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12 February 2026
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.
25cr241
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.
2023 CF1 008583
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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Georgia Man Pleads Guilty to Gun Charge in S.C. Trooper ShootingRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Derrick Gathers, 40, of Augusta, Georgia, has pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to statements made in court, on August 16, 2023, Trooper Frazier with the South Carolina Highway Patrol (SCHP) stopped Gathers for speeding on Highway 78 in Bamberg County. Gathers gave Trooper Frazier a license and vehicle registration, and Trooper Frazier took those items back to his patrol vehicle to run a routine records check. Trooper Frazier had concerns about the driver’s license, and when Trooper Frazier reapproached the driver’s side of the vehicle to investigate, Gathers pulled out a firearm, shot trooper Frazier in the face, and sped away. A Bamberg County Sheriff’s Department (BCSD) deputy was providing support during the traffic stop, and both officers returned fire at Gather’s fleeing vehicle. Gather’s fleeing vehicle was located by law enforcement, including members of the Bamberg Police Department, SCHP, and BCSD. During the chase, Gathers lost control of the vehicle and crashed in Branchville. Gathers was thereafter taken into custody.
The Dorchester County Sheriff’s Department executed a search warrant on the vehicle and found a pistol loaded with 9mm ammunition under the brake pedal. SLED matched the recovered pistol to one of the fired cartridge casings left at the scene of the initial traffic stop.
Gathers has previous felony convictions for 3rd degree rape and 2nd degree criminal possession of a weapon from the state of New York, which both prevent him from possessing a firearm or ammunition.
The State Trooper, Lance Corporal Frazier, has fully recovered from the injuries he sustained during the incident.
Gathers faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. He also faces a fine of up to $250,000, restitution, and a term of supervision to follow the term of imprisonment. United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis accepted the guilty plea and will sentence Gathers after receiving and reviewing a sentencing report prepared by the U.S. Probation Office.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, the Orangeburg County Sheriff’s Office, the Dorchester County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bamberg Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lamar Fyall is prosecuting the case.
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Gainesville Felon Sentenced to 12 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA – William Blas Hernandez, 28, of Gainesville, Florida, was sentenced to 12 years in prison after pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, carrying a firearm during a drug-trafficking crime, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “This is another successful prosecution under Operation Take Back America, which was launched by President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi to deploy the full might of the Department of Justice to remove violent, drug trafficking felons like this defendant from our communities. The residents of the Northern District of Florida deserve safe, drug-free streets, and that is exactly what my office is committed to delivering by aggressively prosecuting these cases and seeking maximum punishments.”
Court documents reflect that law enforcement conducted a traffic stop on the defendant’s vehicle because he was speeding, and his vehicle matched the description from a 911 caller who reported other criminal conduct. During the traffic stop, officers established probable cause to search the vehicle, and found the defendant’s backpack with a loaded pistol, over 50 grams of methamphetamine in a variety of forms, and other drug-distribution paraphernalia. The defendant was recently released from a prison sentence for eight prior felony convictions.
“Methamphetamine is capable of destroying families and ripping through communities,” said DEA Tampa Field Division Special Agent in Charge Daniel Escobar. “We will not stop until the flow of this poison has been removed from our streets.”
“We will not allow guns and drugs to corrupt our community. We will work with our federal partners to ensure that those who choose to engage in these activities are held accountable,” said Gainesville Police Chief Moya.
The defendant’s imprisonment will be followed by a 10-year term of supervised release, meaning if he violates any of the conditions of his supervision, he will potentially face additional prison time.
The case involved a joint investigation by the Gainesville Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Adam Hapner and James McCain.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime, human and drug trafficking.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.
Fully Blooded Felon Gang Members Sentenced to Eight Years in Prison for RICO Conspiracy, Drug Trafficking, and FirearmsRead the Press Release
Fully Blooded Felon gang member Dontez Hammond, 36, of Cleveland, was sentenced to eight years in prison after pleading guilty to Racketeering Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) conspiracy, drug trafficking, and possession of a firearm and ammunition by a person under indictment.
As the defendant admitted during his plea hearing and in other court documents, the Fully Blooded Felons have existed in Ohio since approximately 2012, operating primarily out of the eastside of Cleveland, as well as Akron, Youngstown, and elsewhere. They are also active in the Ohio prison system.
The Fully Blooded Felons’ structure includes a “Commission,” which is a group of members tasked with maintaining the structure and organization of the enterprise through physical discipline and by determining which illicit means the organization would use to make money.
The Fully Blooded Felons had rules that members were required to follow. The rules were sent to members online, by text message, and in face-to-face communications. Members were required to abide by “omerta,” or the code of silence, and were required to memorize and recite at meetings the “Fully Five,” a set of rules that included following all orders issued by the Commission. If a member did not know the “Fully Five,” they were punished.
