demonstrates HHS-OIG’s commitment to protecting Medicare through a unified approach — leveraging the expertise of our investigators, auditors, and counsel, alongside our law enforcement partners. We will continue to hold accountable any entity that seeks to compromise the integrity of the risk adjustment program.”
“Healthcare programs funded by the public are meant to support patients, not pad corporate bottom lines. False claims and the submission of fraudulent information weaken the Medicare system and place an unfair cost on American taxpayers who expect honesty and accountability,” said Special Agent in Charge Sanjay Virmani of the FBI San Francisco Field Office. “This settlement reflects the FBI's continued commitment to holding accountable those who put profits over patients and abuse federal healthcare programs.”
The settlement announced today resolves allegations that, from 2009 to 2018, Kaiser engaged in a scheme to increase its Medicare reimbursements by pressuring physicians to add diagnoses after patient visits through “addenda” to patients’ medical records. The United States alleged that Kaiser developed various mechanisms to mine a patient’s past medical history to identify potential diagnoses that had not been submitted to CMS for risk adjustment. Kaiser then sent “queries” to its providers urging them to add these diagnoses to medical records via addenda, often months and sometimes over a year after visits. In many instances, the United States alleged, the diagnoses added by the providers had nothing to do with the patient visit in question, in violation of CMS requirements.
The United States further alleged that Kaiser set aggressive physician- and facility-specific goals for adding risk adjustment diagnoses. It alleged that Kaiser singled out underperforming physicians and facilities and emphasized that the failure to add diagnoses cost money for Kaiser, the facilities, and the physicians themselves. It also alleged that Kaiser linked physician and facility financial bonuses and incentives to meeting risk adjustment diagnosis goals.
The United States alleged that Kaiser knew that its addenda practices were widespread and unlawful. Kaiser ignored numerous red flags and internal warnings that it was violating CMS rules, including concerns raised by its own physicians that these were false claims and audits by its own compliance office identifying the issue of inappropriate addenda.
The civil settlement includes the resolution of certain claims brought in lawsuits under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act by Ronda Osinek and James M. Taylor, M.D., former employees of Kaiser. Under those provisions, private parties are permitted to sue on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. The qui tam cases are captioned United States ex rel. Osinek v. Kaiser Permanente, et al., No. 3:13-cv-03891 (N.D. Cal.) and United States ex rel. Taylor v. Kaiser Permanente, et al., No. 3:21-cv-03894 (N.D. Cal.). The relator share of the recovery will be $95 million.
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Northern District of California and the District of Colorado, with assistance from HHS-OIG, HHS-Office of Audit Services, and the FBI.
The investigation and resolution of this matter illustrate the government’s emphasis on combating healthcare fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse and mismanagement, can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services at www.oig.hhs.gov/fraud/report-fraud/ or 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).
The matter was handled by Fraud Section Attorneys Braden Civins, Edward Crooke, Gary Dyal, Michael R. Fishman, Martha Glover, Seth W. Greene, Rachel Karpoff, Laurie Oberembt, and Jonathan Thrope, Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle Lo for the Northern District of California, with the assistance of Jonathan Birch and Alan Lopez, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Traskos for the District of Colorado.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
Kaiser Permanente Affiliates Pay $556M to Resolve False Claims Act AllegationsRead the Press Release
Affiliates of Kaiser Permanente, an integrated healthcare consortium headquartered in Oakland, California, have agreed to pay $556 million to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act by submitting invalid diagnosis codes for their Medicare Advantage Plan enrollees in order to receive higher payments from the government.
The settling Kaiser Permanente affiliates are Kaiser Foundation Health Plan Inc.; Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of Colorado; The Permanente Medical Group Inc.; Southern California Permanente Medical Group; and Colorado Permanente Medical Group P.C. (collectively Kaiser).
Under the Medicare Advantage (MA) Program, also known as Medicare Part C, Medicare beneficiaries may opt out of traditional Medicare and enroll in private health plans offered by insurance companies known as Medicare Advantage Organizations, or MAOs. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) pays the MAOs a fixed monthly amount for each Medicare beneficiary enrolled in their plans. CMS adjusts these monthly payments to account for various “risk” factors that affect expected health expenditures for the beneficiary. In general, CMS pays MAOs more for sicker beneficiaries expected to incur higher healthcare costs and less for healthier beneficiaries expected to incur lower costs. To make these “risk adjustments,” CMS collects medical diagnosis codes from the MAOs. The diagnoses must be supported by the medical record of a face-to-face visit between a patient and a provider, and for outpatient visits, must have required or affected patient care, treatment, or management at the visit.
Kaiser owns and operates MAOs that offer MA plans to beneficiaries across the country. In a complaint filed in the Northern District of California in October 2021, the United States alleged that Kaiser engaged in a scheme in California and Colorado to improperly increase its risk adjustment payments. Specifically, the United States alleged that Kaiser systematically pressured its physicians to alter medical records after patient visits to add diagnoses that the physicians had not considered or addressed at those visits, in violation of CMS rules.
“More than half of our nation’s Medicare beneficiaries are enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans, and the government expects those who participate in the program to provide truthful and accurate information,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Today’s resolution sends the clear message that the United States holds healthcare providers and plans accountable when they knowingly submit or cause to be submitted false information to CMS to obtain inflated Medicare payments.”
“Medicare Advantage is a vital program that must serve patients’ needs, not corporate profits,” said U.S. Attorney Craig H. Missakian for the Northern District of California. “Fraud on Medicare costs the public billions annually, so when a health plan knowingly submits false information to obtain higher payments, everyone — from beneficiaries to taxpayers — loses. We have an obligation to protect the American taxpayer from waste, fraud, and abuse and we will relentlessly pursue individuals and organizations that compromise the integrity of the Medicare program.”
“The federal government supports the health care of millions of beneficiaries by paying hundreds of billions of dollars every year to Medicare Advantage Plans,” said U.S. Attorney Peter McNeilly for the District of Colorado. “Medicare relies on the accuracy of the information submitted by those plans. This resolution sends a clear message that we will hold health care plans accountable if they seek to game the system and pad their profits by submitting false information.”
“Deliberately inflating diagnosis codes to boost profits is a serious violation of public trust and undermines the integrity of the Medicare Advantage program,” said Acting Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Scott J. Lampert at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “This outcome demonstrates HHS-OIG’s commitment to protecting Medicare through a unified approach — leveraging the expertise of our investigators, auditors, and counsel, alongside our law enforcement partners. We will continue to hold accountable any entity that seeks to compromise the integrity of the risk adjustment program.”
“Healthcare programs funded by the public are meant to support patients, not pad corporate bottom lines. False claims and the submission of fraudulent information weaken the Medicare system and place an unfair cost on American taxpayers who expect honesty and accountability,” said Special Agent in Charge Sanjay Virmani of the FBI San Francisco Field Office. “This settlement reflects the FBI's continued commitment to holding accountable those who put profits over patients and abuse federal healthcare programs.”
The settlement announced today resolves allegations that, from 2009 to 2018, Kaiser engaged in a scheme to increase its Medicare reimbursements by pressuring physicians to add diagnoses after patient visits through “addenda” to patients’ medical records. The United States alleged that Kaiser developed various mechanisms to mine a patient’s past medical history to identify potential diagnoses that had not been submitted to CMS for risk adjustment. Kaiser then sent “queries” to its providers urging them to add these diagnoses to medical records via addenda, often months and sometimes over a year after visits. In many instances, the United States alleged, the diagnoses added by the providers had nothing to do with the patient visit in question, in violation of CMS requirements.
The United States further alleged that Kaiser set aggressive physician- and facility-specific goals for adding risk adjustment diagnoses. It alleged that Kaiser singled out underperforming physicians and facilities and emphasized that the failure to add diagnoses cost money for Kaiser, the facilities, and the physicians themselves. It also alleged that Kaiser linked physician and facility financial bonuses and incentives to meeting risk adjustment diagnosis goals.
The United States alleged that Kaiser knew that its addenda practices were widespread and unlawful. Kaiser ignored numerous red flags and internal warnings that it was violating CMS rules, including concerns raised by its own physicians that these were false claims and audits by its own compliance office identifying the issue of inappropriate addenda.
The civil settlement includes the resolution of certain claims brought in lawsuits under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act by Ronda Osinek and James M. Taylor, M.D., former employees of Kaiser. Under those provisions, private parties are permitted to sue on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. The qui tam cases are captioned United States ex rel. Osinek v. Kaiser Permanente, et al., No. 3:13-cv-03891 (N.D. Cal.) and United States ex rel. Taylor v. Kaiser Permanente, et al., No. 3:21-cv-03894 (N.D. Cal.). The relator share of the recovery will be $95 million.
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section and the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the Northern District of California and the District of Colorado, with assistance from HHS-OIG, HHS-Office of Audit Services, and the FBI.
The investigation and resolution of this matter illustrate the government’s emphasis on combating healthcare fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse and mismanagement, can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services at www.oig.hhs.gov/fraud/report-fraud/ or 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).
The matter was handled by Fraud Section Attorneys Braden Civins, Edward Crooke, Gary Dyal, Michael R. Fishman, Martha Glover, Seth W. Greene, Rachel Karpoff, Laurie Oberembt, and Jonathan Thrope, Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle Lo for the Northern District of California, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Traskos for the District of Colorado.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
Kaiser Permanente Affiliates Pay $556M to Resolve False Claims Act AllegationsRead the Press Release
DENVER — Affiliates of Kaiser Permanente, an integrated healthcare consortium headquartered in Oakland, California, have agreed to pay $556 million to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act by submitting invalid diagnosis codes for their Medicare Advantage Plan enrollees in order to receive higher payments from the government.
The settling Kaiser Permanente affiliates are Kaiser Foundation Health Plan Inc.; Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of Colorado; The Permanente Medical Group Inc.; Southern California Permanente Medical Group; and Colorado Permanente Medical Group P.C. (collectively Kaiser).
