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25 February 2026
Texas Man Sentenced to over 12 Years in Federal Prison for Alien SmugglingRead the Press Release
DEL RIO, Texas – A Quemado man was sentenced in a federal court in Del Rio to 151 months in prison for his role in a conspiracy to harbor illegal aliens causing serious bodily injury and placing lives in jeopardy, announced U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas, Justin R. Simmons.
According to court documents, Tomas Estrada-Torres, 47, conspired with several others in the alien smuggling and hostage-taking of a family consisting of a man, a pregnant woman, and their seven-year-old child. In August 2023, the family was being held at a stash house in Eagle Pass, while the smugglers demanded a $21,000 ransom. Estrada-Torres and co-conspirator Ambar Obregon transported the pregnant woman from Eagle Pass to San Antonio, purchasing new clothes for her along the way and instructing her on what to say at a U.S. Border Patrol immigration checkpoint.
The woman was then transferred to a new stash house in Austin where, over multiple days, she was sexually assaulted by Pedro Ruiz Gonzalez, who also demanded payment from her, threatened to sell the unborn child, and threatened to kill her son.
On Sept. 21, 2023, USBP agents encountered Estrada-Torres at an immigration checkpoint near Eagle Pass with a passenger who was determined to be an illegal alien from Honduras. An investigation by Homeland Security Investigations resulted in Estrada-Torres admitting to transporting the pregnant woman to San Antonio.
Estrada-Torres was charged on April 24, 2024, with two counts in a six-count indictment. He pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to harbor illegal aliens causing serious bodily injury and placing lives in jeopardy on Dec. 16, 2024.
“I’ve said it many times, but I’ll say it again here: Mexican drug cartels and their associated alien smuggling organizations do not care about your hopes and dreams,” said U.S. Attorney Simmons. “They care only about money, and they will threaten and abuse you in any way imaginable to get more cash out of you or your family members. Thanks to the fine work by our AUSAs in Del Rio and our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, we were able to dismantle this alien smuggling group and ensure justice was done.”
On Feb. 11, co-defendant Juan Antonio Flores was sentenced to 212 months for his role in the case. Co-defendants Edwin Alfredo Barrientos-Mateo and Nelson Abilio Castro-Zelaya were sentenced to 360 months and 180 months in federal prison, respectively. Gonzalez, Obregon and three other co-defendants have pleaded guilty and are pending sentencing. Chief U.S. District Judge Alia Moses presides over the case.
HSI, USBP, and the Texas Department of Public Safety investigated the case with assistance from the Eagle Pass Police Department, Austin Police Department, Houston Police Department and the Comal County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brett Miner is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
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Syracuse Man Sentenced to Prison for Methamphetamine and Gun SalesRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Anthony Brown, age 28, of Syracuse, New York, was sentenced on February 23, 2026, to 132 months’ imprisonment after previously pleading guilty to distribution of methamphetamine and possession of a firearm as a convicted felon.
First Assistant United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Bryan DiGirolamo, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) announced the sentence.
In pleading guilty, Brown admitted that between December 2024 and May 2025 he sold three pistols and more than 90 grams of methamphetamine to someone he later learned was an undercover police officer. The defendant was prohibited from possessing firearms because he had previously been convicted of a felony drug offense in Onondaga County Court, for which he served one year in prison.
In addition to the 132-month sentence of imprisonment in this case, Chief U.S. District Judge Brenda K. Sannes sentenced Brown to 4 years of supervised release, which will begin after he completes his term of imprisonment.
First Assistant United States Attorney Sarcone stated, “Drugs and guns are a lethal combination, and we will relentlessly pursue and prosecute drug traffickers who illegally possess, use, and sell firearms to further their criminal activities. I am proud of the great work from our team of Assistant U.S. Attorneys and our legal assistants for their outstanding investigative work and continued commitment to public service. I thank the ATF and our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners for their continued partnership in keeping our communities safe.”
Special Agent in Charge DiGirolamo said, “Despite a prior felony drug conviction, this defendant chose to distribute methamphetamine and illegally sell firearms — a dangerous combination that threatens public safety. This 132-month sentence reflects the seriousness of those crimes. Through the strong partnership of ATF NY Syracuse, the New York State Police, the Syracuse Police Department, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York, a repeat offender is now off the streets.”
ATF investigated this Project Safe Neighborhoods case with assistance from the New York State Police Community Stabilization Unit and from the Syracuse Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael F. Perry prosecuted the case.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psn.
Student Recruiting Firm and Its Principal Agree to Pay $1.3 Million for Fraud on Federal Student Aid ProgramsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Study Across the Pond, LLC (SATP) and its principal, John Borhaug, have agreed to pay $1.3 million to resolve a lawsuit alleging that they knowingly caused United Kingdom (UK) schools to submit false claims to the U.S. Department of Education. In April 2024, the United States filed a complaint against SATP and Borhaug, alleging that they convinced foreign schools to enter arrangements that violated the federal ban on incentive-based compensation for student recruitment.
“Today’s settlement resolves the United States’ lawsuit against Study Across the Pond and Mr. Borhaug, who used improper incentives in an attempt to influence American students to attend foreign schools,” said United States Attorney Leah B. Foley. “My office is committed to ensuring American students are not taken advantage of for financial gain and protecting the integrity of federal student financial aid programs.”
“American students deserve to make enrollment decisions free of the improper influence of third-party recruiters who pursue their own financial gain rather than the students’ best interests,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett Shumate, Head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Today’s settlement demonstrates the Department’s commitment to holding accountable individuals and corporate entities who violate the Incentive Compensation Ban and to protect the integrity of the federal student aid programs like the Direct Loan Program.”
“Today’s settlement is a result of the hard work and effort of the Office of Inspector General, the U.S Department of Education, and the U.S. Department of Justice to protect and maintain the integrity of the Federal student aid programs by enforcing applicable laws, including the incentive compensation ban,” said Jason Williams, Assistant Inspector General for Investigation Services, U.S. Department of Education Office of Inspector General. “We will continue to work together to ensure that Federal student aid funds are used as required by law.”
Title IV of the Higher Education Act prohibits any institution of higher education that receives federal student aid from compensating student recruiters with a commission, bonus, or other incentive payment based directly or indirectly on the recruiters’ success in securing student enrollments. This is referred to as the Incentive Compensation Ban. The Incentive Compensation Ban protects students against aggressive recruitment practices that serve the financial interest of the recruiter, rather than the educational needs of the student.
According to facts admitted in the settlement agreement, SATP entered into contracts with UK schools that provided that SATP received a percentage share of the American student’s tuition to the UK school in exchange for SATP’s recruitment of that student. Meanwhile, federal student financial aid programs paid those American students’ tuition, of which SATP received a share under the illegal agreement. Sometimes, in response to questions from UK schools regarding whether such tuition-sharing agreements were permissible, SATP entered into purported “flat fee” contracts with the schools instead.
The claims resolved in today’s settlement include claims that were brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act. Under the Act, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. The qui tam case is captioned United States ex rel. Hitrost LLC v. Study Across the Pond, LLC, et al., No. 21-CV-10274-ADB (D. Mass.). The government intervened in this case in April 2024. As part of today’s resolution, the relator will receive a share of the settlement amount.
U.S. Attorney Foley, AAG Shumate and DOE-OIG Assistant IG Williams made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian LaMacchia and Alexandra Brazier of the Affirmative Civil Enforcement Unit are handling the matter along with Trial Attorney Allison Carroll of the Justice Department’s Civil Division.
Stacey A. Erickson Named Criminal Chief for U.S. Attorney’s Office in Rhode IslandRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE- Stacey A. Erickson has been named Criminal Chief for the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Rhode Island, announced United States Attorney Charles C. Calenda. Ms. Erickson has served as the Deputy Chief of the Criminal Division since 2022.
Ms. Erickson joined the U.S. Attorney’s Office in August 2019, where she has prosecuted violent crime, human trafficking, complex fraud, and narcotics trafficking cases. She has also served as the offices Homeland Security Lead Task Force Attorney, the former Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Coordinator and Human Trafficking Coordinator.
Prior to joining the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Ms. Erickson served as a state prosecutor in the Rhode Island Attorney General’s Office for 25 years, where she led more than 100 criminal jury trials involving serious violent crime, sexual assault, organized crime, and drug trafficking. In her distinguished tenure as a Rhode Island Assistant Attorney General, Ms. Erickson served, at various times, as Criminal Chief, Deputy Criminal Chief, Chief of the Narcotics & Organized Crime Division, and Chief of the Domestic Violence/Sexual Assault Unit.
“Stacey Erickson is a proven leader whose experience and dedication to public service make her exceptionally well qualified to lead the Criminal Division,” said United States Attorney Charles C. Calenda. “I am confident she will continue to serve the people of Rhode Island with skill and integrity as she enters into this new role.”
Erickson is a graduate of Boston College and Suffolk University Law School.
Springfield Gang Associate Sentenced for Illegal FirearmsRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Springfield, Mo., man who was closely associated with a local street gang known as “FTO,” was sentenced in federal court for illegally possessing firearms, one of which has been linked to multiple shootings.
Ty’lan Lamar Spencer, 22, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark to 60 months in federal prison without parole, to be followed by three years of supervised release.
According to court documents, on May 28, 2021, law enforcement stopped a vehicle in which Spencer was a passenger. Under the backseat officers found a loaded Pioneer Arms, Hellpup, 7.62 caliber, semi-automatic pistol. Spencer admitted the Hellpup firearm belonged to him and admitted he was a regular user of marijuana. It is a violation of Federal law for an unlawful user of a controlled substance to knowingly possess a firearm.
On June 1, 2023, Spencer was caught on surveillance footage at a gas station brandishing a firearm during an argument. A warrant was issued for this incident, and he was arrested on Aug. 4, 2023.. During Spencer’s arrest, officers found a loaded Taurus, G2C, 9mm, semi-automatic pistol in his pants pocket. Spencer was with another FTO associate. During a search of the associate’s vehicle, officers found a Glock, 23 Gen 5, .40 caliber, semiautomatic pistol with an extended magazine. Spencer admitted that the Glock firearm found in the vehicle belonged to him.
The Taurus pistol was submitted to the National Integrated Ballistics Information Network (“NIBIN”) and leads were generated indicating that the firearm was used in two unresolved shootings, one that occurred on July 20, 2023, and the other that occurred on July 30, 2023.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie L. Wan. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Greene County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, and the Springfield, Mo., Police Department.
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.
South Texas doctors agree to pay nearly $5 million to settle False Claims Act liabilityRead the Press Release
BROWNSVILLE, Texas - Six South Texas doctors and their respective practices have agreed to pay $4,855,844 to resolve allegations they submitted false claims to Medicare, Medicaid and TRICARE that were not rendered or not medically necessary, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Drs. Javier Cabello, 47, San Benito, Ammar Halloum, 52, Brownsville, Jamil Madi, 54, Olmito, Jairo Rodriguez, 62, Rancho Viejo, Ricardo Schwarcz, 57, Weslaco, and Stanley Sy, 55, Pharr, owned and operated Benchmark Inpatient Services PLLC dba Beyond Inpatient Services in Harlingen. Rodriguez also owned and operated Brownsville Pulmonary Center, P.A. dba Benchmark Pulmonary Center, Brownsville.
From Jan. 1, 2020, to May 31, 2023, BIS, BPC, and its owners allegedly submitted claims for critical care, while BPC and Rodriguez also allegedly submitted claims for pulmonary function testing. Patients’ medical records allegedly did not support this care and testing, or the care was not rendered at all.
Critical care billing requires complex decision-making and at least 30 minutes of treatment for a critically ill or injured patient. BIS providers instead billed critical care for stable patients, unnecessary follow-up visits, or services they never performed, according to the allegations.
