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12 February 2026
Spartanburg Man Indicted for Intimidating Mail CarrierRead the Press Release
GREENVILLE, S.C. —A federal grand jury returned a single-count indictment, presented by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, charging Michael C. Gresham, 77, of Spartanburg, with assaulting and intimidating a federal employee.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on Nov. 12, 2025, a mail carrier was delivering mail to Gresham’s residence in Spartanburg. As the mail carrier approached Gresham’s home, the mail carrier observed Gresham in the doorway with a firearm in his hand. Gresham opened a storm door and pointed the gun at the mail carrier. As the mail carrier ran from the home, he reported hearing one gunshot coming from the homeowner.
“Postal workers connect our communities every day through their service, and their safety is non-negotiable,” said U.S. Attorney Bryan Stirling for the District of South Carolina. “We will continue to work closely with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service to ensure that anyone who threatens or harms these dedicated workers is held accountable.”
“Let this indictment serve as a reminder that the safety of all USPS employees remains one of the top priorities of the United States Postal Inspection Service,” said Atlanta Division Inspector in Charge Rodney Hopkins. “A mail carrier’s job is one of hard work and dedication and should be free from threats of violence while they carry out their duties.”
Gresham faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison and a fine of up to $250,000.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lothrop Morris is prosecuting the case.
All charges in an indictment are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Southern District of Texas brings racketeering, murder, drug trafficking, and firearms charges against 20 alleged “Free Money” gang members and associatesRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – An 18-count superseding indictment has been unsealed charging 20 alleged members and associates of a violent Houston-based street gang for their purported roles in a racketeering conspiracy (RICO) involving murder, attempted murder, armed robbery, drug trafficking and firearms offenses. Law enforcement arrested 10 of the defendants today and they will be presented before a United States Magistrate Judge in Houston on these charges this week. The remaining ten defendants are already in custody on related federal charges.
According to court documents, members and associates of Free Money allegedly engaged in acts of violence, intimidation, drive-by shootings and murder to further the gang’s criminal enterprise. The indictment alleges Terry Ardoin, 24, and Travonte Ardoin, 28, both of Houston, committed a murder in connection with an ongoing gang war with a rival group.
“The indictment unsealed today alleges that the Free Money gang engaged in a campaign of robbery, drug trafficking, and armed violence to intimidate their rivals and terrorize the people of Houston. That ends now,” said United States Attorney Nicholas Ganjei of the Southern District of Texas. “Houstonians should be able to live their lives without fear of either themselves or their loved ones being robbed, maimed, or caught in the crossfire of gang warfare. SDTX’s message on this point is clear and unmistakable: if you’re thinking of engaging in violent, criminal conduct on a Houston street, think again. The Southern District has your number.”
“This gang terrorized the streets of Houston with their drive-by shootings in public places like grocery store parking lots and with their brazen, armed robberies,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “These brazen tactics show the wide-ranging danger posed by violent gangs. The Criminal Division will continue to prioritize investigations and prosecutions of violent gang members so that innocent Americans get what they deserve – their communities restored and their lives unencumbered by the fear and carnage that these gangs perpetuate.”
“The sheer number of murders and shootings these individuals are suspected of freely carrying out for years, and the level of indiscriminate violence they’re accused of executing is alarming,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Houston Field Office Jason Hudson. “Today’s coordinated arrests across Houston are the result of years-long investigations by our FBI Houston team and our partners. We hope the residents of the Houston neighborhoods they terrorized can rest a little easier knowing that these individuals are ‘free’ no more.”
On June 24, 2022, in broad daylight, the Ardoins allegedly followed a Chevrolet Equinox carrying two individuals into a shopping center parking lot while driving a black Nissan Altima. After the driver entered a nearby store and the passenger remained inside the vehicle, the Ardoins allegedly exited the Altima wearing masks and opened fired on the vehicle. Multiple rounds struck the passenger compartment. Law enforcement responded within minutes and found one victim deceased.
The indictment alleges Free Money members targeted rival gang members throughout Houston. On Aug. 3, 2022, Shakeil Anderson, 23, and other alleged Free Money members fired multiple rounds into the home of the grandmother of a perceived rival gang member.
According to the charges, the gang allegedly financed firearms purchases and provided money to incarcerated members through robberies and drug sales. On June 3, 2024, Walter Tolbert, 21, and other alleged Free Money members allegedly robbed a pawn shop at gunpoint, stealing jewelry, Sony PlayStations and cash.
The indictment also alleges Free Money members targeted rival gangs for robbery. On Aug. 14, 2022, several alleged members attempted to rob a rival gang member’s stash house and kill the occupants. Joci Barley, 26, Terrel Davis, 28, Tolbert, Anderson, Jakobe Anderson, 24, Chase Franklin-Williams, 21, Terry Adroin, Travonte Ardoin, Deandre Thompson, 22, Emery Goodley, 26, Jymonte McClendon, 28, and Maurkael Brown, 31, allegedly planned the robbery during a gang meeting, during which they stated they would “kill and do everything they needed to do” to obtain the drugs and money they believed were inside, despite knowing the home was likely occupied.
Law enforcement stopped the group while en route to the location, according to the charges. During the subsequent pursuit, Travonte Ardoin allegedly threw a firearm from the vehicle.
The indictment further alleges the gang trafficked crack cocaine, cocaine, methamphetamine and marijuana. Orlando Calloway, 52, allegedly supplied crack cocaine to the gang by converting powder cocaine for redistribution.
The defendants face maximum sentences of life in prison for the RICO charges, and from ten years to life in prison on the drug trafficking and firearms charges. In addition, defendants Terry Ardoin and Travante Ardoin each face either mandatory life in prison or the death penalty if they are convicted of the charge of murder in aid of racketeering.
The FBI Houston field office and Houston Police Department conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Texas Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Hunter Brown and Trial Attorney Ralph Paradiso of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section are prosecuting the case.
This joint effort includes the U.S. Attorney’s Office and local, state and federal law enforcement and addresses violent crime by employing, where appropriate, federal laws to prosecute gang members in the southwest and southeast areas of Houston. As part of the initiative, the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division has also dedicated attorneys and other resources to prosecuting violent offenders and assisting intervention, prevention and reentry efforts to address the root causes of violent crime, such as narcotics trafficking.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Source of supply for major drug trafficking ring appears in U.S. District Court in Seattle following transfer from MexicoRead the Press Release
Seattle – The Mexico-based leader of a violent drug trafficking organization was arraigned today in U.S. District Court in Seattle, following his transfer from Mexico, announced First Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Neil Floyd. Jose Luis Sanchez-Valencia, 58, was transported from Mexico to the United States last month. The indictment for four federal felonies was returned in 2022. Sanchez-Valencia is charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and three counts of illegal use of a communication facility. Sanchez-Valencia entered a plea of “Not guilty,” and trial was set in front of U.S. District Judge John C. Coughenour on April 20, 2026.
“This defendant was the cartel-connected leader of a violent drug trafficking ring operating in the South Puget Sound region,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Floyd. “His telephone calls link him to the conspiracy and to a local leader who was shot outside a Kitsap County stash house. Our goal in these investigations is to bring the leaders to justice. Whether they are here in Washington or abroad, they are pulling the strings for the cartels that profit at the cost of human lives in our community.”
On February 28, 2023, a local leader of the drug ring, Jose Elias Barbosa, was sentenced to more than twelve years in prison for his leadership role in the drug trafficking organization tied to the CJNG cartel. The Sanchez-Valencia indictment cites three phone calls between Barbosa and Sanchez-Valencia tied to activities of the drug ring.
In November 2019, the DTO received a shipment of liquid methamphetamine concealed in candles. Barbosa helped DTO members to extract the methamphetamine and cook it into crystal form at a Port Orchard, Washington location. While law enforcement was surveilling the operation, Barbosa was shot behind the house.
The wiretapped calls in this investigation revealed a culture of violence. Members pursued those who owed drug debts to the organization and possessed firearms during the drug conspiracy. The wiretapped calls showed members discussed kidnappings, assaults, and even murders as ways to get debtors to pay up.
“This case underscores the relentless commitment of the Drug Enforcement Administration and our law enforcement partners to dismantle violent, cartel-connected drug trafficking organizations at every level,” said Robert A. Saccone, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Seattle Field Division. “By bringing this defendant from Mexico to face justice in the United States, we are sending a clear message: no matter where cartel leaders attempt to hide, we will work across borders to hold them accountable. The trafficking of methamphetamine, concealed in everyday items like candle wax, demonstrates the lengths these organizations will go to poison our communities.”
Sanchez-Valencia was amongst 37 Mexican nationals wanted for serious crimes in the United States transferred into U.S. custody on Jan. 20. The Justice Department Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs coordinated the transfers.
The charges in the indictment have penalties of a mandatory minimum ten years in prison and up to life in prison.
The charges contained in the Sanchez-Valencia indictment are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Amy Jaquette and C. Andrew Colasurdo.
The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Tacoma Resident Office in partnership with Tahoma Narcotics Enforcement Team (TNET), Kent Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, SeaTac Police Department, Thurston County Narcotics Team (TNT), the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and Internal Revenue Service- Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI).
This investigation is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Seattle comprises agents and officers from Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), The United States Marshals Service (USMS), the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI), the United States Secret Service (USSS), U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington.
Slidell Man Indicted for Injury to Government Property and Federal Clean Water Act ViolationsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – On February 12, 2026, BRYANT BROWN, (“BROWN”), age 58, of Slidell, was indicted for injuring government property, and violating the federal Clean Water Act, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1361 and Title 33, United States Code, Section 1319(c)(2)(A), announced United States Attorney David I. Courcelle.
According to court documents, beginning on or about March 2025 and continuing until or about June 12, 2025, BROWN discharged pollutants onto the Bayou Sauvage National Wildlife Refuge. The pollutants caused property damages in excess of $1,000.00. The Bayou Sauvage National Wildlife Refuge is the largest urban wildlife refuge in the United States. It is comprised of wetlands that span nearly 30,000 acres.
For the injuring of government property offense, BROWN faces a maximum term of imprisonment of ten (10) years, a fine of up to $250,000, up to three (3) years of supervised release, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee. For the federal Clean Water Act offense, BROWN faces a maximum term of imprisonment of three (3) years, a fine of not less than $5,000.00 nor more than $50,000.00 per day, up to one (1) year of supervised release, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee.
U.S. Attorney Courcelle reiterated that an indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
U.S. Attorney Courcelle praised the work of the Environmental Protection Agency-Criminal Investigation Division, the Environmental Protection Agency-Office of Inspector General, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, and the United States Customs and Border Protection in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Duane A. Evans of the General Crimes Unit is prosecuting the matter.
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Sequoyah County Resident Sentenced to Thirty Years for Aggravated Sexual Abuse of A MinorRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Justin Floyd Qualls, a/k/a Jay Qualls, age 40, of Muldrow, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 360 months in prison for one count of Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Indian Country.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
On August 7, 2025, Qualls was found guilty of the charge by a federal jury at trial.
At trial, the United States presented evidence that in May of 2024, Qualls knowingly engaged in a sexual act with a child who had not attained 12 years of age.
The crime occurred in Adair County, within the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation Reservation of Oklahoma, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
“This individual, who preyed on the innocence of a child for his own perverse gratification, will now face the consequences of his actions,” said FBI Oklahoma City Special Agent in Charge Doug Goodwater. “Thanks to the dedicated efforts of the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Mr. Qualls will spend three decades behind bars where he cannot harm another child.”
“I commend the FBI and prosecutors for their exceptional work in bringing the defendant to justice,” said United States Attorney Christopher J. Wilson. “Both the verdict handed down by the jury and the sentence imposed by the court should send the strong message that preying on children will not be tolerated.”
The Honorable Timothy M. Reif, Judge for the United States Court of International Trade, sitting by assignment in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Qualls will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jessie K. Pippin and Emily Wittlinger represented the United States.
Sedalia Man Sentenced for Attempted Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Sedalia, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for attempting to rob a local bank.
Cleburn Bruce Greene, 51, was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Judge Brian C. Wimes, to more than three years (37 months) in prison without parole for attempting to rob a bank.
On May 22, 2025, Greene pleaded guilty to one count of attempted bank robbery that occurred on October 1, 2024.
