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5 February 2026
Defuniak Springs Man Federally Charged for Armed Trafficking of Methamphetamine and Illegal Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Bobby Womack, 45, of DeFuniak Springs, Florida, was indicted by a federal grand jury charging him with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon armed career criminal. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the charges today.
Womack appeared for his arraignment in federal court before United States Magistrate Judge Zachary C. Bolitho in Pensacola, Florida. Jury trial is scheduled for March 2, 2026, at 8:30 am before District Court Judge M. Casey Rodgers.
If convicted, Womack faces a minimum of 10 years’ imprisonment up to life imprisonment on the possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine count, a minimum of 5 years’ imprisonment up to life imprisonment on the possession of a firearm in furtherance count, and a minimum of 15 years’ imprisonment up to life imprisonment on the possession of a firearm by a convicted felon armed career criminal count.
The case involved a joint investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Walton County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Christopher C. Patterson is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime, human and drug trafficking.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access available public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.
Chesterfield woman pleads guilty to defrauding numerous COVID-19 programs and tax chargesRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Chesterfield woman pled guilty today to making false statements to steal from multiple COVID-19 relief programs.
According to court documents, from approximately May 12, 2020, through at least March 18, 2021, Sheila C. Bynum-Coleman, 54, filed for and received at least nine fraudulent COVID-19 Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans totaling over $225,000 on behalf of eight different businesses she and her husband, Rashad H. Coleman, 48, purportedly operated. To obtain these PPP loans, Bynum-Coleman made numerous false certifications, including that each business had significant annual sales and revenue. Bynum-Coleman inflated and manufactured annual sales and revenue figures to inflate the amount of PPP funds for which the business could qualify. Additionally, with each PPP application, Bynum-Coleman fabricated Internal Revenue Service (IRS) income tax return documents to falsely support the inflated business sales and revenue figures.
For instance, though Bynum-Coleman submitted excerpts of a 2020 income tax return as part of multiple PPP loan applications, neither Bynum-Coleman nor her husband filed any income tax returns in 2020. Bynum-Coleman and Coleman also pled guilty to failing to file 2020 income tax returns.
Though Bynum-Coleman represented to financial institutions in PPP applications that she and her husband were operating numerous businesses in 2020, Bynum-Coleman represented to the Virginia Employment Commission (VEC) that she was unemployed from March 15, 2020, through February 13, 2021, to obtain pandemic unemployment benefits. Bynum-Coleman falsely certified to the VEC that she had not applied for or received PPP funds for the same time period she was seeking pandemic unemployment benefits. Bynum-Coleman made false statements to the U.S. Small Business Administration to defraud a separate COVID-19 program, the Emergency Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) Program.
Bynum-Coleman routinely spent fraudulently obtained PPP funds on paying down her home loan, luxury clothing, paying down credit card bills, and other personal spending. Moreover, on May 29, 2020, about a week after receiving $62,500 in PPP loans, Bynum-Coleman transferred $10,000 of fraudulently obtained PPP funds into a bank account in the name of “Friends of Sheila for Delegate,” an account for Bynum-Coleman’s political campaign for the Virginia House of Delegates.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Avi Panth and Thomas A. Garnett prosecuted the case.
The Department of Justice Office of Inspector General Mid-Atlantic Region and the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation Washington D.C. Field Office investigated 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. 3:25-cr-44.
Central Georgia Man Sentenced for Bank Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
MACON, Ga. – A Central Georgia resident guilty of a fraudulent loan scheme at a local bank branch was sentenced to serve seven years in prison for conspiracy to commit bank fraud.
Ronnie Atkinson, 57, of Macon, Georgia, was sentenced to serve a total of 84 months in prison to be followed by 5 years of supervised release on Feb. 5, after he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft on May 12, 2025. Atkinson was also ordered to pay a total of $3,357,073.21 in restitution.
In a related case, Alan Childs, 60, of Gray, Georgia, was sentenced to serve twelve months and one day in prison on Sept. 17, 2025, and was ordered to pay $3,094,200.98 in restitution after he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud on April 12, 2025.
U.S. District Judge Marc T. Treadwell presided over the case. There is no parole in the federal system.
“The defendant conspired with others to defraud a Gray, Georgia, bank branch, costing a small business and causing harm to many,” said U.S. Attorney William R “Will” Keyes. “These types of financial schemes have a negative ripple effect in the community and will not be tolerated by our office. We will continue to work with law enforcement to hold fraudsters accountable.”
“This case shows how greed-driven fraud schemes can devastate small businesses and undermine trust in our financial system,” said Peter Ellis, Acting Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “Mr. Atkinson exploited personal relationships and falsified records to secure millions in illegal loans, and today’s sentence holds him accountable for that harm."
According to court documents and statements referenced in court, Childs served as the Market President for the Gray, Georgia, branch of Morris Bank, from March 2018 to August 2022. He had lending authority up to $500,000.00 per customer relationship; to lend more required approval from the Senior Credit Officer.
Atkinson owned a timber-harvesting business. In March 2018, Atkinson obtained his first loan from Morris Bank to purchase equipment. This loan, and all subsequent loans, were handled by Childs. By June 2019, Atkinson reached the maximum $500,000 threshold, and Childs was not allowed to make additional loans without higher approval. Also, Atkinson’s loans were downgraded to substandard, indicating they displayed a well-defined weakness that could jeopardize collection.