Under the Medicare Advantage (MA) Program, also known as Medicare Part C, Medicare beneficiaries may opt out of traditional Medicare and enroll in private health plans offered by insurance companies known as Medicare Advantage Organizations, or MAOs. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) pays the MAOs a fixed monthly amount for each Medicare beneficiary enrolled in their plans. CMS adjusts these monthly payments to account for various “risk” factors that affect expected health expenditures for the beneficiary. In general, CMS pays MAOs more for sicker beneficiaries expected to incur higher healthcare costs and less for healthier beneficiaries expected to incur lower costs. To make these “risk adjustments,” CMS collects medical diagnosis codes from the MAOs. The diagnoses must be supported by the medical record of a face-to-face visit between a patient and a provider, and for outpatient visits, must have required or affected patient care, treatment, or management at the visit.
Kaiser owns and operates MAOs that offer MA plans to beneficiaries across the country. In a complaint filed in the Northern District of California in October 2021, the United States alleged that Kaiser engaged in a scheme in California and Colorado to improperly increase its risk adjustment payments. Specifically, the United States alleged that Kaiser systematically pressured its physicians to alter medical records after patient visits to add diagnoses that the physicians had not considered or addressed at those visits, in violation of CMS rules.
“More than half of our nation’s Medicare beneficiaries are enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans, and the government expects those who participate in the program to provide truthful and accurate information,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Today’s resolution sends the clear message that the United States holds healthcare providers and plans accountable when they knowingly submit or cause to be submitted false information to CMS to obtain inflated Medicare payments.”
“Medicare Advantage is a vital program that must serve patients’ needs, not corporate profits,” said U.S. Attorney Craig H. Missakian for the Northern District of California. “Fraud on Medicare costs the public billions annually, so when a health plan knowingly submits false information to obtain higher payments, everyone — from beneficiaries to taxpayers — loses. We have an obligation to protect the American taxpayer from waste, fraud, and abuse and we will relentlessly pursue individuals and organizations that compromise the integrity of the Medicare program.”
“The federal government supports the health care of millions of beneficiaries by paying hundreds of billions of dollars every year to Medicare Advantage Plans,” said U.S. Attorney Peter McNeilly for the District of Colorado. “Medicare relies on the accuracy of the information submitted by those plans. This resolution sends a clear message that we will hold health care plans accountable if they seek to game the system and pad their profits by submitting false information.”
“Deliberately inflating diagnosis codes to boost profits is a serious violation of public trust and undermines the integrity of the Medicare Advantage program,” said Acting Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Scott J. Lampert at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “This outcome demonstrates HHS-OIG’s commitment to protecting Medicare through a unified approach — leveraging the expertise of our investigators, auditors, and counsel, alongside our law enforcement partners. We will continue to hold accountable any entity that seeks to compromise the integrity of the risk adjustment program.”
“Healthcare programs funded by the public are meant to support patients, not pad corporate bottom lines. False claims and the submission of fraudulent information weaken the Medicare system and place an unfair cost on American taxpayers who expect honesty and accountability,” said Special Agent in Charge Sanjay Virmani of the FBI San Francisco Field Office. “This settlement reflects the FBI's continued commitment to holding accountable those who put profits over patients and abuse federal healthcare programs.”
The settlement announced today resolves allegations that, from 2009 to 2018, Kaiser engaged in a scheme to increase its Medicare reimbursements by pressuring physicians to add diagnoses after patient visits through “addenda” to patients’ medical records. The United States alleged that Kaiser developed various mechanisms to mine a patient’s past medical history to identify potential diagnoses that had not been submitted to CMS for risk adjustment. Kaiser then sent “queries” to its providers urging them to add these diagnoses to medical records via addenda, often months and sometimes over a year after visits. In many instances, the United States alleged, the diagnoses added by the providers had nothing to do with the patient visit in question, in violation of CMS requirements.
The United States further alleged that Kaiser set aggressive physician- and facility-specific goals for adding risk adjustment diagnoses. It alleged that Kaiser singled out underperforming physicians and facilities and emphasized that the failure to add diagnoses cost money for Kaiser, the facilities, and the physicians themselves. It also alleged that Kaiser linked physician and facility financial bonuses and incentives to meeting risk adjustment diagnosis goals.
The United States alleged that Kaiser knew that its addenda practices were widespread and unlawful. Kaiser ignored numerous red flags and internal warnings that it was violating CMS rules, including concerns raised by its own physicians that these were false claims and audits by its own compliance office identifying the issue of inappropriate addenda.
The civil settlement includes the resolution of certain claims brought in lawsuits under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act by Ronda Osinek and James M. Taylor, M.D., former employees of Kaiser. Under those provisions, private parties are permitted to sue on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. The qui tam cases are captioned United States ex rel. Osinek v. Kaiser Permanente, et al., No. 3:13-cv-03891 (N.D. Cal.) and United States ex rel. Taylor v. Kaiser Permanente, et al., No. 3:21-cv-03894 (N.D. Cal.). The relator share of the recovery will be $95 million.
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section and the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the Northern District of California and the District of Colorado, with assistance from HHS-OIG, HHS-Office of Audit Services, and the FBI.
The investigation and resolution of this matter illustrate the government’s emphasis on combating healthcare fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse and mismanagement, can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services at www.oig.hhs.gov/fraud/report-fraud/ or 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).
The matter was handled by Fraud Section Attorneys Braden Civins, Edward Crooke, Gary Dyal, Michael R. Fishman, Martha Glover, Seth W. Greene, Rachel Karpoff, Laurie Oberembt, and Jonathan Thrope, Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle Lo for the Northern District of California, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Traskos for the District of Colorado.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
Kinston Woman Sentenced to 6 Years in Federal Prison and Ordered to Repay over $15 Million in Restitution for Healthcare FraudRead the Press Release
NEW BERN, N.C. – A federal judge sentenced a Kinston woman to 6 years in federal prison and ordered her to pay restitution in the amount of $15,286,912.91 to North Carolina Medicaid and $373,810.00 to Internal Revenue Service. On August 14, 2025, Francine Sims Super, age 64, pleaded guilty to a healthcare fraud conspiracy which included making and receiving illegal payments, making and using materially false documents, and failing to file a tax return.
“This Defendant and others submitted to their own greed, enriching themselves by stealing straight from the pockets of American taxpayers,” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle. “Some folks call this “white-collar crime, but U.S. Attorney’s Office calls all crime, pure and simple. If you illegally line your pockets with stolen American tax dollars, we will prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law and scrape back every penny we find. Cheaters never win.”
"Healthcare fraud not only imposes a financial burden on American taxpayers, but also undermines the integrity of programs designed to support those in genuine need.” said FBI Charlotte Special Agent in Charge James C. Barnacle Jr. "The FBI and our federal and state partners are committed to a coordinated approach to prevent and address fraud against the government, which ultimately harms taxpayers and the public at large."
“Healthcare fraud schemes cheat the taxpayers while also undermining trust in healthcare agencies,” said Charlotte Field Office, IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge Trey Eakins. “IRS-CI special agents will continue to work alongside our law enforcement partners to pursue individuals who try to exploit federal relief programs for their personal gain.”
“Kickback arrangements distort health care decisions by introducing hidden financial motives, misleading patients, driving unnecessary services, and exploiting taxpayer-funded programs for personal gain,” said Special Agent in Charge Kelly Blackmon of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG, along with our law enforcement partners, remains committed to investigating improper billing and kickback schemes to safeguard Medicaid and its beneficiaries.”
According to court documents and other information presented in court, Super worked as an office manager of Life Touch LLC, a substance abuse treatment company based in Kinston and Goldsboro. Super and others paid more than $1 million in kickbacks to patients in the form of gift cards to induce patients to register for services. Over four years, Super and other Life Touch LLC employees and agents, paid patients based on the number of days per week that the patients showed up to receive services. To try and hide her scheme, Super created false documents intended to deceive Medicaid auditors. The gift card inducements resulted in more than $12 million in payments from Medicaid to Life Touch LLC.
Super and others also received kickbacks from 1st Choice Healthcare Services, LLC, a lab company hired to perform drug testing services for Life Touch LLC patients. Super also failed to file a tax return that accounted for this income.
Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan. The FBI, IRS, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services - OIG, and the North Carolina AG’s Office – Medicaid Investigations Division investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney William M. Gilmore and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Tasha Gardner prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the EDNC USAO website. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:25-CR-00028-FL-1.
Justice Department Files Complaint Against California over Unconstitutional State Regulation of Federal LandsRead the Press Release
Today, the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD) filed a complaint in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California challenging California Senate Bill 1137 (SB 1137), which prevents oil and gas development activities within 3,200 feet of a so-called “sensitive receptor.” SB 1137 would knock out about one-third of all federally authorized oil and gas leases in California. This lawsuit argues that federal law — specifically, the Mineral Leasing Act and the Federal Land and Policy Management Act — preempts SB 1137.
President Trump directed the Department of Justice to stop the enforcement of state laws that unreasonably burden domestic energy development so that energy will once again be reliable and affordable for all Americans. This lawsuit advances President Trump’s directive in Executive Order 14260, Protecting American Energy from State Overreach.
“This is yet another unconstitutional and radical policy from Gavin Newsom that threatens our country’s energy independence and makes energy more expensive for the American people,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “In accordance with President Trump’s executive orders, this Department of Justice will continue to fight burdensome regulations that violate federal law and hamper domestic energy production — especially in California, where Newsom is clearly intent on subverting federal law at every opportunity.”
“The Constitution forbids states from obstructing federal energy policies,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of ENRD. “California’s SB 1137 violates federal law and threatens our nation’s energy independence. In challenging it, we seek to protect the security and wellbeing of all Americans from California’s unlawful overreach.”
“Rolling back this law strengthens America’s energy security and protects hardworking American families from higher costs,” said Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum. “This administration is pushing back against every burdensome, unlawful rule that tries to stand in the way of U.S. energy production. Americans deserve reliable, affordable energy, and Interior is committed to fighting for it every step of the way. Thanks to President Trump’s executive orders, we have the tools to do so.”
The lawsuit seeks a declaration that SB 1137 is unconstitutional and an injunction against its enforcement. The Department plans to move for a preliminary injunction in the coming days.
