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Monday 22 December 2025
Two Men Sentenced after Shooting Near the Eagle Food Mart in DurhamRead the Press Release
GREENSBORO, N.C. – In April 2025, JAVONNTE LAMHN PATTERSON, of Burlington, North Carolina, and JERMAL ZAMONT MOYE, of Durham, North Carolina, pleaded guilty to being felons in possession of ammunition in relation to a shooting incident that occurred in broad daylight outside the Eagle Food Mart on the corner of Fayetteville Street and Linwood Avenue in Durham, North Carolina in April 2024. Sources say the store has since closed due to gun violence.
PATTERSON, age 32, was sentenced on November 10, 2025, to 180 months’ imprisonment, plus 3 years of supervised release.
MOYE, age 22, was sentenced today to 78 months’ imprisonment to run consecutive to a 25-42 month state probation revocation sentence he is currently serving, plus 3 years of supervised release.
United States Attorney Dan Bishop of the Middle District of North Carolina made the announcement.
Both sentencing hearings were held in Greensboro, North Carolina, before United States District Judge William L. Osteen, Jr.
According to court documents, on April 11, 2024, at approximately 5:15 p.m., officers responded to a report of someone suffering from a gunshot wound in the vicinity of Fayetteville Street and Linwood Avenue. When officers arrived, they did not see anyone suffering from a gunshot wound; however, they observed blood splatter on the ground and parking lot of the Eagle Food Mart and recovered approximately 38 cartridges and several projectile fragments. During the investigation, officers spoke with someone who lives across the street from the Eagle Food Mart whose home was shot into by a stray bullet. Officers also spoke with a witness whose car was shot into by a stray bullet. No guns were located on scene.
Video surveillance from the time of the incident showed PATTERSON and an unidentified male walking down the sidewalk on Fayetteville Street before PATTERSON turned and opened fire into a crowded parking lot on the side of the building, which led to a shootout between PATTERSON, MOYE, and several unidentified males. PATTERSON, MOYE, and another male were locally treated for gunshot wounds related to the incident. Review of video and ballistics evidence determined that eleven of the casings were ejected from the firearm used by PATTERSON and five of the casings were ejected from the firearm used by MOYE.
PATTERSON was previously convicted of at least two crimes of violence or controlled substance offenses and MOYE was previously convicted of one crime of violence or controlled substance offense.
The Durham County Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. The prosecutor is Assistant United States Attorney Tracy M. Williams-Durham.
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Two Members of the Neighborhood Bloods Street Gang in Jersey Convicted of Murdering Pregnant Woman and Two OthersRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – Two members of the Neighborhood Bloods street gang, which operated in Jersey City, New Jersey, were convicted of multiple charges stemming from the January 16, 2017, murder of three Jersey City residents, including a twenty-five-year-old pregnant woman, Senior Counsel Philip Lamparello announced.
“These convictions hold accountable violent gang members who carried out a calculated, execution-style triple homicide, including the murder of a young pregnant woman. The defendants planned these killings with chilling deliberation and then attempted to silence their own associate to avoid justice. Today’s verdicts make clear that this level of brutality will be met with the full force of federal prosecution, and that those who terrorize our communities will face severe consequences.”
- Senior Counsel Philip Lamparello
“Through the Jersey City Violent Crime Initiative, the full force of NJ Law enforcement is called upon in the aftermath of heinous crimes such as this triple homicide,” said FBI Newark Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy. “This show of force will make clear to anyone contemplating gang-related or other violent crimes: do not expect to walk free in New Jersey.”
Following a month-long jury trial, Markell Brown, a/k/a “Sayboy,” 37, of Jersey City, New Jersey, was convicted of conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering, three counts of murder in aid of racketeering, three counts of discharging a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, and three counts of causing death through use of a firearm. Terence Shaw, a/k/a “Sweet Meat,” 37, of Jersey City, New Jersey, was convicted of conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering, two counts of murder in aid of racketeering, two counts of discharging a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, and two counts of causing death through use of a firearm. With respect to Shaw, the jury could not come to a unanimous verdict as to one count of murder in aid of racketeering, one count of discharging a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, and one count of causing death through use of a firearm
According to documents filed in this case and the evidence at trial:
On January 16, 2017, Brown and Shaw murdered a rival gang member with whom they had been feuding, along with the rival gang member’s pregnant girlfriend. Brown then murdered one of Brown and Shaw’s own associates, who had accompanied them to commit the murders. Brown and Shaw planned the murders through, among other things, orchestrating the use of a stolen U-Haul truck and purchasing two-way walkie-talkie radios to use during the murders. Brown and Shaw then used their associate to obtain access to the rival gang member’s apartment. After entering that residence on Fulton Avenue in Jersey City shortly before 10:00 p.m., Brown and Shaw executed the rival gang member, shooting him in the back of the head, the left arm, and the right shoulder. They also executed the twenty-five-year-old woman, shooting her in the back of the head and the chest. As Brown left the Fulton Avenue apartment, he shot his and Shaw’s associate in the chest to eliminate the possibility that he would provide information to law enforcement.
The conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering carries a maximum potential penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Brown and Shaw face mandatory life sentences for each count of murder in aid of racketeering. For each count of discharging a firearm during a crime of violence, they face mandatory consecutive sentences of ten years’ imprisonment. The counts charging Brown and Shaw with causing death through use of a firearm carry maximum life sentences. Sentencing is scheduled for April 22, 2026.
Senior Counsel Lamparello credited the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Acting Prosecutor Wayne Mello, and the Jersey City Police Department, under the direction of Public Safety Director James Shea, as well as special agents of the FBI, Newark Field Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy with the investigation leading to the charges and arrests.
This investigation was conducted as part of the Jersey City Violent Crime Initiative (VCI). The VCI was formed in 2018 by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, and the Jersey City Police Department, for the sole purpose of combatting violent crime in and around Jersey City. As part of this partnership, federal, state, county, and city agencies collaborate to strategize and prioritize the prosecution of violent offenders who endanger the safety of the community. The VCI is composed of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the FBI, the ATF, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) New Jersey Division, the U.S. Marshals, the Jersey City Police Department, the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, the Hudson County Sheriff’s Office, New Jersey State Parole, the Hudson County Jail, and the New Jersey State Police Regional Operations and Intelligence Center/Real Time Crime Center.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kendall Randolph and Senior Trial Counsel Robert Frazer of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Organized Crime and Gangs Unit in Newark and Assistant U.S. Attorney James Graham of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Special Prosecutions Division in Newark.
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Defense counsel:
Brown - Stephen Turano, Esq. New York, and Thomas Ambrosio, Esq.Shaw - Brooke Barnett, Esq. and Henry Klingeman, Esq.
brown_shaw.indictment.pdfTwo Absecon Men Admit to Conspiring to Defraud the IRSRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – Two Absecon men admitted to conspiring with each other to defraud the Internal Revenue Service by filing false tax returns that concealed their motels’ cash payroll, Senior Counsel Philip Lamparello announced.
Dhruvesh Patel, 37, and Mayank Ray, 36, both of Absecon, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Christine P. O’Hearn to informations charging each with one count of conspiring to defraud the IRS.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Patel and Ray operated two motels in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Their motels generated substantial gross receipts from customers who paid for their motel rooms in cash. As part of the conspiracy, Patel and Ray used a large portion of the cash to pay employees in cash and kept some of the resulting cash for personal use. Patel and Ray caused to be prepared and filed with the IRS false employment tax returns that concealed the cash wages and false individual income tax returns that underreported the income they earned from the motels. Patel admitted that the conspiracy and his relevant conduct caused a loss greater than $250,000, and Ray admitted that the conspiracy and his relevant conduct caused a loss of approximately $129,512.
The count of conspiracy carries a maximum penalty of 5 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentencing for both Patel and Ray are scheduled for May 11, 2026.
Senior Counsel Lamparello credited special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jenifer Piovesan in Newark, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty pleas.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Bender of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Camden.
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Defense counsel for Patel: Jed Silversmith, Esq., Jenkintown, Pennsylvania
Defense counsel for Ray: Ira Slovin, Esq., Haddon Heights, New Jersey
patel.information.pdf ray.information.pdfThompson Man Sentenced to 72 Months in Prison for Trafficking in Stolen Human RemainsRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Jeremy Pauley, age 43, of Thompson, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on December 22, 2025, to 72 months in prison by Chief United States District Judge Matthew W. Brann for conspiracy and interstate transportation of stolen property.
Chief Judge Brann also ordered Pauley to pay a $2000 fine and serve three years on supervised release following his sentence.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, Pauley admitted to his role in a nationwide network of individuals who bought and sold human remains stolen from Harvard Medical School and an Arkansas mortuary. Pauley purchased human remains from multiple individuals knowing that those remains were stolen. Pauley also sold many of the stolen remains to others, at least one of whom also knew they had been stolen.
Previously, other individuals were also indicted on charges of conspiracy and interstate transport of stolen property as part of the same investigation. From 2018 through 2022, Cedric Lodge, who managed the morgue for the Anatomical Gifts Program at Harvard Medical School, located in Boston, Massachusetts, stole organs and other parts of cadavers donated for medical research and education before their scheduled cremations. Lodge at times allegedly transported stolen remains from Boston to his residence in Goffstown, New Hampshire, where he and his wife, Denise Lodge, sold the remains to Katrina Maclean, Joshua Taylor, and others, making arrangements via cellular telephone and social media websites. At times, Cedric Lodge allowed Maclean and Taylor to enter the morgue at Harvard Medical School and examine cadavers to choose what to purchase. On some occasions, Taylor transported stolen remains back to Pennsylvania. On other occasions, the Lodges shipped stolen remains to Taylor and others out of state.
Maclean and Taylor sold the stolen remains for profit, including to Jeremy Pauley in the Middle District of Pennsylvania. Jeremy Pauley also purchased stolen human remains from Candace Chapman Scott, who stole remains from her employer, a Little Rock, Arkansas mortuary and crematorium. Scott stole parts of cadavers she was supposed to have cremated, many of which had been donated to and used for research and educational purposes by an area medical school, as well as the corpses of two stillborn babies who were supposed to be cremated and returned as cremains to their families. Scott sold the stolen remains to Pauley and shipped them to Pauley in the Middle District of Pennsylvania. Pauley sold many of the stolen remains he purchased to other individuals, including Matthew Lampi. Lampi and Pauley bought and sold from each other over an extended period and exchanged over $100,000 in online payments.
“The trafficking of stolen human remains through the US Mail is a disturbing act that victimizes already grieving families while also creating a potentially hazardous situation for Postal employees and customers,” said Christopher Nielsen, the Inspector in Charge of the Philadelphia Division of the Postal Inspection Service. “I hope our efforts, and these sentencings, bring some amount of closure to those affected by this terrible crime.”
“Today’s sentencing is another step forward in ensuring those who orchestrated and executed this heinous crime are brought to justice” said Wayne A. Jacobs, special agent in charge of FBI’s Philadelphia Field Office. “I want to thank our partners at the Postal Inspection Service and the United States Attorney's Office for their diligent efforts in this case.”
Several other defendants have previously entered guilty pleas in related cases, including Joshua Taylor, Andrew Ensanian, Matthew Lampi, Katrina Maclean, Cedric and Denise Lodge, and Angelo Pereyra. Lampi was sentenced to 15 months in prison; Pereyra was sentenced to 18 months in prison; Ensanian was sentenced to six months in prison; Denise and Cedric Lodge were sentenced to 12 months and a day and 96 months in prison. Joshua Taylor and Katrina Maclean are awaiting sentencing. Additionally, Candace Chapman-Scott, who stole remains from an Arkansas crematorium where she was employed and sold them to Pauley in Pennsylvania, entered a plea of guilty in Arkansas federal court and was sentenced to 15 years in prison.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the East Pennsboro Township Police Department, and the Cumberland County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Alisan Martin is prosecuting the case.
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Texas resident imprisoned for attempting to smuggle weapons into MexicoRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – A 21-year-old San Antonio man has been sentenced for smuggling a stolen weapon and other firearms out of the country, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Ivan Alexys Oseguera Vara pleaded guilty Aug. 19.
U.S. District Judge John A. Kazen has now ordered Vara to serve 30 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by two years of supervised release. He must also pay a $2,100 fine. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence that described how Vara had previously purchased seven firearms in his name, and their whereabouts are now unknown. In handing down the sentence, the court noted that smuggling firearms into Mexico is not a victimless crime.
On June 3, Vara drove a gray Honda Civic to the Colombia Solidarity International Bridge. He claimed to not have any firearms, ammunition or large amounts cash and was just traveling from his San Antonio home to Mexico.
During a secondary inspection, law enforcement uncovered multiple bundles wrapped in plastic and hidden within the rear bumper, undercarriage and center console. A K-9 also alerted to the vehicle.