To further their drug trafficking, Fully Blooded Felon members used two separate stash-houses at a local apartment complex in Cleveland. During the execution of two search warrants, law enforcement recovered over 300 grams of fentanyl, cocaine, methamphetamine, and 7 firearms.
Text messages and wiretap calls showed that Hammond regularly supplied Fully Blooded Felon members with cocaine. On Nov. 13, 2023, Hammond obtained a Mac-10 semi-automatic handgun from other Fully Blooded Felon members. Afterwards, Cleveland Police officers attempted to conduct a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by Hammond. Hammond fled, tossing the gun as he did. Police recovered the discarded firearm. At the time, Hammond was under a state indictment for felony drug charges.
Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U. S. Attorney David M. Toepfer for the Northern District of Ohio made the announcement.
The FBI investigated this case, with substantial assistance from the Cleveland Division of Police.
This case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Brian W. Lynch and Alyssa Levey-Weinstein as well as Assistant United States Attorneys Paul E. Hanna, Robert F. Corts, and Margaret A. Sweeney for the Northern District of Ohio.
Fort Myers Convicted Felon Pleads Guilty to Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – Walter James Marshall (31, Fort Myers) has pleaded guilty to an indictment charging him with possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon. Marshall faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement
According to court documents, on June 12, 2025, Marshall was stopped by the Fort Myers Police Department for driving on a suspended license. During a search of his vehicle, officers recovered a loaded SCCY pistol under the driver’s seat. DNA swabs taken from the pistol and from Marshall linked him to the firearm. As a previously convicted felon, Marshall is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Fort Myers Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick L. Darcey.
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).
Former TSA Security Officer Pleads Guilty to Fraudulently Obtaining Pandemic Unemployment AssistanceRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Worcester man pleaded guilty in federal court in Boston to fraudulently obtaining tens of thousands of dollars in Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) while employed as a TSA Security Officer full-time.
Ismael Rosado Jr., 40, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud. U.S. Senior District Court Judge Patti B. Saris scheduled sentencing for May 19, 2026. Rosado was charged in December 2025.
Rosado was employed full-time as a TSA Security Officer at Boston Logan International Airport from November 2018 through October 2021. Between May 2020 and September 2021, Rosado submitted an application seeking PUA and weekly certifications claiming he was unemployed and making no income. Based on misrepresentations in the application and weekly certifications, Rosado received $47,526 in unemployment benefits to which he was not entitled.
The charge of wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gain or loss, whichever is greater. 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; Anthony D’Esposito, Inspector General of the Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General; and Joseph V. Cuffari, Ph.D., Inspector General, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspector General made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Sullivan of the Criminal Division is prosecuting the case.
Former Reston Man Pleads Guilty to Child Exploitation ChargesRead the Press Release
ABINGDON, Va. – A man who used Snapchat to sexually exploit a pair of middle school girls from Southwest Virginia, pled guilty yesterday in U.S. District Court in Abingdon.
Justin Steven Boileau, 30, a former resident of Reston, Va., who also spent time in Merritt Island, Fla., pled guilty yesterday to two counts of sexual exploitation of children.
“Protecting children from online threats is a priority for the prosecutors in the Western District of Virginia,” Acting United States Attorney Robert N. Tracci said today. “We will continue to work with our partners at the FBI, as well as state and local law enforcement, to hold accountable sexual predators who target our children online.”
“While social media is a powerful tool for keeping us connected, it can also be a dangerous weapon criminals use to take advantage of our kids. In bringing justice for these victims, we ask all parents and guardians to stay engaged and know who your children are talking to online,” said Ian Kaufmann, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Division.
According to court documents, Boileau used the messaging app Snapchat to entice two minor females from Southwest Virginia – Minor Victim One and Minor Victim Two– to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing visual depictions of such conduct.
Specifically, in the fall of 2023, Boileau began conversing with Minor Victim One via Snapchat. At the time, Boileau was in his late 20s and resided in Reston, Virginia. Minor Victim One was twelve years old at that time and lived in Russell County, Va. Boileau portrayed himself online as a hockey player named ‘Josh’ and began conversating with Minor Victim One in an explicitly sexual manner. These conversations continued over the course of several months through the early part of 2024. During these conversations, Boileau asked Minor Victim One for sexually explicit depictions of herself. At Boileau’s request, Minor Victim One sent, among other things, nude photos and videos of herself. Boileau also sent sexually explicit images to MV1.
Additionally, in early 2024, Boileau used Snapchat to converse with Minor Victim Two, a twelve-year-old minor who lived in Russell County, Va. As with Minor Victim One, Boileau’s conversations with Minor Victim Two were sexual in nature. At Boileau’s request, MV2 sent sexually explicit photos and videos of herself.