According to statements of bank employees and surveillance videos, Greene entered the bank at approximately 10:08 a.m. and went to the customer service counter where he wrote on a piece of paper. Greene then approached a teller and showed the note that read: “Give me your money.” The teller asked Greene if the male had an account at the bank and Greene stated: “No. this is a robbery.” Greene further stated: “Don’t play with me” and “don’t make me do something crazy,” or words to that effect. While the teller was typing on his computer to get access to emergency cash, Greene exited the bank and threw the note in a dumpster adjacent to the bank. Investigators later recovered the note. Surveillance video footage captured Greene flee the scene in a nearby Kia Sportage vehicle.
At approximately 3:30 p.m., Kansas City, Missouri Police Department Officers observed Greene in a restaurant parking lot in Kanas City, Mo. Greene was wearing the same clothing he had on during the attempted bank robbery. Greene drove to a gas station where officers arrested him without further incident.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Trey Alford. It was investigated by the FBI and the Kansas City, Mo. Police Department.
Operation Take Back America
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Scott County Man Sentenced for Armed Fentanyl and Fluorofentanyl TraffickingRead the Press Release
FRANKFORT, Ky. – A Georgetown, Ky., man, Jamon Ritter, 35, was sentenced on Wednesday by U.S. District Judge Gregory Van Tatenhove to 132 months for possession with intent to distribute 10 grams or more of fluorofentanyl, possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.
According to his plea agreement, on July 2, 2024, Ritter – who was wanted on active warrants – led law enforcement on a reckless, high-speed vehicular chase in Scott County, eventually bailing out of his vehicle and fleeing on foot before being apprehended. Following the chase, law enforcement searched the vehicle Ritter was driving and found a Glock pistol, ammunition, and a variety of drugs, which KSP laboratory testing determined to be 122 grams of fentanyl, 1.707 grams of cocaine, and 29.786 grams of fluorofentanyl. Ritter admitted possession of the narcotics during the search and also admitted to possessing the firearm in furtherance of his drug trafficking crime.
Under federal law, Ritter must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for 5 years.
Paul McCaffrey, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; John Nokes, Special Agent in Charge, ATF, Louisville Field Division; and Sheriff Jeremy Nettles, Scott County Sheriff’s Office, announced the sentencing.
The investigation was conducted by ATF and Scott County Sheriff’s Office. The U.S. Attorney’s Office was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cynthia Rieker.
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Salvadoran National Pleads Guilty to Selling Firearms Without a LicenseRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Salvadoran national unlawfully residing in Chelsea pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to making multiple illegal firearms sales.
Melbi Ovidio Ortez, 41, pleaded guilty to one count of engaging in the business of dealing in firearms without a license and one count of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance. U.S. District Court Chief Judge Denise J. Casper scheduled sentencing for May 6, 2026. In June 2025, Ortez was arrested and charged.
According to charging documents, Ortez was identified as an 18th Street Gang associate who supplied firearms and controlled substances to gang members. On four different occasions between April 3, 2025 and May 2, 2025, Ortez sold firearms and ammunition behind his Chelsea residence. Ortez sold a Glock 9mm caliber pistol; a Sturm and Ruger .22 caliber revolver; a Glock .40 caliber pistol; a Colt .380 caliber pistol; magazines; and over one hundred rounds of ammunition. In addition, the serial numbers on both the Glock 9mm pistol and the Colt .380 pistol had been defaced. The Glock 9mm pistol had been purchased only 20 days earlier from a licensed firearms dealer in New Hampshire. Ortez also sold cocaine two times during that same period.
The charge of engaging in the business of dealing firearms without a license provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. The defendant is subject to deportation upon completion of any sentence imposed. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Thomas Greco, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Field Division made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Boston, Chelsea, Everett, Falmouth, Lynn, Medford, Nantucket and Revere Police Departments; Massachusetts State Police; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations; U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services’ Fraud Detection and National Security Unit; Massachusetts Department of Correction; and the Suffolk County and Middlesex County District Attorney’s Offices. Assistant U.S. Attorney Fred M. Wyshak, III of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Boston is comprised of agents and officers from HSI, FBI, DEA, ATF, USMS, IRS-CI, USPIS, DOL-OIG and DSS, as well as several state and local law enforcement agencies, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts.
Romanian Man Admits to Placing Credit Card Skimming Devices at Retailers in West VirginiaRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – A Romanian National has admitted to placing credit card skimming devices in several retailers in the Northern District of West Virginia, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew L. Harvey.
Andrei Daniel Fagaras, age 36, illegally in the United States, pled guilty today to an access device fraud charge. According to the plea agreement, Fagaras worked with another defendant, Madalin Olar, to place a credit card skimming device at a self-checkout register in a Clarksburg, WV grocery store. The device was intended to collect credit card and debit card numbers which would in turn would allow fraudsters access to those credit cards and bank accounts. Fagaras was responsible for placing other skimming devices at nine locations across West Virginia. The estimated amount of intended fraud totals approximately $250,000.
Olar, a Romanian National, age 31, is facing six access device charges related to this case. His case is pending.
Fagaras faces up to 15 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine the sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jarod Douglas is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government.
The Clarksburg Police Department investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.
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.
Ring of Thieves Plead Guilty to Drug Trafficking, Bank Fraud and Mail Theft Conspiracy in Miami for $1.7M in Stolen Checks and Mail SchemeRead the Press Release
Five defendants pleaded guilty in federal court for their roles in a sophisticated scheme involving stolen U.S. Postal Service mail keys, which are pass keys for locked mailboxes, and counterfeit checks. These defendants were part of a ring of thieves who stole checks and other mail and then used counterfeit identification to cash the stolen checks that they had altered to higher amounts than originally intended.
According to court documents, from September 2021 through May 2023, the five defendants, all of Miami Gardens, Florida ─ Angel Joe Gonzalez, 28; Evens Necler Monestime, 27, David Gonzalez, 23, Cristina Azahares, 27, and Adriana Ginel, 56 ─ conspired to defraud federally insured financial institutions — banks. The scheme involved unlawfully getting and using U.S. Postal Service arrow keys to steal mail; opening stolen mail to acquire checks without authorization; producing counterfeit and forged checks using information from stolen checks; obtaining and using personal identifying information including names, addresses, bank account numbers, and signatures; depositing fraudulently altered checks into bank accounts they controlled; and using the illicit proceeds for personal gain and to advance the conspiracy. Some of the defendants were also involved in trafficking drugs.
Police learned of defendants’ crimes when, on May 3, 2023, Miami Gardens Police Department officers responded to reports of shots fired at a Miami Gardens residence shared by Angel Joe Gonzalez, Azahares, and Monestime. Officers found approximately $1.7 million in stolen checks and stolen mail, along with personal identifying information of individuals who did not live at the residence. Officers also seized six U.S. Postal Service mail keys; 40 debit and credit cards embossed with names of unknown individuals; additional checks addressed to and by different persons and companies; and numerous electronic devices including 27 cell phones, six laptops, a digital video recorder, and two Apple iPads.
The search also uncovered multiple firearms and ammunition, various narcotics packaged for sale, including heroin, cocaine, MDMA pills, and other controlled substances. Inside a Lexus registered to Gonzalez, officers found fentanyl and more cocaine, scales and baggies used for narcotics packaging, and additional debit and credit cards in other people’s names.
Angel Joe Gonzalez pleaded guilty to possession of stolen mail keys, conspiracy to commit money laundering, possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. Monestime pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud, possession of stolen mail keys, possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. David Gonzalez pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud, aggravated identity theft, and possession of stolen mail keys. Cristina Azahares and Adriana Ginel each pleaded guilty to bank fraud and aggravated identity theft for their role in cashing the altered and stolen checks.
Investigation also revealed that Angel Joe Gonzalez and David Gonzalez moderated a Telegram group of approximately 2,000 individuals where they sold stolen checks.
Angel Joe Gonzalez and Monestime each face a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison. David Gonzalez, Cristina Azahares, and Adriana Ginel each face a mandatory minimum penalty of two years in prison and a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison.
Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida; and Special Agent in Charge Brett D. Skiles of FBI Miami Field Office, announced the guilty pleas.
The FBI Miami Field Office investigated the case, with assistance from the City of Miami Gardens Police Department.
Trial Attorneys Jennifer Burns and Alieu Kargbo of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Quinshawna Landon for the Southern District of Florida and are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime Initiative to prosecute violent crimes in Miami. The Criminal Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida have partnered, along with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies, to confront violent crimes committed by gang members and associates through the enforcement of federal laws and use of federal resources to prosecute offenders and prevent violence.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Religious Liberty Commission Hosts Fifth Hearing on Anti-Semitism and Religious Liberty in the Private SectorRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – This week, the Religious Liberty Commission (RLC) held a hearing to discuss the dangers of rising anti-Semitism from the perspectives of students, teachers, and Jewish leaders. The hearing included panels with testimony from graduate students, coaches, university administrators, and relatives of Holocaust survivors, as well as individuals who experienced religious liberty issues in the private sector and employment contexts. It also included testimony from Justice Department and Civil Rights leaders on the front lines of combatting anti-Semitism through the legal system. The hearing’s objectives aimed to understand the ideologies behind anti-Semitism, recognize present threats to religious liberty in the private sector and employment, and identify opportunities to secure religious liberty in these contexts for the future.
"Religious liberty is our first and foundational freedom," said Chairman Dan Patrick. "Physical violence is the ultimate deprivation of this freedom. In recent years, our Jewish brothers and sisters have increasingly been faced with hostility and physical violence in their houses of worship and communities—as recently as this weekend, when a driver repeatedly rammed his car into a peaceful gathering at a Brooklyn Chabad. This is un-American and unacceptable. Following President Trump’s lead, the Religious Liberty Commission will be fully considering this issue to ensure that all Americans enjoy the full freedoms guaranteed by the First Amendment."
The witnesses included:
Yitzchok Frankel: Plaintiff in Frankel v. Regents of the University of California
In the wake of the October 7, 2023, terrorist attack on Israel, anti-Jewish protests emerged on college campuses nationwide. At UCLA, activists set up an encampment and enforced a “Jew Exclusion Zone,” segregating Jewish students and faculty and preventing them from attending class or accessing campus spaces. UCLA’s administration ordered police to stand down allowing the activists to wreak havoc on campus through the 2024-25 academic year. Three Jewish UCLA students and a Jewish UCLA professor sued UCLA in federal court. After battling the suit for more than a year, UCLA ultimately agreed to a permanent court order and paid more than $6 million in damages and fees.
Shabbos Kestenbaum: American Jewish Activist, Political Commentator
Kestenbaum is an American Jewish activist who filed a lawsuit against Harvard University over accusations that the school had failed to protect Jewish students from anti-Semitic harassment and discrimination.
Rabbi Ari Berman: President, Yeshiva University
Berman is a global faith leader, distinguished scholar, and educational visionary who is shaping contemporary discourse at the intersection of faith, ethics, and higher education. As the fifth president of Yeshiva University, Dr. Berman has anchored the university on the twin pillars of academic excellence and values-based education, guiding it into a new era of growth and innovation as a global leader in higher education.
Coach Bruce Pearl: Founder, Jewish Coaches Association
The all-time winningest coach in Auburn men’s basketball history, head coach Bruce Pearl has made the program into a national power by leading the Tigers to a pair of Final Fours, five Southeastern Conference Championships and six NCAA Tournament appearances in 11 seasons. Pearl is a Founder and Senior Advisor of the Jewish Coaches Association, a non-profit organization working to foster the growth and development of individuals of the Jewish faith at all levels of sports, both nationally and internationally.
Leo Terrell: Chair of DOJ’s Task Force to Combat Antisemitism, Senior Counsel to the Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights
Terrell is an American civil rights attorney and former talk radio host who has frequently appeared on Fox News programs. Previously a Democrat, in a July 2020 interview, he declared his support for President Donald Trump—the first time he declared support for a Republican Party presidential candidate. In January 2025, President-elect Donald Trump announced his intention to appoint Terrell as Senior Counsel to the Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division in the United States Department of Justice, where he currently serves as the Chair of the Department’s Task Force to Combat Antisemitism.