Jamestown man going to prison for his role in narcotics conspiracyRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Jacob Snow, 39, of Jamestown, NY, who was convicted of narcotics conspiracy, was sentenced to serve 46 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua A. Violanti, who handled the case, stated that between January and May 24, 2021, Snow conspired with Alisha A. Klinger and others to sell heroin, fentanyl, and methamphetamine in the Jamestown area. Snow sold drugs and collected payments on behalf of Klinger. On May 24, 2021, an individual was kidnapped at gunpoint and driven to a wooded area, where the individual was then hit multiple times, including by Snow. This incident involved approximately $10,000 worth of heroin/fentanyl and methamphetamine that the individual had taken from Snow a day prior. Asked if the individual should be killed, Snow responded, “no, I think we should give her the opportunity to pay that back.”
Charges remain pending against Klinger.
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).
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Jamestown Police Department, under the direction of Chief Timothy Jackson, the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Frank A. Tarentino III, New York Field Division, and the Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff James Quattrone.
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Jamaican National Pleads Guilty to Sweepstakes Fraud Scheme Targeting Elderly VictimsRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A citizen of Jamaica and resident of Georgia has pleaded guilty in federal court in Rhode Island to charges related to his role in a nationwide sweepstakes fraud scheme that targeted elderly victims, announced United States Attorney Charles C. Calenda.
Owen Demoy Byfield, age 33, pleaded guilty on January 13, 2026, to mail fraud conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy, and will be sentenced on April 16, 2026. The sentences imposed will be determined by a federal district judge after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Byfield will be subject to immigration removal proceedings following any sentence imposed.
According to court documents, from approximately March 2022 through October 2024, Byfield and his co-conspirators operated a “sweepstakes scam” that falsely informed victims that they had randomly been entered into a raffle and subsequently won millions of dollars. Victims throughout the United States, including Rhode Island, were contacted through the mail, carriers such as UPS and FedEx, phone calls, text messages, and other wire communications and directed to call a purported “prize representative.” The scammers then used fictitious names to induce victims to send money, valuable property or provide access to their financial accounts. The alleged purpose of these payments was for various fraudulent reasons, including to pay taxes on their winnings, shipping costs, or even to refuse the winnings and be removed from the so-called list of winners of the sweepstakes scam. In one instance, Byfield used approximately $171,635.00 of the fraudulent proceeds to make a down payment on a residence in Georgia.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John P. McAdams.
The matter was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations and the United States Postal Inspection Service, with assistance from the Warwick Police Department.
More information about the department’s efforts to help American seniors is available at its Elder Justice Initiative webpage. For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit its website at www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. Elder fraud complaints may be filed with the FTC at https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/ or at 877-FTC-HELP. The Department of Justice provides a variety of resources relating to elder fraud victimization through its Office for Victims of Crime, which can be reached at www.ovc.gov .
Indianapolis Woman Charged with Threatening to Kill United States RepresentativeRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS—Shayla Addison, 28, of Indianapolis, has been charged with two counts of Influencing a Federal Official by Threat.
According to court documents, on January 15, 2025, beginning at approximately 8:53 a.m., Addison sent five text messages to the campaign phone number of Victim 1, a member of the United States House of Representatives. The messages included explicit threats to kill Victim 1, including statements such as “Come outside b**** we’ll kill you” and “Tread lightly,” among other variations.
Minutes later, Addison sent additional messages to Victim 1’s campaign email address, again threatening to kill Victim 1 and stating, “We will kill you and blow that whole building up b**** come outside.”
That same day, Addison also posted threatening comments on Victim 1’s Instagram account, including: “Shut up h** I’ll kill you” and “I hope you got mace… cause you gone need it.”
By sending the messages, Addison intended to retaliate against Victim 1 on account of Victim 1’s performance of official duties.
The FBI and United States Capitol Police investigated this case. Addison faces up to ten years in federal prison.
U.S. Attorney Wheeler thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Kate Olivier, who is prosecuting this case.
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Heber Springs Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Attempted Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
LITTLE ROCK—Charles David Agnew, who has two previous convictions for crimes involving children, will spend 15 years in federal prison for attempted distribution of child pornography. Jonathan D. Ross, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, announced the sentence, which was handed down today by United States District Judge D.P. Marshall, Jr.
On April 5, 2023, Agnew, 42, of Heber Springs, was indicted by a federal grand jury on one count of attempted enticement of a minor, one count of attempted distribution of child pornography, and one count of possession of child pornography. On August 19, 2025, Agnew pleaded guilty to attempted distribution of child pornography. Judge Marshall also sentenced Agnew to 10 years’ supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
An investigation revealed that on September 15, 2022, Agnew asked an online an undercover law enforcement officer (UC) what the UC’s minor daughters looked like and asked for a photograph. When asked by the officer if he traded photographs, Agnew stated no but that he “…[has] nudes of myself.” The officer then asked Agnew if he watched “teen incest” online to which Agnew replied, “Oh yes.” Agnew then inquired of the ages of the minor daughters, and when told they were 7 and 9 years old, he replied that they were the “perfect age.” The UC asked Agnew if that was too young and Agnew stated, “Nope,” and asked the officer to send the photographs to him through the online platform.
Agnew continued the conversation with the UC stating his favorite video was that of “A dad daughter. She was 11.” Agnew then attempted to send the UC a link and commented that it contained “Good incest videos.” Agnew asked the UC again if the UC wanted a nude photograph of Agnew’s private parts and sent a photograph to the UC. Agnew also told the UC that he was serious about being physically touching the minor daughters and that he would travel across the country to see them.
Agnew has two previous state convictions for internet stalking of a child and pandering or possessing medium depicting sexual conduct involving a child. He received a sentence of 72 months’ imprisonment for each of those convictions.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice and led by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Divisions Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), it marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov. Parents are encouraged to always monitor your children’s online activity.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kristin Bryant.
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Additional information about the office of the
United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at
https://www.justice.gov/edar
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Grand jury indicts owners of real estate investment group, closing & title company employees in more than $50 million bank fraud conspiracyRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – A federal grand jury has indicted two Israeli real estate investment entrepreneurs, their company, and two other co-conspirators for allegedly double-pledging properties to obtain multiple loans and for conspiring to conceal information from lenders and investors.
Those charged include the business Vision & Beyond Group LLC (V&B), its co-owners Stanislav Grinberg and Peter Gizunterman, and real estate closing and title company employees Keya Hamilton and Kelly West.
According to the indictment, Grinberg and Gizunterman formed the real estate business V&B in approximately 2019 to purchase 100 multi-unit apartments and family properties, including in the greater Cincinnati area, for renovation and rental income.
Grinberg and Gizunterman, with the help of Hamilton and West, then allegedly obtained refinancing for the properties but did not use the funds to pay off the existing loans and mortgages. The defendants also allegedly falsified financial documents, altered closing documents and removed mortgages from title commitments.
For example, in December 2022, the indictment details that Grinberg and Gizunterman received two loans totaling more than $36 million for approximately 60 multi-family properties in the Cincinnati area that were owned by the defendants. The closing of the two loans was supposed to pay off 30 specific prior mortgages.
It is alleged that 20 of the prior mortgages worth $17.2 million were not paid off at closing. Instead, more than $273,000 was allegedly paid directly to Hamilton; nearly $7 million was paid to a title company controlled by Hamilton and used by V&B; more than $6.2 million was paid directly to V&B’s account and approximately $2.7 million was paid to another bank.
The co-conspirators allegedly engaged in a similar scheme in 2023 involving four apartment complexes in Lexington, Kentucky, involving loans totaling $24.6 million.
The defendants are each charged with conspiring to commit bank fraud, bank fraud, making false statements and money laundering. Grinberg was originally charged by criminal complaint in March 2025.
Dominick S. Gerace II, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Lesley Allison, Inspector in Charge, U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Pittsburgh Division; Jason Cromartie, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; Korey Brinkman, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Housing Finance Agency Office of Inspector General; Karen Wingerd, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Criminal Investigations; and Shawn Rice, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Office of Inspector General; announced the charges. Assistant Deputy Criminal Chief Timothy S. Mangan and Assistant U.S. Attorney Rob Painter are representing the United States in this case.
An indictment merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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Georgia Woman Sentenced for Defrauding Missouri, Kansas Victims with Law Enforcement Spoofing ScamRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autrey on Wednesday sentenced a woman who aided scammers pretending to be law enforcement officers to 24 months in prison.
Ariel Burden, 33, was part of a group that called victims from phone numbers that appeared to be associated with local law enforcement. The “spoofers” claimed to be law enforcement officers or affiliated with law enforcement and told victims that they had outstanding warrants for missing court appearances. They threatened to arrest the victims if they didn’t pay thousands of dollars to a bondswoman. The scammers stayed in contact with the victims until they met with the supposed bondswoman, Burden. Burden was calling herself “Jennifer Davis.” She collected the money and provided victims with a receipt that contained fake citation numbers and other false information.
One Jefferson County, Missouri resident paid $12,000 to avoid arrest when the scammers claimed to be with the Crystal City police. In all, Burden admitted defrauding three victims out of a total of $28,000. Judge Autrey on Wednesday ordered her to repay the money.
Burden, from the Atlanta area, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis in September to one count of wire fraud. She will now be transferred to Georgia to face potential revocation of her probation in an aggravated battery case there.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, in conjunction with the Jefferson County, Missouri Sheriff’s Office and the McPherson, Kansas Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Ladendorf prosecuted the case.
Former S.C. Lawmaker Sentenced to Federal Prison for Distributing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Robert John “RJ” May, III, 39, of West Columbia, has been sentenced to more than 17 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to distributing child sexual abuse material.
Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that in May 2024 the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department received a cyber tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. The tip indicated that on March 31, 2024, 50 videos containing child sexual abuse material were uploaded using Kik, a mobile file sharing application, from a West Columbia IP address. LCSD executed search warrants to determine where the videos originated and discovered the IP address was registered to Robert John May. Furthermore, they discovered the Kik account, “joebidennnn69”, contained 220 unique videos and distributed 479 videos to over 100 Kik users over five days. The account user also communicated explicitly with other users about child sexual abuse material by sending and receiving over 1,100 messages.