Boileau knew both Minor Victim One and Minor Victim Two were minors when he requested they send him explicit images and videos.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Russell County, Virginia Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant United States Attorney Carrie Macon is prosecuting the case for the United States.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identity and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/.
Former Okfuskee County Jailer Sentenced for Unlawful Assault on DetaineeRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Donovan Matthew Pruett, age 24, of Checotah, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 36 months of probation for one count of Deprivation of Rights Under Color of Law.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
On November 24, 2025, Pruett entered a guilty plea in federal district court. According to investigators, on September 28, 2024, while on duty and working in an official capacity as an Okfuskee County jailer, Pruett physically assaulted a restrained individual at the Okfuskee County Jail after the individual spat on him. Pruett’s assault caused the victim bodily injury.
Title 18, U.S. Code, Section 242 makes it a crime for any person acting under color of any law to willfully deprive a person of a right or privilege protected by the Constitution or the laws of the United States. Federal, state, and local officials, including police officers, prison guards, and other law enforcement officials, act under “color of law” when they act or claim to act in the performance of official duties, regardless of whether that official is operating inside or outside of the bounds of their lawful authority.
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 Nicole Paladino, in consultation with the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice, represented the United States.
Former NYPD Official and Florida Businessman Charged with Bribery OffensesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), James C. Barnacle, Jr., Acting Commissioner of the New York City Department of Investigation (“DOI”), Christopher Ryan, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Office of Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (“IRS-CI”), Harry T. Chavis, Jr., and Special Agent in Charge of the New York Regional Office of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation’s Office of Inspector General (“FDIC-OIG”), Patricia Tarasca, announced today the unsealing of an Indictment charging former Commanding Officer of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”) School Safety Division (“SSD”) KEVIN TAYLOR and Florida businessman GENO ROEFARO with bribery and related offenses. TAYLOR was arrested this morning and will be presented today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Katharine H. Parker. ROEFARO was also arrested this morning and was presented in the Southern District of Florida. The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Vernon S. Broderick.
“The NYPD is the greatest police force in the world, including because it invests wisely and honestly in resources,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “The NYPD procurement process is not for sale. As alleged in the indictment, in 2023 and 2024, Kevin Taylor engaged in a corrupt relationship with Geno Roefaro—a Florida businessman who paid tens of thousands of dollars’ worth of bribes to Taylor—in exchange for Taylor agreeing to use his power and influence within the NYPD to enrich Roefaro’s company. As alleged, Taylor also used his influence within the NYPD to attempt to extort at least two other businessmen for payments. Corruption will not be tolerated from those, like Taylor, who are entrusted to keep New York City’s children and teachers safe.”
“Former NYPD Commanding Officer Kevin Taylor allegedly accepted bribes to steer city contracts to a co-defendant, Geno Roefaro, and attempted to extort another company,” said FBI Assistant Director in Charge James C. Barnacle, Jr. “His alleged actions corrupted the city's contracting process and manipulated high-level executives. While this alleged misconduct is exceedingly rare among NYPD officials, the FBI will not tolerate those who abuse their authority for personal gain.”
“When public servants choose to ignore their responsibility to follow the rules and promote fairness and integrity in what they do, they compromise the very fabric of good government and people’s faith in it,” said Acting DOI Commissioner Christopher Ryan. “As charged, the former Commanding Officer of the NYPD’s School Safety Division allegedly monetized his authority and influence for personal gain, promising to advise and pressure others in City government to award contracts to a Florida businessman in return for tens of thousands of dollars in cash and gifts, including luxury hotel lodging, a helicopter tour, and Broadway tickets. In a second alleged corrupt scheme, the NYPD official used his position to try and extort money from employees of a second company with an NYPD contract, threatening economic harm to the company in an attempt to obtain the payments. I thank the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York and our federal law enforcement partners for working with DOI to protect the City’s integrity.”
“Kevin Taylor is accused of leveraging his role as Commanding Officer of the NYPD School Safety Division to solicit bribes and extort employees,” said IRS-CI Special Agent in Charge Harry T. Chavis, Jr. “By offering lavish vacations and high-end dining, Geno Roefaro allegedly exploited his illicit relationship with Taylor to secure government contracts. Following today’s arrests, they will now face the repercussions of their alleged misappropriation of City funds.”
“We are pleased to join our law enforcement partners in announcing this indictment,” said FDIC-OIG Special Agent in Charge Patricia Tarasca. “These charges reinforce the FDIC-OIG’s commitment to investigating all allegations of financial misconduct, including bribery offenses, as we seek to maintain and preserve the integrity of the banking sector.”