Dr. Elizabeth Spalding: Author, Lifelong Educator, and Religious Liberty Advocate
A lifelong educator and frequent public speaker, Spalding is a Visiting Fellow at Hillsdale College’s Van Andel Graduate School of Government in Washington, D.C. She is a Senior Fellow at the Pepperdine University School of Public Policy and serves as the Chairman of the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation where she is also Founding Director of the Victims of Communism Museum. Spalding has taught on subjects ranging from the American presidency, religion and politics, and comparative ideologies to U.S. foreign policy, national security, and international relations. Her expertise is regularly sought for documentaries, podcasts, and other media outlets. She also serves on the Board of the Institute on Religion and Democracy.
Dr. Moshe Glick: Member of Congregation Ohr Torah in West Orange, New Jersey
Glick is a devoted husband, father, grandfather, and respected community leader in West Orange, New Jersey, who was unfairly charged with assault after coming to the aid of someone attacked by pro-Hamas protestor in November 2024. Last month, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy pardoned Glick, wiping away state charges and ending his baseless prosecution. The Justice Department filed a civil complaint under the FACE Act against entities and individuals who targeted Ohr Torah synagogue in West Orange, New Jersey, during the November 2024 incident that escalated into violence.
Liat Cohen-Reeis: Founder, The Jewish-Christian Alliance
Cohen-Reeis is a Jewish leader in the San Diego area who founded an interfaith organization to bring together Christians and Jews for worship and fellowship.
Pastor JC Cooper: Pastor, The Mission Church, San Diego
Cooper is the Associate Pastor of the Mission Church, which has locations in Carlsbad, Encinitas, Cardiff, Del Mar, and Rancho Santa Fe. His church community was targeted by violent protests after hosting joint Jewish-Christian worship events.
Seth Dillon: CEO, The Babylon Bee
Dillon is the CEO of The Babylon Bee, a fast-growing news satire site that has overtaken The Onion in traffic and engagement. Taking on the tone of a traditional news media publication, the Bee satirizes real-world events and public figures. Dillon's experience with censorship and deplatforming has placed him on the front lines of the battle for free speech in the public square. He now speaks on college campuses and at conferences across the country about the effectiveness of humor, the moral imperative of mockery, and the dangers of censorship.
John Mertens: Acting Deputy Chief, Education Section for the Civil Rights Division, Department of Justice
John P. Mertens joined the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice in September 2025, after nearly twenty years as a litigator in private practice. He has represented civil rights plaintiffs on issues from political expression to freedom of consciousness. In July 2025, he completed a second term as president of the Board of Trustees of the largest synagogue by membership in the State of Utah.
Fr. Thomas Ferguson: Pastor, Good Shepard Parish
Father Thomas Ferguson is the pastor of Good Shepherd Parish in Alexandria, Virginia. He is the author of Catholic and American: The Political Theology of John Courtney Murray.
Rabbi Meir Soloveichik: Rabbi, Congregation Shearith Israel
Meir Y. Soloveichik is Rabbi of Congregation Shearith Israel- the oldest Jewish congregation in the United States, the Director of the Straus Center for Torah and Western Thought at Yeshiva University, and a Senior Scholar at the Tikvah Fund. He graduated summa cum laude from Yeshiva University, and received his Phd in religion from Princeton University. Rabbi Soloveichik's recent book is Providence and Power: Ten Portraits in Jewish Statesmanship. Much of his writing and academic work focuses on the American Founding, and the unique story and role of religion in the United States. His podcasts include Bible365, a daily study of the Hebrew Bible that completes all of Jewish scripture in a year, and Jerusalem365, which tells the 4,000 year history of Jerusalem. In 2018 Rabbi Soloveichik was awarded the Canterbury Medal for his work on behalf of religious liberty by the Becket Fund.
Ambassador Sam Brownback: Former Ambassador-at-large for International Religious Freedom, Former Governor of Kansas
Sam Brownback formerly served as Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom and continues to work with coalitions around the globe to promote and protect the fundamental human right to religious liberty. Brownback was the 46th Governor of Kansas. He was first elected in 2010 and re-elected in 2014. He left office after being confirmed to the position of Ambassador-at-Large in January 2018. Prior to becoming governor, Brownback served in a number of elected government offices in Kansas. After one term in the House of Representatives, he served as Senator for Kansas from 1996-2011, having first won a special election to fill the seat left vacant by Bob Dole (R). Brownback began his political career in 1986 when he became the youngest individual to be the Secretary of Agriculture in the state's history. During his tenure as Secretary, Brownback did double duty as a White House Fellow under the administration of George H.W. Bush. Brownback is a licensed attorney, having graduated from the University of Kansas School of Law.
Lacey Smith: Former Alaska Airlines Employee
In February 2021, Alaska Airlines posted an internal company message announcing its support for the “Equality Act,” a controversial bill that, among other things, would gut protection for people of faith under the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. Employees were invited to comment on the post, to which Smith respectfully expressed her concerns with the bill. Her post was swiftly deleted, work schedule paused, and within a month, Smith was fired. Since then, Smith has chosen to speak out and continue the fight for religious freedom.
Hermione Susana: Hospitality Worker, New York City
Susana is lifelong New Yorker who built a career as a hospitality industry worker. She was working in three different premium stadium and arena venues when her living was jeopardized because her religious beliefs were not accommodated in the face of corporate and city vaccine mandates.
Watch the hearing HERE.
The Religious Liberty Commission was established by President Trump under Executive Order 14291 and is tasked with producing a comprehensive report on the foundations of religious liberty in America, increasing awareness of and celebrating America’s peaceful religious pluralism, highlighting current threats to religious liberty, and developing strategies to preserve and enhance protections for future generations.
Prolific Fentanyl Dealer Sentenced to 96 Months for Role in Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Ricky Jackson, 67, of the District of Columbia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 96 months in federal prison in connection to his role in a large drug trafficking conspiracy that distributed fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine in the Nation’s capital, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Jackson pleaded guilty on Oct. 7, 2025, before Judge Trevor N. McFadden to a charge of conspiracy to distribute 40 grams of fentanyl. In addition to the 96-month prison term, Judge McFadden ordered Jackson to serve five years of supervised release.
“Thanks to our prosecutors, a 10-time convicted felon and drug-trafficker is off the streets and behind bars,” said U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro. “Jackson went so far as to target drug addicts seeking rehabilitation by selling drugs outside of rehabilitation and treatment facilities in Southeast Washington D.C., but now he won’t be bringing down this community anymore.”
According to court documents, Jackson was a prolific narcotics redistributor who collaborated with other members of the conspiracy to obtain wholesale quantities of fentanyl which he in turn cut and repackaged for other redistributors and purchasers in the district.
Jackson obtained bulk quantities – up to 24 grams of fentanyl – five or six times each week. Jackson then redistributed the narcotic in Southeast Washington D.C. in the vicinity of methadone clinics.
He was arrested on Nov. 29, 2023, and has remained continuously detained since that date. Jackson has approximately 10 prior convictions that include violent crimes like armed robbery, voluntary manslaughter, and drug trafficking offenses.
Joining U.S. Attorney Pirro in the announcement were DEA Special Agent in Charge Chris Goumenis of the Drug Enforcement Administration Washington Division Office, FBI Assistant Director in Charge Darren B. Cox of the Washington Field Office, ATF Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Washington Field Division, and Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
This matter was investigated by the DEA Washington Division, the FBI Washington Field Office, the ATF Washington Field Division, and the MPD. It was prosecuted Assistant U.S. Attorneys George Eliopoulos and Matthew Kinskey.
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Previously Convicted Felon Charged with Firearm and Ammunition OffenseRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Lynn man with multiple prior criminal convictions has been charged with unlawfully possessing firearms and ammunition.
Derrick Poe, 40, was charged with being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition. Poe is currently in state custody and is scheduled to appear in federal court on Feb. 18, 2026.
It is alleged that between Dec. 2, 2025 and Dec. 18, 2025, Poe allegedly distributed crack cocaine to undercover law enforcement in three separate controlled purchases in Salem, Mass. Poe was arrested after the third controlled purchase. According to court records, a subsequent search of Poe’s Lynn residence resulted in the recovery of suspected crack cocaine and other evidence of drug distribution as well as three firearms and ammunition. Two of the firearms were privately made polymer-80 pistols, bearing no serial numbers, which are commonly referred to as “ghost guns.” The third firearm was a Springfield Armory 9mm pistol that had been reported stolen from Columbus, Ohio:
According to court records, Poe is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition due to multiple prior felony convictions, including in Alabama. These include a 2006 conviction for unlawful possession of a controlled substance and robbery as well as a 2012 conviction for receiving stolen property. Poe received concurrent 10year and 20-year sentences for the 2006 drug and robbery offenses – sentences which were later suspended and he was ordered to serve four years in prison followed by four years of supervised probation. As for the 2012 receipt-of-stolen-property offense, Poe received a 69-month prison sentence that was suspended, with credit for time served, and was placed on probation for 60 months. In 2016, he was convicted in Massachusetts state court of possessing Class B drugs with intent to distribute.
The charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Thomas A. Greco, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aidan Lang of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Praetorian Group International CEO sentenced to 20 years in prison for $200M bitcoin Ponzi schemeRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – The Chief Executive Officer of a multi-level marketing and bitcoin trading firm was sentenced today to 20 years in prison following his conviction on wire fraud and money laundering charges for operating a Ponzi scheme that defrauded over 90,000 investors worldwide.
According to court documents, Ramil Ventura Palafox, 61, a dual citizen of the United States and the Philippines, owned and operated Praetorian Group International (PGI) and served as PGI’s Chairman, Chief Executive Officer, and chief promoter. Palafox falsely claimed that PGI was engaged in bitcoin trading, and he promised daily returns of 0.5 to 3%. PGI was not trading bitcoin at a scale capable of making the promised returns, however, and Palafox was paying the investors back with their own money or with funds received from other investors.
From December 2019 to October 2021, at least 90,000 investors worldwide invested more than $201,000,000 in PGI, including at least $30,295,289 in fiat currency and at least 8,198 bitcoin worth $171,498,528. As a result of Palafox’s actions, investors suffered losses totaling at least $62,692,007.
Palafox created a PGI website for investors to review their purported investment performance. From 2020 through 2021, Palafox caused the online portal to consistently and fraudulently misrepresent that victims’ investments were gaining value, misleading them to believe that their investments were profitable and secure.
Palafox spent money on expenses that served both personal purposes and to promote the fraudulent scheme. He spent approximately $3 million on 20 luxury vehicles, including automobiles by Porsche, Lamborghini, McClaren, Ferrari, BMW, Bentley, and others. Palafox spent approximately $329,000 on penthouse suites at a luxury hotel chain and purchased four homes in Las Vegas and Los Angeles worth more than $6 million. Palafox spent another $3 million of investors’ money to buy clothing, watches, jewelry, and home furnishings at luxury retailers, including Louboutin, Neiman Marcus, Gucci, Versace, Ferragamo, Valentino, Cartier, Rolex, and Hermes, among others. He transferred at least $800,000 in fiat currency, plus an additional 100 bitcoin, then valued at approximately $3.3 million, to one of his family members.
The FBI Washington Field Office and the IRS Criminal Investigation Washington D.C. Field Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jack Morgan and Annie Zanobini and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Zoe Bedell prosecuted the case.
Victims of PGI may be entitled to restitution payments. Information about how to submit a restitution claim can be found here.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:25-cr-5.
Panola County Man Sentenced for Cocaine DistributionRead the Press Release
Aberdeen, MS – Irish Lee of Como, MS was sentenced today to 5 years in prison for distributing cocaine.
According to court documents, Irish Lee, 49, previously pled guilty to cocaine distribution on November 13, 2025. Lee was charged in an indictment which also named Christopher Mack as a co-defendant. Mack also pled guilty to distribution of cocaine and is awaiting sentencing on March 19, 2026 before the Honorable Michael P. Mills, Senior United States District Court Judge.
Senior U.S. District Court Judge Michael P. Mills sentenced Lee today to 60 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release. Lee was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals following sentencing.
U.S. Attorney Scott F. Leary of the Northern District of Mississippi and FBI Special Agent in Charge Robert Eikhoff made the announcement.
