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18 February 2026
Concord Man Pleads Guilty to Distributing MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Concord Man Pleads Guilty to Distributing Methamphetamine
CONCORD – Zachary Albert, 44, pleaded guilty today in federal court to one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance, specifically methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan announces. U.S. District Court Judge Steven McAuliffe scheduled Albert’s sentencing for May 27, 2026.
According to the charging documents and statements made in court, in the fall of 2022, the FBI Major Offender Task Force and the New Hampshire State Police began investigating a methamphetamine distribution conspiracy in New Hampshire. Phone calls and text messages intercepted during the investigation revealed that the defendant worked as a mid-level methamphetamine distributer, obtaining methamphetamine from one of his co-conspirators then selling the drugs to others. On March 16, 2023, the defendant arranged to purchase methamphetamine to sell to two of his customers. Thereafter, law enforcement stopped and searched the defendant’s vehicle, where they found 97.9 grams of fentanyl and 26.9 grams of methamphetamine.
The charge of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance carries a sentence of up to 20 years of incarceration, 3 years of supervised release, and a fine up to $1,000,000. 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.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation Major Offender Task Force in partnership with the New Hampshire State Police led the investigation. The Concord Police Department, Franklin Police Department, and New Hampton Police Department provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew T. Hunter and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Cherniske prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Chinese National Guilty of Possessing Fraudulent PassportRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – JINGUI LIN (“LIN “) of China was sentenced on February 11, 2026, after previously pleading guilty to being in possession of a fraudulent passport, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1546(a). U.S. District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo sentenced LIN to the jail time he had already served since his custodial detention began on October 28, 2025, announced United States Attorney David I. Courcelle. LIN will remain in immigration custody pending his deportation.
According to court documents, on October 28, 2025, Customs and Border Protection (“CBP”) Officers encountered LIN and determined that he was Entry Without Inspection, or “EWI”, status and eligible to be taken into immigration custody. While taking him into custody, Officers found a fraudulent Chinese passport in LIN’s possession. The passport contained LIN’s photograph but a different name. The fraudulent passport also contained a fraudulent United States visa and a fraudulent CBP admission stamp. LIN was not in possession of proper immigration documents allowing him to enter or remain in the United States legally.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The case was investigated by Officers with U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Assistant United States Attorney Christine M. Calogero of the General Crimes Unit is handling the prosecution.
Chinese National Found Guilty of Money Laundering Conspiracy Involving $2.2 Million in Walmart Gift CardsRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Jun Wang, age 63, a Chinese national and lawful permanent resident of the United States, has been found guilty of participating in a money laundering conspiracy following a bench trial in federal court in Albany.
First Assistant United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement.
Evidence presented during the bench trial in December 2025 proved that, between June 2019 and June 2021, Wang redeemed $2,285,039.81 in gift cards originally purchased by defrauded victims throughout the United States (including in the Northern District of New York). Wang, who received the gift card information electronically from co-conspirators overseas, used the fraud proceeds to buy other gift cards at Walmart and Sam’s Club stores in Florida to disguise the source and nature of the funds. To try to evade detection and disguise the volume of his gift card redemptions, Wang often used different registers within the same store and frequently drove from store to store to redeem gift cards, sometimes visiting several Walmart stores on the same day. Wang often redeemed gift cards just hours, and sometimes minutes, after they were purchased by victims. Multiple victims testified at trial about the gift cards they purchased after being scammed online or over the phone. Although the trial evidence proved that Wang’s role in the scheme was to redeem gift cards purchased by victims he never interacted with directly, he admitted to an FBI agent in a secretly recorded conversation that “[w]e all know” about the fraud, which is “[e]asy to know.” In relation to one elderly victim, Wang explained on the recording, “[t]he only loser is the lady,” and, “[o]ther than this lady, everybody’s happy.”
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarcone stated, “Wang was a knowing and essential player in a calculated, international scheme that preyed on victims, including the elderly, throughout the United States. We will tirelessly pursue and hold accountable individuals involved in every level of these fraud schemes. There is no safe harbor for those who profit from exploiting vulnerable Americans.”
Special Agent in Charge Tremaroli stated, “Mr. Wang was part of an international scheme that stole millions from hardworking Americans across the country and right here at home. This conviction illustrates the FBI, together with our law enforcement partners, will not tolerate this deceitful behavior, and will continue to provide our expert resources to investigate these crimes and prosecute the criminals who are intent on defrauding the American public.”
Wang will be sentenced on June 16, 2026, by United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino, who presided over the bench trial and rendered the guilty verdict in a 20-page decision. The charge of conviction against Wang carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $500,000, and a term of supervised release of up to 3 years. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the statute the defendant violated, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
FBI investigated this case with the assistance of local law enforcement agencies throughout the country. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael F. Perry, Michael D. Gadarian, and Tamara B. Thomson prosecuted the case.
California Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Making False Statements While Purchasing FirearmsRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Playa Del Rey, California, man convicted of three counts of False Statement During Purchase of a Firearm. The sentencing took place on February 13, 2026.
Jacob Barba, age 39, was sentenced to one year and three months in federal prison, followed by two years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $300 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund and a $5,000 fine. Barba was also ordered to forfeit seven firearms.
Barba was indicted for False Statement During Purchase of a Firearm by a federal grand jury in May 2024. He pleaded guilty on November 3, 2025.
Between December 2023 and March 2024, Barba obtained a lease within a commercial building in Rapid City for a small storage closet. Barba then used the address at the commercial building as a residential address even though he did not live there and could not have lived there. Barba never used the commercial space for any legitimate purpose. Barba then obtained a fraudulent South Dakota driver’s license, concealed carry permit, and South Dakota hunting license by claiming the commercial storage closet was an apartment within the commercial building. Thereafter, Barba used these documents to obtain seven firearms in South Dakota, claiming on the firearm purchase forms that he was a South Dakota resident and listing the storage closet as his residential address. Barba, however, actually resided in California, where he maintained his home with his wife and a business. Barba would fly into South Dakota and stay at Airbnb locations. During his stay in South Dakota, Barba would purchase firearms that he would then take back to California. The investigation also showed that Barba assisted other individuals who resided outside South Dakota to make it appear as though they lived in South Dakota for the purpose of saving on state income taxes, despite the fact the others never actually lived or did any work in South Dakota.
“At bottom, this was a residency scam run by a California man pretending to live in a small storage closet in Rapid City,” said U.S. Attorney Parsons. “The lengths to which some will go to skirt the law and cheat the public never cease to surprise.”
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). Through PSN, the District of South Dakota seeks to bring together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Benjamin Patterson and Benjamin Schroeder prosecuted the case.
California Man Found Guilty of Defrauding His Former Employer Optum, Inc.Read the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – United States Attorney Daniel N. Rosen announced today that Karan Gupta, age 47, was found guilty yesterday of one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, ten counts of wire fraud, and one count of money laundering conspiracy, following a six-day jury trial in U.S. District Court in Minneapolis before U.S. District Court Judge Kate M. Menendez.
According to court documents and evidence introduced at trial, Gupta was a senior director of data analytics at Optum, Inc., a subsidiary of UnitedHealth Group headquartered in Minnesota. At Optum, Gupta earned an annual salary of more than $260,000 at the height of his career.
In 2015, Gupta recruited and approved the hiring of a lifelong friend to work at Optum in a managerial data engineering position for which the friend was unqualified. Gupta gave the friend a false resume, which the friend used to secure the position. Gupta became his friend’s supervisor. Then, for almost four years, the friend did no work at all for Optum, all while collecting a salary that began above $100,000 and increased with raises and bonuses each year. The friend met no one else at Optum, sent almost no emails, and regularly did not log into his Optum computer for weeks on end.
At Gupta’s demand, his friend paid Gupta more than half of his unearned Optum salary in kickbacks. Gupta and the friend also agreed on a plan to conceal the kickback payments. Initially, the friend, who lived in New Jersey, would withdraw the kickback payments from his bank account in cash, using the fraud proceeds, then deposit the cash in a New Jersey branch for Gupta’s bank, so that Gupta could access the funds in California. Later, the friend opened a new checking account, designated that checking account to receive the Optum direct deposits, and sent Gupta the debit card, which Gupta then used to withdraw the fraud proceeds in cash from ATMs in California.
The fraud scheme was discovered after Gupta was terminated in November 2019 for a separate fraud by Gupta that Optum discovered. Optum investigated and referred the case to federal law enforcement. Gupta’s frauds against Optum totaled more than $1.2 million.
“Those who manufacture fraudulent schemes to appropriate money from legitimate businesses must be held accountable for their criminal conduct,” said U.S. Attorney Rosen. “Kickback schemes and no-show jobs undermine legitimate businesses, and the perpetrators must suffer the consequences of their actions.”
“Mr. Gupta abused his position of trust as the Senior Director of a subsidiary of the largest healthcare provider in the United States to defraud his company by hiring a ghost employee for a fictitious position, so that he could collect hundreds of thousands of dollars in kickbacks over many years,” said Rick Evanchec, the Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Minneapolis Field Office. “The FBI is committed to holding those in positions of power accountable, particularly when the cost of their actions are ultimately passed along to hard working Americans.”
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew D. Forbes and Rebecca E. Kline prosecuted the case.
Bulgarian National Sentenced in Austin for Scheme to Illegally Export U.S.-Origin Sensitive Microelectronics to RussiaRead the Press Release
AUSTIN, Texas – A Bulgarian national was sentenced in a federal court in Austin today to 38 months time served for conspiracy to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, announced U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas, Justin R. Simmons.
According to court documents, in August 2014, Milan Dimitrov, 51, began working at Multi Technology Integration Group EOOD (MTIG), a Bulgarian company created to enable two Russian companies to acquire U.S.-origin radiation-hardened and high-temperature electronic circuits from a company based in Austin. Earlier in 2014, following Russia’s invasion of Crimea, the U.S. imposed export controls that made it illegal to export those goods directly to Russia without a license from the Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security.
In January 2015, the Bulgarian MTIG received a 16mB Static Random-Access Memory (SRAM) Wafer from a U.S. supplier in Austin. Approximately one month later, MTIG entered into a written contract to deliver the parts to a Russian engineering company called OOO Sovtest Comp. Over the next three months, Sovtest transferred more than $1 million split into three separate payments to MTIG and, after receiving the third payment, MTIG issued Sovtest a $158,125 invoice for the sale of the Austin-based supplier’s parts to the Russian company. MTIG thereafter shipped the parts to Sovtest in Russia, in violation of the Export Administration Regulations and the International Emergency Economic Powers Act.