PFT services include various tests that demonstrate how well the lungs function. When medically necessary, PFT services either diagnose and evaluate new respiratory symptoms or assess a patient’s current therapeutic respiratory interventions. Medicare does not reimburse for routine PFT services. For Medicare to reimburse for medically necessary PFT services, providers must describe the indications and presentments for the order for testing in the patient’s medical record. BPC and Rodriguez instead allegedly billed PFT services for unnecessary routine testing or services they never performed.
As a result, Medicare, Medicaid, and TRICARE either paid significantly more for critical care claims or for PFT claims that should never have even been made to the government programs.
“This outcome emphasizes the Southern District of Texas’s commitment to vigorously investigate and disrupt civil health care fraud, wherever it may be,” said Ganjei. “Our country’s most vulnerable deserve care based on their medical need, not on a doctor’s unscrupulous desire to line their own pockets. Medical professionals have a solemn obligation to heal the sick and infirm, not to bilk the American taxpayer.”
“We remain steadfast in our mission to protect patients and safeguard federal health care programs,” said Special Agent in Charge Jason E. Meadows of the Department of Health and Human Services - Office of Inspector General. “This settlement underscores our commitment to holding providers accountable when they submit claims for services that are not medically necessary or not actually provided. We will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners to ensure that taxpayer-funded programs are protected from fraud and abuse.”
“Fraud against the government will not be tolerated,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Alex Doran of the FBI San Antonio Field Office. “Submitting false claims to federal health care programs during a national emergency such as the COVID 19 pandemic steals from taxpayers and exploits vulnerable patients. The FBI, together with its federal and state partners, will hold accountable anyone who seeks to profit by defrauding the United States.”
The settlement stems from a qui tam or whistleblower complaint filed under the False Claims Act which permits a private party to file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery.
DHHS-OIG and FBI conducted the investigation with assistance from Defense Criminal Investigative Service and Texas Attorney General’s Office – Civil Medicaid Fraud Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura E. Collins handled the matter.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
Salvadoran Illegal Alien Sentenced to Prison for Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Luis Miguel Hernandez-Flores, 37, of the country of El Salvador, was sentenced to 12 months in federal prison for possession of a firearm by an illegal alien. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “This criminal illegal alien followed up his violation of our nation’s immigration laws with additional federal and state crimes while unlawfully present in our country, and will now spend time in federal prison before being swiftly deported. President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi launched Operation Take Back America to devote the full might of the Department of Justice toward firmly enforcing our nation’s laws against criminal illegal aliens like this defendant, and my office will continue to aggressively prosecute these cases to keep our communities safe.”
Court documents reflect that on January 30, 2025, at approximately 3:00 A.M., Gadsden County Sheriff’s Office (GCSO) deputies initiated a traffic stop on the defendant’s vehicle because it was parked in the middle of the road with the defendant sleeping inside the car while the engine was running. The defendant was arrested for driving without a valid driver’s license. During an inventory search of the car, law enforcement located a .223 Ruger American Rifle which was seized by GCSO. An investigation into the immigration status of the defendant revealed that he was a citizen of El Salvador who was unlawfully present in the United States, and was federally prohibited from possessing a firearm.
In addition to his incarceration, Hernandez-Flores was ordered to forfeit his interest in the rifle that he illegally possessed.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, the Gadsen County Sheriff’s Office, the Florida Highway Patrol, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Justin M. Keen.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.
Repeat Offender Pleads Guilty to Unlawful Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
Repeat Offender Pleads Guilty to Unlawful Firearm Possession
CONCORD – A Plaistow felon pleaded guilty today in federal court for unlawfully possessing two firearms, U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan announces.
Jonathan Balamotis, 34, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Joseph N. Laplante. Sentencing is scheduled for June 8, 2026, before U.S. District Judge Samantha D. Elliott.
“Despite being a convicted felon for serious offenses, the defendant chose to disregard the law and is now being held accountable for his actions,” said U.S. Attorney Creegan. “Our office will continue to pursue significant consequences for repeat offenders who threaten public safety.”
“Balamotis has previously been convicted of felony assault and arson, demonstrating complete disregard for the safety of others. A firearm in his hands is an immediate and inherent risk to the public, making him the exact type of defendant ATF prioritizes for arrest and federal prosecution,” said ATF Special Agent-in-Charge Thomas Greco.
According to the public record, Balamotis was previously sentenced to 2-4 years of imprisonment in New Hampshire State Prison for Arson and Second-Degree Assault. After he was sentenced, Balamotis committed nine separate probation violations. A few years later, Balamotis was sentenced to another felony in 2015 for possession of a Class A Controlled Substance. Balamotis was convicted again in 2017 for another Possession of a Class A Controlled Substance in Massachusetts.
On October 21, 2024, the Plaistow Police Department executed two residential search warrants related to a separate investigation. While that investigation was ongoing, Plaistow Police Department and ATF agents learned that the defendant attempted to purchase a gun on June 25, 2025.
The charge of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person provides a maximum prison term of 15 years, a maximum fine of $250,000, and not more than 3 years of supervised release. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives led the investigation. The Plaistow Police Department provided valuable assistance. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Marin prosecuted the case.
Portsmouth fentanyl dealer sentenced to five years in prisonRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Portsmouth man was sentenced yesterday to five years in prison for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
According to court documents, in February and March of 2025, law enforcement conducted four controlled purchases during which Saah Kinte Mills, 43, sold approximately 11 grams of fentanyl, 11 grams of a mixture of fentanyl and heroin, and 2.41 grams of a mixture of heroin, fentanyl, and xylazine.
On April 11, 2025, narcotics detectives arrested Mills in Portsmouth, at which time Mills possessed nearly 11 grams of cocaine. Investigators then searched Mills residence in Portsmouth and recovered a box of ammunition, 31.21 grams of powder containing fentanyl, and 29 grams of powder containing para-fluorofentanyl, heroin, and fentanyl, as well as various indicia of drug trafficking.
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C., and the Chesapeake Police Department investigated this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Darryl J. Mitchell prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-117.
Portland Man Sentenced to over 24 Years in Federal Prison for Sex Trafficking Three MinorsRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—A Portland, Oregon, man was sentenced to federal prison today for sex trafficking three minor victims.
Eric Lamont Harris, 51, was sentenced to 292 months in federal prison and 10 years of supervised release.
According to court documents, Harris began trafficking 15-year-old Minor Victim 1 in Spring 2022. Minor Victim 1 was a ward of the state and reported missing in March 2022. Harris began trafficking 16-year-old Minor Victim 2 in June 2022. In July 2022, Harris brought Minor Victim 1 and Minor Victim 2 from Portland to Kennewick, Washington, with the intent that they engage in prostitution at a hotel he booked in Kennewick. After Minor Victim 2’s parents reported her missing, the FBI and Kennewick Police recovered Minor Victim 1 and Minor Victim 2 in Kennewick. Harris met 17-year-old Minor Victim 3 in June 2022 and began trafficking her in August 2022.
Each victim lived with Harris while he trafficked them. Harris booked hotel rooms for the minor victims’ commercial sex dates, transported them to and from those dates, facilitated the posting of online escort advertisements featuring the minor victims, and received thousands of dollars’ worth of commercial sex proceeds from the minor victims.
On September 16, 2025, a federal grand jury in Portland returned an eight-count second superseding indictment charging Harris with transportation with intent to engage in prostitution, three counts of sex trafficking of a child, three counts of sex trafficking of a child – benefitting from participation in a venture, and sexual exploitation of children.
On November 6, 2025, Harris pleaded guilty to the eight-count indictment on the fourth day of his ten-day trial.
This case was investigated by the FBI, the Portland Police Bureau, the Kennewick Police Department, and the Medford Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Charlotte Kelley and Robert Trisotto prosecuted the case.
This case was brought in collaboration with 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 the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
If you or someone you know are victims of human trafficking or have information about a potential human trafficking situation, please call the National Human Trafficking Resource Center (NHTRC) at 1-888-373-7888 or text 233733. NHTRC is a national, toll-free hotline, with specialists available to answer calls from anywhere in the country, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You can also submit a tip on the NHTRC website.
Parmelee Man Sentenced to Nearly 4 Years in Federal Prison for Assaulting a Woman and Being a Habitual OffenderRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced a man from Parmelee, South Dakota, convicted of two counts of Domestic Assault by an Habitual Offender. The sentencing took place on February 23, 2026.
Hehaka Thunder Hawk, age 42, was sentenced to three years and eight months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $200 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Thunder Hawk was indicted by a federal grand jury in May 2025. He pleaded guilty on November 24, 2025.
The convictions stem from two separate assaults by Thunder Hawk against an intimate partner, both of which occurred in the Rosebud Sioux Indian Reservation. On November 12, 2021, Thunder Hawk unlawfully entered a residence in Parmelee, South Dakota, and assaulted a woman by pulling her hair and punching her face. Thunder Hawk then fled the residence. On February 10, 2025, Thunder Hawk entered the same woman’s residence through a broken window, got on top of her while she was sleeping, and assaulted her, causing nasal and orbital bone fractures. At the time of both incidents, Thunder Hawk had three prior convictions in Rosebud Sioux Tribal Court for Domestic Abuse.
This case was investigated by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Zachrison prosecuted the case.
Thunder Hawk was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Parmelee Man Sentenced to Nearly 18 Years in Federal Prison for Sexual AbuseRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Ron Parsons, announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced a Parmelee, South Dakota man convicted of Sexual Abuse. The sentencing took place on Feb. 24, 2026.
Curtis New Holy, age 34, was sentenced to 17 years and eight months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
New Holy was indicted by a federal grand jury in October 2025. He pleaded guilty on December 4, 2025.
The conviction stems from an incident that occurred on August 4, 2024 in the Rosebud Sioux Indian Reservation. In the early morning hours of that day, New Holy agreed to give the victim, a 12-year-old girl, a ride home from a residence near Parmelee. The victim had been consuming alcoholic beverages and was intoxicated. New Holy subsequently engaged in sexual activity with the victim in his vehicle even though she was intoxicated and semi-conscious.
This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian country be prosecuted in federal court as opposed to State court.
This case was 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 the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
This case was investigated by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Albertson prosecuted the case.
New Holy was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Palm Coast Man Found Guilty of Attempted Sexual Abuse Aboard Cruise ShipRead the Press Release
MIAMI – A federal jury in Fort Lauderdale found a Palm Coast man guilty of attempted sexual abuse and abusive sexual contact aboard a cruise ship.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Brent Arthur Gilpin, 48, encountered the 21-year-old victim at a casino bar while on a cruise. Over the next 45 minutes, the victim became intoxicated to the point of incapacitation and fell to the floor twice. Gilpin helped her stand and then maneuvered her into a casino chair, where he placed her on his lap and began to fondle her. While the victim lay unconscious, video surveillance captured Gilpin attempting to digitally penetrate the victim.
“Sexual predators look for vulnerability,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “This defendant exploited an incapacitated young woman aboard a cruise ship, believing he could take advantage of her condition without consequence. Cruise ships are meant to be places of recreation and safety, not exploitation. The evidence showed he targeted a woman who was unconscious and unable to protect herself. That conduct is criminal and unacceptable. The jury saw the evidence and delivered justice. Our Office will continue to prosecute sexual abuse aggressively, whether it occurs on land or at sea.”
The jury convicted Gilpin of attempted sexual abuse and abusive sexual contact. He faces up to life in federal prison for attempted sexual abuse and up to three years in prison for abusive sexual contact. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Reding Quiñones and Special Agent in Charge Brett D. Skiles of the FBI, Miami Field Office, made the announcement.
FBI Miami is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brianna Coakley and Daniel Rosenfeld are prosecuting the case.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 24-cr-20556.
