Latest Records
Newest first across public DOJ and U.S. Attorney press releases.
24 February 2026
Kodiak man sentenced to 20 years for role in 2022 fatal fentanyl overdoseRead the Press Release
ANCHORAGE, Alaska – A Kodiak man was sentenced today to 20 years in prison for his role in a conspiracy to distribute deadly drugs that resulted in a fatal overdose in August 2022.
While on pretrial release for state felony charges he committed in March 2022, Gerry Pugal, 38, agreed to receive and distribute drugs in Kodiak on behalf of a drug trafficking organization allegedly run by a California inmate serving a life sentence at the time.
Court documents detail that members of the drug trafficking organization would mail drugs to Pugal in Kodiak, and Pugal would then distribute the drugs to a series of lower-level dealers who worked for him. Ashley Katelnikoff, 38, and Kalani Coyle, 33, were two dealers working for Pugal.
On Aug. 25, 2022, a male victim messaged Katelnikoff that he was in town. Katelnikoff responded asking, “You need anything?” They messaged about purchasing drugs, specifically “blues,” which is a slang term for M-30 fentanyl pills. Katelnikoff agreed to sell the victim five pills for $300. Later that evening, Katelnikoff sold the pills to the victim after picking him up at a local hotel he was staying at.
Around 4 a.m. on Aug. 26, the victim’s mother discovered his body in their hotel room bathroom. Investigators found evidence that the victim used some of the blue pills. Lab testing confirmed the victim had a lethal amount of fentanyl in his bloodstream.
Court documents further explain that months after the fatal overdose, Pugal continued dealing drugs for the organization. On Oct. 23, 2022, Kodiak Police officers responded to Pugal’s residence to execute an arrest warrant following a petition to revoke his state supervision. They searched the house and found Pugal hiding in the refrigerator in possession of fentanyl pills and methamphetamine.
U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Alaska. U.S. v. Katelnikoff et. al. Case #3:25-cr-00005Pugal was arrested and later released by the state on bond.
On Nov. 21, 2022, U.S. Postal Inspectors identified a suspicious parcel shipped from California to Kodiak. Inspectors obtained a search warrant for the parcel and discovered over 880 grams of methamphetamine, over 50 grams of cocaine and almost 5,000 fentanyl pills. These drugs had a street value of over $500,000. Agents seized the drugs and replaced them with a tracking device.
Roughly a week later, law enforcement officers delivered the package to its intended address as part of the investigation. They observed co-defendant Coyle arrive in a vehicle, pick up the package and bring it back to his trailer. Later that day, Coyle transferred the package to Pugal’s residence. Pugal instructed Coyle to take the package somewhere else and open it to make sure they were not being “set up.” Coyle opened the package in a different location and discovered the tracking device. Coyle returned to Pugal’s residence with the device before officers entered to detain both defendants.
On Oct. 28, 2025, Pugal pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances resulting in death. During sentencing, the Court also ordered Pugal to serve the rest of his life on supervised release upon completion of his custodial sentence.
“Mr. Pugal recruited those close to him to do his dirty work and profited off the vulnerable population in Kodiak with zero regard for consequences or for the rule of law. Now, he will spend the next two decades behind bars,” said U.S. Attorney Michael J. Heyman for the District of Alaska. “This case is a tragic reminder of the phrase, ‘One Pill Can Kill,’ because it is likely that one pill originating from Mr. Pugal had just enough fentanyl in it to kill this victim.”
“Fentanyl traffickers like Mr. Pugal make a profit by peddling poison and while he distributed the fentanyl that led to a fatal overdose, that didn’t stop him, he continued dealing drugs,” said Robert A. Saccone, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Seattle Field Division. “The sentence today shows these actions have grave consequences and Mr. Pugal will not be a threat to the health and safety of our community for many years. DEA remains unwavering in our commitment to saving American lives and making America Fentanyl Free.”
Co-defendants in this case are as follows:
- Katelnikoff, of Kodiak, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances resulting in death on Aug. 4, 2025. Katelnikoff is scheduled to be sentenced on April 2, 2026.
- Coyle, of Kodiak, pleaded guilty to one count of attempted possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute on July 2, 2025. Coyle was sentenced to five years in federal prison on Nov. 20, 2025.
The DEA Seattle Division Office and Anchorage District Office investigated the case, with significant assistance from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service Anchorage Domicile, IRS Criminal Investigation Seattle Field Office, Alaska State Troopers and the Kodiak Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alana Weber, Chris Schroeder and Stephan Collins prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of drug trafficking and violent crime.
###
Justice Department Sues University of California over Antisemitism and Hostile Work Environment at UCLARead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – The United States Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division filed a lawsuit today against the University of California alleging it engaged in a hostile work environment against Jewish and Israeli faculty and staff at its University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) campus, in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended.
According to today’s complaint, after the Hamas-led massacre in Israel on October 7, 2023, antisemitic acts pervaded UCLA. The suit alleges the university engaged in a pattern or practice of discrimination in violation of Title VII against Jewish and Israeli employees at UCLA by failing to prevent and correct discriminatory and harassing conduct. The lawsuit further alleges the university negligently permitted a hostile work environment against two charging parties and other aggrieved Jewish and Israeli employees.
In 2024, the university allowed antisemitic harassment to continue unabated for days in front of its iconic Royce Hall: among other acts, Jews were not permitted on portions of the main quad, Jewish professors were assaulted, and swastikas were graffitied on university buildings.
The university has ignored, and continues to ignore, gross and repeated violations of viewpoint-neutral time, place, and manner restrictions involving these and other actions directed against Jewish and Israeli employees. Jewish and Israeli faculty have been physically threatened, had their classrooms disrupted, and had their workplaces papered with disturbing images.
Jewish professors have been, and continue to be, subjected to ostracism and harassment by their colleagues and students, while their colleagues and supervisors not only have failed to report those acts as required but have even participated in them. Numerous Jewish and Israeli employees have been forced to take leave, work from home, and even leave their jobs to avoid the hostile work environment.
“UCLA failed to live up to its systemwide commitment to diversity and equal opportunity when it stood by as Jewish employees were subjected to harassment,” said First Assistant United States Attorney Bill Essayli. “The federal government has an obligation to step in and ensure a discrimination-free environment at our universities.”
“Based on our investigation, UCLA administrators allegedly allowed virulent anti-Semitism to flourish on campus, harming students and staff alike,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Today’s lawsuit underscores that this Department of Justice stands strong against hate and anti-Semitism in all its vile forms.”
“The litany of vile acts of antisemitism that allegedly took place, and continue to take place, at UCLA are, if found to be true, a mark of shame against the University of California,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department will ensure that UCLA maintains an environment for its employees free from antisemitic harassment.”
The lawsuit stems from a Commissioner’s Charge filed by then-Commissioner Andrea Lucas of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) in June 2024. The EEOC was instrumental in investigating the allegations of harassment at UCLA and in identifying the university’s poor complaint system. “The EEOC is committed to eradicating antisemitism at work,” said EEOC Chair Andrea Lucas. “If a university will not investigate and remedy repeated allegations of antisemitism against its employees, then EEOC will.”
Assistant United States Attorney Julie A. Hamill of the Civil Division’s Civil Rights Section and Justice Department Trial Attorneys Carl D. Wasserman and Besa Bucaj of the Civil Rights Division’s Employment Litigation Section are litigating this matter with assistance from Eric Sell, Deputy Assistant Attorney General of the Civil Rights Division, Jeffrey Morrison, Acting Chief of the Civil Rights Division’s Employment Litigation Section, and Hilary Pinion, Acting Principal Deputy Chief of the Employment Litigation Section.
Justice Department Files Suit Against University of California for Antisemitic Hostile Work EnvironmentRead the Press Release
Today, the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division filed suit against the University of California for engaging in a hostile work environment against Jewish and Israeli faculty and staff at its University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) campus, in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended.
After the Hamas-led massacre in Israel on October 7, 2023, antisemitic acts pervaded UCLA. The suit alleges the University engaged in a pattern or practice of discrimination in violation of Title VII against Jewish and Israeli employees at UCLA by failing to prevent and correct discriminatory and harassing conduct. The suit further alleges the University negligently permitted a hostile work environment against two charging parties and other aggrieved Jewish and Israeli employees.
In 2024, the University allowed antisemitic harassment to continue unabated for days in front of its iconic Royce Hall: among other acts, Jews were not permitted on portions of the main quad, Jewish professors were assaulted, and swastikas were graffitied on University buildings. The University has ignored, and continues to ignore, gross and repeated violations of viewpoint-neutral time, place, and manner restrictions involving these and other actions directed against Jewish and Israeli employees. Jewish and Israeli faculty have been physically threatened, had their classrooms disrupted, and had their workplaces papered with disturbing images. Jewish professors have been, and continue to be, subjected to ostracism and harassment by their colleagues and students, while their colleagues and supervisors not only have failed to report those acts as required but have even participated in them. Numerous Jewish and Israeli employees have been forced to take leave, work from home, and even leave their jobs to avoid the hostile work environment.
“Based on our investigation, UCLA administrators allegedly allowed virulent anti-Semitism to flourish on campus, harming students and staff alike,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Today’s lawsuit underscores that this Department of Justice stands strong against hate and anti-Semitism in all its vile forms.”
“The litany of vile acts of antisemitism that allegedly took place, and continue to take place, at UCLA are, if found to be true, a mark of shame against the University of California,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department will ensure that UCLA maintains an environment for its employees free from antisemitic harassment.”
“UCLA failed to live up to its systemwide commitment to diversity and equal opportunity when it stood by as Jewish employees were subjected to harassment,” said First Assistant United States Attorney Bill Essayli of the Central District of California. “The federal government has an obligation to step in and ensure a discrimination-free environment at our universities.”
The lawsuit stems from a Commissioner’s Charge filed by then-Commissioner Andrea Lucas of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) in June 2024. The EEOC was instrumental in investigating the allegations of harassment at UCLA and in identifying the University’s poor complaint system. “The EEOC is committed to eradicating antisemitism at work,” said EEOC Chair Andrea Lucas. “If a University will not investigate and remedy repeated allegations of antisemitism against its employees, the EEOC will.”
If you have experienced antisemitic harassment at UCLA, if UCLA has failed to investigate your complaint of antisemitic harassment, or if you have other information related to the Division’s suit against the University, please email the Civil Rights Division at [email protected]. If you work for a university or college and have experienced antisemitic harassment at work, you can file a charge with the EEOC at How to File a Charge of Employment Discrimination | U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (https://www.eeoc.gov/how-file-charge-employment-discrimination). There are strict time limits for filing discrimination charges, so you should contact the EEOC promptly if you suspect discrimination. Learn more about addressing antisemitism at work here: What To Do If You Face Antisemitism at Work.
Justice Department Files Lawsuit Against New Jersey for Interfering with Federal Immigration LawsRead the Press Release
Yesterday, the Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against the State of New Jersey and New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill over New Jersey’s new Executive Order No. 12 that interferes with the federal government’s enforcement of its immigration laws.
“Federal agents are risking their lives to keep New Jersey citizens safe, and yet New Jersey’s leaders are enacting policies designed to obstruct and endanger law enforcement,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “States may not deliberately interfere with our efforts to remove illegal aliens and arrest criminals — New Jersey’s sanctuary policies will not stand.”
The Executive Order prohibits ICE and other federal immigration officials from conducting secure arrests of criminal illegal aliens inside nonpublic areas of state property including state correctional facilities. Not only are New Jersey’s sanctuary policies illegal under federal law, but, as alleged in the complaint, New Jersey’s refusal to cooperate with federal immigration authorities results in the release of dangerous criminals from police custody who would otherwise be subject to removal, including illegal aliens convicted of aggravated assault, burglary, and drug and human trafficking, onto the streets.
On her first day in office, Attorney General Bondi instructed the Department’s Civil Division to identify state and local laws, policies, and practices that facilitate violations of federal immigration laws or impede lawful federal immigration operations. The Department’s list of sanctuary jurisdictions published on August 5, 2025, precedes New Jersey’s latest Executive Order. Regardless, Attorney General Bondi has vowed to bring litigation to end such policies nationwide. Today’s lawsuit is the latest in a series of lawsuits brought by the Civil Division targeting illegal sanctuary city policies across the country, including in New York, Minnesota, and Los Angeles, California.
International Student Recruiting Firm and Co-Founder to Pay $1.3M to Resolve False Claims Act Allegations Related to the U.S. Department of Education’s Direct Loan ProgramRead the Press Release
Massachusetts company Study Across the Pond LLC (SATP) and its principal, John Borhaug, have agreed to pay $1,300,000 to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act by knowingly causing foreign schools in the United Kingdom (UK) to submit false claims and false statements to the U.S. Department of Education in connection with the Direct Loan Program through arrangements that violated the federal ban on incentive-based compensation.
“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 A. Shumate 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 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 U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley for the District of Massachusetts. “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.”
“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.”
Under Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965, institutions of higher education that want to participate in federal student aid programs, including the Direct Loan Program, must agree not to provide any commission, bonus, or other incentive payment to student recruiters based directly or indirectly on 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.
Since 2013, SATP has recruited American students to attend foreign schools in the UK. The United States alleged that SATP knew of the Incentive Compensation Ban and nevertheless collaborated with at least 28 schools in the UK to violate the Ban while those schools were participating in the Direct Loan Program. Specifically, the United States alleged that SATP demanded a commission for its recruitment services, which was a share of the tuition paid by any students the company recruited for the schools. In many cases, this was money the schools had claimed from the Direct Loan Program for the education of American students. The United States further alleged that SATP created sham records to hide these tuition-sharing arrangements from the Department of Education and ultimately caused foreign schools to submit false claims to the Direct Loan Program. The 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 civil settlement includes the resolution of claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act by Hitrost LLC. Under those provisions, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. The whistleblower will receive $240,500 as its share of the recovery.
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts, with assistance from the Department of Education’s Office of the Inspector General, Office of the General Counsel, and Federal Student Aid (FSA) office.
The United States was represented in this matter by Trial Attorney Allison C. Carroll of the Civil Division and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian LaMacchia and Alexandra Brazier of the District of Massachusetts.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
Individual Sentenced to 24 Months in Prison for his Participation in Bribery Scheme to Eliminate Puerto Rico Department of Transportation FinesRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – On February 23, 2026, United States District Court Judge Pedro A. Delgado sentenced Juan Carlos Cruz-Hernández to 24 months in prison, three years of supervised release, and restitution of $32,000 for his role in a bribery and wire fraud conspiracy and scheme to defraud the Puerto Rico Department of Transportation and Public Works (DTOP), announced W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. Three other defendants were previously charged alongside Cruz-Hernández; two are scheduled to be sentenced in March 2026, and one is awaiting trial.