As alleged in the Indictment:[1]
From at least in or about July 2023 through in or about February 2024, TAYLOR repeatedly abused his authority and considerable influence as the Commanding Officer of the NYPD SSD by soliciting or demanding bribes in two corrupt schemes.
First, TAYLOR solicited and received bribes from ROEFARO in exchange for promises by TAYLOR to advise and pressure others in the New York City government to award ROEFARO millions of dollars’ worth of contracts.
At all relevant times, ROEFARO was the founder, majority owner, and chief executive officer of a company (“Company-1”) that markets and sells cellphone-based tipline applications to school districts and police departments. In or about summer 2022, ROEFARO began attempting to sell his products to the New York City government through seemingly legitimate means. When those legitimate efforts did not progress to ROEFARO’s liking, ROEFARO chose to bribe TAYLOR on multiple occasions to achieve the results he wanted. ROEFARO bribed TAYLOR with multiple cash payments and paid for TAYLOR’s vacations, entertainment experiences, and dining at high-end restaurants. In exchange, TAYLOR advised and pressured others, including other high-ranking officials at the NYPD and the City Council of New York, to procure goods and services from Company-1.
Second, TAYLOR solicited and attempted to extort as much as $75,000 from two employees (“Individual-1” and “Individual-2,” respectively) of a second company (“Company-2”) that had contracted with the NYPD to outfit the SSD’s members with ballistic vests. TAYLOR sought these payments in exchange for TAYLOR’s official acts facilitating and not disrupting Company-2’s contract with the NYPD. TAYLOR also threatened economic harm against Company-2 as a means to obtain the payments.
Specifically, in summer 2023, TAYLOR signed a contract with an event space (the “Event Space”) in Manhattan so that TAYLOR could host a holiday party for the SSD at the Event Space in December 2023. Through that contract, TAYLOR was personally liable to pay the Event Space more than $100,000 for the holiday party. In an attempt to satisfy that personal liability, TAYLOR repeatedly solicited payments from Individual-1 and Individual-2 in exchange for TAYLOR facilitating Company-2’s contract with the NYPD, and TAYLOR otherwise threatened Company-2 with economic harm to obtain those payments. Despite TAYLOR’s efforts, Individual-1 and Individual-2 never made the bribe payments solicited by TAYLOR.
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TAYLOR, age 52, of Yonkers, New York, is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud and one count of honest services wire fraud, each of which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; one count of conspiracy to commit bribery, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison; two counts of bribery, each of which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison; and two counts of extortion, each of which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
ROEFARO, age 39, of Pompano Beach, Florida, is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud and one count of honest services wire fraud, each of which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; one count of conspiracy to commit bribery, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison; and one count of bribery, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.
The statutory maximum penalties in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI, the Special Agents and Task Force Officers of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, DOI, IRS-CI, and FDIC-OIG. Mr. Clayton also thanked the NYPD Internal Affairs Bureau, Group 25 for their assistance with this investigation.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Public Corruption Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jessica Greenwood, Matthew J. King, and Daniel H. Wolf are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the Indictment and the descriptions of the Indictment set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Florida Man on Federal Supervised Release for Enticement to Engage in Prostitution Indicted for Forcible Sex TraffickingRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – Erwin Phillips Burley (37, Jacksonville) has been charged by federal indictment with two counts of sex trafficking by means of force, fraud, and coercion, two counts of enticement to engage in prostitution, and seven counts of interstate transportation of a person with the intent that the person engage in prostitution. If convicted, Burley faces a mandatory minimum term of 15 years, up to life, in prison for each of the forcible sex trafficking counts, up to 20 years’ imprisonment for each of the enticement counts, and up to 10 years in prison for each of the transportation counts. Burley would also be required to serve at least 5 years on federal supervised release following any term of imprisonment and register as a sex offender. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court records, Burley was convicted in 2018 of enticement to engage in prostitution and sentenced to 96 months in federal prison, followed by supervised release. He was released to a halfway house in early 2024.
According to the indictment, beginning in February 2024, and continuing through at least May 2025, Burley recruited two victims to engage in commercial sex acts, while knowing that means of force, fraud, and coercion would be used to cause the victims to engage in commercial sex acts. Burley also enticed each of the victims to travel in interstate commerce to engage in prostitution. The indictment also alleges that Burley transported one of the victims between Florida and other states, including Georgia, Tennessee, and Texas on multiple dates in 2024 with the intent that the victim engage in prostitution.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the State Attorney’s Office for Florida’s (Fourth Judicial Circuit), the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, and the Sandy Springs (Georgia) Police Department. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Laura Cofer Taylor.
Five Federally Indicted for Alleged $220 Million Nationwide Cattle Fraud Scheme; One is Fugitive on FBI Wanted ListRead the Press Release
Five individuals were federally indicted this week for their roles in an alleged $220 million nationwide fraud scheme involving purported cattle purchase contracts, announced United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould.