Authorities ultimately discovered 59 rounds of ammunition, eight magazines and six firearms – three rifles and three pistols. The investigation further revealed none of the weapons were registered to Vara, and one of the handguns had been reported stolen.
Vara has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation with the assistance of Customs and Border Protection. Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew P. Hakala-Finch prosecuted the case.
Texas Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Involuntary Manslaughter in Connection with Fatal CrashRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Theodore D. Chuang sentenced Kamel Hay, 26, of Houston, Texas, to two years in federal prison, followed by two years of supervised release, for involuntary manslaughter. The sentence is in connection with a fatal car crash on the Baltimore-Washington (BW) Parkway, resulting in the death of a 33-year-old man.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Chief Scott Brecht, United States Park Police (USPP).
On February 5, 2022, Hay was driving his vehicle northbound on the BW Parkway at a high rate of speed as he wove through traffic. Eventually, Hay lost control of his car, striking two other vehicles, before his car left the roadway and struck a tree. His front-seat passenger (Victim 1), who was wearing a seatbelt, died after Hay’s car stuck the tree. An autopsy performed by Maryland’s Office of the Chief Medical Examiner determined that Victim 1’s cause of death was multiple injuries sustained in the crash.
First responders transported Hay to Capital Region Medical Center, where he told an USPP officer that he was drinking at the Cuba Libre night club in Washington, D.C. After taking Hay’s blood sample, the District of Columbia Office of the Chief Medical Examiner analyzed it and determined it was positive for an alcohol level of 0.12 milligrams; Hay was therefore under the influence of alcohol at the time of the crash, so it was unsafe for him to operate a motor vehicle.
USPP subsequently examined the car’s event data recorder, which revealed that Hay traveled 117 mph in a 55-mph zone shortly before the crash, with almost no use of the vehicle’s brakes.U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the USPP for its work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ellen Nazmy and Joshua Rosenthal who prosecuted this federal case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Sioux City Man Sentenced to 17.5 Years in Federal Prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute MethRead the Press Release
Omar Barrientos, 35, from Sioux City, Iowa, was sentenced on December 19, 2025, to over 17 years’ imprisonment. Barrientos pled guilty August 19, 2025, in federal court in Sioux City, to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
Evidence in the case showed that on June 20, 2024, law enforcement responded to remove an individual sleeping in a vehicle in the Thompson Electric parking lot in Sioux City. Law enforcement arrived and knocked on the driver’s window eventually waking up Barrientos. Barrientos was the sole occupant of the vehicle and exhibited strange behavior and signs of impairment. Law enforcement searched the vehicle and found a bag under the driver’s seat containing just under a pound of methamphetamine. Barrientos admitted that he planned to distribute the methamphetamine to others.
Barrientos had previously been convicted of willful injury and criminal gang participation in 2009, and in 2016 he was again convicted of willful injury along with assault while displaying a dangerous weapon and going armed with intent.
Sentencing was held before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Barrientos was sentenced to 210 months’ imprisonment and must serve a term of ten years of supervised release following imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. Barrientos remains in custody of the United States Marshal until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was investigated by Tri-State Drug Task Force based in Sioux City, Iowa, that consists of law enforcement personnel from the Drug Enforcement Administration; Sioux City, Iowa, Police Department; Homeland Security Investigations; Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office; South Sioux City, Nebraska, Police Department; Nebraska State Patrol; Iowa National Guard; Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; United States Marshals Service; South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation; and Woodbury County Attorney’s Office and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kraig R. Hamit.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-4065. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Seven Farmers and a Tobacco Warehouse Manager Sentenced for Crop Insurance Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. — A Cave City, Ky., farmer, Larry Walden, 69, was sentenced to 52 months’ incarceration by U.S. District Judge Karen Caldwell, after pleading guilty to conspiring to commit money laundering, by committing crop insurance fraud.
According to his plea agreement, Walden owned and rented farmland in Barren County, on which he grew burley tobacco, among other crops. He maintained insurance coverage over his tobacco crop from at least 2014 to 2023. For Crop Years 2014 through 2019, Walden used services offered at Farmers Tobacco Warehouse in Boyle County, to obtain false documentation to support false claims of loss on his crop insurance.
As part of the conspiracy, Walden wrote checks to Farmers Tobacco Warehouse, to make it appear as though the tobacco he raised and sold was actually purchased from Farmers Tobacco Warehouse. Conspiring with Thomas Kirkpatrick, manager at Farmers Tobacco Warehouse, Walden also received fake receipts in further attempts to conceal the scheme. Walden presented copies of these cancelled checks along with fake purchase receipts to his insurance adjuster. His insurance adjuster used this paperwork to justify deflating Walden’s production reports, thereby increasing his indemnity payment. With his proceeds, Walden paid off lines of credit and purchased new assets.
Walden also admitted to running the same fraud scheme through Greensburg Tobacco Market and Fair Deal Tobacco, located in Greensburg, Ky., and Littleton, North Carolina, respectively. He further sold tobacco under the names of neighbors and relatives without reporting that production on his insurance claims. In total, Walden’s fraud caused $9,960,817.19 in loss to crop insurers. Upon his release, Walden will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for 3 years. In addition to his prison sentence, Walden was ordered to pay $9,960,817.19 in restitution.
Other farmers have also been sentenced for their role in the same conspiracy to commit crop insurance fraud and have been sentenced as followed.
- Thomas Kirkpatrick, 67, of Stanford, Ky., the former manager of Farmers Tobacco Warehouse, was sentenced to 48 months in prison, two years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay $16,156,345 in restitution.
- David Hunt, 63, of Campbellsville, Ky., a farmer who obtained fake documentation from Kirkpatrick in order to support fraudulent claims to indemnity payments under an organic tobacco insurance coverage policy, was sentenced to 42 months in prison, three years of supervised release, and $5,427,365 in restitution.
- Terry Wilson, 67, an Edmonton, Ky, farmer who used Farmer Tobacco Warehouse to facilitate his fraud conspiracy, was sentenced to time served, followed by three years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay $667,679.00 in restitution.
- Christopher Wilson, 50, Terry Wilson’s son, was sentenced to 18 months in prison, three years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay $669,447 in restitution.
- David Wisdom, 69, a Glasglow, Ky., farmer who used Farmer Tobacco Warehouse to facilitate his fraud conspiracy, was sentenced to 48 months, followed by three years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay $1,941,007 in restitution.
- Robert D. Birge, Jr., 51, a Summer Shade, Ky., farmer, was sentenced to 6 months in prison, three years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay $1,114,519 in restitution.
Additionally, earlier this month, Harlan Ray Highfield, 63, of Brooksville, Ky., was sentenced to 42 months’ incarceration, stemming from his crop insurance fraud scheme that involved obtaining crop insurance policies in nominee names, among other offenses. He was sentenced to three years’ supervised release and was ordered to pay $1,060,460 in restitution.
Under federal law, these defendants must serve 85 percent of their prison sentences.
“These defendants fleeced programs intended to protect agricultural producers,” said Paul McCaffrey, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky. “While the vast majority of farmers conduct themselves with great integrity, the sentences imposed in these cases should serve as a warning to any producers or warehouse operators considering similar crop insurance fraud.”
“There is no place in our society for opportunists who choose to defraud public programs at the expense of honest, hard-working American farmers,” stated Special Agent in Charge Olivia Olson of the FBI Louisville Field Office. “This case is a prime example of law enforcement partners collaborating over a number of years to ensure the conspirators are identified and penalized appropriately, while simultaneously working to protect one of our nation’s most vital industries.”
“The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Office of Inspector General (OIG) appreciates the collaboration with our law enforcement partners and the prosecutors in this case. USDA OIG is committed to investigating individuals who engage in crop insurance fraud in order to preserve the integrity of USDA programs,” said USDA OIG Special Agent-in-Charge Miles Davis. “We thank the United States Department of Agriculture Risk Management Agency Special Investigations Staff, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, Kentucky Department of Insurance and Department of Justice, Eastern District of Kentucky for their partnership with us on this impactful investigation.”
Paul McCaffrey, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Miles Davis, Acting Special Agent in Charge, United States Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General; Olivia Olson, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Louisville Field Office; and Karen Wingerd , Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, jointly announced the sentences.
The investigation was conducted by the United States Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General, United States Department of Agriculture Risk Management Agency Special Investigations Staff, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation. The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kate Dieruf and Andrea Mattingly Williams.
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Senior Vice President of Atlanta Housing Authority Charged with Housing Assistance Fraud and Pandemic Relief FraudRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - Tracy Denise Jones, a Senior Vice President at the Atlanta Housing Authority, has been charged with engaging in a scheme to fraudulently collect Section 8 housing assistance payments for her own rental property and family members. She was also charged with making fraudulent applications to collect pandemic relief funds and committing mortgage fraud when refinancing her rental property.
“A long-time senior executive of one of the largest housing authorities in the nation, Jones was entrusted to deliver vast sums of government assistance to our community’s neediest members,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “But Jones allegedly exploited a variety of assistance programs and chose to line her own pockets using an alternate identity, multiple business entities, a false affidavit, and a cadre of associates willing to lie on her behalf.”
“Tracy Jones’s alleged actions not only showed a blatant disrespect for the law and multiple federal programs, but also jeopardized the availability of HUD-assisted housing for those in our most vulnerable communities who rely on housing assistance programs,” said Special Agent in Charge Jerome Winkle with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Office of Inspector General (OIG). “HUD OIG will continue to work with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners to vigorously pursue those who seek to profit by abusing HUD-funded programs.”
According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: Since April 2017, Jones has served as Senior Vice President over the Housing Choice Voucher Program at the Atlanta Housing Authority, overseeing one of the largest Section 8 programs in the country. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development funds Section 8 programs, including rental assistance payments to landlords on behalf of low-income families and individuals. Section 8 funds are limited, and there is often a long waiting list of low-income families seeking acceptance into the program. Housing authority staff are generally prohibited from receiving Section 8 payments for their own properties, and Section 8 landlords are typically prohibited from leasing to their own family members.
Instead of upholding the integrity of the housing assistance program, Jones allegedly defrauded the program by using a series of falsified forms to have her family members admitted to the Section 8 program and then to receive Section 8 payments for them to live in her own rental house. To conceal her identity, Jones allegedly used a fake name and a shell business entity to execute housing authority documents. As a result, she improperly obtained more than $36,000 of Section 8 funds. Jones then allegedly obstructed subsequent investigations by submitting a false affidavit and convincing friends to lie and present false documents on her behalf.
At the same time, Jones allegedly used her shell business and another business to collect more than $27,000 from the U.S. Small Business Administration’s COVID-19 pandemic relief programs, falsely claiming that the businesses were functioning, had multiple employees, and received over $56,000 of gross revenues in 2019. When the SBA denied one of Jones’s applications, she allegedly appealed the denial, pleading for the SBA to approve her request, stating:
- “I am truly a[n] honest business owner[.]”
- “I hear the stories how people abused the PPP loans to establish a lavish lif[e] style. That is not me. My business is small and is growing, but I [am] one of the legitimate and honest business that can use all the help I can.”
- “I also serve a community of low income families in my business, renting one of my three homes to a low income family as well as serve other owners of low income rental properties.”
Jones also allegedly committed mortgage fraud when she refinanced her Section 8 rental property, falsely claiming on her application for a $219,780 loan that the property was her primary residence, that the residence was not a rental property, and that she did not own any other property.
On December 19, 2025, Tracy Denise Jones, 61, of Atlanta, Georgia, was arraigned before United States Magistrate Judge John K. Larkins III on a criminal information containing federal charges of conspiracy to commit theft of government funds, wire fraud, and credit application fraud.
Members of the public are reminded that the criminal information only contains charges. The defendant is presumed innocent of the charges, and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
This case is being investigated by the Department of Housing and Urban Development – Office of Inspector General.
Assistant United States Attorney Garrett L. Bradford is prosecuting the case.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. 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 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.
Schuyler Man Sentenced to 120 Months for Methamphetamine OffenseRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Anselmo Ramirez-Magana, 37, of Schuyler, Nebraska, was sentenced on December 17, 2025, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for possessing with intent to distribute more than 50 grams of pure methamphetamine. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Ramirez-Magana to 120 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release from prison, he will begin a five-year term of supervised release.
On November 19, 2024, officers with the Schuyler PD conducted a traffic stop of Tiffany Gallardo and Ramirez-Magana. During the traffic stop, a second officer arrived and deployed a K-9 which indicated to the presence of narcotics in the vehicle. A search resulted in the seizure of 158 grams of pure methamphetamine. When Ramirez-Magana was being arrested, he stated that the drugs were his.