“Several years ago, our border opened up and drugs poured into our country,” states U.S. Attorney Leary. “The price of drugs then dropped precipitously. Drug cartels took advantage of this situation and made hundreds of millions of dollars by overdosing our kids and taking our money. Cheap drugs resulted in an increase in gang activity and violent crime throughout our district. A response to this crisis was the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative, of which this case is a part. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, drug trafficking rings, human smuggling, child trafficking or other crimes involving children. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting such crimes. The Mississippi HSTF is comprised of agents from FBI, HSI, ATF, DEA, among others, who work closely with the United States Attorney’s Office. I want to commend the FBI for leading this investigation, their tenacity and professionalism is superb. I also want to commend prosecutor Chad Doleac. We are blessed in the Northern District of Mississippi to have the most capable narcotics prosecutors in the nation, and Chad Doleac is one of them. We work for the people of the Northern District of Mississippi. The HSTF initiative is an important component of our service to you. Please contact law enforcement if you become aware of these crimes. We will respond.”
“Illegal drugs like cocaine devastate communities across our nation and have no place in Mississippi,” states FBI SAC Eikhoff. “Today’s sentencing sends a clear message: drugs will not be tolerated, and Mississippi will not be a safe haven for drug traffickers and distributors. The FBI, the Cleveland Police Department, the Homeland Security Task Force, and our law enforcement partners will continue to work tirelessly to pursue individuals like Mr. Lee who bring these harmful substances into our communities.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney Chad Doleac prosecuted the case.
Norwalk Man Convicted of Firearm OffenseRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that a federal jury in New Haven today found CHRISTOPHER MILES, 40, of Norwalk, guilty of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon.
According to the evidence introduced during the trial, in the early morning hours of September 13, 2023, Miles inadvertently left a loaded Glock 9mm pistol inside the restroom of a restaurant in Norwalk. After a restaurant employee discovered the firearm while cleaning the restroom, the restaurant manager contacted Norwalk Police. Analysis of surveillance video from the restaurant confirmed that Miles had entered the restroom shortly before an employee discovered the firearm, and also shows Miles returning to the restaurant in an attempt to retrieve it. Subsequent analysis of the firearm revealed the presence of Miles’ DNA.
Miles’ criminal history includes state convictions for assault in the first degree, possession with intent to distribute narcotics, and sale of a narcotic substance. 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.
At sentencing, Miles faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 15 years.
Miles has been detained since his arrest on related state charges on November 21, 2023.
This matter has been investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Norwalk Police Department, with the assistance of the Connecticut Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection, Division of Scientific Services. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kenneth Gresham and Rahul Kale.
New York Man Sentenced to 30 Months for Drug Trafficking in Franklin CountyRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A New York man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Bangor for possessing heroin, fentanyl, and cocaine base with the intent to distribute those substances.
U.S. District Judge Stacey D. Neumann sentenced Oscarlin Peguero Ortiz, 27, to 30 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release. Ortiz pleaded guilty on July 23, 2025.
According to court records, the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office began investigating the suspected trafficking of illegal narcotics from an Avon residence. In July 2020, investigators executed a search warrant and found Ortiz inside the residence. During a search of the residence, law enforcement seized approximately 85 grams of a mixture of heroin and fentanyl and 40 grams of crack cocaine. Investigators also seized digital scales, drug paraphernalia, and over $8,000 in cash.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Maine State Police, Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, and the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office investigated this case.
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Mississippi Man Indicted for Arson of Beth Israel Synagogue and the Goldring/Woldenberg Institute of Southern Jewish LifeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Stephen Spencer Pittman, 19, of Madison, Mississippi, was charged by superseding indictment Tuesday, February 10, 2026, with civil rights and arson offenses related to the burning of the Beth Israel Congregation and the Goldring/Woldenberg Institute of Southern Jewish Life building. Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division Harmeet K. Dhillon, United States Attorney J.E. Baxter Kruger for the Southern District of Mississippi, and Special Agent in Charge Robert A. Eikhoff of the FBI Jackson Field Office made the announcement.
According to court documents from his arrest, Pittman is alleged to have used gasoline to set fire to the religious building in the early morning hours of Saturday, January 10, 2026. The fire resulted in extensive damage to a significant portion of the building and rendered it inoperable for an indefinite period time.
“The Department of Justice will not tolerate attacks on houses of worship,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This superseding indictment shows that we will investigate and we will prosecute such vicious attacks that strike at the core of our country’s long tradition of religious liberty.”
“I applaud our law enforcement partners for their swift response to this heinous act of hate-fueled violence,” said United States Attorney J.E. Baxter Kruger. We Americans should not fear for our safety because of our faith. The superseding indictment demonstrates our commitment to that cause.”
According to its website, the Beth Israel Congregation was founded in 1860, and it has operated in its present location since 1967. On September 18, 1967, the then-new temple on Old Canton Road was bombed by the Ku Klux Klan. The Goldring/Woldenberg Institute of Southern Jewish Life provides services to Jewish communities in 13 states and comprehensive religious school programs to 70 Jewish congregations and offers traveling rabbinical services.
Pittman was charged in the three-count indictment with violating Title 18, United States Code, Section 844(i), which prohibits arson of property used in interstate commerce or used in an activity affecting interstate commerce, Title 18, United States Code, Section 247, which prohibits damaging or destroying religious real property because of the character of that property, and Title 18, United States Code, Section 844(h), which prohibits the use of fire during the commission of a federal felony.
The FBI, the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Jackson Police Department, and Jackson Fire Department are investigating the case.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Matt Allen, Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan Buckner and Civil Rights Division Trial Attorney Taylor Payne.
A criminal indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Mississippi Man Indicted for Arson of Beth Israel Synagogue and the Goldring/Woldenberg Institute of Southern Jewish LifeRead the Press Release
Stephen Spencer Pittman, 19, of Madison, Mississippi, was charged by superseding indictment Tuesday, Feb. 10, with civil rights and arson offenses related to the burning of the Beth Israel Congregation and the Goldring/Woldenberg Institute of Southern Jewish Life building.
According to court documents from his arrest, Pittman is alleged to have used gasoline to set fire to the religious building in the early morning hours of Saturday, Jan. 10. The fire resulted in extensive damage to a significant portion of the building and rendered it inoperable for an indefinite period time.
“The Department of Justice will not tolerate attacks on houses of worship,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This superseding indictment shows that we will investigate and we will prosecute such vicious attacks that strike at the core of our country’s long tradition of religious liberty.”
“I applaud our law enforcement partners for their swift response to this heinous act of hate-fueled violence,” said U.S. Attorney J.E. Baxter Kruger for the Southern District of Mississippi. “We Americans should not fear for our safety because of our faith. Yesterday’s superseding indictment demonstrates our commitment to that cause.”
According to its website, the Beth Israel Congregation was founded in 1860, and it has operated in its present location since 1967. On Sept. 18, 1967, the then-new temple on Old Canton Road was bombed by the Ku Klux Klan. The Goldring/Woldenberg Institute of Southern Jewish Life provides services to Jewish communities in 13 states and comprehensive religious school programs to 70 Jewish congregations and offers traveling rabbinical services.
Pittman was charged in the three-count indictment with violating Title 18, United States Code, Section 844(i), which prohibits arson of property used in interstate commerce or used in an activity affecting interstate commerce, Title 18, United States Code, Section 247, which prohibits damaging or destroying religious real property because of the character of that property, and Title 18, United States Code, Section 844(h), which prohibits the use of fire during the commission of a federal felony.
The FBI, the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Jackson Police Department, and Jackson Fire Department are investigating the case.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Allen and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Buckner for the Southern District of Mississippi and Civil Rights Division Trial Attorney Taylor Payne.
A criminal indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Mineral County Woman Sentenced for Fentanyl and Methamphetamine ChargeRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Sara L. Jackson, age 49, of Keyser, West Virginia, was sentenced to 70 months in federal prison for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew L. Harvey.
Jackson conspired with another individual to sell large amounts of fentanyl, some pressed into pills, as well as methamphetamine in Mineral County. A search warrant executed at a Jackson’s apartment recovered nearly 1300 grams of fentanyl and 788 grams of methamphetamine.
Jackson will serve three years of supervised release following her prison sentence.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.
The Potomac Highlands Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.
Fentanyl has been designated by President Donald Trump as a weapon of mass destruction due to its extreme lethality which poses a grave threat to public safety, even in trace amounts. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime, and repel the invasion of illegal immigration.
U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided.
Mexican national sentenced for fentanyl traffickingRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – A 36-year-old Mexican man has been ordered to federal prison for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Angel Fabian Moreno-Rodriguez pleaded guilty Nov. 25, 2025.
U.S. District Judge Drew B. Tipton sentenced Moreno-Rodriguez to serve 70 months in federal prison. Not a U.S. citizen, he is expected to face removal proceedings following the completion of his sentence. At the hearing, the court heard evidence how Moreno-Rodriguez coordinated the transportation of drug shipments with traffickers in Mexico. In handing down the sentence, the court noted the potential harm to millions of individuals posed by fentanyl distribution.
On Sept. 18, 2025, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop on a blue Kia Forte in Donna. Moreno-Rodriguez was driving the vehicle. During the stop, authorities observed a cardboard box on the front passenger seat containing five vacuum-sealed brick-like packages. Testing confirmed the packages contained fentanyl with a total weight of approximately five kilograms. Moreno-Rodriguez admitted he was paid to transport the narcotics.
Moreno-Rodriguez has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Texas Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura Garcia prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Mexican National Sentenced to Prison for Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG-The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Jorge Alberto Santamaria-Cortes, age 47, a Mexican national who was residing in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, at the time of his arrest, was sentenced today to serve six months in prison for illegal reentry by United States District Judge Karoline Mehalchick.
Santamaria-Cortes was indicted by a federal grand jury on October 22, 2025. He subsequently pleaded guilty to illegally reentering the United States.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, Santamaria-Cortes most recently illegally reentered the United States sometime after he had been deported in July 2014. Santamaria-Cortes was found again in the United States after being arrested on October 10, 2025, on unrelated state charges in Franklin County. Those charges are still pending.
Judge Mehalchick explained that she imposed a sentence at the high-end of the applicable sentencing guideline range due to Santamaria-Cortes’ repeated instances of illegally reentering the United States and the three drunk driving offenses he committed while he was illegally in the country between 1998 and 2011. The judge cited the defendant’s lack of respect for the law and the need to deter others from committing similar crimes, among other factors, as reasons for the sentence.
The case was investigated by ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Francis P. Sempa prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Santamaria-Cortes faces deportation after serving his prison sentence.
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Mexican National Living Illegally in the United States Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Silvester Barcenas, 24, a Mexican national living illegally in the United States, was sentenced on Wednesday, February 11, 2026, to four years and nine months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute a quantity of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on August 12, 2024, Barcenas arrived in Charleston, West Virginia, with over 8 pounds of methamphetamine in a vehicle he had driven from South Carolina, where he was living at the time. Barcenas admitted that he possessed the methamphetamine, that a co-conspirator directed him to deliver the methamphetamine to another individual in Charleston, and that he delivered the methamphetamine to the individual as instructed.
Barcenas and two other Mexican nationals living illegally in the United States were indicted by a federal grand jury as the result of a joint investigation by federal and local law enforcement into a conspiracy that was responsible for delivering large quantities of methamphetamine to West Virginia and elsewhere from Houston. Braulio Villa-Chairez, also known as “Raul,” 32, pleaded guilty on August 11, 2025, to conspiracy to distribute a quantity of methamphetamine and is scheduled to be sentenced on March 25, 2026. Co-defendant German Francisco Diaz, also known as “Trulio,” 41, remains a fugitive. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Israel Chaires-Villa, 23, a Mexican national, was sentenced on November 20, 2025, to three years and 10 months in prison after pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute a quantity of methamphetamine as a result of the joint investigation.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has immigration detainers on the Mexican national defendants for their transfer to ICE administrative custody for removal proceedings upon the conclusion of their criminal cases.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), which is composed of the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the Nitro Police Department, the St. Albans Police Department and the South Charleston Police Department.
Chief United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-176.
