Latest Records
Newest first across public DOJ and U.S. Attorney press releases.
Tuesday 16 December 2025
Tallahassee Man Sentenced to Seven Years in Federal Prison for Child Pornography OffensesRead the Press Release
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Hunter Wesley Aultman, 24, of Tallahassee, Florida, was sentenced last week to seven years in federal prison after previously pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute and receive child pornography, distribution of child pornography, and receipt of child pornography. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Ending the cycle of victimization and sexual exploitation of children that is perpetuated by the distribution of child sexual abuse material remains a top priority for my office. I appreciate the excellent work by our state and federal law enforcement partners to investigate these terrible crimes, and my office will continue to deploy the full force of the law to pursue, prosecute, and punish predators, like this defendant, who threaten the safety and innocence of our children.”
According to court records, in January 2024 the Leon County Sheriff’s Office arrested the defendant for multiple burglaries and seized his cell phone as evidence. A search of the defendant’s cell phone revealed that it contained hundreds of child pornography videos. The phone also contained evidence of multiple online chats in which the defendant traded child pornography with other users. Investigators also discovered evidence that the defendant ran a chat group intended to facilitate the sharing child pornography among its members.
“The deliberate distribution and facilitation of child sexual abuse material is an appalling violation that perpetuates the suffering of innocent children for a lifetime,” said Homeland Security Investigations Tallahassee Assistant Special Agent in Charge Nicholas Ingegno. “Those who engage in these heinous crimes not only exploit victims but also create networks that perpetually amplify harm and trauma. HSI will relentlessly pursue and prosecute anyone who seeks to profit from or enable the abuse of children.”
Aultman’s sentence of imprisonment will be followed by a ten-year term of supervised release and a requirement to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life. He was also ordered to pay restitution to his victims.
The conviction and sentence were the result of a joint investigation by the Leon County Sheriff’s Office and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, with assistance from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Justin M. Keen.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice and led by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Divisions Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), it marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Sumter Man Sentenced to 11 Years in Federal Prison for Weapons and Drugs ChargesRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Kendall Kyleek Dow, 28, of Sumter, was sentenced to 11 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition and possessing firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes.
Evidence presented in court revealed that agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, in coordination with the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office and the Sumter Police Department, working as part of a joint initiative targeting violent crime and drug trafficking in Sumter, identified Dow as being involved in illegal firearms trafficking and narcotics distribution.
Between February and May 2023, Dow sold 17 firearms, fentanyl, and ammunition to law enforcement. The firearms sold included semi-automatic weapons, multiple stolen firearms, firearms capable of accepting large-capacity magazines, two machine gun conversion devices—designed to convert semiautomatic firearms into fully automatic machine guns—and firearms without serial numbers, along with approximately 170 rounds of ammunition.
In addition to the firearms offenses, Dow distributed more than 153 grams of fentanyl during the same three-month period. Dow has prior felony convictions and is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.
United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis sentenced Dow to 132 months imprisonment to be followed by five years of court ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office, and the Sumter Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ariyana Gore is prosecuting the case.
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Sledge, Mississippi Man Sentenced to 37 months imprisonment for COVID-19 Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
ABERDEEN, MS – Docterance Atkins, 32, was sentenced last week to 37 months imprisonment for Wire Fraud Conspiracy and Money Laundering. Atkins, at a prior date, had pleaded guilty to one count of Wire Fraud, and a separate count of Money Laundering.
The investigation began after IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) received a tip Atkins had committed COVID-19 Fraud. IRS-CI conducted a thorough investigation unveiling Atkins’ scheme. In essence, Atkins recruited unsophisticated individuals in the community, and convinced them to fraudulently apply for CARES Act Relief funds. Overall, Atkins stole nearly $750,000 from the federal government. The Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) was a COVID-19 pandemic relief program administered by the Small Business Administration that provided forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other related business expenses. Atkins helped numerous individuals file for and receive fraudulent PPP loans in return for a kickback. The PPP loan applications included false information regarding the number of employees and the extent of the claimed business operations.
U.S. District Court Judge Sharion Aycock sentenced Atkins to 37 months imprisonment. After serving the sentence in federal prison, Atkins will be subject to 5 years of supervised release. The Court ordered restitution to be paid to victims.
“This defendant exploited a national emergency and stole money that was meant to help businesses suffering during the COVID-19 pandemic,” stated U.S. Attorney Scott Leary. “He has been held accountable and we will recover this money for American taxpayers.”
“Those who defrauded the COVID-19 economic program for small businesses took funds designated to help retain employees and used it for their personal gain,” said Special Agent in Charge Demetrius Hardeman, IRS Criminal Investigation, Atlanta Field Office. “Docterance Atkins sentence sends a strong message that IRS Criminal Investigation special agents and our law enforcement partners will continue searching and investigating the criminals who took advantage of economic programs created to help small businesses and taxpayers.”
The IRS Criminal Investigation Division conducted the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sam Stringfellow prosecuted the case.
Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud affecting COVID-19 government relief programs can be reported by visiting the webpage of the Civil Division’s Fraud Section, which can be found here. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can also report it by calling the Justice Department’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division's prosecution of fraud schemes that exploit the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). Since the inception of the CARES Act, the Fraud Section has prosecuted over 150 defendants in more than 95 criminal cases and has seized over $75 million in cash proceeds derived from fraudulently obtained PPP funds, as well as numerous real estate properties and luxury items purchased with such proceeds. More information can be found at Justice.gov/OPA/pr/justice-department-takes-action-against-covid-19-fraud.
Skiatook Man Charged with Assault After Being Released in June from Being Found IncompetentRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – A Skiatook man was charged today for Assault with a Dangerous Weapon in Indian Country after being found incompetent to stand trial and was released.
According to court documents, Jacob Robin Gilmartin, now 22, was initially charged in 2023 with Second Degree Murder in
Indian Country. Gilmartin was driving under the influence in 2021 and wrecked into another vehicle, killing Clifton Smith.
While on pre-trial release, Gilmartin was in a second wreck, injuring only himself and being diagnosed with a traumatic brain injury. After a medical evaluation, Gilmartin was deemed incompetent to stand trial and was ordered released in June 2025.On December 9th, seven months after being released, court documents allege that Tulsa County Sheriff's deputies were dispatched in reference to a domestic violence call. The 10-year-old victim ran to a neighbor's house after receiving a severe laceration to his right arm that cut to the bone. The neighbor applied a tourniquet to stop the bleeding. The victim told deputies he sustained the injury when Gilmartin threatened to kill him and threw the knife at him.
Court records show that deputies followed the blood trail back to Gilmartin’s residence, where he was detained.
Gilmartin is a member of the Cherokee Nation.
The FBI is investigating the case, and the defendant was arrested with the help of the Tulsa County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mallory Richard is prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Sallisaw Resident Pleads Guilty to Illegally Possessing FirearmRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Marlina Dawn Hardbarger, age 49, of Sallisaw, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Felon in Possession of Firearm, punishable by up to 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The Indictment alleged that on September 10, 2025, having previously been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year and knowing of such conviction, knowingly possessed one .223-5.56mm caliber semi-automatic rifle.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Sequoyah County Sheriff’s Office.
The Honorable Gerald L. Jackson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Hardbarger will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Olivia Staubus represented the United States.
Shalimar Felon Sentenced to over Seven Years in Federal Prison for Possessing Numerous FirearmsRead the Press Release
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Zackery Chase Brunson, 33, of Shalimar, Florida, was sentenced to 92 months in federal prison after previously pleading guilty to possession of firearms and ammunition 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: “Thanks to the excellent work by the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office in close collaboration with our federal law enforcement partners, this dangerous felon has been removed from our streets and he’ll spend several years behind bars. This successful prosecution is yet another step toward fulfilling the promise made by President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi to Take Back America from the violent criminals who threaten our communities, and my office will continue to aggressively prosecute such offenders to deliver safe streets for the residents of the Northern District of Florida.”
In January 2025, the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office Multi-Agency Drug Task Force executed a search warrant at the defendant’s residence in Shalimar, Florida. During the search, law enforcement found two rifles, a shotgun, three pistols, and multiple types of ammunition. The defendant is prohibited from possessing a firearm because he was previously convicted of multiple felonies, including possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession of a controlled substance.
“We appreciate the strong partnership we share with the United States Attorney’s Office and the federal agencies who work alongside us to keep dangerous offenders off our streets,” said Sheriff Eric Aden. “I am especially proud of the diligent efforts of our Multi-Agency Drug Task Force, whose professionalism and commitment were instrumental in this case. Removing illegally possessed firearms from the hands of convicted felons is critical to protecting our citizens and preventing future violence.”
"This defendant was not just breaking the law—he was found in possession of multiple weapons and ammunition despite being legally barred from possessing a single firearm,” said Special Agent in Charge of DEA Miami Field Division Deanne Reuter. “That kind of disregard puts communities and lives at risk. The DEA Miami Field Division - working alongside our local, state, and federal partners - will continue to target armed offenders and dismantle the networks that fuel violent crime, keeping our citizens safe."
The case involved a joint investigation by the Okaloosa County Sherriff’s Office, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey Tharp.
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 United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Richmond felon sentenced to 12 years in prison for latest firearms convictionRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Richmond man was sentenced yesterday to 12 years in prison for being a felon in possession of firearms.
According to court documents, on Sept. 6, 2024, law enforcement searched the residence of Javon Antonio Poag, 38, and recovered $7,604, 82.52 grams of cocaine, 8.41 grams of fentanyl, five bags of pills containing 34.85 grams of methamphetamine, two handguns, and a loaded high-capacity drum magazine. Poag had been convicted previously of, among other crimes, possession with intent to distribute marijuana, domestic violence, distribution of cocaine, resisting arrest, robbery, use of a firearm in the commission of a crime of violence, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, assault, and carrying a concealed weapon. As a previously convicted felon, Poag cannot legally possess firearms or ammunition.
“Javon Poag has persistently returned to crime despite a multitude of opportunities to reform,” said Lindsey Halligan, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Today’s sentence makes clear that recidivist criminal conduct will not be tolerated.”
“This violent criminal and his associates had a malicious agenda to harm our citizens. The quantity of fentanyl they possessed equated to 433 lethal doses," added Christopher Goumenis, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Washington Division. “This operation and today’s sentencing demonstrate our shared dedication to working together to combat the cartels and local drug trafficking organizations that endanger our communities.”