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North Carolina Family Members Plead Guilty to Trafficking Firearms to Mexican CartelRead the Press Release
DEL RIO, Texas – A North Carolina man and his two sons pleaded guilty in a federal court in Del Rio to conspiring to traffic firearms to the Sinaloa Cartel, announced U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas, Justin R. Simmons.
According to court documents, Jose Manuel Najera, 54, of Elon, North Carolina, arrived for outbound inspection at the Del Rio Port of Entry on Oct. 31, 2024, driving a gray pickup truck. U.S. Customs and Border Protection recognized that an alert had been placed on the vehicle for suspicious border crossing history. Najera, appearing nervous, provided a negative declaration for weapons, ammunition, and currency over $10,000, and stated he was traveling to Allende, Coahuila, Mexico from North Carolina. At secondary inspection, a CBP officer removed and unrolled a black tarp out of the bed of Najera’s truck, revealing a disassembled rifle along with a box magazine.
Najera subsequently claimed that he was driving to Mexico to help a friend tow a vehicle and did not know the firearm was concealed inside his vehicle. After being told that it was illegal to lie to federal agents, Najera stated that his son, Fernando Najera-Avalos, 26, had purchased the rifle in North Carolina to provide it to subjects in Mexico, specifically a subject named Hector, in Acuna. Najera was released from detainment.
A follow-up investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives revealed that, between June 2024 and October 2024, Najera made five trips between the United States and Mexico through the Del Rio Port of Entry. The trips typically occurred within a week after purchasing firearms. On those five occasions, Najera-Avalos purchased a total of 14 firearms, and his father, Najera, would take the trip to Mexico shortly after. Additionally, a text message between Najera and Najera-Avalos contained a screenshot of a text message wherein an unsaved Mexican phone number asked for 50 guns over a few months beginning in March 2024.
On July 30, 2025, Najera and Najera-Avalos were arrested and charged with conspiracy to traffic firearms. Najera-Avalos stated he had been in contact with the Sinaloa Cartel and was trafficking firearms for them due to debt he had accrued with the cartel. He added that he and his brother, Alonso Najera-Avalos, 22, would purchase the firearms and provide them to their father to transport into Mexico and give to the cartel. This led to the arrest of Alonso Najera-Avalos. In a post-arrest interview, Alonso Najera-Avalos admitted to owning the Sinaloa Cartel $70,000, and to conspiring with his father and brother to purchase and traffic firearms to Mexico.
Najera and the Najera-Avalos brothers all pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to traffic firearms. They each face up to 15 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The ATF investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Duarte II is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
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New York Man Sentenced to 48 Months’ Imprisonment for Failure to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Darnell Ney, age 42, of Attica, New York, was sentenced to 48 months’ imprisonment and 10 years’ supervised release by United States District Judge Karoline Mehalchick, for failure to register as a sex offender.
According to the United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, in 2022 Ney was convicted of attempted rape and criminal contempt in New York. As a result of his conviction, he is required to register as a sex offender under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA) for a period of twenty years. Following his release from prison in New York, Ney fled to Pennsylvania and failed to register his change of address as required by law.
On February 2, 2025, Ney was arrested by the Pennsylvania State Police in Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania for assaulting an adult female. On July 2, 2025, Ney was convicted of unlawful restraint and terroristic threats and was sentenced in the Susquehanna Court of Common Pleas to 10 to 120 months’ imprisonment. Judge Mehalchick ordered that Ney’s federal sentence shall commence after service of his state sentence.
The investigation was conducted by the United States Marshals Service (USMS); the Pennsylvania State Police, the Wyoming County Sherriff’s Department in Warsaw, New York; and the Wyoming County District Attorney’s Office in Warsaw, New York. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tatum R. Wilson.
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New Orleans Resident Indicted for Distributing FentanylRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – ALONZO MCGEE (“MCGEE”), age 43, of New Orleans, was indicted on February 6, 2026, for Distribution of Fentanyl, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(B), announced United States Attorney David I. Courcelle.
According to the indictment, on or about November 12, 2025, MCGEE distributed forty (40) grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl, a Schedule II controlled substance.
If convicted, MCGEE faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years up to forty years; a fine of up to $5 Million; at least four years of supervised release, and the payment of a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
U.S. Attorney Courcelle reiterated that the indictment is merely a charging document and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant United States Attorney Briana N. Williams of the Narcotics Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
New Orleans Man Indicted for Fentanyl DistributionRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – CRAIG JAMES (“JAMES”), age 38, of New Orleans, was indicted on January 29, 2026 for Distribution of Fentanyl, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(B), announced United States Attorney David I. Courcelle.
According to the indictment, on or about July 14, 2025, JAMES distributed forty (40) grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl, a Schedule II controlled substance.
If convicted, JAMES faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years up to forty years; a fine of up to $5 Million; and at least four years of supervised release. JAMES also faces payment of a $100 mandatory special assessment fee
U.S. Attorney Courcelle reiterated that the indictment is merely a charging document and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant United States Attorney Briana N. Williams of the Narcotics Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
New Jersey Woman Sentenced to Federal Prison for Defrauding an Evansville BusinessRead the Press Release
EVANSVILLE- Marsha L. Jester, 69, of Phillipsburg, New Jersey, has been sentenced to one and a half years in federal prison, followed by two years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to wire fraud. Jester has also been ordered to pay $231,589 in restitution.
According to court documents, Jester stole nearly $500,000 over a seven-year period while employed with companies that entrusted her with managing daily operations. She exploited her positions of trust by creating fake vendors, fabricating invoices, and falsifying records to divert company funds for personal use.
From 2019 through 2022, Jester worked for a New Jersey-based business that places Site Managers at client locations to oversee day-to-day operations. Although employed by the service provider, Site Managers worked on-site at client businesses and were responsible for sourcing and ordering products, approving invoices for payment, and serving as liaisons between clients and vendors.
In September 2021, Jester was assigned as a Site Manager for a food service provider in Evansville, Indiana. Her role gave her broad autonomy to facilitate and report transactions between the client and its vendors.
Jester used this authority to orchestrate a fraud scheme involving a fictitious vendor she had created, “Global Solutions, Inc.” She submitted false invoices claiming Global Solutions had delivered products to the client, when in fact no goods were provided. To conceal the fraud, she entered fake inventory into the system. Her employer paid the invoices and then billed the Evansville client for the same amount, plus an upcharge.
Jester submitted 13 fraudulent invoices, amounting to $87,356.31, while working as a Site Manager for the Evansville business. Once payments were made to Global Solutions, she accessed the funds through the company’s Square account. She used the stolen money for personal expenses, including purchases at Target, QVC, Massage Envy, IV Therapy Solutions, and Nail Gallery, as well as a trip to Atlantic City, New Jersey.
The government presented evidence that Jester stole a total of $489,489.54 from five businesses while working as a Site Manager. Over the course of the scheme, Jester submitted a total of 119 fraudulent invoices through Global Solutions and another sham business, “Master Products Company.”
“Marsha Jester abused her position of trust to orchestrate a calculated and prolonged fraud scheme,” said Tom Wheeler, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Her actions not only betrayed the companies that relied on her integrity, but also undermined the systems designed to protect them. This office remains committed to holding accountable those who exploit their access for personal gain.”
“Fraud may seem invisible, but its effects are real and damaging. This case demonstrates the consequences of exploiting trust for personal gain,” said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Timothy J. O’Malley. “The FBI remains committed to pursuing those who commit fraud to ensure they are held accountable.”
The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Matthew P. Brookman.
U.S. Attorney Wheeler thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew B. Miller, who prosecuted this case.
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Navy Chief Petty Officer sentenced to 25 years in prison for creating child sexual abuse materialRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Navy Chief Petty Officer was sentenced today to 25 years in prison for production of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
According to court documents, in December 2023, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) received information from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that Shane Matthew Harlacher, 39, used Facebook Messenger to send CSAM to another Facebook user. An investigation revealed that Harlacher, who was stationed in Gaeta, Italy, and previously lived in Virginia Beach, had used Facebook to share videos of bestiality and other sexually explicit images.
In April 2024, NCIS searched Harlacher, his residence in Italy, and his workspace and berthing aboard the USS Mount Whitney. In his immediate possession was a cellphone containing approximately 112 video files and 32 image files of CSAM, including a video of a toddler being sexually assaulted. It also contained numerous video and image files depicting surreptitious recordings of a 13-year-old victim, Jane Doe. Harlacher created these recordings of Jane Doe at the bathroom of his home in Virginia Beach.
NCIS seized three MicroSD cards from Harlacher's residence in Italy in April 2024 that contained surreptitious videos of Jane Doe recorded in the bathroom. Investigators seized another cellphone that contained the same videos of Jane Doe found on the other devices. NCIS also seized a one terabyte flash drive that contained CSAM, which Harlacher had transported from Virginia Beach to Italy.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Rebecca Gantt prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-63.
Monticello Man Who Had Grandmother Buy Firearms for Him Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A man who possessed six firearms, three of which came from his grandmother, was sentenced on February 19, 2026, to one year in federal prison. Jonathan Michael Clark, age 32, from Monticello, Iowa, received the prison term after a September 3, 2025, guilty plea to one count of possession of firearms by a prohibited person.
Information from sentencing showed that Clark applied for a weapons permit in 2018, and a sheriff’s office informed him that he was prohibited from possessing guns. In June 2024, while officers were in Clark’s residence to arrest him on a warrant, an officer saw ammunition. Officers subsequently searched Clark’s home and found six guns. The investigation showed that the source for at least three of the guns, two of which she purchased, was Clark’s grandmother.
Clark was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Clark was sentenced to 12 months and one day’s imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Clark was released on the bond previously set and is to surrender to the Bureau of Prisons on a date yet to be set.
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.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kyndra Lundquist and investigated by the Delaware County Sheriff’s Office.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-CR-2056.
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Montgomery Man Sentenced to 40 Years in Federal Prison Following Gas Station ShootingRead the Press Release
MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Today, Acting United States Attorney Kevin Davidson announced the sentencing of a Montgomery man for his role in a deadly shooting at a local gas station.
On February 24, 2026, a federal judge sentenced Rodriques Javaun Humphrey, 20, of Montgomery, Alabama, to 480 months in prison. There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court records, on January 7, 2025, officers with the Montgomery Police Department and the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency were on Zelda Road in Montgomery when they heard gunshots being exchanged between two vehicles at a nearby gas station. As officers responded, they observed three individuals fleeing the scene. Gunfire struck a fourth individual, who died at the scene.
Two of the suspects ran toward an apartment complex located behind the gas station. One of those individuals, later identified as Humphrey, was carrying a rifle and a backpack and shot at responding MPD officers as he fled. Deputies with the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, along with an MPD K-9 unit, responded to assist in locating the fleeing suspects. One individual complied with officers’ commands and was taken into custody. Humphrey, however, continued to flee but was ultimately apprehended. Officers recovered the rifle he had been carrying.
A search of Humphrey’s backpack revealed multiple plastic bags containing marijuana and a digital scale. Investigators also recovered an AR-style pistol equipped with a machinegun conversion device, causing the firearm to function as a fully automatic weapon. The serial number on the firearm had been scratched off.
On August 13, 2025, Humphrey pleaded guilty to illegally possessing a machinegun, possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number, possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
The third individual who fled the scene, Ladarius Lamar Knight, ran into a fast-food restaurant across the street while armed with a firearm and was apprehended by ALEA officers. Knight previously pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA), including its Metro Area Crime Suppression (MACS) Unit, the Montgomery Police Department, and the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney John J. Geer, III is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Mission Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Interstate Transportation of a Stolen VehicleRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced a man from Mission, South Dakota, convicted of Interstate Transportation of a Stolen Vehicle. The sentencing took place on February 23, 2026.