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Member of Lummi Nation indicted for distributing fentanylRead the Press Release
Seattle – A 29-year-old Whatcom County man was arraigned today on an indictment for distributing fentanyl on Lummi Nation tribal land, announced First Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Neil Floyd. Stephan Charlot was first arrested by Lummi Nation Police on June 21, 2025, following the fentanyl overdose death of another Lummi Nation member on May 25, 2025. Charlot pleaded “Not Guilty” today in federal court. Trial in front of U.S. District Judge Kymberly K. Evanson is scheduled for April 6, 2026.
According to records filed in the case, emergency responders were called to a home on the Lummi Nation in Bellingham just after midnight. They found an adult woman unresponsive. Despite life-saving efforts, she could not be revived.
The investigation alleged that Charlot had supplied the fentanyl that the victim had ingested. Burned foil paper and Narcan doses were found in the room where the victim was located. Later the victim’s young child was forensically interviewed and described how her mother had started shaking and asked her daughter to “Hold her.” The child did, and said when her mother stopped shaking, she believed this was when her mother had died.
Using records on the victim’s phone, law enforcement located the person who had purchased the fentanyl from Charlot, brought it to the victim’s residence where the two of them used fentanyl together. Based upon a review of the cell phone evidence, investigators learned that this was not the first time that Charlot had sold fentanyl.
On February 3, 2026, Charlot was brought into federal custody and was ordered detained due in part to multiple prior tribal charges for distributing narcotics, and multiple warrants for failing to appear in court. Charlot has been in tribal custody since his arrest last year and was indicted by the grand jury on February 4, 2026.
The charges contained in the indictment are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The case was investigated by the Lummi Nation Police Department and the FBI Northwestern Washington Safe Trails Task Force.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Celia Lee. Ms. Lee serves as a Tribal Liaison for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Western District of Washington.
McAlester Resident Sentenced for Failure to Register as Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Martin Ray Melton, age 60, of McAlester, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 20 months in prison for one count of Failure to Register as Sex Offender.
The charge arose from an investigation by the U.S. Marshals Service Violent Crime Fugitive Task Force.
On August 11, 2025, Melton pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, Melton, who is required to register as a sex offender as a result of being convicted of 31 counts of Sexual Abuse of a Child by the State of Oklahoma in Oklahoma County on January 31, 2006, failed to register and update his registration from September 11, 2023, until April 15, 2025, despite entering, leaving, or residing in Indian country, within the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The Honorable Timothy M. Reif, U.S. Judge in the United States Court of International Trade, sitting by assignment in the District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Melton will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Wittlinger represented the United States.
Martinsburg Man Sentenced for Cocaine and Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – A Martinsburg, West Virginia man was sentenced today for cocaine and firearms offenses, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew L. Harvey.
Antoine Terrell Cotton, also known as “Tony,” 44, was sentenced to 60 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute cocaine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug crime. As part of the investigation, a search of Cotton’s home was conducted. During the search, investigators seized hundreds of grams of cocaine and a firearm. Cotton has prior drug convictions.
Cotton will serve five years of supervised release following his prison sentence.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.
The Eastern Panhandle Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, and the FBI investigated.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime, and repel the invasion of illegal immigration.
U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided.
Man from Dominican Republic with prior child sexual abuse convictions pleads guilty to fentanyl chargeRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Reinaldo Sanchez Gonzalez a/k/a Delvis Mendoza, 51, a citizen of the Dominican Republic, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr. to possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl, 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 Michael J. Adler, who is handling the case, on April 28, 2023, Sanchez Gonzalez traveled to the Buffalo, NY, area with co-defendant Robert Hernandez, intending to distribute approximately a kilogram of fentanyl. The vehicle that Sanchez Gonzalez and Hernandez were riding in was pulled over by deputies from the Erie County Sheriff’s Office. During the traffic stop, law enforcement recovered a brick of fentanyl from the trunk of the vehicle.
Sanchez Gonzalez is awaiting sentencing on prior felony convictions in New York State Court for Sexual Abuse 1st (sexual contact with an individual less than 11 years old) and Sexual Conduct Against Child 2nd (two or more acts/child less than 11 years old). Federal charges remain pending against Robert Hernandez
The plea is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Philip Tejera and the Erie County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff John Garcia.
Sentencing is scheduled for June 11, 2026, before Judge Sinatra.
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Man Sentenced to More Than 8 Years in Federal Prison for Distributing MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
ROCKFORD — A Crystal Lake, Ill., man has been sentenced to more than eight years in federal prison for distributing methamphetamine.
JAMES ETTLESON, 39, pleaded guilty last year to one count of distributing more than 50 grams of methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance. U.S. District Judge Iain D. Johnston imposed a 100-month prison sentence during a hearing on Monday at the federal courthouse in Rockford.
In a plea agreement, Ettleson admitted that from 2022 to 2024, he repeatedly ordered controlled substances to be delivered to him through the mail via the “dark web,” and then advertised to sell those controlled substances on Facebook. In April 2023, Ettleson arranged the order and sale of a package containing 113.2 grams of methamphetamine to an undercover law enforcement officer.
The sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Mary Johnson, Acting Postal Inspector in Charge of the Chicago Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Theodora Anderson.
Man Sentenced After Shooting into High Point Housing Authority BuildingRead the Press Release
GREENSBORO, N.C. – On February 11, 2026, Rodney Jamine Moore, Jr. was sentenced to 46 months in prison for possessing a firearm after having been convicted of a felony.
Moore, age 60 of High Point, North Carolina, appeared before Chief Judge Catherine C. Eagles and was also sentenced to 3 years of supervised release following his prison term.
Dan Bishop, United States Attorney for the Middle District of North Carolina, made the announcement and thanked the High Point Police Department for their response and investigation and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives for their work supporting the federal prosecution.
According to court documents, on April 29, 2024, just before noon, a man, later identified as Moore, was reported to be randomly firing a gun outside of High Point Housing Authority’s Astor Dowdy Tower. High Point Police Department officers responded and detained Moore who was found holding a loaded Ruger 9mm handgun. Officers noted that Moore smelled of alcohol.
A review of the scene and video surveillance footage revealed that Moore fired at least two rounds through the glass vestibule of Astor Dowdy Tower into the lobby.
Officers also located a bullet hole in the exterior sidewalk overhang and recovered six 9mm casings outside of the building.
A resident reported that she encountered Moore in front of the building waving a firearm and acting erratically. After Moore fired a shot into the door, the resident fled. She explained that she had seen Moore drinking liquor earlier in the day.
Moore told officers that he started shooting because someone was trying to kill him. At Moore’s sentencing hearing, his attorney referenced Moore’s history of mental health issues.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Eric L. Iverson.
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MS-13 Gang Member Pleads Guilty to Murder in-Aid-of RacketeeringRead the Press Release
Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Roger Morales, also known as “Crazy,” “Ciclon” and “Cyclone,” a member of the Centrales Locos Salvatruchas clique of La Mara Salvatrucha, also known as the MS-13, in Queens, New York, pleaded guilty to the June 5, 2011 murder in-aid-of racketeering of Norman Mizzell. The proceeding was held before United States District Judge Brian M. Cogan. When sentenced, Morales faces a maximum term of life imprisonment.
Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, James C. Barnacle, Jr., Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), and Jessica S. Tisch, Commissioner, New York City Police Department, announced the guilty plea.
“With today’s guilty plea, the defendant has finally been held accountable for his cold-blooded murder of Norman Mizzell almost fifteen years ago,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “This conviction reflects my Office’s ongoing commitment to prosecuting members of MS-13 for the violence they have long caused in our community.”
Mr. Nocella expressed his thanks to the FBI’s New York Field Office and the New York City Police Department for their outstanding work on the case.
According to court filings and admissions made in court, Morales first met Mizzell when he and other MS-13 members purchased marijuana from Mizzell at his home in Queens. Morales and other MS-13 members returned to Mizzell’s home several days later to purchase more marijuana. When they arrived, they found that Mizzell was away, so they broke into Mizzell’s home and robbed him. After Mizzell confronted Morales and another MS-13 member over the robbery, the defendant and other members of MS-13 decided to kill Mizzell for disrespecting them. On the night of June 5, 2011, Morales and his co-conspirators traveled to Mizzell’s home, where they shot him several times through a window into his bedroom. Mizzell was found dead in his home the next day.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Organized Crime and Gangs Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Kamil R. Ammari and John Vagelatos are in charge of the prosecution with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Danielle Barber.
The Defendant:
ROGER MORALES (also known as “Crazy,” “Ciclon” and “Cyclone”)
Age: 31
Ozone Park, QueensE.D.N.Y. Docket No.: 24-CR-453 (BMC)
Local Assistant United States Attorney Promoted to Colonel in Iowa Air National GuardRead the Press Release
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Iowa (USAO) announced today that Tony Morfitt was promoted on January 31, 2026, to the rank of Colonel in the Air Force and Iowa Air National Guard. Morfitt has served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the USAO’s Cedar Rapids office since 2010.
Colonel Morfitt currently serves as the State Staff Judge Advocate for the Iowa Air National Guard, stationed at Joint Forces Headquarters in Johnston, Iowa. The State Staff Judge Advocate is the senior attorney in the Iowa Air National Guard. Seven other attorneys serve in the Iowa Air National Guard in Des Moines and Sioux City.
“This promotion is evidence of the commitment to duty, leadership, and public service that Tony has exhibited throughout his career,” United States Attorney Leif Olson stated. “As both an AUSA and a member of the military, he has served our nation with honor and distinction. The USAO is proud to have him as a member of our team.”
Following four years of duty with the Air Force Reserves, Colonel Morfitt joined the 132d Wing, Iowa Air National Guard, in 2014. The 132d Wing’s missions span the globe and include remotely piloted aircraft, cybersecurity, intelligence, reconnaissance, and surveillance. Colonel Morfitt advised commanders on matters including military justice, cyber law, and the law of war and armed conflict. He was a key part of the creation of the 168th Cyber Operations Squadron, giving legal guidance on emerging cyber law concerns, including providing cybersecurity support to the State of Iowa during the 2020 elections.
Colonel Morfitt joined the Air Force upon graduating with high distinction and as a member of the Order of the Coif from the University of Iowa College of Law. He served on active duty for more than four years, during which he was trial counsel in more than 20 trials.
Colonel Morfitt’s military awards include two Meritorious Service Medals, three Air and Space Commendation Medals, eight Air and Space Outstanding Unit Awards, and two Air and Space Longevity Service Awards. He is also a graduate of the Air Force’s Air War College and its Air Command and Staff College.
As an Assistant U.S. Attorney, Morfitt has handled a number of significant cases. He received a Director’s Award from the Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys for his prosecutions of three murders committed on the Meskwaki Settlement. He was also a member of the team prosecuting the mastermind behind the “Field of Schemes” fraud, which caused $120 million in losses and was the largest organic-fraud case in U.S. history. His recent cases include the prosecution of Gordon Grabau, a former volunteer reserve sheriff who possessed nearly 170,000 child-pornography files, and Cardel Redmond, who was sentenced to more than fifty-five years in prison for a twelve-day spree of armed robberies.
Soldiers and airmen serving in the Iowa National Guard receive the same training as their active-duty counterparts, and serve across the state through drilling status on weekends, during annual training, or full-time through various programs. The Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act protects Guardsmen’s employment and civil rights, as well as those of members of the military’s various reserve components. The U.S. Department of Labor investigates complaints of violations of those rights, which are prosecuted by the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division, in partnership with U.S. Attorney’s Offices.
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Lincoln Man Sentenced for Felon in Possession of a Firearm and a Supervised Release ViolationRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Cleophus Collier, 35, of Lincoln, Nebraska, was sentenced on February 12, 2026, in federal court in Lincoln, Nebraska for possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. United States District Judge Susan M. Bazis sentenced Collier to 45 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Collier is released from prison, he will begin a three-year term of supervised release. Additionally, Collier was sentenced for a violation of supervised release to a term of 12 months and one day imprisonment to run consecutive to the 45-month sentence.
Collier was located by law enforcement who had a warrant for his arrest in relation to a federal supervised release violation. As law enforcement approached, Collier removed a backpack from his body and placed it on the ground next to him. Located in the bag was a loaded Springfield XDS and seven rounds of .45 ammunition. The firearm was found to be stolen out of Omaha in 2016.