Between May 2014 and May 2018, a total of six wafers were shipped as part of the scheme for a total of approximately $497,000. When diced, one wafer creates approximately 180 individual chips.
Dimitrov was charged in a four-count indictment in July 2020. He was arrested in 2022 and extradited to the U.S. in 2024. Dimitrov pleaded guilty on Nov. 20, 2025, admitting that he had knowledge that the parts were shipped from the U.S. to Bulgaria and then to Russia, and that he facilitated and benefitted from the illegal activity as an employee of MTIG and close associate of Sovtest’s owner, co-conspirator Ilias Sabirov. At this time, Sabirov remains a fugitive, as does the defendant’s father Dimitar Dimitrov, co-founder of MTIG.
U.S. District Judge Robert Pitman presided over the case, sentencing Dimitrov to time served after the Bulgarian spent 38 months in custody.
The Commerce Department’s Office of Export Enforcement and the FBI investigated the case with assistance from Defense Criminal Investigative Service.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Roomberg prosecuted the case with assistance from the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with Greek authorities to secure the August 2024 extradition of Dimitrov to the United States.
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Attorney General Bondi Announces Department of Justice Prioritization of Animal Welfare EnforcementRead the Press Release
Attorney General Pamela Bondi announced today a historic plan to combat animal welfare crimes and to strengthen coordination and enforcement efforts between federal agencies, including the Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Executive Office for United States Attorneys, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Marshals Service, and Homeland Security Investigations.
The plan consists of five parts: (1) A one-week Animal Welfare Summit at the Department’s National Advocacy Center to train federal prosecutors and federal agents from across the country in prosecuting animal welfare crimes; (2) the creation of a multi-agency Animal Welfare Executive Strategy Committee to develop and implement a National Strategy for Combatting Animal Welfare Crimes, to be chaired by Adam Gustafson, who leads the Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division; (3) the creation of a law enforcement “Tiger Team” to participate in and assist with the execution of search warrants and seizures in animal welfare cases; (4) the continued use of the Asset Forfeiture Fund to help pay for the evaluation, care, and feeding of animals seized in the course of animal welfare investigations; and (5) the offering of grants, through the Office of Justice Programs, to animal welfare groups, and state and local law enforcement agencies that are taking action to combat animal cruelty. The plan was announced through a memorandum to all Department of Justice employees.
“Animals are part of our families: we will always fight to protect the pets we love,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “I have fought against animal abuse my entire career and will never stop working to prosecute the sick individuals who prey upon innocent animals. Since taking office, this Department of Justice has already rescued nearly 300 dogs from horrific circumstances. Our work has only just begun, and this cabinet is committed to a whole of government approach to swiftly ending this horrific behavior.”
Attorney General Bondi also announced that the Department will partner with the U.S. Department of Agriculture to strengthen enforcement efforts under the Animal Welfare Act by using all available enforcement options to target the worst offenders and remove chronic violators from the industry. The Attorney General’s announcement was made in conjunction with the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture (USDA) Brooke L. Rollins.
Amherst Police officer pleads guilty to impeding an FBI investigationRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Gregory Trotter, 51, of Williamsville, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo to impeding with a federal officer, which carries a maximum penalty of one year in jail and a $100,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas A.C. Penrose, who is handling the case, stated that in September 2022, an FBI Special Agent arranged to meet with Trotter, who was an Amherst Police detective at the time, regarding Trotter’s involvement in a 2019 investigation of the alleged theft of a Rolex watch belonging to Peter Gerace. Trotter was questioned about his contact with Gerace during the investigation, with the agent asking Trotter multiple times whether Gerace had reached out to him while the investigation was active, to ask him questions about the status of the investigation. Trotter said no. During this exchange, Trotter reacted with disproportionate emotion and became physically animated, losing his professional bearing. Due to Trotter’s status as a trained law enforcement officer who was possibly armed, this conduct intentionally impeded the agent in the performance of his duties.
“This defendant, a police officer, who was sworn to protect and serve, intentionally impeded the duties of another sworn law enforcement officer, and as a result he now stands convicted of committing a federal crime,” stated U.S. Attorney DiGiacomo.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Philip Tejera.
Sentencing is scheduled for May 22, 2026, at 1:30 p.m. before Judge Vilardo.
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Allen Resident Pleads Guilty to Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Clinton Ray Stowe, age 36, of Allen, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury in Indian Country, punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The Indictment alleged that on October 27, 2025, Stowe assaulted the victim, resulting in serious bodily injury.
The crime occurred in Ada, Oklahoma, within the boundaries of the Chickasaw Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Ada Police Department.
The Honorable Jason A. Robertson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Stowe will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lewis M. Reagan represented the United States.
ATF Seizes Thousands of Illegal Firearms Bound for Cartels in MexicoRead the Press Release
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) today announced that since January 20, 2025, it has seized 36,277 illegal crime guns and 2,317,999 rounds of ammunition from prohibited persons, gang members, and suppliers for transnational criminal organizations.
4,359 of these seized firearms were bound for Mexico, where they would have been used by violent drug cartels and gangs. 648,975 rounds of the seized ammunition were bound for Mexico, which averages to over 1,600 rounds per day.
Since President Donald Trump’s inauguration on January 20, 2025, ATF has led an aggressive nationwide effort to dismantle the domestic and international networks that arm violent criminals.
“Illegal crime guns increasingly originate from every state in the country. This is not a southwest border problem, it is a national threat,” said ATF Deputy Director Robert Cekada. “ATF agents are aggressively targeting gangs, cartels, and transnational criminal organizations that illegally traffic firearms and turn American streets into war zones. We will dismantle these networks at every level, cut off their access to weapons, and hold every criminal fully accountable under the law”.
ATF protects America’s communities by confronting violent crime driven by the illegal use of firearms, explosives and acts of arson. Our special agents concentrate on identifying and dismantling illegal firearms traffickers who fuel violence by arming prohibited persons, gang members, drug cartels, illegal aliens and terrorist organizations.
Through advanced Crime Gun Intelligence (NIBIN, firearms tracing, and touch DNA), ATF partners with state and local law enforcement to investigate, identify, and prosecute violent offenders. At the same time, we safeguard lawful commerce and uphold the Constitution.
More information about ATF and its programs is available at www.atf.gov.
17 February 2026
Zynex, Inc. Agrees to Criminal Resolution Addressing Claims of Millions of Dollars of Health Care Fraud, Securities Fraud and Related OffensesRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – Zynex, Inc, a Colorado-based medical device company, has agreed to enter into a non-prosecution agreement (NPA) with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Rhode Island and admit to participating in a conspiracy to commit health care fraud, securities fraud, mail fraud, and other violations, announced United States Attorney Charles C. Calenda.
Under the agreement, which is subject to approval of the bankruptcy court in Zynex’s ongoing Chapter 11 proceedings, Zynex will pay between $5 and $12.5 million depending on the company’s earnings and profit over the period of the agreement. Zynex will also forfeit all unpaid claims submitted prior to September 1, 2025, including claims submitted during the period of suspension of TRICARE payments. These forfeited claims include more than $85 million billed to TRICARE during a suspension period and more than $13 million billed to other payors and patients.
In the Statement of Facts included in the NPA, Zynex also admits the following:
- Zynex fraudulently obtained millions of dollars from government and private health care payors and patients by submitting excessive and improper claims for medical devices and supplies.
- During the relevant period, Zynex collected more than $873 million for its products, including more than $600 million for supplies, the vast majority of which were the result of fraud.
- Zynex shipped and billed for medically unnecessary supplies in excess quantities, sometimes as large as 32, 64, or 128 electrode pairs per patient each month.
- Zynex misled investors by concealing that its revenues were driven by fraudulent billing practices.
As part of the resolution, Zynex agreed to implement enhanced compliance and corporate governance reforms designed to prevent future misconduct, strengthen internal oversight, and ensure accountability under its new leadership. The company also agreed to fully cooperate with the government’s ongoing investigations.
“This resolution addresses the seriousness of the fraud committed by Zynex while recognizing the substantial turnaround in conduct implemented under new management,” said United States Attorney Charles C. Calenda. “It also demonstrates that when new management confronts the fraudulent conduct, reforms its practices, and fully cooperates, the Government will take those actions into account in reaching an appropriate resolution.”
Thomas Sandgaard, the former CEO of Zynex, and Anna Lucsok, the former Chief Operating Officer of Zynex were previously indicted for related conduct and charges. They made an initial appearance in federal court on January 21, 2026. Lucsok was released with electronic monitoring and on January 26, 2026, Thomas Sandgaard was ordered detained.
"The FBI remains steadfast in uncovering and deterring fraud against our health care system," said Amanda Koldjeski, Acting Special Agent in Charge of FBI Denver. "Each year, acts of health care fraud cost patients, insurers, and the government billions of dollars. In order to maintain the integrity of our health care system, the FBI will hold any individual or entity engaging in health care fraud responsible for their conduct.”
“As the law enforcement arm of the Department of Defense’s Office of Inspector General, the Defense Criminal Investigative Service remains fully committed to tenaciously investigating fraudulent conduct that wastes taxpayer dollars and undermines the integrity of TRICARE, the uniformed services primary health care program,” said Special Agent in Charge Chad Gosch, DCIS Southwest Field Office. “These efforts reaffirm our unwavering dedication to protecting the DoD community, its resources, and programs that are essential to military readiness.”
“This agreement reinforces the Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General’s commitment to protecting the integrity of VA’s health care programs and preserving taxpayer funds,” said Special Agent in Charge Anthony Heddell with the VA OIG Western Field Office. “The VA OIG thanks the Department of Justice, and our law enforcement partners for their efforts in this investigation.”
“Zynex’s former executives engaged in a scheme that defrauded taxpayer-funded health care programs and deceived investors,” said Roberto Coviello, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General. “This outcome makes clear that corporate fraud against federal health care programs will be detected and met with decisive action, and companies should always uphold their responsibility to operate ethically.”
The case is being prosecuted by First Assistant United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom and Assistant United States Attorneys Peter I. Roklan and Milind Shah.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Denver and Boston Field Offices; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General; Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service; the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General; the Office of Personnel Management Office of Inspector General; the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General and the Food and Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigations.
Assistance was also provided by the Defense Contract Audit Agency, the United States Securities and Exchange Commission and the National Insurance Crime Bureau – Northeast Region.
NPA Attached:
2026.02.17_-_final_npa_003.pdf- Zynex fraudulently obtained millions of dollars from government and private health care payors and patients by submitting excessive and improper claims for medical devices and supplies.