Calvin Hunger, age 35, was sentenced to five months in federal prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Hunger was indicted by a federal grand jury in September 2025. He pleaded guilty on November 20, 2025.
On June 25, 2025, Hunger unlawfully entered the Todd County Maintenance yard in Mission and stole a piece of heavy equipment, specifically a road grader. Hunger drove through the maintenance yard fence and continued to drive the road grader on the highway south from Mission. He was apprehended by law enforcement in Valentine, Nebraska.
This case was investigated by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services, Todd County Sheriff’s Office and Cherry County (NE) Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Zachrison prosecuted the case.
Hunger was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Miami Gardens Man Charged with Shooting at Uber Driver and Possession of Illegal Firearms and NarcoticsRead the Press Release
MIAMI – A Miami Gardens man made his first appearance in federal court on Friday after a grand jury in Miami charged him with drug crimes, using and firing a gun as part of the drug crime, and illegal firearm possession by a prior felon relating to his prior felony conviction.
“This defendant shot repeatedly at an innocent man who stopped a crime as it was happening,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “It was through the bravery of the Uber driver that police were alerted and able stop the movement of almost a kilogram of pure cocaine from hitting the streets of Miami. The Criminal Division will pursue violent drug dealers in every city in America.”
“There is a real and dangerous link between drug trafficking and gun violence,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “According to the indictment, this defendant arranged a drug deal and then fired multiple shots at a rideshare driver. That kind of alleged conduct turns a drug crime into a life-threatening situation in seconds. Federal law treats that combination seriously, with a mandatory minimum sentence of fifteen years if convicted.”
According to court documents, on or about Oct. 29, 2024, Lester Leon Sanders, 47, allegedly reserved an Uber ride share. When the driver arrived, Sanders and another man loaded three suitcases in the Uber. While this was happening, the Uber driver saw a firearm magazine fall out of Sanders’s clothing.
Sanders got into the Uber and he and the driver drove off. Shortly thereafter, Sanders ordered the driver to stop the car. Sanders got out of the vehicle and began shouting. The driver, concerned with what he had observed, drove off without Sanders but with the luggage and other belongings still in the car. Sanders shouted at the Uber driver and fired a gun approximately five times as the Uber driver sped away.
The driver then flagged down police and relayed what had happened. Law enforcement arrested Sanders a short time later. Inside of the Uber, police recovered a loaded, large-capacity firearm magazine, 929 grams of almost pure cocaine, six pounds of marijuana, and more ammunition, as well as drug paraphernalia, such as a weight scale and multiple small transparent bags. They also found shell casings in the vicinity of where Sanders fired at the Uber.
If convicted, Sanders faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison.
The FBI Miami Field Office is investigating the case with assistance provided by the Miami Gardens Police Department.
Trial Attorneys Jennifer Burns and Jinah Chang of the Justice Department’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime Initiative to prosecute violent crimes in Miami. The Criminal Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida have partnered, along with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies, to confront violent crimes committed by gang members and associates through the enforcement of federal laws and use of federal resources to prosecute offenders and prevent violence.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case no. 26-cr-20029.
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Mexican National Sentenced to 18 Years in Prison on Child Sex ChargesRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autrey on Wednesday sentenced a Mexican national to 18 years in prison for sexually abusing a minor.
Giovanni Falcon, 41, began messaging a 15-year-old girl on Instagram in 2024 using an alias. In July and August of that year, Falcon sent the victim images of his genitals. Falcon then repeatedly engaged in sexual contact with the victim. On Aug. 13, 2024, the victim’s father contacted the St. Ann Police Department after discovering the explicit Instagram messages. St. Ann police arrested Falcon the next day, and he admitted sexually abusing the victim.
Another juvenile alleged sexual abuse by Falcon several years ago, according to statements at Wednesday’s hearing.
Falcon is not in the country legally and will be deported upon his release from prison.
Falcon pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis in September to transfer of obscene material to a minor and coercion and enticement of a minor.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, the St. Ann Police Department and the St. Louis County Police Department 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. 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.
Mexican National Convicted of Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON- A Mexican national man, illegally residing in Kentucky, was convicted on Tuesday by a federal jury in Lexington for making false statements regarding citizenship and aggravated identity theft-related charges.
After two hours of deliberation, following a two day trial, the jury convicted 39-year-old Joel Sanchez-Mendoza for one count of making a false statement of citizenship to engage in unlawful employment, one count of making a false statement of citizenship to engage to obtain a Kentucky Commercial Driver’s License (CDL), and two counts of aggravated identity theft.
According to testimony at trial, Sanchez-Mendoza assumed the identity of an American citizen by using their name, date of birth, and social security number. With this information, he was able to obtain employment and a Kentucky CDL.
Paul McCaffrey, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, Rana Saoud, Special Agent in Charge, Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); and Lesley Allison, Special Agent in Charge, United States Postal Inspection Service, Pittsburgh Field Division, jointly announced the conviction.
The investigation was conducted by HSI and USPO. The U.S. Attorney’s Office was represented in the case by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ron Walker.
Sanchez-Mendoza will appear for sentencing on June 25, 2026. He faces maximum of 48 months in prison, consecutive to any other sentence. However, the Court must consider the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the applicable federal sentencing statutes before imposing a sentence.
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Mexican Man Sentenced for Fentanyl, Heroin, Cocaine Distribution Conspiracy and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – RODOLFO AVILES-REYES a/k/a “Omar,” (“AVILES-REYES”), age 41, a resident of Mexico, was sentenced on February 25, 2026, after previously pleading guilty to three counts in a Superseding Indictment charging him with conspiracy to distribute, and possess with intent to distribute, five kilograms or more of cocaine, one kilogram or more of heroin, and 400 grams or more of fentanyl, conspiracy to launder monetary instruments, and interstate travel in aid of racketeering. AVILES-REYES was sentenced to 120 months imprisonment, five years of supervised release, and a $300 mandatory special assessment fee.
According to court documents, AVILES-REYES, and other co-conspirators, distributed multi-kilogram quantities of cocaine, fentanyl, and heroin within the Eastern District of Louisiana. Additionally, AVILES-REYES, and other co-conspirators, traveled between New Orleans, and other states, in order to transport U.S. Currency and narcotics from Louisiana to Mexico, on behalf of a Drug Trafficking Organization.
This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF New Orleans comprises agents and officers from the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Bureau of Investigations, Drug Enforcement Administration and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration – New Orleans Field Division Office, and assisted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Border Patrol, the Gretna Major Crimes Task Force, the Kenner Police Department, the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, the St. John’s Parish Sheriff’s Office, the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office, and the New Orleans Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Lynn E. Schiffman of the Narcotics Unit was in charge of the prosecution.
Luzerne County Man Charged with Dog Fighting and Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Brandon Crum, age 39, of Hazle Township, Pennsylvania, was indicted by a federal grand jury on dog fighting and drug trafficking charges.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, the indictment alleges that Crum possessed and trained eight American Pit Bull Terriers for the purpose of having the dogs participate in an animal fighting venture, that is, dog fighting. The indictment further alleges that Crum distributed methamphetamine on several occasions and possessed with intent to distribute methamphetamine, cocaine base, and cocaine in Luzerne County.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Pennsylvania State Police investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Kyle A. Moreno is prosecuting the case.
The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is life imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Leader of Anchorage drug trafficking organization sentenced to 30 yearsRead the Press Release
ANCHORAGE, Alaska – An Anchorage man was sentenced today to 30 years in prison for leading a local drug trafficking organization responsible for attempting to traffic large amounts of fentanyl and heroin to Alaska from the Lower 48.
According to court documents, Marcelino Juarez, 31, led a conspiracy to purchase fentanyl and heroin in California and transport the substances to Alaska through the mail or in checked airline baggage. Marcelino Juarez conspired with his brother, Julio Juarez, 33, of Anchorage, Shane Murphy, 43, of Wasilla, Semaj Brown, 35, of Anchorage, Brandon Garrett, 46, of Anchorage, and Gustavo Sebastian Lopez-Chavez, 25, a Mexican national illegally residing in the U.S.
Marcelino Juarez, Julio Juarez, Brown and Murphy all traveled between Alaska and California on multiple occasions to obtain drugs and contributed money toward drug purchase trips. The Juarez brothers and Brown had connections to California and were identified as known gang members by the Stockton Police Department in California.
Court documents explain that Marcelino Juarez was identified as a drug supplier in Anchorage as early as September 2022. On Sept. 13, 2022, law enforcement officials executed a search warrant on a trailer in Anchorage that Marcelino Juarez was living in. Law enforcement seized over $71,000 in cash and a Draco AK style pistol with a loaded magazine from the trailer.
U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Alaska; U.S. vs. Juarez et al, Case #: 3:24-cr-00103Law enforcement’s investigation into the conspiracy culminated on Aug. 22, 2024, when agents with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) identified a suspicious parcel destined for a residence in Anchorage. On Aug. 26, 2024, law enforcement officials executed a search warrant on the parcel and seized over two kilograms of fentanyl powder from the package. Later that day, law enforcement officials conducted a controlled delivery of the parcel at the destined location. Marcelino Juarez was observed entering the residence, which belonged to a third-party, and leaving with the package in a vehicle with Brown. Marcelino Juarez and Brown met with another vehicle at a local gas station before both vehicles were contacted by law enforcement through traffic stops. Marcelino Juarez was arrested during the traffic stop, and Garrett, who was an occupant in the other vehicle, was detained.
Through further investigation, law enforcement also discovered that Brown and Murphy flew from Anchorage to Los Angeles to purchase heroin and fentanyl from multiple sources between July 3 and 5, 2024. Law enforcement later determined that one of the sources was Lopez-Chavez.
On July 6, 2024, law enforcement at the Los Angeles International Airport seized roughly one kilogram of heroin and two kilograms of fentanyl powder from a checked bag destined for Anchorage. When Murphy and Brown arrived in Alaska, they noted that the suitcase did not arrive.
U.S. Attorneys Office, District of Alaska; U.S. vs. Juarez et al. Case #: 3:24-cr-00103 U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Alaska; U.S. vs. Juarez et al, Case #: 3:24-cr-00103On Nov. 14, 2024, the FBI arrested Lopez-Chavez in Los Angeles. He was found to be in possession of roughly 23 kilograms of fentanyl, U.S. currency and counterfeit immigration documents.
In total, law enforcement seized at least 36 kilograms of fentanyl and roughly 10 kilograms of heroin connected to the drug trafficking conspiracy. According to court documents in this case, the price for fentanyl in Alaska, specifically, can be 10, 50 or 100 times the cost to buy powder or pills in California, making drug trafficking from the Lower 48 a lucrative business.
U.S. Attorneys Office, District of Alaska; U.S. vs. Juarez et al. Case #: 3:24-cr-00103 U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Alaska; U.S. vs. Juarez et al, Case #: 3:24-cr-00103“The Juarez brothers were driven by greed and moved to Alaska to profit from and exploit people’s vulnerabilities,” said U.S. Attorney Michael J. Heyman. “They made a mistake in thinking they could target Alaskans. Now, they will face the consequences. This case is a great example of the incredible partnerships Alaskan law enforcement agencies foster to share resources and make an impact on an issue that directly impacts our state.”
“The Juarez brothers, along with their co-conspirators, are known California gangsters who moved to Alaska for the sole purpose of trafficking fentanyl and other dangerous drugs,” said Special Agent in Charge Rebecca Day of the FBI Anchorage Field Office. “In this collaborative, multi-agency investigation spanning from California to Alaska, FBI Anchorage and our HIDTA law enforcement partners not only interdicted significant quantities of drugs intended for distribution, but also removed these dangerous traffickers from our streets, protecting both Alaskans and Californians.”