“The Richmond Police Department recognizes the critical public-safety benefits that come from strong collaboration among our partner agencies,” said RPD Chief Rick Edwards. “We are grateful to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia and the Richmond Office of the Commonwealth’s Attorney for their outstanding work in prosecuting weapons-law violations. Their efforts help ensure a safer Richmond for all.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney Angela Mastandrea and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine E. Groover, an Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney with the Richmond Commonwealth’s Attorney Office, prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-162.
Repeat offender going to prison for more than 20 years on new child pornography chargeRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Brandon G. Uber, 25, of Jamestown, NY, who was convicted of possession of child pornography involving a prepubescent minor, was sentenced to serve 168 months in prison and lifetime supervised release by U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo. Uber will serve 36 months of his sentence consecutive to previous sentence of 210 months for a total of 246 months. At the time of the current offense, Uber was awaiting sentencing on a distribution of child pornography charge and was subsequently sentenced to serve 210 months on that charge.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron J. Mango, who handled the case, stated that on August 22, 2024, a federal search warrant was executed at Uber’s residence because of child pornography files he uploaded to a KIK application server. During the search, various electronic devices were seized, including three tablets and a laptop. At the time, Uber was a member of a KIK chat forum used to trade child pornography with other users. Uber used the forum to distribute child pornography to other users and was a moderator of the forum at one point. Subsequent examination of the seized devices recovered approximately 33 images and five videos of child pornography, some of which depicted the sexual exploitation of an infant or toddler and violence against children.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Erin Keegan, the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Amie Feroleto, and the Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff James Quattrone.
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RST-Sanexas, Inc. and Its Owners Agree to Pay $1.5 Million to Resolve Allegations That They Caused False Claims and Accepted and Paid Illegal KickbacksRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that RST-Sanexas, Inc. (Sanexas), a Las Vegas, Nevada-based manufacturer and marketer of electric stimulation devices, and its principal owners, Richard Sorgnard, Lisa Sorgnard, and Morhea Sorgnard (“the Settling Defendants”), along with certain related entities, have jointly agreed to pay $1.5 million to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act (“FCA”), 31 U.S.C. §§ 3729-3733, by causing the submission of false claims to Medicare for electrical muscle stimulation, vitamin injections, and other related services that were not medically reasonable or necessary and for services that were tainted by impermissible kickbacks. The settlement amount is based on the Settling Defendants’ ability to pay.
“Our office continues to lead the national charge to hold alleged fraudsters accountable for improper Sanexas billing,” said U.S. Attorney Metcalf. “We will continue working closely with our partners at CMS’s Center for Program Integrity, the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, the Justice Department’s Civil Division, and U.S. Attorney’s Offices around the country to hold accountable any other providers who inappropriately billed for these devices and caused false claims to be submitted.”
“Accurately billing for services provided to Medicare enrollees is required of all health care providers participating in the program,” said Maureen R. Dixon, Special Agent in Charge for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “Alongside our law enforcement partners, HHS-OIG will continue to evaluate and pursue allegedly inaccurate billings of Sanexas and similar devices.”
Sanexas manufactures and markets a medical device called the “RST Sanexas neoGEN-Series,” which the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) cleared for electrical nerve stimulation to treat neuropathy and other forms of chronic pain, in certain limited circumstances. The United States contends that between September 2017 and May 2022, the Settling Defendants improperly marketed the Sanexas device for indications that were outside its FDA clearance and not reasonable and necessary, including for treatment of acute pain, improving nerve health, regrowing nerves, and as a combination product with vitamin injections.
Further, Medicare did not cover some Sanexas treatments, or vitamin injections used in conjunction with Sanexas treatments, as marketed by the Settling Defendants and performed by Sanexas customers. In particular, National Coverage Determination 160.7.1 states that “[e]lectrical nerve stimulation treatments furnished by a physician in his/her office, by a physical therapist or outpatient clinic are excluded from coverage...” Multiple local coverage determinations contain similar statements and further provide that vitamin injections are not medically reasonable and necessary when used to perform a nerve block function.
The United States further contends that the Settling Defendants caused provider customers to submit false claims to Medicare for epidermal nerve fiber density (ENFD) testing. ENFD testing involves performing a “punch biopsy” on patients to evaluate nerve damage that purportedly could be treated with the Sanexas device. Sanexas allegedly encouraged providers to conduct ENFD testing following treatment with the Sanexas device to evaluate any improvement in nerve health. However, the Sanexas device is not cleared for healing or regrowing nerves and procedures using the device for those purposes are not covered, and therefore it was not medically reasonable or necessary to conduct such additional testing.
Finally, the United States alleges that the Settling Defendants violated the Anti-Kickback Statute (AKS), 42 U.S.C. § 1320a-7b(b), by paying and accepting illegal inducements in exchange for customer referrals. The AKS prohibits anyone from offering or paying, directly or indirectly, any remuneration — which includes money or any other thing of value — to induce referrals of items or services covered by federally funded healthcare programs. The United States alleges that the Settling Defendants violated AKS in two ways. First, the Settling Defendants offered volume-based discounts to distributorships owned and operated by medical providers who performed procedures using the Sanexas device, and paid commissions that were conditioned upon and directly tied to the value of business that the distributors generated on behalf of Sanexas. Second, the Settling Defendants received commissions from a diagnostic laboratory for referring medical providers to perform ENFD testing in conjunction with Sanexas treatment.
This settlement resolves certain allegations in lawsuits filed in the Eastern District of Wisconsin and Western District of Pennsylvania under the whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act. Those provisions allow private individuals known as “relators” to sue on behalf of the United States and to share in the proceeds of any settlement or judgment that may result. The relators in these cases will receive statutory awards from this recovery, and also may be entitled to shares of future recoveries from other defendants named in the lawsuits.
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and the United States Attorney’s Offices for the Eastern and Western Districts of Pennsylvania and the Eastern District of Wisconsin. Investigative support and assistance were provided by the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General. The matter was handled in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania by Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric S. Wolfish and Civil Chief Gregory B. David, Eastern District of Wisconsin by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lisa Yun and Michael Carter, and Western District of Pennsylvania by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacqueline Brown and Paul Skirtich, along with Civil Fraud Section Senior Trial Counsel Kelley C. Hauser and Trial Attorney Evan J. Ballan.
Prior DOJ press releases related to the Sanexas national initiative include:
https://www.justice.gov/usao-edpa/pr/two-doctors-and-their-medical-practice-pay-more-181000-resolve-false-claims-act
https://www.justice.gov/usao-edpa/pr/us-attorney-announces-two-additional-civil-settlements-part-national-effort-combat
https://www.justice.gov/usao-edpa/pr/us-attorney-announces-additional-civil-settlement-chiropractor-and-his-practice-part
In addition, the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania recently entered a Consent Judgment to resolve the action that this Office filed against Joseph M. Childs, DC, Charles H. Durr, DC, and Active Integrated Medical Centers, PC, for breaching their payment obligations under the parties’ $1.9 million settlement agreement relating to Sanexas billing.
The investigation and pursuit of this matter illustrate the government’s emphasis on combating healthcare fraud, including in the healthcare technology arena. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the FCA. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement, can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).
The claims above are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
Portageville Man Sentenced to 21 Years for Meth Trafficking, Illegal Firearms PossessionRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Portageville, Mo., man, who was convicted following a January 2025 jury trial for trafficking methamphetamine and illegally possessing firearms, was sentenced in federal court yesterday.
Michael C. Patton, 37, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes to 21 years and eight months in federal prison without parole.
On Jan. 14, 2025, Patton was found guilty after a two-day jury trial of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute, possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime, and being a felon in possession of firearms.
Patton was a passenger in a vehicle that was stopped by Springfield police officers on May 12, 2021. When officers searched the vehicle, they found a backpack in the front passenger floorboard that contained a loaded Beretta firearm, along with a plastic bag that contained 344 grams of pure methamphetamine and Patton’s Missouri identification. Officers also found a small black backpack in the backseat floorboard that contained a loaded revolver.
According to court documents, Patton has an extensive criminal history that includes prior felony convictions for stealing, possession of methamphetamine with intent to sell, and possession of cocaine with intent to sell.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cameron A. Beaver and Jessica R. Eatmon. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Springfield, 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.
Pittsburg County Resident Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug and Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Samuel James King, age 25, of Indianola, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Marijuana, punishable by up to 5 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, and one count of Felon in Possession of Firearm and Ammunition, punishable by up to 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The Indictment alleged that on May 12, 2025, King knowingly and intentionally possessed less than fifty kilograms of marijuana with intent to distribute it.
The Indictment also alleged that on May 12, 2025, having been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year and knowing of such conviction, King knowingly possessed a rifle, a semi-automatic pistol, two revolvers, and multiple rounds of assorted ammunition.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the McAlester Police Department.
The Honorable D. Edward Snow, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
King will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Edith A. Singer represented the United States.
Pierre Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for EscapeRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange has sentenced a Pierre, South Dakota, man convicted of Escape.
The sentencing took place on December 15, 2025.
James Dubray, age 22, was sentenced to 12 months and a day in federal prison, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.
Dubray was indicted by a federal grand jury in May 2025. He pleaded guilty on October 14, 2025.
The conviction stemmed from an incident on May 5, 2025 when Dubray, who was in the custody of the Bureau of Prisons pursuant to a conviction for possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, and serving part of his sentence at Dismas Charities Residential Reentry Center in Sioux Falls, escaped from the facility by leaving without authorization and failing to return.
This case was investigated by the United States Marshals Service. Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Connie Larson prosecuted the case.
Dubray was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Pennsylvania Man Sentenced to Prison for Creating and Distributing Videos Depicting Animal Torture and MutilationRead the Press Release
A Pennsylvania man was sentenced today to 38 months in prison and three years of supervised release in connection with his involvement with online groups dedicated to creating and distributing videos depicting acts of extreme violence and sexual abuse against animals.
Robert Berndt, of Philadelphia, pleaded guilty on May 6 to conspiring to create and distribute so-called “animal crush videos.”
According to court documents, Berndt conspired with others to create and distribute videos depicting acts of sadistic violence against baby and adult monkeys. The conspirators used encrypted chat applications to direct money to individuals in Indonesia willing to commit the requested acts of torture on camera.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD) and U.S. Attorney Dominick S. Gerace II for the Southern District of Ohio made the announcement.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and FBI investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Mark Romley and Senior Trial Attorney Adam Cullman of ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Pakiz for the Southern District of Ohio are prosecuting the case.