This case was investigated by the Schuyler Police Department.
Racially Motivated Violent Extremist Charged for Possessing an Unregistered Firearm and Child Sexual Abuse OffensesRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the return of an indictment charging Lucas Alexander Temple (20, Sarasota) for possessing an unregistered firearm, possession of a firearm with a removed serial number, and receipt of child sexual abuse material. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. Temple was previously arrested on a criminal complaint.
According to the indictment and criminal complaint, while executing the search warrant at Temple’s home in Sarasota on November 20, 2025, federal agents recovered a shotgun with sawed-off barrel that was not registered to Temple. Federal law prohibits the possession of shotguns with barrels fewer than 18 inches in length without registration in National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record. Agents also found evidence that Temple had been plotting a racially motivated act of violence, including pipe bombs, multiple firearms, ammunition, a pressure cooker, literature on how to manufacture explosives, and a written plan as to his intentions:
Temple also possessed a variety of Nazi and mass shooting propaganda materials, including the Journals of Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris, the perpetrators of the 1999 Columbine High School massacre, and a large flag bearing the Atomwaffen Division symbol:
The Atomwaffen Division (AWD) is a US-based racially or ethnically motivated violent extremist group. The group’s targets have included racial minorities, the Jewish community, the LGBTQ community, the United States Government, journalists, and critical infrastructure. AWD’s ideology largely focused on accelerationism, meaning the goal was to push society into armed conflict in an effort to create a radical social transformation.
As part of its investigation, federal agents learned that Temple had been communicating with other ideologically aligned individuals online about conducting violence against minorities and providing instructions on how to manufacture explosives.
Agents also discovered that, on at least two occasions, Temple received images of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
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 Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Joint Terrorism Task Force with assistance from the Sarasota County’s Sheriff’s Office and the Sarasota Police Department. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Lauren Stoia and Risha Asokan.
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).
Pueblo Man Sentenced to 248 Months for Drug and Firearms ConvictionsRead the Press Release
DENVER – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that David Wayne Watkins, 46, of Pueblo, Colorado, was sentenced to 248 months in prison after being convicted by a federal jury last year on five counts, including possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute, possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and possession of an unregistered short-barreled rifle.
According to the facts established at trial, Watkins was stopped by Pueblo Police in December of 2023 for a forged temporary license plate tag. During the stop, Watkins briefly ran from officers before his arrest. During his arrest, police recovered a loaded handgun from his waistband and a bag and wallet together containing $52,000 in cash, 378 fentanyl pills, and 25 grams of pure methamphetamine. When officers searched his car, they found one additional handgun, numerous firearm magazines and ammunition, clear baggies, and a bag with an additional 375 fentanyl pills. A search of his hotel room resulted in the recovery of a short-barreled rifle and additional ammunition.
“We are committed to making Pueblo safer, and putting Mr. Watkins behind bars for the next 20 years advances that goal,” said United States Attorney for the District of Colorado Peter McNeilly. “I am grateful to both our federal and local partners for the excellent work they did to get him and his illegal guns and drugs off the streets.”
“Any community is safer when we can take illegal drugs and guns off the streets,” said Marvin Massey, Acting Special Agent in Charge for FBI Denver. “In this case, the strong FBI partnership with the Pueblo Police Department resulted in a repeat offender heading to prison and the community being in a better situation as a result.”
“I want to commend the hard work and collaboration of our task force officers, special investigations detectives, and federal partners including ATF, DEA, FBI, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office,” said Chris Noeller, Chief of Police, Pueblo Police Department. “Their commitment to this lengthy investigation shows what can be achieved when law enforcement agencies work together to bring a dangerous offender to justice. We remain committed to working with our local, state, and federal partners to hold offenders accountable and to ensure our community remains a safe place to live, work, and raise a family.”
United States District Judge S. Kato Crews presided over the sentencing. The Pueblo Police Department and the FBI Denver Field Office handled the investigation. The Violent Crime and Immigration Enforcement Section of the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado handled the prosecution.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.Case Number: 1:24-cr-00058-SKC
Previously Deported Aliens Sentenced and Transferred to Immigration Officials for Deportation ProceedingsRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – on December 18, 2025 Julio Cesar Chavez-Rizo, 30, of Mexico, was sentenced in federal court for illegally reentering the United States after previously having been deported. This case was prosecuted as 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.
According to court documents, on October 19, 2025, Chavez-Rizo was arrested for disorderly conduct and public intoxication by the Saraland Police Department. The Saraland Police Department requested assistance from the United States Border Patrol (USBP) for immigration records checks. The USBP confirmed Chavez-Rizo had been deported from the United States two times. Chavez-Rizo had been previously convicted of operating a vehicle while intoxicated and endangering a person in violation of Indiana state law in 2021. USBP placed an immigration detainer on Chavez-Rizo. Chavez-Rizo went straight into federal custody upon meeting bond on his state-related charges. Chavez-Rizo was sentenced to time-served in prison since his arrest. Chavez-Rizo had been in custody since his arrest by the Saraland Police Department. Chavez-Rizo was ordered to be transferred to immigration officials for deportation proceedings upon his release from prison.
Additional defendants were recently prosecuted and charged with illegally reentering the United States after previously having been deported as part of Operation Take Back America’s ongoing collaboration between federal agencies with the assistance of state and local law enforcement and sentenced in federal court.On December 18, 2025, Marvin Alexander Santos-Carballo, 30, of Honduras, was sentenced for illegal reentry. On October 20, 2025, the Creola Police Department had encountered Santos-Carballo during a traffic stop. The Creola Police Department requested assistance from USBP for records checks. USBP determined that Santos-Carballo was a previously deported alien. USBP responded and arrested Santos-Carballo. Santos-Carballo was sentenced to time-served in prison since his USBP arrest and ordered to be transferred to immigration officials for deportation proceedings upon his release.
On September 29, 2025, Ezequiel Vega-Solano, 27, of Mexico, was sentenced for illegal reentry. On August 1, 2025, the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO) encountered Vega-Solano during a traffic stop. BCSO reached out to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) for records confirmation. ICE/ERO confirmed that Vega-Solano was a previously removed alien with prior felony convictions for illegal alien transportation in violation of federal law in 2020. ICE/ERO responded and arrested Vega-Solano for his illegal presence in the United States. Vega-Solano remained in federal custody through his sentencing. Vega-Solano was sentenced to time-served and ordered to be transferred to immigration officials for deportation proceedings.
On September 16, 2025, Roberto Ulin-Ajin, 40, of Guatemala, was sentenced for illegal reentry in federal court. According to court documents, Ulin-Ajin was encountered during a worksite enforcement action by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents in May 2025. HSI agents determined that Ulin-Ajin had been previously deported and was unlawfully in the United States. Ulin-Ajin had also been previously convicted under an alias name for public intoxication and driving under the influence in violation of Alabama state law. HSI arrested Ulin-Ajin during the worksite enforcement action. Ulin-Ajin remained in federal custody through his sentencing. Ulin-Ajin was sentenced to time-served and ordered to be transferred to immigration officials for deportation proceedings.
These defendants had been in custody since their respective arrests on federal charges. All defendants were ordered to pay $100.00 each in special assessments.
U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Border Patrol (USBP), and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), investigated the cases with the assistance of state and local law enforcement partners, including the Saraland Police Department, Creola Police Department, and the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin D. Kopf prosecuted the cases on behalf of the United States.
In addition to repelling the invasion of illegal immigration, Operation Take Back America aim includes the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) and protecting our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Previously Convicted Louisville Man Sentenced to 40 Years and 6 months in Federal Prison for Enticement of a MinorRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – A Louisville man was sentenced on December 15, 2025, for online coercion and enticement of a minor, sexual exploitation of a child, and transportation of a minor for sex.
U.S. Attorney Kyle G. Bumgarner of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Olivia Olson of the FBI Louisville Field Office, and Chief Paul L. Humphrey of the Louisville Metro Police Department made the announcement.
Nathaniel Covington, 25, was sentenced to 40 years and 6 months in federal prison, followed by a lifetime term of supervised release, for online coercion and enticement of a minor, sexual exploitation of a child, and transportation of a minor for sex. The Court ordered Covington to pay $3,000 in restitution to the victim.
Covington used an online social media application to meet a fourteen-year-old girl. He arranged to have the girl taken from Tennessee to Louisville, Kentucky for a sexual encounter. Once in Kentucky, Covington used his cellular phone to record himself engaged in sexual acts with the minor. Several days after Covington took the victim from Tennessee, an amber alert was issued for the child and Covington was found in Clarksville, Indiana with her. Covington was previously convicted in 2019 in Ohio for Unlawful Sexual Conduct with a different fourteen-year-old.
“Covington is a dangerous child predator,” said U.S. Attorney Kyle G. Bumgarner. “A 2019 Ohio conviction for Unlawful Sexual Conduct did not deter disgusting deviant behavior. Because of the important contributions from the Louisville Metro Police Department and the FBI, Covington will not have the opportunity to prey on any more children for at least four decades. Covington’s 40 years and 6 months federal sentence should be a siren to likeminded deviants that if they engage in this reprehensible conduct dire consequences will soon follow.”
“The relentless pursuit of child sex predators is one of the FBI’s top priorities,” stated Special Agent in Charge Olivia Olson of the FBI Louisville Field Office. “While this sentence should send a clear message to offenders who prey upon our community’s innocent children, it does not mean we will let up. We will not stop until every criminal who seeks to exploit or abuse our children is found and held accountable to the fullest extent of the law.”
LMPD Chief Paul L. Humphrey stated, “Detectives with the Louisville Metro Police Department’s Office of Sexual and Physical Investigations (OSPI) focus on prosecuting the most heinous criminals, and this case shows their impact. Working with our partners in law enforcement ensured that a dangerous predator is now off the streets for decades. OSPI will continue pushing every case forward to protect victims and ensure those who commit these horrific crimes face full accountability.”
There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was investigated by the FBI and the Louisville Metro Police Department with assistance from the Tennessee Bureau of Investigations, Blount County Sheriff’s Office, and the Jeffersonville Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys A. Spencer McKiness and Danielle Yanelli prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ 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 www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
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Pensacola Woman Sentenced to Federal Prison for Preparing False Tax Returns and Identity TheftRead the Press Release
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Khristine N. Harper, 42, of Pensacola, was sentenced to two years in federal prison after having previously pleaded guilty to twenty counts of aiding and assisting the preparation of false tax returns and one count of identity theft. The guilty plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “I applaud the excellent investigative work by our federal law enforcement partners to catch this fraudster and dismantle her scheme to rip off American taxpayers. My office will continue to aggressively prosecute fraudsters and thieves, and will ensure they find themselves in federal prison for their crimes.”
Court documents reflect that between 2018 and 2024, Harper routinely prepared and filed fraudulent income tax returns for her clients by listing false amounts for various deductions, credits, and other items that were never provided to her by those clients. After Harper became aware in July 2023 that the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation was investigating her, she changed the name of her tax preparation business from Kings Tax Service to Echelon Tax. She also obtained a Preparer Tax Identification Number (PTIN) in another person’s name without permission and filed her clients’ 2023 returns using that fraudulently obtained PTIN.
In addition to being sentenced to two years in prison, Harper was ordered to pay $284,490 in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service as a condition of a two-year term of supervised release to follow her prison sentence, $132,809.74 in statutorily mandated costs of prosecution, and a $2,100 special monetary assessment.
“Tax return preparers who deliberately file fraudulent returns are committing serious federal crimes with every submission,” said IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge Ron Loecker of the Florida Field Office. “IRS-CI will relentlessly pursue dishonest preparers to protect taxpayers and uphold the integrity of the tax system. Those who break the law will be held accountable—period.”
“This case was the result of coordinated efforts between investigators and prosecutors committed to protecting the public,” said FBI Jacksonville Special Agent in Charge Jason Carley. “We will continue to aggressively work to identify, investigate and hold accountable those who commit fraud.”
The sentence was the result of a joint investigation by the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Alicia H. Forbes.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Omaha Man Sentenced to 15 Years for Distributing Methamphetamine and Possessing FirearmRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Alexander Jackson, 54, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced on December 17, 2025, in federal court in Omaha for distribution of methamphetamine and being a felon in possession of a firearm. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Jackson to 180 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Jackson’s release from prison, he will begin an eight-year term of supervised release.
In April 2024, an individual cooperating with law enforcement made two controlled buys from Jackson in Omaha. The first was for one ounce of methamphetamine. The second was for one ounce of methamphetamine and a 9mm handgun.