Collier is a three-time convicted felon and was prohibited from the possession of firearms and ammunition.
This case was investigated by the Metro Fugitive Task Force and the U.S. Marshals Service.
Liberty County man sentenced to 9 years in federal prison for trafficking methamphetamineRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – A Liberty man has been sentenced to nine years in federal prison for drug trafficking violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Claude Gilbert, 64, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and was sentenced to 108 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone on February 12, 2026.
According to information presented in court, after conducting an investigation, agents executed a search warrant at Gilbert’s home in September 2024 and found a safe in his bedroom containing 51 grams of actual methamphetamine, a digital scale, plastic baggies, three firearms, and ammunition.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Liberty County Sheriff’s Office. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Jackson.
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Lexington Man Sentenced to 65 Years for Firearms and Drug Trafficking CrimesRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. – A Lexington, Ky., man, Keith Lamont Stallworth, 41, was sentenced on Thursday by U.S. District Judge Karen Caldwell to 65 years in prison after previously being convicted of multiple firearms charges and pleading guilty to drug trafficking charges.
In August 2025, Stallworth was convicted of carrying and using a firearm during a drug trafficking crime; possessing a machine gun in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; possessing a firearm as a convicted felon; possessing a machine gun; and failing to register the machine gun. Stallworth also previously pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl; possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine; and using a residence for the purpose of manufacturing and distributing controlled substances.
According to testimony at Stallworth’s trial for the firearm charges, in August 2023, Stallworth was arrested in possession of a .57 caliber Palmetto Arms pistol that contained high velocity rifle rounds and an extended magazine capable of holding an additional 29 rounds. A search warrant at Stallworth’s downtown Lexington apartment yielded a large quantity of methamphetamine, fentanyl, cocaine, hundreds of rounds of ammunition as well as a 9mm handgun and an illegally modified .40 caliber pistol. The pistol was installed with a machinegun conversion device, sometimes called a “switch” or “Glock switch,” that converted the firearm to a fully automatic weapon defined under federal law as a machinegun.
Under federal law, Stallworth must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for 10 years.
Paul McCaffrey, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Jim Scott, Special Agent in Charge, DEA, Louisville Field Division; John Nokes, Special Agent in Charge, ATF, Louisville Field; Phillip J. Burnett, Jr., Commissioner of the Kentucky State Police; Chief Lawrence Weathers, Lexington Police Department; Chief Michael Fleming, Nicholasville Police Department; and Sheriff Kevin Grimes, Jessamine County Sheriff’s Office, announced the sentencing.
The investigation was conducted by DEA, ATF, KSP, Lexington Police Department, Nicholasville Police Department, and Jessamine County Sheriff’s Office. The U.S. Attorney’s Office was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cynthia Rieker and retired Assistant U.S. Attorney Roger West.
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Lexington Man Sentenced for Distribution of Controlled SubstancesRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. – A Lexington, Ky., man, Michael Smitha, 52, was sentenced on Wednesday by U.S. District Judge Karen Caldwell to 140 months for conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and distribution of five grams or more of methamphetamine.
According to his plea agreement, in December 2023, law enforcement received information that Smitha was distributing quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl in Central Kentucky. From December 29, 2023, through May 9, 2024, law enforcement used a confidential source to make controlled purchases of fentanyl and methamphetamine from Smitha.
Smitha has a prior federal conviction for conspiracy to distribute oxycodone in May 2014.
Under federal law, Smitha must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for 8 years.
Paul McCaffrey, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; John Nokes, Special Agent in Charge, ATF, Louisville Field Division; and Commander Kalan Perdue, Gateway High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by ATF and Gateway HIDTA Task Force. The U.S. Attorney’s Office was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cynthia Rieker.
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Leader of drug trafficking organization sentenced to more than 24 years in prisonRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – Four Cincinnati men were sentenced in U.S. District Court here this week for their roles in a large-scale narcotics conspiracy that provided drugs in the West End.
Kevin Deramus, 46, was the head of the drug trafficking organization. He obtained, cut, processed and distributed large quantities of drug mixes made with heroin, fentanyl, cocaine, xylazine and other drugs. He was sentenced on Feb. 11 to 294 months in prison.
Throughout this investigation, agents learned that Deramus purchased large quantities of heroin from a co-defendant before he and one of his top distributors, Dorian Freeman, cut and processed that heroin with fentanyl, cocaine, xylazine and other substances. The drugs were then sold to co-conspirators who helped run a handful of stash houses in Cincinnati.
Deramus was heard during law enforcement surveillance bragging about how potent his drugs were, while simultaneously complaining that they were too strong because it now took his “licks” longer to come back and buy more. He was also heard joking that one of his drug testers may have overdosed and died from the potency.
When law enforcement officials executed search warrants at associated residences in February and March 2024, they discovered $291,000 in cash at one stash house. They also seized bulk quantities of drugs and loaded firearms.
Freeman has pleaded guilty and awaits sentencing. He faces at least 10 years and up to life in prison. Co-defendant Gregory Isham was sentenced on Feb. 11 to 57 months in prison. Damien Tribble and Edmond Hurt were each sentenced today to 36 months in prison.
Dominick S. Gerace II, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, Joseph O. Dixon, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Detroit, and Cincinnati Interim Police Chief Adam Hennie announced the sentences imposed by Chief U.S. District Court Judge Susan J. Dlott. Former Assistant United States Attorney Timothy D. Oakley and Assistant United States Attorney David P. Dornette represented the United States in this case.
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Leader of Jacksonville Drug Trafficking Organization Sentenced to 35 Years for His Role in Drive-By Shooting on I-95Read the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – Nathaniel Hatcher III (30, Jacksonville) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Harvey Schlesinger to 35 years in federal prison for conspiring to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute marijuana, conspiracy to commit money laundering, committing a drive-by shooting in furtherance of a major drug offense, and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence. The court also entered an order for forfeiture in the amount of $2.2 million, the proceeds of the drug trafficking conspiracy. Hatcher entered a guilty plea in September 2025. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents, Hatcher operated and led a Jacksonville-based drug trafficking organization (DTO). For eight years, Hatcher’s DTO trafficked bulk amounts of marijuana from Northern California to Jacksonville by smuggling the drug on commercial airlines, shipping it through the U.S. mail system, and transporting it by vehicle across state lines. Once the marijuana arrived in Jacksonville, Hatcher and other DTO members transported the marijuana to various short-term rental homes throughout Jacksonville. Hatcher and members of the DTO rented these homes to store, package, and distribute marijuana. Hatcher and other members of the DTO carried and possessed firearms at these residences to protect themselves, their drugs, and their drug proceeds during drug sales.
In addition to trafficking, transporting, smuggling, and selling marijuana, Hatcher was also responsible for carrying out violence on behalf of the DTO. Hatcher used the assistance of former corrections officer Desmond Maxwell to unlawfully buy firearms on behalf of Hatcher and members of the DTO.
Hatcher, with the assistance of Yaquasia Delcarmen, would collect drug proceeds from the DTO’s members. Hatcher and Delcarmen would then launder the proceeds back into bank accounts controlled by Hatcher. During the conspiracy, Hatcher and others used sham business accounts that were formed for the purpose of laundering illicit proceeds. Hatcher and Delcarmen laundered over $2 million and spent the drug proceeds on lavish lifestyle items.
On September 18, 2023, Hatcher, James Toney, and other DTO members arranged a bulk marijuana transaction with subjects whom they had met that evening in Jacksonville. The drug transaction, which occurred at a gas station along Old St. Augustine Road, failed. The other subjects never provided the promised marijuana, and instead, stole approximately $45,000 in cash from Hatcher and Toney. After the failed drug transaction, Hatcher contacted a former police officer, who illegally accessed law enforcement databases to provide Hatcher with the names and home addresses of the subjects who stole the money. For nearly a month, Hatcher and other DTO members tracked, surveilled, and cyber-stalked the other subjects and their family members. In text messages, Hatcher and others discussed and plotted retaliation for the robbery, including committing acts of violence.
On October 15, 2023, Briyhon Johnson and Toney traveled to the Jacksonville International Airport to break into a rental car lot. Johnson and Toney stole two cars from the rental car lot with the intention of using one of the stolen cars in the planned retaliation. The theft had been coordinated by Johnson and Toney through text messages.
Two days later, on October 17, 2023, Toney traveled to the Duval County courthouse in Jacksonville, Florida, for a scheduled court date in an unrelated pending criminal matter. Toney and other DTO members knew from reading the public court docket that one of the subjects from the September 18 drug deal also had court that day at the Duval County courthouse for a separate criminal matter. After court concluded, Hatcher and other DTO members surveilled this subject as he exited the Duval County courthouse, accompanied by a female subject, and entered his Mercedes sedan.
Toney traveled to meet with Johnson, who provided Toney with a firearm. Johnson, Toney, Hatcher, and Tavarius Blue were operating multiple vehicles, including a stolen red Dodge Charger sedan and a gray Audi SUV, and followed the Mercedes sedan from downtown Jacksonville to I-95, traveling southbound toward St. Johns County. Darion Jerido was driving a separate sedan, acting as the lookout for the others and to keep pace with the Mercedes sedan. Johnson was driving the red Dodge Charger, with Toney traveling in the passenger seat. Blue was driving the gray Audi SUV, with Hatcher traveling in passenger seat. At approximately 11:20 a.m., during the pursuit along I-95 South, the red Dodge Charger and the gray Audi SUV boxed the Mercedes sedan into the left lane of traffic. Then, Toney from the Dodge Charger and Hatcher from the Audi SUV discharged dozens of rounds of 7.62 caliber ammunition at the Mercedes sedan. According to witness interviews, Johnson and Toney were both wearing masks. Following the shooting, the red Dodge Charger and the Audi SUV fled the scene.
Officers with the St. Johns County Sheriffs’ Office and emergency medical personnel arrived on scene within minutes. The driver of the Mercedes sedan, who was the male subject from the courthouse, sustained one gunshot wound but survived and was air-lifted to a trauma unit. The front passenger of the Mercedes, the female subject from the courthouse, did not sustain any gunshot wounds but did suffer injuries from broken glass. Emergency personnel also transported her to a nearby hospital. The Mercedes sedan sustained gunshots to the passenger side, the rear, the front and hood, the front windshield, the interior, and the engine block. On scene, deputies recovered approximately 25 spent 7.62 caliber shell casings. According to ballistics analysis, two different firearms were used during the shooting.
Following Hatcher’s arrest in February 2024, Delcarmen continued the drug trafficking activities on Hatcher’s behalf and at Hatcher’s direction. Hatcher tampered with multiple witnesses and co-conspirators, directing them to flee from, or lie to, law enforcement. Hatcher also directed co-conspirators to destroy evidence.
Status of Hatcher DTO Co-conspirators
Name
Status
Tavarius BlueSentenced to 12 years federal prisonYaquasia DelCarmenSentenced to 8 years in federal prisonAl’Donta EasterlingSentenced to 10 years in federal prisonDarion JeridoSentenced to 6 years, 6 months federal prisonBriyhon JohnsonSentenced to 14 years, 3 months federal prisonJavon DavisPled guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 100 kilograms or more of marijuana; faces a minimum penalty of 5 years, up to 40 years, in federal prisonChristian GuytonPled guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 100 kilograms or more of marijuana; faces a minimum penalty of 5 years, up to 40 years, in federal prisonDesmond MaxwellPled guilty to straw-purchasing firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; faces up to 25 years in federal prisonJahson HatcherPled guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 100 kilograms or more of marijuana; faces a minimum penalty of 5 years, up to 40 years, in federal prisonJames ToneyPled guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 100 kilograms or more of marijuana, committing a drive-by shooting in furtherance of a major drug offense, and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence; faces a minimum penalty of 15 years, up to life, in federal prison“Hatcher and his drug crew planned and executed a brazen drive-by shooting in broad daylight on I-95, putting dozens of law-abiding Americans in danger of losing their lives,” said Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche. “Now, he will spend decades in federal prison where he can no longer terrorize the Jacksonville community thanks to the combined efforts of federal, state, and local law enforcement partners who investigated and prosecuted this case.”
“The tenacious work by our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners in this case ensured that the members of this drug trafficking organization were brought to justice,” stated U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe. “We will continue to leverage our resources, whenever necessary, to protect our communities from violence and harm.”