Pennsylvania Man Sentenced to 15 Years for Sexual Exploitation of a Child in MarylandRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Court Judge Ellen L. Hollander sentenced David Donnell Fulton, 32, of York, Pennsylvania, today, to 15 years in federal prison for one count of sexual exploitation of a child, followed by 20 years of supervised release. Fulton must also register as a sex offender for life.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office; Francis Chardo, District Attorney for Dauphin County; Chief County Detective Corey Dickerson, Dauphin County; and Chief Garth W. Waner, Derry Township Police Department.
According to the guilty plea, during Memorial Day Weekend 2024, Fulton traveled with friends and family to Great Wolf Lodge in Elkton, Maryland. While a 7-year-old minor victim slept, Fulton used his iPhone to capture an image of her genitals. A few days later, during a search of Fulton’s home, law enforcement seized several devices and found Fulton with an image of the 7-year-old victim, as well as multiple images of commercially available child sex abuse material.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit justice.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit justice.gov/psc and click on the “Resources” tab on the left of the page.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI, District Attorney’s Office for Dauphin County, Criminal Investigations Division for Dauphin County, and the Derry Township Police Department for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen Elizabeth McGuinn who is prosecuting the federal case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Palmyra man going to prison for producing child pornographyRead the Press Release
ROCHESTER, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that John C. Aldrich, IV, 55, of Palmyra, NY, who was convicted of production of child pornography, was sentenced to serve 30 years prison and 10 years of supervised release by Chief U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle P. Rossi, who handled the case, stated that law enforcement began investigating Aldrich in March 2024, after receiving information that he had engaged in the ongoing physical and sexual abuse of a minor victim in Palmyra, NY. Investigators recovered messages between Aldrich and the victim, which revealed that Aldrich had been involved in an ongoing pattern of abuse, during which he sexually abused the victim and produced child pornography. The abuse took place on a weekly basis over a period of more than one year, beginning when the victim was only 14 years old.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the New York State Police, Lyons, under the direction of Major Kevin Sucher, and Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Erin Keegan.
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Oklahoma man guilty of transporting children for sexual exploitationRead the Press Release
TYLER, Texas – A Lawton, Oklahoma man has pleaded guilty to child exploitation charges in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Rolando Alexis Bravo, 44, pleaded guilty on December 16, 2025, to being involved in a conspiracy to transport minors before U.S. Magistrate Judge K. Nicole Mitchell.
According to court documents, on November 16, 2023, Bravo transported three minors from Lawton, Oklahoma, to Dallas where he met a co-conspirator, who then transported the children to Tyler. The co-conspirator obtained hotel rooms in Tyler where the children engaged in prostitution with others.
Bravo faces up to life in federal prison. The maximum statutory sentence prescribed by Congress is provided here for information purposes, as the sentencing will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
This case is being investigated by the FBI and the Tyler Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alan Jackson and Emil Mikkelson.
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Nursing director pleads guilty to tampering with drugsRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – A Sand Springs woman accused of tampering with drugs at a local health care center admitted to charges today, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
The defendant, Kailyn Marie Smotherman, 35, pleaded guilty to one count of tampering with consumer products. Smotherman faces up to 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and at least 3 years of supervised release.
U.S. District Court Judge Susan P. Watters presided and will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing is set for April 15, 2026. Smotherman remains released with conditions pending further proceedings.
The government alleged in court documents that on January 19, 2023, Kailyn Marie Smotherman was discovered to have been tampering with controlled substances at the Garfield County Health Center in Jordan, Montana, where she worked as the Director of Nursing. Staff at the facility entered Smotherman’s locked office to retrieve a narcotics log and noticed several suspicious items, including hospital stock narcotics, an IV pole, tourniquets, needles, IV equipment, replacement vial caps, replacement medication labels, and what appeared to be blood on many surfaces. During a subsequent search of the office, staff and law enforcement found numerous vials of fentanyl that had been tampered with (caps removed and replaced) or had been emptied. They also discovered other controlled substances that had been replaced.
Staff reported concerns patients may have received saline solution instead of pain medication in the months preceding the incident.
A forensic chemist with the Food and Drug Administration conducted an analysis of the containers confiscated from Smotherman’s office and concluded the controlled substances had been tampered with and adulterated.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. The DEA, FDA and Garfield County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation.
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Nikon SLM Solutions Agrees to Pay $1.37 Million to Resolve False Claims Act Allegations Relating to Paycheck Protection Program LoansRead the Press Release
Wilmington, Delaware–U.S. Attorney Benjamin L. Wallace announced today that Nikon SLM Solutions NA, Inc. (“SLM”) agreed to pay more than $1.3 million to resolve allegations that it improperly obtained a Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) loan from the U.S. Small Business Administration (“SBA”) for which it was not eligible.
PPP was an emergency loan program established by Congress in March 2020 under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act and administered by the SBA. It was created to support small businesses and ensure that they could continue to pay employees and meet other business expenses during the COVID-19 pandemic. Whether an applicant qualified as a small business was determined, in part, by assessing the number of employees of the business, including any domestic and foreign affiliates. In early 2021, Congress authorized a second tranche of loans, referred to as second draw loans, that were available under more restrictive eligibility rules to certain small businesses that had already obtained a first draw loan.
SLM is a subsidiary of a global provider of integrated metal additive manufacturing solutions, headquartered in Lübeck, Germany. The United States contends that SLM obtained a PPP loan that it was not eligible for because it exceeded the size requirements for a second draw PPP loan. Specifically, SLM was ineligible for the PPP loan because it, together with its foreign affiliates, had over 300 employees. After the conduct that was the subject of the United States’ investigation, SLM’s parent company was acquired by Nikon Corporation, the publicly listed Japanese company.
“PPP was established to provide necessary support for American small businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said U.S. Attorney Wallace. “When larger, international companies sought and obtained those loans, they frustrated the purpose of the program and deprived qualifying small businesses of much needed funds to keep American workers employed. Our office will continue to investigate and aggressively seek to recover funds that were obtained from the Paycheck Protection Program by ineligible borrowers.”
The civil settlement includes the resolution of claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act. Under those provisions, a private party—known as a relator—can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. The qui tam case is captioned United States ex rel. Verity Investigations, LLC v. Nikon SLM Solutions NA, Inc., 25-cv-103-CFC (D. Del.). The relator will receive a share of the settlement.
This matter was handled by Civil Chief Dylan J. Steinberg.
Individuals with information about allegations of fraud involving COVID-19 are encouraged to report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability.
A copy of this press release and the settlement agreement are located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware.
settlement_agreement_v.7.pdfNebraska Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Distributing Child Sexual Abuse Images of S.C. ChildRead the Press Release
GREENVILLE, S.C. — Luis Alfred Romero, 37, of Omaha, Nebraska, has been sentenced to more than nine years in federal prison for distributing child sexual abuse material.
Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that in May 2024, the mother of a minor girl reported to the Anderson County Sheriff’s Office that she located concerning messages from Romero on her daughter’s Discord account. Romero knew the child was 13 years old and solicited explicit images and videos from the child. Romero cultivated a relationship with the child and chatted with her online for several months before discovery by the mother. In addition to persuading the child to send explicit images, Romero also urged the victim to engage in sexual relationships with other minors and adults.
With the assistance of Homeland Security Investigations, Romero was apprehended. During a search of his devices, investigators found hundreds of images of child sexual abuse material on his phone.
“We urge parents and caregivers to talk to their children and be vigilant about the dangers of online communications especially chatting with strangers,” said Bryan Stirling, U.S. Attorney for the District of South Carolina. “The U. S. Attorney’s Office and our partners at every level of law enforcement remain committed to identifying, arresting, and prosecuting those who exploit and harm our children.”
“This sentencing sends a clear message that those who exploit children and distribute child sexual abuse material will be held accountable,” said Homeland Security Investigations Charlotte Special Agent in Charge Cardell T. Morant who also oversees North and South Carolina. “HSI, together with our local partners, remains steadfast in our commitment to protecting the most vulnerable members of our community and ensuring that offenders face the full consequences of their actions.”
“I hope everyone from here to Nebraska sees Romero’s face and realizes there is no level of prosecution high enough for offenders like this,” said Anderson County Sheriff Chad McBride. “Our detective said this case generated some of the most disturbing content to ever come across his desk. To echo our partnering agencies, we will continue to track down those who prey on our children and they will be pursued, prosecuted and brought to justice.”
United States District Judge Jacquelyn D. Austin sentenced Romero to 110 months imprisonment, to be followed by a life-time term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system. Romero was ordered to pay $3,000 in restitution to help cover expenses for the victim’s mental health counseling. He must register as a sex offender for life.
Parents and caregivers can find resources to protect their kids online at dhs.gov/know2protect
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Anderson County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Watkins prosecuted the case.
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Minnesota Man Sentenced to 20 years in Federal Prison for Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Brad D. Schimel, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on December 9, 2025, Michael Williams (age: 44) received a sentence of 240 months in federal prison for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute controlled substances. The sentence, imposed by Chief United States District Judge Pamela Pepper, came after a federal jury found Williams guilty of the charge on July 17, 2025, following a nine-day trial. After completing his prison sentence, Williams will be on supervised release for an additional 60 months.
According to court documents, Williams manufactured and distributed kilogram quantities of fentanyl, cocaine, and heroin, and he also distributed pound quantities of methamphetamine and marijuana. Williams was part of a drug trafficking conspiracy that had established distribution hubs throughout the Midwestern United States, including Milwaukee, Minneapolis, and St. Paul, the greater Chicago area, and Northern Indiana.
Court documents further indicate that Williams operated the drug trafficking organization’s primary drug stash location in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Here, he and others mixed, tested, and packaged controlled substances, including kilogram quantities of fentanyl. On November 29, 2022, when Williams’ stash location was searched, authorities located approximately 1,700 grams of fentanyl, over 700 grams of heroin, 650 grams of methamphetamine, 2,700 grams of cocaine, and 760 grams of marijuana. Williams’ residence was also searched the same day, at which time authorities located 2 loaded firearms and approximately $154,000.