The four defendants were indicted on July 17, 2024, and arrested on July 18, 2024. Juan Carlos Cruz-Hernández plead guilty on May 6, 2025, to conspiracy to commit bribery concerning a program receiving federal funds, federal program bribery, conspiracy to commit wire fraud deprivation of honest services of a public official, and wire fraud deprivation of honest services.
Defendant Juan Carlos Cruz-Hernández negotiated and made bribe payments to multiple public DTOP employees working in the regional driver service centers (CESCO) located in Caguas and Carolina, Puerto Rico. During the bribery scheme, approximately $66,000 was paid by Juan Carlos Cruz-Hernández to multiple DTOP employees. These bribe payments were made in exchange for certain official acts, including accessing DTOP-CESCO information, obtaining duplicate documentation, and eliminating driver and vehicle fines. The DTOP employees were responsible for accessing driver and vehicle information, and among other things, possessed the ability to remove driver and vehicle fines.
U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow of the District of Puerto Rico and Yariel Ramos, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations made the announcement.
Homeland Security Investigations was in charge of the investigation of the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Marie Christine Amy from the Financial Fraud & Public Corruption Section prosecuted the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
###
Individual Sentenced to 10 Months in Prison for Conspiracy to Provide Contraband to the Metropolitan Detention Center in Guaynabo, PRRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – On February 24, 2026, United States District Court Chief Judge Raúl Arias Marxuach sentenced Selena Crespo Dumeng to 10 months in prison and two years of supervised release, for her role in a conspiracy to provide contraband in prison, announced W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico.
The defendant was indicted on July 18, 2024, along with seven co-defendants, and arrested on July 22, 2024. On November 11, 2025, the defendant plead guilty to conspiracy to provide contraband in prison.
According to court documents, from July 2023 and continuing up to May 22, 2024, Crespo-Dumeng and others conspired to provide prohibited objects, specifically, controlled substances, to inmates housed at the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) in Guaynabo. The defendant and others did this by utilizing the United States Postal Service and other third parties to introduce controlled substances -- buprenorphine strips (Suboxone) -- disguised as legal mail to inmates. The controlled substances were hidden concealed in documents inside purposely built pockets or laced into the documents themselves. Defendant Crespo Dumeng acted as an intermediary providing payments for the smuggling of drugs into MDC.
U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow of the District of Puerto Rico; and Claudia Dubravetz, Acting Special Agent in Charge of FBI San Juan made the announcement.
FBI San Juan was in charge of the investigation of the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney R. Vance Eaton and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Carlos J. Romo Aldea from the Puerto Rico Department of Justice prosecuted the case.
###
Illegal alien felons sentenced for unlawful reentries into the countryRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – Two Mexican nationals have been ordered to federal prison in separate, but similar, cases for returning to the United States without authorization, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Raymundo Pecina-Lopez, 43, has now admitted his guilt, while Samuel Moreno-Soto, 38, pleaded guilty Dec. 9, 2025.
U.S. District Judge Charles Eskridge sentenced Pecina-Lopez to 39 months, and U.S. District Judge Keith P. Ellison has imposed an 18-month-term for Moreno-Soto. Not U.S. citizens, both are expected to again face removal proceedings following their imprisonment. At the hearings, the courts heard additional evidence regarding their criminal histories.
Both men have previous convictions for assault of a family member and narcotics offenses. Pecina-Lopez was also convicted of driving while intoxicated and illegally carrying a weapon, and Moreno-Soto has additional convictions of harboring aliens and illegal reentry.
Pecina-Lopez was first ordered removed in September 2009 and returned illegally one time, while Moreno-Soto was initially removed in June 2014 and returned twice without authorization.
They have been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Enforcement and Removal Operations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Hostetter prosecuted both matters with the assistance of Special AUSA Carrie Law and AUSA Amanda Alum on the Pecina-Lopez and Moreno-Soto cases, respectively.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Illegal Alien with Prior Drug Trafficking, Sexual Abuse of a Child, and Firearm Theft Convictions Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
An illegal alien from Mexico, previously convicted of drug trafficking, sexual abuse of a child, and theft of a firearm, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for illegally reentering the United States, announced United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould.
Ivan Hernandez-Ortiz, 36, residing in Dallas, Texas, was indicted in March 2023 and pled guilty in October 2025 to illegally reentering the United States after he was last deported by immigration authorities in 2020. On Tuesday, February 24, 2026, U.S. District Judge Ada Brown sentenced him to 120 months in federal prison.According to evidence presented at sentencing, Hernandez-Ortiz illegally entered the United States approximately five times, was granted voluntary return on three occasions, and was formally removed twice. Previously, he was federally prosecuted for illegal reentry into the United States in the Southern District of Texas in 2015 and was sentenced to 70 months in federal prison.
Court records reflect that Hernandez-Ortiz was also convicted of six other felonies, including drug trafficking, firearm theft, and sexual abuse of a child—the victim of which was a 15-year-old female recognized during a traffic stop by Dallas Police Department officers as a child identified on a bulletin as missing and potentially being sex trafficked. Evidence at sentencing revealed that Hernandez-Ortiz previously admitted to being in a dating relationship with the victim and that she was pregnant with his unborn child. For the current illegal reentry offense, the lead prosecutor sought the maximum sentence allowed by statute, and the Court agreed.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement conducted the investigation. Special Assistant United States Attorney Marbel Leonel Munoz prosecuted the case.
Hedge Fund Manager Indicted on Tax Fraud ChargesRead the Press Release
An indictment was unsealed today in the Western District of Texas charging a Cayman national who renounced his U.S. citizenship with tax evasion, filing false returns and willfully failing to file tax forms disclosing foreign assets.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Justin Ryan Schmidt previously resided in Austin, Texas, where he managed a hedge fund focusing on cryptocurrency investments. Between 2020 and March 2022, Schmidt allegedly earned a total of more than $6 million from his hedge fund but did not report any of this income on his 2020, 2021 or 2022 tax returns. In fact, the indictment alleges, in each of those years, Schmidt falsely reported total income of $5,000 or less, while he held millions of dollars in foreign bank accounts. Even though he was required by law to report these foreign bank accounts to the IRS, Schmidt is charged with willfully failing to do so.
In November 2021, Schmidt became a British citizen, subsequently renouncing his U.S. citizenship in March 2022. Individuals who expatriate from the United States are required to report certain information to the IRS about their net worth, income, assets, and liabilities as of the date of their expatriation. The indictment alleges that Schmidt willfully filed a false expatriation statement reporting that his net worth was $25,000 at the time of expatriation, when in fact it exceeded $2 million.
According to court documents, in 2023, Schmidt paid approximately $5.8 million to purchase real property in Snowmass Village, Colorado, and sold the property a few months later for approximately $9 million. The indictment alleges that Schmidt did not report the gains from this sale on his 2023 income tax return and evaded payment of taxes by submitting false documents to prevent taxes from being withheld on the sale of the property.
Schmidt faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison for tax evasion, three years in prison for each count of filing false tax forms and five years in prison for each count of willfully failing to file forms disclosing foreign bank accounts.
Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.
Senior Litigation Counsel Michael C. Boteler and Trial Attorney Michael Jones of the Criminal Division 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.
Hardy County Man Convicted of Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
ELKINS, WEST VIRGINIA – Jeremy Mongold, of Moorefield, West Virginia, was convicted of illegally purchasing and transferring a firearm that was later used in another crime, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew L. Harvey.
“Mongold intentionally lied so he could purchase a pistol for a violent person who was prohibited from possessing firearms,” said U.S. Attorney Harvey. “That pistol was subsequently used in a serious crime, and Mongold lied to federal agents to cover his tracks. Now he faces a prison sentence.”
“By lying on an ATF form to purchase a firearm for his brother, Jeremy Mongold contributed to additional violent crime. As a result of his actions, he will now serve a lengthy federal prison sentence,” said Special Agent in Charge John Nokes, ATF.
Following a two-day trial, a jury found Mongold, 47, guilty of making a false statement to purchase a firearm, the unlawful transfer of a firearm, and making a false statement to a federal agent. Mongold’s brother, Zachary Mongold, is prohibited from having firearms because of a prior domestic battery conviction. The jury was presented evidence that Zachary attempted to purchase a firearm and was denied. The following day, Jeremy purchased the same pistol. When questioned about the firearm, Jeremy lied to federal agents about its intended owner. The gun was later used in a serious crime in Pendleton County, West Virginia.
Zachary Mongold pled guilty to a federal charge of the unlawful possession of a firearm connected to this case in December 2025. He will be sentenced at a later date.
Jeremy Mongold is facing up to 15 years for the transfer count. He’s facing up to 10 years for the false statement for the firearm charge, and he faces up to 5 years for the false statement to a federal agent. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew Cogar and Stephen Warner prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) investigated.
Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime, and repel the invasion of illegal immigration.
Guilty Verdict Handed to Shooter for Killing a Man over FeudRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Khalid Claggett, 42, of Washington, D.C., was found guilty this afternoon by a Superior Court jury for charges stemming from a shooting that killed 30-year-old Isaac Aull, Jr., in June 2021, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine F. Pirro.
Claggett was found guilty of voluntary manslaughter while armed, possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime of violence and unlawful possession of a firearm (prior felony conviction). Superior Court Judge Neal Kravitz scheduled sentencing for May 15, 2026, at 11:30 a.m.
According to the government’s evidence, on the morning of June 11, 2021, an exchange of gunfire occurred between Aull and Claggett due to a feud about the previous murder of Aull’s brother. Aull and another man followed Claggett to a nearby Walgreens parking lot on Rhode Island Avene, NE and opened fire on him while he was sitting in an SUV.
Claggett exited the SUV and returned fire to Aull as Aull was running away from the parking lot towards the 1600 block of Frankin Street NE, striking him once in the neck causing him to immediately fall into the street. Claggett then returned to the parking lot, got into another vehicle, changed his appearance, switched weapons, dawned a mask and drove back to Frankin street to pursue Aull. Claggett exited the vehicle approached Aull as he lay on the ground in front of an ambulance and tried to shoot him again, but the weapon jammed. Claggett then left, was able to unjam his weapon and return to Aull and finish him off by shooting him eight times while he was helpless, unarmed and still alive on the ground.
Claggett was arrested on June 25, 2021, and has been in custody ever since.
Joining the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department.
It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Rashmika Nedungadi and Dan Seidel.
2021 CF1 003577
Grand Jury for the District of Nebraska-February 2026Read the Press Release
Grand Jury for the District of Nebraska
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced the federal Grand Jury for the District of Nebraska has returned 15 unsealed Indictments charging 17 defendants. Indictments are charging documents that contain one or more individual counts that are merely accusations, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Melvin M. Dortch, age 33, of Omaha, Nebraska, is charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm on or about February 5, 2026. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is up to 15 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
Adrien M. Goodall, age 19, of Papillion, Nebraska, is charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm on or about December 13, 2025. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is up to 15 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
Jose Luis Guzman, age 45, of New Virgina, Iowa, is charged with possession with intent to distribute 50 grams of methamphetamine on or about September 30, 2025. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is not less than 10 years’ and up to life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, a term of supervised release of not less than 5 years and up to life, and a $100 special assessment.
Wes L. Nunn, age 21, of Omaha, Nebraska, is charged in a two-count Indictment. Count I charges Nunn with being a felon in possession of a firearm on or about July 18, 2025. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is up to 15 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count II charges Nunn with being a felon in possession of a firearm on or about November 12, 2025. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is up to 15 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
Vershan Collins, age 34, of Omaha, Nebraska, is charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm on or about January 20, 2026. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is up to 15 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
Rosemary Hart, age 34, of Lincoln, Nebraska, is charged with possession with intent to distribute 50 grams of methamphetamine mixture on or about February 6, 2026. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is not less than 5 years’ and up to 40 years’ imprisonment, a $5,000,000 fine, a term of supervised release of not less than 4 years and up to life, and a $100 special assessment.
Chase Larsen, age 35, of Lincoln, Nebraska, is charged with possession with intent to distribute 50 grams of methamphetamine on or about December 23, 2025. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is not less than 10 years’ and up to life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, a term of supervised release of not less than 5 years and up to life, and a $100 special assessment.
Avankeene Perry a/k/a Avonkeene Perry, age 48, of New Jersey, is charged with possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and 400 grams or more of fentanyl on or about August 30, 2025. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is not less than 10 years’ and up to life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, a term of supervised release of not less than 5 years and up to life, and a $100 special assessment.
Shane Martin, age 38, of Kearney, Nebraska, is charged in a two-count indictment. Count I charges Martin with disposing of or selling a firearm to a felon on, about, or between March 11, 2024, and July 18, 2024. Count II charges Martin with disposing of or selling a firearm to a felon on, about, or between July 7, 2024, and July 18, 2024. The maximum possible penalty for Counts I and II if convicted are 15 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
Miles Bohac, age 46, Matthew House a/k/a Cheyenne House, age 25, and Justin Ericson, age 42, all of Lincoln, Nebraska, have been charged in an eight-count indictment. Count I charges House with straw purchasing a firearm, on or about August 21, 2025. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 15 years’ imprisonment, $250,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and $100 special assessment. Count II charges House and Bohac with making a false statement during the acquisition of a firearm on or about August 21, 2025. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 10 years’ imprisonment, $250,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and $100 special assessment. Count III charges House with straw purchasing a firearm, on or about September 11, 2025. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 15 years’ imprisonment, $250,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and $100 special assessment. Count IV charges House and Bohac with making a false statement during the acquisition of a firearm on or about September 11, 2025. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 10 years’ imprisonment, $250,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and $100 special assessment. Count V charges House with straw purchasing a firearm, on or about October 17, 2025. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 15 years’ imprisonment, $250,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and $100 special assessment. Count VI charges House and Bohac with making a false statement during the acquisition of a firearm on or about October 17, 2025. Count VII charges Bohac with being a felon in possession of a firearm on or about December 12, 2025. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 15 years’ imprisonment, $250,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and $100 special assessment. Count VIII charges Ericson with being a felon in possession of a firearm on or about December 12, 2025. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 15 years’ imprisonment, $250,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and $100 special assessment.