Between 1991 and 2014, Jackson was convicted four times for drug dealing offenses in Douglas County District Court. Because of the 2014 prior conviction, Jackson faced an enhancement mandatory minimum of 10 years’ imprisonment and eight years of supervised release for this federal offense.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
Oahu Woman Pleads Guilty to Filing False Tax Returns and Wire FraudRead the Press Release
HONOLULU – United States Attorney Ken Sorenson announced that Heidi Cafirma, 50, of Waipahu, Hawaii, pleaded guilty today to filing false tax returns and wire fraud related to her fraudulent application for unemployment assistance due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Cafirma’s sentencing is set for April 15, 2026 before United States District Judge Shanlyn A.S. Park.
According to court documents and in-court statements, for tax years 2016 through 2020, Cafirma filed false federal tax returns with the IRS for her and her spouse that underreported their business income and total taxes owed.
In 2020, Cafirma also submitted a fraudulent application requesting Pandemic Unemployment Assistance benefits, which she was not entitled to receive. From approximately June 2020 through September 2021, Cafirma filed weekly unemployment benefit certification forms in support of her application, falsely claiming she was not working or earning any income during the certification period. As a result, Cafirma received approximately $70,500 in fraudulent benefit payments.
Cafirma faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 3 years for filing a false tax return and 20 years for wire fraud. She also faces a term of supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties.
IRS-Criminal Investigation is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Rebecca Perlmutter and Trial Attorney Sarah A. Kiewlicz are prosecuting the case.
Nigerian Man Convicted on Multiple Charges Including Wire Fraud, Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering, and Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
DENVER – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Ikponmwosa Erhinmwinrose, 39, of Atlanta, Georgia, was convicted by a federal jury on six counts of wire fraud, three counts of aggravated identity theft, one count of wire fraud conspiracy, and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering.
According to the evidence presented at trial, Erhinmwinrose and other conspirators in his fraud ring stole more than $7.6 million in government benefits from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program, multiple state unemployment insurance programs including from the state of Colorado, and tax refunds. The economic relief programs were launched by the federal government in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
To obtain these benefits, Erhinmwinrose and other conspirators in his fraud ring used the stolen identities of more than 1,000 victims. As a result of Erhinmwinrose’s actions, identity-theft victims never received IRS stimulus payments, received letters in the mail stating that they had to start repaying loans that Erhinmwinrose had taken out in their names, and faced backlash on social media because others thought they had taken out large loans that in fact went to Erhinmwinrose and other members of his fraud ring. To facilitate the criminal activity, Erhinmwinrose created dozens of email accounts under false names to impersonate real individuals and businesses, worked with conspirators to submit fraudulent applications for benefits, and then instructed a network of conspirators to launder the proceeds through multiple bank accounts before converting the money to cash or transferring it overseas.
United States District Judge Charlotte N. Sweeney presided over the trial.
The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, FDIC Office of Inspector General, Small Business Administration (SBA) Office of Inspector General, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General handled the investigation.
Assistant United States Attorneys Craig Fansler and Sonia Dave handled the prosecution.
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
Case Number: 1-23-cr-00300-CNS
New Hampshire Man Sentenced to 120 Months After Leading Members of the U.S. Marshals Service on a High-Speed Chase and Discharging a FirearmRead the Press Release
Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that on December 18, 2025, Douglas Reynolds, 37, of, Dalton, New Hampshire, was sentenced by Chief United States District Judge Christina Reiss to a term of 120 months’ imprisonment to be followed by a 3-year term of supervised release. Reynolds previously pleaded guilty to discharging a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, specifically assaulting federal law enforcement using a deadly weapon.
According to court records, members of the United States Marshals Service attempted to serve an outstanding state arrest warrant on Reynolds near Dalton, New Hampshire. Reynolds spotted law enforcement and fled in his black Jetta sedan. Reynolds led law enforcement north on Interstate 93 to Saint Johnsbury, Vermont, before turning south on Interstate 91. The chase reached speeds of over 100 miles per hour. Eventually, Reynolds exited the interstate near Ryegate, Vermont. His vehicle ran out of gas and began to slow. As his vehicle slowed, Reynolds waived a Ruger Security Six .357 Magnum revolver out of his driver’s side window. Then he fired the gun over his shoulder in the general direction of USMS personnel. USMS personnel returned fire, hitting Reynolds in the head. Members of the pursuing team then ordered Reynolds out of his car and apprehended him. After receiving medical care, Reynolds was arrested. At the time of Reynolds’ possession and discharge of the Ruger, he was both a convicted felon and an unlawful user of controlled substances.
First Assistant United States Attorney Michael P. Drescher commended the investigatory efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Bradford Police Department, and the assistance of the United States Marshals Service.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua L. Banker. Reynolds was represented by Assistant Federal Public Defender Carmen Brooks.
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.
Montgomery Man Convicted of Multiple Federal Drug Trafficking ChargesRead the Press Release
MONTGOMERY, Ala. – On December 18, 2025, a federal jury convicted 36-year-old Arsenio Hall, of Montgomery, Alabama, of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, cocaine, a synthetic cannabinoid, and marijuana, announced Acting United States Attorney Kevin Davidson.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, law enforcement began investigating suspected drug-trafficking activity in Montgomery County in late 2024. As part of that investigation, investigators with the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant on December 4, 2024, at a residence in Montgomery.
During the search, law enforcement found more than three kilograms of 99-percent pure methamphetamine, over 200 grams of cocaine, approximately three pounds of marijuana, and 349 grams of a synthetic cannabinoid in a bedroom closet. Investigators collected other evidence linking Hall directly to the drugs, including fingerprints.
Hall was initially arrested on state charges. In July 2025, a federal grand jury returned a four-count indictment against Hall, with a fifth count added in November 2025. Following a three-day trial, the jury found Hall guilty on all five counts.
“This case reflects the strong collaboration between federal and local law enforcement here in the Middle District of Alabama,” said Acting United States Attorney Davidson. “I am grateful to the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office and the Drug Enforcement Administration for their hard work and careful investigation, which helped bring this case to a successful conclusion.”
A sentencing hearing will be scheduled in the coming months. Hall faces a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years and up to life in federal prison. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was investigated by the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office and the Drug Enforcement Administration. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Mark E. Andreu and Christopher P. Moore.
Mexican National Sentenced to More than 20 Years for Methamphetamine Conspiracy Mexican National Sentenced to More than 20 Years for Methamphetamine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Antelmo Obeso-Valenzuela, 52, a Mexican citizen living in Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced on December 17, 2025, in federal court in Omaha for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Obeso-Valenzuela to 250 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Obeso-Valenzuela’s release from prison, he will begin a five-year term of supervised release.
On February 8, 2024, Obeso-Valenzuela sold a pound of methamphetamine to an undercover detective outside an apartment building in Papillion, Nebraska. The undercover detective communicated with a source of supply in Mexico to arrange the purchase. The source of supply directed the detective to the apartment building to meet Obeso-Valenzuela. On February 20, 2024, police arrested Obeso-Valenzuela and searched an Omaha residence and an apartment in the Papillion building. During the searches, agents seized approximately 63 pounds of methamphetamine and more than $14,000 in cash. A search of Obeso-Valenzuela’s cell phone found photographs and videos taken throughout February 2024 indicative of methamphetamine trafficking.
The money seized will be forfeited to the United States as proceeds of drug dealing.
This case was investigated by the Omaha Police Department, the Metro Drug Task Force, and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Massachusetts Man Pleads Guilty to Multiple Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that NICHOLAS KINGSLEY, 42, of Agawam, Massachusetts, pleaded guilty today in Hartford federal court to firearm possession offenses.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 16, 2024, Enfield Police arrested Kingsley after a traffic stop and he was found in possession of three privately made firearms (“ghost guns”) and 45 rounds of ammunition. On April 18, 2024, while Kingsley was detained in state custody, HSI special agents conducted a search of his vehicle in Agawam and seized 14 fully assembled firearms, several Glock machine gun conversion devices, and more than 2,000 rounds of various caliber ammunition.
Kingsley’s criminal history includes felony convictions for drug, firearm, assault, and larceny offenses. It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.
Kingsley pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of firearms by a felon, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 15 years; unlawful possession of a machine gun, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years; and unlawful possession of a weapon in violation of the National Firearms Act, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years.
Kingsley has been detained since his arrest. He is scheduled to be sentenced on March 16, 2026.
This matter has been investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Enfield Police Department, and the Agawam Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Lembo.
Maryland Tech Executive Indicted, in Connection with Conspiracy to Defraud the Federal GovernmentRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A federal grand jury returned a superseding indictment, charging Victor Marquez, 53, a Maryland resident and owner of two information technology (IT) companies, with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, four counts of wire fraud, and major fraud, in connection with a scheme to defraud the federal government. The scheme included rigging bids for IT contracts and receiving kickbacks in exchange for influence over IT procurements.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the indictment with Deputy Assistant Attorney General Omeed A. Assefi, Justice Department – Antitrust Division; Special Agent in Charge Christopher Dillard, Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS) – Mid-Atlantic Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office; and Deputy Inspector General Kevin Gerrity, National Security Agency Office of the Inspector General (NSA-OIG).
As alleged in the superseding indictment, Marquez and his co-conspirators used his access to sensitive procurement information to rig bids for procurements for large U.S. government IT contracts. Marquez and his co-conspirators concealed Marquez’s role in the scheme to ensure his continued access to sensitive procurement information. He received compensation in the form of kickbacks for steering procurements to his co-conspirators, who referred to the payments as the “Vic tax.” Through the scheme, Marquez obtained more than $3.8 million in funds that were built into the government’s purchase price.
James Briar, 47, of Manassas, Virginia, an IT sales representative, and Robert Fay, 59, of Stevensville, Maryland, an IT sales executive, pled guilty in related cases. On August 11, 2025, Briar pled guilty to conspiracy to pay illegal kickbacks, and on October 1, Fay pled guilty to conspiracy to pay illegal kickbacks and violate the Anti-Kickback Act.
“These bad actors attempted to enrich themselves by using privileged inside access to defraud the federal government,” Hayes said. “This kind of corruption distorts the competitive process, wastes taxpayer dollars, and undermines public trust in government contracting. This office, along with our law-enforcement partners, will continue to pursue and prosecute corruption while holding those accountable who dare to try to steal from our government.”
“As the superseding indictment shows, defendant Victor Marquez and his co-conspirators broke trust with our military and stole millions of dollars from an agency that defends our homeland,” Assefi said. “Two of the defendant’s co-conspirators have already pled guilty, and the Antitrust Division will not rest until Marquez is imprisoned.”
“The charges announced today should stand as a reminder that those who defraud the Department of Defense will be held accountable for their actions,” Dillard said. “The Defense Criminal Investigative Service is committed to protecting the integrity of the DoD procurement process and will pursue all available remedies to root out fraud.”
“The defendants leveraged personal relationships to make corrupt, under the table deals that enriched themselves at the taxpayers' expense,” Paul said. “The FBI and our partners will follow every investigative lead to ensure all those cheating the system are brought to justice.”
“Ensuring the integrity of federal contracting is critical for an efficient and effective government,” Gerrity said. “I commend our team, our law enforcement partners, and the Justice Department for their dedication and collaboration.”
If convicted, Marquez faces a maximum of 20 years in federal prison for each conspiracy and wire fraud count and 10 years for the major fraud charge.
Briar faces a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison, for his role, and Fay faces a maximum 10-year sentence. Sentencing dates are forthcoming.
A federal district court judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the DCIS, FBI, and NSA-OIG who investigated this case. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sean R. Delaney and Darren S. Gardner, and Trial Attorneys Elizabeth French, Anna Wang, and Ron Fiorillo, Department of Justice Antitrust Division – Washington Criminal Section, who are prosecuting this case.
In November 2019, the Justice Department created the Procurement Collusion Strike Force (PCSF), a joint law enforcement effort to combat antitrust crimes and related fraudulent schemes that impact government procurement, grant and program funding at all levels of government—federal, state and local. To learn more about the PCSF, or to report information on bid rigging, price fixing, market allocation and other anticompetitive conduct related to government spending, go to justice.gov/procurement-collusion-strike-force.
Anyone with information in connection with this investigation can contact the PCSF at the link listed above. Whistleblowers who voluntarily report original information about antitrust and related offenses that result in criminal fines or other recoveries of at least $1 million may be eligible to receive a whistleblower reward. For more information on the Antitrust Whistleblower Rewards Program, visit justice.gov/atr/whistleblower-rewards.
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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Luzerne County Man Sentenced to 84 Months’ Imprisonment for Drug Conspiracy OffenseRead the Press Release
SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Patrick Russin, age 55, of Dallas, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today to 84 months’ imprisonment and four years of supervised release by United States District Judge Robert D. Mariani for one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine and 50 grams and more of methamphetamine.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, Russin previously pled guilty to conspiring with his co-defendants Jamie Smicherko, Ryan Medar, Carlos Laurel, and others to distribute controlled substances in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania between October of 2023 to April of 2024. As part of that plea, Russin also admitted that he was responsible for distributing or possessing with intent to distribute quantities of cocaine and over 50 grams of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine.