In pronouncing sentence, Judge Pepper noted the sheer volume of very dangerous drugs that the defendant was mixing and selling. She also noted Williams’ criminal history, which included multiple felonies, and his pattern of re-offending after serving time in custody.
A co-defendant, Joathan Colula, was also found guilty on July 17, 2025, following the trial. Colula sourced the drug trafficking organization with kilograms of cocaine, fentanyl pills, and methamphetamine. He was based out of California. His sentencing is scheduled for February 10, 2026.
“This is just one of many examples of the highly successful collaboration that occurs every day between local, state and federal authorities to identify, arrest and convict dangerous drug traffickers,” said U.S. Attorney Schimel. “Our nation has never faced a greater public safety or public health crisis than the fentanyl epidemic that threatens our communities of all sizes. I am proud of the hard working and talented people who put this case together and took out these dangerous criminals.”"This 20-year sentence sends a clear message that those who traffic in fentanyl and other dangerous drugs will be held fully accountable,” said DEA Chicago Field Division Special Agent in Charge Shane R. Catone. “Working alongside the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, the North Central High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, and our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, we disrupted a multi-state trafficking operation that moved massive quantities of narcotics across the Midwest. DEA and our partners remain committed to dismantling drug trafficking organizations and protecting our communities.”
"The Milwaukee Police Department (MPD) is proud of the role our officers played in this case and grateful for the dedication and hard work of everyone involved in this investigation. Drug traffickers bring great harm to our community and must be held accountable.” said Milwaukee Police Chief Jeffrey Norman. “MPD values our collaboration with federal, state and local law enforcement partners in criminal cases like this to build a safer city for everyone to live, work and play.”
The case was investigated by the North Central High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, comprised of officers and agents from the Milwaukee Police Department, West Allis Police Department, South Milwaukee Police Department, Wisconsin Department of Justice—Division of Criminal Investigation, and the United States Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations. The Internal Revenue Service and the Apple Valley Police Department also participated in the investigation of the case. Assistant United States Attorneys Elizabeth Monfils and Erica Lounsberry prosecuted the case.
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For further information contact:Public Affairs Officer Steve Caballero
(414) 297-1700
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Mexico Resident Sentenced for Possession of Firearm by Illegal AlienRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Mexico pleaded guilty and has been sentenced in federal court to time served on his conviction of unlawfully possessing a firearm as an illegal alien, First Assistant United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
United States District Judge Robert J. Colville imposed the sentence on Ignacio Xalamihua-Salinas, 30.
According to information presented to the Court, on or about September 25, 2025, in connection with an ongoing investigation, law enforcement encountered Xalamihua-Salinas and searched the vehicle that he was operating. During the search, officers located a revolver, which Xalamihua-Salinas admitted to possessing. Because Xalamihua-Salinas was illegally and unlawfully in the United States, he was prohibited from possessing a firearm.
In connection with his guilty plea, Xalamihua-Salinas agreed to cooperate with immigration authorities and will remain in custody until he is deported from the United States pursuant to an Immigration Judge’s Order of Deportation.
Assistant United States Attorney Rebecca L. Silinski prosecuted this case on behalf of the United States.
First Assistant United States Attorney Rivetti commended the United States Postal Inspection Service, Pennsylvania State Police, and Pittsburgh Bureau of Police Narcotics and Vice Unit for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Xalamihua-Salinas.
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, combat illegal immigration, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Mexican man sentenced for illegal reentryRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS – A Mexican man who was in the United States illegally was sentenced yesterday to time served, 31 days, and remanded to the U.S. Border Patrol, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Marco Antonio Contreras-Delira, 40, pleaded guilty in November 2025 to one count of illegal reentry.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.
The government alleged in court documents that on November 14, 2025, law enforcement encountered three individuals in a vehicle near Froid, Montana, including Contreras-Delira. The individuals presented Mexican identifications and admitted they were in the United States illegally.
Contreras-Delira was transported to the Plentywood, Montana, Border Patrol Station for processing. Record checks confirmed he had been issued several final orders of removal and had been removed from the United States on one prior occasion.
On December 28, 2007, Contreras-Delira was given a final order of removal and removed in December 2009. He had an active warrant at the time of his arrest in 2007. After paying his fine, authorities released him and he absconded to Texas where he was eventually arrested. Record checks revealed Contreras-Delira was convicted of driving under the influence of alcohol on February 1, 2004, in Bartow County, Georgia.
On November 14, 2025, Border Patrol agents interviewed Contreras-Delira. He confirmed he is a Mexican national and citizen and has no documents to enter or remain in the United States. There is no indication in the files of Department of Homeland Security Contreras-Delira ever applied for or obtained the permission of the Homeland Security to reenter the United States.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The U.S. Border Patrol and Roosevelt County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation.
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.
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Men indicted for crimes related to securities fraudRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. – A federal grand jury in Wichita returned an indictment charging three men with a multitude of financial and securities fraud crimes resulting in a potential loss of tens of millions of dollars for victims.
According to court documents, Steve Parish, 54, formerly of Derby, Kansas, Richard Dean, 66, of Plano, Texas, and Joshua Owen, 39, of Derby, Kansas, were all indicted on one count of conspiracy to commit bank and wire fraud.
Parish is also charged with two counts of bank fraud, 11 counts of money laundering, one count of conspiracy to commit securities fraud, 18 counts of securities fraud, and one count of wire fraud.
Dean was also indicted on one count of conspiracy to commit securities fraud, and 18 counts of securities fraud.
A grand jury also indicted Owen on two counts of bank fraud and one count of wire fraud.
Parish was the chief executive officer (CEO) of Premier Global Corp, a company that offered investments and promissory notes to purportedly purchase factored invoices. Owen was an employee. Dean was the owner of DDI Advisory Group LLC.
Parish, Dean, and Owen allegedly orchestrated a scheme of falsifying records and misrepresenting payments to investors as profits but were making those payments using money that came from investors. Parish is accused of misappropriating investors’ deposits for his own personal expenses.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is investigating the case with support from Kansas Department of Insurance, Securities Division and the Oklahoma Department of Securities.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Aaron Smith and Katie Andrusak are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Member of the Lynn Chapter of the Trinitarios Pleads Guilty to Racketeering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A member of the Lynn Chapter of the Trinitarios pleaded guilty today to racketeering charges, including his participation in two murders and one attempted murder.
James Jimenez, 25, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to conduct enterprise affairs through a pattern of racketeering activity, more commonly referred to as RICO conspiracy. U.S. Senior District Court Nathaniel M. Gorton scheduled sentencing for March 24, 2026. Jimenez was arrested and charged in February 2025, and was alleged to have participated in the murders of Jandriel Heredia and Abraham Diaz in September 2023.
The Trinitarios is a violent criminal enterprise comprised of thousands of members across the United States. The Trinitarios adhere to a Magna Carta, employ an internal hierarchy to organize and execute violence and undertake extensive efforts to maintain the secrecy of the organization and its members.
In February 2025, federal racketeering charges were unsealed against 22 leaders and members of the Trinitarios. The charges were the result of a multi jurisdictional investigation that began in the aftermath of four murders and a series of attempted murders and shootings that took place in Lynn in 2023, allegedly committed by the Trinitarios criminal enterprise and its members. In March 2025, a Lynn member of the Trinitarios was sentenced to 10 years in prison. In June 2025, two members of the Trinitarios were charged with kidnapping a drug supplier. In July 2025, the leader of the Lynn Chapter was sentenced to 14 years in prison. Jimenez is the eighth defendant to plead guilty.
During today’s court proceeding, Jimenez admitted to his membership in the gang and participation in two shootings where the Trinitarios intended to kill rival gang members. The first incident took place in August 2023 following the death of a Trinitario member who was believed to have been killed by a rival gang member. Jimenez and five other Trinitarios set out to ambush and kill rival gang members who were at a music studio in Lynn.
Jimenez also admitted to his participation in the Sept. 2, 2023 murders of Jandriel Heredia and Abraham Diaz. Jimenez admitted to meeting with other Trinitario members prior to the shooting and learning about the plan to kill a rival gang member who the Trinitarios believed was present at a party on Essex Street in Lynn. Jimenez admitted to driving by the party a number of times, and relaying information about what he observed to the other Trinitarios knowing that the information would be used to further their plan to murder rival gang members. Later that night, members of the Trinitarios drove by the party and discharged numerous rounds at the people gathered outside celebrating a recent graduation. Seven people were shot during this incident, and Abraham Diaz and Jandriel Heredia later died from the gunshot wounds they sustained. After the shooting, Jimenez also worked with other Trinitarios and assisted in concealing and destroying evidence.
The charge of conspiracy to conduct enterprise affairs through a pattern of racketeering activity (also known as “racketeering conspiracy” or “RICO conspiracy”) provides for a sentence of up to life in prison, five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations in New England; Ted Docks, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Essex County District Attorney Paul F. Tucker; Massachusetts State Police Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble; and Lynn Police Chief Christopher P. Reddy made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip A. Mallard of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit 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 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 and Project Safe Neighborhood.McKees Rocks Felon Charged with Possessing Firearms and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on a charge of violating a federal firearms law, First Assistant United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
The one-count Indictment named Mark Lamarr Beavers, 26, as the sole defendant.
According to the Indictment, on or about August 26, 2025, Beavers, as a convicted felon, possessed two firearms and ammunition. Federal law prohibits possession of a firearm or ammunition by a convicted felon.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 15 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Kelly M. Locher is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office Fugitive Squad conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Man Who Had $6 Million in Bogus Checks Sentenced to 72 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Sarah E. Pitlyk on Tuesday sentenced a man who committed bank fraud for years with checks stolen from the mail to 72 months in prison.
Judge Pitlyk also ordered Terron T. Brown, 23, to repay $51,932 to victims.
Brown pleaded guilty in August to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and one count of bank fraud. He admitted that between November 2021 and September 2024, he conspired with others to deposit forged and fraudulent checks that had been stolen from the U.S. Mail. Brown used his social media accounts and other methods to recruit people who would provide him with their debit cards and banking information and allow him to deposit fraudulent checks into their accounts. He also recruited his co-defendants, Justyn M. Boyd, Aaliyah A. Jones, Haiden Williams, and Jalen Wright, to recruit account holders. Together, they found dozens of people willing to participate in the scheme in exchange for some of the money.