Woodbridge man sentenced to three years in prison for obstructing the IRS and failing to file tax returnsRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Woodbridge man was sentenced today to three years in prison for obstructing the IRS and willfully failing to file personal tax returns.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Omini Tete Riman, 60, earned income as an information technology specialist and landlord. Riman filed false individual tax returns with the IRS for the years 2013 and 2014, which resulted in him receiving refunds for both years that he was not entitled to receive.
After the IRS paid out the refunds, Riman obstructed the IRS’s subsequent efforts to recoup the money. Riman transferred his property to a trust to hide it from the IRS, opened bank accounts in the name of the trust and directed his income to be deposited there, and submitted false documents claiming that the IRS collections officer handling his case had personally received over $600,000 from Riman, which, if accepted by the IRS, would have jeopardized the IRS officer’s job and increased the officer’s personal tax liability.
Riman also stopped filing tax returns for the years 2018 through 2023, even though he received a total of more than $854,000 during that period and was required to file each year. In total, Riman caused a tax loss to the IRS exceeding $500,000. Riman was convicted by a jury in November 2025.
IRS Criminal Investigation and the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jordan Harvey for the Eastern District of Virginia and Trial Attorney Daniel Lipkowitz of the Criminal Division’s Tax Section prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:25-cr-99.
Window Rock man charged with assaultRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Window Rock man is facing federal charges after allegedly stabbing another man.
According to court records, on June 17, 2025, Jacoby Edo Begay, 20, an enrolled member of Navajo Nation, assaulted John Doe with a knife and the assault resulted in serious bodily injury to Doe.
Begay is federally charged with assault with a dangerous weapon and assault resulting in serious bodily injury. If convicted, Begay faces up to 10 years in prison.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Nation Police Department and the Navajo Nation Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Mondragon is prosecuting the case.
View the Indictment (Begay).pdfAn indictment or criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Willcox Man Sentenced to 156 Months in Prison for Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Michael Dino Peraino, 64, of Willcox, Arizona, was sentenced on Feb. 9, 2026, by U.S. District Judge Scott H. Rash to 156 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Peraino previously pleaded guilty to Bank Robbery.
On July 10, 2025, Peraino entered a Chase Bank located in Safford, Arizona, and handed a note to the victim teller, directing the teller to give him $10,000.00 in cash. Peraino further told the teller to hurry and stated he had a firearm, while motioning toward his waistband.
FBI Phoenix, Sierra Vista office, and the Safford Police Department conducted the investigation. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-25-3532
RELEASE NUMBER: 2026-029_Peraino
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.
Virginia Landlord Sentenced to Prison for Obstructing the IRS and Willfully Failing to File Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
A Woodbridge man was sentenced today to three years in prison for violating criminal tax laws.
In November 2025, a federal jury convicted Omini Tete Riman of obstructing the IRS and willfully failing to file tax returns. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Riman was an information technology specialist and landlord, who filed false tax returns with the IRS for 2013 and 2014 and received refunds for both years that he was not entitled to receive. When the IRS attempted to recoup the refunds, Riman obstructed that effort – he transferred his property to a trust, opened a bank account in the name of the trust and directed his income to be deposited into the trust account to hide it from the IRS. Riman also submitted false documents claiming that the IRS collections officer handling his case had personally received over $600,000 from Riman, which, if accepted by the IRS, would have increased the officer’s own tax liability. In addition, Riman stopped filing tax returns for the years 2018 through 2023, even though he received a total of more than $854,000 during that period and was required to file each year. In total, Riman caused a tax loss to the IRS exceeding $500,000.
Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation and the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Daniel Lipkowitz of the Criminal Division’s Tax Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jordan Harvey for the Eastern District of Virginia prosecuted the case.
Venezuelan Man Illegally in the United States Charged with Assault on Federal Officer, Destruction of Government PropertyRead the Press Release
DENVER – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Jorge Torres-Perez, 29, of Venezuela, is facing one count of assault on a federal officer, one count of threatening to assault or kill a federal officer, and one count of destruction of government property.
According to the complaint, Torres-Perez was encountered by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement Removal Operations (ICE/ERO) in December 2025 in Colorado Springs when he was released from the El Paso County Jail. As federal officers detained and began to transport Torres-Perez, he began exhibiting disruptive behavior and verbal aggression in which he made repeated threats of serious bodily injury toward the federal agents transporting him. Despite the officers’ attempts to de-escalate the situation, Torres-Perez began striking the vehicle’s doors and windows, pulling apart interior panels and wiring, while continuing to make threats and spit on officers. Estimated damage to the vehicle is $3,898.62.
The charges contained in the complaint are allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Chief United States Magistrate Judge Scott T. Varholak presided over the hearing.
This case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations.
The Violent Crime and Immigration Enforcement Section of the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado is handling the prosecution.
Case Number:1:26-mj-00022-STVUtah Accountant Sentenced after Fraudulently Obtaining over $221,000 in Paycheck Protection Program Loan FundsRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – a Salt Lake City accountant was sentenced today upon his felony conviction after he fraudulently obtained about $221,400 in Paycheck Protection Loan (PPP Loan) funds and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL Loan) funds for clients, without their knowledge. As a result, he personally gained about $10,150 from the scheme, which he was ordered by the court to pay in restitution.
Peter N. Sinju, 51, of Salt Lake City, pleaded guilty in December 2025 to wire fraud.
According to court documents and statements made at Sinju’s change of plea and sentencing hearings, from around June 2, 2020, to about July 3, 2020, Mr. Sinju engaged in a scheme and artifice to defraud the United States and the Small Business Administration (SBA) by submitting at least four fraudulent PPP Loan applications and five fraudulent EIDL-Loan applications on behalf of his clients. The COVID-19 PPP Loans were provided to small businesses for funding to meet specific obligations, including payroll and rent during the pandemic.
Mr. Sinju told his accounting clients that because he had access to their financial information, he could submit the loan applications for them and obtain emergency loans to help their businesses. Without his clients’ knowledge, Mr. Sinju inflated the payroll and gross revenue amounts in the loan applications. For three PPP-Loan applications for three separate clients, he fabricated payroll sheets that used false, identical wage amounts for employees in each business. Some of the listed employees did not even exist, and each of the business owners denied having certified the fabricated payroll sheets.
In total, Mr. Sinju applied for about $461,197.50 in fraudulent loans. However, because some of the loan applications were denied, Mr. Sinju only obtained about $221,400 for his unwitting, and innocent, clients. In return, Mr. Sinju charged his clients a total of about $10,150 in fees or commission for his services in helping them apply for these loans.
U.S. Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the District of Utah made the announcement.
The case was investigated jointly by the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office and the Office of Inspector General U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA-OIG).
Assistant United States Attorneys Todd C. Bouton and Brian Williams of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case.
Paycheck Protection Program (PPP)
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division's prosecution of fraud schemes that exploit the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). Since the inception of the CARES Act, the Fraud Section has prosecuted over 150 defendants in more than 95 criminal cases and has seized over $75 million in cash proceeds derived from fraudulently obtained PPP funds, as well as numerous real estate properties and luxury items purchased with such proceeds. More information can be found at Justice.gov/OPA/pr/justice-department-takes-action-against-covid-19-fraud.
Upshur County Man Sentenced for Interstate Threats and Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
ELKINS, WEST VIRGINIA – Bobby Cobb, age 55, of Buckhannon, West Virginia was sentenced today to 120 months in federal prison for making interstate threats and the unlawful possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew L. Harvey.
Over a period of several weeks, Cobb sent a series of by text messages and emails to an individual threatening to injure and kill the victim, her family members, and friends. Officers executed a search warrant on Cobb’s home and seized a shotgun. Cobb has a previous conviction of domestic violence, prohibiting him from possessing firearms.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Cogar prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Upshur County Sheriff’s Office; and the Mountain Region Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.
Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime, and repel the invasion of illegal immigration.
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Two men face federal charges for trafficking five kilograms of fentanyl in metro AtlantaRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - Osiel Adame-Gomez and Miguel Velazquez-Garcia appeared in federal court to face charges related to their alleged distribution of large quantities of fentanyl.
“Fentanyl is a highly lethal weapon of mass destruction that the narco-terrorist cartels have wormed into our country,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “We will continue to aggressively pursue and prosecute fentanyl traffickers to keep the community safe from this deadly drug threat.”
“This seizure underscores the power of coordinated enforcement efforts,” said Jae W. Chung, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division. “Together with our federal, state, and local partners, we are aggressively targeting the sources of fentanyl distribution and the financial infrastructure that sustains it. Every enforcement action brings us closer to a Fentanyl-Free America.”
According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg and the criminal complaints filed in federal court: Earlier this month, DEA special agents learned about an intended sale of fentanyl to take place at a Doraville warehouse facility out of a rented moving truck. On February 5, 2026, agents arrived at the warehouse and spotted Adame-Gomez with a rented moving truck. Agents then saw Adame-Gomez drive the truck to a second location, exit with a black backpack, and walk towards a storage facility. Law enforcement attempted to stop Adame-Gomez after he emerged from the storage facility without the backpack, but he fled. Officers eventually apprehended and arrested him in Dunwoody, Georgia and searched the storage facility. During the search, agents recovered a black backpack containing one kilogram of fentanyl with a value of approximately $30,000.
Four days later, on February 9, 2026, DeKalb County police officers stopped Velazquez-Garcia’s car in Stone Mountain, Georgia, and a police K9 alerted to the odor of narcotics. A search of the car revealed the presence of one kilogram of fentanyl. During subsequent searches of houses associated with Velazquez-Garcia in Stone Mountain and Stonecrest, Georgia, DEA agents seized an additional three kilograms of fentanyl and a large amount of suspected drug proceeds.
Osiel Adame-Gomez, 27, of Loganville, Georgia, appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge John K. Larkins III, on February 9, 2026, on a criminal complaint that charged him with possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl. Miguel Velazquez-Garcia, 26, of Atlanta, Georgia, appeared before Judge Larkins on February 11, 2026, on a criminal complaint that charged him with possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl. Judge Larkins ordered both defendants to remain in federal custody without bail pending trial.
Members of the public are reminded that the criminal complaints only contain charges. The defendants are presumed innocent of the charges, and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendants’ guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
These cases are being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with valuable assistance provided by the Gwinnett County Police Department and the DeKalb County Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Johnny Baer, Jamie Bircoll, and John DeGenova are prosecuting the cases.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Atlanta recommends parents and children learn about the dangers of drugs at the following web site: www.justthinktwice.gov.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Two Defendants Charged with Murdering Man at a Queens IntersectionRead the Press Release
Earlier today, at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn, an indictment was unsealed charging Rafael Hernandez, also known as “Cap” and “Ralphy,” and Joibel Perez, also known as “J.P.,” with multiple crimes relating to the February 26, 2021 murder of Akil Kornegay in Queens, New York. The defendants were arrested this morning and will be arraigned this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Seth D. Eichenholtz.
Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, James C. Barnacle, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), and Jessica S. Tisch, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), announced the arrests and indictment.
“As alleged, the defendants chose to escalate a drug dispute to a deadly act of retaliation,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “Such flagrant violence in our communities will not be tolerated and I commend the FBI Special Agents, NYPD detectives, and our prosecutors for their resolve and hard work resulting in today’s arrests. Our Office is committed to preventing the loss of life due to drug and gun crimes.”
Mr. Nocella expressed his appreciation to the FBI/NYPD Metro Safe Streets Task Force, the NYPD Queens South Homicide Squad, the 102nd Precinct Detective Squad, and the Queens County District Attorney’s Office for their work on the case.
“Rafael Hernandez and Joibel Perez allegedly murdered a customer of their drug trafficking operation over a debt dispute,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Barnacle. “Their drug distribution and retaliatory violence endangered nearby residents. Working alongside our law enforcement partners, the FBI remains dedicated to crushing violent crime by dismantling criminal enterprises and holding those who terrorize our communities accountable.”
As alleged in court filings, Hernandez and Perez operated a lucrative drug trafficking business, distributing marijuana out of the Taylor Street-Wythe Avenue Housing Development in Brooklyn. A dispute over a drug debt arose between the defendants and Kornegay, who was their customer. Text messages sent by Hernandez to Kornegay reflect demands for payment, or “bread,” and accuse Kornegay of “ducking” the defendants and “playing kid games.” As the dispute escalated, Kornegay robbed the defendants of drugs, money, and other items. In retaliation for that robbery, in the early morning hours of February 26, 2021, the defendants stalked Kornegay, following him as he drove through a Queens neighborhood. They pulled alongside Kornegay when he stopped at the intersection of Myrtle Avenue and Woodhaven Boulevard and fired multiple shots into the vehicle. Kornegay sustained multiple gunshot wounds and crashed his vehicle into a pole, and died as a result.
The charges in the indictment are allegations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted of narcotics conspiracy, possessing, brandishing and discharging a firearm during a drug trafficking crime, and causing Kornegay’s death through the use of a firearm, the defendants face a maximum term of life in prison.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Organized Crime and Gangs Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Lindsey Oken and Andy Palacio are in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendants:
RAFAEL HERNANDEZ (also known as “Cap” and “Ralphy”)
Age: 30
Brooklyn, New YorkJOIBEL PEREZ (also known as “J.P.”)
Age: 25
Brooklyn, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 26-CR-020 (HG)
rafael_hernandez_and_joibel_perez_indictment.pdfTurlock Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison Following Conviction for Receiving Child PornographyRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Edward Paul Cragg, 46, of Turlock, California was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston, following his conviction for one count of receipt of images depicting the sexual abuse of minors, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced. A jury found Cragg guilty of this offense on Sept. 12, 2025.
The sentence imposed includes a 20-year prison term, the statutory maximum, followed by a 10-year term of supervised release during which Cragg will be required to register as a sex offender, and his access to minors, computers, and the internet will be restricted. The court also ordered the forfeiture of devices used to commit the offense and has scheduled a hearing on restitution for victims for April 20, 2026.
Evidence introduced at trial established that from approximately Aug. 1, 2015, through March 1, 2016, Cragg used a file-sharing program to search for and save approximately 130 videos of child sexual abuse material. Some of the videos depicted images of infants or toddlers being subjected to sadistic or masochistic abuse. Cragg made hundreds of other videos showing sexual abuse of children available to others on the same file-sharing network during the same time frame. He told investigators that he looked at child pornography because it was “interesting . . . like a dead cat on the side of the road.”
The Turlock Police Department investigated the case, with assistance from the Ceres Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Gappa and United States Department of Justice Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section Trial Attorney McKenzie Hightower prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and 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. Learn more at Justice.gov/PSC.
Topsham Fugitive Pleads Guilty to Failing to Surrender for SentenceRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Topsham man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Portland to failing to surrender for service of sentence.
According to court records, Christopher Tucker, 34, had previously been ordered released on conditions of release in an earlier criminal case pending in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maine. In that case, Tucker pleaded guilty to firearms offenses and was sentenced to a term of 75 months in prison. At his sentencing hearing in September 2025, Tucker was permitted to remain out on release and to self-surrender to the custody of the Bureau of Prisons at a later date. Tucker failed to surrender for service of sentence as ordered. The United States Marshals Service (USMS) subsequently located and arrested Tucker in Bath, Maine.
Tucker faces up to 10 years in prison, consecutive to the 75 months he was previously ordered to serve; up to a $250,000 fine; and up to three years of supervised release. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigative report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The USMS investigated the case.
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Three Sentenced for International Multi-Million Dollar Tech Support Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Three men were sentenced to prison today for conspiracy to commit wire fraud for their involvement in an international multi-million dollar technical support fraud scheme, announced the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of North Carolina.
Reid Davis, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Charlotte Field Office, and Joseph E. Carrico, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI, Nashville Field Office, join the U.S. Attorney’s Office in making the announcement.
Nachiket Banwari, 36, of Charlotte, was sentenced to 30 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. Hunter G. Mello, 42, of Sandwich, Massachusetts, was ordered to serve 40 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. Richard Paul Nolan, 60, of Colorado Springs, Colorado, was sentenced to 24 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. The Court ordered the defendants to collectively forfeit $3,711,000 in proceeds from the scheme.
According to court records, Banwari, Mello, Nolan, and others were part of a conspiracy that carried out an international internet technical support fraud scam targeting victims, many of whom were elderly, in the United States and elsewhere. Internet pop-up “ads” were a central part of the conspiracy’s tech support scam. The malicious pop-ups suddenly appeared on victims’ screens and froze their computers. The pop-ups contained misrepresentations designed to trick the victims into believing their computers had been infected with a virus and needed technical support to fix the problem. The pop-ups instructed victims to call the number in the pop ups to receive technical support. The numbers connected the victims to various Republic of India-based call centers who misrepresented themselves as Microsoft and further misrepresented the presence of viruses or other computer issues to induce the victims to pay hundreds or even thousands of dollars for technical support to “fix” the non-existent computer problems. No technical support was actually provided. The scheme tricked millions of U.S.-based computer users into calling the call centers.
Banwari worked for Capstone Technologies (Capstone), a company headquartered in Charlotte. Capstone used malicious pop-ups and a Republic of India-based call center to commit technical support fraud as described above. Through this scheme, Capstone defrauded thousands of victims throughout the United States of more than $7 million. For his participation in the scheme, Banwari received three percent of the Capstone revenue, or $222,334.
Mello was a broker of pop-up call leads to call centers in the Republic of India. In other words, Mello worked with the pop-up creators or “publishers” to sell pop-up calls to various call centers, including Capstone. Mello was paid a fee by the pop-up publishers for his sales. Mello generated over $20 million in sales of pop-ups to call centers. Mello also used his financial accounts to transfer proceeds of tech support fraud to publishers’ overseas bank accounts. Mello profited as much as $2 million from the scheme.
Nolan participated in the tech support scheme by creating and operating a platform called TrackDrive to route technical support fraud calls to the call centers, including Capstone. Nolan worked with pop-up publishers to ensure that the pop-ups effectively locked victim computers and displayed the correct call center routing numbers. Nolan’s TrackDrive platform routed approximately 15 million calls to call centers from the pop-ups. Nolan received a fee per call routed on his platform. Nolan also used his financial accounts to transfer proceeds of tech support fraud to publishers’ overseas bank accounts. Nolan profited approximately $2 million from the scheme. The total loss amount associated with Nolan in this scheme is approximately $19 million.
The FBI Charlotte Field Office conducted the investigation into Banwari. The FBI Nashville Field Office – Knoxville Resident Agency, led the investigation into Mello and Nolan.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Warren of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte is prosecuting the cases. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Frick of the U.S. Attorney’s Office assisted in prosecuting Banwari.
Tallahassee Man Posing as a Decorated Army Veteran Pleads Guilty to Theft of Government FundsRead the Press Release
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Michel Duane Dyson, 46, of Tallahassee, Florida, who misrepresented himself as a decorated U.S. Army combat veteran despite having never served in the military, pleaded guilty in federal court of theft of government funds for his fraudulent receipt of Veterans Affairs benefits. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the guilty plea today.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “The brave men and women who served in our military deserve our gratitude, admiration, and support, and VA benefits are reserved exclusively for them based upon their selfless service to this country. I am proud of this successful prosecution by my office to deliver accountability and justice for this despicable defendant’s selfish acts of stolen valor and fraudulent misrepresentations of military service that enabled him to illegally obtain VA benefits intended for our nation’s heroes.”
Court records show that in April 2022, Dyson fraudulently applied for VA benefits on the basis of his claims to have actively served in the U.S. Army, further claiming that he served in combat and been awarded both the Purple Heart and a Bronze Star medals. As a result of his fraudulent misrepresentations, from April 2022 until June 2025, Dyson was able to secure VA benefits in the form of medical treatment provided either through VA medical facilities or contracted medical providers, treatments valued at approximately $114,527. In May 2025, Dyson further attempted to fraudulently obtain additional VA housing benefits, at which point his deception was uncovered. Records in the investigation revealed that Dyson had similarly attempted to obtain VA benefits in the Boston, Massachusetts area in 2013, but had been denied.
Dyson faces up to ten years’ imprisonment. Sentencing is scheduled for April 30, 2026, at the United States Courthouse in Tallahassee, Florida before United States District Judge Robert Hinkle.
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Eric K. Mountin is prosecuting the case.
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 available 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.
St. Louis County Home Healthcare Company Owner, Associates Accused of $1.46 Million FraudRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – The owner of a home healthcare company based in Bridgeton, Missouri and her associates have been accused of fraudulently billing the Missouri Medicaid Program $1.46 million.
Daniell Green, 48, of St. Charles; Dejuan Bingham, 51, of Florissant; Kimberly Diazascencio, 51; and Thomas Keith, 34, of East Prairie, Missouri; were indicted Feb. 11, 2026, in U.S. District Court in St. Louis with one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and four counts of health care fraud. Green turned herself in Tuesday, appeared in court and pleaded not guilty.
From July 2020 through February of 2026, Green, the owner and operator of A&L Angels Home Healthcare Services LLC, and Bingham directed Missouri Medicaid patients, including Diazascencio and Keith, to create false timesheet records showing home health care services that were never provided, the indictment says. Diazascencio is Keith’s mother. Green was in a romantic relationship with Bingham.