The following individuals were charged with being an alien, who previously had been excluded, deported and removed from the United States and were found in the United States, without the Attorney General of the United States or her designated successor having expressly consented to the defendant’s reapplication for admission into the United States:
Victor Rodriguez-Ramirez, age 46
Carlos Alonzo-Coc, age 45
The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 2 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a one-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
The following individuals were charged with being an alien, who previously had been excluded, deported and removed from the United States following a felony conviction and were found in the United States, without the Attorney General of the United States or her designated successor having expressly consented to the defendant’s reapplication for admission into the United States:
Marlon Meza-Romero, age 43
The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
The following individuals were charged with being an alien, who previously had been excluded, deported and removed from the United States following an aggravated felony conviction and were found in the United States, without the Attorney General of the United States or her designated successor having expressly consented to the defendant’s reapplication for admission into the United States:
Jose Erives Rios, age 36
Erick Hernandez-Hernandez, age 40
The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
Contact Amy Donato at 402-661-3700 for further information.
Goliath Ventures CEO Arrested for Wire Fraud and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – Christopher Alexander Delgado (34, Apopka) has been arrested on a criminal complaint charging him with wire fraud and money laundering. If convicted on all counts, Delgado faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in federal prison. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to the complaint, Delgado was the President and Chief Executive Officer of Goliath Ventures, formerly known as Gen-Z Venture Firm. From January 2023 through January 2026, Delgado operated Goliath as a “Ponzi scheme,” which is a form of investment fraud that involves the payment of purported returns to existing investors from funds contributed by new investors. Delgado’s scheme involved soliciting victims to invest substantial sums of money under false and fraudulent promises of monthly returns generated through cryptocurrency “liquidity pools.” Victims were induced to give money to Goliath through personal referrals, professional marketing materials, luxury events, charitable sponsorships, and some monthly payments of purported returns, all of which were designed to establish Goliath’s bona fides with investors. Based on these false and fraudulent representations, Goliath obtained at least $328 million from victim investors.
Although Goliath represented that it would place the victim investors’ funds in cryptocurrency liquidity pools, in reality, the funds were primarily used to pay purported returns to earlier investors, to return principal to investors who requested it, and for Goliath’s extravagant business gatherings, holiday parties, and luxury travel accommodations. With victim investors’ funds, Delgado purchased four residential properties each worth between $1.15 million and $8.5 million.
Victims identified by law enforcement will directly receive notice of their rights pursuant to the Crime Victims’ Rights Act. If you believe you are a victim and have not otherwise received notice, please email [email protected]. You can also visit https://justice.gov/usao-mdfl/goliath_ventures for more information on how to self-identify yourself to law enforcement.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case is being investigated by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation and Homeland Security Investigations. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Richard Varadan, Noah P. Dorman, and Hannah Nowalk Watson.
Criminal ComplaintGallup man arrested for assault causing serious injuriesRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Gallup man is facing federal charges after allegedly attacking an adult victim inside a vehicle, causing serious facial injuries.
According to court documents, on December 31, 2025, Dennison Billy, Jr., 35, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, allegedly assaulted an adult victim while the victim was driving and Billy was in the passenger seat of a vehicle. Responding officers found Billy highly intoxicated in the passenger seat and the victim nearby with visible blood and multiple injuries, including facial trauma, bruising, and a swollen finger. The victim reported exiting the vehicle to avoid further assault. Blood and hair were observed inside the vehicle. The victim was transported to a local hospital for treatment.
The victim later reported Billy had been drinking and became argumentative before striking the victim multiple times, causing a possible loss of consciousness. As a result of the assault, the victim sustained serious injuries, including a fractured orbital wall and fractured nasal bones. Billy told law enforcement he had consumed a large amount of alcohol, claimed he blacked out, and said he did not remember the incident.
Billy is charged with assault resulting in serious bodily injury and will remain in custody pending trial, which has not been scheduled. If convicted of the current charges, Billy faces 10 years in prison.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Farmington Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Jicarilla Apache Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron O. Jordan is prosecuting the case.
An indictment or criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Former Omro Alderman Sentenced for Receipt of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Brad D. Schimel, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on February 20, 2026, Jason A. Reeves (age: 44), of Omro, Wisconsin, was sentenced to 66 months’ imprisonment after pleading guilty to a charge of Receipt of Child Pornography in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2252A(a)(2)(A).
According to court documents, Reeves, then a City of Omro Alderman, was the subject of a CyberTip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Based on that CyberTip, law enforcement obtained and executed a search warrant at Reeves’ residence resulting in the discovery of numerous videos and images of child sexual abuse material (child pornography) which he received via various internet platforms. Reeves resigned his elected position following his arrest.
U.S. District Court Judge Byron B. Conway noted the serious nature of the offense committed by Reeves and the profound effect that such crimes have on the child victims, even many years after their abuse has stopped. Judge Conway concluded significant prison is necessary to deter this behavior and protect the public. Following his prison term, Reeves will spend 10 years on supervised release and will be required to register as a sexual offender under state and federal law.
“Even though this offender never had direct contact with any of the children abused in the images he accessed, his conduct directly caused long-lasting, severe harm to those children. Every time someone accesses, views or downloads child pornography, they are directly contributing to a worldwide industry that is profiting off the ongoing sexual abuse of children,” stated U.S. Attorney Schimel. “Anyone who does this belongs in prison, no matter who they are.”
“Mr. Reeves was an elected official who violated the trust of the residents he was elected to serve,” said FBI Milwaukee Special Agent in Charge Alan Karr. “The FBI is committed to protecting children from exploitation. The FBI will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to combat the exploitation and victimization of children.”
“Protecting the most vulnerable members in our community remains a top priority of the Sheriff's Office and working with our federal partners maximizes our resources” said Winnebago County Sheriff John Matz.
This case was investigated by the Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office with the assistance of the Green Bay Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel R. Humble.
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 U.S. Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ 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.projectsafechildhood.gov.
# # #
For further information contact:
Public Affairs Officer Steve Caballero
(414) 297-1700
Follow us on X
Former General Manager for U.S. Defense Contractor Sentenced to 87 Months for Selling Stolen Trade Secrets to Russian BrokerRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON — Peter Williams, 39, an Australian national who was employed by a U.S. defense contractor, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 87 months in federal prison for selling his employer’s trade secrets to a Russian cyber-tools broker, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
“Williams took trade secrets comprised of national security software and sold them for up to $4 million in crypto currency. These incredibly powerful tools would have allowed Russia to access millions of digital devices,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “By betraying a position of trust and selling sensitive American technology, Williams’ crime is not only one of theft, it is a crime of national security. Our nation’s defense capabilities are not commodities to be auctioned off. People like Williams who endanger our national security will be met with swift and decisive consequences.”
“Peter Williams stole a U.S. defense contractor’s trade secrets about highly sensitive cyber capabilities and sold them to a broker whose clients include the Russian government, putting our national security and countless potential victims at risk,” said Assistant Director Roman Rozhavsky of the FBI’s Counterintelligence and Espionage Division. “The FBI and our partners remain unwavering in our commitment to protecting America’s critical technologies, and we will ensure any who attempt to profit at our nation’s expense face the full weight of the criminal justice system. Let this be a clear warning to all who consider placing greed over country: If you betray your position of trust and sell sensitive American technology to our foreign adversaries, the FBI will not rest until you’re brought to justice.”
“Williams’ self-serving actions caused significant loss and harm to his employer, the United States government, and its partners,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul of the Baltimore Field Office. “Today’s sentencing serves as a warning for anyone who knowingly endangers our national security. The FBI will pursue all such individuals and ensure justice is served."
Williams, who resides in the District, pleaded guilty on Oct. 29, 2025, before Judge Loren L. AliKhan to two counts of theft of trade secrets. In addition to the 87-month prison term, Judge AliKhan ordered Williams to serve three years of supervised release, to pay $1.3 million in restitution and $1.3 million in forfeitures.
According to court documents, the trade secrets were comprised of national-security focused software that included at least eight sensitive and protected cyber-exploit components. Those components were meant to be sold exclusively to the U.S. government and select allies.
Beginning in April 2022 and continuing through August 2025, Williams used his access to the defense contractor’s secure network to steal the cyber exploit components that constituted the trade secrets. Williams resold the stolen components in contracts worth up to $4 million in cryptocurrency, and he received $1.3 million for the specific exploits he provided.
To initiate these sales, Williams entered into multiple written contracts with the Russian broker, which involved payment for the initial sale of the components, and additional periodic payments for follow-on support. Williams transferred the eight components and trade secrets to the Russian broker through encrypted means.
Williams’ transactions with the Russian broker continued even after he was aware the FBI was investigating the activity and had interviewed him about the theft of trade secrets.
Williams used the illegal proceeds to buy himself high-value items that included a 2022 Tesla Model X, a 2018 Porche Panamera, jewelry, watches, clothing, and properties. In addition, he spent $5,000 for four pieces of luxury luggage and over $715,000 for luxury vacations between 2022 and 2025.
Joining U.S. Attorney Pirro in making the announcement were U.S. Attorney General Pamela Bondi, Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg, and FBI Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul of the Baltimore Field Office.
This case was investigated by the FBI Baltimore Field Office.
The matter was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tejpal Chawla for the District of Columbia, Trial Attorney Prava Palacharla for the National Security Division’s (NSD) National Security Cyber Section, and Trial Attorney Nicholas Hunter for NSD’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.
25cr322
Former General Manager for U.S. Defense Contractor Sentenced to 87 Months for Selling Stolen Trade Secrets to Russian BrokerRead the Press Release
Today, Peter Williams, 39, an Australian national, was sentenced in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to 87 months in prison for selling his employer’s trade secrets — sensitive and protected cyber-exploit components — to a Russian cyber-tools broker, announced the Department of Justice. In addition to the 87-month prison term, U.S. District Court Judge AliKhan for the District of Columbia ordered Williams to serve three years of supervised release with special conditions, to forfeit a money judgment of $1.3 million, cryptocurrency and property to include a house, and luxury items such as watches and jewelry. The Court also set a restitution hearing for May 12, 2026.
“Williams exploited his senior role at a U.S. defense contractor to enrich himself at the expense of the United States and his employer,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “The tools he compromised were intended to protect this Nation; instead, he auctioned them off to a Russian bidder. We are committed to ensuring that those who abuse their access to sensitive information and thereby harm our national security face severe consequences.”
“Peter Williams stole a U.S. defense contractor’s trade secrets about highly sensitive cyber capabilities and sold them to a broker whose clients include the Russian government, putting our national security and countless potential victims at risk,” said Assistant Director Roman Rozhavsky of the FBI’s Counterintelligence and Espionage Division. “The FBI and our partners remain unwavering in our commitment to protecting America’s critical technologies, and we will ensure any who attempt to profit at our nation’s expense face the full weight of the criminal justice system. Let this be a clear warning to all who consider placing greed over country: If you betray your position of trust and sell sensitive American technology to our foreign adversaries, the FBI will not rest until you’re brought to justice.”
“Williams took trade secrets comprised of national security software and sold them for up to $4 million in crypto currency. These incredibly powerful tools would have allowed Russia to access millions of digital devices,” said U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro for the District of Columbia. “By betraying a position of trust and selling sensitive American technology, Williams’ crime is not only one of theft, it is a crime of national security. Our nation’s defense capabilities are not commodities to be auctioned off. People like Williams who endanger our national security will be met with swift and decisive consequences.”
On Oct. 29, 2025, Williams pleaded guilty in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to two counts of theft of trade secrets. As part of his plea agreement, Williams admitted that he stole eight cyber-exploit components over a three-year period from the U.S. defense contractor where he worked. This national-security focused software was meant to be sold exclusively to the U.S. government and select allies. Williams admitted that he sold the trade secrets to a Russian cyber-tools broker in exchange for cryptocurrency payments, which he used to buy valuable items, such as luxury vacations, jewelry, watches, clothing, and properties.
To effectuate these sales, Williams entered into multiple written contracts with the Russian broker, which involved payment for the initial sale of the components, and additional periodic payments for follow-on support. Williams transferred the eight components and trade secrets to the Russian broker through encrypted means. This cyber-tools broker publicly advertises itself as a reseller of cyber exploits to various customers, including the Russian government. Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) and the Department of State took separate actions to disrupt a Russian cyber-tools broker and its operators.
Williams admitted that his actions cost the government contractor a financial loss of $35 million dollars. Williams’ conduct also had significant impact on the government contractor’s customers, to include U.S. government and allied government customers. In issuing her sentence today District Court Judge AliKhan stated, “Theft of trade secrets from a company that sells national security-focused cyber and intelligence software to the U.S. government and allied governments necessarily implicates national security, and Mr. Williams indeed acknowledges that his actions caused harm to the intelligence communities, both in the U.S. and Australia.”
This case was investigated by the FBI Baltimore Field Office. The matter is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tejpal Chawla and Jason McCullough for the District of Columbia, Trial Attorney Prava Palacharla for the National Security Division’s (NSD) National Security Cyber Section, and Trial Attorney Nicholas Hunter for NSD’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.
Substantial assistance was also provided by U.S. Attorney Scott Bradford for the District of Oregon prior to his current appointment, and by paralegal Mariela Andrade.
Florida Man Pleads Guilty to Defrauding Local Doctor of Almost $500,000Read the Press Release
LYNCHBURG, Va. – A Miramar, Florida man pled guilty yesterday to perpetuating a two-year scheme to defraud a Lynchburg doctor out of nearly a half million dollars.
Tommie Lee Nelson, 65, pled guilty to one count of wire fraud. At sentencing, Nelson faces a maximum sentence of up to 20 years in prison.
According to court documents, beginning around April 2020, the victim, a Lynchburg doctor, sought to purchase a commercial building in Danville, Virginia, in partnership with an agricultural cooperative. Nelson represented himself to the victim as a “hard money” lender who could assist in purchasing the building.
Through Nelson’s fraudulent representations, he convinced the victim to wire him several payments from July 2020 and into 2021, ultimately totaling almost $500,000. Despite Nelson’s representations, these payments did not go toward the building purchase. Instead, Nelson spent the victim’s money at casinos and for his personal benefit.
By 2021, the purchase agreement had fallen through, and Nelson stopped responding to the victim’s calls.
Acting United States Attorney Robert N. Tracci and Ian Kaufmann, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Division made the announcement today.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Drew Inman is prosecuting the case for the United States.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case.
First Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarcone and Ophardt Meet in VermontRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – On January 29, 2026, First Assistant U.S. Attorney John A. Sarcone and leadership from FBI Albany met with District of Vermont First Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan A. Ophardt at his office in Burlington. They discussed combating drug and human trafficking and collaboration to shut down drug trafficking and human smuggling networks across the New York–Vermont border.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney John A. Sarcone stated, “The close partnership between the Northern District of New York and the District of Vermont is essential to disrupting the criminal networks that exploit our shared border. By strengthening coordination among federal prosecutors and our law enforcement partners, including the FBI, we are better positioned to dismantle drug trafficking and human smuggling organizations that threaten the safety and well-being of our communities. Together, we will continue to pursue these cases aggressively and hold offenders accountable.”