Brown then used personal and business checks stolen from U.S. Postal Service collection boxes to create forged and fraudulent checks payable to the account holders. Brown altered the payee and amount payable on stolen checks or used stolen checks to create counterfeit checks. He then deposited those checks into the bank accounts that he had co-opted and withdrew the money himself or had the account holders do it.
After learning in January of 2024 that he had been indicted in U.S. District Court in St. Louis, Brown fled to Los Angeles in a Greyhound bus and began living under the fake name "Amiri Leonard." He relocated his scheme there in an attempt to avoid arrest and evade law enforcement. On Sept. 10, 2024, federal law enforcement agents conducted a court-approved search of Brown's California residence and found multiple stolen and counterfeit checks with a value of $1.2 million, blank check stock, multiple debit cards in various names and electronic devices with images of at least $4.7 million worth of counterfeit checks dated between March 2022 and August of 2024. They also found $5,260 in cash and 19 USPS money orders totaling $10,551, proceeds from Brown's check fraud scheme.
Brown admitted obtaining and possessing at least $6 million worth of counterfeit checks and checks stolen from the mail and intending to cause a loss of at least this amount. Brown and his co-conspirators deposited at least $116,834 worth of fraudulent checks and obtained at least $29,562 from the scheme.
Brown directly harmed the victims who had checks stolen, Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Clow wrote in a sentencing memo, but also undermined public confidence in the mail at a time when mail theft was on the rise. He then assumed a fake name and fled St. Louis to avoid the consequences of crimes while thumbing his nose at law enforcement, Clow wrote.
“This sentencing represents the hard work and dedication by USPS OIG Special Agents working with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to bring charges on this significant mail theft investigation,” said Special Agent in Charge Dennus Bishop, U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General, Central Area Field Office. “The United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General and the United States Postal Inspection Service, along with our law enforcement partners, remain committed to safeguarding the U.S. Mail and ensuring the accountability and integrity of U.S. Postal Service employees.”
“The sentencing in this case illustrates that individuals who engage in mail theft will be held accountable for their actions,” stated Inspector in Charge, Ruth Mendonça, who leads the Chicago Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, which includes the St. Louis Domicile. “The Inspection Service is proud to work with our local, state, and federal partners to bring mail theft perpetrators to justice and prevent financial crimes targeting local citizens, postal customers, and financial institutions.”
Boyd, of Northwoods, Jones, of St. Louis County, Williams, of St. Louis, and Wright, of St. Louis, have all pleaded guilty. All are 24 years old. Boyd was ordered to repay $9,354, Jones $6,000 and Williams $13,015. Wright is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 9, 2026.
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service Office of Inspector General, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the University City Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Clow is prosecuting the case.
Man Pleads Guilty to Shooting at Romantic PartnerRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Michael Manley, 24, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty to shooting his girlfriend in April, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Manley pleaded guilty on December 16, to one count each of assault with intent to kill while armed, unlawful discharge of a firearm and destruction of property. The guilty plea is contingent upon the Court’s approval at sentencing and calls for a range of 90-120 months in prison. Superior Court Judge Judith Pipe accepted the factual basis for the plea and scheduled sentencing for February 27, 2026.
According to the government’s evidence, Manley and the 32-year-old victim were in a romantic relationship for several months. On April 22, 2025, the victim was sitting in her car in front of her residence when the defendant approached her vehicle and shot at her through the driver’s side window. This was not the only time that Manley was violent towards her. On other occasions, he destroyed her property, shot at her apartment building, and repeatedly returned to her residence in violation of a court-issued stay away.
Joining in the announcement was Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department.
It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ariel Lieberman and Olivia Hinerfeld.
Man Charged with Possession of Machine Gun on New York StreetRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (“ATF”), Bryan DiGirolamo, and Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), Jessica S. Tisch, announced the unsealing of an Indictment charging DAVID MALDONADO in connection with a November 14, 2025, daytime shooting in which MALDONADO fired 12 rounds from a machine gun on a public street in the Bronx. MALDONADO was arrested and presented today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Gary Stein. The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge Jed S. Rakoff.
"As alleged, David Maldonado used a machine gun conversion device to spray bullets on a Bronx street,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “New Yorkers want brazen, gun toting criminals off our streets and we hear them. Thanks to the prompt response of our law enforcement partners, Maldonado will now have to answer for his alleged crimes.”
“The ATF/NYPD Crime Gun Enforcement Team is committed to keeping illegal machine guns out of the hands of criminals and away from our communities,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Bryan DiGirolamo. “We thank the New York City Police Department and the US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York for their continued partnership in keeping the public safe.”
“David Maldonado allegedly put New Yorkers at serious risk when he fired a fully automatic ghost gun in broad daylight on a public street, while NYPD detectives were nearby,” said NYPD Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch. “Our detectives did exactly what they do best—they ran toward the danger, moved quickly to stop the threat, and our streets are safer because of their actions. I thank the NYPD investigators, our partners at the ATF, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their continued work to hold violent offenders accountable.”
As alleged in the Indictment, and in public statements made in public court proceedings:[1]
On or about November 14, 2025, at around 4:00 p.m., MALDONADO, who has been previously convicted of multiple felony offenses, discharged a machine gun in the vicinity of East 170th Street and Third Avenue in the Bronx, including two shots that struck a nearby vehicle.
Detectives of the NYPD, who were in the vicinity of the gunshots, spotted and promptly apprehended MALDONADO, who was in possession of an unserialized Polymer 80, model PF940C, 9x19mm caliber firearm, also known as a “ghost gun.” During the shooting, MALDONADO used a semi-automatic handgun with an illegal machine gun conversion device installed, which converted his firearm into a fully automatic machine gun capable of shooting more than one shot with a single pull of the trigger. Photographs of the firearm and magazine seized from MALDONADO and the conversion device that was installed on the pistol slide are below:
* * *
MALDONADO, 53, of New York, New York, is charged with one count of possession of ammunition after felony conviction, which carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison; and one count of possession of a machine gun, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.
The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding investigative work of the NYPD and the ATF.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Violent Organizations & Crime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon D. Harper is in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and the description of the Indictment set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Life Sentence for Highs RICO Defendant Who Murdered Innocent BystanderRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – This morning, United States District Judge Nancy Brasel sentenced Gregory Hamilton, age 29, to life imprisonment, announced U.S. Attorney Daniel N. Rosen. Hamilton is a violent member of the Minneapolis criminal street gang known as the Highs. He was convicted after a three-week trial of RICO Conspiracy and Premeditated Murder for his involvement in the Highs and the August 8, 2021 murder of Darryl Wells, Jr., an innocent bystander who was mistaken for a gang member.
This is the second life sentence secured by the U.S. Attorney’s Office as a part of the RICO prosecutions aimed at disrupting and dismantling the violent and murderous street gangs of Minneapolis. To date, the office has charged well over 100 gang members with federal crimes, including charging 39 members of the Highs with RICO conspiracy, narcotics trafficking, firearms trafficking, and related offenses.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Hamilton, of Minneapolis, Minnesota, was a member of the Highs—a criminal enterprise that controlled territory north of West Broadway Avenue in Minneapolis. Evidence at trial proved that members of the Highs committed murders, narcotics trafficking, weapons violations, burglaries, assaults, and robberies on behalf of the enterprise. As members of the Highs, the defendants were expected to retaliate against the rival Lows gang, which operated south of West Broadway Avenue.
On August 7, 2021, a prominent Highs member was shot and killed by a Lows member at the Winner gas station, a Highs hangout. The following day, August 8, 2021, Highs members organized a memorial for the deceased member at the gas station, where they distributed firearms and encouraged one another to retaliate against Lows members. Defendant Hamilton attended the memorial.
Later that day, Hamilton and a second convicted defendant, Dantrell Johnson, drove to a Lows hangout—Wally’s Foods—and shot a Lows associate, who survived his injuries. Approximately two hours later, Johnson, Hamilton, and another convicted defendant, Keon Pruitt, drove to Skyline Market, another known Lows hangout. The were “hunting” Lows and wanted to shoot Lows members. They mistakenly believed Wells was a Lows member—he was not—and the store’s cameras captured them shooting Wells inside the store. Wells ran from the store. Pruitt, who was driving two juveniles in a stolen Porsche, chased Wells a short distance. The two juveniles then jumped out of the car, chased Wells into a nearby alley, and fired additional shots at him. All told, Wells was shot at least eight times.
The jury convicted Hamilton, Johnson, and Pruitt of Racketeering Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Conspiracy and Using a Firearm to Cause Death.
Today, Judge Brasel imposed what the government requested at sentencing—a life sentence. In doing so, Judge Brasel observed, “This was gang revenge, pure and simple.” Judge Brasel noted that the evidence at trial showed that Hamilton is “a shooter for the Highs” and that he killed Darryl Wells “in a horrific and barbaric manner.” She explained that the victims of the Highs violence—which turned North Minneapolis into “an open-air shooting range”—were not just Wells but also the many members of the community who were also bystanders to this violence.
In imposing the life sentence, Judge Brasel concluded, “A lesser sentence would not honor and protect members of this neighborhood who were terrorized” by the violence of the Highs. As one concerned community member wrote to the Court, “Whether it be from violence with guns, drug sales, a combination of both, we have been preyed upon enough as a community.”
These cases against the Highs are a result of an investigation conducted by the ATF, the FBI, the Minneapolis Police Department, IRS Criminal Investigation, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, and the Minnesota Department of Corrections, with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service, the DEA, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office. The Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office, Dakota County Sheriff’s Office, St. Paul Police Department, and numerous other law enforcement agencies contributed to this investigation through reports or evidence control.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas Lopez-Calhoun, Albania Concepcion, Rebecca Kline, and Carla Baumel of the District of Minnesota, and Trial Attorneys Brian Lynch and Alyssa Levey-Weinstein of the Justice Department’s Violent Crime & Racketeering Section, prosecuted these cases.
Las Cruces Daycare Provider Pleads Guilty in Child Exploitation CaseRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Las Cruces daycare provider pleaded guilty to knowingly possessing child sexual abuse material.
According to court documents, Juan Jose Cardiel-Hernandez, Sr., 80, admitted to possessing child pornography between January 2012, and December 2014.
In April of 2024, police searched Cardiel’s residence after allegations that he sexually abused a minor. In search of his residence, police located child sexual abuse material. At the time Cardiel was arrested, he was operating a daycare out of his home.