Co-defendants Jamie Smicherko pleaded guilty and is awaiting sentencing; Ryan Medar was sentenced to134 months in prison; and Carlos Laurel was sentenced to 27 months in prison.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Kingston Police Department, the Plains Township Police Depart, the Wilkes-Barre Police Department, the Pittston Police Department, the Luzerne County Drug Task Force, the Luzerne County District Attorney’s Office, and the Lackawanna County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney James M. Buchanan prosecuted the case.
This case was prosecuted under the new criminal provisions of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, which Congress enacted and the President signed in June 2022. The Act is the first federal statute specifically designed to target the unlawful trafficking and straw-purchasing of firearms.
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.
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Lockport man arrested on drug and gun chargesRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. -- U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Ma Le Jones, 37, of Lockport, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with possession with intent to distribute cocaine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, which carry a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum of life, and $1,000,000.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Katerina F. Powers, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, on the morning of December 13, 2025, Jones presented for inspection at the Lewiston-Queenston Bridge, using a New York State driver’s license for identification. Jones told a Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Officer that he made a wrong turn and was attempting to return to the United States. The CBP officer conducted database queries, which revealed Jones was subject to an active order of protection, and was also on probation for a prior firearms offense. As a result, Jones was referred secondary inspection, during which CBP officers seized, among other things, two cell phones, $2,383 in cash, quantities of marijuana, MDMA, cocaine and crack cocaine, and a loaded revolver. Jones is currently on parole after being convicted of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree in 2017 in New York State Court.
Jones was ordered detained following a detention hearing before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremiah J. McCarthy.
The complaint is the result of an investigation by Customs and Border Protection, under the direction of Director of Field Operations Rose Brophy, and Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Erin Keegan.
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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Lincoln Man Sentenced to 11 Years for Distribution and Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Jacob Smith, 34, of Lincoln, Nebraska, was sentenced on December 18, 2025, in federal court in Lincoln for one count of distribution of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. Smith was previously employed as a family physician at CHI Health. United States District Judge Susan M. Bazis sentenced Smith to a total of 132 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Smith’s release from prison, he will begin a 7-year term of supervised release.
On January 17, 2025, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI)-Omaha received information regarding an ongoing undercover chat on a social media platform in furtherance of a child exploitation investigation. Through the investigation, HSI was able to determine that the user of the social media account was Jacob Smith.
On January 17, 2025, a federal search warrant was executed at Smith’s residence. During the search, eight electronic devices were seized. Search warrants were also executed for Smith’s various social media accounts. A forensic review was completed of the devices and accounts. In total, law enforcement located 8,955 images of child pornography pursuant to the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations.
Lexington County Man Pleads Guilty to Illegally Possessing FirearmsRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. —Jamar Tywone Kimpson, 52, of Swansea, has pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of firearms.
Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that in 2021, workers at a local FedEx hub found three suspicious packages with a strong odor of marijuana. All three were addressed to the same person at an address in Swansea, South Carolina with return addresses of the recipient’s same name and address. Law enforcement executed a search warrant on the parcels, and they were found to contain marijuana and THC edibles. Another search warrant was obtained for the residence, and a controlled delivery was made at the address. Kimpson took possession of the parcels and took them into the residence.
During the search of the residence, three packages that were delivered were found unopened in the living room. Between the three packages, investigators found 28 packages of THC edibles, 65 bags of marijuana (approximately 1 pound each), 28 glass jars of marijuana, and quantities of marijuana in other forms. Investigators also located the receipt for the packages that listed tracking numbers for each. Another receipt indicated that an additional package was sent. It was seized by SLED and turned over to Lexington County Sheriff’s Department and was also found to contain marijuana and THC products.
Multiple guns were found throughout the house and in cars in the yard, including a rifle hidden in the kitchen table’s bench seat. A 9mm pistol was found in Kimpson’s bedroom on a dresser on top of paperwork with Kimpson’s name on it. Two pistols were located on the driver’s side floorboard of a sedan that had paperwork with Kimpson’s name on it. A shotgun and a 9mm pistol were in another vehicle belonging to Kimpson.
Kimpson is prohibited from possessing firearms based upon prior convictions for a weapons violation, an armed robbery, resisting arrest, possession with the intent to distribute marijuana, possession of a stolen pistol, possession with the intent to distribute cocaine, possession of crack cocaine, and assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature.
Kimpson faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. He also faces a fine of up to $250,000, and three years of supervision to follow the term of imprisonment. United States District Judge Joseph F. Anderson, Jr. accepted the guilty plea and will sentence Kimpson after receiving and reviewing a sentencing report prepared by the U.S. Probation Office.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was investigated by Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, Columbia Police Department, and the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney William K. Witherspoon is prosecuting the case.
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Last of 8 Defendants Sentenced for Drug Trafficking in Trinidad NeighborhoodRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Levancie Carr, 43, a three-time convicted felon from the District of Columbia, was sentenced today to eight years in prison in connection with his role in a large open-air narcotics market that operated in the Trinidad neighborhood of the city, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Carr, aka “Locs,” pleaded guilty on Sept. 11, 2025, before Chief Judge James E. Boasberg to a two-count Information charging him with distribution of fentanyl and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. In addition to the eight-year prison term, Chief Judge Boasberg ordered Carr to serve five years of supervised release.
Carr is the last of eight defendants to be sentenced in the prosecution of the Trinidad drug market.
According to court documents, in June 2023, federal and local law enforcement agencies launched an investigation into drug sales in the Trinidad neighborhood of Northeast Washington. Surveillance cameras captured images of men on the 1100 block of Raum Street, NE, conducting hand-to-hand transactions of suspected narcotics on an almost daily basis. Members of the group routinely discouraged others from the block by approaching vehicles that came into the area and asking the occupants why they were there.
From June 2023 through March 2024, law enforcement made 42 controlled purchases of narcotics totaling more than 600 grams of fentanyl and 150 grams of crack cocaine.
Carr conducted 18 of the sales which include 15 grams of cocaine base, 28 grams of fentanyl, and 18 grams of fentanyl analogue. On May 27, 2024, agents executed a search warrant at Carr’s apartment, and recovered 375 grams of cocaine, five firearms, and $115,621 in cash.
During the course of the conspiracy, the Trinidad organization sold approximately 468 kilos of fentanyl, fentanyl analogue, and cocaine base.
The Trinidad trafficking investigation was a multi-agency effort between the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Washington Division, the Narcotics Enforcement Unit of the Violent Crime Suppression Division of the Metropolitan Police Department, and the FBI Washington Field Office’s Violent Crimes Task Force.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nihar Mohanty and Daniel Seidel of the Violent Crime and Narcotics Trafficking Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. 24cr246
NAME
AGE
AKA
CHARGES
Davon Cunningham
36
Tank,
Kevin
Sentenced to 126 months in prison on June 27, 2025, for conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, fentanyl analogue, and cocaine base.Levancie Carr
43
Locs
Sentenced to 96 months on Dec. 22, 2025, for distribution of fentanyl and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense.Roosevelt Richardson
48
Rose
Sentenced to 66 months on June 30, 2025, for conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, fentanyl analogue, and cocaine base.Dandre Goodwine
30
Dreads
Sentenced to 36 months on July 7, 2025, for conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, fentanyl analogue, and cocaine base.Jalonie Hooper
26
JR
Sentenced to 15 months on July 7, 2025, for conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and cocaine base.Jvares Amaray Wright
49
Jay
Sentenced to 17 months on July 7, 2025, for conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, fentanyl analogue, and cocaine base and for criminal contempt.Edward Frizell Williams,Jr.
53
Pooh
Sentenced to 22 months on July 2, 2025, for conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, fentanyl analogue, and cocaine base.Arnez Mack
22
Sentenced to 12 months and one day on June 27, 2025, for conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, fentanyl analogue, and cocaine base.24cr246
Justice Department announces results of Operation Relentless JusticeRead the Press Release
FAIRVIEW HEIGHTS, Ill. – The Department of Justice announced the results of Operation Relentless Justice, a coordinated enforcement effort to identify, track, and arrest child sex predators. The nationwide crackdown resulted in over 205 child victims being located and the arrests of over 293 child sexual abuse offenders from Dec. 3-17. The coordinated effort was executed over the course of two weeks by all 56 FBI field offices, the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section in the Department’s Criminal Division, and U.S. Attorneys’ offices around the country.
“We will not allow evil criminals who prey on children to evade justice,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Our federal agents have worked tirelessly alongside our state and local partners to track down these vile predators, and now our prosecutors will ensure they receive severe punishments to match their horrific crimes."
“Operation Relentless Justice shows no child will be forgotten and that all predators targeting the most vulnerable amongst us will be held accountable,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “This year, the FBI has led multiple nationwide surges across the U.S. to find and arrest hundreds of child predators. We will not stop until every child can live a life free of exploitation. We will utilize the strength of all our field offices and our federal, state, and local partners to protect communities across the nation from such horrific crimes.”
“Sex offenders disgrace our communities, preying on the innocence of vulnerable children,” said U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft. “Through Operation Relentless Justice, the Southern District of Illinois condemns these heinous acts and stands resolute with our law enforcement partners to eradicate this evil, protect our children, and deliver unwavering justice to those offenders.”
"During this operational time frame, FBI Springfield made multiple arrests in the Southern and Central District of Illinois," said FBI Springfield Special Agent in Charge, Christopher J.S. Johnson. "These operations are successful due to a combination of local and state partnerships, the relentless work of our investigative bodies, and the commitment we have to keeping our local neighborhoods safe."
The four facing charges in the Southern District of Illinois are:
- Zachary R. Jones, 38, of Johnston City, Illinois, on three counts of distribution of child pornography in Williamson County,
- Nicholas R. Emper, 43, of Sea Isle City, New Jersey, on one count of attempted solicitation of child pornography in Williamson County,
- Matthew A. Nevle, 27, of Allen, Texas, on one count of interstate travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct, one count of enticement of a minor and one count of sexual exploitation of a minor in St. Clair County, and
- Robert Jackowski, 31, of Granite City, Illinois, a former Marissa Police Officer, on one count of transportation of child pornography in St. Clair County.
This effort follows two other successful operations, including Operation Restore Justice in May, which resulted in the rescue of 115 children and the arrests of 205 child sex abuse offenders, including four from the Southern District of Illinois, and Operation Enduring Justice in August, which resulted in the rescue of 133 children and the arrests of 234 offenders.
The FBI's Victim Services Division assisted victims during this operation and provided services, to include forensic interviews, referrals for medical and mental health resources, and coordination with partners. VSD's mission is to inform, support, and assist victims in navigating the aftermath of crime and the criminal justice process with dignity and resilience.
These operations underscore the Department’s unwavering commitment to protecting children and combating child sexual exploitation. These cases were brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the 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. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit justice.gov/psc.
The Department partners with and oversees funding grants for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, which receives and shares tips about possible child sexual exploitation received through its 24/7 hotline at 1-800-THE-LOST and on missingkids.org.
The Department urges the public to remain vigilant and report suspected exploitation of a child through the FBI's tipline at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324), tips.fbi.gov, or by calling your local FBI field office.
An indictment is merely an allegation. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Justice Department Sues the District of Columbia for the Unconstitutional Ban of Semi-Automatic FirearmsRead the Press Release
Today, the Justice Department sued the District of Columbia’s Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), alleging that the District government and MPD unconstitutionally ban the AR-15 and many other firearms protected under the Second Amendment. The District’s gun laws require anyone seeking to own a gun to register it with D.C. Metro Police. However, the D.C. Code provides a broad registration ban on numerous firearms — an unconstitutional incursion into the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens seeking to own protected firearms for lawful purposes. MPD’s current pattern and practice of refusing to register protected firearms is forcing residents to sue to protect their rights and to risk facing wrongful arrest for lawfully possessing protected firearms.
“Today’s action from the Department of Justice’s new Second Amendment Section underscores our ironclad commitment to protecting the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding Americans,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Washington, DC’s ban on some of America’s most popular firearms is an unconstitutional infringement on the Second Amendment — living in our nation’s capital should not preclude law-abiding citizens from exercising their fundamental constitutional right to keep and bear arms.”
“This Civil Rights Division will defend American citizens from unconstitutional restrictions of commonly used firearms, in violation of their Second Amendment rights,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Civil Rights Division. “The newly established Second Amendment Section filed this lawsuit to ensure that the very rights D.C. resident Mr. Heller secured 17 years ago are enforced today — and that all law-abiding citizens seeking to own protected firearms for lawful purposes may do so.”