A&L Angels billed Medicaid for services on dates when the patients were in the hospital and could not have received home health care services, the indictment says. On other occasions, the company billed for services provided on dates and times when the health care workers were working at a different location for another company, it says. Green and Bingham created fake timesheet records by listing people as health care providers who did not provide the reported services and recruiting Missouri Medicaid patients willing to allow their names to be used to submit fraudulent claims for services that were never provided, the indictment says.
The indictment also says Green submitted a fraudulent participation agreement to Missouri Medicaid, falsely claiming that her company’s health care providers were registered with the Family Care Safety Registry and that their criminal background checks were run through the State of Missouri, as is required to receive reimbursement. Green concealed Bingham’s prior felony drug conviction from Missouri Medicaid, the indictment says.
The defendants spent fraudulently obtained public funds on personal expenses, including Green’s use of stolen Missouri Medicaid dollars to fund vacations and to purchase home furniture and luxury items from Gucci and Nordstrom, the indictment says.
Charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.“Medicaid is designed to provide essential care for those who need it most—not to finance personal luxuries,” said Linda T. Hanley, Special Agent in Charge for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “These charges underscore HHS-OIG’s commitment to working with our state partners to aggressively pursue those suspected of defrauding health care programs to protect public trust and taxpayer resources."
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General and the Missouri Attorney General’s Office Medicaid Fraud Control Unit investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Derek Wiseman is prosecuting the case.
St. Croix Man Pleads Guilty to Possession with Intent to DistributeRead the Press Release
St. Croix, VI - United States Attorney Adam F. Sleeper announced today that Tristin Carr, 21, of St. Croix, pleaded guilty before Magistrate Judge Emile A. Henderson III on February 13, 2026, to possession of marijuana with intent to distribute. A federal judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
According to court documents, on or about Thursday, October 9, 2025, at approximately 1:30 p.m., Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers performed an inspection on American Airlines flight 2211 from Miami, Florida to St. Croix. During the inspection, all checked bags from the flight were X-rayed to check for anomalies. Anomalies were detected with respect to checked bags that bore baggage tags with the defendant’s name. According to the baggage tags, the bags were checked at Tampa International Airport and were destined for Henry Rohlsen Airport on St. Croix, via Miami. CBP placed the bags on the carousel and monitored to see who would retrieve them. The defendant retrieved the luggage, and CBP escorted him into the secondary inspection area. A physical search of the luggage revealed bundles containing a green leafy substance wrapped in vacuum-sealed bags. The substance tested positive for marijuana with a total weight of approximately 6.14 kilograms. The defendant agreed that the amount of marijuana was inconsistent with personal use and was indicative of an intent to distribute.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and Customs and Border Protection and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Rhonda Williams-Henry.Silver Spring Woman Pleads Guilty to Unemployment Insurance Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A Silver Spring, Maryland, woman entered a guilty plea in federal court today, in connection with an unemployment insurance (UI) fraud scheme.
Elizabeth Maria Ceballos, 49, pled guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty plea with Inspector General Anthony P. D’Esposito, U.S. Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG), and Special Agent in Charge Christopher Heck, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) – Maryland.
According to public documents, beginning in at least May 2020, and continuing through at least September 2021, Ceballos, and Vanessa Valdez, 42, of Burtonsville, Maryland, engaged in a conspiracy and scheme to defraud and obtain money by means of materially false and fraudulent pretenses, representations, and promises, in connection with a UI fraud scheme.
Specifically, Ceballos and Valdez used personal identifiable information (PII) of others to submit false and fraudulent claims to the Maryland Department of Labor (MD-DOL) for UI benefits. Ceballos and Valdez then used the UI benefits, which were designated to assist unemployed or underemployed persons due to the COVID-19 national emergency, for their own personal enrichment.
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act — a federal law enacted in March 2020 — provided emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering from the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. It also authorized increased UI benefits.
As a part of her guilty plea, Ceballos also admitted she assisted Valdez with fraud related to Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) funds. Established by the CARES Act, the PPP — administered through the Small Business Administration — along with the EIDL, helped businesses meet their financial obligations. An EIDL advance does not have to be repaid, and small businesses can receive an advance, even if they are not approved for an EIDL loan. The maximum advance amount is $10,000.
Ceballos faces a maximum sentence of 22 years in federal prison, including a mandatory two years, consecutive to any other imposed sentence, for aggravated identity theft. Sentencing is scheduled for Monday, August 3, at 10 a.m.
Valdez previously pled guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft in December 2025. Valdez also faces a maximum sentence of 22 years in federal prison, including a mandatory two years, consecutive to any other imposed sentence, for aggravated identity theft. Valdez’s sentencing date is forthcoming.
This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative, which seeks to end the presence of criminal cartels, foreign gangs, and transnational criminal organizations through a collaborative and comprehensive response to the growing threat to public safety and national security. The HSTF integrates personnel, including law enforcement agents, intelligence analysts, and professional staff, from federal agencies to combat crime in our communities.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the DOL-OIG and HSI Maryland for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip Motsay who is prosecuting the case.
The District of Maryland Strike Force is one of five strike forces established throughout the United States by the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute COVID-19 fraud, including fraud relating to the CARES Act. Strike forces focus on large-scale, multi-state pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors. The strike forces are interagency law enforcement efforts that use prosecutor-led and data-analyst-driven teams designed to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds.
For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Silver Spring Man Sentenced to 50 Years for Child Exploitation, Including “Sextortion” of More Than 100 MinorsRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – A Silver Spring, Maryland, man is headed to federal prison for several decades for committing child sex abuse crimes.
U.S. District Judge Theodore D. Chuang sentenced Chase William Mulligan, 28, today, to 50 years in prison, followed by 25 years of supervised release, for two counts of producing child sexual abuse material. The charges are in connection with a scheme in which he met young girls through social media and internet chat rooms and eventually “sextorted” them.
Specifically, through the scheme, Mulligan coerced at least 108 girls — ranging from ages 5-17 — to send him sexually explicit photographs and videos of themselves. When the girls told him they no longer wanted to send him sexually graphic images, Mulligan threatened to post the images online or come to their house.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office.
As detailed in court documents, between 2019 and December 2023, Mulligan used numerous Snapchat, Discord, Roblox, Skype, Omegle, and Instagram accounts to target young girls. He convinced minors living in the United States, Canada, Denmark, Spain, Philippines, Australia, and United Kingdom to produce and send him sexually explicit images.
Mulligan also directed minors to expose their genital areas and engage in sexual conduct. Additionally, Mulligan coerced multiple girls to urinate on camera, insert objects into their genitalia, and participate in sexual acts with dogs.
After some victims informed Mulligan that they no longer wished to send him sexually explicit images, he threatened to publicly post the images or come to their homes. Mulligan wanted the victims to send more images depicting increasingly graphic sexual conduct.
This case 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 the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit justice.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, visit justice.gov/psc and click on the “Resources” tab on the left of the page.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI for its work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Megan S. McKoy and Elizabeth Wright who prosecuted the case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Shiprock man pleads guilty to federal firearms charge in shootingRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Shiprock man pleaded guilty to federal firearms offense after pointing a handgun at occupants of a vehicle and opening fire as they attempted to flee.
According to court documents, on August 1, 2025, Bryson Chee, 43, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, arrived at a residence in Shiprock as a passenger in a vehicle with two others. After exiting the vehicle, Chee retrieved a handgun, pointed it at the occupants, and began shooting as they attempted to drive away.
Chee pleaded guilty to using, carrying and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. At sentencing Chee faces not less than seven in prison.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Farmington Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Nation Police Department and Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jack E. Burkhead is prosecuting the case.
Senior Executives of Telecom Company Charged in Accounting Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, and Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, James C. Barnacle, Jr., announced the unsealing of an Indictment charging ANDREW WARNER, the former Chief Financial Officer of Mobileum, Inc., and KISHORE VANGIPURAM, the former Chief of Delivery of Mobileum, with conspiracy to commit securities fraud and wire fraud, securities fraud, and wire fraud. The charges in the Indictment arise from an alleged scheme by WARNER and VANGIPURAM to inflate Mobileum’s key financial metrics in advance of the company’s 2022 sale to an investment firm at an enterprise value of $915 million. Mobileum declared bankruptcy in 2024, after the fraud was uncovered. WARNER surrendered in San Jose, California, on Friday and was presented before U.S. Magistrate Judge Susan van Keulen. VANGIPURAM was arrested Friday at the San Francisco International Airport and will be presented today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kandis A. Westmore. The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge J. Paul Oetken.
“As alleged, Andrew Warner and Kishore Vangipuram manipulated Mobileum’s financial metrics to sell the company at a higher price and, as a result, line their own pockets,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “The company’s investors, creditors, and employees deserved fair and complete financial information, not inflated numbers and schemes. When C-Suite executives commit fraud, the women and men of our Office, together with our law enforcement partners, will hold them accountable. That is what investors and the American people want.”
“Andrew Warner and Kishore Vangipuram allegedly exaggerated their company’s fiscal success through doctored billable hours and invoices to defraud an unsuspecting investment firm of nearly one billion dollars,” said FBI Assistant Director in Charge James C. Barnacle, Jr. “These two executives allegedly exploited their respective CFO and CDO positions to betray the trust of an interested buyer out of selfish greed. The FBI continues to protect the integrity of corporate transactions from fraudsters seeking to profit from deceitful practices.”
As alleged in the Indictment unsealed on Friday in Manhattan federal court:
WARNER and VANGIPURAM were the Chief Financial Officer and Chief Delivery Officer, respectively, of Mobileum, a Silicon Valley-based company that provided data analytics and network solutions to telecommunications firms around the world.
Beginning in or about September 2021, WARNER and VANGIPURAM schemed to deceive an investment firm into overpaying for Mobileum as part of a private equity transaction. To inflate Mobileum’s apparent value, and to convey the illusion of robust growth and operational efficiency, WARNER and VANGIPURAM falsified the company’s financial metrics, including revenue and unbilled revenue. In or about March 2022, after receiving those artificial metrics, the investment firm acquired Mobileum at an inflated enterprise value of $915 million. In connection with the sale, WARNER received approximately $5.2 million, and VANGIPURAM received approximately $5.5 million, in cash, stock, and other proceeds.