Those indicted by a Fort Worth federal grand jury on February 11, 2026, were:
- Jed Wood of Fort Worth, Texas, charged with three counts of wire fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and one count of money laundering involving wiring more than $63,000 to a lender for “Home Payoff”
- Joshua Link of Strafford, Missouri, charged with ten counts of wire fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and two counts of money laundering, including wiring more than $527,000 to purchase real property
- Tia Link of Smithton, Missouri, charged with three counts of wire fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and one count of money laundering, including wiring more than $527,000 to purchase real property
- Taylor Bang of Kildeer, North Dakota, charged with eight counts of wire fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and one count of money laundering
- Royana Thomas of Arlington, Texas, charged with six counts of wire fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and one count of money laundering
“Thousands of unwitting investors, ranchers, and others in the cattle industry nationwide were drawn in and victimized by the defendants’ multi-million dollar scheme alleged in this indictment,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould. “My office, in concert with our law enforcement partners, will hold these defendants accountable and pursue justice on behalf of the victims.”
“The defendants allegedly used false promises to lure prospective clients into their scheme and then misappropriated client funds to enrich themselves. One individual, Joshua Robert Link, remains a fugitive. We are asking the public to contact the FBI if they have any information regarding Link’s location,” said FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock.
As alleged in the indictment, each of the defendants were associated with Agridime LLC, a business headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas that offered cattle sales and meat processing and retail services to the public. Jed Wood served as the Operations Director. Joshua Link served as the Executive Director. Tia Link served as the Marketing Director. Taylor Bang served as a cattle broker, and Royana Thomas served as the financial controller.
The indictment alleges that, from January 2021 through December 2023, the five defendants, acting through Agridime, perpetrated a fraud scheme in which they falsely represented to individual cattle purchasers, cattle ranchers, and feedlots that Agridime would use their funds to purchase specific individual cattle for each victim, raise the cattle, and eventually sell the meat from the same specific individual cattle for a profit. In reality, as the indictment charges, the defendants did not use victim funds as promised and instead used newer cattle purchaser funds to pay Agridime operating expenses, pay funds owed by Agridime to earlier cattle purchasers, pay personal expenses, and purchase real property.
As alleged, the defendants fraudulently collected more than $220 million from over 2,200 individual victims located throughout the United States due to fraudulent misrepresentations the defendants made in public and private advertising statements.
If convicted, the defendants face up to twenty years in federal prison on each wire fraud count for which they were indicted as well as twenty years’ imprisonment for the charged wire fraud conspiracy. Additionally, the defendants face up to ten years’ imprisonment for each money laundering count in which they are charged.
Tia Link and Taylor Bang appeared for arraignment before a United States Magistrate Judge in Fort Worth today. Both were released under pretrial supervision. Jed Wood and Royana Thomas are set to appear for arraignment in Fort Worth before a United States Magistrate Judge on February 25, 2026.
Joshua Robert Link remains a fugitive. The FBI requests that the public contact the FBI with any information regarding Link’s location.
https://www.fbi.gov/wanted/wcc/joshua-robert-link
fbi_wanted_-_fugitive_-_joshua_link.pdfThe Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Fort Worth Resident Agency conducted the investigation, with assistance from the USDA-OIG. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark McDonald is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation of criminal conduct. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Federal grand jury indicts Clarence man for attempting to have sex with a 12-year-oldRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. –U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that a federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging Daniel Gregory, 33, of Clarence, NY, with attempted enticement of a minor, which carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum of life.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Evan K. Glaberson, who is handling the case, stated that according to the indictment and a previously complaint, on January 6, 2025, the North Tonawanda Police Department learned that a person named “Daniel Gregory” was sending messages to other Facebook users asking the following question: “You know any NT teens I could hook up with? 13-16” Detectives traced the messages to the defendant. On January 9, 2025, an undercover law enforcement officer created a Facebook profile under the name “Alexis Jones,” and sent Gregory a friend request, which he subsequently accepted. Gregory started sending messages to “Alexis Jones” via Facebook messenger. After sending messages, Gregory began attempting to video call “Alexis Jones” and asked for “Alexis Jones” to call him. No video calls were answered, all communication was done electronically through Facebook messenger. In the subsequent weeks, Gregory consistently attempted to coordinate a meeting with “Alexis Jones,” who he believed was 12 years old. He also repeatedly attempted to video call and sent explicit photos of himself to the undercover account. Some of the conversations between Gregory and the undercover law enforcement officer were sexual in nature.