At sentencing, Cardiel faces two to eight years in prison. Upon his release from prison, Cardiel will be subject to no less than five years of supervised release and must register as a sex offender.
Acting U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Ryan G. McRae, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) El Paso, made the announcement today.
Homeland Security Investigations investigated this case with assistance from the Las Cruces Police Department and the U.S. Marshals. Assistant United States Attorneys Jackson K. Dering V and Mark Saltman is prosecuting the case as part of as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
Keene Man Sentenced to 36-Months Imprisonment for Child Exploitation OffenseRead the Press Release
Keene Man Sentenced to 36-Months Imprisonment for Child Exploitation Offense
CONCORD – U.S. District Judge Steven McAuliffe sentenced a Keene man to 36 months of imprisonment and 5 years of supervised release for possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM), U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan announces.
Connor Mueller, 31, had previously pleaded guilty to possessing CSAM. In 2023, an undercover law enforcement operation identified Mueller as using specialized peer-to-peer software to receive videos containing CSAM. The same software allowed other users to access materials shared by Mueller. Law enforcement subsequently searched Mueller’s home and discovered multiple devices which together contained numerous images and videos depicting child sexual abuse.
Homeland Security Investigations led the investigation. Valuable assistance was provided by the New Hampshire Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and the Keene Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Vicinanzo prosecuted the case.
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 better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/.
Justice Department Sues the Virgin Islands Police Department for Unconstitutional Practices Resulting in Effective Denials of Gun PermitsRead the Press Release
Today, the Justice Department filed a complaint against the Virgin Islands Police Department (VIPD) alleging that the territory’s unreasonable delays and conditions on lawful gun owners’ rights create an unconstitutional permitting process in violation of the Second Amendment. Numerous applicants complained that VIPD is unreasonably delaying their gun permit application decisions and added unreasonable conditions, including bolted-in gun safes, prior to issuing gun licenses. Finally, VIPD continues to enforce a proper cause regulation nearly identical to the law that the U.S. Supreme Court previously struck down in another case years ago.
“This Civil Rights Division will protect the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The newly-established Second Amendment Section filed this lawsuit to bring the Virgin Islands Police Department back into legal compliance by ensuring that applicants receive timely decisions without unconstitutional obstruction.”
“The territory’s firearms licensing laws and practices are inconsistent with the Second Amendment,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Sleeper for the District of the U.S. Virgin Islands. “This lawsuit seeks to uphold the rights of law-abiding citizens to bear arms in the U.S. Virgin Islands.”
In 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a regulation it labeled “proper cause,” which New York law enforcement used to deny gun permits if the applicant did not provide “proper cause” reasons for the gun permit. That case, New York State Rifle & Pistol Association Inc. v. Bruen, is the established law of the land, including the territory of the Virgin Islands. Today, the Virgin Islands maintains and enforces a law nearly identical to the overturned law. Additionally, complaints have poured in from residents showing unconstitutional delays and requirements, including police conducting unconstitutionally unreasonable home searches — the very type of requirements the U.S. Supreme Court finds abusive in permitting schemes. The lawsuit is filed in the U.S. District Court of the Virgin Islands.
The Civil Rights Division enforces the Second Amendment, the Police Pattern or Practice Act (34 U.S.C. § 12601), and Executive Order 14206. If you are a current or prospective gun owner and believe your gun permit application is subject to unconstitutional delays or practices, please submit a complaint through justice.gov/crt/second-amendment-section.
Jamestown woman pleads guilty to drug and gun chargesRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Alisha Klinger, 45, Jamestown, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, which carry The charges carry a mandatory minimum penalty of 17 years in prison and a maximum of life.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua A. Violanti, who is handling the case, stated that Klinger conspired with co-defendant Jacob Snow and others to sell heroin, fentanyl, and methamphetamine in the Jamestown area. Conspiracy members utilized acts of violence to collect alleged drug debts. On December 24, 2020, Klinger and an individual identified as D.R. went to the residence of Holly Berenguer, associate of Klinger to collect on an alleged debt. D.R. struck Berenguer in the face with a handgun, causing a facial fracture, orbital fracture, and multiple contusions. The handgun discharged, but the bullet did not strike Berenguer. On January 2, 2021, a vehicle Klinger and Snow were riding in was stopped by Jamestown Police. A search of the vehicle recovered $8,648, a blue crystal-like substance, and cell phones. A search of Klinger’s person recovered approximately 41 grams of fentanyl. On May 24, 2021, Klinger participated in the robbery of Victim 1. Klinger and D.R. took Victim 1 from a residence at gunpoint and drove to a wooded area in Jamestown, where they were joined by co-defendant Snow. Victim 1 was assaulted in retaliation for stealing approximately $10,000 of heroin/fentanyl and methamphetamine from Snow. Victim 1 was made to take off her clothes and walk back to town.
On June 24, 2021, a search warrant was executed at Klinger’s residence, during which methamphetamine, fentanyl, drug paraphernalia, and $29,316 in cash was recovered. On November 19, 2021, Klinger and two others, brandishing weapons, robbed Victim 2, who owed Klinger money for drugs. Victim 2 was hit in the face with a gun and zip tied.
Jacob Snow was previously convicted and is awaiting sentencing.
This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Buffalo comprises agents and officers from Homeland Security Investigations and the Federal bureau of Investigation.
This indictment is a result of an investigation by the Jamestown Police Department, under the direction of Chief Timothy Jackson, the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Frank A. Tarentino III, New York Field Division, and the Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff James Quattrone.
Sentencing is scheduled for February 26, 2026, before Judge Vilardo.
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Jamestown man pleads guilty to selling drugs that caused serious bodily injuryRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that David Sekerak Ledesma, 52, of Jamestown, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr. to distribution of controlled substances causing serious bodily injury, which carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 20 years in prison, a maximum of life, and a fine of $1,000,000.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua A. Violanti and Nicholas A. Testani, who are handling the case, stated that between 2020 and 2023, Ledesma conspired with others to sell narcotics for profit, utilizing social media to conduct his drug trafficking activities. Ledesma and co-defendant Susan Walker also maintained two Lafayette Street residences in Jamestown for their drug trafficking activities. In July 2020, Ledesma sold drugs to an individual identified as A.R., who overdosed and suffered seriously bodily injury.
In April 2021, Ledesma was pulled over by a Pennsylvania State Trooper, who search the vehicle and recovered a bag containing heroin and fentanyl. He was convicted of a felony in Pennsylvania. During the investigation, investigators conducted several controlled purchases from Ledesma. In July 2021, a search warrant was executed at the Lafayette Street residences associated with Ledesma, during which cash, a quantity of heroin and a cell phone was seized. In April 2023, another search warrant was executed at one of the Lafayette Street residences. During that search, drug paraphernalia, cellular phones, and cash were seized.
Charges remain pending against Susan Walker.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The plea is the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Frank Tarentino, III, New York Field Division, the Jamestown Metro Drug Task Force, under the direction of Jamestown Police Chief Timothy Jackson, and the Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff James Quattrone.
Sentencing is scheduled for June 10, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. before Judge Sinatra.
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Irish National Pleads Guilty to Multi-State Home Repair Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – An Irish National who was living unlawfully in the United States has pleaded guilty in federal court in Rhode Island on charges related to his role in a scheme to defraud homeowners in Rhode Island and Massachusetts, said Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom.
John O’Brien, 28, pleaded guilty on December 10,2025, to wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud. O’Brien will be sentenced on March 11, 2026. The sentence imposed will be determined by a federal district judge after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
According to court documents, O’Brien and his co-conspirators induced homeowners to pay for home repairs that were unnecessary and often not completed. O’Brien falsely claimed structural problems, overstated repair needs, and misrepresented the need for the repairs and services, as well as the qualifications of his purported construction companies, including Traditional Masonry & Construction. Investigators estimate that the scheme defrauded homeowners of more than $1.5 million.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Taylor A. Dean and Sandra R. Hebert.
The matter was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Warwick and East Providence Police Departments.
This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Rhode Island comprises agents and officers from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Drug Enforcement Administration, Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, U.S. Marshals Service, ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, Naval Criminal Investigative Service, U.S. Department of Labor-Office of Inspector General, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Intelligence & Analysis, and Rhode Island Police Departments in Warwick, Newport, Providence, East Providence, and Lincoln, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Rhode Island.
Illegal Honduran National Indicted on Drug and Immigration Crimes in Utah after Law Enforcement Allegedly Seized 21,000 Fentanyl PillsRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – An undocumented Honduran national living in the United States illegally, was remanded into federal custody following his initial appearance on drug and immigration crimes.
Norlan Guillermo Andino-Torres, 33, of Honduras, who has been living in West Jordan, Utah, was indicted by a federal grand jury on December 10, 2025, after he allegedly sold law enforcement fentanyl during a controlled buy, and after they seized approximately 21,000 fentanyl pills during the execution of a search warrant.
According to court documents, during the first week of December 2025, FBI agents conducted a controlled purchase of fentanyl from Andino-Torres, which field-tested positive for the presence of fentanyl. Subsequently, on December 4, 2025, his vehicle and residence in West Jordan were searched pursuant to a search warrant. Agents seized 1,131 grams of fentanyl (approximately 11,000 pills) from his vehicle. Agents also seized an additional 1,043 grams of fentanyl (approximately 10,000 pills) from his residence. Andino-Torres was taken into custody. According to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Andino-Torres, has been removed from the United States on six prior occasions dating back to 2012.
Andino-Torres is charged with possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute, and reentry of a previously removed alien. A three-day jury trial is scheduled for February 17, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. in courtroom 3.1. before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.
United States Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the District of Utah made the announcement.
The case is being investigated jointly by FBI Wasatch Metro Drug Task Force, the Utah County Major Crimes Task Force and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Special Assistant United States Attorney Peter Reichman of the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah 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. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Illegal Alien Sentenced to Federal Prison for Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
On November 25, 2025, Carlos Zamudio-Hernandez, 43, from Mexico, was sentenced to 24 months’ imprisonment. Zamudio-Hernandez pled guilty on September 10, 2025, to illegal re-entry of a previously removed alien, in federal court in Sioux City.
Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings showed that Zamudio-Hernandez is a citizen of Mexico. Zamudio-Hernandez was previously deported from the United States in September 2020, after serving a 10-year term in federal prison for methamphetamine trafficking. Zamudio-Hernandez admitted that he illegally reentered the United States and was later found in the United States in November 2024 in Twin Falls, Idaho, then in June 2025 in California.