WARNER and VANGIPURAM’s scheme hinged on the fraudulent acceleration of revenue. Under Mobileum’s accounting method, the company purported to recognize revenue over the life of a project in proportion to the work performed. Consequently, any inflation of hours worked, or reduction in estimated total effort, resulted in fraudulent recognition of revenue. WARNER and VANGIPURAM manipulated the revenue recognized by directing employees to transfer hours from projects where the hours were non-billable to projects where the hours were billable, to create the false appearance that billable work had been performed. They also directed employees to artificially reduce the “level of effort” for projects, effectively shrinking the total work required so that work already performed represented a higher percentage of the contract. By making projects appear significantly closer to completion than was factually accurate, the defendants manufactured millions of dollars in imaginary revenue.
To cover up their fraudulent acceleration of revenue, WARNER and VANGIPURAM engaged in more fraud. Their fraudulent revenue acceleration resulted in a substantial spike in “unbilled revenue”—income recognized on Mobileum’s books but not yet invoiced to customers. Before the sale of Mobileum, when the potential buyer repeatedly inquired about Mobileum’s high unbilled revenue as a red flag indicating poor cash conversion, WARNER and VANGIPURAM directed employees to create fictitious invoices for billing milestones that Mobileum never reached. To prevent discovery of the underlying fraud by Mobileum’s clients, WARNER instructed that those invoices be processed internally to satisfy the investment firm’s scrutiny but strictly withheld from the customers themselves.
Even after the sale of Mobileum to the investment firm, WARNER and VANGIPURAM continued their deceptive practices to prevent the investment firm from discovering the true state of Mobileum’s financial health. After the sale, VANGIPURAM cautioned a subordinate not to send emails about their invoicing because it would land them in a “lot of trouble.” The scheme unraveled in 2024 after the investment firm discovered the defendants’ fraud, Mobileum’s true financial condition was disclosed, and the company—which the defendants had represented as a nearly billion-dollar enterprise—filed for bankruptcy.
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WARNER, 62, of Morgan Hill, California, and VANGIPURAM, 53, of Pleasanton, California, are charged with conspiracy to commit securities fraud and wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison; securities fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; and wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding work of the FBI.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Peter J. Davis, Alexander Li, and Samuel P. Rothschild are in charge of the prosecution.
San Bernardino County-Based Company and Owner Pay $2.5 Million to Settle Allegations They Caused Wildfire to IgniteRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – An Upland-based grading, concrete, and pipeline contracting company and its owner have paid $2.5 million to resolve claims brought by the United States to recover wildfire suppression costs stemming from the South Fire, which burned hundreds of acres in the San Bernardino National Forest during the summer of 2021, the Justice Department announced today.
Garrett John Gentry and his company, Garrett J. Gentry General Engineering Inc. paid the settlement amount, resulting in the court dismissing the lawsuit on January 22.
The South Fire ignited on August 25, 2021, in San Bernardino County. The United States alleged that the fire was caused by the negligent operation of an excavator by the defendants. According to the complaint, the steel treads of the excavator struck rocks in a rocky area, generating sparks that ignited dry vegetation.
The wildfire destroyed residences and other structures, resulted in evacuations, and ultimately burned more than 680 acres, including approximately 450 acres of National Forest System land within the San Bernardino National Forest.
The United States Forest Service sustained fire suppression costs exceeding $2.2 million, the complaint alleges.
“Gentry Engineering and Gentry were aware of the danger of a rock strike by the excavator and failed to take action to prevent a fire,” the lawsuit alleges.
The settlement resolves all civil claims asserted by the United States and does not constitute an admission of liability.
The case, United States of America v. Garrett J. Gentry General Engineering, Inc., et al., No. 2:24-cv-07136-CAS-BFM, was litigated by Assistant United States Attorney Trent K. Fujii of the Complex and Defensive Litigation Section.
Royal Inn Owner SentencedRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – The owner of a motel known for serving as a hub for prostitution and drug activities has been sentenced in federal court, announced U.S. Attorney Timothy Courchaine.
Varsha Patel, 57, of Chino Hills, California, was sentenced on Feb. 4, 2026, by U.S. District Judge Susan M. Brnovich to five years of probation, forfeiture of the Royal Inn motel, forfeiture of $744,000, and a $5,000 fine. Patel previously pleaded guilty to Using a Facility of Interstate Commerce in Aid of Racketeering Enterprises.
“When federal and local law enforcement team up it’s a force multiplier. In this case, the Phoenix Police Department, FBI and U.S. Marshals joined forces to shut down the Royal Inn, making an immediate and significant impact on public safety,” said U.S. Attorney Timothy Courchaine. “Together, we will take decisive action to ensure Arizonans live in communities where families, schools, and businesses can thrive.”
“This sentencing is the culmination of several years of hard work by both the FBI and the Phoenix Police Department. The defendant knowingly and willingly operated the Royal Inn to facilitate the sexual exploitation of people and the sale of drugs,” said FBI Phoenix Special Agent in Charge, Heith Janke. “The defendant essentially operated a marketplace of illicit activity and profited for years while turning a blind and uncaring eye to the families that live in that neighborhood. That ended when the FBI seized the hotel, and this defendant will now pay the price for her actions.”
"Our partnerships with federal agencies are critical in dismantling organizations that allow criminal behavior to affect the quality of life of our community members,” said Phoenix Police Chief Matt Giordano. “By working together, we ensure that those who profit from illegal enterprises are held accountable. This case demonstrates that when law enforcement agencies work together, we can restore safety and security to the areas most impacted by crime."
A search warrant was executed in September 2024 at the Royal Inn, located at 2510 W. Palo Verde Drive in Phoenix, Arizona, following an extensive coordinated investigation by the Phoenix Police Department and the FBI. The high volume of criminal activity at the Royal Inn was well known in the community where residents, business owners, and two schools, witnessed around-the-clock prostitution and drug dealing. Following the execution of a search and seizure warrant, the U.S. Marshals Service shuttered and fenced off the premises, ending the neighborhood blight.
“The United States Marshals Service is committed to supporting safe and stable communities across Arizona,” said United States Marshal Van Bayless. “Through strong collaboration with our federal and local law enforcement partners, we were able to address criminal activity that had long impacted this neighborhood. The closure of the Royal Inn reflects what can be accomplished when agencies work together toward a shared goal of protecting the public and restoring confidence in the communities we serve.”
The Phoenix Police Department, FBI Phoenix, and the U.S. Marshals Service conducted the investigation. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-24-01529-001-PHX-SMB
RELEASE NUMBER: 2026-031_Patel
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.
Pulaski Man Sentenced for Sexual Exploitation of a Child ChargesRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Scott Goodrich, age 54, of Pulaski, New York, was sentenced on February 12, 2026 to 25 years (300 months) in federal prison for four counts of sexual exploitation of a child and two counts of possession of child pornography. First Assistant United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Erin Keegan, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), made the announcement.
As part of his guilty plea, Goodrich admitted that he sexually abused a child for several years. Goodrich took pictures and videos of his sexual abuse and stored the pictures on his electronic devices. Goodrich also used social media platforms to engage in distributing and receiving child pornography depicting other victims. Goodrich possessed nearly 200 files of child pornography that he had personally created, and hundreds of additional files of child pornography he had received via the Internet.
First Assistant United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III stated: “The sexual exploitation of a child is among the most vile and reprehensible crimes we prosecute, and this defendant committed this crime over and over again. The defendant not only abused a child, but he documented his crimes in images and videos for his own gratification, compounding the harm and perpetuating the victimization. This 25-year sentence reflects the gravity of the defendant’s conduct and sends a clear message that those who prey on children will be identified, prosecuted, and removed from our communities.”
Special Agent in Charge Erin Keegan stated: "Scott Goodrich committed horrific acts by repeatedly abusing a vulnerable child, producing and storing graphic images and videos of the abuse, and distributing deeply exploitative child pornography depicting other innocent victims online. This investigation demonstrates HSI's relentless pursuit of justice for victims and our determination to hold offenders fully accountable. Together with our partners, we will continue to work tirelessly to ensure the safety of every child and safeguard our communities from these heinous crimes."
United States District Judge Anthony J. Brindisi also sentenced Goodrich to serve a 15-year term of supervised release to begin after Goodrich is released from prison. Goodrich will also be required to register as a sex offender upon his release.
HSI investigated the case with assistance from the Oswego County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ben Gillis prosecuted the case.
Project Safe Childhood is a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (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 https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Previously Convicted Concord Woman Sentenced to Prison for Selling Fake DocumentsRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Chaiya Maley-Jackson, 26, of Concord, N.C., was sentenced to 21 months in prison today for selling fake Social Security Cards, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Maley-Jackson was under federal court supervision when she reoffended and was indicted on new charges. As a result of the new indictment and other probation violations, the Court found that Maley-Jackson violated the conditions of probation of her 2023 conviction and revoked her probation imposing a six-month prison sentence in that case, consecutive to the sentence in the 2024 case, for a total of 27 months imprisonment.
Reid Davis, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Charlotte Division, joins U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making today’s announcement.
According to plea documents and the court hearing, between October 2023 and October 2024, Maley-Jackson earned more than $49,000 in fees from producing, selling, and transferring various types of fraudulent documents, including Social Security Cards. Maley-Jackson had a Facebook page under the name of Yaya Ling which advertised the sale of false and fraudulent documents. Maley-Jackson communicated with customers via email and messages to obtain the information needed to create the false documents, to provide updates and samples on their orders, and to send the finalized fake documents.
Maley-Jackson produced the fake documents while she was serving a probationary sentence for a 2023 federal conviction for a similar scheme. According to court records in that case, as early as January 2020, Maley-Jackson was the owner and operator of Diva Documents/CPN Services (Diva Documents). Diva Documents advertised the sale of false and fraudulent documents on Facebook as well as two websites, divadocuments.com and divadocuments.onuniverse.com. Maley-Jackson used her personal Facebook page under the name Yaya Flowers to advertise the types of documents she could produce and a pricelist for the fake documents. The documents listed on the document pricelist that Maley-Jackson could produce and transfer included paystubs, lease agreements, COVID-19 hardship letters, bank statements, W2 forms, Social Security Cards, and driver’s licenses, both digital and hard copies, among others. The prices for the fake documents ranged from $15 to edit a paystub to $150 for a hard copy of a driver’s license. Maley-Jackson required customers to pay half of the payment upfront and the balance upon completion of the fabricated documents.
According to court documents, Maley-Jackson was aware that she was producing and transferring fake documents and knew that customers would use the fake documents for PPP loan applications, car loan applications, and apartment rentals, among others. Maley-Jackson admitted that between January 2020 and August 2022, she created at least 400 Social Security Cards, eight driver’s licenses, and six COVID vaccine cards, and earned more than $320,000 in fees from producing, selling and transferring false documents.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson credited the FBI in Charlotte for the investigation which led to the charges and thanked the United States Probation Office for the Middle District of North Carolina for their assistance in this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Caryn Finley and Special Assistant United States Attorney Eric Frick with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte are in charge of the prosecution.