On February 3, 2025, Gregory arranged to meet “Alexis Jones” at an apartment in the City of Tonawanda to engage in sexual activity. When Gregory arrived at the apartment, North Tonawanda detectives were waiting and took him into custody. They also seized Gregory’s cell phone.
In May 2019, Gregory was convicted of Harassment in the 2nd Degree, in Cheektowaga Town Court, for contacting a minor victim on social media, and attempting to pursue a romantic relationship with the minor for approximately two years.
The indictment is the result of an investigation by the North Tonawanda Police Department, under the direction of Chief Keith Glass and Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Erin Keegan.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Federal Judge Sentences Man to More Than Four Years in Prison for Robbing U.S. Postal Service Carrier in ChicagoRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A federal judge has sentenced a man to more than four years in prison for robbing a United States Postal Service letter carrier in Chicago.
The robbery occurred on March 31, 2020, in the 1900 block of North Albany Avenue in Chicago’s Logan Square neighborhood. DONTE HUGHES and another individual approached the carrier from behind as she was delivering mail. The other individual wrapped both arms around the carrier, preventing her from moving, while Hughes reached into the carrier’s pocket and demanded property. The victim complied with the demand and turned over official USPS property. Hughes and the other individual then fled the area on foot.
Hughes was arrested in 2024. At the time of the robbery, he was on probation for a firearm-related conviction in state court.
Hughes, 34, of Chicago, pleaded guilty last year to a federal robbery charge. On Feb. 4, 2026, U.S. District Judge Jeffrey I. Cummings sentenced Hughes to four years and three months in federal prison for the robbery of the postal carrier.
The sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Mary T. Johnson, Acting Inspector-in-Charge of the Chicago Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Valuable assistance was provided by the Chicago Police Department. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Chang.
Federal Court Sentences Four Defendants in $11.5 Million COVID-19 Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that on February 10, 2026, United States District Judge Jennifer P. Wilson sentenced Joshua White, 44, previously of Yoe, Pennsylvania, to 96 months’ imprisonment for bank fraud. As part of the sentence, Judge Wilson also ordered Mr. White to pay more than $2.3 million in restitution to victims and ordered him to serve five years of supervised release following his release from prison.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, Joshua White was the fourth and final defendant to be sentenced in a prosecution of a multi-year conspiracy to defraud the federal Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program, which were intended to provide financial support to businesses and employers during the COVID-19 pandemic. In October 2025, Judge Wilson sentenced Joshua White’s father, Creed White, 67, formerly of Freeland, Maryland, to 10 years’ imprisonment for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering, and sentenced one of his employees, Joseph Bailey, 54, formerly of York, Pennsylvania, to 46 months’ imprisonment for conspiracy. In December 2025, Judge Wilson sentenced another of Creed White’s employees, Kester Murray, 40, of Emigsville, Pennsylvania, to two years of probation for his role in the fraud scheme. In total, United States Attorney Miller said the defendants obtained more than $11.5 million in PPP and EIDL proceeds, making this one of the largest PPP and EIDL frauds prosecuted in the Middle District of Pennsylvania. Each of the defendants eventually pleaded guilty. As part of their sentences, Judge Wilson ordered each of the defendants to pay millions of dollars in restitution.
United States Attorney Miller explained that the federal investigation initially focused on Creed White, who owned Aluminum Alloys Manufacturing, an aluminum smelting and processing business in Yoe, Pennsylvania. Aluminum Alloys received disaster loans in early 2020, shortly after the outbreak of the pandemic. Thereafter, between the spring of 2020 and the fall of 2022, Creed White submitted approximately 120 fraudulent applications for PPP and EIDLs on behalf of 18 other dormant businesses he owned or controlled, which had no actual operations or employees. Approximately 40 of the applications were approved, resulting in the disbursement of more than $11.5 million in loan proceeds into bank accounts that Creed White controlled, and which he later transferred among other accounts and used to pay for unauthorized expenses and for his personal enrichment. To carry out the scheme, Creed White filed applications in the names of numerous knowing and unwitting individuals whom he fraudulently represented to own the various businesses that he controlled. Creed White relied on Joshua White to obtain personally identifying information from these third parties and relied on Bailey and Murray to create fraudulent business, banking, and tax records that were furnished to banks and lending officials in support of the loan applications. Joshua White separately submitted a fraudulent PPP loan application on behalf of a dormant business that he owned, obtaining $175,000, which he spent on unauthorized expenses and a spree to Las Vegas.
Addressing the sentences that Judge Wilson imposed for each of the defendants, IRS-CI Philadelphia Field Office Special Agent in Charge Yury Kruty said, “These individuals deliberately and repeatedly defrauded the PPP and the EIDL programs, which were designed to help small business owners during the COVID pandemic,” said Philadelphia Field Office Special Agent in Charge Yury Kruty. “These sentencings should be a deterrent to other would-be criminals, knowing that Special Agents from IRS-CI and our law enforcement partners are fully committed to bringing offenders like this to justice.”