Sentencing was held before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Zamudio-Hernandez was sentenced to 24 months’ imprisonment and must serve a three-year term of supervised release following imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. Zamudio-Hernandez remains in custody of the United States Marshal until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-4049. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Huntington Resident Pleads Guilty to Role in Huntington-Area Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Yesterday, Erin Leigh Keeney, 41, of Huntington, pleaded guilty to distribution of carfentanil.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 24, 2025, Keeney sold approximately 1 gram of suspected fentanyl to a confidential informant in Huntington in exchange for $100. As part of her guilty plea, Keeney admitted to conducting the transaction and to telling the confidential informant about a gun for sale.
Keeney, Earl Michael “Mike” Myers, Joe Sidney Cross, and Maurice Kelly Johnson, also known as “Reese,” all from Huntington, were indicted by a federal grand jury on charges alleging they conspired to distribute fentanyl, cocaine base, and methamphetamine in the Huntington area from at least in and around March 2025 to in and around August 2025. The indictment against Cross and Johnson remain pending. Two other individuals were indicted separately as a result of the same investigation including Donovan Dewayne Pauley, 20, of Huntington, who pleaded guilty on October 27, 2025, to possession of a short-barreled shotgun not registered to him in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record. Pauley is scheduled to be sentenced on February 9, 2026.
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.
Keeney is scheduled to be sentenced on March 30, 2026. Keeney faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $1 million.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Huntington Police Department, and the Huntington Violent Crime and Drug Task Force.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie Taylor 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.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:25-cr-161.
Houston man sentenced to federal prison in ATM crime spreeRead the Press Release
PLANO, Texas – A Houston man has been sentenced to federal prison for a violent crime spree in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Justin Williams, 26, pleaded guilty to bank theft and was sentenced to 57 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Sean D. Jordan on December 15, 2025. Williams was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $112,212.
According to court documents, from June 2020 to June 2024, Williams was involved in a crime spree referred to as “Hook and Chain” burglaries, which involved stealing a truck, attaching hooks and chains to the vehicle, and using it to drag the door off an ATM to retrieve the cash currency from the machine. This crime spree involved several burglaries in the DFW area, including the Texas Bank on South Preston Road in Prosper, the BB&T on Legacy Drive in Frisco, and the First United Bank in Pottsboro. The conspiracy resulted in the theft of approximately $363,000 and damages to ATMs and property of at least $250,000.
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.
This case was investigated by the FBI, Fort Worth Police Department, and Pottsboro Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Johnson.
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Honduran National Sentenced for Illegal Reentry and Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that BRYAN JAVIER PEREZ-ESPINOZA (“PEREZ-ESPINOZA,”), age 33, a native of Honduras, was sentenced on December 3, 2025, to 21 months in federal prison.
According to court documents, PEREZ-ESPINOZA, an illegal alien previously removed to Honduras on September 30, 2022, was found in Orleans Parish on March 23, 2024. He was later charged in a superseding indictment on May 22, 2025, with reentry of a removed alien, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a), and illegal alien in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(5)(A) and 924(a)(8).
This prosecution was part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide Department of Justice initiative aimed at repelling illegal immigration, dismantling transnational criminal organizations, and protecting communities from violent crime. The operation unites the resources of the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) programs.
Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Department of Homeland Security, as well as their local and federal law enforcement partners, for their handling of this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Spiro G. Latsis of the General Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
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Honduran Man Sentenced to 25 Months in Federal Prison for Aggravated Identity Theft and Related Fraud ChargesRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Mary S. Scriven today sentenced Juan Ariel Molina-Salles (35, Honduras) to two years and one month in federal prison for aggravated identity theft, false representation of a Social Security number, and making a false claim of United States citizenship for employment purposes. The court ordered the sentence to run consecutive to his 12-year state sentence in case no. 22-CF-09348 in the Sixth Judicial Circuit Court in Pinellas County for leaving the scene of a crash involving death. Molina-Salles pleaded guilty on September 15, 2025.
According to court documents, Archer Western-de Moya Group Joint Venture II (Joint Venture) is enrolled in E-Verify, a web-based system through which employers electronically confirm the employment eligibility of their employees. Molina-Salles is an illegal alien from Honduras with no lawful status in the United States. On February 16, 2022, Molina-Salles applied for employment with the Joint Venture in Pinellas County and filled out an I-9 form for use in the E-Verify system. On that form, Molina-Salles falsely identified himself as a United States citizen and used another person’s means of identification to defeat the E-Verify system. Molina-Salles provided no documents or other proof that he was trained or qualified to operate a front-end loader or other heavy construction equipment.
Molina-Salles was working at the Joint Venture’s highway construction site in Pinellas County under the stolen identity on the evening of September 22, 2022. That night, while operating a front-end loader, he struck and killed Deputy Michael Hartwick, a 19-year veteran of the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office. Rather than staying at the scene and attempting to assist Deputy Hartwick, first responders, and investigators, Molina-Salles handed his construction helmet and safety vest to a co-worker, told the co-worker to get rid of those items, and fled. On September 23, 2022, Molina-Salles was arrested in connection with Deputy Hartwick’s death.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Department of Transportation – Office of Inspector General, the Social Security Administration–Office of the Inspector General, the United States Border Patrol, the Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Christopher F. Murray.
Head of Albuquerque Fentanyl Trafficking Organization SentencedRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE - David Mendoza-Enriquez was sentenced to 17 years in federal prison for leading a drug trafficking organization responsible for moving tens of thousands of fentanyl pills from Mexico into Albuquerque, along with alien smuggling and importing illegal wildlife.
According to court records, from at least 2020 through January 2023, Mendoza, 42, a Mexican national illegally present in the United States, was the head of a fentanyl distribution network that transported large quantities of pills from Juarez across the U.S. border and onto Albuquerque streets. Beginning in 2020, law enforcement initiated an undercover investigation that resulted in multiple controlled purchases directly from Mendoza, including a 2022 transaction involving nearly 5,000 fentanyl pills at his restaurant, Taco-H. Mendoza coordinated additional multi-thousand-pill deals and handled drug proceeds.
The investigation intensified in early 2023 following a shooting tied to Mendoza’s associates. During the response to that incident, officers discovered a live tiger cub concealed inside a trailer. The tiger cub, now named “Duke,” was transferred to the ABQ BioPark, and later to the Wild Animal Sanctuary in Keenesburg, Colorado.
Further investigation revealed that Mendoza had also conspired to import other exotic animals for profit and sought to expand his criminal operation into alien smuggling, arranging for his sons and other individuals to be transported from Mexico into the United States. On one occasion, he directed aliens to cross the border alongside an alligator, which had its mouth taped shut.
Alligator with mouth taped shut
Photo of Duke courtesy of the Wild Animal Sanctuary
Photo of Duke courtesy of the Wild Animal SanctuaryMendoza was charged along with 13 co-defendants in a 26-count superseding indictment returned in January 2024, alleging drug and firearms trafficking offenses. Mendoza later plead guilty to eight federal charges, including conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, four counts of distribution of fentanyl, alien in possession of ammunition, conspiracy to smuggle aliens, and conspiracy to violate the Lacey Act for illegal wildlife trafficking.
To date, 14 co-defendants have pled guilty and seven have been sentenced.
Acting U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison, Omar Arellano, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s El Paso Division, Ryan G. McRae, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations - El Paso, and Doug Ault, Assistant Director for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Office of Law Enforcement, made the announcement today.
The Drug Enforcement Administration investigated this case with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations - El Paso, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, New Mexico Department of Game and Fish, the Albuquerque Police Department, the Rio Rancho Police Department, the Pojoaque Pueblo Police Department, the Laguna Police Department, the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office, the Sandoval County Sheriff’s Office, the New Mexico State Police.
Assistant U.S. Attorney David Hirsch prosecuted the case as part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Guatemalan National Sentenced for Illegal Re-Entry ChargeRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Deborah L. Boardman sentenced Cesar Odilo Contreras-Lopez, 27, a Guatemalan national residing in Hyattsville, Maryland, to 63 days in federal prison for re-entry of an illegal alien after a prior removal.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Acting Field Office Director Vernon Liggins, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE-ERO) – Baltimore Field Office.
According to his guilty plea, Contreras-Lopez was illegally in the United States. Contreras-Lopez was previously removed from the U.S. following proceedings before an immigration judge. As part of his removal, Contreras-Lopez was advised that he is permanently excluded from re-entering the U.S.
Following his removal, Contreras-Lopez voluntarily and unlawfully re-entered the U.S. without inspection or permission. He never sought nor obtained the consent of the Attorney General of the United States or the Secretary of Homeland Security to apply for re-admission.
According to a criminal complaint filed in the case, Contreras-Lopez initially unlawfully entered the U.S. at a place other than a designated point of entry on an unknown date and at an unknown location. On November 5, 2016, Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Baltimore assisted the Prince George’s County Police Department with a search warrant. Law enforcement encountered Contreras-Lopez during the search and determined that heentered the U.S. unlawfully. Additionally, Contreras-Lopez confirmed his Guatemalan nationality and his association with La Mara Salvatrucha, commonly referred to as MS-13.
On January 9, 2017, an immigration judge ordered Contreras-Lopez’s removal which occurred on February 2. Then on July 10, USBP encountered Contreras-Lopez again, this time near Carrizo Springs, Texas. He pled guilty and received a 25-day sentence. Following the sentence, Contreras-Lopez was removed from the U.S. back to Guatemala.
Then on an unknown date and at an unknown location, Contreras-Lopez unlawfully re-entered the U.S. again. On September 14, 2023, ERO Baltimore found Contreras-Lopez leaving a Hyattsville, Maryland residence.
Law enforcement arrested Contreras-Lopez without incident, and he was removed to Guatemala on November 2. But Contreras-Lopez then unlawfully re-entered the U.S. again on an unknown date at an unknown location.
In October 2025, USMS and ERO San Antonio officers teamed up on an enforcement operation in Washington, DC in connection with a joint-crime initiative. On October 13, USMS located Contreras-Lopez driving a vehicle. Law enforcement stopped the car, but Contreras-Lopez attempted to flee on foot before authorities apprehend him.