Beginning in August 2019 and continuing through May 2022, Atkinson began having relatives and friends appear as borrowers for loans intended for his benefit, which Childs knew the loans were for Atkinson, exceeding his $500,000 limit without the proper approval.
In loans involving the purchase of goods, Atkinson included many bills of sale that were fraudulent. In addition, Atkinson instructed some of the so-called reported sellers of the goods to instead cash the loan checks and give the money to him or one of his relatives. Atkinson also brought several Morris Bank loan and cashier’s checks to a local check-cashing business, sometimes bringing the payee with him and then collecting the cash or even cashing out the checks without the payee present; these payees had not sold anything to Atkinson.
As a result of the conspiracy, Morris Bank issued 57 loans to and for the benefit of Atkinson, with a total loss of between $1.5 million and $3.5 million.
The case was investigated by the FBI.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Howard prosecuted the case for the Government.
California Man Charged with Transmitting a Demand for RansomRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz, - On Thursday, Feb. 5, 2026, the FBI arrested Derrick Callella, 42, in Hawthorne, Calif. Callella has been charged via a criminal complaint filed in federal court for transmitting a demand for ransom in interstate commerce, and without disclosing his identity, utilizing a telecommunications device with the intent to abuse, threaten, or harass a person.
“The Department of Justice will protect victims and families at all costs, and grief profiteers will be held accountable,” said U.S. Attorney Timothy Courchaine. “This case came together in under 24 hours because of the coordinated work of the FBI, local law enforcement and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California.”
“To those imposters who are trying to take advantage and profit from this situation – we will investigate and ensure you are held accountable for your actions,” said FBI Phoenix Special Agent in Charge Heith Janke.
Per policy, the FBI does not release booking photos.
A criminal complaint is simply a method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
See complaint here:
usa_v_callella_complaint.pdfCASE NUMBER: 26-04209MJ
RELEASE NUMBER: 2026-021_Callella
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.
Brazilian National Sentenced for Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Brazilian national unlawfully residing in Fall River, Mass. pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to unlawfully reentering the United States after deportation and was sentenced.
Evaldo Ferreira Pinto, 51, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV to time served and one year of supervised release. The defendant is now subject to deportation proceedings. Earlier in the hearing Pinto pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien. According to court records, Pinto had been in custody since his arrest on Aug. 7, 2025. Pinto was indicted by a federal grand jury in September 2025.
According to the charging documents, Pinto was found in the United States on Aug. 7, 2025, after previously having been removed from the United States on or about May 31, 2019. According to court documents, Pinto has previously been removed or self-deported on four occasions and has been previously convicted of unlawful reentry three times. Pinto is now subject to deportation.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Patricia H. Hyde, Acting Field Office Director, Boston, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elianna J. Nuzum of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case.
Bogue Homa Man Sentenced in Reservation Burglary CaseRead the Press Release
Jackson, MS – A Bogue Homa man was sentenced today to three years in prison for a burglary on the Choctaw Indian Reservation. U.S. Attorney J.E. Baxter Kruger of the Southern District of Mississippi and Director Gabriel Billie of the Choctaw Police Department of Public Safety made the announcement.
According to court documents, Jaiden Tyler Sullivan, of the Bogue Homa Community of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians forcefully entered a tribal home on January 26, 2025, and took items of value. Sullivan was subsequently arrested by the Choctaw Police Department of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians.
In March of 2025, a federal grand jury indicted Sullivan. On November 4, 2025, Sullivan pleaded guilty to the charge of burglary. Sullivan was sentenced to a prison term of 36 months, to be followed by a term of 36 months of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Kruger commended the investigative work of the Choctaw Police Department of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kevin J. Payne and Brian K. Burns.
Bexar County Man Indicted for Tampering with Public Water SystemsRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO – A federal grand jury in San Antonio returned an indictment Wednesday charging a Bexar County man with three counts related to his alleged tampering with public water systems, announced U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas, Justin R. Simmons.
According to court documents, Mark Anthony Cadena, 36, is alleged to have knowingly tampered with and attempted to tamper with a public water system on or about Feb. 2, 2025. The indictment also alleges Cadena hacked into the water utility’s well and pump control systems, intentionally causing at least $5,000 in damage to a protected computer threatening public health and safety.
Cadena is charged with one count of tampering with public water systems, one count of attempted tampering with public water systems, and one count of fraud and related activity in connection with computers. If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in prison for count one and 10 years in prison each for counts two and three. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI and the Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Mangels is 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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Beeville resident sentenced to 12 years for possessing over 1,000 sexual images and videos of childrenRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 31-year-old man has been ordered to federal prison for possession of child sexual abuse material, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Brian Perez pleaded guilty Aug. 20, 2025.
U.S. District Judge David Morales has now ordered Perez to serve 144 months in federal prison. At the hearing Feb. 4, the court heard additional information including how Perez actively sought to trade CSAM videos and images with others online to increase his collection. He will serve 10 years on supervised release following the completion of his prison term. During that time, he will have to comply with numerous requirements designated to restrict his access to children and the internet. Perez will also be ordered to register as a sex offender. Restitution will be determined at a later date.
The investigation into Perez began Nov. 7, 2024, when authorities discovered CSAM had been uploaded onto the internet. Law enforcement was able to identify Perez as the source of the content.
Authorities obtained a search warrant for Perez’s residence in Beeville. They located and seized two electronic devices.
Upon forensic examination, law enforcement discovered approximately 75 videos and more than 1,000 images depicting CSAM. