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20 February 2026
Trinitarios Gang Member Convicted of Murder, Attempted Murder, and RacketeeringRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, announced that a jury found RAMON RODRIGUEZ, a/k/a “Pollo,” guilty today of murder in aid of racketeering, attempted murder in aid of racketeering, firearms offenses, and racketeering conspiracy. The convictions relate to RODRIGUEZ’s participation in the “Shooting Boys” gang (a set of the Trinitarios), the June 21, 2021, murder of Milton Grant during a robbery in Manhattan, and the attempted murder of another victim during that same robbery. RODRIGUEZ was convicted following a two-week jury trial before U.S. District Judge Jed S. Rakoff, who will impose sentence on June 30, 2026.
“For years, Ramon Rodriguez—along with members of the Shooting Boys—committed shootings, robberies, drug trafficking, fraud, and witness retaliation throughout New York City,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “Worst of all, Rodriguez murdered Milton Grant in cold blood during a robbery, senselessly killing him for his watch, and attempted to murder another innocent victim at the same time. Gang violence poses a grave threat to our communities. Thanks to our prosecutors and law enforcement partners, including the NYPD, whose detectives drove this murder case from the beginning, New York streets are safer tonight.”
According to the allegations in the Indictment, public court filings, and evidence presented at the jury trial:
From at least 2018 through 2025, RODRIGUEZ was a member of the Trinitarios and an associate of the Shooting Boys, a set of the Trinitarios. The Shooting Boys, who operated primarily in the Bronx and Manhattan, engaged in murders, attempted murders, robberies, drug trafficking, fraud, and witness retaliation.
On June 13, 2021, RODRIGUEZ and members of the Shooting Boys committed a robbery outside a Bronx nightclub. During the robbery, RODRIGUEZ shot a man in the leg, causing significant injuries.
Just eight days later, on June 21, 2021, RODRIGUEZ and members of the Shooting Boys committed another robbery outside a Manhattan nightclub. During the robbery, RODRIGUEZ shot Milton Grant in the head, killing him, then stole Grant’s watch from his lifeless body. As Grant’s friend ran away, RODRIGUEZ shot at him as well, attempting to kill him.
After being arrested and detained at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, RODRIGUEZ continued to participate in the Shooting Boys gang, including by repeatedly possessing weapons. On December 3, 2023, RODRIGUEZ and other members and associates of the Shooting Boys ambushed, stabbed, and slashed an inmate who was cooperating with law enforcement in order to retaliate against that potential witness and deter others from cooperating.
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RODRIGUEZ, 21, of the Bronx, was convicted of one count of murder in aid of racketeering, which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison; one count of attempted murder and assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; two counts of using, carrying, and possessing firearms—which were brandished and discharged—during and in relation to a crime of violence, each of which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison and a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison, which must run consecutively to any other term of imprisonment imposed; and one count of racketeering conspiracy with a special sentencing factor, which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison.
The minimum and mandatory potential sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding investigative work of the New York City Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations and thanked the New York County District Attorney’s Office for its assistance.
The case is being prosecuted by the Office’s Violent Organizations and Crime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dominic A. Gentile and Jim Ligtenberg are in charge of the prosecution, with the assistance of Paralegal Specialists William Coleman and Sandy Alcantara.
Tennessee Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Attempted Enticement of a MinorRead the Press Release
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – A Powell, Tennessee man was sentenced yesterday, February 19, 2026, to 10 years in federal prison for attempted enticement of a minor.
According to public court documents, Shawn Christopher Powell, 52, communicated with a person he believed was a 13-year-old female between May and August 2025. Powell sent messages about wanting to engage in sex acts with the minor. In August 2025, Powell traveled from Tennessee to Iowa with the intent to meet up with the minor to engage in sex acts, and had condoms, sex toys, prescription pills, and children’s clothing in his possession at the time of his arrest.
After completing his term of imprisonment, Powell will be required to serve a five-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
United States Attorney David C. Waterman of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Cass County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation-Child Exploitation Task Force investigated the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For information about internet safety education, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc and click on the resources tab.
Six More Defendants Charged in International “ATM Jackpotting” SchemeRead the Press Release
Note: Learn about digital and physical indicators of ATM jackpotting, along with FBI recommended mitigations here.
A federal grand jury in the District of Nebraska returned an indictment Wednesday charging six individuals for their roles in a large conspiracy to deploy malware and steal millions of dollars from ATMs in the United States, a crime commonly referred to as “ATM jackpotting.” Eighty-seven others have already been charged bringing the total to 93 charged defendants. Wester Eduardo Dugarte Goicochea, 43; Mauro Angel Briceno Caldera, 37; Henry Rafael Gonzalez-Gutierrez, 37; and Giovanny Miguel Ocanto Yance, 26, Venezuelan nationals residing in the Houston area were charged, in addition to Jelfenson David Bolivar Diaz, 38, and Arlinzon Jose Reyes Villegas, 21, both Venezuelan nationals, were charged. This indictment alleges five counts including conspiracy to commit bank fraud, conspiracy to commit bank burglary and computer fraud, bank fraud, bank burglary, and damage to computers.
The most recent indictment follows a previous one returned on Dec. 9, 2025, that alleged that Tren de Aragua (TdA), a designated Foreign Terrorist Organization, conducted jackpotting attacks across America. The Dec. 9 indictment charged 22 individuals with offenses for their roles in the conspiracy: 13 individuals are charged with conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists, 10 with conspiracy to commit bank fraud, 10 with conspiracy to commit bank burglary and fraud and related activity in connection with computers, and 22 with conspiracy to commit money laundering. The indictment also alleges that TdA used jackpotting to steal millions of dollars in the United States and then transferred the proceeds among its members and associates to conceal the illegally obtained cash. The indictment alleged a national conspiracy to commit these offenses with crimes committed all over the United States in furtherance of these conspiracies that generated millions in illegal proceeds for the combined defendants and the TdA organization.
A related indictment returned on Oct. 21, 2025, charged 32 individuals and alleged 56 counts including one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit bank burglary and computer fraud, 18 counts of bank fraud, 18 counts of bank burglary, and 18 counts of damage to computers. An additional indictment returned on Jan. 21 charged 31 individuals and alleged 32 counts including one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit bank burglary and computer fraud, 10 counts of bank fraud, 10 counts of bank burglary, and 10 counts of damage to computers. The loss to victim financial institutions was in excess of $100,000 per jackpotting attempt. The overall loss to the victim financial institutions is over $6 million, with at least an additional $1.74 million attempted.
If convicted, the defendants face maximum penalties of between 20 and 335 years in prison.
The following photographs depict just a few of the alleged ATM jackpotting scheme in progress and equipment used:
According to court documents, TdA is a violent transnational criminal organization that originated as a prison gang in Venezuela in the mid-2000s. TdA has expanded its criminal network throughout the Western Hemisphere and established a presence in the United States. TdA’s criminal activities range from drug trafficking and firearms trafficking, to commercial sex trafficking, kidnapping, robbery, theft, fraud, and extortion. TdA members also commit murder, assault, and other violent acts to advance the organization’s criminal activities. TdA has also developed an additional source of revenue stream through financial crimes that target financial institutions throughout the United States, including using jackpotting to steal millions of dollars in cash.
In the past six months, the Justice Department has secured charges against a total of 93 TdA members and leaders with a range of federal offenses that include material support to a designated foreign terror organization, bank burglary, money laundering, damage and unauthorized access to protected computers, bank fraud, and conspiracy to commit the same offenses.
FBI’s Omaha Field Office and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Omaha is investigating the case, with assistance from FBI’s Denver, Houston, Miami, New Orleans, Oklahoma, Sacramento, Seattle, and Springfield Field Offices, and the United States Secret Service, U.S. Marshals Service, Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Border Patrol, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, Federal Housing Finance Agency Office of the Inspector General, Financial Deposit Insurance Corporation, Adams County Sheriff’s Office, Appanoose County Sheriff’s Office, Bates County Sheriff’s Office, Sheridan Police Department, Lake County Sheriff’s Office, Leesburg Police Department, Sterling Heights Police Department, Kearney Police Department, Warrant Police Department, Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, Colombus Police Department, Cass County Sheriff’s Office, Nebraska State Patrol Crime Laboratory, Bluff City Police Department, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, Lincoln Police Department, Gothenburg Police Department, Loudon Police Department, Alcoa Police Department, Kearney Police Department, Milford Police Department, Grand Island Police Department, Nebraska State Patrol, Papillion Police Department, Central City Police Department, Holdrege Police Department, New York State Police, Berkeley Police Department, Cook County Electronic Monitoring Unit, Aurora Police Department, Austin Police Department, United States Capitol Police, Buffalo County Sheriff’s Office, City of Rome Police Department, Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office, McCook Police Department, Nebraska DMV Crime Analysts, Rantoul Police Department, Olathe Police Department, North Platte Police Department, Walla Walla Police Department, Milton-Freewater Police Department, Missoula Police Department, Omaha Police Department, Larimer County Sheriff’s Office, Sidney Police Department, Denver Police, Howard County Sheriff’s Office, St. Paul Police Department, Ozaukee County Sheriff’s Office, Glendale Police Department, Columbia Police Department, Brookfield Police Department, Wauwatosa Police Department, Mount Pleasant Police Department, Grafton Police Department, South Milwaukee Police Department, Dubuque Police Department, Fargo Police Department, and Paducah Police Department.
This case is being prosecuted by the Justice Department’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Nebraska, and Joint Task Force Vulcan. The Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs, the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Western District of Washington, Eastern District of California, Southern District of New York, Northern District of Illinois, Central District of Illinois, Eastern District of Oklahoma and Eastern District of Wisconsin, as well as the Larimer County Attorney’s Office, Colorado Attorney General’s Office, Tennessee 9th District Attorney General’s Office, Tennessee 5th District Attorney General’s Office, the Texas Financial Crimes Intelligence Center, East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office, and Louisiana State Police have provided significant assistance.
This Operation is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of U.S. law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Omaha comprises agents and officers from the FBI and HSI.
Joint Task Force Vulcan (JTFV) was created in 2019 to eradicate MS-13 and has now expanded to target TdA. JTFV is comprised of U.S. Attorney’s Offices across the country, including Southern and Eastern Districts of New York; Eastern and Western Districts of North Carolina; Eastern and Western Districts of Virginia; Southern District of Florida; Eastern District of Texas; Western District of Oklahoma; Northern District of Indiana; and the District of Nevada, as well as the Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys, and the Department of Justice’s National Security Division and Criminal Division. Additionally, the FBI, DEA, HSI, ATF, USMS, and the Bureau of Prisons are essential law enforcement partners with JTFV.
An indictment or a complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law
Six More Defendants Charged in International “ATM Jackpotting” SchemeRead the Press Release
[UPDATED] OMAHA — A federal grand jury in the District of Nebraska returned an indictment Wednesday charging six individuals for their roles in a large conspiracy to deploy malware and steal millions of dollars from ATMs in the United States, a crime commonly referred to as “ATM jackpotting.” Eighty-seven others have already been charged, bringing the total to 93 charged defendants. Wester Eduardo Dugarte Goicochea, 43; Mauro Angel Briceno Caldera, 37; Henry Rafael Gonzalez-Gutierrez, 37; and Giovanny Miguel Ocanto Yance, 26, Venezuelan nationals residing in the Houston area were charged, in addition to Jelfenson David Bolivar Diaz, 38, and Arlinzon Jose Reyes Villegas, 21, both Venezuelan nationals, were charged. This indictment alleges five counts including conspiracy to commit bank fraud, conspiracy to commit bank burglary and computer fraud, bank fraud, bank burglary, and damage to computers.
The most recent indictment follows a previous one returned on December 9, 2025, that alleged that Tren de Aragua (TdA), a designated Foreign Terrorist Organization, conducted jackpotting attacks across America. The December 9, 2025 indictment charged 22 individuals with offenses for their roles in the conspiracy: 13 individuals are charged with conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists, 10 with conspiracy to commit bank fraud, 10 with conspiracy to commit bank burglary and fraud and related activity in connection with computers, and 22 with conspiracy to commit money laundering. The indictment also alleges that TdA used jackpotting to steal millions of dollars in the United States and then transferred the proceeds among its members and associates to conceal the illegally obtained cash. The indictment alleged a national conspiracy to commit these offenses with crimes committed all over the United States in furtherance of these conspiracies that generated millions in illegal proceeds for the combined defendants and the TdA organization.
A related indictment returned on Oct. 21, 2025, charged 32 individuals and alleged 56 counts including one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit bank burglary and computer fraud, 18 counts of bank fraud, 18 counts of bank burglary, and 18 counts of damage to computers. An additional indictment returned on January 21, 2026, charged 31 individuals and alleged 32 counts including one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit bank burglary and computer fraud, 10 counts of bank fraud, 10 counts of bank burglary, and 10 counts of damage to computers. The loss to victim financial institutions was in excess of $100,000 per jackpotting attempt. The overall loss to the victim financial institutions is over $6 million, with at least an additional $1.74 million attempted.
If convicted, the defendants face maximum penalties of between 20 and 335 years in prison.
The following photographs depict just a few of the alleged ATM jackpotting scheme in progress and equipment used:
According to court documents, TdA is a violent transnational criminal organization that originated as a prison gang in Venezuela in the mid-2000s. TdA has expanded its criminal network throughout the Western Hemisphere and established a presence in the United States. TdA’s criminal activities range from drug trafficking and firearms trafficking, to commercial sex trafficking, kidnapping, robbery, theft, fraud, and extortion. TdA members also commit murder, assault, and other violent acts to advance the organization’s criminal activities. TdA has also developed an additional source of revenue stream through financial crimes that target financial institutions throughout the United States, including using jackpotting to steal millions of dollars in cash.
In the past six months, the Justice Department has secured charges against a total of 93 TdA members and leaders with a range of federal offenses that include material support to a designated foreign terror organization, bank burglary, money laundering, damage and unauthorized access to protected computers, bank fraud, and conspiracy to commit the same offenses.
FBI’s Omaha Field Office and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Omaha is investigating the case, with assistance from FBI’s Denver, Houston, Miami, New Orleans, Oklahoma, Sacramento, Seattle, and Springfield Field Offices, and the United States Secret Service, U.S. Marshals Service, Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Border Patrol, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, Federal Housing Finance Agency Office of the Inspector General, Financial Deposit Insurance Corporation, Adams County Sheriff’s Office, Appanoose County Sheriff’s Office, Bates County Sheriff’s Office, Sheridan Police Department, Lake County Sheriff’s Office, Leesburg Police Department, Sterling Heights Police Department, Kearney Police Department, Warrant Police Department, Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, Colombus Police Department, Cass County Sheriff’s Office, Nebraska State Patrol Crime Laboratory, Bluff City Police Department, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, Lincoln Police Department, Gothenburg Police Department, Loudon Police Department, Alcoa Police Department, Kearney Police Department, Milford Police Department, Grand Island Police Department, Nebraska State Patrol, Papillion Police Department, Central City Police Department, Holdrege Police Department, New York State Police, Berkeley Police Department, Cook County Electronic Monitoring Unit, Aurora Police Department, Austin Police Department, United States Capitol Police, Buffalo County Sheriff’s Office, City of Rome Police Department, Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office, McCook Police Department, Nebraska DMV Crime Analysts, Rantoul Police Department, Olathe Police Department, North Platte Police Department, Walla Walla Police Department, Milton-Freewater Police Department, Missoula Police Department, Omaha Police Department, Larimer County Sheriff’s Office, Sidney Police Department, Denver Police, Howard County Sheriff’s Office, St. Paul Police Department, Ozaukee County Sheriff’s Office, Glendale Police Department, Columbia Police Department, Brookfield Police Department, Wauwatosa Police Department, Mount Pleasant Police Department, Grafton Police Department, South Milwaukee Police Department, Dubuque Police Department, Fargo Police Department, and Paducah Police Department.
This case is being prosecuted by the Justice Department’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Nebraska, and Joint Task Force Vulcan. The Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs, the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Western District of Washington, Eastern District of California, Southern District of New York, Northern District of Illinois, Central District of Illinois, Eastern District of Oklahoma and Eastern District of Wisconsin, as well as the Larimer County Attorney’s Office, Colorado Attorney General’s Office, Tennessee 9th District Attorney General’s Office, Tennessee 5th District Attorney General’s Office, the Texas Financial Crimes Intelligence Center, East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office, and Louisiana State Police have provided significant assistance.
This Operation is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of U.S. law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Omaha comprises agents and officers from the FBI and HSI.
Joint Task Force Vulcan (JTFV) was created in 2019 to eradicate MS-13 and has now expanded to target TdA. JTFV is comprised of U.S. Attorney’s Offices across the country, including Southern and Eastern Districts of New York; Eastern and Western Districts of North Carolina; Eastern and Western Districts of Virginia; Southern District of Florida; Eastern District of Texas; Western District of Oklahoma; Northern District of Indiana; and the District of Nevada, as well as the Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys, and the Department of Justice’s National Security Division and Criminal Division. Additionally, the FBI, DEA, HSI, ATF, USMS, and the Bureau of Prisons are essential law enforcement partners with JTFV.
An indictment or a complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Sex Offender Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Enticement of 15-Year-Old Girl in Dutchess CountyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, announced today that DEREK HASSELBRINK, a/k/a “Derek Spear,” was sentenced to 15 years in prison by U.S. District Judge Nelson S. Román for enticing a minor to engage in unlawful sexual activity.
“Sexual exploitation of children is a heinous crime,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “New Yorkers want sexual predators who target minors arrested promptly, prosecuted rigorously, and sentenced in line with horrific nature of their crimes. Thanks to our prosecutors, Hasselbrink will not threaten our children for a long time. If you suspect sexual exploitation, please reach out to our law enforcement partners.”
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in related court proceedings:
From at least in or about April 2023 up to on or about July 2, 2023, HASSELBRINK, a convicted sex offender, engaged in sexually explicit message conversations with a 15-year-old girl (“Victim-1”), and traveled to meet Victim-1 near her home in Dutchess County, New York, to engage in sexual activity.
Any individuals with information concerning the sexual exploitation of children are asked to contact the Federal Bureau of Investigation at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324) or https://tips.fbi.gov.
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In addition to the prison term, HASSELBRINK, 49, of Quincy, Illinois, was sentenced to 15 years of supervised release.
Mr. Clayton praised the efforts of the FBI, the Dutchess County Sheriff’s Office, the Quincy, Illinois Police Department, the Adams County States Attorney’s Office, Carroll County Job and Family Services, the Office of the Attorney General of Kentucky, the Springfield, Illinois Field Office of the FBI, and the Canton, Ohio Resident Agency of the FBI in connection with this investigation.
This case is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kingdar Prussien is in charge of the prosecution.
San Francisco Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Federal Prison for Production, Distribution, and Receipt of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – Henry Muller, 33, of San Francisco, was sentenced last week to 240 months in federal prison for the production, distribution, and receipt of child sexual abuse material. Senior U.S. District Judge Edward M. Chen handed down the sentence on Feb. 12, 2026.
Muller was indicted by a federal grand jury in July 2023. On Jan. 9, 2025, he pleaded guilty to two counts of production of child pornography, one count of distribution of child pornography, and one count of receipt of child pornography. In pleading guilty, Muller admitted that on July 12, 2022, and July 13, 2022, he unlawfully persuaded a minor victim, Minor 1, to engage in sexually explicit conduct and produced video recordings of that conduct. On July 17, 2022, Muller knowingly distributed via the internet a video of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct. On October 17, 2022, Muller knowingly received via the internet a visual depiction of another minor victim, Minor 2, engaging in sexually explicit conduct.
U.S. Attorney Craig H. Missakian and FBI Special Agent in Charge Sanjay Virmani made the announcement.
Muller has been in custody since his arrest in 2023 and will begin serving his prison term immediately. In addition to the prison term, Judge Chen sentenced Muller to a 15-year period of supervised release, which will begin after his term of imprisonment.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Roland Chang prosecuted the case with the assistance of Christine Tian. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI and San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office.
Salem Man Sentenced to over 21 Years in Federal Prison for Sexual Exploitation of ChildrenRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—A Salem, Oregon, man was sentenced to federal prison yesterday for ordering live-streamed child sexual abuse material from child sex traffickers in the Philippines in exchange for money.
Steven Daniel Griswold, 44, was sentenced to 262 months in federal prison and a lifetime of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay a $12,000 special assessment under the Amy, Vicky, and Andy Child Pornography Victim Assistance Act of 2018.
According to court documents, from 2018 through 2019, Griswold paid for and received livestreamed “shows” featuring the sexual abuse and exploitation of children as young as three years old in the Philippines. During the livestreams, Griswold gave child sex traffickers in the Philippines specific instructions on how to abuse the children and received child sexual abuse material from the traffickers. Griswold typically paid traffickers between $20 to $40 for the livestreams. Griswold left the United States for the Philippines in 2020 after learning he was under investigation for uploading child pornography to Snapchat in an unrelated case.
On November 14, 2023, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a four-count indictment charging Griswold with sexual exploitation of children, attempted sexual exploitation of children, and receiving child pornography.
Griswold was arrested in the United States in March 2024 after being deported from the Philippines. He was transported to Portland, Oregon, for his arraignment on May 9, 2024. On November 5, 2025, Griswold pleaded guilty to one count of sexual exploitation of children.
Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Eliza Carmen Rodriguez and Charlotte Kelley prosecuted the case.
This case was brought in collaboration with Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
If you or someone you know are victims of human trafficking or have information about a potential human trafficking situation, please call the National Human Trafficking Resource Center (NHTRC) at 1-888-373-7888 or text 233733. NHTRC is a national, toll-free hotline, with specialists available to answer calls from anywhere in the country, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You can also submit a tip on the NHTRC website.
SDTX charges another 363 individuals in third week of February for crimes related to continued border-security enforcement effortsRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A total of 361 cases have been filed in immigration and related matters from Feb. 13-19, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
A total of 23 people are charged with human smuggling crimes. Another 141 criminal complaints were filed for illegal entry, while 193 people face charges of felony reentry after prior removal. Most of those individuals have prior felonies such as narcotics, violent crime, immigration crimes and more. The remaining cases involve firearms charges and other immigration crimes.
Some of those charged with felony reentry after removal are several Mexican nationals who had just been removed recently. Two of those complaints allege Jorge Luis Gonzalez-Garcia and Cesar Eduardo Sanchez-Rodriguez, who were discovered in the McAllen area with no authorization to be in the country. Both men have prior convictions for illegal reentry and were previously removed in November 2025 and January 2026, respectively.
Additional complaints allege four other felons had also illegally reentered the country and have prior drug convictions. Law enforcement discovered Cesar David Ramirez-Rodriguez and Irwin Francisco Ruiz-Gallegos near Mission, while Jesus Torres-Gomez and Arturo Saenz-Valle were located near Weslaco and Rio Grande City, respectively, according to their charges.
All six men face up to 20 years in federal prison, if convicted.
In addition to the new cases, Wilson Antonio Vargas Argueta was ordered to serve a 24-month sentence for unlawfully reentering the country. He has multiple prior convictions for assault, driving while intoxicated, and fleeing from law enforcement. In 2020, he bit a police officer while resisting arrest and was removed from the United States, before illegally returning.
Also announced this week was the sentencing of four-time DUI offender, Odon Chavez-Esquivel. He was first removed from the United States in May 2003 and later returned illegally in 2011 and 2012. Authorities discovered him again in August 2022 following his fourth conviction for driving under the influence of alcohol. He has now been ordered to serve a 21-month federal sentence.
Mexican national Juan Ignacio Miranda-Arente was ordered to serve a 21-month sentence. He has a lengthy criminal history dating back to 2008 with convictions for illegal reentry, assault, and indecency with a child.
Honduran national Danilo Nunez-Avila pleaded guilty to unlawfully reentering the United States without permission for a ninth time. Law enforcement discovered him Oct. 29, 2024, after responding to a reported assault involving a family member. According to court records, he has multiple previous convictions for illegal reentry. He faces up to 20 years in federal prison.
Several others also received federal sentences in Houston for illegal reentry, including Salvadoran national Santos Alexis Parada Garcia. He has multiple convictions for domestic violence, driving while intoxicated, and felony possession of cocaine. Two others – Guatemalan national Manual Isais Sohom Tambriz and Mexican national Jose Apolinar Hernandez-Melo – have also now been sentenced. Hernandez-Melo has a criminal history including driving under the influence of alcohol and possession of a controlled substance and had been previously removed from the United States. He was discovered again in 2025 following a conviction for deadly conduct. Tambriz was first removed in 2016 and returned illegally three times.
These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations, ICE - Enforcement and Removal Operations, Border Patrol, Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, U.S. Marshals Service and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners.
The cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Under current leadership, public safety and a secure border are the top priorities for this district. Enhanced enforcement both at the border and in the interior of the district have yielded aliens engaged in unlawful activity or with serious criminal histories, including convictions for human trafficking, sexual assault and violence against children.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas remains one of the busiest in the nation. It represents 43 counties and more than nine million people covering 44,000 square miles. Assistant U.S. Attorneys from all seven divisions including Houston, Galveston, Victoria, Corpus Christi, Brownsville, McAllen and Laredo work directly with our law enforcement partners on the federal, state and local levels to prosecute the suspected offenders of these and other federal crimes.
An indictment or criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
SCDC Inmate Indicted for Threatening the President, Religious GroupsRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. — A federal grand jury in Columbia returned a two-count indictment, presented by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, charging Eric Anthony Rome Jr., 37, an inmate incarcerated in the South Carolina Department of Corrections, for sending a threatening letter to a Jewish/Christian organization and threatening to kill President Trump.
The indictment alleges that in January, Rome drafted a letter to the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews in Chicago, Illinois. The letter included threats and derogatory references to the Jewish community and concluded with “Enjoy having Trump in office while you can because we are going to kill him too.”
Rome signed his full name to the letter.
Rome faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and restitution. Rome is currently serving a state sentence for armed robbery. He has been convicted federally for threatening the president of the United States twice before. At the conclusion of his state sentence in 2030, he will begin serving a five-year sentence for a previous federal conviction involving similar threats.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Secret Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. State Department, and the South Carolina Department of Corrections. Assistant U.S. Attorney Winston D. Holliday Jr. is prosecuting the case.
All charges in the indictment are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Romanian National Pleads Guilty to Selling Access to Networks of Oregon State Government Office and Other U.S. VictimsRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—A Romanian national pleaded guilty yesterday in connection with an online intrusion into an Oregon state government office, along with multiple cyber attacks on other U.S. victims.
Catalin Dragomir, 45, formerly of Constanta, Romania, pleaded guilty to obtaining information from a protected computer and aggravated identity theft.
According to court documents, Dragomir sold access to a computer on the network of an Oregon state government office after obtaining unauthorized access to it in June 2021. During the sale of access to the computer, Dragomir provided the prospective buyer with samples of personal identifying information from the computer to prove he had actual access to the network. Dragomir also sold access to the computer networks of numerous other victims in the U.S., causing losses of at least $250,000.
On May 21, 2024, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a five-count indictment charging Dragomir with obtaining information from a protected computer, money laundering, and aggravated identity theft.
Dragomir was arrested in Romania in November 2024 and extradited to the United States in January 2025.
Dragomir faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release for obtaining information from a protected computer and a mandatory consecutive sentence of two years in prison, a fine not to exceed $250,000, and one year of supervised release for aggravated identity theft.
He will be sentenced on May 26, 2026, before a U.S. District Court Judge.
As part of the plea agreement, Dragomir has agreed to pay restitution in full to the victims and forfeited cryptocurrency.
The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine A. Rykken for the District of Oregon and Trial Attorneys Benjamin A. Bleiberg and Alison M. Zitron of the Justice Department’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS) are prosecuting the case. The Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs worked with the Romanian Ministry of Justice, Directorate for International Law and Judicial Cooperation, and the Romanian judiciary to secure the arrest and extradition of Dragomir. The Department of Justice also thanks Darkweb IQ for its assistance with the investigation.
CCIPS investigates and prosecutes cybercrime in coordination with domestic and international law enforcement agencies, often with assistance from the private sector. Since 2020, CCIPS has secured the conviction of over 180 cybercriminals and court orders for the return of over $350 million in victim funds.
Romanian National Pleads Guilty to Selling Access to Networks of Oregon State Government Office and Other U.S. VictimsRead the Press Release
Yesterday, a Romanian national pleaded guilty in connection with an online intrusion into an Oregon state government office in 2021 and other cyber attacks on U.S. victims.
According to court documents, Catalin Dragomir, 45, formerly of Constanta, Romania, sold access to a computer on the network of an Oregon state government office after obtaining unauthorized access to it in June of 2021. During the sale of access to the computer, Dragomir provided the prospective buyer with samples of personal identifying information from the computer. He also sold access to the computer networks of numerous other victims in the U.S., causing losses of at least $250,000.
Dragomir was arrested in Romania in Nov. 2024 and extradited to the United States in Jan. 2025.
Dragomir pleaded guilty to one count of obtaining information from a protected computer and one count of aggravated identity theft. He is scheduled to be sentenced on May 26, 2026, and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison for obtaining information from a protected computer, to be followed by a mandatory consecutive sentence of two years in prison for aggravated identity theft. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI Portland Field Office is investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Benjamin A. Bleiberg and Alison M. Zitron of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine A. Rykken for the District of Oregon are prosecuting the case. The Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs worked with the Romanian Ministry of Justice, Directorate for International Law and Judicial Cooperation, and the Romanian judiciary to secure the arrest and extradition of Dragomir. The Department of Justice also thanks Darkweb IQ for its assistance with the investigation.
CCIPS investigates and prosecutes cybercrime in coordination with domestic and international law enforcement agencies, often with assistance from the private sector. Since 2020, CCIPS has secured the conviction of over 180 cybercriminals and court orders for the return of over $350 million in victim funds.
Richland County Felon Sentenced to Federal Prison for Gun ChargeRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Terrance Lopez Mayo, 33, of Columbia, has been sentenced to more than two years in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that on Nov. 13, 2023, officers were called after a witness reported seeing a male passenger in a vehicle point a gun at him. Officers saw the vehicle parked. When they approached, Mayo ran from the vehicle. During the chase, Mayo threw a 9mm pistol to the ground. Investigators later determined the firearm had been reported stolen. Mayo has a prior conviction for attempted armed robbery which prevents him from possessing a firearm under federal law.
United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis sentenced Mayo to 31 months imprisonment, to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the City of Columbia Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Major prosecuted the case.
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Resident of Cyprus Sentenced to 18 Months in Prison for Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Geoffrey Magistrate, 61, a current resident of Limassol, Cyprus, and a prior resident of Pennsylvania,[1] was sentenced this week to 18 months in prison by United States District Judge Gerald J. Pappert for money laundering.
The defendant was arrested on a criminal complaint in August of last year. He was charged by information in October and pleaded guilty in November to one count of money laundering, waiving prosecution by indictment.
As detailed in court filings, the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation (“IRS-CI”) Global Illicit Financial Team (“GIFT”) identified Magistrate as a corporate service provider in Cyprus potentially involved in concealing and laundering funds obtained from illicit enterprises.
Based upon this information, an IRS undercover agent (the “Undercover Broker”) proceeded to contact Magistrate by phone and explained that the Undercover Broker had clients looking to shield their identities and move money. Magistrate immediately probed the Undercover Broker for more information about what services the Undercover Broker’s clients needed, and provided detailed suggestions of how to achieve the supposed clients’ goals of laundering money.
As further detailed in court filings and admitted to by the defendant, after meeting the Undercover Broker’s “client” (the “Undercover Client,” another IRS agent) in person, Magistrate developed a scheme to launder what he believed to be proceeds of bank fraud through a bank account he controlled in Cyprus.
The scheme consisted of claiming that a U.S. company was investing in Magistrate’s Cypriot company, which would then, in turn, send money back to the United States to purchase real estate property in the Philadelphia area. In fact, the money would be sent back to a company that Magistrate believed was controlled by the Undercover Client.
In furtherance of the scheme, Magistrate created a false paper trail to document the bogus purpose of the transfers of purported bank fraud proceeds to Cyprus, sent misleading emails purporting to document and describe a phony real estate investment, concocted a story to facilitate the transfer of purported bank fraud proceeds from Cyprus back to the United States, created fake documents showing that Magistrate’s company would invest in real estate properties in the Philadelphia area, and advised the Undercover Broker on how to shield the Undercover Client’s identity from banks and regulators by having someone else pose as the ultimate beneficial owner of the U.S. company to which the funds would be returned.
From January 2025 to July 2025, in multiple transactions, the defendant laundered a total of $800,000, keeping a $60,000 commission for himself.
This case was investigated by IRS-CI and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ruth Mandelbaum.
[1] The defendant is a dual citizen of the United States and Cyprus.
Preston Man Sentenced to 7 Years in Federal Prison for Distributing Child Sex Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that JOEL HUNTSMAN, also known as “Jay Huntsman, “Joel Feser,” and “Jay Blackburn”, 37, of Preston, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in New Haven to 84 months of imprisonment and 10 years of supervised release for distributing child sex abuse material.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in June 2022, a police officer in New Albany, Ohio, conducting an online undercover investigation observed multiple users, including a user subsequently identified as Huntsman, posting child pornography in a private group chat using the Kik mobile messenger application, and referred the Huntsman matter to the Connecticut State Police. Also in June 2022, Kik submitted a CyberTip related to Huntsman to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (“NCMEC”). On November 2, 2022, the Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted a court-authorized search of Huntsman’s residence and seized multiple items, including two mobile phones. Analysis of the seized phones revealed child sex abuse images and videos.
Huntsman has been detained since his arrest on January 26, 2023. On September 9, 2025, he pleaded guilty to distribution of child pornography.
This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Connecticut State Police, and the New Albany (Ohio) Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel E. Cummings and Nancy V. Gifford.
This prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com.
Pacificorp Agrees to Pay $575 Million to Settle Claims for Damage Caused by Six Wildfires in Oregon and CaliforniaRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.— PacifiCorp has agreed to pay $575 million to resolve the United States’ claims for damages resulting from six wildfires in Oregon and California.
The four Oregon fires are:
- The “242 Fire,” which began on Sept. 7, 2020, near Chiloquin and burned 8,916 acres of federal land;
- The “Archie Creek Fire,” which began on Sept. 8, 2020, near French Creek in the Umpqua National Forest and burned 67,000 acres of federal land;
- The “Echo Mountain Complex Fire,” which began on Sept. 7, 2020, near Otis and burned approximately 2,500 acres, including federal land; and
- The “South Obenchain Fire,” which began on Sept. 8, 2020, east of Eagle Point and burned 14,780 acres of federal land.
The two California fires are:
- The “Slater Fire,” which began on Sept. 8, 2020, on Slater Butte National Forest lands within the Klamath National Forest and burned 157,229 acres of federal land within the Klamath, Six River, and Rogue River Siskiyou National Forests; and
- The “McKinney Fire,” which began on July 29, 2022, on land next to the Klamath National Forest and burned 39,000 acres of federal land.
The settlement resolves the United States’ claims that PacifiCorp’s electrical lines negligently started all six fires. The settlement monies will help repay the United States for the substantial costs it incurred fighting the fires, which is critical because the U.S. Forest Service now spends more than half of its budget on wildfire suppression annually. Settlement funds will also be distributed to the Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management to restore some of the 290,000 acres of public land that were burned.
These recoveries are among the largest federal wildfire recoveries to date.
“The United States and PacifiCorp have reached a settlement that ensures fair compensation to the American taxpayer for fire-related damages,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Department of Justice’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “This agreement strikes a balance by addressing the government’s significant fire-suppression costs and loss of natural resources without preventing PacifiCorp from offering electricity at fair prices.”
“Wildfires remain a recurring threat to our natural resources, the safety of our communities, and their economic well-being. The costs of land losses and fire responses are substantial,” said U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon Scott E. Bradford. “Recouping the costs associated with these wildfires is a priority for our office, and this settlement achieves that.”
“This settlement served the Department’s longstanding policy of holding individuals and corporations responsible for damages caused by wildfires. Every fire impacting federal lands, no matter the size, is a priority,” said U.S. Attorney Eric Grant of the Eastern District of California.
This settlement is the result of a joint effort by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for Oregon and the Eastern District of California, the U.S. Forest Service and the Department of the Interior.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexis Lien of the District of Oregon and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tara Amin and Kelli L. Taylor of the Eastern District of California handled the cases for the U.S. Attorney’s Offices.
The claims resolved by this settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability. PacifiCorp continues to deny liability for these fires.
PacifiCorp Agrees to Pay $575M to Settle Claims for Damage Caused by Six Wildfires in California and OregonRead the Press Release
PacifiCorp has agreed to pay $575 million to resolve the United States’ claims for damages resulting from six wildfires in California and Oregon.
The two California fires are:
- The “Slater Fire,” which began on Sept. 8, 2020, on Slater Butte National Forest lands within the Klamath National Forest and burned 157,229 acres of federal land within the Klamath, Six River, and Rogue River Siskiyou National Forests; and
- The “McKinney Fire,” which began on July 29, 2022, on land next to the Klamath National Forest and burned 39,000 acres of federal land.
The four Oregon fires are:
- The “242 Fire,” which began on Sept. 7, 2020, near Chiloquin and burned 8,916 acres of federal land;
- The “Archie Creek Fire,” which began on Sept. 8, 2020, near French Creek in the Umpqua National Forest and burned 67,000 acres of federal land;
- The “Echo Mountain Complex Fire,” which began on Sept. 7, 2020, near Otis, Oregon, and burned approximately 2,500 acres, including federal land; and
- The “South Obenchain Fire,” which began on Sept. 8, 2020, east of Eagle Point and burned 14,780 acres of federal land.
The settlement resolves the United States’ claims that PacifiCorp’s electrical lines negligently started all six fires. The settlement monies will help repay the United States for the substantial costs it incurred fighting the fires, which is critical because the U.S. Forest Service now spends more than half of its budget on wildfire suppression annually. Settlement funds will also be distributed to the Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management to restore some of the 290,000 acres of public land that were burned.
“The United States and PacifiCorp have reached a settlement that ensures fair compensation to the American taxpayer for fire-related damages,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Department of Justice’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “This agreement strikes a balance by addressing the government’s significant fire-suppression costs and loss of natural resources without preventing PacifiCorp from offering electricity at fair prices.”
“This settlement served the Department’s longstanding policy of holding individuals and corporations responsible for damages caused by wildfires. Every fire impacting federal lands, no matter the size, is a priority,” said U.S. Attorney Eric Grant of the Eastern District of California.
“Wildfires remain a recurring threat to our natural resources, the safety of our communities, and their economic well-being. The costs of land losses and fire responses are substantial,” said U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon Scott E. Bradford. “Recouping the costs associated with these wildfires is a priority for our office, and this settlement achieves that.”
This settlement is the result of a joint effort by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for Oregon and the Eastern District of California, the U.S. Forest Service and the Department of the Interior.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tara Amin and Kelli L. Taylor for the Eastern District of California and Alexis Lien for the District of Oregon handled the cases for the U.S. Attorney’s Offices.
The claims resolved by this settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability. PacifiCorp continues to deny liability for these fires.
PacifiCorp Agrees to Pay $575 Million to Settle Claims for Damage Caused by Six Wildfires in California and OregonRead the Press Release
PacifiCorp has agreed to pay $575 million to resolve the United States’ claims for damages resulting from six wildfires in California and Oregon.
The two California fires are:
- The “Slater Fire,” which began on Sept. 8, 2020, on Slater Butte National Forest lands within the Klamath National Forest and burned 157,229 acres of federal land within the Klamath, Six River, and Rogue River Siskiyou National Forests; and
- The “McKinney Fire,” which began on July 29, 2022, on land next to the Klamath National Forest and burned 39,000 acres of federal land.
The four Oregon fires are:
- The “242 Fire,” which began on Sept. 7, 2020, near Chiloquin and burned 8,916 acres of federal land;
- The “Archie Creek Fire,” which began on Sept. 8, 2020, near French Creek in the Umpqua National Forest and burned 67,000 acres of federal land;
- The “Echo Mountain Complex Fire,” which began on Sept. 7, 2020, near Otis and burned approximately 2,500 acres, including federal land; and
- The “South Obenchain Fire,” which began on Sept. 8, 2020, east of Eagle Point and burned 14,780 acres of federal land.
The settlement resolves the United States’ claims that PacifiCorp’s electrical lines negligently started all six fires. The settlement monies will help repay the United States for the substantial costs it incurred fighting the fires, which is critical because the U.S. Forest Service now spends more than half of its budget on wildfire suppression annually. Settlement funds will also be distributed to the Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management to restore some of the 290,000 acres of public land that were burned.
These recoveries, including nearly $240 million related to California fires, are among the largest federal wildfire recoveries to date.
“The United States and PacifiCorp have reached a settlement that ensures fair compensation to the American taxpayer for fire-related damages,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Department of Justice’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “This agreement strikes a balance by addressing the government’s significant fire-suppression costs and loss of natural resources without preventing PacifiCorp from offering electricity at fair prices.”
“This settlement served the Department’s longstanding policy of holding individuals and corporations responsible for damages caused by wildfires. Every fire impacting federal lands, no matter the size, is a priority,” said U.S. Attorney Eric Grant of the Eastern District of California.
“Wildfires remain a recurring threat to our natural resources, the safety of our communities, and their economic well-being. The costs of land losses and fire responses are substantial,” said U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon Scott E. Bradford. “Recouping the costs associated with these wildfires is a priority for our office, and this settlement achieves that.”
This settlement is the result of a joint effort by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Eastern District of California and Oregon, the U.S. Forest Service, and the Department of the Interior.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tara Amin and Kelli L. Taylor of the Eastern District of California and Alexis Lien of the District of Oregon handled the cases for the U.S. Attorney’s Offices.
The claims resolved by this settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability. PacifiCorp continues to deny liability for these fires.
Pensacola Fentanyl Trafficker Pleads Guilty in Federal CourtRead the Press Release
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Laurie Ann Chapman, 53, of Pensacola, Florida, pleaded guilty in federal court to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute more than 40 grams of fentanyl, one count of possession with intent to distribute more than 40 grams of fentanyl, and two counts of distribution of fentanyl. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Fentanyl has had an undeniably devastating, deadly impact on countless communities nationwide, which led President Donald J. Trump to designate the drug a Weapon of Mass Destruction in December 2025 to ensure we deploy every federal resource possible to eliminate it from our streets. Sheriff Chip Simmons and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office are doing great work in collaboration with our federal law enforcement partners to attack this threat head-on, and my office will continue to aggressively prosecute and seek maximum punishment for anyone who peddles this poison.”
Court records indicate that Chapman was the target of a multi-month joint investigation. During that time, law enforcement conducted surveillance and documented multiple instances of Chapman and her associates distributing fentanyl. The investigation concluded on May 29, 2025, when officers conducted a traffic stop and found Chapman in possession of more than 100 grams of fentanyl intended for a prearranged sale.
Chapman faces a minimum mandatory sentence of five years’ imprisonment, and up to forty years’ imprisonment, and up to a five-year term of supervised release thereafter.
The case involved a joint investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Escambia County Sherriff’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Christopher C. Patterson.
Sentencing is scheduled for May 7, 2026, at the United States Courthouse in Pensacola before United States District Judge T. Kent Wetherell, II.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime, human and drug trafficking.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.
Ohio Man Sentenced to Prison for Making Threats Against Law Enforcement and Illegal Gun PossessionRead the Press Release
TOLEDO, Ohio – A 34-year-old man has been sentenced to prison for making threats to harm law enforcement officers, advocating for a violent revolution against the federal government, and for illegally possessing a firearm.
Jerime Graham-Woods, of Mt. Vernon, Ohio, was sentenced to 42 months (3.5 years) in prison by U.S. District Judge James R. Knepp after pleading guilty last November to the following charges in the indictment:
- Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person; conviction for Domestic Violence in 2012.
- Interstate Communications with a Threat to Injure
He was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release after imprisonment.
According to court documents, from about June to September 2023, Graham-Woods made several threatening and hostile comments on a popular social media platform which advocated for violence against law enforcement and government officials. Some of these comments included the following: “I can’t wait to be a part of the violent revolution;” “I can’t wait to start shooting law enforcement;” “lotta bodies in my future;” and “I’m very much for shooting police.” Additionally, he made suggestive comments to others encouraging violent actions such as “start killing politicians,” “start killing federal agents,” “let’s just show the government what all of our guns are for. Stop talking and start loading,” and “start shooting.”
During the investigation into the dangerous threats, law enforcement discovered a video posted on a popular social media platform depicting Graham-Woods shooting a Heckler & Koch model MP5SD 9mm submachine gun at an indoor shooting range, which he was prohibited from possessing due to his prior misdemeanor domestic violence conviction.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the FBI Toledo Resident Agency.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Frank H. Spryszak for the Northern District of Ohio.
Nuclear Weapons Engineer Sentenced for Orchestrating 15-Year Kickback SchemeRead the Press Release
A Kansas man was sentenced yesterday to 29 months in prison for conspiring to fraudulently steer and award subcontracts by a major engineering firm for work on nuclear weapons manufacturing projects for the National Nuclear Security Administration’s Kansas City National Security Campus (KCNSC).
“For more than a decade, the defendant exchanged his integrity and his employer’s trust for kickbacks from a dishonest contractor,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “To satisfy his greed, he corruptly steered contracts that were essential to ensuring the integrity of the nation’s nuclear weapons. Yesterday’s sentence reaffirms the Criminal Division’s commitment to rooting out fraud and corruption related to the procurement and manufacture of critically important products and services for the federal government and, ultimately, for United States taxpayers and to holding those accountable who commit these acts.”
“The Department of Energy Office of Inspector General (DOE-OIG) is committed to ensuring the integrity of Departmental contracts and programs,” said Department of Energy Assistant Inspector General for Investigations Lewe Sessions. “We take allegations of fraud and kickbacks very seriously and will aggressively investigate these matters to ensure integrity throughout DOE programs. We appreciate the efforts of the DOJ in pursuing these allegations and will continue our collaboration with the DOJ to investigative those engaged in fraud or corruption in Department programs.”
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Michael Clinesmith, 70, of Overland Park, Kansas, solicited and received kickbacks and bribes from Richard Mueller, 65, of St. Charles, Missouri, in exchange for steering subcontracts from Clinesmith’s employer to Mueller’s company (Subcontractor 1). Clinesmith, a long-tenured employee of a major engineering firm (Company 1) working at the KCNSC, was responsible for designing and procuring gages that were specially designed and manufactured to measure the components of nuclear weapons.
Mueller paid Clinesmith over $1 million for surreptitiously performing some or all of the work and, in exchange, Clinesmith used his position and authority at Company 1 to steer gage subcontracts to Subcontractor 1. Clinesmith told Mueller how much money he wanted to perform work under the gage subcontracts, and Subcontractor 1 included those amounts in its bids to Company 1. Clinesmith then approved those bids and told his employer, Company 1, that those bids were fair and reasonable without disclosing that, in exchange for the subcontracts, Mueller would secretly funnel to Clinesmith money awarded to Subcontractor 1. In addition, Clinesmith provided Mueller with insider information, like Company 1’s budget for the gage subcontracts, that Subcontractor 1 used to its advantage when bidding on the subcontracts. In total, Clinesmith accepted over $1.2 million in kickbacks over the course of approximately 15 years.
In October 2025, Clinesmith was convicted of one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and honest services wire fraud and four counts of wire fraud and honest services wire fraud.
The DOE-OIG investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Andrew Jaco and Shy Jackson of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section prosecuted the case.
Notary Sentenced to 57 Months' Imprisonment for Real Estate Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – Shaneika Seymore, 41, of Memphis, has been sentenced to federal prison for her part in a real estate fraud scheme. Seymore previously pleaded guilty on April 16, 2025 to one count of mail fraud, one count of bank fraud, and one count of making a materially false statement. United States Attorney D. Michael Dunavant announced the sentence today.
According to information presented in Court, Seymore notarized multiple fraudulent quitclaim deeds which purported to transfer ownership from the true homeowners to Seymore and her co-conspirators. The deeds were filed with the Shelby County Register of Deeds unbeknownst to the true homeowners, who were victimized by the fraudulent property conveyances. In one instance, both supposed signatories on the notarized deed had passed away before the deed was signed.
In furtherance of the scheme, Seymore lied on a notary application that she filed with the Shelby County Clerk’s Office by stating that she had not previously been convicted of a felony, despite her 2019 felony conviction for theft. Over 30 properties in the Memphis area were fraudulently transferred in the scheme.
In addition, further information presented in Court revealed that Seymore forged her name on stolen checks which she deposited into her bank account and lied on an application for a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan.
On February 17, 2026, United States District Court Judge Mark S. Norris sentenced Seymore to 57 months in prison and ordered her to pay $280,914.25 in restitution for her crimes. There is no parole in the federal system.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, "Real estate fraud schemes victimize innocent citizens and can negatively affect financial institutions and the housing market. Wherever fraud occurs in the Western District of Tennessee, this office will be prepared to hold offenders accountable for such disturbing crimes of dishonesty and greed."
This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Bartlett Police Department (BPD), and the Memphis Police Department (MPD).
Assistant United States Attorney William Bateman prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
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For more information, please contact the Media Relations Team at [email protected]. Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.
Newcastle, Washington, man pleads guilty to laundering nearly $100 million in proceeds of investment fraud schemeRead the Press Release
Seattle –A 47-year-old resident of Newcastle, Washington, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to conspiracy to commit money laundering for his scheme to take in fraud proceeds and forward them to coconspirators’ bank accounts and cryptocurrency addresses, announced First Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Neil Floyd. Geoffrey K. Auyeung was arrested on a criminal complaint on August 12, 2024. He was indicted by the grand jury later that month. Sentencing in front of U.S. District Judge John C. Coughenour is scheduled for May 12, 2026.
According to the plea agreement, Auyeung admits that he set up nine different entities that he used to accept proceeds from investors who thought they were investing in the oil and gas industry. The names of business entities that offered purported investments related to oil and gas were Sea Forest International LLC.; Apex Oil and Gas Trading LLC.; Navigator Energy Logistics LLC.; Terminal Energy International Escrow Service LLC.; Energo Horizons Logistics (EA) LLC.; Legacy Energy Logistics Transport Group LLC.; Green Tree Gateway LLC, Dragon Timbers International LLC; and ANS & Partners International Limited.
From at least August 2022 through August 2024, co-schemers convinced victims to send money to what was represented as escrow accounts to purchase oil tank storage in either Rotterdam, Netherlands, or Houston. The schemers indicated that the investors could make significant profits by renting the oil tank storage they obtained to others. However, once the funds came into accounts controlled by Auyeung, the money was quickly moved into other accounts, moved offshore, or was used to purchase cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin, Tether, USD Coin, and Ethereum, via cryptocurrency exchanges such as Gemini, BitStamp, and Coinbase. Much of the cryptocurrency was further transferred to accounts at the cryptocurrency exchange Binance. The Binance accounts were controlled by the same individual or individuals located in Nigeria and Russia. Victims were not sent any further information on their investment and Auyeung and others simply stopped responding.
Auyeung opened at least 81 different bank accounts at 24 different financial institutions. And he opened 19 accounts on eight different cryptocurrency exchanges. Between June 2022 and July 2024, those accounts received $97.1 million in domestic and international third-party wire transfers and other third-party deposits. Law enforcement has traced deposits linked to some 35 different people or entities. Some $24.7 million came from those victims. The government believes that the remaining deposits in Auyeung’s accounts similarly represent fraud proceeds.
As Auyeung became more aware of the fraud, he demanded higher commission from the coconspirators. He admits he received at least $4,078,348 in commission payments. Auyeung admits he mislead banks and other financial institutions about the source of the funds and his role in any fraud complaints.
Even after Auyeung was indicted in this scheme, he continued to communicate with the coconspirators and with victims who thought they were investing in oil and gas storage. Between August 2024, and December 2025, Auyeung accepted an additional $400,000 in commissions by funneling deposits through bank accounts in his wife’s name.
In the plea agreement Auyeung agrees to pay $24,707,031 in restitution.
Auyeung is forfeiting approximately $2.3 million in funds and cash seized from his bank accounts and home at the time of his arrest, as well as an Audi SQ8. He further agrees not to contest the civil forfeiture of some $7.1 million seized from various cryptocurrency wallets. He also agreed to relinquish about $300,000 currently in his bank accounts to pay toward his restitution obligation.
Conspiracy to commit money laundering – spending, is punishable by up to 10 years in prison. Under the terms of the plea agreement, prosecutors will recommend 63 months in prison or the high-end of the guidelines range if it is less than 63 months. Judge Coughenour is not bound by the recommendation and can impose any sentence allowed by law.
The case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI).
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jehiel I. Baer and Yunah Chung.
New Orleans Man Sentenced to 41 Months Imprisonment for Sending Obscene Videos to Person He Believed was a Fifteen-Year-Old FemaleRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – MARK BROOKS a/k/a “Baby Nu” (“BROOKS”), age 35, from New Orleans, Louisiana, was sentenced on February 12, 2026 by United States District Judge Barry W. Ashe to 41 months imprisonment, 3 years of supervised release following imprisonment and payment of a $100 special assessment fee, after previously pleading guilty to attempted transfer of obscene matter to a minor, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1470, announced United States Attorney David I. Courcelle.
According to court documents, on or about May 1, 2025, BROOKS contacted an FBI online covert employee pretending to be a fifteen-year-old female named “Ava”. Subsequently, after “Ava” told BROOKS that she was only fifteen years old, BROOKS engaged in a sexually charged, text-based correspondence with her. During their correspondence, BROOKS sent multiple sexually explicit videos to “Ava,” including videos of BROOKS masturbating while at work, and various rooms in a residence. During their correspondence, BROOKS repeatedly discussed meeting “Ava” in person for the purpose of engaging in sexual acts. On May 13, 2025, BROOKS proposed to Ava that they meet at a restaurant near his residence before proceeding to BROOKS’s residence to engage in sexual contact. “Ava” agreed. Law enforcement authorities arrested BROOKS as he walked from his residence to the restaurant.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to 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.
United States Attorney Courcelle praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Louisiana State Police in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Jordan Ginsberg, Chief of the Public Integrity Unit, was in charge of the prosecution.