Because May was a sitting member of the South Carolina House of Representatives, the case was referred to Homeland Security Investigations. HSI executed a search warrant on May’s home in August 2024 and seized 35 electronic devices, including May’s phone. A forensic analysis of May’s phone revealed the phone contained a Kik app in March and April 2024 that was subsequently deleted. May’s user dictionary, a feature that stores commonly typed phrases on a cellphone, contained the term “joebidennnn” along with an email address that connected him to the joebidennnn69 account. Analysis of May’s phone and the Kik records revealed the 479 videos were sent using either May’s home IP address or IP addresses associated with his cellphone.
Over the five-day period for which data was available, May distributed 220 unique videos, which he sent to 100 different users in 18 states and six countries. The videos included toddlers depicted in physical pain and extreme and humiliating sexual abuse. At sentencing, the court heard from victims through written victim impact statements on the lasting harm caused by their abuse and the continued distributions.
May was indicted by a federal grand jury on June 10, 2025, for 10 counts of distributing child sexual abuse material and arrested the following day. On Sept. 29, 2025, May pleaded guilty to five counts of distributing child sexual abuse material.
“He was elected to make a positive impact on his community, but instead he exploited the most innocent and vulnerable in our society. This is simply inexcusable,” said U.S. Attorney Bryan Stirling for the District of South Carolina. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners will continue to investigate and prosecute those who harm children.”
“Those who exploit and abuse children are among the most reprehensible offenders in our society, and today’s sentencing sends a clear message: no one is above the law, regardless of their position or title,” said Kyle D. Burns, Acting Special Agent in Charge of HSI in North Carolina and South Carolina. “HSI is unwavering in our commitment to protecting the most vulnerable members of our community and will relentlessly pursue anyone who preys on children. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to ensure that those who commit these horrific crimes are brought to justice and held fully accountable for their actions.”
United States District Judge Cameron McGowan Currie sentenced May to 210 months imprisonment, to be followed by a 20-year term of court-ordered supervision. At sentencing, Judge Currie noted that the sentence was higher than the average for similar charges because May’s content was the most severe the court had seen. There is no parole in the federal system. He was also ordered to pay $58,500 in restitution to eight identified victims and will be required to register as a sex offender for life.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the U.S. Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals, who sexually exploit children, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Scott Matthews, Elliott B. Daniels, and Dean Secor prosecuted the case along with Department of Justice Trial Attorney Austin Berry.
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* The term “child pornography” is currently used in federal statutes and is defined as any visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct involving a person less than 18 years old. While this phrase still appears in federal law, “child sexual abuse material” is preferred, as it better reflects the abuse that is depicted in the images and videos and the resulting trauma to the child. The Associated Press Stylebook also discourages the use of the phrase “child pornography.”
Former Dental Assistant Sentenced for Tampering with Fentanyl Vials from Littleton Oral Surgery PracticeRead the Press Release
DENVER – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Amber June Hyatt, 47, Evergreen, was sentenced to one year and one day in federal prison in addition to two years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to one count of tampering with a consumer product.
According to the plea agreement, in June of 2023, Hyatt was a surgical assistant for an oral surgery practice in Littleton. During that timeframe, Hyatt’s roommate found several fentanyl vials and safety caps from the tops of fentanyl vials in a plastic bag in her purse in their home. The roommate reported the findings to the oral surgery practice who reported a possible theft to the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office. A subsequent investigation discovered that boxes of fentanyl citrate in the practice’s controlled substance safe had been tampered with. Upon testing the substance in a subset of the tampered vials, a laboratory determined seven of the vials contained a replacement liquid and one of those vials was also contaminated with bacteria.
“Unsuspecting patients are put at serious risk when crimes like this are committed in healthcare practices,” said United States Attorney for the District of Colorado Peter McNeilly. “Would-be fentanyl thieves should take note that this behavior gets you a ticket to federal prison.”
“Medical professionals must serve as a bulwark against prescription drug abuse. When surgical assistants violate the trust of the physicians they work for and the patients they serve, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and its state and local partners along with the United States Attorney’s Office will step in and use every tool available to protect the public,” said DEA Rocky Mountain Field Division Diversion Program Manager George Taylor. “DEA will relentlessly pursue those who divert controlled substances and hold them accountable. There is no excuse for medical professionals to break the law in pursuit of their own gratification.”
“People depend on their healthcare providers to provide safe and effective medication when needed for pain relief,” said Acting Special Agent In Charge Jonathan Lamb, Food and Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigations, Kansas City Field Office. “The FDA will continue to hold accountable anyone who violates this trust by tampering with patients’ medication and compromising their care.”
United States District Judge S. Kato Crews presided over the sentencing.
The investigation was handled by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Food & Drug Administration – Office of Criminal Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney Anna Edgar handled the prosecution.
Case Number: 1-25-cr-00092-SKC
Florida-Based Veterinary Supply Company Pleads Guilty to Illegal Distribution of Xylazine; Sentenced to Forfeiture of More Than $748,000Read the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that All Veterinary Supply, Inc. (AVS) of Doral, Florida, pleaded guilty to one count of introduction and delivery of misbranded drugs into interstate commerce and was sentenced by United States District Judge Mark A. Kearney to three years of probation, an $18,000 fine, and forfeiture of $748,507.25, the company’s approximate gross profit from the illicit sales.
AVS was charged by information in August of last year, arising from its illegal distribution of xylazine outside the scope of its state permit, which did not permit the company to sell drugs to other wholesalers.
While xylazine was only approved for veterinary use in the United States, it was increasingly found in the illegal drug supply and linked to overdose deaths. The drug, colloquially known as “tranq,” is particularly dangerous when combined with fentanyl, but even on its own has harmful side effects, including soft tissue necrosis for users who inject the drug.
As detailed in the government’s court filings, AVS sold approximately 180,993 bottles to its two primary wholesaling customers in Puerto Rico, in violation of the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, including xylazine that ultimately ended up in the illicit drug supply in Philadelphia.
This case was investigated by the Food and Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigations, with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration, and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Anthony D. Scicchitano and Bryan C. Hughes, with Department of Justice Trial Attorneys Steven R. Scott and Brett Ruff of the Civil Division’s Enforcement & Affirmative Litigation Branch, former DOJ Trial Attorney Michael Wadden, and EDPA contract investigator Michael Sullivan.
Florida Man Admits Defrauding Zelle UsersRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that KUTTINO JAMAL SCOTT, 24, of Miami, Florida, pleaded guilty yesterday in New Haven federal court to an offense stemming from his role in a scheme that defrauded individuals who use the electronic payments system Zelle.
According to court documents and statements made in court, law enforcement has been investigating crimes against users of digital payment applications, including Zelle. Typically, a scheme victim receives a fraudulent text message, purporting to be from the victim’s bank, asking the victim to confirm whether a Zelle transaction was authorized. When the victim denies the transaction, the victim receives a response that a bank representative will be in contact. The victim then receives a phone call from an individual impersonating a bank representative, who informs the victim that an unauthorized transaction has occurred and that they need to work together to reverse the transaction. Without the victim’s knowledge, the fraudsters will link the victim’s actual phone number or email address via Zelle to a bank account that does not belong to the victim. The victim is then instructed to “reverse” the fictional fraudulent transaction by making a Zelle payment to what they believe is their own account, but is, in fact, an account controlled by the fraudsters.
From approximately February 2021 through August 2023, Scott and others, including Kader Gahmaal Biwaki Edmond, defrauded numerous victims, including victims in Connecticut, of a total of more than $250,000 through this Zelle scheme and other fraud schemes.
Scott was arrested on August 31, 2023.
Scott pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 30 years. He is scheduled to be sentenced on April 13. He is released on a $100,000 bond pending sentencing.
Edmond pleaded guilty to the same charge and, on August 19, 2024, was sentenced to three years of imprisonment.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward Chang.
Victims can report Zelle fraud to their bank or credit union, or to the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), which is run by the FBI and serves as the country’s hub for reporting cybercrime, at www.ic3.gov.
Fentanyl, Heroin, & PCP Trafficker Sentenced to 13½ Years for Role in Massive Regional Narcotics EnterpriseRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Wayne Glymph, 59, of Port Tobacco, Maryland, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 13½ years in federal prison for his role in a drug trafficking organization that imported and distributed large quantities of high-purity fentanyl, heroin, PCP and cocaine in the Washington metropolitan area and elsewhere, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Glymph pleaded guilty Sept. 15, 2025, before Judge Trevor N. McFadden to conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, 100 grams or more of fentanyl analogue, 100 grams or more of heroin, and one kilogram or more of phencyclidine (PCP). In addition to the 162 month prison term, Judge McFadden ordered Glymph to serve seven years of supervised release.
According to court documents, the drug trafficking organization operated from at least July 2021 and August 2022, until November 2023. Glymph participated in the distribution of 12 kilos of fentanyl including carfentanil, almost two kilograms of a fentanyl analog (p-flourofentanyl), more than 236 grams of heroin, and more than two gallons of PCP.
Co-conspirator Michael Stewart, 61, of the District, was sentenced Dec. 22, 2025, to 71 months in prison for acquiring wholesale quantities of cocaine and fentanyl which he in turn cut, repackaged, and then sold in smaller quantities to other drug traffickers for redistribution.
On July 22, 2025, Kevin Quattlebaum pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute more than 500 grams of cocaine and more than 28 grams of crack cocaine base, and using, carrying, possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. On Oct. 21, 2025, Quattlebaum was sentenced to 142 months incarceration, five years of supervised release, and ordered to forfeit $35,000 in cash, a Breitling watch valued at over $15,000, a 2019 SUV, a firearm, and ammunition.
Other co-conspirators, Samuel Braxton, 57, and Michael Owens, 38, both admitted guilt on Dec. 8, 2025, in connection with their roles in the same narcotics trafficking conspiracy.
Braxton, aka “Fatso,” of Temple Hills, Maryland, pleaded guilty December 8 before Judge McFadden to conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, 100 grams or more of fentanyl analog, and 100 grams or more of heroin. Sentencing in this case for Braxton is scheduled for March 9, 2026. Owens, of St. Charles, Maryland, pleaded guilty on December 8 to conspiracy to distribute 40 grams or more fentanyl and to conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine. Sentencing for Owens is scheduled for March 20, 2026.
Glymph, Braxton, and another co-defendant, Ronnie Rogers, coordinated the ordering, shipment, and receipt of, and payment for, the drugs with other members of the conspiracy. On April 2, 2025, Rogers pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of a fentanyl, 100 grams or more of any analogue of fentanyl, 100 grams or more of a mixture containing a detectable amount of heroin, 500 grams or more of cocaine, and crack cocaine base, and to possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. Rogers, whose sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 24, 2026, is facing a statutory mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years incarceration and up to life.
Communications evidence, as well as physical seizures and recoveries of many kilos of fentanyl and heroin over the course of the investigation, indicated that Glymph and others coordinated with foreign nationals and regional co-conspirators to traffic the narcotics.
Glymph has several previous convictions for conspiracy to distribute narcotics, weapons counts, and fraud. He was previously sentenced to two 10-year terms for drug trafficking for separate convictions.
Joining U.S. Attorney Pirro in the announcement were DEA Special Agent in Charge Christopher C. Goumenis of the Drug Enforcement Administration Washington Division, Inspector in Charge Damon E. Wood of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service Washington Division, Chief Tarrick McGuire of the Alexandria Police Department, FBI Assistant Director in Charge Darren B. Cox of the Washington Field Office, and Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
This case was investigated by the DEA Washington Division, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the FBI Washington Field Office, the Alexandria Police Department, and the Metropolitan Police Department.
Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms Washington Field Division, U.S. Customs and Border Patrol, U.S. Bureau of Prisons, Montgomery County Police Department, Prince George’s County Police Interdiction Unit, Charles County Sheriff’s Office, Arlington County Police, Virginia State Police, Loudoun County Sherriff’s Office, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland (Greenbelt), the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Tennessee.
The matter was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys George Eliopoulos, Matthew Kinskey, and William Hart, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Stempel, for the Violent Crime and Narcotics Trafficking Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
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Felon and Drug Dealer Sentenced to Federal Prison for Drug and Gun OffensesRead the Press Release
A Waterloo man who possessed a firearm while also possessing drugs that he intended to distribute was sentenced today to more than eight years in federal prison.
Darius Caston, age 33, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after an August 28, 2025, guilty plea to one count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance and one count of carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime.
In a plea agreement, Caston admitted that officers found marijuana, methamphetamine, and a stolen and loaded gun in Caston’s car after stopping him on January 1, 2025. Caston admitted that he intended to distribute the marijuana and methamphetamine that was in the car. Caston also admitted that it was illegal for him to possess a gun because he had previously been convicted of a felony offense.
Caston was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Caston was sentenced to 100 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a four-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case 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.
Caston is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam J. Vander Stoep and was investigated by the Cedar Rapids Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-CR-56.
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Federal grand jury indicts man who allegedly vandalized Vice President Vance’s Cincinnati home, assaulted federal officerRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – The man who allegedly vandalized Vice President JD Vance’s Cincinnati home has now been indicted by a federal grand jury on several charges related to the incident.
The three-count indictment charges William D. DeFoor, 26, with damaging government property, engaging in physical violence against any person or property in a restricted building or grounds, and assaulting, resisting or impeding federal officers.
DeFoor was originally charged by criminal complaint on Jan. 5. The U.S. District Court has ordered that the defendant remain in custody pending trial.
According to court documents, around midnight, United States Secret Service (USSS) agents observed DeFoor running along the front fence of the protected residence. DeFoor allegedly breached the property line at the driveway and attempted to break the driver’s side window of an unmarked federal law enforcement vehicle blocking the driveway entrance. DeFoor was armed with a hammer.
DeFoor allegedly refused law enforcement commands to stop and drop the weapon. Charging documents state DeFoor ignored all commands and began to use the hammer to break glass windows across the front of the protected residence. DeFoor’s hammer strikes also caused damage to the enhanced security assets on each window owned by the United States government and valued at more than $28,000.
The defendant allegedly attempted to flee on foot and was detained by USSS agents and Cincinnati police officers.
Causing more than $1,000 in damage to United States property and engaging in physical violence against any person or property in a restricted building or grounds are each federal crimes punishable by up to 10 years in prison. Assaulting, resisting or impeding federal officers carries a potential penalty of up to 20 years in prison.
Dominick S. Gerace II, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Jason Rees, Special Agent in Charge, United States Secret Service, and Cincinnati Police Acting Chief Adam Hennie announced the charges. Executive Assistant United States Attorney Christy L. Muncy and Assistant Deputy Criminal Chief Timothy S. Mangan are representing the United States in this case.
An indictment contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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Federal Way, Washington, man who committed kidnapping as revenge for a drug-deal-gone-wrong, sentenced to 8 years in prisonRead the Press Release
Seattle – A 25-year-old Federal Way, Washington man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to eight years in prison for using a firearm in a crime of violence, announced U.S. Attorney Charles Neil Floyd. Daniel Lopez was indicted by the grand jury on November 6, 2024, for the October 13, 2024, kidnapping of the spouse of someone who had cheated him in a drug deal. The Auburn, Washington woman was abducted at gunpoint from her home and ultimately was found safe in Guatemala. At the sentencing hearing U.S. District Judge John C. Coughenour said, the sentence was merited because of “the defendant’s use of a firearm in a violent kidnapping . . . and the violent nature of the charged conduct.”
“This defendant has a lengthy and serious criminal history with many of the offenses involving firearms,” said U.S. Attorney Neil Floyd. “Mr. Lopez has been involved in street gangs since his mid-teens and has committed several violent offenses including robbery, drive-by shooting and illegal possession of guns and drugs. This 8-year prison sentence is focused on protecting the community.”
“After losing money in a fraudulent drug deal, Lopez retaliated by violently kidnapping a person involved in the scheme, along with an innocent victim, at gunpoint,” said W. Mike Herrington, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Seattle field office. “He held the victims against their will, directed co-conspirators to force them across the Mexico border, and fled to Texas where he was apprehended by FBI Houston. FBI Seattle is grateful to our partners in the Auburn Police Department and our FBI colleagues in Texas for their commitment to combatting violent crime alongside us, no matter how far the subject attempts to flee justice.”
According to records filed in the case, the kidnapping was retribution for a drug deal gone bad. The woman’s husband and a second victim who was also kidnapped, had taken $2500 from Lopez for cocaine, but the cocaine was never delivered. The female victim’s husband reported her missing on October 14, 2024, after arriving home and finding her belongings at their apartment. Two witnesses reported seeing the woman leaving with two men, one of whom was carrying a firearm. This man was subsequently identified as Lopez. Lopez was initially identified based on surveillance video from across the street showing vehicles in the apartment complex parking lot. Officers then reviewed traffic camera pictures to obtain license plate information and ultimately determined Lopez was a registered owner of one of the vehicles.
The investigation revealed that the victims were held in the Seattle area for two days before being transported to the southern border with Mexico. Lopez had associates drive the woman and the other victim to the border and forced them to walk across. The two were identified by immigration authorities in Mexico and were transported to Guatemala. Neither had legal status in the U.S., and so have been barred from returning to their lives in the U.S.
Lopez was ultimately traced to Houston, Texas and was arrested on October 19, 2024, at a hotel. He has remained in custody since his arrest.
The case was investigated by the Auburn Police Department and the FBI.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Todd Greenberg.
Federal Sentences Imposed in Montgomery Business RobberyRead the Press Release
MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Acting United States Attorney Kevin Davidson and Special Agent in Charge Sara Jones with the FBI Mobile Field Office announced today that two additional men have been sentenced in connection with the March 10, 2025, robbery of a Montgomery dry cleaning business.
On January 13, 2026, a federal judge sentenced 51-year-old Spirit Hooks, of Birmingham, Alabama, to 175 months in federal prison. On the same date, Spencer Thomas, 68, of Montgomery, Alabama, received a sentence of 144 months in prison. The ringleader and organizer of the robbery, 58-year-old Zedekiah Sykes, was previously sentenced to 195 months in prison on October 23, 2025. There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court records, on March 10, 2025, Hooks, Thomas, and Sykes, along with alleged co-defendant Clinton Thompson, 55, forcibly entered the Montgomery business located on East South Street by shattering the front door with a rock. Once inside, the men confronted the business owner and forced him into an office containing a locked safe.
During the robbery, Thomas brandished what appeared to be a handgun, pointed it at the victim’s head, and demanded that the safe be opened. The gun was later determined to be a BB gun. When the owner struggled to recall the combination, Hooks became agitated and struck the victim in the left eye, causing visible bruising and swelling. The group ultimately accessed the safe and stole approximately $8,000 in cash.
Before fleeing the scene, the assailants zip-tied the victim’s hands and feet and stole his cell phone and car keys. They then used the stolen keys to escape in the victim’s vehicle.
Hooks, Thomas, and Sykes previously pleaded guilty in federal court to one count of Hobbs Act robbery. The three were also ordered to pay $17,624.49 in restitution.
Charges of robbery and carjacking against Thompson remain pending, and his trial is scheduled for May 11, 2026. An indictment or criminal complaint is merely an allegation, and Thompson is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
“This was a calculated and violent robbery that left a hardworking business owner injured and traumatized,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Davidson. “The defendants planned out their actions and used threats and violence to carry them out, completely disregarding the safety and well-being of the victim. These sentences reflect the seriousness of the offense and our commitment to holding violent offenders accountable.”
"The dedication of the men and women in the Metro Area Crime Suppression (MACS) Unit, ALEA, Montgomery Police Department, United States Attorney's Office and the FBI has culminated in a just result for our community,” said Special Agent in Charge Jones. “These lengthy sentences reflect the gravity of the crimes committed and our unwavering resolve to bringing justice to victims and local businesses alike. We are stronger when we work together to combat violent crime."
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Montgomery Police Department, Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) State Bureau of Investigation (SBI), and the Metro Area Crime Suppression (MACS) Unit investigated this case, with assistance from the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Joel Feil.
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).
Federal Grand Juries Charge Three with Illegal Reentry in Northwestern OhioRead the Press Release
TOLEDO, Ohio – Federal grand juries returned indictments on Jan. 7 charging three individuals with illegal reentry of a previously removed alien, in violation of Title 8 U.S. Code 1326. They were found in the Northern District of Ohio without the consent of the U.S. Attorney General or the Secretary for Homeland Security for readmission. These are separate cases and not related.