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.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended ICE-ERO for its work in this investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Darren Gardner and William Moomau who prosecuted the federal case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Georgia Woman Sentenced to 100 Months in Prison for Defrauding WidowerRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Matthew T. Schelp on Tuesday sentenced a woman to 100 months in prison for fraudulently taking over the finances of a 74-year-old widower in a nursing home to steal $453,000.
Judge Schelp also ordered Shanita Gray, 52, to repay the money and had her immediately taken into custody.
Judge Schelp compared Gray to a shark that sensed a vulnerable victim and took full advantage “with the relentless desire to fulfill your greed.” He said she continued to lie even after pleading guilty to her crime by falsely claiming that a bogus power of attorney was legitimate. She has also filed complaints and lawsuits against those who tried to stop the fraud. “You’ll say and do whatever it takes to benefit yourself,” he told Gray.
In her August plea agreement, Gray admitted approaching a licensed notary public in Georgia to notarize a document seeking guardianship of the victim and altering it to appear as if the victim was present at the time. She appended that altered page to the first twelve pages of a durable financial power of attorney form to give the appearance that she had the authority to conduct financial transactions on his behalf. She admitted using that counterfeit power of attorney form to access his medical records and cause him “substantial financial hardship.”
In a sentencing memo, Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracy Berry wrote that less than 48 hours after receiving notice of the death of the victim’s eldest son, Gray traveled to St. Louis from Georgia and began pillaging the victim’s home to compile the personal identifying information and account information of the victim and his deceased wife and mother. During the scheme, she used the victim’s assets to pay for first-class travel to the Dominican Republic and Hawaii and made direct transfers of cash to herself and relatives and purchases from Queen’s Jewelry, Louis Vuitton, Gucci, and Versace, the memo says.
The nursing home’s former director testified Tuesday that the victim did not want contact with Gray, did not want her in his home and did not want her to have access to his finances, which he wanted to preserve for his youngest son.
The Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General and the Maryland Heights Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracy Berry prosecuted the case.
Gainesville Man Sentenced to More Than Ten Years for Role in Convenience Store RobberyRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Daniel L. Hovland has sentenced Jhakheem Smith (26, Gainesville) to 10 years and 6 months in federal prison for the armed robbery of a convenience store in Clearwater in November 2023. Earlier this year, Smith pleaded guilty to robbing and conspiring to rob the store. He pleaded not guilty to brandishing a firearm during a violent crime. Smith proceeded to trial on the firearm charge. A federal jury found Smith guilty of the firearm offense in March 2025.
According to testimony and evidence presented at the trial, on November 8, 2023,
Store surveillance video showed Jones and Smith jumping over the counter to confront the victim. The video also showed Smith searching throughout the store for a safe which allegedly contained additional money. The safe was never found. The store surveillance video also showed Smith attempting to damage the store surveillance cameras. Text messages obtained pursuant to a search warrant for Jones’s phone revealed text messages between Jones and Smith planning the robbery.
Jones pleaded guilty to all three charges in the indictment. On February 6, 2025, Jones was sentenced to 12 years and 11 months in federal prison.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Clearwater Police Department, the Largo Police Department, and the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Samantha Newman.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Four Charged with Human Smuggling and Illegal Entry OffensesRead the Press Release
Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that Fabian Ronald Reyes-Lopez, 36, of Ecuador, Kelbys Josefina Velazquez-Guitierrez, 43, of Puerto Ordoz, Venezuela, Solanger Almonte-Lopez, 39, of Cieza, Spain, and David Christopher Burke, 43, of Piltown, Ireland, have been charged by criminal complaint in the United States District Court for the District of Vermont. Reyes-Lopez and Velazquez-Gutierrez have been charged with attempting to transport illegal aliens in furtherance of their entry into the United States, a felony charge. Almonte-Lopez and Burke have been charged with being aliens who illegally entered the United States, a misdemeanor charge.
On December 10, 2025, all the defendants appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle, who ordered that Velazquez-Gutierrez and Almonte-Lopez be detained during the pendency of this matter. Judge Doyle ordered that Reyes-Lopez be released on conditions. Burke plead guilty to the charged offense immediately after his initial appearance.
According to court records, Almonte-Lopez and Burke crossed into the United States from Canada late at night on December 8 near Franklin, Vermont with the assistance of two other unidentified people. Reyes-Lopez and Velazquez-Gutierrez were waiting in a car to pick up Almonte-Lopez and Burke. United States Border Patrol agents detected the crossing and took all the defendants into custody.
The United States Attorney’s Office emphasizes that the complaint contains allegations only and that Reyes-Lopez, Velazquez-Gutierrez, and Almonte-Lopez are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. As mentioned above, Burke plead guilty the same day of his initial appearance, and received a sentence of time served. Reyes-Lopez and Velazquez-Gutierrez face up to 10 years in prison if convicted. Almonte-Lopez faces up to 6 months in prison if convicted. The actual sentence, however, would be determined by the District Court with guidance from the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines and the statutory sentencing factors.
First Assistant United States Attorney Michael P. Drescher commended the investigatory efforts of the United States Border Patrol.
The prosecutor is Special Assistant United States Attorney Charles W. Kirkham. Reyes-Lopez is represented by Devin T. McKnight, Esq. Velazquez-Gutierrez is represented by Assistant Federal Public Defender Charles N. Curlett, Jr. Almonte-Lopez is represented by Chandler W. Matson, Esq. Burke was represented by Karen R. Shingler, Esq.
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.
Fort Dodge Man Pleads Guilty to Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Melvin Boone, 46, from Fort Dodge, Iowa, pled guilty December 15, 2025, in federal court in Sioux City, to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine within 1,000 feet of a protected location.
At the plea hearing, Boone admitted that between October 2023, and March 2025, he and others conspired to distribute over 5 pounds of methamphetamine in the Fort Dodge area. Evidence also showed that in July 2024, Boone distributed 2 ounces of methamphetamine to an individual cooperating with law enforcement within 1,000 feet of St. Edmond Catholic School in Fort Dodge. Boone admitted to receiving and distributing methamphetamine with a number of individuals in Fort Dodge.
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand [will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Boone remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Boone faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $20,000,000 fine, and at least ten years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, the Webster County Sheriff’s Office, the Fort Dodge Police Department, and the Iowa DCI Criminalistic Laboratory.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-3027. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Former Missouri State Trooper Admits Searching Women’s Phones for Nude ImagesRead the Press Release
CAPE GIRARDEAU – A former Missouri State Highway Patrol trooper on Tuesday admitted unlawfully searching women’s cell phones during traffic stops to find nude pictures.
David McKnight, 40, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Cape Girardeau to nine counts of deprivation of rights under color of law, namely the right to be free from unreasonable search and seizure. He admitted unlawfully searching and seizing photographs from the cell phones of seven women and unlawfully searching the phones of two more women from Sept. 12, 2023, to July 30, 2024, while on duty, in uniform and traveling in a marked Missouri State Highway Patrol (MSHP) vehicle. During separate traffic stops of five of the victims, McKnight took their cell phones away from them and to his patrol car, claiming that he needed to confirm their identification or insurance coverage. He arrested another woman and took possession of her cellular phone incident to her arrest. He encountered another after an accident, one after a breakdown and one when she reported a careless driver. McKnight searched their phones without a warrant or probable cause to find nude images of the victims or their loved ones and then used his own cell phone to take photographs of some of the images he found.
After two victims became suspicious of his actions, they reported him to the MSHP. Forensic analysis revealed that McKnight had searched through their phones going into folders that contained nude photographs of them. Subsequent investigation revealed evidence of the other victims.
McKnight is scheduled to be sentenced on March 24, 2026.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol and the FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine Krug is prosecuting the case.
Former Harvard Morgue Manager and Wife Sentenced for Trafficking Stolen Human RemainsRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Cedric Lodge, age 58, and Denise Lodge, age 65, both of Goffstown, New Hampshire, were sentenced on December 16, 2025, by Chief United States District Judge Matthew W. Brann to interstate transport of stolen human remains. Cedric Lodge was sentenced to 96 months in prison and Denise Lodge received a sentence of 12 months and a day in prison.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, from 2018 through at least March 2020, Cedric Lodge participated in the sale and interstate transport of human remains stolen from Harvard Medical School morgue, located in Boston, Massachusetts. Cedric Lodge, who was then employed as the manager of the Harvard Medical School Morgue, removed human remains, including organs, brains, skin, hands, faces, dissected heads, and other parts, from donated cadavers after they had been used for research and teaching purposes but before they could be disposed of according to the anatomical gift donation agreement between the donor and the school. Cedric Lodge took the remains without the knowledge or permission of his employer, the donor, or the donor’s family, and transported the remains to his home in New Hampshire. After he and his wife Denise Lodge sold the remains, they would ship the remains to the buyers in other states or the buyer would take possession directly and transport the remains themselves. Remains stolen and sold by the Lodges were transported from the morgue in Boston to locations in Salem, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Pennsylvania.
Lodge sold remains to Joshua Taylor and Andrew Ensanian, among others. Many of the remains purchased from Lodge were resold for a profit, including to Jeremy Pauley, who previously entered a guilty plea to conspiracy and interstate transportation of stolen human remains and is scheduled for sentencing on December 22, 2025.
“The trafficking of stolen human remains through the US Mail is a disturbing act that victimizes already grieving families while also creating a potentially hazardous situation for Postal employees and customers,” said Christopher Nielsen, the Inspector in Charge of the Philadelphia Division of the Postal Inspection Service. “I hope our efforts, and these sentencings, bring some amount of closure to those affected by this terrible crime.”
“Today’s sentencing is another step forward in ensuring those who orchestrated and executed this heinous crime are brought to justice” said Wayne A. Jacobs, special agent in charge of FBI’s Philadelphia Field Office. “I want to thank our partners at the Postal Inspection Service and the United States Attorney's Office for their diligent efforts in this case.”
Several other defendants have previously entered guilty pleas in related cases, including Joshua Taylor, Andrew Ensanian, Matthew Lampi, Katrina Maclean and Angelo Pereyra. Lampi was sentenced to 15 months in prison and Pereyra was sentenced to 18 months. Joshua Taylor is awaiting sentencing. Additionally, Candace Chapman-Scott, who stole remains from an Arkansas crematorium where she was employed and sold them to Pauley in Pennsylvania, entered a plea of guilty in Arkansas federal court and was sentenced to 15 years in prison.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and the East Pennsboro Township Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alisan Martin is prosecuting the case.
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