Nicaraguan National Sentenced to Time ServedRead the Press Release
SOUTH BEND – Donald Obando-Obando, 40 years old, a citizen of Nicaragua and a resident of Goshen, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Cristal C. Brisco after pleading guilty to felony use of a false Social Security Number, announced United States Attorney Adam L. Mildred.
Obando-Obando was sentenced to time served and ordered to pay $4,996.11 in restitution.
According to documents in the case, Obando-Obando is in the United States illegally. He used another person’s name and Social Security Number to obtain a bank account and employment.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and Homeland Security Investigations. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lydia T. Lucius.
Mint Hill Sentenced for Investment Fraud, Embezzlement from Church, and COVID-19 Relief FraudRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Brian Shane Haigler, 43, of Mint Hill, N.C., was sentenced today to 33 months in prison followed by two years of supervised release for a fraud scheme that targeted individual investors, a church, and a federal COVID-19 relief program, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
“Haigler exploited friends, stole from his church, and defrauded a federal relief program meant to provide economic assistance during a national crisis,” said U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson. “This rampant fraud must be stopped, and my office is committed to investigating and prosecuting those that take advantage of others.”
According to court documents, in or around February 2019, Haigler began to recruit friends and acquaintances to invest money in what he represented were real estate transactions. Haigler promised his investors that their funds would be used to purchase or improve specific properties and that they would receive fixed returns by a certain date. Instead of investing the money as promised, Haigler used little, if any, of the investor funds for legitimate real estate purposes. A significant portion of the money was used for personal expenditures or to make payments to earlier investors. To cover up the fraud, when investors inquired about their investments or sought repayment, Haigler made numerous false statements to conceal the scheme.
Then, according to court records, in July 2019, Haigler embezzled funds from a church where he served as a Treasurer. Following the death of the church’s pastor in early 2019, Haigler was the sole signatory on the church’s bank accounts. From 2019 to 2021, Haigler wrote 53 checks and made three cash withdrawals from the church’s bank account totaling over $389,000. In one instance, Haigler wrote a $160,000 check from the church account payable to himself and then used most of those funds to pay an investor.
After that, in April 2021, Haigler submitted an application through the U.S. Small Business Administration’s (SBA) online portal for a $311,000 Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) in the name of the church, without the church’s knowledge and consent. The SBA approved the EIDL loan and after the funds were deposited into the church’s account Haigler transferred $300,000 to his personal account. The loss associated with Haigler’s embezzlement scheme is between $550,000 and $1.5 million.
On July 14, 2024, Haigler pleaded guilty to wire fraud. He will be ordered to report to the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.
The case was investigated by the SBA and the U.S. Secret Service.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Frick of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.
Michigan Man Handed Prison Term for Attacking and Robbing an Elderly Man and Assaulting Another Victim in August 2025Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Jerome Parker, 49, of Detroit, Michigan, was sentenced to a combined total of 60 months in prison on charges related to two separate assaults on August 18 and August 19, 2025, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
“Today we took another criminal, victimizing the most vulnerable members of our community, off the streets,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “This violence against our community committed by Parker, or any criminals like him, against the elderly or innocent will never again be tolerated in the District.”
Parker pled guilty to one count of aggravated assault, one count of assault with significant bodily injury, and one count of second-degree theft in October 2025, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. At sentencing, the government requested that the defendant be sentenced to a combined total of 84 months in prison. The Honorable Robert Salerno sentenced Parker to a combined total of 60 months in prison, with an additional 12 months suspended, to be followed by three years of probation.
According to the government’s evidence, on August 18, 2025, a 66-year-old victim disembarked a Metrobus near the intersection of 14th St NW and Irving St NW, Washington, D.C. Parker approached the victim, a stranger, from the back and punched him in his face with enough force that the victim’s head turned nearly 90 degrees. The victim fell to the ground and Parker went through the victim’s pockets, stealing his wallet, identification, banking cards and cash. As a result of Parker’s actions, the victim had to undergo surgery to fix a fracture and had to have his jaw wired shut for several months to aid in healing.
Additionally on August 19, 2025, a verbal argument ensued between Parker and a separate victim. Parker and this victim were acquaintances and knew each other through the mother of Parker’s child. Parker followed this victim out of an apartment building located in the 1400 block of 12th St NW, Washington, D.C. Parker proceeded to punch him, knocking him to the ground. Parker then stomped and kicked the victim approximately ten times, while calling the victim derogatory terms related to the victim’s sexual orientation. The victim was unconscious for over five minutes until officers arrived on scene and suffered a minor brain bleed.
Parker was arrested on September 26, 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. Attorney Valerie Tsesarenko, who prosecuted the case.
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Mexican National Sentenced for Role in Large Scale International Cocaine Trafficking OffenseRead the Press Release
A Mexican national was sentenced today to 10 years in prison for his role in a conspiracy to import approximately 1,900 kilograms of cocaine into the United States.
According to court documents, the defendant, Jose Francisco Mendoza-Gomez, was a member of a Mexico-based drug trafficking organization (DTO) led by Marisela Flores-Torruco that was responsible for importing multi-hundred-kilogram quantities of cocaine into the United States for years. The DTO also engaged in bulk cash smuggling, bribery of Mexican officials and attempted kidnappings related to rival traffickers.
The DTO, which had operations in New York, Texas, and elsewhere in the United States, sourced its cocaine from Colombia and provided logistical and financial support to coordinate the narcotics’ passage through Central America and Mexico and into the United States. During the investigation, law enforcement made several cocaine seizures, including approximately 971 kilograms of cocaine on April 21, 2017, and 500 kilograms of cocaine on May 10, 2017, nearly all of which was attributable to the DTO.
In addition to cocaine trafficking, the DTO transported substantial illicit proceeds earned from its operations back to Mexico and elsewhere. DTO members engaged in bulk money transfers with cocaine suppliers and utilized a Chinese money laundering network to repatriate bulk narcotics proceeds out of the United States. The DTO also engaged in bribery of Mexican officials, including to gain access to information useful to its cocaine trafficking operations, and planned and attempted to execute multiple kidnappings related to rival drug traffickers and in efforts to secure outstanding debts.
Mendoza-Gomez assisted in coordinating and transporting cocaine for distribution in the United States, handled hundreds of thousands worth of narcotics proceeds, provided advice to the DTO’s leader and participated in the DTO’s efforts to plan kidnappings and obtain information from corrupt Mexican officials.
On Aug. 12, 2025, Mendoza-Gomez, along with 25 other fugitives, were transferred from Mexico to the United States. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs coordinated the transfers.
Two of the defendant’s co-conspirators, Marisela Flores-Torruco and Qiyun Chen, have been convicted in the Eastern District of Virginia for their roles within the DTO, as have several individuals involved in the related Chinese money laundering network. Flores-Torruco pleaded guilty to possession, manufacture, or distribution of a controlled substance and was sentenced to 16 years and 8 months in prison. Chen pleaded guilty to money laundering conspiracy and was sentenced to 10 years in prison.
Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division made the announcement.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)’s Special Operations Division, Bilateral Investigations Unit, with assistance from DEA’s offices in Cartagena (Colombia), Bogota (Colombia), Panama City, Mexico City, and Guatemala City. U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the U.S. Diplomatic Security Service provided substantial assistance in the investigation.
Trial Attorney Caylee E. Campbell of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher M. Carter and Edgardo J. Rodriguez for the Eastern District of Virginia prosecuted the case.
McNary Man Sentenced to Prison for Death of Significant OtherRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – A man convicted of killing his significant other with his vehicle near McNary, Arizona, was sentenced on Feb. 5, 2026, in federal court, announced U.S. Attorney Timothy Courchaine.
Termane Billy Celaya, 20, of McNary, Arizona, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Sharad H. Desai to 97 months in the Bureau of Prisons. Celaya previously pleaded guilty to Voluntary Manslaughter.
Celaya was seated in his pickup truck while he argued with the victim, who was his significant other, while she stood outside of the vehicle. During the argument, Celaya backed up the truck and drove it forward, running over and killing the victim. Celaya fled the scene in the vehicle and was later captured by police after leading them on a pursuit.
FBI Phoenix, Pinetop-Lakeside office, and the White Mountain Apache Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony Church, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-24-08095-PCT-SHD
RELEASE NUMBER: 2026-030_Celaya
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.
Man Sentenced After DNA Linked Him to Armed Robbery in TulsaRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – Today, Mark Verron Callshim, Jr., 38, of Tulsa, was sentenced for Robbery in Indian Country and Carrying, Using, and Brandishing a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence. U.S. District Judge Sara E. Hill sentenced Callshim, to 184 months imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release. This sentence is ordered to run consecutively to Callshim’s 20-year state sentence for aggravated assault and battery.
In September 2025, a federal jury convicted Callshim in the 2021 armed robbery of a convenience store in Tulsa. Surveillance video shown to the jury shows two men arriving at a convenience store in a blue vehicle. One man, later identified as Callshim, is seen wearing a black hoodie with the word “savage” on the front, a black Cleveland Indians hat, with visible neck and hand tattoos. Callshim and the other suspect are seen entering the store and pointing guns at the cashier. Visibly afraid of being shot, the cashier is seen pulling money out of the register and handing it over. The cashier then called 911, as Callshim is getting back into the driver's side of the blue vehicle and driving off while the other man fires one shot at the building.
Tulsa Police officers responded to the 911 call and set up a perimeter to canvas the area. The surveillance footage allowed officers to share a description of the two men seen in the video and of the blue vehicle. Shortly after the robbery, a citizen reported seeing a man in dark clothing abandoning the blue vehicle roughly a mile from the store. Tulsa Police officers looked up the VIN and found that the blue vehicle had been reported stolen a few days earlier. The detective contacted the victim of the stolen vehicle and explained that officers believed the vehicle was used in a robbery. The owner gave consent for the vehicle to be searched. While searching the vehicle, officers found a partially smoked cigarette, among other things. The items were collected as evidence and submitted for DNA analysis.
An internal tip sheet shared within the Tulsa Police Department led detectives to Callshim. Detectives later linked him to the robbery through his unique tattoos, shoes, and DNA evidence collected from the stolen vehicle. Court records show that Callshim has a lengthy criminal history. He’s been convicted of several crimes, including assault with a dangerous weapon, possessing controlled substances, eluding an officer, and first-degree robbery.