- Francisco Constancio-Mariscal, 37, a citizen of Mexico, was previously removed from the United States on at least two occasions with the most recent being April 28, 2011. He was found in Port Clinton (Ottawa County) on Jan. 4.
- Guillermo Gutierrez-Rivas, 35, a citizen of Mexico, was previously removed from the United States on at least one occasion with the most recent being June 29, 2024. He was found in Benton Township (Ottawa County) on Dec. 19, 2025.
- Alvaro Veliz-Gonzalez, 34, a citizen of Guatemala, was previously removed from the United States on at least four occasions with the most recent being Oct. 11, 2021. He was found in Toledo (Lucas County) on Dec. 8, 2025.
The investigations in these cases were conducted by U.S. Border Patrol-Sandusky Bay Station and Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
These cases are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Sara Al-Sorghali, Robert N. Melching, and Alissa M. Sterling for Northern District of Ohio.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Eleven Charged in Bristol Area Drug Trafficking Ring; Several Overdose Deaths ConnectedRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, Jarod Forget, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England, and Bristol Police Chief Mark Morello today announced that the following 11 individuals have been charged with federal offenses stemming from a long-term investigation into narcotics trafficking in Bristol and elsewhere in central Connecticut:
JOSHUA OCASIO, also known as “J” and “Jim,” 30, of Middletown
JOSE ROSADO-ORTIZ, 29, of Manchester
RYAN JASSOR, 30, of Phoenix, Arizona
DEBRA JANKOWSKI, 44, of Avon
TONI RISUCCI, 29, of Watertown
JAMES WARKOSKI, 58, of Plymouth
RYAN RIBACK, 24, of Plainville
KYLE MASTROIANNI, 32, of Bristol
ROBERT PINETTE, 39, of Bristol
GRIFFIN DEPREY, 28, of Plainville
QURAN MUHAMMAD, 30, of East WindsorAs alleged in court documents and statements made in court, the DEA New Haven Tactical Diversion Squad and Bristol Police Department have been investigating a narcotics trafficking enterprise headed by Ocasio. The investigation revealed that Ocasio, with the assistance of Rosado-Ortiz and Jassor, who formerly resided in Connecticut, acquired and distributed fentanyl, cocaine, crack-cocaine, counterfeit pills pressed with fentanyl, and pharmaceuticals including oxycodone, Adderall, and Xanax. Ocasio employed, and frequently rented vehicles for, Jankowski, Risucci, Warkoski, Riback, Mastroianni, Pinette, and Deprey as “drug runners” to conduct drug transactions on his behalf. Muhammad helped facilitate narcotics transactions for Ocasio and also distributed drugs that he acquired from Ocasio to his own customer base.
It is alleged that the investigation has connected five overdose deaths in Bristol and one overdose death in Berlin, which occurred between April 2024 and May 2025, to Ocasio’s drug trafficking network.
Ocasio and Rosado-Ortiz were arrested on a federal criminal complaints on December 4, 2025. On that date, a search of Ocasio’s residence revealed approximately $440,000 in cash and watches and jewelry valued at approximately $270,000. A search of Rosado-Ortiz’s residence revealed approximately two kilograms of cocaine, one kilogram of crack cocaine, 250 grams of fentanyl, 200 grams of methamphetamine, 2,500 oxycodone pills, 500 Xanax and Adderall pills, tabs of LSD, one ounce of ketamine, 25 empty kilogram wrappers that field tested positive for the presence of cocaine, an AR-15 style rifle, a ghost gun, $10,000 in jewelry, and $7,260 in cash.
On January 7, 2026, a federal grand jury in Bridgeport returned an indictment charging each of the defendants with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, controlled substances. If convicted of this charge, based on the type and quantity of drug attributed to each defendant, Ocasio, Rosado-Ortiz, Risucci, Riback, and Mastroianni face a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of life; Jankowski, Pinette, and Deprey face a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 40 years; and Jassor, Warkoski, and Muhammad face a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.
In addition, the indictment charges Ocasio with possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of, fentanyl and cocaine resulting in death and serious bodily injury, an offense that carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 20 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of life. This charge stems from the overdose death of a 20-year-old woman in Bristol on October 26, 2024.
The indictment also charges Rosado-Ortiz with possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, which carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of life, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, which carries a mandatory consecutive term of imprisonment of at least five years.
The indictment seeks the forfeiture of the cash and jewelry seized on December 4, 2025, $30,338 that was seized from Ocasio in February 2025, and multiple vehicles.
“As alleged, Joshua Ocasio operated a sophisticated drug trafficking network that, quite literally, destroyed lives in Bristol and surrounding communities in central Connecticut,” said U.S. Attorney David X. Sullivan. “I thank the members of the DEA New Haven Tactical Diversion Squad, the Bristol Police Department, and the many other police departments that have worked on this long-term investigation which resulted in dismantling this drug network and bringing Mr. Ocasio and his associates to justice. The U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners continue to target those who profit from the illegal distribution of fentanyl and other dangerous narcotics. This investigation clearly established an indisputable connection to a drug-related death that necessitates the charging of this 20-year mandatory minimum offense.”
“DEA is committed to investigating and dismantling large-scale poly drug trafficking organizations like this one operating throughout central Connecticut,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Jarod Forget. “This organization was allegedly responsible for the distribution of fentanyl, cocaine, crack cocaine, counterfeit pills laced with fentanyl and pharmaceuticals which can be linked to several overdose deaths in the state. This investigation demonstrates the strength of collaborative local, state and federal law enforcement efforts in Connecticut and our strong partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to seek and bring to justice anyone who engages in these crimes.”
“The Bristol Police Department commends the DEA, every member of this Task Force, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their relentless pursuit of justice and their unwavering commitment to dismantling illicit drug trafficking networks,” said Bristol Police Chief Mark Morello. “These efforts hold accountable those whose actions poison our communities and contribute directly to loss of life. Because of this work, the City of Bristol and the State of Connecticut are safer. The Bristol Police Department remains resolute in its mission to protect and serve the community with integrity and professionalism, and we will continue these enforcement efforts every day to protect our community and save lives.”
U.S. Attorney Sullivan stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This investigation is being conducted by the DEA New Haven Tactical Diversion Squad, the Bristol Police Department, the Middletown Police Department, the Manchester Police Department, the Fairfield Police Department, the Connecticut State Police, and the East Central Narcotics Task Force. The Connecticut Forensic Laboratory and the New Britain, Berlin, Newington, Canton, Hamden, and Glastonbury Police Departments have assisted the investigation. The DEA New Haven Tactical Diversion Squad is composed of personnel from the DEA, and the Bristol, West Haven, Fairfield, Glastonbury, Seymour, and Torrington Police Departments.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brendan Keefe and Natasha Freismuth.
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.
Eight defendants plead guilty to, sentenced for illegal re-entryRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. -- U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that eight defendants pleaded guilty before Chief U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford to illegal re-entry. Each defendant was then sentenced to time served and turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
The eight defendants are:
- Mario Dario Cao-Tzul, 38, a native and citizen of Guatemala.
- Jorge Luis Gonzalez-Roman, 40, a native and citizen of Mexico.
- Jose Clemente Trujillo-Mejia, 42, a native and citizen of Mexico.
- Marciano Gonzalez-Avila, 33, a native and citizen of Guatemala.
- Diego Ignacio Sohom-Tambriz, 40, a native and citizen of Guatemala.
- Douglas Noel Barahona-Martinez, 37, a native and citizen of El Salvador.
- Jose Mardoqueo Guevara-Pereira, 38, a native and citizen of El Salvador.
- Eleo Francisco Lemus-Moreno, 40, a native and citizen of Honduras.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Brendan W. Fitzgerald, who handled the cases, stated that the defendants were previously physically removed from the United States, some on multiple occasions, and were later found in the Western District of New York.
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 pleas and sentencings are the result of an investigation by Customs and Border Protection U.S. Border Patrol, under the direction of Acting Chief Patrol Agent James D’Amato.
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Dun & Bradstreet to Pay $5.7M to Resolve Alleged Violations of Federal Trade Commission OrderRead the Press Release
The Justice Department, acting on referral from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), announced today that a federal court has entered a stipulated order resolving a case against Dun & Bradstreet Inc., doing business as D&B. Under the court’s order, Dun & Bradstreet will pay a $2,063,000 civil penalty and $2,785,786 in customer refunds, in addition to $924,590 of refunds it has already issued, to resolve allegations that it violated an FTC order.
The FTC entered an administrative order against Dun & Bradstreet in 2022 based on alleged unfair or deceptive business practices prohibited by the FTC Act. According to a complaint filed in the Middle District of Florida, Dun & Bradstreet violated provisions of that order requiring it to (1) accurately notify customers of the automatic renewal prices of its products; (2) not misrepresent its products; and (3) create and maintain records of its compliance with the order. The complaint alleges that in connection with its sale of credit-related services to small businesses, Dun & Bradstreet sent many of its customers inaccurate pricing notices, omitted or misrepresented certain facts about its products during sales calls, and failed to retain all of the call recordings required by the order.
“The Justice Department is committed to ensuring that American small businesses receive accurate information about the products and services they purchase,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The Department will continue to work with the FTC to enforce its orders and hold violators accountable.”
“Our signed orders are not suggestions,” said Director Christopher Mufarrige of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection. “This settlement is another example of the Bureau’s effort to reinvigorate its fraud program and protect small businesses from deceptive and unlawful conduct.”
The United States is represented in this action by Senior Trial Attorney Sarah Williams and Assistant Director Zachary A. Dietert from the Enforcement Section of the Civil Division’s Enforcement and Affirmative Litigation Branch. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lacy R. Harwell, Jr. for the Middle District of Florida provided assistance. Christopher J. Erickson and Taylor H. Bates represent the FTC.
For more information about the Enforcement Section of the Civil Division’s Enforcement and Affirmative Litigation Branch, visit www.justice.gov/civil/enforcement-affirmative-litigation-branch.