On July 28, 2025, Marcelino Juarez pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. In handing down the sentence, the Court also ordered Marcelino Juarez to pay a $50,000 fine and serve 20 years on supervised release upon completion of his custodial sentence.
Additional information for each co-defendant is as follows:
- On July 17, 2025, Julio Juarez pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. On Jan. 8, 2026, he was sentenced to 20 years in prison to be followed by 15 years of supervised release. He is also required to pay a $40,000 fine.
- On April 10, 2025, Murphy pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. He is scheduled to be sentenced on March 12, 2026.
- On July 21, 225, Brown pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. On Jan. 15, 2026, he was sentenced to nine years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release.
- On July 31, 2025, Garrett pleaded guilty to one count of attempted possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute. He is scheduled to be sentenced on April 15, 2026.
- One June 16, 2025, Lopez-Chavez pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. On Jan. 20, 2026, he was sentenced to two and a half years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release.
The FBI Anchorage Field Office and the Alaska High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Mat-Su Narcotics Team investigated this case. Special assistance was provided by HIDTA’s Southcentral Area-wide Narcotics Team (SCAN), Fairbanks Area-wide Narcotics Team (FANT), and Anchorage Airport Interdiction Team (AAIT); U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), FBI Los Angeles Field Office, FBI Sacramento Field Office, IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS CI), U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) Los Angeles Special Response Team, Los Angeles Police Department, Stockton Police Department, and California Highway Patrol. The Anchorage Police Department and Alaska State Troopers also provided assistance as part of the FBI’s Safe Streets Task Force.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Tom Bradley, Jack Schmidt, and Bill Reed are prosecuting the case.
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Lancaster Trio Sentenced for Health Care Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Charles McKinley Griffin, 56, Tika Michelle Griffin, 48, and Kirk Nathan Evans, 55, all of Lancaster, have each been sentenced for conspiracy to commit health care fraud.
Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that the South Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (SCDHHS) previously excluded Charles Griffin from provider eligibility for receiving Medicaid payments for billing for services not rendered and for overlapping services, among other violations. To evade SCDHHS’ exclusion, Charles Griffin and his wife Tika Griffin established Transformation Services in Tika’s name, which the couple thereafter used to defraud the State of South Carolina and Medicaid out of nearly $250,000 in funds.
Beginning in 2019, Tika applied to bill Medicaid through her company, Transformation Services, as a provider of behavioral health services. Tika and Charles then recruited Medicaid beneficiaries through after-school programs and summer camps in Lancaster and Kershaw counties to receive behavioral health services from therapists employed by Transformation Services. However, the therapists employed by Transformation Services, including Kirk Evans, were not authorized by the state of South Carolina to provide behavioral health services. Further, Transformation Services employees did not meet individually with the children to whom they claimed to provide services. Instead, Tika instructed Transformation employees to meet with children in groups but to bill as if they had met with each child individually over the course of several hours. By billing for overlapping and nonexistent services and rendering behavioral health services by unlicensed therapists, Transformation Services fraudulently billed Medicaid for nearly $250,000.
United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis sentenced both Charles Griffin and Tika Griffin to 30 months imprisonment, to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. Evans was sentenced to 10 months imprisonment to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. Tika and Charles Griffin were also ordered to pay $246,335.12 in restitution to the SCDHHS. The ordered amount is joint and several between Charles and Tika Griffin. Evans was ordered to pay $152,669.63 in restitution that was joint and several with Charles and Tika Griffin’s amount. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was investigated by the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General and the South Carolina Attorney General’s Vulnerable Adults and Medicaid Provider Fraud (VAMPF) unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elliott Daniels and Scott Matthews are prosecuting the case.
Kansas City Woman Sentenced to 87 Months for Covid-19 Fraud and Identity TheftRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., woman was sentenced in federal court today for her role in a wire fraud and aggravated identity theft case that resulted in more than $40,000 in fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans being issued under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
Rasheeda McDaniel, 43, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to 87 months’ imprisonment based upon her guilty pleas to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft relating to a scheme to fraudulently obtain Paycheck Protection Plan (PPP) loans, guaranteed by the SBA under the CARES Act.
According to court documents, prior to March 22, 2021, McDaniel and co-defendant Briauna Adams used the personal identification information of S.R. to submit an online application for a COVID-19 relief PPP loan in S.R.’s name.
The loan application listed a fictitious business with Schedule C gross receipts of $147,412 and a net income of $98,562. S.R.’s true tax return listed zero taxable income and did not have a Schedule C. The loan application provided a bank account associated with the fictitious business.
On April 2, 2021, the loan was approved and S.R.’s bank account received a $20,832 wire deposit. On the same day, $2,000 was transferred to an account controlled by Adams. An amount totaling $18,830 was transferred to defendant McDaniel’s account.
Prior to February 27, 2021, McDaniel provided personal identification information to Briauna Adams and Adams submitted an online application in McDaniel’s name for a COVID-19 relief PPP loan. The application and supporting documents stated that McDaniel was the sole proprietor of a business established July 7, 2017, that had an Average Monthly Payroll of $8,333. As part of the application, a 2019 Form Schedule C was submitted listing Gross receipts of $144,080 and profit of $99,982. McDaniel did not have a business during that time period with gross income and net income in the listed amounts. On March 4, 2021, the defendant’s personal account received a $20,832 wire deposit. The same day, McDaniel made a $15,000 cash withdrawal from the account.
On September 30, 2025, Adams was sentenced to 11 years imprisonment.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul S. Becker. It was investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigation and the Kansas City, Missouri, Police Department.
Jury finds Minnesota man guilty of sexual abuse charges on Crow Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – A Minnesota man who sexually abused two children on the Crow Indian Reservation was found guilty by a federal jury yesterday, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Following a one-and-a-half-day trial, Robert Dean Dust, 35, was found guilty of two counts of abusive sexual contact of a child and one count of aggravated sexual abuse. Dust faces a maximum term of imprisonment of life, a $250,000 fine, and not less than five years to a lifetime of supervised release.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided and will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for June 25, 2026. Dust was detained pending further proceedings.
The government alleged in court documents and at trial that in May 2024 Jane Does 1 and 2 disclosed to police Dust subjected them to years of sexual abuse in Lodge Grass.
Jane Does 1 and 2 both disclosed Dust sexually abused them in their home regularly beginning when they were 4 and 5 years old and he was 20. Both victims described how Dust made them perform sexual acts on him and how he performed sexual acts on them. Jane Does 1 and 2 said Dust’s abuse continued until around 2015.
On October 18, 2024, law enforcement interviewed Dust and the interview was recorded. During the interview, he initially denied the abuse, but eventually admitted he sexually abused Jane Doe 1. Dust admitted he had Jane Doe 1 perform oral sex on him and that he touched his penis to her vagina.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelsey Hendricks prosecuted the case. The investigation was conducted by the FBI and BIA.
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Jury Convicts Las Vegas Man of Threatening to Murder Federal Officials and State EmployeesRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – A jury convicted a Las Vegas man of threatening to assault and murder federal officials and state employees in Washington, D.C., New York, and Montana.
Court records and trial evidence showed that, from November 30, 2023, through July 7, 2024, Spencer Christjencody Gear made a series of threatening phone calls and sent an email threatening to assault and murder eight federal officials, including judges, as well as three state employees. The threats were intended to intimidate and interfere with the officials as they carried out their duties and to retaliate against them for actions taken in their official roles.
After a six-day trial, Gear was found guilty of nine counts of threatening a federal official and 11 counts of transmitting a communication containing a threat to injure.
Sentencing is scheduled on June 1, 2026, before United States District Judge Jennifer A. Dorsey. He faces a maximum penalty of 10 years for each count of threatening a federal official and five years for each count of transmitting a threat to injure.
“This verdict affirms a core principle: the First Amendment protects free speech, but it does not protect threats,” said Executive Assistant United States Attorney Summer Johnson for the District of Nevada. “The defendant’s calls and email were made to instill fear and included threats to assault and kill federal officials, judges, and state employees. This verdict makes clear that this conduct crosses a legal line.”
“Threats of violence are never just words—they are serious federal crimes, and the FBI takes every threat seriously,” said Special Agent in Charge Christopher S. Delzotto for the FBI Las Vegas Division. “Spreading fear and intimidation has no place in our community. Our commitment is unwavering: any threat, whether spoken or written, will be investigated thoroughly. We stand firm in protecting our public servants and ensuring that those who seek to harm others are held accountable.”
Executive Assistant United States Attorney Johnson, Special Agent in Charge Delzotto, Marshal Gary Schofield for the U.S. Marshals Service, and Chief Michael G. Sullivan for the U.S. Capitol Police made the announcement.
The FBI, U.S. Marshals Service, and U.S. Capitol Police investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorneys Jacob Operskalski and Daniel Schiess are prosecuting the case.
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Jacksonville Man Sentenced to over 35 Years in Federal Prison for Selling Women as Sex Slaves All Across AmericaRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, N.C. – A federal judge sentenced Carrollton Levon Jenkins, 36, to 35 years in federal prison for charges associated with sex trafficking and operating a prostitution enterprise. Inmate Jenkins pleaded guilty to the charges.
According to court documents and other information presented in court, the FBI found Inmate Jenkins, a known UBN gang member, operated a “prostitution enterprise” out of the Jacksonville, NC area between at least January 2017 and April 2022. His criminal empire spanned at least 51 cities and 15 states.
In April 2022, Officers executed search warrants at his residence and business, and seized several phones. The evidence revealed that Inmate Jenkins advertised his illegal sex slaves on various social media platforms where he promoted training aspiring pimps, referring to them as his protegees, to instruct them on how to target and exploit victims.
He victimized vulnerable women, including girls, using manipulation, control, threats, and violence to coerce his victims into prostitution. He forced the victims to give him their earnings, mandating each get raped by upwards of 15 Johns a day, seven days a week.
“This spider exploited these girls and women, just to make money, exposing them to all manner of disease, depravity, and bodily harm.” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle. “Monsters who prey upon our mothers, daughters, sisters, and granddaughters have no place in our country, certainly not in the Eastern District of North Carolina. The Judge handed down the lengthy and appropriate sentence in this case based on the dedicated work of the FBI, our local partners, and federal prosecutors. The families in the Eastern District are safer because this pimp will spend decades in prison.”
"Children are not a commodity to be traded and exploited. The FBI and our partners will do everything possible to hold offenders accountable who prey on vulnerable people for their own profit," said Reid Davis, the FBI Special Agent in Charge in North Carolina.
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 FBI investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin C. Blondel 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. 7:23-CR-82-M.
Jacksonville Man Sentenced to over 35 Years in Federal Prison for Selling Women as Sex Slaves All Across AmericaRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, N.C. – A federal judge sentenced Carrollton Levon Jenkins, 36, to 35 years in federal prison for charges associated with sex trafficking and operating a prostitution enterprise. Inmate Jenkins pleaded guilty to the charges.
According to court documents and other information presented in court, the FBI found Inmate Jenkins, a known UBN gang member operated a “prostitution enterprise” out of the Jacksonville, NC area between at least January 2017 and April 2022. His criminal empire spanned at least 51 cities and 15 states.
In April 2022, Officers executed search warrants at his residence and business, and seized several phones. The evidence revealed that Inmate Jenkins advertised his illegal sex slaves on various social media platforms where he promoted training aspiring pimps, referring to them as his protegees, to instruct them on how to target and exploit victims.
He victimized vulnerable women, including girls, using manipulation, control, threats, and violence to coerce his victims to prostitute. He forced the victims to give him their earnings, mandating each get raped by upwards of 15 Johns a day, seven days a week.
“This spider, just to make money, exploited these girls and women, exposing them to all manner of disease, depravity and bodily harm.” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle. “Monsters who prey upon our mothers, daughters, sisters, and granddaughters have no place in our country, certainly not in the Eastern District of North Carolina. The Judge handed down the lengthy and appropriate sentence in this case based on the dedicated work of the FBI, our local partners, and federal prosecutors. The families in the Eastern District are safer because this pimp will spend decades in prison.”