Amaleka McCall-Brathwaite, Special Agent in Charge of the Eastern Regional Office for the U.S. Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General made a similar observation, noting, “When individuals manipulate pandemic relief programs for personal gain, they undermine public trust and divert critical resources from legitimate small businesses. These sentencings underscore that fraud against federal relief programs will be aggressively investigated and prosecuted. SBA OIG will continue to protect taxpayer dollars and uphold the integrity of SBA programs.”
“Treasury OIG welcomes the opportunity to contribute our expertise in combating fraud in these important programs”, said Department of the Treasury Deputy Inspector General Loren Sciurba, “We remain committed to protecting the taxpayer through detection, investigation, and prosecution of such frauds with other members of the law enforcement community.”
The matter was investigated by agents with the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations, the Small Business Administration-Office of Inspector General, and United States Treasury-Office of Inspector General. Assistant United States Attorney Christian T. Haugsby prosecuted the case.
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Far Out: woman sentenced for making false reports of illegal bank account access from International Space StationRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 51-year-old resident of Sedgwick County, Kansas, has been ordered to federal prison for making false, fictitious and fraudulent statements and representations to law enforcement, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Summer Heather Worden pleaded guilty Nov. 14, 2025.
U.S. District Judge Alfred H. Bennett has now sentenced Worden to three months in federal prison to be immediately followed by two years of supervised release. The court also ordered Worden to pay $210,000 in restitution.
At the hearing, the court heard evidence that Worden falsely accused her former spouse of illegally accessing her bank account from the International Space Station while the couple was going through a divorce. Even after an internal investigation exonerated the former spouse, Worden continued promoting the false claim to news outlets and hired a media consultant to amplify the claim. The evidence further showed Worden publicly released her former spouse’s personal information.In July 2019, Worden alleged her estranged spouse had guessed her password and illegally accessed her bank account while deployed to the International Space Station.
However, the investigation revealed Worden opened her bank account in April 2018, and both parties accessed it until January 2019, when Worden changed the account credentials. Investigators also determined Worden had granted her spouse access to her bank records, including login credentials, as early as 2015.
Worden was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration - Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Richard D. Hanes and Brandon Fyffe prosecuted the case.Eastern Jackson County Man Sentenced for Fentanyl Trafficking, Machine Gun Conversion DevicesRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – An Oak Grove, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for his role in a fentanyl trafficking conspiracy and possession of machine gun conversion devices.
Kal J. Nay, 22, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Beth Phillips to 3 years in federal prison without parole.
His co-defendant, Robert J. Turnage, 22, was sentenced on Sept. 24, 2025, to 4 years in federal prison without parole for his role in the fentanyl trafficking conspiracy.
On Oct. 9, 2025, Nay pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and possession of machine guns.
Between May 2, 2024, and June 11, 2024, the Jackson County Drug Task Force utilized a Confidential Informant to purchase “M30” pills, which contained fentanyl, from Nay and Turnage. The Confidential Informant purchased 10 pills from Nay on May 2, 40 pills from Nay on May 23, and 20 pills from Nay and Turnage on June 11. On June 18, 2024, members of the Jackson County Drug Task Force were granted a state search warrant to search Nay’s residence in Oak Grove. Investigators seized 6 machine gun conversion devices, also known as “switches,” that were 3D printed from a 3D printer which was found in the residence. Nay admitted to investigators that he sold fentanyl pills and that he made the “switches” with his 3D printer.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica Jennings. It was investigated by the Jackson County Drug Task Force and 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.
District Man Pleads Guilty to Illegally Possessing a Machine Gun Inside a Charter High SchoolRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – James Adrian Brewer, 19, a resident of the District of Columbia, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to unlawful possession of a machine gun, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Judge Jia M. Cobb scheduled sentencing for May 28, 2026.
According to court documents, Brewer was attending the Goodwill Excel Center Adult Charter School in Northwest Washington on Sept. 3, 2025, when he was observed by a school administrator to have what appeared to be a firearm in his waistband. When confronted, Brewer surrendered the pistol to the administrator, who then turned it over to Metropolitan Police Department officers.
The firearm was later determined to be a Glock 19, 9mm pistol that previously had been reported stolen. The Glock was loaded with 23 rounds of ammunition. The gun was fitted with a switch-style machine gun conversion device (MCD) which allowed it to function as a fully automatic weapon.
As part of his plea, Brewer admitted to possessing the handgun at the Goodwill Excel Center Adult Charter School and further admitted to knowing that it was fitted with an MCD that converted the pistol into a machine gun.