In 2003, a D.C. special policeman named Richard Heller sued Washington, D.C. because the laws at the time prevented him from owning a handgun and keeping it in his home for self-defense. In 2008, the U.S. Supreme Court, in its landmark decision Heller, held that the Second Amendment does, in fact, protect the rights of law-abiding citizens to own a semi-automatic weapon in their homes for lawful purposes, such as self-defense. Unfortunately, today, the District still prevents ownership of these very same weapons through a pattern and practice of broadly blocking gun registration. Law-abiding citizens throughout our nation’s capital are facing wrongful arrests due to the enforcement of unconstitutional laws.
The Civil Rights Division enforces the Second Amendment, the Police Pattern or Practice Act (34 U.S.C. § 12601), and Executive Order 14206. If you are a current or prospective gun owner and believe you are being prevented from registering or owning a lawful firearm, please submit a complaint through https://www.justice.gov/crt/second-amendment-section.
Justice Department Sues J.B. Pritzker, Kwame Raoul over the Illinois Bivens ActRead the Press Release
Today, the Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker and Attorney General Kwame Raoul, challenging their unconstitutional attempt to regulate federal law enforcement officers through the so-called “Illinois Bivens Act” and “Court Access, Safety, and Participation Act.”
Not only are the laws illegal attempts to regulate and discriminate against the federal government through novel causes of action, but, as alleged in the complaint, the laws threaten the safety of federal officers who have faced an unprecedented wave of harassment, doxxing, and even violence. Threatening officers with ruinous liability and even punitive damages for executing federal law and for simply protecting their identities and their families also chills the enforcement of federal law and compromises sensitive law enforcement operations. The danger is acute.
“The Department of Justice will steadfastly protect law enforcement from unconstitutional state laws like Illinois’ that threaten massive punitive liability and compromise the safety of our officers,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division.
“Unfortunately, Illinois politicians prefer to attack law enforcement with lawsuits and punitive damages rather than support ICE’s Criminal Alien Program, which prioritizes the safe removal of dangerous criminal aliens like murderers, child rapists, and other serious offenders,” said U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft for the Southern District of Illinois. “Courthouse arrests are only necessary in the first place because Illinois refuses to honor federal detainers at the jails and prisons, instead preferring to release criminals back into our communities.”
On her first day in office, Attorney General Bondi instructed the Department’s Civil Division to identify state and local laws, policies, and practices that facilitate violations of federal laws or impede lawful federal operations. Today’s lawsuit is the latest in a series of lawsuits brought by the Civil Division targeting illegal policies designed to thwart federal law enforcement across the country, including in New York, New Jersey, and Los Angeles, California.
Justice Department Issues Updated Letters and Fact Sheet About Professional License Portability for Servicemembers and their SpousesRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that it has issued updated materials explaining recent changes to the law that governs the portability of professional licenses for servicemembers and their spouses. The materials include a letter for state licensing authorities and another for state offices that license attorneys. The letters explain recent changes to the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) section that allows servicemembers and their spouses to use their professional licenses or certificates in new states if they are relocating because of military orders and meet certain other requirements. The Justice Department also issued a fact sheet outlining the updated license portability provision.
“Military families are the backbone of American society,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Servicemembers and their spouses often sacrifice the stability of settling in one place during a critical time in their career. The Department is steadfast in its commitment to ensuring that servicemembers and their spouses do not face unreasonable barriers to continuing their careers while they uproot their lives in service to our country.”
In January 2023, Congress added the license portability provision to the SCRA — a law that provides servicemembers and their families with a wide variety of financial and housing protections — to make it easier for servicemembers and military spouses to have their professional licenses recognized when they relocate to another state due to military orders. Congress amended this provision in December 2024. One significant update removed a restriction on the portability of law licenses, which are now included in the law, along with all other licensed professions.
Since 2011, the Department has obtained over $483 million in monetary relief for over 148,000 servicemembers through its enforcement of the SCRA. For more information about the Department’s enforcement efforts under the SCRA and other laws that protect the rights of servicemembers and their families, please visit www.servicemembers.gov.
Servicemembers and their dependents who believe that their rights under the SCRA have been violated should contact the nearest Armed Forces Legal Assistance Program Office. Office locations may be found at http://legalassistance.law.af.mil. If servicemembers or their spouses are not eligible for military legal assistance services, they may request that the Justice Department review their claim by submitting a complaint through https://civilrights.justice.gov/link/4025A.
Justice Department Announces Seizure of Stolen-Password Database Used in Bank Account Takeover FraudRead the Press Release
The Justice Department today announced the seizure of a web domain and database used in furtherance of a scheme to target and defraud Americans through bank account takeover fraud. The domain, web3adspanels.org, was used by those involved in the scheme as a backend web panel to store and manipulate illegally harvested bank login credentials. This domain seizure comes approximately one month after the FBI issued a Public Service Announcement relating to Account Takeover Fraud via Impersonation of Financial Institution Support.
According to the affidavit filed in support of the domain seizure, the criminal group perpetrating the bank account takeover fraud delivered fraudulent advertisements through search engines, including Google and Bing. These fraudulent advertisements imitated the sponsored search engine advertisements used by legitimate banking entities. While the fraudulent advertisements appeared to send users to the websites of legitimate banks, victims were in fact redirected to fake bank websites controlled by the criminals. When victims entered their login credentials to access their bank accounts, the criminals harvested those credentials through a malicious software program embedded in the fake website. The criminals then used those bank credentials on the corresponding legitimate bank websites to access victims’ bank accounts and drain their funds.
To date, the FBI has identified at least 19 victims throughout the United States, including two companies in the Northern District of Georgia, whose bank accounts have been compromised through this account takeover scheme, resulting in attempted losses of approximately $28 million dollars and actual losses of approximately $14.6 million dollars. The seized domain hosted a server that contained the stolen login credentials of thousands of victims, including the credentials of the victims mentioned above. Based on the FBI’s investigation, the seized domain continued to host a backend server used in furtherance of the bank account takeover fraud as recently as November 2025.
Since January 2025, the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) received more than 5,100 complaints reporting bank account takeover fraud, with reported losses exceeding $262 million. The public is encouraged to stay vigilant, including by regularly monitoring financial accounts, using “Bookmarks” or “Favorites” for navigating to login websites and guarding against phishing attempts.
A splash page on the web3adspanels.org website notifies visitors that the domain has been seized by law enforcement. This domain seizure disrupts the criminals’ ability to access the stolen credentials and utilize those credentials to steal bank account funds.
According to foreign officials, Estonian law enforcement also preserved and collected data from servers hosting the phishing pages and the stolen login credentials used in furtherance of the scheme.
U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg for the Northern District of Georgia, Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, and Special Agent in Charge Paul Brown of the FBI Atlanta Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI Atlanta Field Office is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica C. Morris of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia and Trial Attorney Brian Mund of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS) are prosecuting the case.
Substantial assistance was provided by the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs, the Estonian Office of the Prosecutor General, the Estonian Police and Border Guard Board and the Georgian Central Criminal Police Department.
CCIPS investigates and prosecutes cybercrime in coordination with domestic and international law enforcement agencies, often with assistance from the private sector. Since 2020, CCIPS has secured the conviction of over 180 cybercriminals, and court orders for the return of over $350 million in victim funds.
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.
Justice Department Announces Seizure of Stolen-Password Database Used in Bank Account Takeover FraudRead the Press Release
The Justice Department today announced the seizure of a web domain and database used in furtherance of a scheme to target and defraud Americans through bank account takeover fraud.The domain, web3adspanels.org, was used by those involved in the scheme as a backend web panel to store and manipulate illegally harvested bank login credentials. This domain seizure comes approximately one month after the FBI issued a Public Service Announcement relating to Account Takeover Fraud via Impersonation of Financial Institution Support.
According to the affidavit filed in support of the domain seizure, the criminal group perpetrating the bank account takeover fraud delivered fraudulent advertisements through search engines, including Google and Bing. These fraudulent advertisements imitated the sponsored search engine advertisements used by legitimate banking entities. While the fraudulent advertisements appeared to send users to the websites of legitimate banks, victims were in fact redirected to fake bank websites controlled by the criminals. When victims entered their login credentials to access their bank accounts, the criminals harvested those credentials through a malicious software program embedded in the fake website. The criminals then used those bank credentials on the corresponding legitimate bank websites to access victims’ bank accounts and drain their funds.
To date, the FBI has identified at least 19 victims throughout the United States, including two companies in the Northern District of Georgia, whose bank accounts have been compromised through this account takeover scheme, resulting in attempted losses of approximately $28 million dollars and actual losses of approximately $14.6 million dollars. The seized domain hosted a server that contained the stolen login credentials of thousands of victims, including the credentials of the victims mentioned above. Based on the FBI’s investigation, the seized domain continued to host a backend server used in furtherance of the bank account takeover fraud as recently as November 2025.
Since January 2025, the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) received more than 5,100 complaints reporting bank account takeover fraud, with reported losses exceeding $262 million. The public is encouraged to stay vigilant, including by regularly monitoring financial accounts, using “Bookmarks” or “Favorites” for navigating to login websites and guarding against phishing attempts.
A splash page on the web3adspanels.org website notifies visitors that the domain has been seized by law enforcement. This domain seizure disrupts the criminals’ ability to access the stolen credentials and utilize those credentials to steal bank account funds.
According to foreign officials, Estonian law enforcement also preserved and collected data from servers hosting the phishing pages and the stolen login credentials used in furtherance of the scheme.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg for the Northern District of Georgia and Special Agent in Charge Paul Brown of the FBI Atlanta Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI Atlanta Field Office is investigating the case.
Trial Attorney Brian Mund of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica C. Morris of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia are prosecuting the case.
Substantial assistance was provided by the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs, the Estonian Office of the Prosecutor General, the Estonian Police and Border Guard Board and the Georgian Central Criminal Police Department.
CCIPS investigates and prosecutes cybercrime in coordination with domestic and international law enforcement agencies, often with assistance from the private sector. Since 2020, CCIPS has secured the conviction of over 180 cybercriminals, and court orders for the return of over $350 million in victim funds.
Justice Department Announces Results of Operation Relentless JusticeRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: The Department of Justice announced on December 19, 2025, the results of Operation Relentless Justice, a coordinated enforcement effort to identify, track, and arrest child sex predators. The nationwide crackdown resulted in over 205 child victims being located and the arrests of over 293 child sexual abuse offenders. The coordinated effort was executed over the course of two weeks by all 56 FBI field offices, the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) in the Department’s Criminal Division, and U.S. Attorneys’ offices around the country.
“We will not allow evil criminals who prey on children to evade justice,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Our federal agents have worked tirelessly alongside our state and local partners to track down these vile predators, and now our prosecutors will ensure they receive severe punishments to match their horrific crimes.”
“Operation Relentless Justice shows no child will be forgotten and that all predators targeting the most vulnerable amongst us will be held accountable,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “This year, the FBI has led multiple nationwide surges across the U.S. to find and arrest hundreds of child predators. We will not stop until every child can live a life free of exploitation. We will utilize the strength of all our field offices and our federal, state, and local partners to protect communities across the nation from such horrific crimes.”
This month, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maine charged Christopher Colson, 24, of Lewiston, by criminal complaint with possessing and producing child pornography. In a separate matter, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maine charged Spencer Lillie, 29, of St. Joseph, Missouri, by criminal complaint with sexual exploitation of a minor and the distribution and receipt of child pornography. Lillie is alleged to have met with a 10-year-old girl online, after which he convinced the victim to create and send him child pornography videos.
Those arrested are alleged to have committed various crimes, including the production, distribution, and possession of child sexual abuse material; online enticement and transportation of minors; and child sex trafficking. Some of the alleged offenders include an airman out of Dallas, TX, who was arrested with his wife for producing child sex abuse material (CSAM), as well as a police officer from Raleigh, NC, who distributed CSAM to an undercover officer while discussing his interest in engaging in sexual contact with children. In another case involving enticement of a minor, the Miami Field Office arrested a Guatemalan national who was previously deported in 2011, and had previous arrests for battery, disorderly conduct, resisting arrest, and carrying a concealed weapon.
As sextortion cases continue to rise, this operation highlights arrests of individuals who target vulnerable children online including the five leaders of Greggy’s Cult, as well as a Virginia man who persuaded a 14-year-old to produce CSAM. The victim attempted suicide after he allegedly told her to kill herself.
This effort follows two other successful operations, including Operation Restore Justice in May, which resulted in the rescue of 115 children and the arrests of 205 child sex abuse offenders, and Operation Enduring Justice in August, which resulted in the rescue of 133 children and the arrests of 234 offenders.