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan A. Ophardt stated, “Coordination with our colleagues in the Northern District of New York is vital to countering criminal organizations who undermine the safety of Vermonters and New Yorkers alike. I’m grateful for our partnership with the dedicated federal prosecutors in Plattsburgh and Albany, and the support of the FBI in investigating and prosecuting these networks.”
FBI Special Agent in Charge Craig Tremaroli stated, “FBI Albany is fortunate to have such tremendously strong partners in both the Northern District of New York and the District of Vermont. By working together, we can ensure we are dedicating the appropriate resources to identify, investigate, and bring to justice the dangerous criminals crossing our state borders to bring harmful narcotics into our communities and threatening our most vulnerable.”
Pictured above (left to right): Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Albany Special Agent in Charge Craig Tremaroli, Northern District of New York First Assistant U.S. Attorney John A. Sarcone III, Vermont First Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan A. Ophardt, and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Albany Assistant Special Agent in Charge Luis Alvarez.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Speaks at the New York State Sheriff’s Association Winter Training ConferenceRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – On January 21, 2026, First Assistant U.S. Attorney John A. Sarcone III gave remarks at the New York State Sheriff’s Association Winter Training Conference. At the conference, First Assistant Sarcone discussed collaboration across the 32 counties in the Northern District of New York to investigate crimes, protect local communities, and ensure dangerous criminals are prosecuted and detained.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarcone stated, “The partnership between federal, state, and local law enforcement across the 32 counties of the Northern District of New York is essential to protecting our communities and one of my top priorities. By working closely with our sheriffs and investigators, we strengthen our ability to disrupt violent crime, combat narcotics trafficking, and ensure that dangerous offenders are prosecuted and held accountable. I truly appreciate the opportunity to give remarks highlighting the critical collaboration between federal and state law enforcement that has taken place in the Northern District of New York.”
Juan Figueroa, Ulster County Sheriff and President of the Sheriff’s Association, stated “The New York State Sheriff’s Association was honored to have the First Assistant United States Attorney for the Northern District to discuss prosecution of criminals committing felonies in New York State and how we can collaborate on sensitive investigations.”
John Sarcone speaking at New York State Sheriff’s Association Winter Training Conference
Felon Sentenced to 12 and A Half Years in Prison for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – A Las Vegas man was sentenced today by United States District Judge Andrew P. Gordon to 150 months in prison to be followed by four years of supervised release for possessing methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine with intent to sell from his apartment.
According to court documents, on or about June 29, 2023, Elijah Sylee Shelton possessed with the intent to distribute over 300 grams of methamphetamine, over 45 grams of fentanyl, and nearly six grams of cocaine. Shelton has prior felony convictions including burglaries and using and carrying a firearm during a crime of violence. He was on federal supervised release at the time of the current crimes.
In October 2025, a jury convicted Shelton of three counts: (1) possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine; (2) possession with intent to distribute fentanyl; and (3) possession with intent to distribute cocaine. Shelton hid most of the drugs in women’s purses inside his apartment’s ventilation system.
First Assistant United States Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Christopher S. Delzotto for the FBI Las Vegas Division made the announcement.
This case was investigated by the FBI and Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys James Gaeta and Joshua Brister prosecuted the case.
###
Federal Court Sentences Guam Brothers and a Mexican Illegal Alien for Drug Trafficking and Money Laundering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Hagåtña, Guam – SHAWN N. ANDERSON, United States Attorney for the Districts of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, announces that the U.S. District Court of Guam has imposed sentences on defendants involved in a multi‑state drug‑trafficking and money‑laundering conspiracy operating between Guam and the U.S. mainland.
Jeremy Laitan Cruz, age 40, from Dededo, Guam was sentenced on February 23, 2026 to 120 months imprisonment for his role. He was convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute Fifty or More Grams of Methamphetamine Hydrochloride, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 846, 841(a)(1), and (b)(1)(A)(viii), and Conspiracy to Engage in Monetary Transactions with Proceeds of Specified Unlawful Activity, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1956(h) and 2. The Court also imposed five years of supervised release, 50 hours of community service, and $200 special assessment fee.
Eric Shawn Cruz, age 35, of Dededo, Guam, previously pleaded guilty and sentenced on October 9, 2025, to 120 months imprisonment for Conspiracy to Distribute Fifty (50) or More Grams of Methamphetamine Hydrochloride (Count 1), in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 846, 841 (a)(1) and (b)(1)(A)(viii) and Conspiracy to Engage in Monetary Transactions with Proceeds of Specified Unlawful Activity (Count 34), in violation of 18 U.S.C § 1956(h) and 2. The Court also imposed five years of supervised release, 50 hours of community service, and $200 special assessment fee.
Jonovan Michael Cruz, age 33, from Dededo, Guam, was a co‑defendant and sibling of Jeremy and Eric. His case was dismissed due to his untimely passing.
Jose Quevedo Salazar, age 33, a citizen of Mexico and an illegal alien in the United States, residing in Florida, previously pleaded guilty and was sentenced on October 9, 2025, to 24 months imprisonment, with credit for time served, for Conspiracy to Engage in Monetary Transactions with Proceeds of Specified Unlawful Activity, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1956(h) and 2. The Court also imposed one year of supervised release, 50 hours of community service, and $100 special assessment fee.
From at least September 3, 2023, to September 12, 2023, Jeremy Cruz and his brothers Jonovan and Eric conspired to distribute methamphetamine on Guam. The brothers coordinated the purchase of methamphetamine from the U.S. mainland, arranged for its shipment to Guam, and planned to distribute the drugs locally while sharing the proceeds.
Investigators found that the conspirators used Facebook Messenger to coordinate shipment, pricing, and distribution. In early September 2023, Eric Cruz—then residing in Florida—mailed a parcel containing approximately 228 grams of methamphetamine to a Guam address provided by Jeremy Cruz. Jonovan and Jeremy exchanged tracking information, and a screenshot of the tracking number was inadvertently posted publicly on social media.
On September 12, 2023, federal agents located the parcel upon its arrival in Guam, obtained a search warrant, and seized the methamphetamine before delivery. The brothers exchanged messages afterward expressing concern that the shipment had been intercepted.
From at least July 2023 through October 23, 2023, Jeremy Cruz, his brothers, and Salazar engaged in a money‑laundering scheme designed to conceal the source and ownership of proceeds from methamphetamine distribution. Cruz, his brothers, and Salazar used multiple intermediaries and methods to move funds between Guam, Florida, and California, disguising the illicit nature of the transactions.
“We will continue our aggressive enforcement efforts against drug traffickers who use our mail system to facilitate their illegal activity,” stated United States Attorney Anderson. “Anyone involved with the shipment of drugs in the mail can become the target of an investigation and face substantial time in a federal prison. This case demonstrates effective law enforcement in combatting drug trafficking across multiple jurisdictions. I applaud the efforts of our agency partners in this successful operation.”
“Today’s sentencing sends a stern warning to all drug traffickers who peddle drugs and endanger the safety and wellbeing of our island communities. There will be accountability for your actions, and these types of illicit activities will not be tolerated,” said Anthony Chrysanthis, Special Agent in Charge for the DEA Los Angeles Field Division, which oversees Guam. “Our successful partnerships and collaboration with federal, state and local agencies underscore DEA’s unwavering commitment to protect the United States by disrupting the illicit methamphetamine supply chain, reducing its availability, and saving lives.”
“Our message with the sentencing of Jeremy Laitan Cruz is clear: We will aggressively investigate and bring to justice every individual using the U.S. Mail to transport crystal methamphetamine into Guam,” said Stephen Sherwood, Postal Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s San Francisco Division. “Achieving successful case resolutions in Guam such as with U.S. v. Cruz, et al., is only possible due to our strong partnerships with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Guam, members of the Guam Interdictions and Anti-Narcotics Trafficking (GIANT) Task Force, and our federal law enforcement partners. The GIANT Task Force Members include the Guam Customs and Quarantine Agency, Guam Police Department, and Guam Army National Guard Counter Drug Program.”
The investigation was led by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the United States Postal Inspection Service, with assistance from the Guam Customs and Quarantine Agency and the Guam Police Department.
Assistant United States Attorney Benjamin K. Petersburg prosecuted the case in the District of Guam.
Falconer man is going to prison for 20 years for his role in a cold case murderRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. — U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Anthony Neubauer, 39, of Falconer, NY, who was convicted of aiding and abetting a kidnapping, was sentenced to serve 20 years in prison by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael J. Adler and Timothy C. Lynch, who handled the case, stated that on May 27, 2014, Neubauer and Matthew Rudy kidnapped Joseph Anthony and then traveled from Jamestown, NY, to Rudy’s property in Pennsylvania. Anthony was tricked into traveling to Pennsylvania by an offer of cocaine. Neubauer and Rudy took Anthony to Pennsylvania because they believed he was a cooperator. After arriving in Pennsylvania, Neubauer and Rudy told Anthony they did not have any cocaine, before shooting and killing him, and then burying him on Rudy’s property.
Matthew Rudy was previously convicted and sentenced to prison.
“Anthony Neubauer and his co-defendant went to great lengths to silence a person they believed was cooperating in a law enforcement investigation, including kidnapping, crossing state lines, murder and disposing of a body” stated U.S. Attorney DiGiacomo. “A lot of time may have passed, but our law enforcement partners demonstrated perseverance and unwavering determination, which ultimately resulted in uncovering Neubauer’s actions. As a consequence, he will now spend the next two decades in prison.”
“Today’s sentencing of Anthony Neubauer reflects the FBI’s unwavering commitment to pursuing justice, no matter how much time has passed,” said Philip Tejera, Special Agent-in-Charge of the FBI’s Buffalo Field Office. “When the Jamestown Police Department requested assistance with this cold case murder investigation, the FBI surged resources across Western New York and northern Pennsylvania. By combining investigative technology and proven tactics, we were able to secure justice for the victim and his family.”
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Jamestown Police Department, under the direction of Interim Chief Scott D. Forster and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Philip Tejera. Additional assistance was provided by the Warren County, PA, District Attorney’s Office.
# # # #
Durham Man Sentenced to 17 Years in Prison for Conspiring to Distribute Kilograms of FentanylRead the Press Release
GREENSBORO, N.C. – On February 23, 2026, Kevin Johnson, age 43 of Durham, was sentenced to 204 months in prison for multiple felony drug offenses.
In October 2025, Johnson pled guilty to conspiring to distribute cocaine and fentanyl, one count of distributing cocaine, and two counts of distributing fentanyl. Johnson appeared before Judge William L. Osteen, Jr. and was also sentenced to 5 years of supervised release following his prison term.
According to evidence presented at yesterday’s sentencing hearing, Johnson sold cocaine and fentanyl in Durham. He received a kilogram of fentanyl for distribution in early 2025 and purchased two additional kilograms of fentanyl that were intercepted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in May 2025 during the search of a tractor-trailer truck. Agents also recovered twenty kilograms of cocaine destined for another member of the conspiracy. Johnson was employed by Bull City United from June 2023 to January 2024.
Dan Bishop, United States Attorney for the Middle District of North Carolina, made the announcement and thanked the Federal Bureau of Investigation and partner agencies for their work that led to the seizure and prosecution. Bishop said, “Kevin Johnson held himself out as someone who cared about his community but then sold poison in that same community. We will continue to address the scourge of fentanyl through federal prosecution.”
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. The HSTF agencies involved in this case include agents and officers from FBI Raleigh Durham Safe Streets Task Force, Durham County Sheriff’s Office, Chapel Hill Police Department, Durham Police Department, NC DAC Special Operations and Intelligence Unit, NC State Bureau of Investigation, Wake County Sheriff’s Office, and Homeland Security Investigations.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Nicole R. DuPré and Eric L. Iverson.
###
Department of Justice Selects U.S. Attorney’s Office in Chicago as Leading Prosecutorial Partner on Trade Fraud Task ForceRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, today announced that the Department of Justice has selected the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Chicago to be a lead prosecutorial partner on a task force designed to bring robust enforcement against importers, purchasers, supply chain actors, and other parties who seek to defraud the United States. Those with information about serious trade fraud schemes should consider filing a False Claims Act case in the District or making a voluntary disclosure or criminal referral under one of the avenues available for cooperators or whistleblowers.
The Department of Justice recently created the Trade Fraud Task Force to aggressively pursue enforcement actions against parties who seek to evade federal customs laws, as well as smugglers who seek to import prohibited goods into the American economy. Those engaged in fraud increasingly are attempting to illegally import below-market, industry-destabilizing goods without paying lawful duties or smuggling prohibited items that violate laws addressing public health, safety, intellectual property rights, and national security by allowing dangerous, restricted, or adversarial materials to bypass critical screening protocols. Trade fraud not only deprives the government of vital revenue used to reinvest in the country, but also threatens critical domestic industries, undermines consumer confidence, and weakens national security. At an economic level, illegally transshipped, mislabeled, and misdeclared merchandise also creates a two-tier pricing structure for imported products: higher prices for buyers and sellers unwilling to transact in transshipped, mislabeled, and misdeclared merchandise, and cheaper prices for those willing to do so or who are otherwise indifferent.
In a significant policy speech on Monday at the Forum on Trade Investigations Enforcement and Litigation in Arlington, Va., the Head of the Department of Justice’s Trade Fraud Task Force, Cody Matthew Herche, announced that the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Chicago will serve as a lead prosecutorial partner on the Task Force, along with attorneys from the Department of Justice and agents from the Department of Homeland Security and the Environmental Protection Agency. In the speech, Mr. Herche praised U.S. Attorney Boutros for his “partnership and extensive thought leadership in highlighting and combatting trade fraud” as well as his decades-long work in the space both as a federal prosecutor and thereafter.
When U.S. Attorney Boutros served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in Chicago from 2008 to 2015, he led what still stand as the Department of Justice’s largest-ever criminal trade fraud prosecutions, spanning 27 corporate and individual defendants across multiple indictments[1], with losses totaling approximately $260 million. Those cases provide valuable insight into how the Trade Fraud Task Force will build future criminal prosecutions. After his initial public service as a federal prosecutor, U.S. Attorney Boutros handled many matters and investigations involving trade fraud, authored numerous articles and book chapters on the subject, and served as the keynote speaker at several noteworthy legal conferences throughout the country.