New Orleans Man Indicted for Importing Drugs from IndiaRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LA – U.S. Attorney David I Courcelle announced today that MARQUEL HORTON, (“HORTON”), age 41, of New Orleans, was indicted on February 6, 2026, on two counts of violating the Federal Controlled Substances Act. He was indicted in Count One for conspiracy to import tapentadol, a schedule II-controlled substance, into the United States from India, in violation of Title 21, U.S.C. §§ 952(a), 960(a)(1) and (b)(3), and 963. He was indicted in Count Two for Conspiracy to distribute, and possess with intent to distribute, tapentadol, in violation of Title 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1); §841(b)(1)(C), and 846. As to both counts, HORTON faces up to twenty (20) years imprisonment, up to a $1,000,000 fine, and at least three (3) years of supervised release. There is also a $100 mandatory special assessment fee per count.
According to the indictment, beginning on a time unknown, but prior to June 3, 2022, and continuing until the date of the indictment, HORTON conspired with others, both here in the Eastern District of Louisiana, and in India, to import tapentadol from India into the United States. Once HORTON obtained this imported tapentadol, he further conspired with other individuals to distribute the tapentadol throughout the greater New Orleans area.
U.S. Attorney Courcelle praised the work of Homeland Security, U.S. Customs and Border Control, Louisiana State Police, and the New Orleans Police Department. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Stuart Theriot of the Narcotics Unit.
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New Orleans Man Guilty of Being Felon in Possession of FirearmRead the Press Release
Correction: DARVALE WILLIAMS pled guilty to possession of a stolen firearm, which is a violation of 18 U. S.C. § 922(j).
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – DARVALE WILLIAMS (“WILLIAMS”), age 20, a resident of New Orleans, pleaded guilty on February 18, 2026, before United States District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo to violating the Federal Gun Control Act, by being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle.
According to court records, in March 2024, the FBI surveilled an apartment complex in New Orleans East and observed a suspicious looking Toyota Camry parked behind the complex. As the FBI agents who were watching the apartment complex saw the Camry begin to circle the complex to leave, they blocked the Camry’s exit causing the occupants, including WILLIAMS and another male, to abandon the Camry and flee on foot. Both men were apprehended by law enforcement shortly thereafter and WILLIAMS left behind a Romarm/Cugir Draco 7.62 rifle on the backseat. That Romarm/Cugir Draco rifle had been reported stolen on December 26, 2022, during a home robbery.
Judge Milazzo set sentencing for May 20, 2026. WILLIAMS faces a maximum term of ten years imprisonment, up to three years of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
U.S. Attorney Courcelle praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the New Orleans Police Department, and the New Orleans District Attorney’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Liz Privitera and Sarah Dawkins of the Violent Crime Unit.
New Jersey Couple Pleads Guilty to Illegally Moving $60 Million to Latin AmericaRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A New Jersey-based couple originally from Colombia admitted yesterday to illegally operating unlicensed money transmitting businesses, Senior Counsel Philip Lamparello announced.
Nicholas Ortega Munoz, 23, a Colombian national formerly of Hackensack, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Susan D. Wigenton in Newark federal court yesterday to an Information charging him with conspiring to, and operating, an unlicensed money transmitting business. Isabella Valderrama Ospina, 23, a resident of Hackensack, New Jersey, also pleaded guilty before Judge Wigenton to a separate Information charging her with operating and aiding and abetting the operation of an unlicensed money transmitting business.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court, Ortega Munoz, Valderrama Ospina, and others used a novel scheme to secretly move money from the United States to Colombia using two fake companies: BLK Graphics Group and Technology SD. The sham companies were built to serve as cash pipelines to move tens of millions of dollars to Latin America and avoid law enforcement detection. At no point were BLK or Technology SD ever appropriately registered as a money transmitting business, as FinCEN required them to be.
To carry out the scheme, BLK and Technology SD used a rotating stable of bank accounts at multiple financial institutions to funnel money deposited from pornographic websites and other entities to Latin America. For example, one website allowed online consumers to send “tokens” to pay adult performers for online performances. As part of the scheme, those “tokens” were then withdrawn from the websites and deposited into BLK and Technology SD bank accounts. Ortega Munoz, Valderrama Ospina, and others, then quickly directed the transfer of those funds to shell companies in Colombia. Between April 2021 and June 2025, BLK and Technology SD moved over $62 million in proceeds to accounts in Colombia.
The charges of conspiring to operate an unlicensed money transmitting business and operating and aiding and abetting the operation of an unlicensed money transmitting business each carry a statutory maximum prison sentence of five years and a statutory maximum fine of the greatest of $250,000, twice the gross amount of any pecuniary gain that any persons derived from the offense, or twice the gross amount of any pecuniary loss sustained by any victims of the offense, whichever is greatest. Sentencing for Mr. Ortega Munoz is scheduled for June 23, 2026. Sentencing for Ms. Valderrama Ospina is scheduled for June 25, 2026.
Senior Counsel Lamparello credited special agents of the FBI’s Newark Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy and investigators from the U.S. Attorney’s Office with the investigation leading to the guilty pleas.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert L. Toll of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Health Care Fraud & Opioids Enforcement Unit in Newark.
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Defense counsel: Ileana Montes, Esq. (Nicholas Ortega Munoz); Tyler Newman, Esq. (Isabella Valderrama Ospina).
valderramaospina.information.pdf ortegamunoz.information.pdfMontgomery County Man Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for Insider Trading Linked to CVS’s 2023 Acquisition of Oak Street HealthRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Carlos Sacanell, 59, of Willow Grove, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today to 24 months’ imprisonment and a $5000 fine by United States District Judge Wendy Beetlestone for insider trading.
The defendant was charged by indictment in October 2024. In September of last year, he pleaded guilty to one count of securities fraud (insider trading) and one count of making a false statement to a federal agency.
As detailed in court filings and admitted to by the defendant, Sacanell obtained material nonpublic information from his domestic partner, who was an executive at Oak Street Health, about CVS Health Corporation’s acquisition of Oak Street Health in 2023. At all times relevant to this matter, both CVS and Oak Street Health were publicly traded companies on the New York Stock Exchange, with ticker symbols CVS and OSH, respectively.
Sacanell used the material nonpublic information obtained from his domestic partner to trade stock and options in Oak Street Health before the transaction was publicly announced on February 8, 2023, resulting in him obtaining profits of approximately $617,000.
When the defendant was interviewed by the FBI in April 2024, he falsely told agents that he did not obtain from his domestic partner information regarding CVS’s planned acquisition of Oak Street Health before the acquisition was publicly announced on February 8, 2023.
This case was investigated by the FBI and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Francis A. Weber. The Securities and Exchange Commission also charged Sacanell, in a parallel matter.
Member of Violent Gang Pleads Guilty to Racketeering Involving Murder and Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Boston area man pleaded guilty yesterday to his role in Cameron Street, a violent Boston gang.
Takari Elliott, a/k/a “T-Paper,” 34, of Boston, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise involving murder. U.S. District Court Judge Julia E. Kobick scheduled sentencing for May 27, 2026. Elliott was among 22 defendants charged in May 2023.
Elliott was identified as a member of Cameron Street, a violent gang based largely in the Dorchester section of Boston. Cameron Street members use firearms to murder and assault gang rivals as well as protect narcotics and drug proceeds. Members of Cameron Street have tattoos and wear clothing signifying their membership in the gang. They also post videos and use social media applications to promote the gang, celebrate murders and other violent crimes committed by the gang.
Elliott engaged in several acts that supported the Cameron Street enterprise. Most significantly, Elliott participated in the October 2020 murder in Brockton of Manuel Duarte, also known as “Brava.” Throughout the day of the murder, Elliott had been communicating with Duarte over Snapchat urging Duarte to meet him at a home address in Brockton to conduct a drug deal. Another member of Cameron Street, who is now deceased, rented a car in Boston and drove to Brockton, where he picked up Elliott and the pair met up with Duarte at a home in Brockton. Once there, the fellow Cameron Street member emerged from the backyard and shot Duarte 10 times, killing him. The fellow Cameron Street member took the rental car and fled to Boston, while Elliott was picked up by others near the scene of the murder.
Further evidence revealed that Elliott and his fellow Cameron Street member were paid $60,000 to murder Duarte and that they spilt the proceeds.
Elliott’s Cameron Street-related conduct goes back as far as January 2011, when Elliott was arrested in possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number and masks in a car near Cameron Street with other Cameron Street members. Elliott was convicted and sentenced to three years in prison for that offense:
In 2017, Elliott was convicted in federal court in Boston for cocaine distribution, for which he was sentenced to 30 months in prison. Following his prison sentence, while on federal supervised release, Elliott was arrested during a traffic stop in possession of a baseball-sized quantity of cocaine and with the Duarte murder.
Elliott is the 21st defendant to be convicted in the case. The remaining defendant, Clayton Rodrigues, is a fugitive and remains at large.
“This defendant and his fellow Carmeron Street gang members terrorized communities for years. Despite previous arrests, and while on federal supervised release, Elliott continued to sell drugs, carry guns and commit a murder for hire. He has no regard for the law and it appears that he is incapable of learning a lesson. Enough is enough. He is facing a harsh sentence which is more than warranted,” said United States Attorney Leah B. Foley.
“Cameron Street waged a gang war among the residents of Dorchester, terrorizing their community and causing untold grief to countless families and loved ones of their victims. Takari Elliott was a willing participant in the Cameron Street racketeering enterprise, celebrating these killings and dealing drugs across Massachusetts. Elliott then accepted his cut of $60,000 to commit a murder-for-hire. ATF’s primary mission is to target and disrupt violent entities like Cameron Street. Takari Elliott’s plea places an exclamation point on ATF’s long-running investigation into the retaliatory violence,” said Thomas Greco, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division.
“Violent gang members who flood our communities with deadly drugs and commit acts of brutal violence will be held accountable,” said Jared A. Forget, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Division. “This defendant was not only responsible for trafficking dangerous narcotics, but also for participating in racketeering activity that included murder. With two prior convictions, he had multiple opportunities to change course and instead chose to escalate his criminal conduct. DEA and our law enforcement partners remain steadfast in our commitment to dismantling violent criminal enterprises and protecting the public from those who threaten the safety of our neighborhoods.”
The charge of RICO conspiracy involving murder provides for a sentence of up to life in prison, five years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
U.S. Attorney Foley, ATF SAC Greco, DEA SAC Forget and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police; Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office; Suffolk, Plymouth, Norfolk and Bristol County District Attorney’s Offices; and the Canton, Quincy, Randolph, Somerville, Brockton, Malden, Stoughton, Rehoboth, Pawtucket (R.I.) and Nashville Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher J. Pohl and Brian A. Fogerty of the Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The remaining defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.
Maryland Man Handed Prison Term for Assaulting MPD Officer with ATVRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Gerard Stokes, 31, of Greenbelt, Maryland, was sentenced today to 36 months in prison for driving an ATV into an MPD officer on March 15, 2025, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Stokes pled guilty to one count of felony assault on a police officer in December 2025, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The Honorable Errol Arthur sentenced Stokes to 36 months of incarceration, to be followed by three years of supervised release.
“Today, my office held accountable a criminal who attacked two Metropolitan Police Department officers by driving into them with his ATV. He will now spend 3 years behind bars,” said U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. “The assault on any law enforcement officer will absolutely not be tolerated and my office will continue to aggressively pursue criminals who commit these violent, egregious attacks.”
According to the government’s evidence, on March 15, 2025, officers were patrolling the area of 1442 U Street NW, Washington D.C., when they noticed a group of individuals on All-Terrain Vehicles (ATVs) loitering outside of a gas station. The officers drove toward the group at the gas station and got out of their cruiser to approach the group. Stokes then popped a wheelie and drove his ATV directly at two of the MPD officers, clipping one officer in the shoulder and striking the other officer head-on, dragging her under the ATV for approximately fifteen feet. As a result of Stokes’s actions, the officer who was struck head-on suffered multiple lacerations to the head and face, a concussion and a fractured jaw.
Detectives were able to identify Stokes as the driver of the ATV based on his distinctive clothing, helmet and blue ATV, which were captured in CCTV footage of the incident.
Stokes was arrested on August 16, 2025, and has been in custody since his arrest.
Joining in the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Pirro and Interim Chief Carroll commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also acknowledged the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kadian Carter and Maggie Sullivan, who prosecuted the case.
2025CF3009570
Management Company for Saginaw-Based Auto Dealer to Pay over $1.5 Million to Settle Fraud Allegations Regarding Paycheck Protection Program LoanRead the Press Release
DETROIT – United States Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon Jr. announced today that Garber Management Group, Inc. which is affiliated with the network of auto dealerships and other related entities in Michigan known as the Garber Automotive Group, has agreed to pay $1,513,281 to settle allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by making false statements to the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) to obtain a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan for which Garber Management was ineligible.
Congress created the PPP in March 2020 to provide emergency financial assistance to American businesses suffering from the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Under the PPP, eligible small businesses could receive forgivable loans guaranteed by the SBA. Regulations imposed various eligibility requirements for the PPP, including limitations on the number of employees and restrictions for certain types of businesses operating as franchises, such as auto dealerships. When applying for PPP loans, borrowers were required to certify the truthfulness and accuracy of all information provided in their loan applications.
In May 2020, Garber Management obtained a first draw PPP loan for $864,732. The United States alleged that Garber Management falsely certified it was eligible for its first draw loan and loan forgiveness, even though, aggregated with its affiliates, it had more than 500 employees, in violation of the PPP rules. Garber Management was not exempt from the aggregation rules as the management company did not qualify as a franchise with a franchise identifier code from SBA. Garber Management has cooperated with the government investigation from its onset.