This case was investigated by the MPD with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives - Washington Field Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney James B. Nelson.
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Delaware County Man Pleads Guilty to Social Security Fraud ChargeRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Brian Gill, age 59, of Andes, New York, pled guilty on January 20, 2026 to a charge of social security fraud. First Assistant United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Amy Connelly, Special Agent in Charge, Boston/New York Field Division, Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General (SSA-OIG), made the announcement.
As part of his plea, Gill admitted that between January 2021 and November 2023, while Gill was actively collecting social security disability benefits, Gill was also managing and personally engaging in physical labor for a tree services company he owned and operated. Gill also admitted he concealed from the Social Security Administration (SSA) the fact that he was working and falsely stated on a SSA form that he had not been working.
First Assistant United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III stated: “This kind of social security fraud is a serious offense that robs taxpayers of funds needed to assist those who are truly unable to work. Thanks to the diligent efforts of our law enforcement partners, people who try to game the system, like this defendant, are identified and held accountable.”
“Brian Gill chose to lie to obtain Social Security disability insurance benefits while actively working physical labor for a tree service he owned,” said Special Agent in Charge Amy Connelly, SSA OIG, Boston/New York Field Division. “Social Security disability insurance benefits are reserved for individuals who are truly unable to work. When someone misrepresents their abilities to collect benefits they are not entitled to, it undermines the integrity of the program and steals from hardworking taxpayers. We will aggressively pursue those who try to cheat the American taxpayers for personal gain.”
Sentencing is scheduled for May 21, 2026 before United States Chief District Judge Brenda K. Sannes. Gill faces a maximum sentence of 5 years in federal prison and a fine of up to $250,000. As part of his plea, Gill agreed to pay restitution to the SSA for the funds he fraudulently collected. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statutes the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.
The case is being investigated by the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General, with assistance from the Offices of the New York State Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ben Gillis and Adrian LaRochelle are prosecuting the case.
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Cupid Doesn’t Ask for Crypto: U.S. Attorney’s Office Warns Public About Romance Scams Ahead of Valentine’s DayRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND - As Valentine’s Day approaches, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio warns the public to remain vigilant against romance scams. The criminals behind these scams shamelessly exploit the trust and emotion of their victims through online relationships.
Fraudsters will target victims on dating websites, social media platforms, and messaging apps and pose as potential romantic partners. They patiently cultivate relationships over weeks or months before they ask the victim to give them money for fake emergencies, travel expenses, investment opportunities, or medical crises. Hundreds of millions of dollars are lost each year due to these scams which are often operated by organized criminal networks, including transnational fraud rings.
“Romance scammers are not looking for love—they are looking for money,” said United States Attorney David M. Toepfer for the Northern District of Ohio. “They prey on trust and emotion and often target older Americans and vulnerable individuals. We urge everyone to slow down, verify identities, and never send money to someone they have not met in person.”
Scammers will:
- Create fake profiles using stolen photos.
- Claim to work overseas in the military, on oil rigs, or in international business.
- Quickly profess love or deep commitment.
- Move conversations off dating and social media platforms over to private messaging apps.
If they do any of the following, consider it a red flag:
- Declare strong feelings very early in the relationship.
- Refuse to meet in person, or make excuses for why they can’t meet in person.
- Have constant emergencies requiring financial assistance.
- Request payment in the form of gift cards, cryptocurrency, or wire transfer.
- Keep changing their stories or use poor grammar, inconsistent with their claimed background.
- Ask you to receive and/or forward funds or packages—sometimes turning victims into unwitting “money mules.”
U.S. Attorney’s Office recommendations to protect yourself:
- Never send money, gift cards, or cryptocurrency to someone you have not met in person.
- Conduct reverse image searches of profile photos.
- Consult a trusted friend or family member before sending funds.
- Report suspicious activity immediately.
If you believe you are a victim of a romance scam:
- Stop all communication immediately and do not delete or erase any evidence. Save all correspondence and financial records and contact your bank or financial institution right away.
- Make a report to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov or call your local law enforcement.
Some examples of scams that happened here in Northern Ohio include:
- Ghanaian National Charged with Running Romance Scams That Took Over $8 Million From Elderly Victims
- Ohio Woman Loses Life Savings in Cryptocurrency Investment Scam
The Department of Justice works with domestic and international partners to dismantle these criminal enterprises and is committed to investigating and prosecuting those responsible.
If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of a romance scam, call the National Elder Fraud Hotline at 1-833-372-8311 seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Hotline staff are experienced professionals who guide callers through the steps to make a report to assist authorities identify fraudsters. Submitting a report may increase the likelihood of recovering financial losses if done promptly. For more information, visit https://ovc.ojp.gov/program/stop-elder-fraud/providing-help-restoring-hope.