The second suspect in the robbery remains unknown. If you have any information about the second suspect, you can submit a tip to the FBI at tips.fbi.gov/home or by calling 405-290-7770. You can also submit an anonymous tip to Tulsa Crime Stoppers here or by calling 918-596-2677.
Callshim is a citizen of the Ponca Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma and will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mike Flesher and John Brasher prosecuted the case.
Mexican Citizen Sentenced to Prison for Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Carlos Dominguez Lopez, 36, of Mexico, was sentenced to two years in federal prison after previously pleading guilty to false statement in an application for a U.S. passport and aggravated identity theft. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Trying to lie, cheat, and steal your way into this country won’t get you anything except a one-way ticket to federal prison and a swift deportation thereafter. My office remains committed to aggressively prosecuting criminal illegal aliens like this defendant who brazenly violate our immigration laws.”
Court documents reflect that in July of 2022, the defendant purported to be another individual and executed a United States passport application at the Escambia County Clerk of Court Office. The defendant provided a birth certificate and identification card in the other individual’s name, without that person’s permission. After the false statements were made, a United States passport was issued to the defendant.
An ICE detainer has been lodged against Dominguez Lopez, and deportation proceedings against him will commence once he completes his prison sentence.
The conviction and sentence were the result of a joint investigation by the United States Department of State Diplomatic Security Service and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jessica S. Etherton.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime, human and drug trafficking.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.
Luzerne County Man Sentenced to 20 Months’ Imprisonment for Firearms OffenseRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that John Durkin, age 52, of Kingston, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on February 13, 2026, to 20 months’ imprisonment and three years of supervised release by United States District Judge Robert D. Mariani for one count of possession of firearms by an unlawful user of a controlled substance.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, Durkin previously pled guilty to possessing multiple firearms, including an illegally purchased Heritage Roughrider .22 caliber revolver and a stolen Keltec 9mm handgun while he was an unlawful user of methamphetamine. Both firearms had moved in interstate commerce prior to their recovery by police in Durkin’s vehicle after a January 28, 2025, single-car accident. Durkin also possessed a quantity of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia, including multiple needles, spoons, and a digital scale.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Kingston Police Department, the Newport Township Police Department, and the Luzerne County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney James M. Buchanan prosecuted the case.
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Luzerne County Man Sentenced to 151 Months’ Imprisonment for Drug Distribution and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Eric Raheem Pierce, age 38, of Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on February 13, 2026, to 151 months’ imprisonment by United States District Judge Julia K. Munley for distribution of fentanyl and possession of a stolen firearm.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, during the course of several controlled drug purchases, Pierce distributed approximately 35 grams of fentanyl before attempting to discard 25 bricks of heroin and another 23 grams of fentanyl on the date of his arrest. During a prior interaction with law enforcement, Pierce was found to be in possession of a stolen firearm.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Sarah R. Lloyd prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
This case was brought as part of a district wide initiative to combat the nationwide epidemic regarding the use and distribution of heroin. Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the Heroin Initiative targets heroin traffickers operating in the Middle District of Pennsylvania and is part of a coordinated effort among federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit heroin related offenses.
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Local Home Healthcare Company Owner Admits over $200,000 FraudRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – The owner of a home healthcare company on Tuesday admitted defrauding the Missouri Medicaid Program and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs out of more than $209,000.
Natavia Boyd-Wells, 41, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of wire fraud. She admitted that while owner of Touch of the Heart Home Health Care LLC, she submitted hundreds of fraudulent reimbursement claims to the Missouri Medicaid Program and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Community Care Network. Missouri Medicaid and the VA fund home healthcare services to enable patients to remain in their homes instead of long-term inpatient stays in hospitals and nursing homes.
Boyd-Wells admitted submitting claims for services on dates when the veteran patients were in the hospital and could not possibly have received home healthcare services. She also submitted claims knowing both that the services were not provided and that she did not have any necessary documentation of the services.
In February of 2022, Missouri Medicaid officials conducting an audit requested documentation reflecting services that Boyd-Wells claimed were provided to a Medicaid patient. No documentation existed. Boyd-Wells on Tuesday admitted submitting and causing to be submitted fraudulent documentation to Medicaid in response to their request.
From about June 2020 through November 2024, Boyd-Well’s fraud cost Missouri Medicaid at least $109,751 and the VA at least $100,563.
The Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General and the Missouri Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Derek Wiseman is prosecuting the case.
Little Valley man who fled from police following high speed chase arrested, charged with selling cocaineRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Ronald D. Mitchell, 44, of Little Valley, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with possession with intent to distribute cocaine, which carries up to 20 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt I. Kass, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, in September of 2025, law enforcement began investigating the drug trafficking activities of Mitchell, who was identified as a distributor of methamphetamine and cocaine in Cattaraugus County. Just after midnight on September 17, 2025, investigators, while surveilling Mitchell in the Village of Little Valley, observed him selling drugs inside his vehicle. A Cattaraugus County Sheriff’s deputy subsequently conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle, during which Mitchell appeared very nervous and started to sweat profusely. Mitchell was asked to exit the vehicle, but instead he fled from the scene, leading deputies on a chase, which exceeded 90 MPH. Mitchell eventually crashed his vehicle into a tree in Ellicottville, and fled. Investigators seized 52 grams of cocaine and a large amount of cash from the vehicle. A bag containing a large quantity of suspected narcotics, believed to have been discarded by Mitchell when he fled from the crash, was discovered on Route 242. The bag contained drug paraphernalia, 196 grams of cocaine and 472 grams of crystal methamphetamine.
Mitchell made an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge H. Kenneth Schroeder, Jr. and was detained.
The complaint is the result of an investigation by the Southern Tier Regional Drug Task Force, under the direction of Cattaraugus County Sheriff Eric Butler and the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Farhana Islam, New York Field Division.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Kentucky Man Pleads Guilty to Embezzling Assets of a Labor UnionRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – James Burke, 55, of Grayson, Kentucky, pleaded guilty today to embezzlement of assets of a labor union.
According to court documents and statements made in court, from in or about July 2022 through in or about October 2023, Burke was the financial secretary of a labor organization located in Huntington. Burke admitted that he issued nine unauthorized or altered checks payable to himself totaling $22,642.42. Burke further admitted that he improperly withheld portions of checks payable to the labor organization as cash totaling $14,332.94 when he deposited them. Burke also admitted that he diverted six dues checks payable to the labor organization and totaling $3,035.70 to his personal use.
Burke is scheduled to be sentenced on May 26, 2026, and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. Burke also owes $40,011.47 in restitution. Burke also faces a ban on holding office in a labor organization for up to 13 years.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Department of Labor-Office of Labor-Management Standards.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Gabriel Price is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:26-cr-5.
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Justice Department Files Case to Revoke U.S. Citizenship of Immigration Fraudster and Former Mayor of North MiamiRead the Press Release
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, Florida, against Philippe Bien-Aime, 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 United States.
“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, defendant used a fraudulent, “photo-switched” passport to enter the United States 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 United States 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.
Justice Department Closes 60-Year-Old Tennessee Desegregation CaseRead the Press Release
The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division announced today the dismissal of a desegregation case in Dyersburg, Tennessee, concluding a matter that has remained on the docket for sixty years.
In 1966, the United States filed a complaint against the Dyersburg Board of Education to challenge racially segregated public education in Dyersburg City Schools in violation of the Constitution and the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The Court approved the Board’s desegregation plan, and the Justice Department spent sixty years monitoring for compliance.
After a thorough review, the Civil Rights Division determined that Dyersburg City Schools no longer operates as a segregated system and has eliminated the vestiges of prior de jure segregation. On Feb. 11, the Court formally declared that the district had achieved unitary status and, on Feb. 12, dismissed the case with prejudice.
“Compliance means closure. When school districts comply in good faith with court orders to eliminate the vestiges of past discrimination, the federal government has no legitimate reason to continue monitoring,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “After sixty years of federal control, it’s time for Dyersburg City Schools to redirect the time, energy, and taxpayer dollars spent on reporting requirements to directly improving education in the community.”
“I am pleased to join in this long overdue dismissal, and I commend the Dyersburg City Schools for their diligent compliance and achievement of unitary status,” said U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant for the Western District of Tennessee. “The long-standing good faith efforts of the school district have demonstrated decades of improvement, and local control is best suited to continue to address the best interests of students, parents, and faculty and staff.”
Justice Department Closes 60-Year-Old Tennessee Desegregation CaseRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division announced today the dismissal of a desegregation case in Dyersburg, Tennessee, concluding a matter that has remained on the docket for sixty years.
In 1966, the United States filed a complaint against the Dyersburg Board of Education to challenge racially segregated public education in Dyersburg City Schools in violation of the Constitution and the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The Court approved the Board’s desegregation plan, and the Justice Department spent sixty years monitoring for compliance.
After a thorough review, the Civil Rights Division determined that Dyersburg City Schools no longer operates as a segregated system and has eliminated the vestiges of prior de jure segregation. On Feb. 11, the Court formally declared that the district had achieved unitary status and, on Feb. 12, dismissed the case with prejudice.
“Compliance means closure. When school districts comply in good faith with court orders to eliminate the vestiges of past discrimination, the federal government has no legitimate reason to continue monitoring,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “After sixty years of federal control, it’s time for Dyersburg City Schools to redirect the time, energy, and taxpayer dollars spent on reporting requirements to directly improving education in the community.”
“I am pleased to join in this long overdue dismissal, and I commend the Dyersburg City Schools for their diligent compliance and achievement of unitary status,” said U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant for the Western District of Tennessee. “The long-standing good faith efforts of the school district have demonstrated decades of improvement, and local control is best suited to continue to address the best interests of students, parents, and faculty and staff.”
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Jacksonville Man Indicted for Violating Anti-Doping LawRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – Paul Alexander Askew (46, Jacksonville) has been charged by a federal indictment with conspiracy to influence major international sports competition by doping. If convicted, Askew faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. The indictment also notifies Askew that the United States intends to forfeit assets alleged to be traceable to proceeds of the offense. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to the Indictment, from on or about July 10, 2023, and continuing through on or about January 31, 2024, Askew conspired with others to influence major international sports competitions by providing performance enhancing drugs to an athlete. The major international sports competitions the conspiracy sought to influence included the 2023 Ed Murphey Classic, the 2023 Xiamen Diamond League, the 2023 Prefontaine Classic, the 2024 American Outdoor Track and Field Championship, the 2024 World Athletics Indoor Championships, the 2024 United States Olympics Trials, and the 2024 Olympics in Paris.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration with assistance from the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick M. Flanigan.
Indictment