“This case demonstrates the unwavering commitment of HSI to protect our communities from the dangers posed by drug trafficking and violent crime,” said HSI Jacksonville Assistant Special Agent in Charge Tim Hemker. “The dismantlement of this violent drug trafficking organization and the sentencing of these defendants will have a lasting impact on the safety of our community.”
“The judge delivered a punishment that matches the danger this defendant posed to communities,” said Ron Loecker, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Florida Field Office. “The message is simple: profit from poison, and you pay for it. IRS CI and our partners will follow the money across jurisdictions to shut down traffickers and every coconspirator who launders their profits.”
This case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, and the Florida Highway Patrol. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Elisibeth Adams.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).
Leader of Jacksonville Drug Trafficking Organization Sentenced for Role in Drive-By Shooting on I-95Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON — Nathaniel Hatcher III, 30, of Jacksonville, has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Harvey Schlesinger for the Middle District of Florida to 35 years in prison for conspiring to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute marijuana, conspiracy to commit money laundering, committing a drive-by shooting in furtherance of a major drug offense, and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence. The court also entered a $2.2 million order for forfeiture, the proceeds of the drug trafficking conspiracy. Hatcher pleaded guilty in September 2025.
“Hatcher and his drug crew planned and executed a brazen drive-by shooting in broad daylight on I-95, putting dozens of law-abiding Americans in danger of losing their lives,” said Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche. “Now, he will spend decades in federal prison where he can no longer terrorize the Jacksonville community thanks to the combined efforts of federal, state, and local law enforcement partners who investigated and prosecuted this case.”
“The tenacious work by our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners in this case ensured that the members of this drug trafficking organization were brought to justice,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe for the Middle District of Florida. “We will continue to leverage our resources, whenever necessary, to protect our communities from violence and harm.”
“This case demonstrates the unwavering commitment of HSI to protect our communities from the dangers posed by drug trafficking and violent crime,” said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Tim Hemker of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Jacksonville. “The dismantlement of this violent drug trafficking organization and the sentencing of these defendants will have a lasting impact on the safety of our community.”
“The judge delivered a punishment that matches the danger this defendant posed to communities,” said Special Agent in Charge Ron Loecker of IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS CI) Florida Field Office. “The message is simple: profit from poison, and you pay for it. IRS CI and our partners will follow the money across jurisdictions to shut down traffickers and every coconspirator who launders their profits.”
According to court documents, Hatcher operated and led a Jacksonville-based drug trafficking organization (DTO). For eight years, Hatcher’s DTO trafficked bulk amounts of marijuana from Northern California to Jacksonville by smuggling the drug on commercial airlines, shipping it through the U.S. mail system, and transporting it by vehicle across state lines. Once the marijuana arrived in Jacksonville, Hatcher and other DTO members transported the marijuana to various short-term rental homes throughout Jacksonville. Hatcher and members of the DTO rented these homes to store, package, and distribute marijuana. Hatcher and other members of the DTO carried and possessed firearms at these residences to protect themselves, their drugs, and their drug proceeds during drug sales.
In addition to trafficking, transporting, smuggling, and selling marijuana, Hatcher was also responsible for carrying out violence on behalf of the DTO. Hatcher used the assistance of former corrections officer Desmond Maxwell to unlawfully buy firearms on behalf of Hatcher and members of the DTO.
Hatcher, with the assistance of Yaquasia Delcarmen, would collect drug proceeds from the DTO’s members. Hatcher and Delcarmen would then launder the proceeds back into bank accounts controlled by Hatcher. During the conspiracy, Hatcher and others used sham business accounts that were formed for the purpose of laundering illicit proceeds. Hatcher and Delcarmen laundered over $2 million and spent the drug proceeds on lavish lifestyle items.
On Sept. 18, 2023, Hatcher, James Toney, and other DTO members arranged a bulk marijuana transaction with subjects whom they had met that evening in Jacksonville. The drug transaction failed; the other subjects never provided the promised marijuana, and instead, stole approximately $45,000 in cash from Hatcher and Toney. After the failed drug transaction, Hatcher contacted a former police officer, who illegally accessed law enforcement databases to provide Hatcher with the names and home addresses of the subjects who stole the money. For nearly a month, Hatcher and other DTO members tracked, surveilled, and cyber-stalked the other subjects and their family members. In text messages, Hatcher and others discussed and plotted retaliation for the robbery, including committing acts of violence.
On Oct. 15, 2023, Briyhon Johnson and Toney traveled to the Jacksonville International Airport to break into a rental car lot. Johnson and Toney stole two cars from the rental car lot with the intention of using one of the stolen cars in the planned retaliation. The theft had been coordinated by Johnson and Toney through text messages.
On Oct.17, 2023, Toney traveled to the Duval County courthouse in Jacksonville for a scheduled court date in an unrelated pending criminal matter. Toney and other DTO members knew from reading the public court docket that one of the subjects from the September 18 drug deal also had court that day at the Duval County courthouse for a separate criminal matter. After court concluded, Hatcher and other DTO members surveilled this subject as he exited the Duval County courthouse, accompanied by a female subject, and entered his Mercedes sedan.
Toney traveled to meet with Johnson, who provided Toney with a firearm. Johnson, Toney, Hatcher, and Tavarius Blue were operating multiple vehicles, including a stolen red Dodge Charger sedan and a gray Audi SUV, and followed the Mercedes sedan from downtown Jacksonville to I-95, traveling southbound toward St. Johns County. Darion Jerido was driving a separate sedan, acting as the lookout for the others and to keep pace with the Mercedes sedan. Johnson was driving the red Dodge Charger, with Toney traveling in the passenger seat. Blue was driving the gray Audi SUV, with Hatcher traveling in passenger seat. At approximately 11:20 a.m., during the pursuit along I-95 South, the red Dodge Charger and the gray Audi SUV boxed the Mercedes sedan into the left lane of traffic. Then, Toney from the Dodge Charger and Hatcher from the Audi SUV discharged dozens of rounds of 7.62 caliber ammunition at the Mercedes sedan. According to witness interviews, Johnson and Toney were both wearing masks. Following the shooting, the red Dodge Charger and the Audi SUV fled the scene.
Officers with the St. Johns County Sheriffs’ Office and emergency medical personnel arrived on scene within minutes. The driver of the Mercedes sedan, who was the male subject from the courthouse, sustained one gunshot wound but survived and was air-lifted to a trauma unit. The front passenger of the Mercedes, the female subject from the courthouse, did not sustain any gunshot wounds but did suffer injuries from broken glass. Emergency personnel also transported her to a nearby hospital. The Mercedes sedan sustained gunshots to the passenger side, the rear, the front and hood, the front windshield, the interior, and the engine block. On scene, deputies recovered approximately 25 spent 7.62 caliber shell casings. According to ballistics analysis, two different firearms were used during the shooting.
Following Hatcher’s arrest in February 2024, Delcarmen continued the drug trafficking activities on Hatcher’s behalf and at Hatcher’s direction. Hatcher tampered with multiple witnesses and co-conspirators, directing them to flee from, or lie to, law enforcement. Hatcher also directed co-conspirators to destroy evidence.
Status of Hatcher DTO Co-conspiratorsNameStatusTavarius BlueSentenced to 12 years in prison.Yaquasia DelCarmenSentenced to 8 years in prison.Al’Donta EasterlingSentenced to 10 years in prison.Darion JeridoSentenced to 6 years, 6 months in prison.Briyhon JohnsonSentenced to 14 years, 3 months in prison.Javon DavisPleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 100 kilograms or more of marijuana; faces a minimum penalty of five years in prison and a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison.Christian GuytonPleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 100 kilograms or more of marijuana; faces a minimum penalty of five years in prison and a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison.Desmond MaxwellPleaded guilty to straw-purchasing firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; faces a maximum penalty of 25 years in prison.Jahson HatcherPleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 100 kilograms or more of marijuana; faces a minimum penalty of 5 years in prison and a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison.James ToneyPleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 100 kilograms or more of marijuana, committing a drive-by shooting in furtherance of a major drug offense, and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence; faces a minimum penalty of 15 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison.HSI, IRS Criminal Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the FBI, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, and the Florida Highway Patrol are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Elisibeth Adams for the Middle District of Florida is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Knox Place Defendant Pleads Guilty in Wide-Ranging Narcotics Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Darryl Dacota Riley, Jr, 39, a previously convicted felon residing in the District of Columbia, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in connection with his role in a drug trafficking conspiracy that reached across the United States and sold PCP, cocaine, and fentanyl in the 2900 block of Knox Place in Southeast D.C., announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Riley, aka “Slice,” pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute one kilogram or more of phencyclidine (PCP), 500 grams or more of cocaine, and 40 grams or more of fentanyl. In addition, Riley pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon. Judge Timothy J. Kelly, who accepted the plea, scheduled sentencing for May 14, 2026.
“Thanks to our prosecutors, a 10-time convicted felon and drug-trafficker is off the streets and behind bars,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “Jackson went so far as to target drug addicts seeking rehabilitation by selling drugs outside of rehabilitation and treatment facilities in Southeast Washington D.C., but now he won’t be bringing down this community anymore.”
According to court documents, in the summer of 2024, FBI agents initiated a long-term investigation of a drug trafficking conspiracy centered around the 2900 block of Knox Place, SE, where law enforcement had identified an alleged fentanyl and PCP trafficker with a stash house. Over the course of their investigation into the trafficker’s narcotics suppliers, agents determined that Riley served as a bulk PCP supplier within the conspiracy.
Riley is the third defendant to plead guilty thus far after a years-long investigation that culminated in the arrests of fourteen individuals in August 2025 after the FBI executed 20 residential search warrants across the District, Maryland, and Los Angeles. Investigators at the time seized 20 firearms, more than two kilograms of suspected cocaine, crack cocaine, and fentanyl, a kilo press commonly used to compact kilogram-quantities of powdered narcotics, and over $100,000 in cash.
The Knox Place neighborhood has experienced at least five homicides in the past year, among other violent crimes. According to court documents, the D.C. traffickers who operated around Knox Place sourced their narcotics through a Baltimore-based co-conspirator, who in turn was importing narcotics from California. One of the shipments from California included 17 gallons of PCP that was intercepted last year by law enforcement outside of Topeka, Kansas.
On Aug. 26, 2025, investigators searched Riley’s residence on the 1900 block of Naylor Road, SE, and recovered about 900 grams of cocaine, about 11 grams of crack cocaine, 120 grams of fentanyl, more than 7 grams of methamphetamine, and $20,097 in cash. In addition, agents recovered a loaded Taurus 9mm handgun, a loaded and chambered Glock 21 45mm pistol; and a loaded privately manufactured AR-style .223 caliber firearm with no serial number.
Joining U.S. Attorney Pirro in the announcement was FBI Assistant Director in Charge Darren B. Cox.
This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office with valuable assistance from the DEA and the MPD. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew W. Kinskey, Sarah Akhtar, and John Crabb of the Violent Crime and Narcotics Trafficking Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
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Kansas City Man Sentenced for Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for illegally possessing a Glock 9mm caliber handgun.
Sergio Marquez, 35, was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Judge Brian C. Wimes, to almost 13 years (155 months) in prison without parole for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
On Dec. 12, 2024, Independence, Mo., Police Department officers noticed a Mercedes vehicle that had been spray-painted black, had tinted windows, and had tags assigned to a different vehicle. Police officers attempted to pull over the vehicle for further investigation and a high-speed chase ensued. The Mercedes vehicle went westbound on U.S. 24 highway and reached speeds in excess of 120 miles per hour. On Independence Avenue near the Winner Road intersection, the Mercedes vehicle crashed while attempting to avoid stop-sticks deployed by police. Marquez had difficulty exiting the vehicle after the crash and was seen by multiple officers tossing a firearm under the vehicle while he was on his hands and knees. Marquez had a large laceration on the right side of his neck. Officers provided medical assistance until EMS arrived. Law enforcement officials later recovered the Glock 19 semi-automatic handgun that Marquez had thrown under the Mercedes vehicle. Marquez had previously been convicted of a felony offense. It is against federal law for a convicted felon to knowingly possess a firearm.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Trey Alford It was investigated by Independence, Mo. Police Department.