This civil settlement resolved a sealed lawsuit originally filed under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act, which permit private parties to file suit on behalf of the United States for false claims and share in a portion of the government’s recovery. The qui tam lawsuit has been unsealed and is captioned U.S. ex rel. David Reed v. Garber Management, Inc., Case No. 24-cv-13126. The whistleblower will receive 10% of the settlement amount.
This matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Leslie Wizner from the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan, with assistance from the SBA’s Office of General Counsel.
Individuals with information about allegations of fraud involving COVID-19 are encouraged to report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only; there has been no determination of liability.
Long Island Child Therapist Sentenced to 84 Months for Distributing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Earlier today, in federal court in Central Islip, Renee Hoberman, also known as “Rina,” a licensed social worker, was sentenced by United States District Judge Joanna Seybert to 84 months’ imprisonment for receipt and distribution of child pornography.
Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Michael Alfonso, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations, New York (HSI New York), and Patrick Ryder, Commissioner, Nassau County Police Department, announced the sentence.
“Today, Renee Hoberman was sentenced for distributing sordid images and videos depicting the horrific sexual abuse of the most innocent and vulnerable members of our society: infants and children,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “The defendant’s access to children has come to an end. Our Office will relentlessly pursue child predators and hold them accountable to the fullest extent of the law.”
"The absolute depravity of Renee Hoberman's crimes, committed while she was entrusted as a mental health counselor for children, represents a staggering betrayal of the public trust and a horrific violation of innocent lives,” stated HSI New York Acting Special Agent in Charge Alfonso. “I hope the defendant's sentencing delivers a measure of justice to the Long Island community and offers hope for healing to her traumatized victims, who deserve to know that their suffering has not gone unanswered. HSI New York and our partners relentlessly investigated this case, and we remain unyielding in our commitment to protect vulnerable communities from predators in every form."
As set forth in court filings and on the record at the plea and sentencing proceedings in this case, Hoberman used encrypted social media messaging applications to upload, receive, and trade digital videos and images depicting minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct, including several videos depicting infants six months to one year of age, frantically screaming while being physically restrained and raped by adult males. The defendant also engaged in multiple online “chats” concerning child sexual molestation. In these chats, the defendant, posing as the father of several minor children, claimed to have sex with the children and punish them by getting naked, stripping the children naked, and spanking them while the other children watched. The defendant invited another user to visit “his” family in New York to spank and sexually abuse the children. In addition, the defendant described sexually abusing “his” children and their friends, and then uploaded and sent two videos containing child sexual abuse material, claiming that these videos depicted the defendant’s own children.
During the same time period that Hoberman was distributing child sexual abuse material online, she was also working as a mental health counselor for children and adolescents. The defendant was arrested on October 23, 2024, and pleaded guilty on June 18, 2025. She has been incarcerated since her arrest.
This prosecution is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices, 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 https://www.justice.gov/psc.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Long Island Criminal Section. Assistant United States Attorney Kaitlin McTague is in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Janelle Robinson.
The Defendant:
RENEE HOBERMAN, also known as “Rina”
Age: 38
Plainview, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 24-CR-463 (JS)
Last of Three Memphis Women Who Defrauded Tennessee and Federal Programs of over $580,000 Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – A Memphis woman has been sentenced to federal prison for defrauding state and federal programs out of over $560,000 intended to help people during the COVID-19 pandemic. D. Michael Dunavant, United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, announced the sentence today.
Karen Guevara, 38, was sentenced on February 13, 2026 by Chief United States District Judge Sheryl H. Lipman to one year and a day of incarceration to be followed by three years of supervised release for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and making false claims against the United States government.
According to information presented in court, Guevara and her co-conspirators defrauded the United States government out of over $560,000 by filing fraudulent applications for unemployment benefits in over 20 different states during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. Tabor and her co-conspirators also defrauded the federally funded Tennessee Emergency Cash Assistance (ECA) program of approximately $20,000 by creating fake employment termination notices for themselves and others. The ECA program was intended to provide financial assistance to individuals who had been significantly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic because of lost employment.
Guevara was the third Memphis woman to be convicted and sentenced to federal prison for these schemes. Deashley Tabor, 37, was previously sentenced to 41 months. Rochelle Turner, 32, was previously sentenced to five months in prison to be followed by five months of home detention.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said: "Fraudulent schemes and crimes of dishonesty will be exposed and punished. This case represents our commitment to expose COVID-19 benefit fraud well beyond the pandemic, protect the integrity of the ECA program, hold offenders accountable for their dishonest criminal conduct, and to recover ill-gotten proceeds on behalf of victimized agencies."
“Karen Guevara enriched herself at taxpayers’ expense by defrauding a program intended to aid American workers during a global pandemic when millions were displaced and out of work,” said Anthony P. D’Esposito, Inspector General, U.S. Department of Labor. “My office remains committed to relentlessly protecting the integrity of the unemployment insurance program and will continue to pursue accountability.”
“HHS-OIG, along with our law enforcement partners, is committed to safeguarding state and federal programs that are essential to helping those in need due to public health emergencies such as the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Special Agent in Charge Kelly Blackmon of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “This sentence sends a clear message that fraudsters who exploit these programs for personal gain will be held accountable.”
“The Tennessee Department of Human Services works to provide essential services while safeguarding program integrity. In 2020, we launched emergency cash assistance during the pandemic and monitored closely to prevent fraud, waste and abuse. This is an example of our efforts, and we appreciate the partnership with HHS/OIG to pursue those who abused the program.” –Todd McKinney, Inspector General, Tennessee Department of Human Services
The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, and the Tennessee Department of Human Services.
The case was prosecuted on behalf of the government by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tony R. Arvin.
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For more information, please contact the Media Relations Team at [email protected]. Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.
Last Defendant in Primary Health Network Fraud Scheme Convicted by Jury for Wire FraudRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - After deliberating for two days, a federal jury on February 19, 2026, found John O’Brien of Masury, Ohio, guilty of three counts of wire fraud in connection to a scheme to defraud a non-profit medical organization, United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
O’Brien was tried before United States District Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
The evidence presented during the week-long trial established that O’Brien engaged in a scheme with others to defraud Primary Health Network, a non-profit medical organization headquartered in Sharon, Pennsylvania, through the submission of fraudulent invoices, including from the telecommunications company O’Brien controlled. The four other defendants in the case all previously pleaded guilty, including three leaders of the organization last fall (read the November 2025 plea news release here).
Judge Ranjan indicated he would schedule O’Brien’s sentencing by future Order. The law provides for a total sentence of up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000 or of not more than twice the loss from the offense, or both on each count. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based on the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorneys Jeffrey R. Bengel and William B. Guappone prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Internal Revenue Service–Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of O’Brien and his co-defendants.
Las Cruces woman pleads guilty to methamphetamine traffickingRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Las Cruces woman has pleaded guilty to federal drug trafficking charges after more than 40 grams of methamphetamine was recovered during a traffic stop.
According to court documents, investigators with the FBI Safe Streets Gang Task Force and the Las Cruces/Dona Ana Metro Narcotics unit conducted a joint investigation into Ivory Hernandez, 43, for trafficking, drugs, stolen vehicles and firearms. On May 7, 2025, investigators attempted to conduct a traffic stop on Hernandez’s vehicle between Anthony and Las Cruces, New Mexico. Hernandez initially slowed down and pulled off the road but failed to fully stop before eventually complying with officers’ commands. During the stop, a canine trained to detect methamphetamine alerted to the presence of drugs inside the vehicle. A subsequent search revealed approximately 40.5 net grams of pure methamphetamine and a soft case containing drug packaging and weighing materials. Hernandez admitted she was transporting the drugs within the United States and intended to transfer them to another person.
Hernandez pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. At sentencing, Hernandez faces not less than five years and up to life in prison.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison made the announcement on behalf of the Homeland Security Task Force.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Devon Aragon Martinez is prosecuting the case.
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 Region II CORE 7 is comprised of agents and officers from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Customs and Border Protection – Office of Field Operations (OFO), U.S. Border Patrol (USBP) and Air and Marine (AMO), Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR), United States Department of the Interior – Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Joint Task Force North (JTF-N), United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), United States Marshal Service (USMS), Department of State, Bureau of Diplomatic Security (DSS), U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), Texas Department of Public Safety (TXDPS), El Paso Police Department (EPPD), New Mexico State Police (NMSP), West Texas / New Mexico High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA), Albuquerque Police Department, New Mexico Sixth Judicial District, Las Cruces/Dona Ana County Metro Narcotics Agency, and the prosecution is being led by the Office of the United States Attorney for the Districts of Western Texas and New Mexico.
View the Plea Agreement (Hernandez).pdfJustice Department Sues OhioHealth for Anticompetitive Healthcare Contracts That Increase Costs for Ohio PatientsRead the Press Release
The Justice Department’s Antitrust Division, together with the Attorney General of Ohio, filed a civil antitrust lawsuit today challenging OhioHealth Corporation’s (OhioHealth) anticompetitive contract restrictions that force Ohio patients to pay higher prices for healthcare.
The complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio, seeks to enjoin OhioHealth, the largest healthcare system in central Ohio, from enforcing its anticompetitive contractual terms and continuing to suppress healthcare competition.
“Americans deserve low-cost, high-quality healthcare – not anticompetitive hospital system contracts that make healthcare less affordable,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Under President Trump’s leadership, this Department of Justice will continue taking legal action to protect consumers and drive down healthcare costs across America."
“Competition for healthcare is vital to all Americans,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Omeed A. Assefi of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “This lawsuit challenges anticompetitive contract restrictions that prevent consumers from choosing lower-cost health plans and severely limit consumers’ access to price information. These restrictions cause many Columbus residents to pay more for lower-quality healthcare. American families and consumers deserve better. I appreciate the partnership with Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost to challenge these restrictions as we work together to open this important market to the very real benefits of open competition.”
As alleged in the complaint, OhioHealth uses its market power to impose contractual restrictions that impede or completely prevent insurers from offering innovative and money-saving health-insurance plans or plan features. OhioHealth generally forces insurers to include OhioHealth in all of the networks for the commercial insurance products they offer, regardless of how OhioHealth’s prices compare to its competitors, preventing the development of budget-conscious plans in the Columbus area. Without these lower cost and innovative plan options that empower patients to save money by selecting lower-cost providers who still provide high-quality care, patients and employers are faced with fewer health plan choices and higher costs.
OhioHealth owns or manages 16 hospitals and outpatient facilities throughout the State of Ohio.
Justice Department Files Case to Revoke U.S. Citizenship of Immigration Fraudster and Former Mayor of North MiamiRead the Press Release
MIAMI – Today, the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida announced that it has filed a civil denaturalization complaint in the U.S. District Court in Miami, against Phillipe Bien-Amie, also known as Jean Philippe Janvier, a native of Haiti who used two identities to procure immigration benefits — and eventually acquire U.S. citizenship — after illegally entering the U.S.
“This Administration will not permit fraudsters and tricksters who cheat their way to the gift of U.S. citizenship,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The passage of time does not diminish blatant immigration fraud.”
“United States citizenship is a privilege grounded in honesty and allegiance to this country,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “The complaint alleges that this defendant built his citizenship on fraud — using false identities, false statements, and a sham marriage to evade a lawful removal order. The fact that he later served as an elected mayor makes the alleged deception even more serious, because public office carries a duty of candor and respect for the rule of law. If proven, we will ask the Court to revoke a status that was never lawfully obtained. The rule of law requires nothing less.”
Before he became a U.S. citizen under the name Philippe Bien-Aime, the defendant used a fraudulent, “photo-switched” passport to enter the U.S. under the name Jean Philippe Janvier. In 2001, Bien-Aime was placed in removal proceedings and ordered removed under the Janvier identity. He appealed the removal order, but he withdrew the appeal, representing that he had returned to live in Haiti. In reality, Bien-Aime remained in the U.S. and, using the new name and date of birth, married a U.S. citizen to obtain permanent resident status. The marriage was fraudulent and invalid because he was already married to a Haitian citizen. After making numerous false and fraudulent statements in adjustment and naturalization proceedings, he naturalized in 2006 under the Bien-Aime identity.
The complaint, filed on Wednesday, Feb. 18, alleges that Bien-Aime illegally procured naturalization for several reasons. First, he was subject to a final removal order, which disqualified him from naturalization and precluded the former Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) from considering his application for permanent resident status. Second, the removal order prohibited U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) from considering his naturalization application and granting U.S. citizenship. Third, he did not lawfully adjust status to permanent resident because of his fraud and because his marriage was fraudulent and not legally valid. Fourth, he provided false or misleading information under oath in his adjustment and naturalization interviews to obtain immigration benefits when he denied that he was subject to a removal order and denied that he lied to U.S. government officials. He also provided false testimony about his children and former residential addresses. The complaint also claims that Bien-Aime’s naturalization should be revoked because he concealed and misrepresented facts that were material to his qualifications for U.S. citizenship.
Bien-Aime’s immigration fraud was discovered and confirmed through a comparison of fingerprints that he provided under the two identities. That comparison is part of an ongoing national initiative called the Historic Fingerprint Enrollment project, a joint effort by the Justice Department and USCIS.
The case was investigated by USCIS of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and will be litigated by the Affirmative Litigation Unit of the Civil Division’s Office of Immigration Litigation and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida.
The claims made in the complaint are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
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 26-cv-21064.
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Joseph Payne Pabón Sentenced to Life in Prison for Carjacking Resulting in DeathRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico –On February 19, 2026, United States District Court Judge Aida M. Delgado-Colón sentenced Joseph Payne Pabón to life in prison for a federal crime that arose from the carjacking-murder of Eulalia Combas-Sancho, an 82-year-old retired professor, on January 7, 2020, in the municipality of San Juan.