The FBI’s Victim Services Division (VSD) assisted victims during this operation and provided services, to include forensic interviews, referrals for medical and mental health resources, and coordination with partners. VSD’s mission is to inform, support, and assist victims in navigating the aftermath of crime and the criminal justice process with dignity and resilience.
These operations underscore the Department’s unwavering commitment to protecting children and combating child sexual exploitation. These cases were brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the 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. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit justice.gov/psc.
The Department partners with and oversees funding grants for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), which receives and shares tips about possible child sexual exploitation received through its 24/7 hotline at 1-800-THE-LOST and on missingkids.org.
The Department urges the public to remain vigilant and report suspected exploitation of a child through the FBI's tipline at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324), tips.fbi.gov, or by calling your local FBI field office.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Justice Department Announces Results of Operation Relentless JusticeRead the Press Release
Justice Department Announces Results of Operation Relentless Justice
205 Child Victims Located and 293 Child Sex Abuse Offenders Arrested in Nationwide Crackdown, Including Two in the District of NebraskaThe Department of Justice announced the results of Operation Relentless Justice, a coordinated enforcement effort to identify, track, and arrest child sex predators. The nationwide crackdown resulted in over 205 child victims being located and the arrests of over 293 child sexual abuse offenders. The coordinated effort was executed over the course of two weeks by all 56 FBI field offices, the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) in the Department’s Criminal Division, and U.S. Attorneys’ offices around the country.
“We will not allow evil criminals who prey on children to evade justice,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Our federal agents have worked tirelessly alongside our state and local partners to track down these vile predators, and now our prosecutors will ensure they receive severe punishments to match their horrific crimes.”
“Operation Relentless Justice shows no child will be forgotten and that all predators targeting the most vulnerable amongst us will be held accountable,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “This year, the FBI has led multiple nationwide surges across the U.S. to find and arrest hundreds of child predators. We will not stop until every child can live a life free of exploitation. We will utilize the strength of all our field offices and our federal, state, and local partners to protect communities across the nation from such horrific crimes.”
“FBI Omaha will continue surging resources to track and lock up child sex predators lurking in our communities. Working closely with our local, state, and federal partners, we’ll utilize every tool available to apprehend subjects, remove children from deplorable situations, and bring some measure of healing for victims,” said Special Agent in Charge Eugene Kowel of the FBI Omaha Field Office.
Kody Dickes, 34, of Ashland, Nebraska, has been charged in the District of Nebraska in a three-count Superseding Indictment on December 9, 2025, with distribution of child pornography, possession of child pornography, and production of visual depictions of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Dickes has been in federal custody since April 30, 2025.
Dillon Summers, 54, of Cleveland, Tennessee, has been charged by complaint with felony Sexual Assault Use of a Communication Device in Douglas County, Nebraska. Summers was arrested in Tennessee on December 9, 2025.
Those arrested are alleged to have committed various crimes, including the production, distribution, and possession of child sexual abuse material; online enticement and transportation of minors; and child sex trafficking. Some of the alleged offenders include an airman out of Dallas, TX, who was arrested with his wife for producing child sex abuse material (CSAM), as well as a Police Officer from Raleigh, NC, who distributed CSAM to an undercover officer while discussing his interest in engaging in sexual contact with children. In another case involving enticement of a minor, the Miami Field Office arrested a Guatemalan national who was previously deported in 2011, and had previous arrests for battery, disorderly conduct, resisting arrest, and carrying a concealed weapon.
As sextortion cases continue to rise, this operation highlights arrests of individuals who target vulnerable children online including the five leaders of Greggy’s Cult, as well as a Virginia man who persuaded a 14-year-old to produce CSAM. The victim attempted suicide after he allegedly told her to kill herself.
This effort follows two other successful operations, including Operation Restore Justice in May, which resulted in the rescue of 115 children and the arrests of 205 child sex abuse offenders, including one from the District of Nebraska, and Operation Enduring Justice in August, which resulted in the rescue of 133 children and the arrests of 234 offenders, including one from the District of Nebraska.
The FBI’s Victim Services Division (VSD) assisted victims during this operation and provided services, to include forensic interviews, referrals for medical and mental health resources, and coordination with partners. VSD’s mission is to inform, support, and assist victims in navigating the aftermath of crime and the criminal justice process with dignity and resilience.
These operations underscore the Department’s unwavering commitment to protecting children and combating child sexual exploitation. These cases were brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the 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. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit justice.gov/psc.
The Department partners with and oversees funding grants for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), which receives and shares tips about possible child sexual exploitation received through its 24/7 hotline at 1-800-THE-LOST and on missingkids.org.
The Department urges the public to remain vigilant and report suspected exploitation of a child through the FBI’s tipline at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324), tips.fbi.gov, or by calling your local FBI field office.
An indictment is merely an allegation. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Justice Department Announces Results of Operation Relentless JusticeRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The Department of Justice announced the results of Operation Relentless Justice, a coordinated enforcement effort to identify, track, and arrest child sex predators. The nationwide crackdown resulted in over 205 child victims being located and the arrests of over 293 child sexual abuse offenders. The coordinated effort was executed over the course of two weeks by all 56 FBI field offices, the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) in the Department’s Criminal Division, and U.S. Attorney offices around the country.
“We will not allow evil criminals who prey on children to evade justice,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Our federal agents have worked tirelessly alongside our state and local partners to track down these vile predators, and now our prosecutors will ensure they receive severe punishments to match their horrific crimes."
“Operation Relentless Justice shows no child will be forgotten and that all predators targeting the most vulnerable amongst us will be held accountable,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “This year, the FBI has led multiple nationwide surges across the U.S. to find and arrest hundreds of child predators. We will not stop until every child can live a life free of exploitation. We will utilize the strength of all our field offices and our federal, state, and local partners to protect communities across the nation from such horrific crimes.”
“This office will seek clear and relentless justice against child sex offenders in the Western District of Virginia,” Acting United States Attorney Robert N. Tracci said today. “I applaud our law enforcement partners for their tireless commitment to enhancing the safety of our communities and security of our children.”
The Western District of Virginia arrested two offenders pursuant to Operation Relentless Justice. Kenneth Melvin Doss Jr., 33, of Huntsville, Alabama, was charged with attempted coercion and enticement of a minor. In early July this year, Doss used Facebook Messenger to convince his 13-year-old relative in Danville, Virginia, to send him sexually explicit images and video of herself. When the minor victim hesitated, saying Doss was her cousin, Doss responded it could be their secret, and they could delete the chats. Doss also sent video of himself masturbating to the minor victim.
Kevin Michael Robinson, 28, of Wirtz, Virginia, was charged with receipt of child pornography. Robinson was on federal supervision after serving a prison sentence for various child pornography-related convictions by court-martial. In late June 2025, less than a month into supervision, monitoring software on Robinson’s cellphone alerted for child sexual abuse material (CSAM). A U.S. probation officer seized Robinson’s phone, and following an analysis, investigators discovered that the phone contained thousands of images and video of CSAM, including depictions of prepubescent minors and sadomasochistic behavior. Some of the CSAM appeared to have been generated by artificial intelligence.
The FBI is investigating the cases.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Drew O. Inman is prosecuting the cases.
Those arrested by other districts are alleged to have committed various crimes, including the production, distribution, and possession of CSAM; online enticement and transportation of minors; and child sex trafficking. Some of the alleged offenders include an airman out of Dallas, TX, who was arrested with his wife for producing child sex abuse material, as well as Police Officer from Raleigh, NC, who distributed CSAM to an undercover officer while discussing his interest in engaging in sexual contact with children. In another case involving enticement of a minor, the Miami Field Office arrested a Guatemalan National who was previously deported in 2011, and has previous arrests for battery, disorderly conduct, resisting arrest, and carrying a concealed weapon.
As sextortion cases continue to rise, this operation highlights arrests of individuals who target vulnerable children online to include the five leaders of Greggy’s Cult, as well as a Virginia man who persuaded a 14-year-old to produce CSAM. The victim attempted suicide after he allegedly told her to kill herself.
This effort follows two other successful operations, including Operation Restore Justice in May which resulted in the rescue of 115 children and the arrests of 205 child sex abuse offenders, including X from the District of X, and Operation Enduring Justice in August which resulted in the rescue of 133 children and the arrests of 234 offenders, including X from the District of X.
The FBI's Victim Services Division (VSD) assisted victims during this operation and provided services, to include forensic interviews, referrals for medical and mental health resources, and coordination with partners. VSD's mission is to inform, support, and assist victims in navigating the aftermath of crime and the criminal justice process with dignity and resilience.
These operations underscore the Department’s unwavering commitment to protecting children and combating child sexual exploitation. These cases were brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the 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. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit justice.gov/psc.
The Department partners with and oversees funding grants for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), which receives and shares tips about possible child sexual exploitation received through its 24/7 hotline at 1-800-THE-LOST and on missingkids.org.
The Department urges the public to remain vigilant and report suspected exploitation of a child through the FBI's tipline at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324), tips.fbi.gov, or by calling your local FBI field office.
An indictment is merely an allegation. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Jury Convicts Honduran National of Aggravated Identity Theft and Associated Fraud ChargesRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that a federal jury has found Cristian Daniel Diaz-Garcia (27), an illegal alien from Honduras, guilty of two counts of aggravated identity theft, two counts of false representation of a Social Security number, and two counts of making a false claim of United States citizenship for employment purposes. Diaz-Garcia faces a maximum penalty of 24 years in federal prison. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for March 17, 2026. He was indicted on July 30, 2024.
According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, Archer Western-de Moya Group Joint Venture II (Joint Venture) is enrolled in E-Verify, a web-based system through which employers electronically confirm the employment eligibility of their employees. Diaz-Garcia is an illegal alien from Honduras with no lawful status in the United States. On August 17, 2021, Diaz-Garcia applied for employment with the Joint Venture in Pinellas County and filled out an I-9 form for use in the E-Verify system. On that form, Diaz-Garcia falsely identified himself as a United States citizen and used another person’s means of identification to defeat the E-Verify system.
After getting fired in 2022, Diaz-Garcia purchased additional means of identification of a different U.S. Citizen, without that citizen’s knowledge. On February 1, 2023, Diaz-Garcia, once again, applied for employment with the Joint Venture in Pinellas County and filled out an I-9 form for use in the E-Verify system. On that form, Diaz-Garcia falsely identified himself as this other United States citizen and used that other person’s means of identification to defeat the E-Verify system.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Department of Transportation – Office of Inspector General, the Social Security Administration–Office of the Inspector General, the United States Border Patrol, the Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorneys Joseph Wheeler, III and Assistant United States Attorney Karyna Valdes.
Jury Convicts Honduran Man for Assaulting a Federal OfficerRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that on December 16, 2025, a jury found Marvin Aleman Zepeda, 37, originally of Honduras, guilty of forcibly assaulting, resisting, opposing, impeding, intimidating, or interfering with a federal officer after a two-day federal trial in Omaha, Nebraska. Chief United States District Court Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr., presided over the trial. Zepeda faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
Evidence at trial established that on June 10, 2025, law enforcement, including Deputy United States Marshals, were assisting with the execution of a court authorized civil search warrant at Glenn Valley Foods in Omaha when they encountered Zepeda hiding in a crawl space. Despite receiving repeated commands from law enforcement to come out and surrender, Zepeda refused to comply. After more than 30 minutes of Zepeda failing to comply with law enforcement commands, two Deputy United States Marshals entered the crawl space to secure Zepeda. As the Deputy United States Marshals approached Zepeda, giving him commands to show his hands, Zepeda instead armed himself with a box cutter, or utility knife, with an open blade. Additional attempts were made to secure Zepeda’s compliance, including the presence of a K9 officer and K9. All told, it took nearly 90 minutes for law enforcement to ultimately secure Zepeda into custody.
Zepeda will be sentenced on March 13, 2025, at 9:00 AM, before Chief Judge Rossiter in Omaha.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the United States Marshals Service, U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement, and Douglas County Sheriff’s Office assisted in securing Zepeda.
Jury Convicts Chinese National for Role in Unlicensed Firearms Dealing and Unlawfully Possessing A FirearmRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that a federal jury has found Jincheng Shi (St. Cloud, 28) guilty of aiding and abetting unlicensed firearms dealing and possession of a firearm as an alien admitted under a nonimmigrant visa. Shi faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for March 9, 2026.
Shi was indicted on September 3, 2025.
According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, Shi was admitted to the United States under a nonimmigrant work visa in 2022, placing him in a prohibited class of persons not legally allowed to possess firearms. Since then, Shi operated a firearms parts business through which he sold various firearms parts and accessories at gun shows and out of a rented storage unit. Codefendants Victor Lafontaine and Jose Maldonado were among his customers, who then assembled the parts into completed firearms and sold them without the required Federal Firearms License. The evidence at trial showed that Lafontaine sold firearms to prohibited persons, including convicted felons.