Dun & Bradstreet to Pay $5.7M to Resolve Alleged Violations of Federal Trade Commission OrderRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON — The Justice Department, acting on referral from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), announced today that a federal court has entered a stipulated order resolving a case against Dun & Bradstreet Inc., doing business as D&B. Under the court’s order, Dun & Bradstreet will pay a $2,063,000 civil penalty and $2,785,786 in customer refunds, in addition to $924,590 of refunds it has already issued, to resolve allegations that it violated an FTC order.
The FTC entered an administrative order against Dun & Bradstreet in 2022 based on alleged unfair or deceptive business practices prohibited by the FTC Act. According to a complaint filed in the Middle District of Florida, Dun & Bradstreet violated provisions of that order requiring it to (1) accurately notify customers of the automatic renewal prices of its products; (2) not misrepresent its products; and (3) create and maintain records of its compliance with the order. The complaint alleges that in connection with its sale of credit-related services to small businesses, Dun & Bradstreet sent many of its customers inaccurate pricing notices, omitted or misrepresented certain facts about its products during sales calls, and failed to retain all of the call recordings required by the order.
“The Justice Department is committed to ensuring that American small businesses receive accurate information about the products and services they purchase,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The Department will continue to work with the FTC to enforce its orders and hold violators accountable.”
“Our signed orders are not suggestions,” said Director Christopher Mufarrige of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection. “This settlement is another example of the Bureau’s effort to reinvigorate its fraud program and protect small businesses from deceptive and unlawful conduct.”
The United States is represented in this action by Senior Trial Attorney Sarah Williams and Assistant Director Zachary A. Dietert from the Enforcement Section of the Civil Division’s Enforcement and Affirmative Litigation Branch. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lacy R. Harwell, Jr. for the Middle District of Florida provided assistance. Christopher J. Erickson and Taylor H. Bates represent the FTC.
For more information about the Enforcement Section of the Civil Division’s Enforcement and Affirmative Litigation Branch, visit www.justice.gov/civil/enforcement-affirmative-litigation-branch.
Dubuque Man Sentenced to Five Years in Federal Prison for Distributing FentanylRead the Press Release
A Dubuque man who possessed and distributed fentanyl was sentenced today to five years in federal prison.
Justin Jawuan Members, age 28, from Dubuque, Iowa, received the prison term after an August 29, 2025, guilty plea to possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute.
In a plea agreement, Members admitted that law enforcement officers saw him distribute fentanyl twice. After the distributions, law enforcement officers searched a home that Members stayed at and located over 300 fentanyl pills and a firearm.
Members was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Members was sentenced to 60 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a four-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Members is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Michael S.A. Hudson and investigated by the Dubuque Drug Task Force, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-CR-1022.
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Drunk Driving Mexican Illegal Alien Sentenced to Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing A Gun and Will Be DeportedRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – A federal judge sentenced a Mexican illegal alien to 2 years in federal prison for possession of a firearm by an illegal alien. On October 9, 2025, Angel Garcia Garcia pleaded guilty to the charges.
“We got lucky to arrest this drunk Mexican illegal alien before he killed a citizen or child by running over her with his car or shooting her with his illegally possessed gun. This office is focused on protecting our citizens and children from these dangerous illegal aliens. This one will get deported as soon as his prison sentence ends, and he better stay out,” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle.
According to court documents and other information presented in court, Garcia Garcia, 25, overstayed a work visa he received in 2020. From 2021 until his arrest, he illegally remained in the United States, living in Angier, North Carolina. Garcia Garcia illegally bought a high-capacity gun from another individual for $600. On June 14, 2025, Garcia Garcia loaded his high-capacity gun, put an extra bullet in his back pocket, and went to a bar. After leaving the bar, an officer with the Angier Police Department arrested Garcia Garcia for drunk driving. The officer seized the firearm.
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 Angier Police Department and the Homeland Security Investigations branch of the Department of Homeland Security investigated the case and the U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on our website. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:25-CR-193-D-BM.
Detroit Man Sentenced to 102 Months in Federal Prison for CarjackingRead the Press Release
DETROIT – A Detroit man was sentenced yesterday to 102 months in federal prison following his convictions for carjacking and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
United States Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon, Jr. announced the sentencing today and was joined in the announcement by Jennifer Runyan, Special Agent in Charge of the Detroit Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
According to court records, Brandon Sims, 35, of Detroit, Michigan, committed the carjacking on October 18, 2023, in Detroit, Michigan. Sims carjacked a man who was assisting a young woman move out of Mr. Sims’s residence. Sims entered the male victim’s SUV and brandished a firearm. The victim pushed the gun away, causing it to discharge. The male victim ran from the vehicle and Sims drove off with the young woman. Several hours later, FBI Special Agents and members of the Detroit Police Department's Commercial Auto Theft Section located Sims and the young woman in Pontiac, Michigan, and took Sims into custody. The carjacked vehicle was found the following day.
“Carjackers pounce on ordinary folks—by putting a gun their face—when they are a sitting duck in their car. We will prosecute the criminals who commit these terrible and violent crimes,” stated U.S. Attorney Gorgon.
“The sentencing of Brandon Sims, a convicted felon, reflects the serious consequences facing those who commit reckless crimes of violence and place innocent lives at risk,” said Jennifer Runyan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Detroit Field Office. “Sims chose to use violence by producing a firearm and carjacking an innocent citizen in Detroit. I am proud of the dedicated members from FBI Detroit, working alongside our partners at the Detroit Police Department, whose diligent efforts help keep our community safe. I also commend the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan for their relentless and successful prosecution, ensuring Sims is held fully accountable under federal law.”
The case was investigated by special agents of the FBI, the Detroit Police Department, and handled by Assistant United States Attorneys Jeanine Brunson and Craig Wininger.
Crawford County Man Admits Grooming MinorRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A man from Crawford County, Missouri on Wednesday admitted grooming and engaging in illegal sexual contact with a minor.
Nathaniel Rod Gibson, 34, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of travel with the intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct and one count of coercion and enticement of a minor. He admitted giving the victim a phone and grooming her via more than 18,996 text messages from March 10, 2023, to Sept. 6, 2023. Gibson told the victim to delete the flirtatious and inappropriate messages so that her mother would not find them. In June of 2023, Gibson drove the victim from Missouri to a campground in Arkansas, where he engaged in an illegal sex act with her. He also did so at his home in Crawford County.
Gibson is scheduled to be sentenced on April 15. The travel with the intent charge carries a penalty of up to 30 years in prison. The coercion and enticement of a minor carries a maximum penalty of 20 years.
The Crawford County Sheriff’s Office, the Diamond City (Arkansas) Police Department and the FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jillian Anderson prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division's 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.
Coyle Man Sentenced to Serve 29 Years in Federal Prison for Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – COLT TRAVIS GLADDING, SR., 42, of Coyle, Oklahoma, has been sentenced to serve 348 months in federal prison for production of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
According to public record, on July 15, 2024, officers with the Troy Police Department (TPD) in Troy, New Hampshire, received a report regarding the sexual abuse of a minor. The minor reported she was sexually abused by Gladding several times over a two-year period while she lived in Coyle, OK. Gladding also coerced the victim to send him sexually explicit photos.
On May 20, 2025, a federal Grand Jury charged Gladding with production of child pornography. Gladding pleaded guilty on August 6, 2025, and admitted he persuaded a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing child pornography.
At a sentencing hearing on January 12, 2026, U.S. District Judge Joe Heaton sentenced Gladding to serve 348 months in federal prison, followed by ten years of supervised release. In announcing his sentence, Judge Heaton noted the serious nature of the offense and the need to protect the public, emphasizing Gladding’s continued, consistent abuse of the victim over nearly two years.
This case is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Troy Police Department, Logan County Sheriff’s Office, and Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany Edgmon prosecuted the case.
This case is also part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative by the Department of Justice (DOJ) to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the DOJ Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, PSC 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 PSC, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Reference is made to public filings for additional information.
Convicted Felon Pleads Guilty to Illegally Possessing Unregistered Devices and Attempting to Maliciously Use Explosive DeviceRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Jesse William Korff (31, North Fort Myers) today pleaded guilty to a superseding indictment charging him with possession of firearms and ammunition by a convicted felon, possession of unregistered silencers, possession of an unregistered destructive device, and attempted malicious use of an explosive. Korff faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison for possession of firearms by a convicted felon, up to 10 years’ imprisonment for the possession of unregistered silencers and destructive device, and a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for attempted malicious use of an explosive. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to court documents, on May 19, 2025, Korff was at a residence when the Fort Myers Police Department was dispatched to a 911 hang-up call. Officers arrived and reported a hostage situation. The officers observed a male, later identified as Korff, in a scuffle with a female. They detained Korff. The officers seized a firearm and silencer that had come loose during the scuffle and also located a destructive device coming out of Korff’s pocket.
The Lee County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO) Bomb Squad used a robot to remove the pipe bomb and take Korff into custody. Further evidence and testing of the device by LCSO and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives confirmed that the device had attempted to be detonated. Another silencer, firearm, and ammunition were located inside Korff’s vehicle. Officers and agents also found other bomb making materials within Korff’s residence.
Korff is a convicted felon and prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law. He was previously convicted of transfer and possession of a toxin for use as a weapon, smuggling toxins from the United States, and conspiracy to kill, maim, or injure a person in a foreign country.
This case was investigated by the Fort Myers Police Department, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Morgan.
Clark County Man Sentenced to 40 Years for Methamphetamine Trafficking and Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. – A Clark County, Ky., man, Tommy Martin, 70, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Danny C. Reeves to 480 months’ imprisonment for multiple counts of distributing and possessing with the intent to distribute methamphetamine; possessing, carrying, and using firearms in furtherance of and during and in relation to his drug trafficking crimes; and possession of multiple firearms by a convicted felon.
On September 24, 2025, Martin was found guilty by a federal jury in Lexington of 11 felony violations: six counts of distributing methamphetamine, one count of possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, one count of carrying or using a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime, one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and two counts of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
According to evidence presented at trial, between July 1 and October 10, 2024, Martin sold various quantities of methamphetamine to a confidential informant in Clark and Montgomery Counties. In addition to the methamphetamine, Martin, a convicted felon, sold a firearm to the informant. The investigation culminated in a search of Martin’s residence in Montgomery County in December of 2024, revealing additional quantities of methamphetamine intended for sale as well as firearms in Martin’s possession.