“As Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. observed, ‘[A] page of history is worth a volume of logic,’” said U.S. Attorney Boutros. “Early in my career as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in this Office, I led a series of momentous trade fraud prosecutions that laid the groundwork for the Trade Fraud Task Force. There were many unprecedented challenges in these difficult cases, but I was determined by a strong sense of the law and all equities, while also being fortified by an unwavering agency partner in the Department of Homeland Security in Chicago. Together we persevered and worked relentlessly for years to bring what still stand as the largest and most significant criminal trade fraud cases in our nation’s history. I take great pride in knowing that we were the architects of this enforcement area and that we were decades ahead of our time. It is also deeply satisfying that the vision we had for this enforcement area nearly 20 years ago has now been adopted at the very highest levels of the Department and is being implemented across the whole of government.”
The Northern District of Illinois spans 18 counties—from the Lake Michigan shoreline on the eastern edge of Illinois to the Mississippi River on the state’s western border—and serves as a major transit hub in the middle of the United States. Air and water transportation centers in northern Illinois are critically important global, national, and regional connectors. The Illinois International Port District, also known as the Port of Chicago, annually moves more than 19 million tons of cargo. Located along Lake Michigan on Chicago’s Southeast Side, the Port of Chicago provides the means to move bulk commodities across the Chicago region and beyond, whether by water, train, or truck. O’Hare International Airport in Chicago was the 13th largest air cargo hub in the world in 2024 (the most recent year for which final data is available), moving more than two million tons of cargo, while Chicago Rockford International Airport in Rockford, Ill., moves more than a million tons of cargo per year, making it the 13th busiest airport for cargo in the United States. Under our federal criminal laws, any offense involving the importation of an object may be inquired of, and prosecuted in, any district from, through, or into which the imported object or person moves.
“Chicago is one of the largest and most significant inland ports in the United States, allowing for expansive venue opportunities for criminal and civil trade fraud matters,” said U.S. Attorney Boutros. “Trade compliance is a key concern for not only our region’s economic security, but also that of our entire nation’s. The Chicago U.S. Attorney’s Office will be strongly committed to holding parties accountable for their fraudulent schemes that undermine honest American competitors. We are proud to stand with our Department of Justice and agency partners as a prosecutorial leader of the Trade Fraud Task Force. I applaud the Administration for bringing greater focus, intensity, efficiency, and impact to prosecuting all varieties of trade fraud and safeguarding American ingenuity and security.”
The Trade Fraud Task Force will advance President Trump’s America First Trade Policy by pursuing those who violate customs laws through duty and penalty collection actions under the Tariff Act of 1930, actions under the False Claims Act, and, where appropriate, parallel criminal prosecutions, penalties, forfeitures, and seizures. The Trade Fraud Task Force encourages importers, their agents, purchasers, other supply chain actors, and industrial and commercial end-users to conduct thorough audits of their sourcing, purchasing, and importing practices, and voluntarily self-disclose and remediate unlawful behavior. In addition, the Trade Fraud Task Force welcomes False Claims Act filings as well as referrals and cooperation from the domestic industries that are most harmed by unfair trade practices and trade fraud.
[1]Among the cases U.S. Attorney Boutros brought as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Northern District of Illinois in the criminal trade fraud area were: U.S. v. Giesselbach, et al., 08 CR 417; U.S. v. Yong Xiang Yan, 09 CR 424; U.S. v. Hung Ta Fan, 10 CR 198; U.S. v. Shu Bei Yuan, 11 CR 84; U.S. v. Couture, 11 CR 781; U.S. v. Hung Yi Lin, 13 CR 125; U.S. v. Groeb Farms, Inc., 13 CR 137; U.S. v. Murphy, et al., 13 CR 138; U.S. v. Jun Yang, 13 CR 139; and U.S. v. Urbain Tran, 13 CR 140.
Convicted Felon Sentenced to More than Eight Years in Prison for Firearms and Identity Theft OffensesRead the Press Release
MIAMI – A convicted felon was sentenced Feb. 3 to 104 months in federal prison after a drive-by shooting investigation uncovered firearms, contraband, and stolen personal information.
U.S. District Judge David S. Leibowitz imposed the sentence on Keith Bethel, 34, after a federal jury found him guilty of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, possession of fifteen or more unauthorized access devices, and aggravated identity theft.
“What began as a drive-by shooting investigation led to the discovery of illegal firearms, stolen identities, and a calculated fraud operation,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “Federal investigators uncovered a dangerous combination of violence and identity theft that harmed real people — from a foster care specialist to a young Air Force firefighter. The Southern District of Florida will continue working with our partners to dismantle criminal enterprises and protect our community.”
According to evidence presented at trial, on July 18, 2023, law enforcement responded to a high-caliber drive-by shooting at a residence in a Lauderhill neighborhood. Law enforcement learned that Bethel — who was on an ankle monitor at the time due to a prior felony conviction — fled the residence after the shooting.
A search of the residence, described as a “trap house,” revealed multiple firearms, including a large-capacity Draco-style firearm, ammunition, and extensive evidence of identity-theft activity. Investigators uncovered folders containing victims’ personal identifying information, stolen mail, blank checks, and a ledger with scripts and instructions for defrauding individuals and financial institutions.
Victims in the case included a Florida basketball coach, a foster care specialist, a retired nurse, and a young U.S. Air Force firefighter, all of whom suffered the theft and misuse of their personal information.
U.S. Attorney Reding Quiñones and Acting Special Agent in Charge José R. Figueroa of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Miami, made the announcement.
HSI Miami investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kseniya Smychkouskaya and General Crimes Chief Joseph Egozi prosecuted 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-60103.
###
Contractor Who Committed $1.7 Million in Pandemic Fraud Sentenced to 3 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Cristian M. Stevens on Tuesday sentenced a St. Louis area contractor who fraudulently obtained $1.7 million in pandemic loans to three years in prison and ordered her to repay the money.
Coretta “Cory” Elliott, 53, owned and operated CMT LLC, a contractor that provided commercial construction, demolition, roofing, landscaping and remediation services. CMT also did business as CMT Roofing LLC. Elliott fraudulently obtained a first draw Paycheck Protection Program loan of $875,000 for CMT Roofing in 2020 and a second draw loan of $833,333 in 2021 by falsely certifying that the loans would be used for business-related purposes. She also inflated her company’s monthly payroll to get larger loans. She later received forgiveness of the loans by falsely claiming in two applications that she used the money for payroll and other legitimate business expenses.
PPP loans were intended to help save businesses and the jobs of their employees during the COVID-19 pandemic by funding payroll, lease payments, utility payments and other business expenses. Elliott saw the loans as a way to “save herself financially,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Hal Goldsmith said during Tuesday’s hearing. Elliott diverted $200,000 into her investment account and used a total of $559,455 to pay dues owed by her companies to various construction unions. Those union dues pay for health insurance, sick pay and vacation pay. She used more of the PPP loan money for other personal purposes.
"We will never know whether Coretta Elliott’s business would have legitimately qualified for disaster relief funds. However, by submitting substantial false information across multiple applications, she fraudulently secured $1.7 million in funds," said Special Agent in Charge Chris Crocker of the FBI St. Louis Division. "Her deceit not only led to her unlawfully obtaining far more than she may have otherwise been entitled to, but it also gave her an unfair competitive advantage over other local contractors. This type of criminal conduct, driven by greed, undermines the integrity of the disaster relief system and harms those who play by the rules."
Elliott pleaded guilty in November in U.S. District Court to two counts of wire fraud.
The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Hal Goldsmith prosecuted the case.
Chinese illegal alien sentenced to 8 years in prison for role in fraud scheme targeting elderly Americans’ retirement & savings accountsRead the Press Release
DAYTON, Ohio – Xiangyang He, 41, a Chinese national and illegal alien living in Los Angeles, was sentenced in U.S. District Court here to 96 months in prison for his role as a courier in a fraud scheme that targeted elderly Americans. He personally picked up more than half a million dollars in cash and gold from older victims, including at least one victim in Ohio.
“Retired Americans unknowingly give away their hard-earned retirement savings to criminals like He, an illegal alien who preyed on a vulnerable population,” said U.S. Attorney Dominick S. Gerace II. “This sort of conspiracy uses deceptive tactics and fear to steal millions of dollars in savings and retirement accounts from hardworking Americans. My office will do everything we can to protect our elderly citizens. And we want folks to be aware of these schemes so they can protect themselves from future fraud attempts.”
According to court documents, victims of the scam are usually contacted initially through a message sent to their computer or cell phone or an unsolicited phone call by a person purporting to be an employee or customer service representative from a legitimate business.
A conspirator then directs the victim to contact either a “security official” for the given company or a “government employee” for more information. The conspirators represent to the victim that an IP address, bank account or other account has been compromised, and victim information has been used in some sort of criminal activity for which they are being investigated.
The scheme perpetrators often use fictitious employee identification numbers or names of legitimate government employees. They also tell victims there is a warrant for their arrest or their life savings will be seized.
Finally, elderly victims are instructed to withdraw large amounts of cash or purchase gold bars from online brokers and give the cash or gold to a “government employee” at a specific time and place for purported safe keeping in secure government accounts.
From late February through early April 2024, He flew to at least six different states to pick up approximately 17 packages from victims ages 65 or older. Packages included $35,000 to $73,000 in cash or gold. On April 4, 2024, He traveled to the Southern District of Ohio to retrieve funds from a victim and was subsequently arrested.
The defendant was indicted by a grand jury in April 2024 and pleaded guilty in November 2024 to conspiring to commit wire and bank fraud.
Dominick S. Gerace II, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Jason Rees, Special Agent in Charge, United States Secret Service, announced the sentence imposed on Feb. 23 by U.S. District Court Judge Michael J. Newman. Assistant United States Attorney Elizabeth L. McCormick and Special Assistant United States Attorney Dwight K. Keller are representing the United States in this case.
Anyone who suspects they or a loved one is a victim of such a fraud can report it by calling the National Elder Fraud Hotline at 1-833-FRAUD-11, or go to the Department of Justice’s Elder Justice Initiative website for more information at www.Justice.gov/elderjustice.
# # #
Carlyle man sentenced to prison for maintaining a drug houseRead the Press Release
BENTON, Ill. – A district judge sentenced a Carlyle man to 46 months’ imprisonment after he admitted to operating a drug house near a park.
John E. Kock, 52, pleaded guilty to one count of maintaining a drug-involved premises. Following imprisonment, Kock will serve three years of supervised release.
“Operating a drug house steps away from a park puts families and children at risk,” said U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to prosecuting cases with a strong community impact in neighborhoods of all sizes, and we will hold offenders accountable.”
According to court documents, Kock allowed others staying at his residence to use and distribute meth between March 2020 and October 2023. Law enforcement conducted controlled buys of meth from people living in the home and executed search warrants which recovered drug paraphernalia.
“Community safety is a top priority for this office. Sentences like this one show that we will hold accountable anyone who turns their home into a hub for illegal drug activity and threaten the safety of hardworking families," said FBI-Springfield Acting Special Agent in Charge Ruben Marchand-Morales. "Our work doesn't stop here; we remain committed to continuing working with our law enforcement partners to aggressively investigate and disrupt drug trafficking, reduce violent crime, and ensure that every neighborhood is a safer place to live, work, and raise a family."
The property was located in the 1600 block of Livingston Street in Carlyle across the street from a park.
The FBI Springfield Field Office, TOC-West Task Force and Carlyle Police Department conducted the investigation with the assistance of Clinton County Sherrif’s Office and Fayette County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Hudson prosecuted the case.
Carjacking Nets D.C. Woman 70 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON — Angel Hall, 25, of the District of Columbia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 70 months in prison for her role in a 2024 armed carjacking of a woman in Southeast, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Hall and her co-defendant Brian Allison, 56, each pleaded guilty on Sept. 23, 2025, to one charge of carjacking and aiding and abetting. In addition to the prison term, Judge Tanya S. Chutkan ordered Hall to serve three years of supervised release. Allison is scheduled to be sentenced next month.
According to court documents, on Feb. 1, 2024, about 11 p.m., Allison and Hall followed the victim into a takeout restaurant on the 4500 block of Benning Road, SE. Allison and Hall left without ordering, but followed the victim as she left with her food.
Allison approached the victim as she walked to her vehicle. As Hall stood lookout, Allison flashed the butt of a pistol that he was carrying in his pocket, and said, “Gimme those f---ing keys or I’m gonna bust your head.”
After the victim handed over her keys, Allison demanded her phone and wallet. Allison then asked for the PIN number to her debit card. The victim provided the number. Allison told the victim if the PIN was not correct, he would kill her.
Using the key fob, Allison tried to open the trunk to force the victim into it. Allison could not get the trunk open, so he ordered her into the front passenger's seat. Hall got into the back seat. Allison got into the driver’s seat and pulled away.
Allison drove the victim and Hall to a grocery store in Capitol Heights, Maryland. Allison then told Hall to “bust” the victim if she tried to leave.
Allison entered the store with the victim’s debit card, withdrew $500 from an ATM, and bought some food and other items. He returned to vehicle and drove them all back to the District.
Allison parked the car on the 5700 block of Southern Avenue SE. Once stopped, he took one of the victim’s gloves and wiped down the victim’s keys and the steering wheel. Allison returned the phone, keys, and wallet to the victim. Allison and Hall fled on foot towards Central Avenue, SE. The victim drove to the 6th District Station house and reported the incident.
Joining U.S. Attorney Pirro in the announcement were FBI Assistant Director in Charge Darren B. Cox of the Washington Field Office and Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and the FBI Washington Field Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Emory V. Cole.
24cr157
Canadian who traveled to Virginia intending to meet a minor for sex sentenced to 10 years in prisonRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Canadian man was sentenced today to 10 years in prison for attempted coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity.
According to court documents, on May 9, 2025, Tommy Varesh, 54, of Toronto, used a publicly-viewable online discussion platform to contact a person he believed to be a 15-year-old girl in the Washington area, but who was actually an undercover law enforcement officer (UC). Varesh indicated he was from New York and willing to travel to meet the UC for sex. Varesh asked the UC if she used birth control and told her he would buy emergency contraception. Varesh sent graphic sexual images of himself and persistently requested sexual images from the UC even though the UC expressed reluctance.
Varesh often reiterated the need for his relationship with the UC to remain a secret, especially from the UC’s mother and other adults and to ensure their communication was private. He also attempted to hide his intentions by moving their conversations to a platform from which messages were automatically deleted while also sending false messages to the original platform deceptively stating that he and the UC would not engage in sex.
On June 16, 2025, Varesh traveled to Virginia to meet the UC for sex. When he was arrested, he was carrying black lingerie and emergency contraception.
The FBI Washington Field Office and the Fairfax County Police Department investigated this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Halper and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Zoe Bedell 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. 1:25-cr-306.
Butte man sentenced to 3 years in prison for illegal firearm possessionRead the Press Release
MISSOULA – A Butte man who illegally possessed multiple firearms was sentenced today to 37 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Shawn Troy Thumper Saccheri, 49, pleaded guilty in October 2025 to one count of prohibited person in possession of a firearm.
U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided.
The government alleged in court documents that on November 27, 2024, law enforcement conducted a search at Saccheri’s residence after receiving information he possessed firearms. Prior to the search, Saccheri admitted he possessed prohibited items. Law enforcement located the following five firearms and ammunition at his residence:
- Harrington & Richardson model 765 Pioneer, .22 caliber rifle
- Winchester model 1912, 12-gauge shotgun with a shortened barrel
- Western Auto Supply Revelation model 120, .22 caliber rifle
- Remington model 870, 12-gauge shotgun
- Winchester model 97, 12-gauge shotgun
- Harrington and Richardson model Bay State shotgun receiver
- Assorted ammunition and a magazine
On October 11, 2018, Saccheri was convicted of distribution of dangerous drugs, a felony, in Flathead County and sentenced to six years to the Montana Department of Corrections. On June 9, 2023, he was convicted of possession of dangerous drugs, a felony, in Yellowstone County and sentenced to five years all suspended with credit for 160 days in custody. Each conviction is a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year which prohibits Saccheri from owning firearms.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Katy Stack prosecuted the case. The ATF conducted the investigation.
XXX
Bridgeport Man Sentenced to 54 Months in Prison for Role in Southwestern Connecticut Drug RingRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that TERRELL WILLS, 52, of Bridgeport, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford to 54 months of imprisonment and four years of supervised release for trafficking narcotics in southwestern Connecticut.
According to court documents and statements made in court, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Bridgeport High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force and Stamford Police Department identified Rodney Canada as the leader of a drug trafficking organization that was distributing large quantities of fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, and crack cocaine in Stamford and elsewhere in southwestern Connecticut. An investigation in 2024, which included court-authorized wiretaps and controlled purchases of narcotics, revealed that Canada and others orchestrated the street level distribution of narcotics through other members of the conspiracy. Investigators intercepted more than 5000 text messages and calls in which Canada coordinated his drug trafficking activities.
Wills, who formerly resided in Darien, was a trusted associate of Canada who primarily distributed cocaine. He also managed cash for the drug trafficking organization, and acted as a middleman between Canada and other drug sellers.
Wills, Canada, and other members of the conspiracy were arrested on May 14, 2024. On that date, investigators conducted court-authorized searches at locations in Stamford, Norwalk, Bridgeport, and Darien, and seized approximately three kilograms of cocaine, nearly 400 grams of raw fentanyl, more than 500 bags of fentanyl, five firearms, a bulletproof vest, and seven vehicles.
On October 10, 2025, Wills pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute cocaine.
Wills’ criminal history spans approximately 30 years and includes numerous convictions, including a federal narcotics trafficking conviction in March 2014 for which he was sentenced to 48 months in prison.
Wills, who is released on a $150,000 bond, is required to report to prison on April 24.
Canada pleaded guilty and, on December 15, 2025, was sentenced to 110 months of imprisonment.
This investigation has been conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Bridgeport High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force, the Stamford Police Department, the Bridgeport Police Department, and the U.S. Marshals Service, with the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Connecticut State Police, and the Norwalk, Danbury, and Darien Police Departments. The DEA HIDTA Task Force includes personnel from the DEA Bridgeport Resident Office, the Connecticut State Police, and the Norwalk, Stamford, Stratford, Milford, and Danbury Police Departments.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patricia Stolfi Collins and Geoffrey M. Stone.
Arizona man pleads guilty to assault and firearms offensesRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – An Arizona man has pleaded guilty to federal charges for assaulting a woman with a rifle after she tried to intervene in a suspected domestic violence incident.
According to court documents, on August 24, 2024, Jane Doe 2 saw Curley Nakai Jr., 25, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, engage in what she believed was a domestic violence incident involving Jane Doe 1. Concerned, she followed the pickup truck in which Nakai was a passenger to the Basha’s grocery store parking lot.
At the parking lot, Nakai exited the truck carrying a rifle, made threatening gestures toward Jane Doe 2, including pointing the rifle at her, and told her to leave. Jane Doe 2 drove some distance away but remained in the parking lot. During the incident, Jane Doe 1 exited the vehicle and walked away.
Nakai pleaded guilty to assault with a dangerous weapon and using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. At sentencing, Nakai faces not less than five years and up to life in prison.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Police Department and Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney Nicholas J. Marshall is prosecuting the case.
Arizona Surgical Hospital Agrees to Pay $5.6M to Resolve Alleged False Claims Act ViolationsRead the Press Release
Southwest Orthopedic and Spine Hospital LLC doing business as OASIS Hospital (OASIS), United Surgical Partners International Inc. (USPI), and Dignity/USP Phoenix Surgery Centers LLC, have agreed to pay $5.6 million to resolve alleged False Claims Act violations relating to improper financial relationships between OASIS and Southwest Orthopedic and Spine Hospital Physicians Group LLC (Southwest Physicians). OASIS is a surgical hospital located in Phoenix, Arizona. USPI disclosed the arrangements at issue to the government following a 2019 internal compliance review and independent investigation.
The settlement resolves allegations that from 2011 through 2018 OASIS made improper financial contributions to Southwest Physicians, a physician group that referred patients to OASIS. Those financial contributions allegedly took the form of interest payments on convertible bonds issued to the physicians’ group. The United States alleged that these arrangements violated both the Anti-Kickback Statute (AKS) and the Physician Self-Referral Law, commonly known as the Stark Law. The AKS prohibits the provision of remuneration to induce the referral of services or items that are paid for by a federal health care program. The Stark Law prohibits hospitals from billing for certain services referred by physicians with whom the hospital has a financial relationship, unless that relationship satisfies one of the law’s statutory or regulatory exceptions. A claim submitted in violation of the AKS or the Stark Law can also violate the False Claims Act.
“The AKS and Stark Law are designed to ensure that decisions about patient care are not influenced by physicians’ personal financial interest,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “As this settlement reflects, we will hold accountable those who violate these important safeguards, but we will also give credit when resolving such misconduct to those who fully disclose their mistakes, take appropriate remedial actions, and meaningfully cooperate with the government’s investigation.”
“Kickback schemes undermine the medical decision-making of medical professionals – including physicians – when such professional judgements should only serve the health and well-being of patients,” said Acting Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Scott J. Lampert at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “Both those who pay and those who receive kickbacks enrich themselves from such deals, but these schemes are corrosive to the integrity of our health care system and drive up the cost of health care for all of us. HHS-OIG will continue to collaborate with our law enforcement partners to protect taxpayer-funded health care programs and the millions of people in our country who rely on them.”
In connection with the settlement, the United States acknowledged that OASIS and USPI took a number of significant steps entitling them to credit for cooperating with the government. Following an internal compliance review and independent investigation, OASIS and USPI promptly took remedial actions and disclosed the relevant arrangements to the government. OASIS and USPI also provided the government with a detailed and thorough written disclosure and cooperated with the government throughout its investigation.
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General.
The investigation and resolution of this matter illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating healthcare fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).
The matter was handled by Fraud Section Senior Trial Counsel David Finkelstein.
The claims resolved by the United States in the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
Anchorage man sentenced to 14 years for drug trafficking, firearms crimesRead the Press Release
ANCHORAGE, Alaska – An Anchorage man was sentenced last week to 14 years in prison for trafficking methamphetamine and fentanyl and for possessing a firearm as a felon.
According to court documents, prior to the charged conduct, Christopher Nickalaskey, 34, had one state felony drug conviction and one 2017 federal conviction for possessing a firearm as a felon. In that case, Nickalaskey instigated a violent altercation with APD officers, pulling a loaded firearm during the struggle. Nickalaskey was sentenced to four years in federal prison for his conduct in the 2017 case.
On Sept. 7, 2023, Nickalaskey possessed two pistols and a backpack containing over a kilogram of methamphetamine.
U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Alaska, U.S. v. Nickalaskey, Case #: 2:24-cr-00026Nickalaskey planned to sell those drugs, as he received text messages asking about them on the day he was arrested.
Nickalaskey was later released on state bail.
On Oct. 1, 2023, APD received information that Nickalaskey was trespassing and possibly armed. APD arrived on scene and tried to pat down Nickalaskey, but he resisted, pulled out a gun and dropped to the floor. He struggled with several APD officers who were trying to tase and disarm him. The gun went off, and the bullet passed through Nickalaskey’s hip before hitting an APD officer in the knee. After the gun went off, an APD sergeant managed to pull the gun from Nickalaskey’s hand, but only after he bit the sergeant’s finger forcefully. Both officers recovered despite the serious injuries Nickalaskey caused.
In handing down the sentence, the Court also ordered Nickalaskey to serve 10 years on supervised release upon release from prison. The Court noted the defendant’s serious criminal history, including prior drug-related and violent convictions, when delivering the sentence.
“Mr. Nickalaskey is a repeat and dangerous criminal,” said U.S. Attorney Michael J. Heyman of the District of Alaska. “His lawlessness peaked when he brandished a prohibited weapon and injured two dedicated Anchorage police officers, earning himself 14 years behind bars. My office takes the threat of repeat, undeterred offenders seriously and will ensure they face the full weight of the law.”
“The defendant’s crimes involved drug trafficking, illegal possession of firearms, and acts of violence against law enforcement in our community – none of which will be tolerated by the FBI,” said Special Agent in Charge Rebecca Day of the FBI Anchorage Field Office. “Those who commit such crimes will be removed from our streets and met with decisive justice.”
“APD is grateful to all parties involved in the curtailing of drugs and illegal firearms within the community,” said Anchorage Police Department Chief Sean Case. “This decision by the court continues to send the strong message that APD and our Federal partners are committed to keeping our streets and communities safe. APD would also like to thank the FBI for helping during this investigation. Our partnership reflects the highest standards of law enforcement services provided in Anchorage.”
The FBI Anchorage Field Office and Anchorage Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer Ivers and Mac Caille Petersson prosecuted the case.
###
Activity in the U.S. Attorney's OfficeRead the Press Release
Assault
Dustin Vance Big Medicine, Jr, 24, of Riverton, Wyoming, was sentenced to four months and 11 days imprisonment with three years of supervised release for assaulting a federal officer. According to court documents, on June 4, 2025, a Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) officer was dispatched to tribal housing on the Wind River Reservation for a report of the defendant being violent towards emergency medical services employees. The officer arrested the defendant, and while the officer was walking the defendant to the patrol car, he gathered saliva in his mouth and then spat saliva on the officer’s ear and face. The BIA investigated the crime and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kerry J. Jacobson prosecuted the case. Big Medicine was indicted on Sept. 16, 2025, and pleaded guilty on Dec. 10, 2025. Chief U.S. District Judge Kelly H. Rankin imposed the sentence on Feb. 18, 2026, in Cheyenne. Case No. 24-CR-00134
Owen Thunder Kennedy, 25, of Farmington, New Mexico, was sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment with one year of supervised release for assault by striking, beating, or wounding. According to court documents, the defendant and the victim in the case were seasonal workers at Yellowstone National Park in the Old Faithful area. On the night of Sept. 15, 2021, while the defendant was visibly intoxicated, he forcibly shoved his hand under the victim’s shorts and grabbed her genitalia hard enough to cause the victim pain. Yellowstone National Park Law Enforcement investigated the crime. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kerry J. Jacobson prosecuted the case. The defendant was indicted on Sept. 16, 2025, and pleaded guilty on Dec. 5, 2025. Chief United States District Judge Kelly H. Rankin imposed the sentence on Feb. 20, 2026, in Cheyenne. Case No. 25-CR-00133
Drug Trafficking
Christine Holly Jensen, 55, from Fort Lupton, Colorado, was sentenced to 168 months’ imprisonment with four years of supervised release to follow for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. According to court documents, the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation was investigating Gerald White, of Medicine Bow, Wyoming (Case No. 25-00057) on drug trafficking charges. The investigation showed that on February 2, 2025, White drove to the defendant’s home in Fort Lupton, Colorado. Upon his return to Wyoming, officers stopped him and found approximately 670.4 grams (about 1.5 pounds) of methamphetamine in his truck. On October 9, 2025, the defendant was arrested at her home in Fort Lupton. She admitted to selling methamphetamine to White since 2023. The Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation, Drug Enforcement Administration and Albany County Sheriff’s Office investigated the crime. Jensen was indicted on Sept. 16, 2025, and pleaded guilty on Dec. 19, 2025. Chief U.S. District Judge Kelly H. Rankin imposed the sentence on Feb. 17 in Cheyenne. Case No. 25-CR-00127
The United States Attorney’s Office is responsible for representing the federal government in virtually all litigation involving the United States in the District of Wyoming, including all criminal prosecutions for violations of federal law, civil lawsuits brought by or against the government, and actions to collect judgments and restitution on behalf of victims and taxpayers. The Office is involved in several programs designed to make our communities safer. They include: Project Safe Childhood
Project Safe Childhood (PSC) is a DOJ initiative that combats the proliferation of technology-facilitated sexual exploitation crimes against children. The threat of sexual predators soliciting children for sexual contact is well-known and serious.
Operation Take Back America
Operation Take Back America is 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. It also streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).Victim Witness Program
The Victim Witness Coordinator for the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Wyoming is dedicated to ensuring victims of federal crimes and their family members are treated with compassion, fairness, and respect.To report a federal crime, go to: https://www.justice.gov/actioncenter/report-crime
A Multi-Convicted Felon Sentenced to over 10 Years in Federal Prison on Fraud ChargesRead the Press Release
DETROIT – A Dearborn Heights man was sentenced today for his role in several fraud schemes totaling $1.2 million, announced United States Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon, Jr.
Joining in the announcement was Special Agent in Charge Jennifer Runyan, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Detroit Field Division.
Joseph Miller, 53, of Dearborn Heights, was sentenced to 129 months in federal prison after having pleaded guilty to two counts of Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud, Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud, and Aggravated Identity Theft.