When executing a search warrant at Shi’s home on February 20, 2025, federal agents found multiple firearms, including the Ruger rifle depicted below:
Trial evidence showed that Shi knew that his customers were assembling the firearms parts into completed firearms for sale.
Shi was originally charged with six other individuals, including Lafontaine and Maldonado, as part of a gun trafficking operation. Shi’s six codefendants pleaded guilty and either have been sentenced or are awaiting sentencing.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with assistance from the Metropolitan Bureau of Investigation, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, the Orlando Police Department, the Winter Garden Police Department, the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office, the Apopka Police Department, the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office, and the Florida Highway Patrol. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Risha Asokan.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Jefferson Parish Man Guilty of Firearm and Narcotics ViolationsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LA – Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that on December 16, 2025, MICHAEL FEAST (“FEAST”), age 29, of Metairie, Louisiana, pled guilty to Counts 2 and 3 of the three-count indictment pending against him. Count 2 charged FEAST with distribution of crack cocaine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(C). Count 3 charged FEAST with using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 924(c)(A)(1)(i). Sentencing is set for March 31, 2026, before the U.S. District Judge Brandon S. Long.
FEAST faces up to twenty (20) years imprisonment, up to a $1,000,000 fine, and at least 3 years of supervised release for Count 2. FEAST also faces a mandatory minimum of five (5) years up to life imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, and at least 5 years of supervised release for Count 3. FEAST also faces payment of a $100 mandatory special assessment fee as to each count.
According to court documents, on or about September 18, 2024, a confidential informant met FEAST in the courtyard of the Bellemont Apartments in Metairie. FEAST then led the informant to a first floor unit, and sold a quantity of crack cocaine and a silver and black Metro Arms model American Classic Amigo, .45 caliber pistol, bearing serial number A12-05380 to the informant.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Troy L. Bell of the Violent Crimes Unit.
Jefferson Parish Man Guilty of Firearm and Narcotics ViolationsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LA – Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that on December 16, 2025, MICHAEL FEAST (“FEAST”), age 29, of Metairie, Louisiana, pled guilty to Counts 2 and 3 of the three-count indictment pending against him. Count 2 charged FEAST with distribution of crack cocaine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(C). Count 3 charged FEAST with using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 924(c)(A)(1)(i). Sentencing is set for March 31, 2026, before the U.S. District Judge Brandon S. Long.
FEAST faces up to twenty (20) years imprisonment, up to a $1,000,000 fine, and at least 3 years of supervised release for Count 2. FEAST also faces a mandatory minimum of five (5) years up to life imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, and at least 5 years of supervised release for Count 3. FEAST also faces payment of a $100 mandatory special assessment fee as to each count.
According to court documents, on or about September 18, 2024, a confidential informant met FEAST in the courtyard of the Bellemont Apartments in Metairie. FEAST then led the informant to a first floor unit, and sold a quantity of crack cocaine and a silver and black Metro Arms model American Classic Amigo, .45 caliber pistol, bearing serial number A12-05380 to the informant.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Troy L. Bell of the Violent Crimes Unit.
Jamestown man pleads guilty to meth chargeRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. – U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Ruben Medina, 20, of Jamestown, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremiah J. McCarthy to possession with intent to distribute five grams or more methamphetamine, which carries a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum of 40 years, and a fine of $5,000,000.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua A. Violanti, who is handling the case, stated that on September 11, 2024, Medina was pulled over by a Jamestown Police officer because of an outstanding probation warrant. Initially, he refused to exit the vehicle but later complied and was taken into custody. A search of Medina recovered approximately 109 grams of methamphetamine. Previously, on June 25, 2024, a search warrant was executed at a Newland Avenue residence associated with Medina. Investigators seized cocaine, methamphetamine, fentanyl, p-fluorofentanyl, suboxone strips, $200 cash, a digital scale, and a firearm.
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 plea is the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Frank Tarentino, New York Field Division, and the Jamestown Police Department, under the direction of Chief Timothy Jackson.
Sentencing will be scheduled at a later date.
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Individuals involved in Diversity Visa Lottery Corruption Plead Guilty to Conspiracy and Visa Fraud ChargesRead the Press Release
Joseph Longanga Okoko, Medard Lotahe Elonge, Joseph Onolenga Okamba pled guilty on August 7, 2025, September 8, 2025, and November 13, 2025, respectively, to conspiracy to defraud the United States in federal court in Cedar Rapids. Bienvenu Saido Binyangi pled guilty on December 11, 2025, to visa fraud.
All four men were charged in a ten-count indictment in the Northern District of Iowa. The indictment alleged a fraudulent conspiracy related to the diversity visa lottery system in the Democratic Republic of Congo, as well as aiding and abetting marriage fraud, other types of visa fraud, and obstructive conduct. There are various types of fraud that may occur in the diversity visa lottery process, specifically related to marriage. If a diversity visa lottery winner was not married at the time they won the lottery, they may engage in “coupling.” “Coupling” is where an individual falsely claims that they have a “spouse,” so that they can later petition to bring their “spouse” to the United States.
In plea agreements, Okoko, Elonge, and Okamba admitted to assisting individuals in the Congo who won the diversity visa lottery to enter contracts of fake marriages to help additional individuals who would not be eligible for entry come to the United States. Binyangi also admitted to obtaining a non-immigrant visa by fraud so that he could come to the United States. Binyangi admitted in his plea that when in Congo, he was in a relationship with Okoko’s daughter. Okoko’s daughter, who also came to the United States, gave birth to Binyangi’s child in the United States. After Binyangi entered the United States, he reunited with Okoko’s daughter and their shared child. Okoko’s daughter and Binyangi are married.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams has been set for January 30, 2026, at 1:30 P.M., for Okoko. Sentencing for Elonge, Okamba, and Binyangi will be set after a presentence report is prepared. All men remain free on bond. Okoko, Elonge, and Okamba face a possible maximum sentence of five years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and a term of up to three years of supervised release following any imprisonment. Binyangi faces a possible maximum sentence of ten years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and a term of up to three years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by First Assistant United States Attorney Matt L. Cole and Assistant United States Attorney Nicole L. Nagin and was investigated by the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, the United States Postal Inspection, United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Waterloo Police Department, the Sioux City Police Department, and the Iowa Department of Transportation.
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.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-CR-2052.
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Illegal Alien Sentenced for Unlawful ReentryRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Benjamin Vasquez-Hernandez, a/k/a Benjamin Vasquez, a/k/a Benjamin Santiago Vasquez, age 53, a Honduran national unlawfully present in Muskogee, Oklahoma, was sentenced to time served in prison for one count of Unlawful Reentry of Removed Alien.
The charge arose from an investigation by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement Division.
On October 1, 2025, Vasquez-Hernandez pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on July 31, 2025, Vasquez-Hernandez, an alien, was found in the United States without obtaining the express consent of the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States after having been previously removed on September 13, 2019.
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 Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Erin Cornell and Jacob R. Parker represented the United States.
Illegal Alien Sentenced for Unlawful ReentryRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Alain Sanchez-Lopez, a/k/a Enrique Sanchez-Malpicha, a/k/a Jesus Rico-Lopez, a/k/a Jesus Perez-Rico, a/k/a Alain De Jesus Sanchez-Lopez, age 40, a Mexican national unlawfully present/residing in Muskogee, Oklahoma, was sentenced to time served in prison for one count of Unlawful Reentry of Removed Alien.
The charge arose from an investigation by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement Division and the Muskogee County Sheriff’s Office.
On October 6, 2025, Sanchez-Lopez pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on June 15, 2025, Sanchez-Lopez, an alien, was found in the United States without obtaining the express consent of the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States after having been previously removed on November 6, 2015, on February 14, 2016, on March 29, 2016, and on April 13, 2016.
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 Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Erin Cornell and Jacob R. Parker represented the United States.
Illegal Alien Sentenced for Unlawful ReentryRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Luis Cuellar-Martinez, a/k/a Luis Cueller, a/k/a Luis Martinez, a/k/a Luis Martinez Cueller, age 32, a Mexican national unlawfully present in Poteau, Oklahoma, was sentenced to time served in prison for one count of Unlawful Reentry of Removed Alien.
The charge arose from an investigation by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement Division and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol.
On September 10, 2025, Cuellar-Martinez pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on July 31, 2025, Cuellar-Martinez, an alien, was found in the United States without obtaining the express consent of the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States after having been previously removed on June 19, 2014.
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 Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Erin Cornell and Jacob R. Parker represented the United States.
Illegal Alien Pleads Guilty to Unlawful ReentryRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Celso Martinez-Mata, a/k/a Celso Mata Martinez, a/k/a Celso Martinez, age 60, a Mexican national unlawfully present in Sequoyah County, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty to one count of Unlawful Reentry of Removed Alien, punishable by a term of imprisonment of not more than two years, and a fine of not more than $250,000.00.
The charge arose from an investigation by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement Division and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol.
The Indictment alleged that on October 29, 2025, Martinez-Mata, an alien, was found in the United States without obtaining the express consent of the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States after having been previously removed on July 2, 2002.
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 Honorable D. Edward Snow, 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.
Martinez-Mata will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacob R. Parker represented the United States.
Hartford, Vermont Man Charged with Production of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialsRead the Press Release
Burlington, Vermont – The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that on December 18, 2025, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Brian Wood, 23, of Hartford, Vermont, with Production of Child Sexual Abuse Materials (CSAM, also known as child pornography) and Possession of CSAM.
Wood entered a plea of not guilty to the charges during an arraignment on December 19, 2025 before United States Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle. Judge Doyle ordered that Wood be detained pending a detention hearing currently scheduled for December 24, 2025.
According to court records, defendant Wood was arrested in February 2025 for Luring a Child after a Hartford Police Department undercover operation. Wood’s cellular phone was seized at the time of this February 2025 arrest. A forensic review of the contents of the cellular phone revealed that between March and May 2023, Wood was messaging with a 14-year-old victim, persuading her to create CSAM of herself, and sending it to Wood. Law enforcement interviewed this victim, who confirmed the messaging, and disclosed that Wood had sexually abused her at a New England Christian music festival the two had attended.
Wood’s unlawful interactions with minors remains the focus of a continued law enforcement investigation. Anyone with information should contact the Hartford, Vermont Police Department.
The United States Attorney’s Office emphasizes that an indictment contains allegations only and that Wood is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. Wood faces up to 30 years of imprisonment and a mandatory minimum of 15 years of imprisonment if convicted. The actual sentence, however, would be determined by the District Court with guidance from the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines and the statutory sentencing factors.
First Assistant United States Attorney Michael P. Drescher commended the investigatory efforts of the Hartford, Vermont Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations.
The prosecutor is Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan A. Ophardt. Wood is represented by the Office of the Federal Public Defender.
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. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
Former Sewerage & Water Board Special Agent Sentenced for Multiple Fraud SchemesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that LEESSA AUGUSTINE (“AUGUSTINE”) age 47, a resident of New Orleans, was sentenced on December 16, 2025, for charges related to her involvement in fraud schemes while employed as a Sewerage & Water Board of New Orleans (“S&WB”) Senior Special Agent, a position that tasked her with investigating the alleged misconduct of other Sewerage & Water Board employees.
United States District Judge Greg Gerard Guidry sentenced AUGUSTINE to 6 months’ home detention to be followed by five years’ supervised release and $94,972 in restitution.
AUGUSTINE sentence was imposed on her guilty pleas to three counts of Wire Fraud and one count of making False Statements for lying to investigators. In one scheme, AUGUSTINE, who was also a New Orleans Police Department reserve officer, billed a police detail customer for hours not actually worked. During some of the times AUGUSTINE was supposed to be working the police detail for the Downtown Development District, she used her S&WB-issued computer to conduct a second fraud scheme, that involved obtaining a mortgage loan and federally funded assistance for low-income homebuyers. In that home-purchase scheme, AUGUSTINE created fake documents, including a fake W-2 form, fake pay stubs, and fake bank statements. In a third scheme, AUGUSTINE obtained federally funded unemployment benefits by concealing her Senior Special Agent income. Finally, in a fourth scheme, AUGUSTINE obtained federally funded emergency rental assistance from the City of New Orleans, by submitting a fake lease and a termination letter from a fictitious employer. At various times during the schemes, AUGUSTINE provided her S&WB-issued cellphone number as a contact number for persons she impersonated.
Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson thanked the New Orleans Office of Inspector General and the New Orleans Police Department for their valuable assistance in this case.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Office of Inspector General - U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Office of Inspector General - U.S. Department of Labor, and the Office of Inspector General – U.S. Department of Homeland Security. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Chandra Menon of the Public Integrity Unit.