Under federal law, Martin must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon Martin’s release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for 10 years.
Paul C. McCaffrey, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, John Nokes, Special Agent in Charge, ATF, Louisville Field Division, and Chief Travis Thompson, Winchester Police Department, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by the ATF and the Winchester Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paco Villalobos prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
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Chicago Nurse Charged with Distributing Counterfeit OzempicRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A registered nurse has been charged in federal court in Chicago with distributing counterfeit Ozempic.
SHARON CHRISTINE SACKMAN distributed the counterfeit drugs to three individuals in Chicago in 2023, according to a criminal information filed in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. The drugs were labeled as the weight-loss medication Ozempic, but they were not manufactured by Ozempic’s manufacturer, Novo Nordisk, nor did they contain Ozempic’s active ingredient semaglutide, the information states. Sackman was a registered professional nurse but was not licensed by law to prescribe, administer, dispense, or sell Ozempic, the information states.
Sackman, 52, who currently resides in Playa del Carmen, Mexico, is charged with one count of distributing misbranded drugs and three counts of dispensing counterfeit drugs. Each count is punishable by up to a year in federal prison. Sackman pleaded not guilty on Tuesday during her arraignment in federal court in Chicago. A status hearing was scheduled for Feb. 3, 2026, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Laura K. McNally.
The charges were announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Ronne Malham, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Havey.
The public is reminded that an information is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
sackman_information.pdfCentreville Man Sentenced for Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
Jackson, MS – A Centreville man was sentenced on January 13, 2026, to 29 months in prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
According to court documents, Alforn Napoleon Lee, 49, of Centreville was found in possession of a firearm after the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics, with assistance from the United States Marshal Service apprehended him for a parole violation out of Nevada. As a previously convicted felon, Lee is prohibited by federal law from possessing a firearm.
Lee was indicted by a federal grand jury on December 10, 2024, for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He pled guilty on August 11, 2025.
United States Attorney Baxter Kruger of the Southern District of Mississippi and ATF Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson of the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives made the announcement.
The case was investigated by the ATF, with assistance from USMS and the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Amber Jones prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justive.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline) 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).
Cedar Rapids Woman with Lengthy Criminal History Sentenced to More Than Six Years for Illegally Possessing a Stolen GunRead the Press Release
A woman who illegally possessed a stolen gun after being convicted of a felony offense was sentenced today to more than six years in federal prison.
Daisha Rae Bradshaw, age 33, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a September 12, 2025, guilty plea to possession of a firearm by a felon.
At the guilty plea, Bradshaw admitted she illegally possessed a gun on May 16, 2025. On that date, police located a stolen gun and methamphetamine in her purse during a traffic stop. Bradshaw was prohibited from possessing firearms because of felony convictions from 2017 and 2018. She has prior convictions for assault, including assaulting police officers, domestic abuse assault, and felony theft. Bradshaw also has multiple convictions for eluding, where she led officers on high-speed car chases that involved traveling at speeds exceeding the posted speed limit by 25 mph, driving on the wrong direction of an exit ramp off of Interstate 380, and ending in vehicle collisions.
Bradshaw was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Bradshaw was sentenced to 78 months’ imprisonment. She must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. In imposing the sentence, Judge Strand noted Bradshaw’s criminal history was “relentless and obnoxious” and that “it was amazing she hasn’t killed somebody.”
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case 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.
Bradshaw is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until she can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lisa C. Williams and investigated by the Cedar Rapids Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-cr-0066.
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Cedar Rapids Felon Involved in a Shooting Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A man who shot at another person was sentenced today to 15 years in federal prison.
Anthony Isiah Pennell, age 28, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a June 30, 2025, guilty plea to one count of possession of a firearm by a felon.
Information from the sentencing hearing showed that, on October 9, 2024, in a mall parking lot in Cedar Rapids, Pennell fired a gun. Following an argument between an individual who was with Pennell and another person, Pennell grabbed a gun out of a purse belonging to a woman who he was also with, and he began shooting at the other person. Pennell’s gunfire hit the back of the other person’s car, and it also hit another car that was parked in the parking lot. As officers were responding to the shooting, they saw Pennell running from the area. Pennell threw the gun into a storm drain as he was running. Pennell was prohibited from possessing firearms based on a prior assault-related felony conviction from 2018.
Pennell was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Pennell was sentenced to 180 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case 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.
Pennell is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam J. Vander Stoep and was investigated by the Cedar Rapids Police Department; the Federal Bureau of Investigation; and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-CR-10.
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California Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Federal Prison for Participating in Large-Scale Drug Distribution Conspiracy in Sioux FallsRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a man from California City, California, convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. The sentencing took place on January 5, 2026.
Alonzo Green, 43, was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Green was indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance by a federal grand jury in October 2024. He pleaded guilty on October 8, 2025.
Green was a member of a California-based drug trafficking organization which began operating in the Sioux Falls area in the Fall of 2023. The group sourced large quantities of narcotics, including methamphetamine and fentanyl, from California, and then used short-term rental properties as bases of operation to distribute the drugs in and around Sioux Falls. As a member of the group, Green directed multiple shipments of drugs through the mail and assisted in driving loads of drugs from California to South Dakota. He was arrested while transporting one such load on September 17, 2024. Green and a co-conspirator were stopped by the South Dakota Highway Patrol while traveling through the Hot Springs area. DEA agents on site obtained a search warrant and found packages containing over 4,900 grams of methamphetamine and 925 grams of powder fentanyl in Green’s vehicle.
“This was a tremendous arrest resulting in an appropriate prison sentence that has significantly disrupted the activities of this California-based drug trafficking organization in South Dakota,” said U.S. Attorney Parsons. “Impressive work all around by these dedicated law enforcement officers.”
This case was investigated by the DEA, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, South Dakota Highway Patrol, and the Sioux Falls Area Drug Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Joyce prosecuted the case.
Green was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
California Man Pleads Guilty to Tax Evasion and Operating Illegal Offshore Gambling BusinessRead the Press Release
A California man pleaded guilty yesterday to operating an illegal gambling business, laundering money, and evading his taxes.
The following is according to court documents and statements made in court: Jason Noah Feinman of Calabasas operated a Costa Rica-based business that, among other things, ran a website that unlicensed and illegal gambling businesses used to facilitate their gambling activities by permitting their customers, including customers who lived in California, to place bets through websites the defendant maintained, which is illegal under state and federal law.
Feinman laundered the cash he derived from his business by exchanging the cash for checks made out to him or one of his businesses. For example, between May 2018 and Jan. 2024, Feinman gave one of his customers more than $1.5 million in cash and received in exchange 18 checks made payable to him or his businesses totaling that amount. Overall, Feinman exchanged between $1.5 million and $3.5 million in cash for checks.
In addition, between 2018 and 2022, Feinman knew that he had to report his illegal gambling business on his tax returns and pay tax on the income he earned from it, but did not do so. He instead concealed up to $4,198,136 of income from the government. In fact, despite earning $1.8 million in income in 2020, Feinman reported no taxable income on his tax return and paid no tax for the year.
In total, Feinman caused a tax loss to the United States of no more than $1,524,528.
Feinman is scheduled to be sentenced on May 12 and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for the money laundering charge and five years in prison for the tax evasion and illegal gambling charges. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation’s International Tax and Financial Crimes group and the Department of Homeland Security’s Homeland Security Investigations are investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys John C. Gerardi and Charles A. O’Reilly of the Criminal Division’s Tax Section are prosecuting the case.
Butler Felon Pleads Guilty to Possession of Firearms and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Butler, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to violating a federal firearms law, First Assistant United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
Thomas James Clark, 33, pleaded guilty before United States District Judge W. Scott Hardy to a one-count Indictment charging Clark with possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon.
In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, on January 20, 2024, law enforcement apprehended Clark on an outstanding arrest warrant relating to aggravated assault charges. Upon encountering law enforcement, Clark dropped the belongings in his possession, which included an AR 15-style rifle with no serial number, a revolver, and dozens of rounds of ammunition. Clark was previously convicted in the Court of Common Pleas of Butler County, Pennsylvania, of methamphetamine production and criminal conspiracy. Federal law prohibits possession of a firearm or ammunition by a convicted felon.
Judge Hardy scheduled Clark’s sentencing for May 13, 2026. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 15 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorneys Kelly M. Locher and Katherine C. Jordan are prosecuting this case on behalf of the United States.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Pennsylvania State Police (Butler Patrol and Fugitive Apprehension Unit), and the Butler City Police Department conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Clark.This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Buckingham Man Pleads Guilty to Firearms Offense and Possession with Intent to Distribute 1.5 Pounds of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – A Buckingham County man, who was unlawfully found in possession of a firearm after being previously convicted of a felony, pled guilty this week in federal court.
Jerry Dean Robertson Jr., 36, pled guilty this week to distributing, and possessing with the intent to distribute, 500 grams or more of a mixture containing methamphetamine and illegal possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Robertson faces a mandatory minimum 10-year prison sentence on the drug distribution offense.
According to court documents, on January 23, 2025, Robertson was the subject of a traffic stop by a Buckingham County police officer. During that traffic stop, officers observed a Taurus TH 9C under the driver’s seat of the car. The firearm belonged to Robertson, who had been previously convicted of a crime and was therefore prohibited from possessing firearms.
In addition, at the time of the traffic stop, Robertson had four bags in the car which contained, among other things, 1.5 pounds of methamphetamine. During the traffic stop, Robertson called a friend of his on the phone and told the friend he had been pulled over and that he needed to offload the drugs so they would not be discovered. At Robertson’s request, the friend came to the scene to pick up the bags. Two of those bags were recovered and were found to contain methamphetamine and a rifle.
Robert N. Tracci, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Virginia, and Anthony A. Spotswood, Special Agent in Charge of the Washington Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives made the announcement.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is investigating the case. The Buckingham County Sheriff’s Office provided valuable assistance in the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Scheff is prosecuting the case.