According to court records, Miller, who has an extensive criminal history including 18 prior felony convictions, participated in three separate fraud schemes. In the first scheme, Miller used stolen identities to open charge accounts in the names of unsuspecting victims. Miller and others used those charge accounts to make $912,000 in fraudulent purchases from two separate retailers. Second, Miller also used stolen identities to obtain fraudulent loans from a financial institution. In total, he, working with others, defrauded the financial institution with approximately $172,000 in loans. Finally, Miller and his co-conspirators caused fraudulent Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) applications to be submitted for several businesses. EIDL is a program run by the Small Business Administration to provide low-interest financing to small businesses affected by declared disasters. In total Miller and his co-conspirators obtained $203,970 in fraudulent relief funds from this program.
Miller was sentenced by United States District Judge Mark A. Goldsmith
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Wyse. Related forfeiture and restitution matters are being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Kelly Fasbinder.
23 February 2026
Wewoka Resident Sentenced for Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily InjuryRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Erin Nicole Hodge, age 30, of Wewoka, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 21 months in prison for one count of Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury in Indian Country.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Seminole Nation Lighthorse Police Department.
On August 12, 2025, Hodge pleaded guilty to the charge in federal district court. According to investigators, on February 10, 2024, during a confrontation outside a Seminole, Oklahoma business, Hodge bit the victim on the face. The crime occurred in Seminole County, within the boundaries of the Seminole Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The Honorable John F. Heil, III, Chief U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Hodge will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan E. Soverly represented the United States.
U.S. Attorney Acknowledges Lee County Law Enforcement Upon Successful Conclusion of Operation OverloadRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Acknowledges Lee County Law Enforcement Upon Successful Conclusion of Operation Overload
TUPELO — On this date, more than a dozen agencies across North Mississippi came together for a press conference hosted by Lee County District Attorney Jason Herring. The conference announced the successful conclusion of “Operation Overload,” which resulted in multiple arrests for illegal drug and firearm related charges. Such operations are only successful because of the powerful partnerships of these local, state and federal agencies.
Operation Overload included eight strategically planned saturations, which resulted in 793 citations, 51 illegal drug and firearm related charges, and 23 non-drug firearm related charges. Additionally, sixteen illegal aliens were arrested or retained by ICE because of the operation. DA Jason Herring pointed out in the news conference that these numbers are more than statistics but represent, “accountability, safer streets and disrupted criminal activity.” He points out that drug trafficking is the root of criminal activity in this district. He reminds those that choose to do so will suffer the consequences of their actions through initiatives such as these.
U.S. Attorney Scott Leary stated in the press conference that beginning in 2020, our borders opened up and drugs spilled into this country. Law enforcement witnessed the price of methamphetamine drop by 80%. Fentanyl pills that used to cost $30 a pill now cost dollars, and our young people paid the price. Cartels moved in, flooded our streets with drugs, took our money and killed our children. Lee County has provided an excellent example of what community policing looks like. Our goal is to assist local law enforcement in such successful endeavors. Leary reiterated: “We cover all northern MS and when I come to Lee County I just smile because this is what it looks like. It is our honor to work with you. We work for the citizens of this state, and they expect us to work together. To the degree it has not happened in the past, we are going to work hard to change that. This is an effective operation that will continue and hopefully we can get this violent crime spree and these cheap drugs addressed and off the street.”
Operation Overload was a partnership between several law enforcement agencies including Lee County Sheriff’s Department, North Mississippi Narcotics Unit, Tupelo Police Department, Mississippi Alcoholic Beverage Control, Shannon Police Department, Verona Police Department, Plantersville Police Department, Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch’s office, and federal partners.
Two Defendants Indicted for Forced Labor, Victim Tampering, Aggravated Identity Theft, Mail Fraud, and Wire Fraud involving Yakima and Benton County H-2A WorkersRead the Press Release
YAKIMA, Washington – Two individuals from the Yakima area have been indicted by a federal grand jury for illegally transporting over 100 temporary foreign agricultural workers over the border of the United States and engaging in both forced labor practices and victim tampering. Cesar Jamie Rebolledo Diaz and Socorro Ramos, both of Yakima, Washington, were charged in a ten-count Indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Yakima, Washington, on February 11, 2026. The United States Marshal Service and other law enforcement agencies are currently attempting to execute the arrest warrants for both Rebolledo Diaz and Ramos.
The federal Indictment alleges that Rebolledo Diaz and Ramos fraudulently obtained 103 temporary work visas under the H-2A program by falsely representing they both worked for Marquez Farms LLC, in Wapato Washington, on documentation submitted to the United States Department of Labor, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, and the United States Department of State. Additionally, Ramos fraudulently held herself out to the public, while working to obtain temporary work visas, as the co-owner of Marquez Farms LLC.
The Indictment further alleges Rebolledo Diaz and Ramos recruited foreign laborers from Mexico under false pretenses of providing a temporary paying job at Marquez Farms LLC, which they promised included adequate housing, food, paid travel and visas, and predictable location and hours of work. Rebolledo Diaz and Ramos then transported 103 foreign laborers from the border of the United States and Mexico to the Eastern District of Washington. This transportation was done in overcrowded school buses with no available air conditioning or water. Upon arriving in the Eastern District of Washington, some of the workers found themselves without the work promised, and others found themselves working for no pay. Moreover, the workers were not consistently provided food or adequate housing facilities. The Federal Indictment alleges that when authorities from the state of Washington began to investigate how Rebolledo Diaz and Ramos were treating the foreign laborers in their employ, Rebolledo Diaz and Ramos instructed the foreign laborers to remain silent and to report on foreign laborers who were interacting with state investigators.
First Assistant United States Attorney Pete Serrano stated, “My office is committed to seeking justice for these vulnerable victims and protecting the integrity of a federal program vital to the success of our agricultural sector in the Eastern District of Washington.”
Department of Labor Inspector General Anthony P. D’Esposito said, “The Office of Inspector General is unwavering in our commitment to protect the integrity of the Department of Labor’s Foreign Labor Certification programs. When bad actors exploit vulnerable workers or attempt to game the system, we investigate, we expose, and we hold them accountable. At the same time, we safeguard the U.S. employers who follow the law and play by the rules. We will continue working with our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to ensure these programs serve legitimate labor needs — not criminal enterprises. Fraud will not be tolerated. Accountability is not optional.”
The charges contained in this Indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Courtney R. Pratten, Jeremy J. Kelley, and Tyler H.L. Tornabene. They were investigated by the Department of Labor Office of Inspector General and the Department of State Diplomatic Security Service.
Three Mexican Citizens Charged with Trafficking Agricultural Workers into Servitude on Farms in Virginia, North Carolina, and FloridaRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury returned a 35-count indictment, unsealed Friday, charging three Mexican citizens for trafficking Mexican farmworkers into forced labor and harboring them in the United States after their visas expired for the defendants’ financial gain.
“Three individuals have been indicted for exploiting the H-2A visa program to lure vulnerable workers from Mexico to the United States with promises of legitimate employment, only to then confiscate their identity documents and force them to labor in inhumane conditions,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “These charges reflect the Department’s commitment to protecting the integrity of our lawful immigration system and holding accountable those who corrupt it to exploit and abuse foreign workers. The Criminal Division will continue to investigate and prosecute forced labor and human trafficking wherever it occurs.”
“We will find and eradicate any illegal immigration we find here in the EDNC,” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle for the Eastern District of North Carolina (EDNC). “We do not tolerate abuse of the system to hurt unsuspecting victims of human trafficking.”
According to court documents, Martha Zeferino Jose, 42, a permanent resident of the United States and citizen of Mexico, owned and operated Las Princesas Corporation (Las Princesas), a farm labor contracting company based in Washington, North Carolina that recruited workers from Mexico to come to the United States on temporary H-2A agricultural visas. She ran Las Princesas alongside her partner (John Doe), identified at the time of arrest as Jose Rodriguez Munoz, a citizen of Mexico illegally residing in the United States, and her son Jeremy Zeferino Jose, 23, a permanent resident of the United States and citizen of Mexico.
Between approximately August 2021 and July 2022, Martha Zeferino Jose allegedly submitted fraudulent applications to the Department of Labor and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services in which she falsely certified that Las Princesas would comply with all required employment conditions and labor laws – including promises not to charge workers recruitment fees, not to confiscate their documents, and to provide proper wages, meals, housing, and transportation. According to the indictment, Martha Zeferino Jose never intended to honor those commitments.
Recruiters working for Las Princesas allegedly charged the workers significant fees for the opportunity to come to the United States, saddling them with debt before they even arrived. Once the workers were in the country, the defendants allegedly confiscated their passports, visas, and identification documents to prevent them from leaving. The workers were then allegedly compelled to perform physically demanding labor at farms and plant nurseries across three states under degrading conditions. According to the indictment, the defendants made the workers labor for extensive hours without adequate breaks or access to water; housed them in crowded, unsanitary residences that lacked heat, air conditioning, hot water and bedding; failed to pay required wages; withheld food; and denied medical care.
The defendants allegedly imposed strict rules to keep the workers isolated and under their control – prohibiting them from leaving, going anywhere alone, or speaking with people outside the group. They allegedly monitored the workers’ activities and created a climate of fear by threatening to report workers to immigration authorities, have them arrested and deported, and ensure they lost future employment opportunities. When some workers’ H-2A visas expired, the defendants allegedly told workers to stay in the country rather than informing them of their legal obligation to depart and then harbored the workers with expired visas in residences and at worksites for the defendants’ own financial benefit.
When the Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division launched an investigation into Las Princesas, Martha Zeferino Jose and her partner allegedly obstructed the investigation. According to the indictment, Martha Zeferino Jose returned the workers’ confiscated passports and identification documents before investigators arrived and instructed the workers to tell investigators that everything was fine and that Las Princesas had never taken their documents. Munoz allegedly threatened the workers that they would be deported if they told investigators the truth.
Each of the defendants is charged with forced labor, conspiracy to commit forced labor, alien harboring for financial gain, conspiracy to commit alien harboring for financial gain, and document servitude offenses. Additionally, Martha Zeferino Jose is charged with visa fraud, Munoz is charged with obstruction, and they are both charged with conspiracy to obstruct proceedings before agencies. If convicted, the defendants face maximum penalties of 20 years in prison for each count of forced labor and conspiracy to commit forced labor, 10 years in prison for each count of alien harboring for financial gain and conspiracy to commit alien harboring for financial gain, and five years in prison for document servitude. Additionally, Martha Zeferino Jose faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for visa fraud, Munoz faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison for obstruction, and Martha Zeferino Jose and Munoz face a maximum penalty of five years in prison for conspiracy to commit obstruction.
Homeland Security Investigations and the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of the Inspector General are investigating the case. The U.S. Marshals Service provided valuable assistance.
Trial Attorney Matthew Thiman of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Blondel for the Eastern District of North Carolina are prosecuting the case.
Anyone who has information about human trafficking should report that information to the National Human Trafficking Hotline toll-free at 1-888-373-7888, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more information about human trafficking, please visit www.humantraffickinghotline.org. Information on the Department of Justice’s efforts to combat human trafficking can be found at www.justice.gov/humantrafficking.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Texas Tech Professor and Two Others Federally Charged with Fentanyl Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
A Texas Tech University marketing and supply chain management professor and two others were federally charged for their roles in a fentanyl distribution conspiracy, announced United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould.
Daniel Taylor, 50, of Lubbock, Texas, was charged by federal complaint on February 18, 2026, with conspiracy to distribute or possess with intent to distribute fentanyl. Taylor is an assistant professor of marketing and supply chain management with Texas Tech’s Rawls College of Business. Also charged are Alisha Red-Eagle, 21, and Mackenzie Gilcrease, 28, both of Lubbock.
According to the complaint, Taylor distributed two variations of fentanyl powder: one called “Pink Flamingo” and the other called “Ghost.” The complaint alleges that Taylor has been under investigation for drug distribution over the last several months. Specific instances of alleged drug activity include January 12, 2026, when law enforcement agents saw Alisha Red-Eagle enter and exit Taylor’s vehicle at a Lubbock convenience store, and then Red-Eagle entered a white SUV that left the location. When a Lubbock County Sheriff’s Deputy stopped the SUV for a traffic violation, the SUV’s occupants—which included Red-Eagle—advised that a male in the back seat was overdosing on suspected fentanyl supplied by Red-Eagle. Narcan and EMS services were administered. While searching the SUV, officers found five fentanyl pills, a clear baggie containing fentanyl, five aluminum foil wrappers containing fentanyl residue, and a pink baggie containing fentanyl powder.
“Instead of focusing on teaching students supply chain management, the defendant, as alleged, was developing and implementing his own supply chain of lethal fentanyl into the streets of Lubbock,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould. “As alleged, at least in one instance, the fentanyl the defendant peddled through his drug trafficking organization caused an overdose. We hope the students of Texas Tech and the Lubbock community understand that my office will vigorously prosecute drug dealers and drug traffickers no matter if you are a professor or a street level dealer.”
“This arrest underscores the stark and troubling irony that an individual entrusted with educating others instead chose to distribute one of the deadliest drugs facing our communities today,” said DEA Dallas Field Division Special Agent in Charge Joseph B. Tucker. “While this conduct is in no way reflective of Texas Tech University, it highlights that fentanyl trafficking can emerge from any corner of our society, and DEA, alongside our federal, state, and local partners, remains committed to identifying and holding accountable those who choose to profit from this poison.”
The complaint further alleges that on the evening of February 17, 2026, agents saw Mackenzie Gilcrease meet Taylor at his residence, enter and exit his apartment, and leave the location in a pickup truck. A Lubbock County Sheriff’s Deputy stopped the truck for a traffic violation and identified Gilcrease as the driver and sole occupant. After a K-9 alerted to the vehicle for the odor of narcotics, deputies searched the truck and found three pink plastic baggies of fentanyl inside of a pink envelope that contained a pink flamingo graphic. They also found a pink plastic baggie containing methamphetamine. Just after midnight on February 18, 2026, law enforcement agents executed a search warrant for Taylor’s home, locating multiple quantities of white powder and a crystal-like substance that tested positive for methamphetamine, along with pink envelopes, plastic baggies with pink flamingo stickers, and baggies containing a ghost graphic.
All three defendants appeared before a United States Magistrate Judge in Lubbock this morning for initial appearances on the charges. They remain in federal custody pending further court proceedings. If convicted, each defendant faces a statutory maximum sentence of twenty years in federal prison.
This investigation was a joint operation of the Texas Anti-Gang Center and the Caprock Hi-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area. This group is composed of agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Texas Department of Public Safety, the Lubbock County Sheriff’s Office, and the Lubbock Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Stephen Rancourt is prosecuting the case.