"Children are not a commodity to be traded and exploited. The FBI and our partners will do everything possible to hold offenders accountable who prey on vulnerable people for their own profit," said Reid Davis, the FBI Special Agent in Charge in North Carolina.
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 FBI investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin C. Blondel 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. 7:23-CR-82-M.
Jacksonville Man Pleads Guilty to Robbing Pizza Restaurant and Discharging a FirearmRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, FL – Eugene Campbell IV (35, Jacksonville) has pleaded guilty to Hobbs Act robbery and discharging a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence in connection with two Jacksonville restaurant robberies. Campbell faces a minimum penalty of 20 years, up to two life terms plus 20 years, in federal prison. His sentencing date has not yet been set. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to the plea agreement, on August 4, 2025, Campbell entered a pizza restaurant in Jacksonville, discharged a sawed-off rifle into the ceiling, and demanded money from the employees at gunpoint. He escaped with approximately $500. The next day, Campbell entered another pizza restaurant in Jacksonville, discharged his firearm into the wall, demanded money from the employees at gunpoint, and escaped with approximately $700. Law enforcement conducted ballistics analyses of the shell casings recovered at both scenes, which showed that the rounds had been fired from the same gun that had also been used during another incident in St. Johns County.
Investigators connected the robberies to Campbell by interviewing Campbell’s associates and reviewing surveillance footage obtained from the victims and neighboring businesses. Officers from Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office arrested Campbell on August 6, 2025, he subsequently admitted to the robberies.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, and the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David B. Mesrobian.
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 Neighborhoods (PSN).
Indictment Returned Charging Three Men with June 2025 Armed Carjacking SpreeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Myandre Starnes, 22, Darius Irby, 19, and Andre Whitfield, 17, all of Washington, D.C., were arraigned on a series of armed carjackings, armed robberies and other related charges, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Whitfield, who is 17 years old, is being prosecuted as an adult under Title 16.
“The indictment returned on a 17-year-old and his co-conspirators for robbing delivery drivers at gunpoint, sends a clear message that if you commit a crime in D.C., you will be held accountable, regardless of age” said U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. “The violent crime in this city has got to stop and my office will continue to pursue justice and ensure the safety of our city.”
The defendants were arraigned on the indictment on February 12, 2026, at a hearing before the Honorable Errol Arthur. Starnes has been charged with nine counts of armed carjacking and nine counts of armed robbery, among other related charges. Irby and Whitfield have each been charged with eight counts of armed carjacking and eight counts of armed robbery, among other related charges. They each face a mandatory minimum of fifteen years of incarceration per armed carjacking if convicted of the charges.
According to the government’s evidence, the defendants and several unidentified co-conspirators carried out a series of at least nine armed carjackings and armed robberies between June 7 and June 12, 2025, throughout the District. The defendants primarily targeted delivery drivers on motorized scooters, taking their vehicles and personal belongings at gunpoint.
Joining in the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
This case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Courtney Scholz.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
2025 CF3 015341; 2025 CF3 015718; 2026 CF3 000409
Illegal Alien from Honduras Sentenced to More Than 11 Years in Federal Prison for Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
LITTLE ROCK—Allan Ricardo Medina-Morales will spend the next 135 months in federal prison after being convicted of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Jonathan D. Ross, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, announced the sentence, which was handed down today by Chief United States District Judge Kristine G. Baker.
On February 7, 2023, Medina-Morales, 39, of Honduras, but illegally residing in Judsonia, Arkansas, was indicted by a federal grand jury in a four-count Indictment for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. On April 23, 2024, Medina-Morales pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Chief Judge Baker also sentenced Medina-Morales to five years supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
An investigation revealed that in March 2022, Medina-Morales, and others, conspired to distribute methamphetamine. On March 15, 2022, officers from the Conway Police Department conducted surveillance on the co-conspirator’s house when they observed Medina-Morales and the co-conspirator acting suspiciously. Officers observed Medina-Morales carrying a duffel bag from his vehicle into the house. Medina-Morales was also observed carrying an additional kilogram of methamphetamine from a tree stump in the yard into the house.
After Medina-Morales and the co-conspirator were observed getting into the vehicle and driving away, Arkansas State Police troopers followed the vehicle and conducted a traffic stop shortly afterward. The vehicle belonged to Medina-Morales. During a search of the vehicle, officers located a Colt, Model Detective Special, .38 caliber firearm in the glove box. After obtaining a search warrant for the property, officers located approximately 10 kilograms of methamphetamine in the duffel bag and drug distribution paraphernalia. The Arkansas State Crime Laboratory later determined the substances seized by officers included approximately 11.7889 kilograms of methamphetamine.
On January 6, 2013, U.S. Customs and Border Patrol agents arrested Medina-Morales for illegal entry across the border near Edinburg, Texas. On October 9, 2019, the Immigration Court in Baltimore, Maryland, ordered Medina-Morales removed to Honduras, however, Medina-Morales failed to appear at court. The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has a detainer to deport Medina-Morales to Honduras after he completes his federal sentence.
The investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration with assistance from Arkansas State Police and the Conway Police Department.
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Additional information about the office of the
United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at
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Government to Seek Death Penalty against Marion Man Accused of Murdering S.C. EMS WorkerRead the Press Release
FLORENCE, S.C. — Today, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina filed a notice of intent to seek the death penalty against Jaremy Alexander Smith, 35, of Marion, South Carolina, for the 2024 kidnapping, carjacking, and murder of a Marion County EMS worker. A federal grand jury returned a superseding indictment on Feb. 24. He is charged with kidnapping resulting in death, carjacking resulting in death, using a firearm during a crime of violence in a manner to constitute murder, possession of stolen firearms, and being a felon in possession of firearms.
The indictment charges that on March 13, 2024, Smith entered the home of Phonesia Machado-Fore in Marion where he kidnapped her and forced her to drive her vehicle to a remote location near Nichols. Once there, Smith executed Machado-Fore behind an abandoned house while she was bound and blindfolded. Smith then drove Machado-Fore’s car back to her residence where he stole several firearms that he later sold. Smith then drove the stolen car to New Mexico, where he killed New Mexico State Police (NMSP) Officer Justin Hare on March 15, 2024. In April 2025, Smith was sentenced to life in prison in the District of New Mexico for killing the NMSP Officer.
United States Attorney General Pamela Bondi authorized the District of South Carolina to pursue capital punishment in this case. Smith is scheduled to be arraigned in federal court on Feb. 26 at 2:30 p.m. in Florence.
The case was investigated by the FBI Columbia Field Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED), and the Marion County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Everett McMillian and Christopher Lietzow are prosecuting the case with support from DOJ’s Capital Case Section Trial Attorneys Barry Disney and Julie Adams.
All charges in the indictment are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Gearhart Man Pleads Guilty to Sexually Exploiting a Child and Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—A Gearhart, Oregon, man pleaded guilty today for secretly filming a minor victim while nude and possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
Joseph Tyler Biamont, 35, pleaded guilty to sexual exploitation of children and possession of child pornography.
According to court documents, Gearhart Police discovered that Biamont was in possession of a thumb drive containing secretly recorded videos of the minor victim while nude. The videos were filmed from what appeared to be a dummy smoke detector above the victim’s bed, behind a teddy bear, and from Biamont’s cell phone, depicting the minor victim going to the bathroom, showering, and changing clothes. Biamont is visible in some of the videos. Investigators also found files of CSAM of other minor victims on Biamont’s thumb drive and videos of an adult victim nude in the bathroom.
On May 6, 2025, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a six-count indictment charging Biamont with sexual exploitation of children and possession of child pornography.
On count one, Biamont faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison, a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and five years to life of supervised release. On count six, Biamont faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and five years to life of supervised release. He will be sentenced on August 19, 2026, before a U.S. District Court judge.
As part of the plea agreement, Biamont has agreed to pay restitution to the victims.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is investigating the case with assistance from the Clatsop County Sheriff’s Office and the Gearhart Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Charlotte Kelley is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought in collaboration with 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 the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Gardner Woman Charged with Social Security FraudRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Gardner woman has been charged in federal court in Worcester with fraudulently receiving Social Security disability benefits for 10 years.
Michelle M. DiSalvo, 53, was charged with one count of receipt of stolen government money or property; one count of Social Security fraud; and one count of false statements. She will appear in U.S. District Court in Worcester at a later date.
According to the charging documents, from October 2013 through October 2023, DiSalvo allegedly received approximately $93,640 in Social Security disability benefits that she knew she was not entitled to. It is further alleged that DiSalvo concealed material information from the Social Security Administration with the intent to fraudulently obtain Social Security benefits. Additionally, DiSalvo allegedly submitted a fraudulent lease agreement to the Social Security Administration in October 2023.
The charging document further alleges that DiSalvo omitted her husband from the fraudulent lease because she knew that if she reported living with him, DiSalvo’s husband’s income and resources would have affected the amount of her benefits.
The charge of receipt of stolen government money or property provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. The charge of Social Security fraud provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. The charge of false statements provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Amy Connelly, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General, Office of Investigations, Boston Field Division made the announcement. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney James J. Nagelberg of the Major Crimes Unit 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.
Gainesville Man Pleads Guilty to Drug Distribution and Illegal Weapons ChargesRead the Press Release
GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA – Khalil Keari Barnett, 30, of Gainesville, pleaded guilty in federal court to possession with intent to distribute marijuana, possession of firearm in connection with drug trafficking, and unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Thanks to the outstanding investigative work of the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office and our federal law enforcement partners, another violent, drug-peddling criminal has been removed from our streets. President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi launched Operation Take Back America to devote the full might of the Department of Justice to eliminating the threats to our communities posed by violent criminals like this defendant, and my office will continue to aggressively prosecute those offenders until our streets are safe and drug-free.”
Court documents reflect that Alachua County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a domestic violence call for service. When law enforcement arrived on scene, the defendant left out the back door of the residence and attempted to enter a rideshare vehicle before fleeing on foot. As the defendant was fleeing, he threw a bag from his person, which included 600 grams of marijuana and a black mask. A firearm and box of ammunition were also recovered near the defendant. The defendant is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition as he has a prior conviction for possession of a weapon by a delinquent.
Barnett faces a total of up to life imprisonment on the combined possession with intent to distribute and firearm possession charges.
The case involved a joint investigation by the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Christie S. Utt.
Sentencing for is scheduled for April 28, 2026, at 2:30 pm, at the United States Courthouse in Gainesville, Florida before Chief United States District Judge Allen C. Winsor.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.
Former U.S. Air Force Pilot Arrested, Charged with Providing Defense Services to the Chinese MilitaryRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON –Gerald Eddie Brown, Jr., 65, a former U.S. Air Force officer and pilot, was arrested today in Jeffersonville, Indiana, and charged by criminal complaint for providing, and conspiring to provide, unauthorized defense services to Chinese military pilots in violation of the Arms Export Control Act.
Brown, also known by the call sign “Runner,” is expected to have his initial appearance tomorrow, February 26, before a magistrate judge in the Southern District of Indiana.
“As an Air Force officer, Brown took an oath to defend our Nation against all enemies foreign and domestic. He allegedly broke that oath and betrayed the country, jeopardizing the safety of our servicemembers and allies,” said U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. “We will hold Brown, and anyone conspiring against our Nation, accountable for their actions. The Department of Justice and my prosecutors are steadfast in our commitment to use every lawful tool available to keep American military expertise where it belongs – here in America.”