On June 20, 2025, a jury determined, according to court documents and evidence presented at trial, that Joseph Payne Pabón, a 33-year-old homeless man, entered the home of Eulalia Combas Sancho with the intent to take her Hyundai Sonata vehicle. The defendant found the victim in her backyard weeding. In order to take her vehicle, Payne-Pabón hit her the back of the head with a cement block causing multiple injuries that resulted in her death. Payne-Pabón had an extensive criminal history and had been in prison multiple times.
“This life sentence rightly holds the defendant responsible for the pain and suffering he inflicted on his victim and her family,” said W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. “Anyone who commits cold-blooded crimes of violence in violation of federal law will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law by the Justice Department and this office. I commend the agents and officers of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, & Explosives, the Puerto Rico Police Department, and federal prosecutors from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the tireless efforts and outstanding work, from the beginning of the investigation of the carjacking and murder of the victim to the sentencing.”
“Yesterday’s life sentence imposed on violent criminal and murderer Joseph Payne-Pabón represents the only just outcome and brings a measure of closure to the victim’s family and loved ones. ATF Puerto Rico remains steadfast in its commitment to investigating violent crime throughout Puerto Rico & the U.S. Virgin Islands and has a long and distinguished record of bringing dangerous offenders like Payne-Pabón to justice in federal court,” said Jason Stankiewicz, Special Agent in Charge of ATF Miami Field Division. “I commend the dedicated ATF Special Agents and Task Force Officers, including our partners from the Puerto Rico Police Department, as well as the prosecutors from the United States Attorney’s Office, for their outstanding work over the course of several years. Their unwavering commitment and tireless efforts were instrumental in securing this conviction. In 2025, following extensive trial proceedings, a jury of Payne-Pabon’s peers returned a guilty verdict, leading to yesterday’s sentence and ensuring accountability under the law.”
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case with the assistance of the Puerto Rico Police Department, the Puerto Rico Department of Justice, and the Puerto Rico Institute of Forensic Sciences. The FBI also collaborated in the analysis of phone location data, and the citizens of Puerto Rico provided information that secured the conviction and sentence of this individual.
Assistant United States Attorney Jeanette Collazo, Chief of the Violent Crimes and National Security Section at the U.S. Attorney’s Office and Assistant U.S. Attorney César Rivera-Díaz prosecuted the case.
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Irish national extradited to SDTX to face child exploitation chargesRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 36-year-old man from Ireland is set to make his initial appearance in the Southern District of Texas on charges of coercion and enticement and sexual exploitation of a child, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Matthew Liam Johnstone was extradited from Ireland to Houston Feb. 19. He is set to make his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jason B. Libby in Corpus Christi at 9:45 a.m.
The indictment, returned Aug. 6, 2025, alleges that in September 2022, Johnstone allegedly coerced a minor into filming and photographing herself engaging in sexually explicit conduct. The acts allegedly included elements of sadism and bestiality.
If convicted, Johnstone faces up to life in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
The FBI conducted the investigation. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with authorities in Ireland to secure the arrest and extradition of Johnstone.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Overman is prosecuting the case along with Trial Attorney Adam Braskich of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s CEOS leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources tab on that page.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Houston resident sentenced to decade in prison for laundering proceeds from $40 million fraud schemeRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 44-year-old man has been sentenced for laundering proceeds from a large-scale bank fraud scheme, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Bun Khath pleaded guilty Feb. 11, 2025.
U.S. District Keith Ellison has now ordered Khath to serve 120 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence that the bank fraud scheme involved more than $60 million in loans and that Khath directed numerous participants, including bankers, co-defendants, tax preparers and borrowers. The court also heard evidence related to alleged Medicare fraud he committed while on bond. In imposing the sentence, the court described the offense as a heinous crime.
As part of his plea, Khath admitted he opened and maintained shell companies and bank accounts to collect proceeds from the scheme. He also acknowledged laundering the funds by wiring them to accounts controlled by coconspirators.
Khath and others carried out the bank fraud by submitting loan applications containing false and fraudulent information and supporting documents, including fabricated equipment sales invoices, income tax returns and financial and bank statements.
Previously released on bond, Khath was taken into custody following sentencing and will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Another Houston resident charged in the case, Hugo Villanueva, 71, was recently apprehended in Peru and is expected to be extradited soon.
The Federal Housing Finance Agency-Office of Inspector General, IRS-Criminal Investigation, FBI and Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation-OIG conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Belinda Beek prosecuted the case.
Hope Hull Man Sentenced in Federal Court for Stealing Firearms from Montgomery Gun StoreRead the Press Release
MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Today, Acting United States Attorney Kevin Davidson announced the sentencing of a Hope Hull, Alabama, man for his role in stealing firearms from a federally licensed firearms dealer in Montgomery.
Last week, a federal judge sentenced 22-year-old Ethan Daniel Turner to 70 months in federal prison. Following his term of imprisonment, Turner will serve three years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
According to Turner’s plea agreement and other court records, just after midnight on June 29, 2025, law enforcement officers responded to a burglary alarm at a sporting goods store on North Eastern Boulevard in Montgomery. Upon arrival, officers observed that the store’s front entrance doors had been forcibly rammed open using a vehicle.
Two individuals were seen fleeing the business and escaping in a second vehicle, leading officers on a high-speed pursuit. The chase ended when the fleeing vehicle stopped, and the occupants fled on foot. Turner was eventually apprehended and identified as one of the individuals involved in the burglary.
As part of his plea agreement, Turner pleaded guilty to possession of a stolen firearm and theft of a firearm from a federal firearms licensee, admitting that he stole two rifles and a shotgun from the sporting goods store.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Montgomery Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Michelle R. Turner and Chelsea Wilson prosecuted the case.
Grand jury indicts Columbus man for defrauding the U.S. through GI Bill, student aid & disabled veteran loan forgiveness programsRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A federal grand jury has indicted a Columbus man, charging him with defrauding the United States through fraudulent GI Bill educational assistance, Federal Student Aid and military loan discharge.
Adam L. Steinberger, 36, of Columbus, allegedly recruited several co-conspirators, including a family member and friends who served in the military, to enroll in college courses to fraudulently obtain financial assistance.
According to the indictment, from 2018 until 2024, Steinberger and others enrolled in college courses and applied for and received GI Bill-33 funds for tuition, monthly housing allowances and stipends for books and supplies. In addition, Steinberger and others also allegedly obtained Federal Student Aid while enrolled.
Once enrolled, Steinberger allegedly paid an individual in Africa to complete course assignments for the co-conspirators.
The defendant also allegedly caused fraudulent federal student loan discharge or forgiveness based on alleged Total and Permanent Disability status for veterans.
Finally, part of the fraudulently obtained government benefits and student loan discharge proceeds would allegedly be paid to Steinberger from co-conspirators through money apps. The indictment details a series of payments sent to Steinberger totaling nearly $15,000, with approximately $6,000 of the proceeds then going to the person in Africa completing the college coursework.
Conspiring to defraud the United States is a federal crime punishable by up to five years in prison.
Dominick S. Gerace II, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, announced the case, which is being investigated by the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General and Department of Education Office of Inspector General. Assistant United States Attorney Kenneth F. Affeldt and Assistant Deputy Criminal Chief Noah R. Litton are representing the United States in this case.
An indictment merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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Gainesville Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Firearms OffenseRead the Press Release
GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA – Devon Oliver, 18, of Gainesville, Florida, has pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm with a removed serial number. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Our brave state and federal law enforcement partners are on the front lines every day fighting to keep our communities safe, and my office will continue to back up those efforts with successful prosecutions like this one.”
Court documents reflect that on October 22, 2025, Oliver was riding an electric scooter with a firearm concealed in his waistband. When law enforcement attempted to detain Oliver for a traffic violation, he attempted to flee on foot and discarded the firearm in the bushes of an apartment complex. After law enforcement recovered the firearm, they discovered it had an extended magazine loaded with 22 rounds of ammunition and the serial number had been cut off and removed. Oliver was arrested while hiding in a stairwell and subsequently admitted he threw the firearm while fleeing.
Oliver faces up to five years in federal prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
The case involved a joint investigation by the Gainesville Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam Hapner.
Sentencing is scheduled for April 28, 2026, at 1:30 pm at the United States Courthouse in Gainesville before Chief United States District Judge Allen C. Winsor
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime, human and drug trafficking.
As part of its PSN strategy, the United States Attorney’s Office is encouraging everyone to lock their car doors, particularly at night. Burglaries from unlocked automobiles are a significant source of guns for criminals in the Northern District of Florida. Please do your part and protect yourself by locking your car doors.
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 http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Frederick Man Charged with Violating National Defense AirspaceRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A 66-year-old Maryland man made his initial appearance in federal court today, in connection with flying an Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) in restricted airspace.
Stuart Bennett, of Frederick, Maryland, is charged with violating national defense airspace.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the criminal complaint with Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge Hanna Porterfield, Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) – Washington, D.C. Field Office.
On September 8, 2025, a military official reported that a YouTube channel, titled “Area 82 Surveillance911,” posted drone footage of an identified sensitive U.S. national defense facility.
In response, the NCIS conducted a preliminary review of the YouTube channel. Through the investigation, authorities identified videos depicting several identified national defense facilities, including Raven Rock Mountain Complex (RRMC), that appeared to have been taken from an UAS.
A joint FBI and NCIS investigation of the YouTube channel revealed videos that appeared to depict DOD facilities and critical infrastructure to national security. Additionally, the YouTube channel displayed video titles that claimed to identify locations as “classified” or “Top Secret.” This included a folder titled, “Classified Secret Sites” that contained approximately seven videos taken by an UAS flying over U.S. Government facilities.
The FBI investigated the Internet Protocol address overlap of email accounts, a recovery phone number, and email addresses registered with the United States Postal Service. As a result of its findings, the FBI focused on Bennett as the owner of the YouTube channel.
Then the FBI executed a search warrant for Bennett’s residence where they seized a Potensic Atom drone, four micro-SD cards, and a Hewlett-Packard Z240 Tower Workstation. Agents also took Bennett’s computer monitor, which displayed the Area82 Surveillance911 YouTube channel logged in. A review of one of the micro-SD cards seized from Bennett’s residence revealed a video depicting a UAS flight over RRMC.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI and NCIS for their work in the investigation, and the Department of War's Pentagon Force Protection Agency for its valuable assistance.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Former VA Employee Sentenced to Prison for Stealing Almost $200K in Unauthorized Purchases on Work-issued Credit CardRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – A federal employee and his accomplice have been sentenced for their roles in a scheme to resell electronic and digital devices that were purchased with a government-issued credit card.
Dustin Jagger, 41, of Canton, Ohio, and Damarco McKinley, 26, of Cleveland, were each sentenced to 12 months and 1 day in prison by U.S. District Judge Dan A. Polster. Last October, Jagger pleaded guilty to Theft of Government Property, and McKinley pleaded guilty to Interstate Transportation of Stolen Goods. Each defendant was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release. Additionally, Jagger was ordered to pay $198,183.84 in restitution, which includes $29,124.56 to be paid joint and several with McKinley.
According to court documents, Jagger worked for the Cleveland Veterans Affairs Medical Center (VAMC), where he used his position as a logistics employee to purchase $198,183.84 worth of iPads, iPhones, and other electronics and goods. Jagger kept some items while reselling others for cash through an online marketplace website. He sold a portion of these items to McKinley, who was stopped on a traffic violation in Indiana while in possession of more than $29,000 worth of electronics that Jagger purchased with the VAMC credit card. McKinley had been on route to Chicago to resell the items. During the investigation into McKinley, federal agents also seized from him:
- Apple products including 16 iPhones and 8 iPads purchased with the VAMC credit card
- A Glock 43 handgun with one round in the chamber
- A loaded magazine
- Credit cards in other people’s names
- $4,262 in cash
At Jagger’s residence, investigators found additional items that he purchased with his work-issued credit card including speakers, soundbars, adapters, and headphones.
“Any federal employee who abuses their position for personal gain, contributes to the erosion of the public’s trust,” said United States Attorney David M. Toepfer for the Northern District of Ohio. “We will not tolerate such dishonest actions that waste tax dollars and show disrespect for our veterans. We commend the work of VA investigators, which has led to putting a stop to this egregious behavior.”
“These sentences send a message that corrupt VA employees and those who profit from their illegal activities will be rooted out and prosecuted,” said Special Agent in Charge Gregory Billingsley with the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General’s Central Field Office. “These fraudulent activities erode public trust and divert taxpayer money intended for our nation’s deserving veterans. The VA-OIG thanks the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners for their efforts in this investigation.”
This case was investigated by Veterans Affairs-Office of the Inspector General, the Department of Veterans Affairs Police Department, and the Lake County Indiana Sheriff's Department.
The prosecution was led by Assistant United States Attorney Adam J. Joines for the Northern District of Ohio.
Former Postal Worker pleads guilty to mail fraud scheme aimed at defrauding state businesses and charitiesRead the Press Release
Tacoma – A San Jose, California resident pleaded guilty today to mail fraud for his scheme to steal from thousands of businesses and charities with scam letters that appeared to be from state agencies, announced First Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Neil Floyd. Johnny Q. Nguyen, 50, agreed to pay $90,850 in restitution to victims who mailed checks or money orders to his Olympia post office box believing they were paying state required registration fees. Nguyen is scheduled for sentencing by Chief U.S. District Judge David G. Estudillo on May 22, 2026.
According to records filed in the case, in the fall of 2024, Nguyen sent mass mailings on fake government letterhead to thousands of entities. The mailings were fraudulent billing statements directing the recipients to send checks to a post office box Nguyen had rented in Olympia, Washington. The letters instructed recipients to pay registration and filing fees for their businesses or charity. Nguyen created a limited liability company called “Business Entities” and induced the victims to make their checks payable to that entity.