A complaint is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, not evidence. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
taylor_-_complaint_-_affidavit.pdfTennessee Man Pleads Guilty in Fentanyl Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
ABINGDON, Va. – A Tennessee man, who trafficked fentanyl-laced pills and fentanyl powder into Southwest Virginia, pled guilty recently in U.S. District Court in Abingdon.
Jermaine Crayton Jr., 20, pled guilty recently to one count of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute and distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and one count of possession with the intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.
According to court documents, following a law enforcement operation in August 2025, investigators with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Smyth County Sheriff’s Office, City of Bristol Virginia Police Department, Washington County, Virginia Sheriff’s Office, and Drug Enforcement Administration developed intelligence that Crayton was trafficking fentanyl-laced pills and powder fentanyl. The intelligence indicated that Crayton had repeatedly brought large quantities of fentanyl pills into Smyth County for further distribution.
In August 2025, law enforcement arranged a controlled purchase of 1,000 fentanyl pills and two ounces of fentanyl powder from Crayton at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Bristol, Virginia.
Following a positive identification of Crayton, law enforcement converged on Crayton’s vehicle, at which time Crayton fled on foot. While fleeing, Crayton dropped several items, including a baggie containing pressed fentanyl pills and a baggie containing powder fentanyl.
Following his arrest, it was determined that Crayton possess 2,372 fentanyl pills and 58.72 grams of fentanyl powder. The type of pills Crayton was distributing are increasingly common, and extremely dangerous. They are known as “pressed” pills or “M30” pills, and they are designed to resemble a pharmaceutical preparation of oxycodone pills. However, they often contain fentanyl, often in inconsistent doses that can lead to overdose and death.
Robert N. Tracci, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Virginia, and Ian Kaufmann, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Division, made the announcement.
The case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Smyth County Sheriff’s Office, City of Bristol Virginia Police Department, Washington County, Virginia Sheriff’s Office, and Drug Enforcement Administration.
Assistant United States Attorney Whit Pierce is prosecuting the case for the United States.
Tallahassee Sexual Predator Sentenced to 25 Years in Federal Prison for Distribution and Receipt of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Richard Alan Spivey, a/k/a “Rick”, 62, of Tallahassee, was sentenced to 25 years in federal prison for distribution of child pornography and receipt of child pornography. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “The threats posed to our children from sexual predators like this defendant demand our constant vigilance to ensure more innocent minors are not victimized and exploited, and fortunately our local and federal law enforcement partners are up to the task of finding these disgusting criminals wherever they lurk online. My office will continue to aggressively prosecute these crimes and seek maximum punishments to keep our kids safe and these offenders locked away in prison.”
Court documents reflect that in July 2024, the Tallahassee Police Department received a Cybertip report from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children alleging that the defendant uploaded child pornography to a social media platform when sending it to another user as part of his chat messages. The investigation revealed that the defendant was a registered sexual predator based on his prior convictions for sex crimes. Law enforcement obtained search warrants for the defendant’s social media account and cell phone, which led to the discovery of online communications between the defendant and others during which he received and distributed child pornography videos.
“This case reinforces the FBI’s unwavering commitment to investigate child exploitation crimes and safeguard children from those who seek to exploit them,” said FBI Jacksonville Special Agent in Charge Jason Carley. “Through strong collaboration with our state and local law enforcement partners, we are working to ensure there is one less predator targeting the most vulnerable members of our community.”
Spivey’s imprisonment will be followed by a lifetime term of supervised release, meaning if he violates any of the conditions of his supervision, he will potentially face an additional period of incarceration.
The case involved a joint investigation by the Tallahassee Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Justin M. Keen.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice and led by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Divisions Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), it marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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.
Suspended Los Angeles Lawyer Sentenced to More Than 7 Years in Federal Prison for Receiving $2.1 Million Bribe Payment from Oil CompanyRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A Los Angeles-area lawyer was sentenced today to 87 months in federal prison for receiving a $2.1 million bribe while serving as an officer of Nigeria’s state-owned oil company in connection with negotiating favorable drilling rights for a subsidiary of a Chinese state-owned oil company.
Paulinus Iheanacho Okoronkwo, 58, a.k.a. “Pollie,” of Rancho Cucamonga, was sentenced by United States District Judge John F. Walter, who also ordered him to pay $923,824 in restitution to the IRS and ordered that Okoronkwo forfeit $1,039,997, the net proceeds of the sale of a home involved in the laundering of the bribe money.
At the conclusion of a four-day trial, a jury in August 2025 found Okoronkwo guilty of three counts of transactional money laundering, one count of tax evasion, and one count of obstruction of justice.
Okoronkwo, who is a dual citizen of the United States and Nigeria and who practiced immigration, family, and personal injury law out of an office in Koreatown, was a foreign official who served as the general manager of the upstream division of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corp. (NNPC). The NNPC is a state-owned company through which Nigeria’s government developed that nation’s fossil fuel and natural gas reserves, including through partnerships with foreign oil companies. In this role, Okoronkwo owed a fiduciary duty to the Nigerian government and was a public official.
In October 2015, Addax Petroleum, a Switzerland-based subsidiary of Sinopec, a Chinese state-owned petroleum, gas, and petrochemical conglomerate, wired a payment of $2,105,263 to an Interest on Lawyers’ Trust Account (IOLTA) in the name of Okoronkwo’s Los Angeles law firm, purportedly for his work as a consultant who negotiated and completed a settlement agreement with the NNPC with respect to Addax’s drilling rights in Nigeria. According to the indictment, Addax calculated that it stood to lose billions of dollars if its favorable drilling rights were not secured.
The engagement letter that Addax signed that month with Okoronkwo’s law office – with a fake address in Lagos, Nigeria – was a ruse intended to conceal the fact that its payment to Okoronkwo was a bribe in exchange for his influence in securing more favorable financial terms relating to its crude oil drilling in Nigeria.
To conceal the illegal bribery scheme, Addax falsely characterized the $2.1 million payment as a payment for legal services, lied to an auditor about the payment, and fired executives who questioned the payment’s propriety. To create the false impression that the bribe payment constituted client funds, Okoronkwo received the payment in his law firm’s IOLTA.
After receiving the bribe into his IOLTA, between February 2016 and 2018, Okoronkwo routed funds to a company called IPO Capital LLC. From there, Okoronkwo used the bribery funds to pay for family expenses, a car, and a home. Specifically, in November 2017, Okoronkwo used $983,200 of the illegally obtained funds to make down payments on a house in Valencia.
Okoronkwo also omitted the $2.1 million bribe payment from his 2015 federal income tax return. He also obstructed justice in June 2022 when he lied to federal investigators when he told them he did not use any of the $2.1 million to purchase a house and that the money represented client funds rather than income to his law office.
In January 2026, the State Bar of California suspended Okoronkwo’s law license.
The FBI and IRS Criminal Investigation investigated this matter. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided assistance.
Assistant United States Attorneys Alexander B. Schwab, Acting Chief of the Criminal Division, Nisha Chandran of the Major Frauds Section, and Alexander Su of the Asset Forfeiture and Recovery Section are prosecuting this case.
Sinaloa Cartel Leader Charged in Massive Drug Trafficking SchemeRead the Press Release
MIAMI – An alleged leader of the Sinaloa Cartel made his initial appearance in federal court today to face charges for leading a large-scale drug trafficking operation responsible for moving fentanyl and other narcotics into the United States.
According to court records, Fidel Felix-Ochoa, 53, of Mexico, was one of the primary leaders of the Sinaloa Cartel responsible for directing, managing, and overseeing the organization’s drug trafficking and money laundering activities. Felix-Ochoa allegedly coordinated the smuggling of hundreds of kilograms of fentanyl and cocaine into the United States using couriers who transported narcotics by vehicle and through the U.S. mail. The Sinaloa Cartel is a transnational criminal group based in Mexico. On Feb. 20, 2025, the Sinaloa Cartel was designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organization and a Specially Designated Global Terrorist.
“The charges target an alleged senior leader of the Sinaloa Cartel who is accused of directing the flow of massive quantities of fentanyl and other deadly narcotics into the United States,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “While these are allegations that must be proven in court, this case reflects our Office’s unwavering commitment to dismantling transnational criminal organizations and protecting American communities from the devastating consequences of drug trafficking. No cartel leader is beyond the reach of the rule of law.”
Once the narcotics entered the United States, Felix-Ochoa allegedly directed co-conspirators to store the drugs at multiple stash houses before distributing them to drug dealers and customers throughout the country, including Florida, Arizona, California, Texas, and Massachusetts.
During the investigation into Felix-Ochoa and his co-conspirators, law enforcement seized approximately 73,000 fentanyl pills, 21 kilograms of pure fentanyl, 243 pounds of crystal methamphetamine, two kilograms of cocaine, and 24 firearms.
Felix-Ochoa was amongst 37 Mexican nationals wanted for serious crimes in the United States transferred into U.S. custody on Jan. 20. The Justice Department Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs coordinated the transfers.
Prior to Felix-Ochoa’s arrest, the United States Attorney’s Office successfully apprehended and prosecuted seven members of his organization in a related case, under case number 23-cr-60111.
Felix-Ochoa is charged with conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance. If convicted, Felix-Ochoa faces a maximum penalty of life in prison.
U.S. Attorney Reding Quiñones and Special Agent in Charge Jason Stankiewicz of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Miami Field Division, made the announcement.
The ATF Miami Field Office is investigating the case with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Miami, Broward Sheriff’s Office (BSO), ATF Los Angeles Field Division, U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS).
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ajay Alexander is prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Paster is handling asset forfeiture.
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 Miami comprises agents and officers from ATF, DEA, HSI, BSO, USMS, and USPIS with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida.
An indictment is merely an allegation. 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.sdfl.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.sdfl.uscourts.gov, under case number 23-cr-60150.
###
Sea Box, Inc. Agrees to Pay $2.6 Million to Settle Claims it Used Foreign-Flagged Vessels to Transport Shipping Containers for Army, Air ForceRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – SEA BOX, Inc., a corporation specializing in the design, modification, and manufacturing of shipping containers headquartered in Cinnaminson, New Jersey, has entered into a settlement agreement with the United States resolving allegations that it violated the Cargo Preference Act and its contracts with the Department of War by using foreign-flagged vessels to transport shipping containers manufactured for the Department of the Army, Department of the Air Force, and Defense Logistics Agency, Senior Counsel Philip Lamparello announced.
According to the contentions of the United States contained in the settlement agreement, since approximately 1904, any supplies bought for any Department of War agency may only be transported by sea in a vessel of the United States. This requirement is found both in the Cargo Preference Act and in the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulations, and it is incorporated into defense contracts. The requirements protect American shipping and ensure that the United States has a merchant marine capable of commercial and military use.
Between late 2017 and late 2021, SEA BOX was awarded approximately 35 contracts to provide shipping containers consistent with International Organization for Standardization (ISO) standards for the Department of the Army and Department of the Air Force, primarily through the Defense Logistics Agency. Notwithstanding the legal prohibitions on doing so, SEA BOX arranged to have these containers delivered on less expensive, foreign-flagged vessels. In so doing, SEA BOX not only deprived U.S.-flagged shipping of revenue, but it also reduced the cost of its own bids, undercutting competition that followed the statutory and contractual requirements. When confronted by military authorities about the issue, SEA BOX presented inaccurate, misleading information about its actions. SEA BOX has agreed to settle claims under the civil False Claims Act for a payment of $2.6 million, plus interest, over a three-year schedule.
“Protecting American business is a critical part of the mission of the Department of Justice and of the United States military. We support American shipping through contracting and enforcement, and this Office will prosecute any entity that takes from American business in order to win contracts with the United States government.”
- Senior Counsel Philip Lamparello
“Ensuring companies follow statutory and contractual requirements is an important part of protecting the Department of Defense procurement process,” said Christopher M. Silvestro, Special Agent in Charge, DCIS Northeast Field Office, the law enforcement arm of the Department of Defense’s Office of Inspector General. “DCIS will continue to work with the Department of Justice and our law enforcement partners to pursue those companies that try to corrupt and compromise the integrity of the system.”
“This settlement sends a clear message: AFOSI will not tolerate those who prioritize profit over the integrity of the federal procurement process,” said Special Agent in Charge William W. Richards of the Air Force Office of Special Investigations (AFOSI). “We, alongside our law enforcement and prosecutorial partners, will work tirelessly to combat fraud threatening the Department of the Air Force.”
Senior Counsel Lamparello credits special agents of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, the Department of the Army’s Criminal Investigative Division, the Department of the Air Force’s Office of Special Investigations, and members of the Defense Contract Audit Agency, Defense Logistics Agency, and U.S. Department of Transportation Maritime Administration, with the investigation.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul W. Kaufman of the Healthcare Fraud and Opioid Enforcement Unit.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
###
Counsel for SEA BOX: John Brownlee and John McAdams, Holland & Knight, Washington, D.C.
seabox.agreement.pdfSalvadoran Child Predator Gets 20 Years in Federal Prison for Illegal Re-EntryRead the Press Release
DEL RIO, Texas – A Salvadoran national was sentenced in a federal court in Del Rio to the statutory maximum 20 years in prison for illegal re-entry, announced U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas, Justin R. Simmons.
According to court documents, Celso Rivas-Gonzalez was arrested by U.S. Border Patrol agents on July 26, 2025. In 2024, Rivas-Gonzalez was convicted of both illegal re-entry and indecency with a child. Prior to that, in 2021, he was convicted of a harassment felony that had been reduced from one count of aggravated sexual assault of a child. Rivas-Gonzalez has been deported from the U.S. twice, the last time being on Feb. 19, 2025. U.S. District Judge Ernest Gonzalez sentenced Rivas-Gonzalez exactly one year later.
“I hope the message is now clear, but if not, I’ll say it plainly. If you’re an illegal alien that has committed the types of heinous offenses that were committed by the defendant in this case, we will hold you to account.” said U.S. Attorney Simmons. “The 20-year max imprisonment imposed here rightfully demonstrates that we will not let convicted sexual predators come into this country illegally and jeopardize the safety of Americans. I appreciate our law enforcement partners who vigilantly patrol our borderlands for their dedication to the mission to combat illegal immigration and keep Americans safe from this and many other types of criminals.”
“This case reflects the hard work of the men and women of the U.S. Border Patrol to keep our communities free of sex offenders and other criminals,” said Chief Patrol Agent Anthony S. Good, Del Rio Border Patrol Sector. “It also highlights the cooperation with other entities to bring those criminals to justice.”
The U.S. Border Patrol investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carli Tuttle and Daisy Gonzalez prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
###