“The United States Air Force trained Major Brown to be an elite fighter pilot and entrusted him with the defense of our Nation. He now stands charged with training Chinese military pilots,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “When U.S. persons – whether military or civilian - provide training to a foreign military, that activity is illegal unless they have a license from the State Department. The National Security Division will use all tools at its disposal to protect our military advantages and hold to account those who would violate the AECA."
“Gerald Brown, a former F-35 Lightning II instructor pilot with decades of experience flying U.S. military aircraft, allegedly betrayed his country by training Chinese pilots to fight against those he swore to protect,” said Assistant Director Roman Rozhavsky of the FBI’s Counterintelligence and Espionage Division. “The Chinese government continues to exploit the expertise of current and former members of the U.S. armed forces to modernize China’s military capabilities. This arrest serves as a warning that the FBI and our partners will stop at nothing to hold accountable anyone who collaborates with our adversaries to harm our service members and jeopardize our national security.”
According to the complaint, since August 2023, Brown willfully conspired with foreign nationals to provide combat aircraft training to pilots in the Chinese Air Force, known as the People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF). This training was a defense service under the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and Brown lacked the required license from the State Department’s Directorate of Defense Trade Controls to provide that training to foreign persons or foreign military units.
Brown served for more than 24 years in the U.S. Air Force and retired in 1996 with the rank of Major. During his military career, Brown commanded sensitive units with responsibility for nuclear weapons delivery systems, led combat missions, and served as a fighter pilot instructor and simulator instructor on a variety of fighter and attack aircraft, including the F-4 “Phantom II,” F-15 “Eagle,” F-16 “Fighting Falcon,” and the A-10 “Thunderbolt II” (Warthog). Brown then served as a commercial cargo pilot and, most recently, as a contract simulator instructor for two different U.S. defense contractors training U.S. military pilots on flying the A-10 and the F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter.
In August 2023, Brown began arranging the terms of his contract to train Chinese military pilots, using a co-conspirator to negotiate with Stephen Su Bin, a Chinese national who in 2016 pleaded guilty in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California to conspiring to hack into the computer networks of major U.S. defense contractors and to steal sensitive military and export-controlled data for the PRC. Su Bin was sentenced to nearly four years in prison. Su Bin and his company PRC Lode Technology Company also were added to the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Entity List in 2014.
Throughout these communications, Brown consistently stated his intent to train PRC military pilots in combat aircraft operations. In the resumé he prepared for his application, Brown wrote his “objective” as “Instructor Fighter Pilot.” A co-conspirator told Brown that he hoped Brown would be assigned to “my base, but otherwise you’ll go where is the local equivalent as the [U.S. Air Force] Weapon School.” Later, Brown stated to a co-conspirator that, upon his arrival in China, “Now…. I have the chance to fly and instruct fighter pilots again!”
In December 2023, Brown traveled to China to begin his work training PRC military pilots. After his arrival, Brown answered questions for three hours about the U.S. Air Force on his first day in the PRC and then, on his second day, prepared and presented a brief about himself for the PLAAF. Brown remained in China until he traveled to the United States in early February 2026.
The charges against Brown follow similar charges filed in September 2017 against former U.S. Marine Corps pilot Daniel Edmund Duggan in the District of Columbia. Duggan was charged with providing and conspiring to provide defense services to Chinese military pilots without authorization in violation of the Arms Export Control Act, as well as for conspiring to engage in international money laundering. Like Brown, Duggan received significant training during his career as a pilot in the U.S. military, then used that training for the benefit of the Chinese military. In particular, Duggan is alleged to have trained Chinese military pilots on the tactics, techniques, and procedures associated with takeoff from and landing on an aircraft carrier. Duggan was arrested in Australia in October 2022 and is currently pending extradition to the United States.
“Providing U.S. military training to our adversaries represents a significant threat to national security,” said Lee M. Russ, Executive Director of the Air Force Office of Special Investigations Office of Special Projects. “AFOSI remains committed to countering the threat posed by those who violate the trust placed in them and endanger our service members.”
“Retired U.S. Air Force Major Gerald Brown allegedly sold out his country to train Chinese pilots with his expertise in United States’ combat aircraft techniques. Brown’s alleged betrayal exposed sensitive military tactics, threatening the security of our nation, our armed forces, and our allies,” said FBI New York Assistant Director in Charge James Barnacle. “May today’s arrest emphasize the FBI’s steadfast promise to defend the homeland against all foreign and domestic adversaries.”
In June 2024, the United States, along with the governments of Australia, the United Kingdom, Canada, and New Zealand, published a bulletin warning that “China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) continues to target current and former military personnel from North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) nations and other Western countries to help bolster the PLA’s capabilities.”
In February 2025, Gen. James B. Hecker, the then-commander of NATO Allied Air Command and U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa, stated: “Once you fly on our team, even after you hang up your uniform, you have a responsibility to protect our tactics, techniques and procedures.”
The case against Brown is being investigated by the FBI’s New York Field Office, with valuable assistance from the FBI’s Louisville, Indianapolis, and Los Angeles Field Offices. The Air Force Office of Special Investigations also provided substantial assistance.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven B. Wasserman from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, and Trial Attorney Beau Barnes and Acting Deputy Chief Sean Heiden of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section, with assistance from National Security Division Paralegal Specialist Derra McQuaig. Substantial assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Indiana.
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An indictment, complaint, or criminal information is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Former U.S. Air Force Pilot Arrested for Providing Defense Services to the Chinese MilitaryRead the Press Release
Former U.S. Air Force officer and pilot Gerald Eddie Brown, Jr., also known by the call sign “Runner,” 65, a U.S. citizen, was arrested today in Jeffersonville, Indiana. Brown was charged by criminal complaint for providing and conspiring to provide defense services to Chinese military pilots without authorization, in violation of the Arms Export Control Act (AECA). Brown is expected to have his initial appearance before a Magistrate Judge in the Southern District of Indiana on February 26, 2026.
“The United States Air Force trained Major Brown to be an elite fighter pilot and entrusted him with the defense of our Nation. He now stands charged with training Chinese military pilots,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “When U.S. persons – whether military or civilian - provide training to a foreign military, that activity is illegal unless they have a license from the State Department. The National Security Division will use all tools at its disposal to protect our military advantages and hold to account those who would violate the AECA."
“Gerald Brown, a former F-35 Lightning II instructor pilot with decades of experience flying U.S. military aircraft, allegedly betrayed his country by training Chinese pilots to fight against those he swore to protect,” said Assistant Director Roman Rozhavsky of the FBI’s Counterintelligence and Espionage Division. “The Chinese government continues to exploit the expertise of current and former members of the U.S. armed forces to modernize China’s military capabilities. This arrest serves as a warning that the FBI and our partners will stop at nothing to hold accountable anyone who collaborates with our adversaries to harm our service members and jeopardize our national security.”
“As an Air Force Officer, Brown took an oath to defend our Nation against all enemies foreign and domestic, he broke that oath, and betrayed the country, jeopardizing the safety of our servicemembers and allies,” said U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro for the District of Columbia. “We will hold Brown, and anyone conspiring against our Nation, accountable for their actions. The Department of Justice and my prosecutors are steadfast in our commitment to use every lawful tool available to keep American military expertise where it belongs – here in America.”
“Providing U.S. military training to our adversaries represents a significant threat to national security,” said Lee M. Russ, Executive Director of the Air Force Office of Special Investigations Office of Special Projects. “AFOSI remains committed to countering the threat posed by those who violate the trust placed in them and endanger our service members.”
As alleged in the complaint, since at least in or around August 2023, Brown willfully conspired with foreign nationals and U.S. persons to provide combat aircraft training to pilots in the Chinese Air Force, known as the People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF). This training was a defense service under the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and Brown, a U.S. person under the ITAR, lacked the required license from the State Department’s Directorate of Defense Trade Controls (DDTC) to provide that training to foreign persons or foreign military units.
Brown served for over 24 years in the U.S. Air Force, leaving active duty in 1996 with the rank of Major. During his lengthy military career, Brown commanded sensitive units with responsibility for nuclear weapons delivery systems, led combat missions, and served as a fighter pilot instructor and simulator instructor on a variety of fighter and attack aircraft, including the F-4 “Phantom II,” F-15 “Eagle,” F-16 “Fighting Falcon,” and the A-10 “Thunderbolt II” (Warthog). Brown then served as a commercial cargo pilot and, most recently, as a contract simulator instructor for two different U.S. defense contractors training U.S. military pilots on flying the A-10 and the F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter.
According to the complaint, in or around August 2023, Brown began arranging the terms of his contract to train Chinese military pilots, using a co-conspirator to negotiate with Stephen Su Bin, a Chinese national who in 2016 pled guilty in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California to conspiring to hack into the computer networks of major U.S. defense contractors and steal sensitive military and export-controlled data for the PRC. He was sentenced to nearly four years in prison. Su Bin and his company PRC Lode Technology Company were also added to the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Entity List in 2014.
Throughout these communications, Brown consistently stated his intent to train PRC military pilots in combat aircraft operations. In the resumé he prepared for his application, Brown wrote his “objective” as “Instructor Fighter Pilot.” A co-conspirator told Brown that he hoped Brown would be assigned to “my base, but otherwise you’ll go where is the local equivalent as the [U.S. Air Force] Weapon School.” Later, he stated to a co-conspirator that, upon his arrival in China, “Now…. I have the chance to fly and instruct fighter pilots again!”
In December 2023, Brown traveled to China to begin his work training PRC military pilots. After his arrival, Brown answered question for three hours about the U.S. Air Force on his first day in the PRC and then, on his second day, prepared and presented a brief about himself for the PLAAF. Brown remained in China until he traveled to the United States in early February 2026.
The charges against Brown follow similar charges filed against former U.S. Marine Corps pilot Daniel Edmund Duggan in the District of Columbia in September 2017. Duggan was charged with providing and conspiring to provide defense services to Chinese military pilots without authorization in violation of the Arms Export Control Act, as well as for conspiring to engage in international money laundering. Like Brown, Duggan received significant training during his career as a pilot in the U.S. military, then used that training for the benefit of the Chinese military. In particular, Duggan is alleged to have trained Chinese military pilots on the tactics, techniques, and procedures associated with takeoff from and landing on an aircraft carrier. Duggan was arrested in Australia in October 2022 and is currently pending extradition to the United States.
In June 2024, the United States, along with the governments of Australia, the United Kingdom, Canada, and New Zealand, published a bulletin warning that “China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) continues to target current and former military personnel from North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) nations and other Western countries to help bolster the PLA’s capabilities.” In February 2025, Gen. James B. Hecker, the then-commander of NATO Allied Air Command and U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa, stated: “Once you fly on our team, even after you hang up your uniform, you have a responsibility to protect our tactics, techniques and procedures.”
The case against Brown is being investigated by the FBI’s New York Field Office, with valuable assistance from the FBI’s Louisville, Indianapolis, and Los Angeles Field Offices. The Air Force Office of Special Investigations also provided substantial assistance.
The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Beau Barnes and Acting Deputy Chief Sean Heiden of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven B. Wasserman from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, with assistance from National Security Division Paralegal Specialist Derra McQuaig. Substantial assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Indiana.
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An indictment, complaint, or criminal information is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Five Members and Associates of the Family Mob Street Gang Federally ChargedRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – Three indictments and two criminal complaints were unsealed today in the District of Minnesota charging members and associates of the Family Mob street gang with drug trafficking charges. Agents and officers, including multiple S.W.A.T. Teams, executed several arrest and search warrants this morning targeting the gang and its members.
“The Family Mob Gang is a ruthless criminal organization that uses violence to traffic poisonous narcotics, including fentanyl. No more,” said U.S. Attorney Daniel Rosen. “As alleged, these defendants dumped countless doses of fentanyl into our community. My office is proud to work with our local, state, and federal partners to pursue justice against violent criminals and those who profit from distributing dangerous narcotics.”