Operation Take Back America
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
KC Man Sentenced to Four Years’ Imprisonment for Firearms TraffickingRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man was sentenced to four years imprisonment in federal custody today for conspiring to traffic firearms to prohibited persons.
Michael Dewayne Hardy, 23, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Beth Phillips, to 48 months in federal prison without parole, to be followed by 3 years of supervised release. The court also ordered Hardy to pay a criminal forfeiture money judgment in the amount of $6,500.
On April 7, 2025, Michael Dewayne Hardy admitted that he knowingly and willfully joined in an agreement to sell firearms to individuals who were prohibited from possessing them under federal law and he admitted to illegally trafficking a machinegun. According to the plea agreement, the conspirators trafficked at least 22 firearms to persons who were known felons or they sold firearms that were converted into unregistered machineguns in violation of federal law. Michael Dewayne Hardy admitted that on at least three occasions he worked with co-conspirators to sell seven firearms to a prohibited person. One of the firearms Hardy sold had been converted into an unregistered machinegun.
On Feb. 21, 2024, co-defendant Dejohuan Mietz Huntley, 27, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to traffic firearms to prohibited persons, one count of possessing an unregistered machinegun, and one count of knowingly being a felon in possession of a firearm. On June 26, 2024, Huntley, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Beth Phillips, to 70 months in federal prison without parole, to be followed by 3 years of supervised release.
On April 14, 2025, co-defendant Antonio Manning, Sr., 23, pleaded guilty to his involvement in the conspiracy to illegally traffic firearms. Pursuant to the plea agreement, Antonio Manning admitted that he was personally involved in illegally selling at least nine firearms and one of those firearms was an unregistered machinegun. On Aug. 7, 2025, Antonio Manning was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Beth Phillips, to 48 months in federal prison without parole, to be followed by 3 years of supervised release.
On Jan. 22, 2025, co-defendant Sheron Manning, 22, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to traffic firearms to prohibited persons and to one count of illegally trafficking a firearm that had been converted into an unregistered machinegun. On May 21, 2025, Sheron Manning was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Beth Phillips, to 57 months in federal prison without parole, to be followed by 3 years of supervised release.
On Apr. 17, 2025, co-defendant Fedo Manning, 24, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to traffic firearms to prohibited persons. On Aug. 21, 2025, Fedo Manning, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Beth Phillips, to 66 months in federal prison without parole, to be followed by 3 years of supervised release. One of the recovered firearms originally purchased by Fedo Manning and later trafficked to an unknown individual was discovered at the scene of the shooting that occurred during the celebration of the Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl victory on Feb. 14, 2024. The recovered firearm was an Anderson Manufacturing AM-15, .223-caliber pistol. The loaded pistol was found along the wall with a backpack next to two AR-15-style firearms and backpacks. Because the pistol was in “fire” position and there were 26 live rounds in the magazine, which is capable of holding 30 rounds, it may have fired several rounds before it was discarded.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Trey Alford. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Operation Take Back America
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Jury Finds Virginia Man Guilty of First-Degree Sexual Abuse of a Minor and First-Degree Sexual Abuse of a StudentRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Mark Williams, 59, of Virginia, has been found guilty by a jury of four counts of first-degree sexual abuse of a secondary education student and four counts of first-degree sexual abuse of a minor, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Williams was the victim’s high school teacher in 2014, when the abuse occurred.
The verdict was returned on February 12, 2026, following a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The Honorable Michael Ryan scheduled sentencing for April 17, 2026. The defendant remains held without bond pending sentencing.
According to the government’s evidence, in the spring of 2014, Williams was the victim’s high school teacher at Duke Ellington School for the Arts. Williams began an independent study with the victim, who was 17 years old at the time. Their independent study met in a locked, windowless room in the basement of Duke Ellington. Williams then initiated a romantic and sexual relationship with the victim, during which they participated in sexual acts while on campus.
Joining in the announcement was Jeffery W. Carroll, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
In announcing the verdict, U.S. Attorney Pirro and Chief Carroll commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Tiffany Jones, Investigative Analyst Lucas Jetson, and Victim Witness Coordinators Guisela Castillo and Katina Adams.
Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Callie Hyde and Sarah Roessler, who investigated and prosecuted the case, and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Rob Platt, who assisted with investigating the case.
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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 Kender Jose Alvarez-Hernandez, a/k/a Kender Alvarez-Hernandez, age 21, a Guatemalan national unlawfully present in Johnston County, Oklahoma, was sentenced to time served 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 Johnston County Sheriff’s Office.
On August 14, 2025, Alvarez-Hernandez pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on June 17, 2025, Alvarez-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 April 23, 2025.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The Honorable Ronald A. White, Senior District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Cornell represented the United States at sentencing.
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 Fernando Gonzalez-Esparza, a/k/a Fernando Esparza-Gonzalez, a/k/a Fernando Gonzalez-Esparsa, a/k/a Fernando Esparza, a/k/a Fernando Gonzalez, a/k/a Fernada Gonzalez, a/k/a Angel Gomez, age 41, a Mexican national unlawfully present in Muskogee County, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 30 months 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 Haskell Police Department.
On September 10, 2025, Gonzalez-Esparza pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on July 12, 2025, Gonzalez-Esparza, 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 October 1, 2021.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The Honorable Ronald A. White, Senior District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Gonzalez-Esparza will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Cornell represented the United States at sentencing.
Honduran national ordered to federal prison for fifth illegal reentryRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 48-year-old man who illegally resided in Porter has been sentenced for illegally reentering the country again, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Oscar Javier Quiroz Perdomo pleaded guilty Nov. 21, 2025.
U.S. District Judge Sim Lake has now ordered Perdomo to serve 70 months in federal prison. Not a U.S. citizen, he is expected to face removal proceedings following his imprisonment. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence regarding his criminal history while illegally present in the United States. In imposing the sentence, the court noted Perdomo’s repeated illegal reentries and other criminal conduct.
Perdomo has multiple previous convictions for thefts, burglaries of buildings and a habitation, abandoning or endangering a child and illegal reentry.
He was first ordered removed in August 2009 and returned illegally on at least four other occasions. Most recently, authorities discovered him on or about Jan. 29, 2025, in Houston with no authorization to be there.
Perdomo has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Enforcement and Removal Operations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony Franklyn and former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Brooke Fuselier prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Honduran National Guilty of Assault Against Law EnforcementRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – JOSE WALTER NIETO-CASTELLANOS (“NIETO-CASTELLANOS”), age 31, plead guilty on January 29, 2026, to Assault Against Law Enforcement, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 111(b), announced United States Attorney David I. Courcelle.
According to the charging document, on October 14, 2025, NIETO-CASTELLANOS forcibly obstructed and impeded a United States Customs and Border Protection Agent, while that agent was engaged in the performance of his official duties.
NIETO-CASTELLANOS faces a maximum term of imprisonment of twenty (20) years, followed by up to three (3) years of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000.00, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00.
NIETO-CASTELLANOS sentencing is set for March 12, 2026, before United States District Judge Carl J. Barbier.
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).
U.S. Attorney Courcelle praised the work of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection in investigating this matter. Special Assistant United States Attorney Frederick W. Veters Jr., of the General Crimes Unit oversees the prosecution.
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Hartford Man Who Robbed Victims after Advertising Vehicle Sales Online Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that FREDERICK WRIGHT, 34, of Hartford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford to 180 months of imprisonment and four years of supervised release for committing several armed robberies of individuals who responded to his Facebook Marketplace posts advertising the sale of a vehicle.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Wright operated a robbery scheme in which he would post a vehicle for sale on Facebook Marketplace. He then arranged to meet a potential purchaser, allowed the purchaser to take a test drive of the vehicle, and then negotiated a price. Once the purchaser handed over cash for the vehicle, Wright would brandish a firearm, threaten to shoot the victim, and steal the cash and, at times, other valuable items from the victim. During this scheme, between July 2020 and November 2020, Wright and others robbed at least five victims in Windsor and Bloomfield.
Wright was arrested on November 24, 2020. On that date, investigators conducted a court-authorized search of Wright’s Hartford residence and seized a loaded 9mm semiautomatic pistol that he and others used during the robberies.
Wright’s criminal history includes state felony convictions for attempted robbery in the first degree and failure to appear, and he was on state special parole when he committed the robberies in 2020.
Wright has been detained since his arrest. On February 1, 2022, he pleaded guilty to three counts of obstruction of interstate commerce by robbery, two counts of brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon.
Judge Shea ordered Wright to pay $14,429 in restitution to the victims of his crimes.
This matter was investigated by Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Hartford Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Konstantin Lantsman.
U.S. Attorney Sullivan encouraged those who sell and purchase items online, and need to meet an individual in person to complete the sale, to use a visible, monitored location. Contact your local police department to see if it offers a monitored meeting location, or search online for a nearby monitored location.
Harlem woman sentenced to prison for trafficking drugs on the Fort Belknap Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS – A Harlem woman who trafficked fentanyl and methamphetamine on the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation was sentenced yesterday to 28 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Twila Marie Cochran, 49, pleaded guilty in October 2025 to one count of possession with the intent to distribute controlled substances.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.
The government alleged in court documents that Cochran has been trafficking controlled substances on the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation since at least October 2022.
On April 6, 2023, she drove to St. Regis to pick up thousands of fentanyl pills and 12 ounces of methamphetamine to sell on the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation. Her co-defendant put the drugs in her car, which she drove back to her home.
Prior to the drug run, Cochran bragged in text messages to her co-defendant about being able to hide the drugs in her home.
Law enforcement eventually recovered nearly 2,500 fentanyl pills associated with the April 2023 drug run hidden on Cochran’s property. Between October 2022 until she was incarcerated, she continued to traffic meth and fentanyl to members of the Fort Belknap Indian Community.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda L. Myers prosecuted the case. The FBI and Fort Belknap Law Enforcement Services conducted the investigation.
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Guatemalan National Guilty of Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA –YOVANI ALEXANDER CANU-GONZALEZ (“CANU-GONZALEZ”), age 25, a citizen of Guatemala, pled guilty to illegal reentry of a removed alien, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a), announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle.
According to the bill of information, CANU-GONZALEZ reentered the United States on or about July 29, 2024, after having been previously removed on or about May 24, 2023.
Sentencing is scheduled for May 13, 2026, before U.S. District Judge Greg G. Guidry. The maximum penalties facing CANU-GONZALEZ are imprisonment of not more than two (2) years, a fine of up to $250,000.00, and payment of a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00. Additionally, CANU-GONZALEZ is subject to a period of supervised release after imprisonment of up to one year.
U.S. Attorney Courcelle praised the work of the United States Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Irene González of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
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Greece pawn shop owner going to prison for his role in retail theft ring involving hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of stolen merchandiseRead the Press Release
ROCHESTER, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Dominic Sprague, 42, of Greece, NY, who was convicted of conspiracy to transport stolen goods in interstate commerce, was sentenced to serve 60 months in prison by Chief U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle P. Rossi, who handled the case, stated that between December 2021 and October 17, 2024, Sprague, who was the owner and operator of the New York Gold Diamond Pawn Shop in Greece, engaged in a conspiracy with larcenists, Amanda Reeves, Shabon Banks, Chad Lewis, Jr., and pawn shop manager James Civiletti, to buy and sell stolen goods.
As part of the scheme, Reeves, Banks, and Lewis stole new-in-box items from store shelves on a weekly and sometimes daily basis, both alone and in concert with one another. They then sold the stolen goods to the pawn shop, which was managed by Civiletti, for a fraction of their actual retail value. The pawn shop then resold the stolen merchandise on eBay at much higher prices, resulting in significant profits. In total, the New York Gold Diamond Pawn Shop purchased 37,936 stolen new-in-box items from Reeves, Banks, and Lewis on more than 670 occasions, for which they were paid $290,000.00, which was approximately 25% of the actual retail value of the stolen items. This resulted in actual losses to the victim-retailers of approximately $1,160,000.00.
Banks, Reeves, Lewis and Civiletti were previously convicted.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Greece Police Department, under the direction of Chief Michael Wood; the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Todd Baxter; Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Erin Keegan, and the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Harry Chavis.
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