Thousands of Washington and California victims sent checks, cashier’s checks, and money orders. Nguyen deposited some 350 from Washington victims totaling $82,210. He cashed 60 from California victims totaling $8,640. Investigators were able to seize an additional 1,711 pieces of mail that contained checks and money orders totaling $395,295.
After being charged in this scheme, Nguyen appeared in U.S. District Court in Northern California. He was instructed to surrender all passports and appear in Tacoma for arraignment. Instead, on June 24, 2025, Nguyen boarded a flight from San Francisco to Taipei, Taiwan enroute to Vietnam. He used a passport he had failed to surrender to the court. Nguyen was detained in Taipei and put on a flight back to California where he was taken into custody. He was later released on pre-trial supervision.
Chief Judge Estudillo can consider the attempt to flee from justice in determining the appropriate sentence.
Mail fraud is punishable by up to 20 years in prison. Under the terms of the plea agreement, prosecutors will recommend 33 months in prison.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS).
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jehiel I. Baer.
Former Pastor Sentenced for Embezzling from a Local ChurchRead the Press Release
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – A former Huntsville pastor has been sentenced for embezzling more than $400,000, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona.
United States District Judge Liles C. Burke sentenced Adrian Derrell Davis, 42, to 60 months in prison. In October 2025, Davis pleaded guilty to wire fraud and filing a false tax return.
According to the information and plea agreement, Davis was the pastor at All Nations Worship Assembly (the “Church”) in Huntsville. From 2018 to 2020, Davis used his position as pastor to embezzle approximately $434,339 from the Church. For example, in 2018, Davis used $30,920 in Church funds to purchase an Audi A7. In 2019, Davis used $45,982 in Church funds to purchase a 2016 GMC Yukon. He also used Church funds to make 41 payments totaling $117,000 to satisfy the balance of his personal American Express card. Purchases that Davis made on this card included luxury items totaling $4,970.15 at Louis Vuitton and $5,300.00 at Flight Club, a shoe store in New York. In 2020, Davis used Church funds to pay a balance of $18,530 on a credit card that he had used to purchase jewelry. He also made additional payments from Church funds to his personal American Express card that totaled over $151,000. Items purchased that were paid with Church funds included a $29,900 purchase from Hublot, a $28,000 purchase from Peter Marco, and a $6,022.50 purchase from Louis Vuitton. None of these payments or purchases were authorized or approved by the Church.
Davis also failed to report the embezzled profit on his individual tax returns for 2018, 2019, and 2020 resulting in a tax loss to the IRS in the amount of $114,859.00. Davis did not provide his tax preparer with records showing that he had received and spent more than $400,000 of the Church’s funds in tax years 2018-2020. Additionally, Davis suggested to his tax preparer that his extra income came only from speaking engagements.
“Davis betrayed his congregation when he abused his position of trust for personal gain,” said U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona. “My office is committed to holding accountable individuals who violate positions of public trust.”
“Adrian Davis stole funds from his parishioners and filed false tax returns to conceal his crime,” said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Kristen A. Yukness, IRS Criminal Investigation, Atlanta Field Office. “IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agents are dedicated to ensuring that individuals who hold positions of trust within the community and use those positions to participate in fraudulent financial activities are held accountable.”
IRS-CI and the United States Secret Service investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan S. Rummage prosecuted the case.
Former NFL Player and Laboratory Owner Convicted in $328M Genetic Testing Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
A federal jury in Dallas convicted a Texas laboratory owner and former NFL player yesterday for his role in a $328 million cardiovascular genetic testing fraud scheme.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Keith J. Gray, 39, of McKinney, Texas, orchestrated a scheme to bill Medicare for medically unnecessary genetic tests designed to evaluate the risk of various cardiovascular diseases and conditions. Gray, the owner and operator of two clinical laboratories, Axis Professional Labs LLC (Axis), and Kingdom Health Laboratory LLC (Kingdom), offered and paid kickbacks to marketers in exchange for their referral of Medicare beneficiaries’ DNA samples, personally identifiable information (including Medicare numbers) and signed test orders from medical providers authorizing the medically unnecessary genetic tests. As part of the scheme, the marketers engaged other companies to solicit Medicare beneficiaries through telemarketing and to engage in “doctor chase,” i.e., to obtain the identity of beneficiaries’ primary care physicians and pressure them into approving genetic testing orders for patients who purportedly had already been “qualified” for the testing during telephone calls conducted by non-medical personnel at one of the companies retained by the marketers — not by their physicians.
In an effort to conceal the kickback payments, Gray used sham contracts and invoices that purported to charge for “marketing” hours but that in reality were reverse-engineered to match the amounts agreed to under the illegal per-sample kickback arrangement. Gray also sought to conceal the scheme by, among other things, referring to the payments as being for “software” and loans that never existed. Evidence at trial included text messages between Gray and his co-conspirator becoming giddy over the amount of money they were making from Medicare. For example, Gray’s co-conspirator stated, “$ent, you should have it any minute if you don’t already. Get it?” Gray responded, “Sorry I was filling my bathtub with ones. Yes lol.”
Axis and Kingdom billed Medicare approximately $328 million for the false, fraudulent and kickback-tainted genetic testing claims, of which Medicare paid approximately $54 million. Gray laundered some of the proceeds by purchasing expensive luxury vehicles, including a Dodge Ram truck worth more than $142,000 and a Mercedes Benz SUV worth more than $145,000.
The jury convicted Gray of conspiracy to defraud the United States and to pay and receive health care kickbacks, five counts of violating the Anti-Kickback Statute and three counts of money laundering. He is scheduled to be sentenced at a later date. Gray faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison on each count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock of the FBI Dallas Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Jason E. Meadows of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General’s (HHS-OIG) Dallas Region; Chief William Marlowe of the Texas Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU); and Special Agent in Charge Kris Raper of the Department of Veteran’s Affairs Office of Inspector General (VA-OIG), South Central Field Office, made the announcement.
The FBI, HHS-OIG, MFCU and VA-OIG investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Ethan Womble and Adam Tisdall of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case.
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of eight strike forces operating in federal districts across the country, has charged more than 6,200 defendants who collectively billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $45 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
Former Jail Nurse Guilty of Four Fraud Schemes and Possession with Intent to Distribute OxycodoneRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle announced that TONYA DENISE BROWN (“BROWN”), age 49, of Tangipahoa Parish, a licensed practical nurse pleaded guilty to five felonies on February 12, 2026, announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle. Specifically, BROWN pleaded guilty to four counts of Wire Fraud, with each count involving a different scheme.
According to court records, in one scheme, BROWN obtained money with false promises of assistance with state criminal prosecutions. According to court documents, BROWN used a nursing job at the Tangipahoa Parish Jail to conduct the scheme. In the other three schemes, BROWN defrauded people by claiming that, in exchange for money, she would help them obtain disaster assistance benefits. BROWN also defrauded the HUD-funded Restore Louisiana Homeowner Assistance Program, that provided grant funding to homeowners affected by disasters. Additionally, BROWN defrauded FEMA’s rental assistance program that provided grants to help displaced disaster victims pay their rent.
Finally, BROWN pleaded guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute Oxycodone Hydrochloride pills, a Controlled Substance and admitted that she offered to sell such. BROWN also acknowledged that she lied to the FBI and to a judge regarding this matter.
The possession with intent to distribute count, the wire fraud count for false promises of assistance with state criminal cases, and the wire fraud count for false promises of assistance with disaster benefits and are each punishable by up to 20 years’ imprisonment. The wire fraud counts related to the Restore program and the FEMA rental assistance program are each punishable by up to 30 years’ imprisonment due to enhanced penalties for fraud involving disaster benefits. A fine of up to $250,000 may be imposed for each count except the Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance count, for which a fine of up to $1,000,000 may be imposed. BROWN is subject to at least three years of supervised release and is required to pay a $100 mandatory special assessment fee, per count.
United States Attorney Courcelle thanked the FEMA Fraud Investigations & Internal Inspections Division, Fraud Prevention and Investigations Branch for its assistance in this matter.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Office of Inspector General - U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chandra Menon of the Public Integrity Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
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Former Department of Justice Prosecutor and Dallas Defense Attorney Sentenced for Unauthorized Disposal of Government RecordsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – Former federal prosecutor Carlos A. Lopez (“Lopez”), age 49, and Dallas-based criminal defense attorney Barrett R. Howell (“Howell”), age 50, were sentenced on February 18, 2026 for charges relating to their deletion of text messages that they had been ordered to produce by a United States District Judge, announced United States Attorney David I. Courcelle .
U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeffrey L. Cureton of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas sentenced Lopez to one year of probation and a fine of $5,000, and Howell to six months of probation and a fine of $2,500. Both defendants were also ordered to pay $25 mandatory special assessment fees. Lopez had previously pleaded guilty to the unauthorized disposal of government records valued at less than $1,000, a violation of 18 U.S.C. § 641. Howell had previously pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting the unauthorized disposal of government records valued at less than $1,000, a violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 641 and 2. Because the records are valued at less than $1,000, these are misdemeanor offenses. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas recused itself from this matter, and the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana was appointed by the Attorney General to act as special prosecutors.
According to court records, Howell represented a client under investigation with others for federal healthcare fraud. Lopez was a Trial Attorney for the U.S. Department of Justice and was the lead prosecutor in the healthcare fraud investigation. Between September 2021 and December 2022, three individuals were charged with healthcare fraud in federal court in Dallas, although Howell’s client was not charged.
In April 2023, two of the charged defendants alleged that Howell violated a joint defense agreement. The two defendants filed a sealed motion to compel discovery and requested an evidentiary hearing to determine whether joint defense protected information had been provided by Howell to Lopez. U.S. District Judge Barbara M.G. Lynn granted the discovery request for production of all communications, including text communications, between Howell and Lopez. Judge Lynn also set an evidentiary hearing for May 15, 2023.
According to the plea documents, after being made aware of the motion to compel, Lopez deleted text messages with Howell from his government-issued cell phone. Lopez subsequently produced an incomplete set of screenshots of his text messages with Howell from his government-issued cell phone. On or about April 14, 2023, Lopez and Howell saw each other at a conference and Lopez told Howell that there was an allegation that Howell shared privileged material. Lopez indicated that they should not speak further and should not have communications between them. Howell agreed.
On or about April 20, 2023, after being served with a copy of the motion to compel discovery, Howell deleted text messages from his cell phone between him and Lopez. Those texts were recovered by a forensic consultant who searched his cloud account. Howell’s law firm then produced a forensic image of the cloud account for his cell phone. Prior to the production, Howell reviewed the forensic image and observed that the deleted texts were still present. Howell permitted the texts to be produced although his deletions were ultimately unsuccessful.
On or about May 10, 2023, the government learned, after reviewing extracted messages from Howell’s forensically-imaged cloud account, that many text messages with Lopez had been marked “deleted” on April 20, 2023, the same day that Howell was served with the motion to compel. The next day, Lopez appeared with a personal attorney who told DOJ lawyers that Lopez had also deleted text messages.
U.S. Attorney Courcelle praised the work of the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Inspector General, Dallas Office which handled this investigation. Assistant United States Attorneys Matthew R. Payne of the Financial Crimes Unit and Megan R. Roberts of the Appellate Unit handled this prosecution.
Florida Man Charged with Shooting at Uber Driver and Possession of Illegal Firearms and NarcoticsRead the Press Release
A Miami man made his first appearance in federal court today after a grand jury in Miami charged him with drug crimes, using and firing a gun as part of the drug crime, and illegal firearm possession by a prior felon relating to his prior felony conviction.
“This defendant shot repeatedly at an innocent man who stopped a crime as it was happening,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “It was through the bravery of the Uber driver that police were alerted and able stop the movement of almost a kilogram of pure cocaine from hitting the streets of Miami. The Criminal Division will pursue violent drug dealers in every city in America.”
“There is a real and dangerous link between drug trafficking and gun violence,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “According to the indictment, this defendant arranged a drug deal and then fired multiple shots at a rideshare driver. That kind of alleged conduct turns a drug crime into a life-threatening situation in seconds. Federal law treats that combination seriously, with a mandatory minimum sentence of fifteen years if convicted.”
According to court documents, on or about Oct. 29, 2024, the defendant Lester Leon Sanders, 47, of Miami Gardens, allegedly reserved an Uber ride share. When the driver arrived, the defendant and another man loaded three suitcases in the Uber. While this was happening, the Uber driver saw a firearm magazine fall out of Sanders’s clothing.
Sanders got into the Uber and he and the driver drove off. Shortly thereafter, Sanders ordered the driver to stop the car. Sanders got out of the vehicle and began shouting. The driver, concerned with what he had observed, drove off without Sanders but with the luggage and other belongings still in the car. Sanders shouted at the Uber driver and fired a gun approximately five times as the Uber driver sped away.
The driver then flagged down police and relayed what had happened. Law enforcement arrested Sanders a short time later. Inside of the Uber, police recovered a loaded, large-capacity firearm magazine, 929 grams of almost pure cocaine, six pounds of marijuana, and more ammunition, as well as drug paraphernalia, such as a weight scale and multiple small transparent bags. They also found shell casings in the vicinity of where Sanders fired at the Uber.
If convicted, Sanders faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison.
The FBI Miami Field Office is investigating the case with assistance provided by the Miami Gardens Police Department.
Trial Attorneys Jennifer Burns and Jinah Chang of the Justice Department’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime Initiative to prosecute violent crimes in Miami. The Criminal Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida have partnered, along with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies, to confront violent crimes committed by gang members and associates through the enforcement of federal laws and use of federal resources to prosecute offenders and prevent violence.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.