“The distribution of illegal narcotics in our communities is unacceptable, as is the associated violent crime that too often affects innocent residents,” said Richard Evanchec, the Interim Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Minneapolis Field Office. “This case should send a message to other violent gangs that we’ll continue work with our partners at all levels of government to bring to justice those responsible for instilling fear into our communities and polluting them with illegal narcotics.”
“These investigations underscore the critical importance of strong collaboration with local, state, and federal agencies on serious criminal matters that impact our most vulnerable people,” said Dawanna Witt, Sheriff of Hennepin County. “The investigative work and incredible results from HCSO’s WMDTF along with the FBI, DEA, and MPD is making a real impact on the drug trade in Hennepin County. I will continue to prioritize aggressively pursuing violent criminals who threaten the safety of those in our community.”
“I’m incredibly proud of the members of the MPD who worked this, and who consistently go above expectations in their dedication to keeping our community safe,” said Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara. “And I’m grateful for our federal and county partners whose hard work and dedication made today possible.”
“The Family Mob Gang ruled by intimidation and violence, and wrongly assumed they could operate with impunity,” Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Omaha Field Division Special Agent in Charge Dustin Gillespie said. “Today, the combined efforts of federal, state and local law enforcement imparted a significant blow to the drug trafficking efforts of a gang that has spread poison through a beloved Minneapolis community. Our job at the DEA is to remove the criminal threats from our neighborhoods, dismantle the drug distribution networks and save American lives. This is a plan we put into action every single day and we are relentless.”
According to the allegations in indictment, complaint, and unsealed records, the defendants were members or associates of the Family Mob gang, which is based in south Minneapolis and originated in approximately the late 1990’s to early 2000’s. The Family Mob conspires to distribute fentanyl, crack cocaine, methamphetamine, and other controlled substances. In the past year, the area in the Family Mob’s territory has seen a large presence of open-air drug trafficking, weapons violations, shootings, and homicides.
The charged defendants are alleged to have collectively possessed with intent to distribute over seven kilos of fentanyl since July 2025 to the present. The group is alleged to have dealt fentanyl in a de-facto open air drug market in the area of Lake Street and Park Avenue in South Minneapolis, using force to push other drug dealers out of the area.
The following defendants have been charged federally:
- Silk Lamond Davis, a/k/a “Good/Do Good”, 48, of Minneapolis, is charged by indictment with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine.
- Alexisus Jarmon Mosby, a/k/a “Snake”, 44, of Bloomington is charged by indictment with distribution of fentanyl.
- Kiron Jamoll Williams, 43, of Minneapolis, is charged by indictment with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
- Rashshon Jamahl Taggett, a/k/a “Dread” a/k/a “Lay Low”, 44, of Minneapolis, is charged by complaint with conspiracy to distribute fentanyl.
- Lakendrick Darnell Gilliam, a/k/a “Bay Bay”, 38, of St. Paul, is charged by complaint with conspiracy to distribute fentanyl.
If convicted, the defendants face a range of penalties, including up to life in prison drug trafficking. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after the consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
FBI, DEA, the Minneapolis Police Department, and Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Raphael B. Coburn and William C. Mattessich for the District of Minnesota are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Felon Previously Convicted of Second-Degree Burglary Sentenced for Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – A Tulsa man was sentenced today for being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
U.S. District Judge John D. Russell sentenced Raymond Thomas McCrary, 51, to 15 months imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release.
In 2025, Tulsa Police officers were dispatched to a call where it was reported that a person matching McCrary’s description discharged a firearm. When officers arrived, there were several casings scattered around his house. Officers later executed a search warrant at his home and found a loaded firearm in McCrary’s bedroom. When officers spoke with McCrary, he admitted the firearm was his and that he previously fired the handgun at his house.
Court records show that McCrary was convicted in State court for two counts of second-degree robbery in 2022. He was sentenced to a five-year suspended sentence and prohibited from possessing a firearm and ammunition.
McCrary will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.
The Tulsa Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alicia Hockenbury prosecuted the case.
Eagle Butte Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Abusive Sexual ContactRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced an Eagle Butte, South Dakota, man convicted of Abusive Sexual Contact. The sentencing took place on February 23, 2026.
Jared Paul Dorian, Jr., age 22, was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Dorian was indicted by a federal grand jury in July 2025. He pleaded guilty on November 20, 2025.
The conviction stems from an incident that occurred in April 2024 in Eagle Butte in the Cheyenne River Sioux Indian Reservation during which Dorian engaged in sexual contact with a 12-year-old girl.
This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian country be prosecuted in federal court as opposed to State court.
This case was 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 the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
This case was investigated by the FBI and the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Wayne Venhuizen prosecuted the case.
Dorian was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
District Man Pleads Guilty to Fatally Stabbing Man with ParaplegiaRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Kevin James Johnson, 38, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree murder while armed for killing 44-year-old D.C. resident Antonio Pierre Woody in the early morning of October 6, 2024, in Northeast D.C., announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Johnson’s guilty plea was pursuant to Rule 11(c)(1)(c) which calls for an agreed upon prison sentence between 18 and 23 years. The Honorable Rainey R. Brandt accepted the guilty plea on February 24, 2026. Sentencing has been scheduled, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, for June 12, 2026.
According to a proffer of facts submitted at the plea hearing, on October 6, 2024, the victim, Antonio Woody, who was paraplegic and wheelchair bound, was gathered with others in the 1700 block of Lincoln Road in Northeast, Washington, DC. Johnson joined the group and less than a minute later approached Woody and began assaulting him. Johnson knocked Mr. Woody out of his wheelchair and as Woody, still on the ground, scooched himself backwards away from Johnson, Johnson struck and stabbed Woody multiple times, killing him.
Johnson has been in custody since his arrest on October 6, 2024.
Joining in the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Marybeth Manfreda and Rashmika Nedungadi.
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Director of Richmond homeless shelter sentenced to three years in prison for stealing funds designated for the shelterRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Richmond woman was sentenced today to three years in prison for wire fraud in connection with her operation of a homeless shelter focused on women and children.
According to court documents, Kia A. Player, 41, won a grant to operate an inclement weather shelter for homeless women and children in the Richmond metropolitan area, named RVA Sister’s Keeper. RVA Sister’s Keeper obtained over $995,000 in governmental funding from the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the City of Richmond to implement and operate the shelter. From August 2022 through April 2023, Player, RVA Sister’s Keeper’s director, fabricated and falsified at least 35 separate invoices for costs purportedly paid for the benefit of RVA Sister’s Keeper and its homeless residents, even though Player never made corresponding expenditures on RVA Sister’s Keeper’s behalf. Player submitted these fraudulent and inflated invoices for reimbursement to the City of Richmond, causing the city to improperly disburse funds to her.
For example, Player submitted at least 21 separate inflated invoices claiming RVA Sister’s Keeper made payments to an entity called “VCM Catering Services” to provide breakfast and dinner at the homeless shelter. VCM Catering Services was a fictitious business, however, and Player had hired a family member to provide breakfast and dinner for the homeless residents. This family member was a cafeteria manager at a Richmond City public school and occasionally provided RVA Sister’s Keeper residents with food taken from the school’s cafeteria – food that had already been procured with other public funds and was in some cases expired.
Player fabricated an invoice purporting to show that RVA Sister’s Keeper paid for repairs to the shelter’s roof, submitting the invoice to the City of Richmond. Player then stole the corresponding money the City of Richmond provided for the roof repairs, though the roof had multiple leaks. Player fabricated documentation purporting to show that RVA Sister’s Keeper paid a laundry company for wash and fold services on ten different occasions, though the company only provided services on three occasions and homeless residents sometimes received used blankets. Player also fabricated invoices for other services, such as bed bug treatment, that were never provided.
Player’s inflated invoice scheme caused $199,163 in actual losses to HUD and the City of Richmond. Player spent the fraud proceeds on personal expenses, including on a tattoo, airline tickets, a luxury Caribbean ferry ride in Miami Beach, furniture, and items at an antiques store.
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service Washington Division and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Inspector General, investigated this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Avi Panth prosecuted the case. The City of Richmond provided substantial assistance in the prosecution of this case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:25-cr-146.
Dallas Man Sentenced to 75 Months in Federal Prison for $1.1M Concert Promotion Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
A Dallas man was sentenced to 75 months in federal prison for stealing more than a million dollars from investors through a concert promotion scheme, announced United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould.
Carlos Desean Goodspeed, 45, of Dallas, Texas, pled guilty to wire fraud in October 2025 after a federal grand jury indicted him in 2024 for obtaining funds from unwitting investors to whom he falsely represented that he was a concert promoter who would use their funds to purchase concert and event tickets and suites in order to resell them for a profit. On February 18, 2026, United States District Judge Ed Kinkeade sentenced Goodspeed to 75 months in federal prison. He also ordered Goodspeed to pay nearly $1.2 million in restitution to seventeen victims of Goodspeed’s fraud scheme.Court records reveal that Goodspeed operated a business under the assumed name “Straight Like That Entertainment,” and held himself out as a promotor for concerts and events involving high-profile artists and entertainers, including, for example, Tyler, the Creator, Ludacris, Beyonce, Nicki Minaj, Bad Bunny, and Future, none of whom were involved in or knew about Goodspeed’s fraud scheme.
With respect to one of his victims, Goodspeed admitted in plea documents that he solicited an investment that was to be used to purchase concert tickets and suites for a series of Tyler, the Creator shows, and the investor would receive a return on their investment once the shows took place. The victim wired Goodspeed a total of $180,000 pursuant to partner agreements outlining the terms of the investments. Though the shows took place, Goodspeed did not pay the victim as promised. Goodspeed admitted that he instead used the victim’s investments, without the victim’s knowledge or consent, for personal expenses, including rental payments at an upscale apartment complex, a purchase at a high-end retail store, and airline fees and hotels. He also admitted that he used some of the victim’s money to pay other investors to continue concealing his scheme.
Three victims testified at Goodspeed’s sentencing hearing and detailed their financial and emotional sufferings as a result of Goodspeed’s scheme. One victim testified that she used part of an inheritance to invest with Goodspeed in hopes of being able to pay medical bills for a family member diagnosed with cancer. Goodspeed did not pay her back as promised, and she was forced to take out loans and use credit cards to pay funeral expenses when her family member passed away.
“Victims are often defrauded of life savings and suffer devastating economic and personal harm because of investment fraud schemes like this one,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould. “Seeking lengthy prison time for defendants and restitution judgments on behalf of those victimized in these cases remain top priorities for my office.”
“The FBI remains committed to investigating those who take advantage of our communities through investment fraud schemes. We encourage the public to thoroughly research investment opportunities and to contact us immediately if they suspect fraud,” said FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock.
While on pretrial release before his guilty plea, Goodspeed’s conditions of pretrial release were revoked and he was taken into custody in July 2025 after a United States Magistrate Judge found probable cause to believe Goodspeed committed a criminal fraud violation and also, in contravention to his conditions, continued to solicit and receive new investments. He remains in federal custody to serve his sentence of imprisonment.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation – Dallas Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Renee Hunter prosecuted the case.
Crownpoint man sentenced for fatal DUI crashRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Crownpoint man was sentenced to 40 months in prison for a fatal crash involving alcohol and prescription opioids.
There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court documents, on July 3, 2024, Joey Martin, 56, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, was driving on State Highway 371 in Crownpoint, New Mexico, with a passenger when he swerved to avoid a semitruck and lost control. His passenger was killed in the resulting crash. After the crash, Martin admitted to taking opioid pain medication an hour or two prior.
Martin pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter. Upon his release from prison, he will be subject to three years of supervised release.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison made the announcement today.
The Navajo Nation Police Department and Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Pahl is prosecuting the case.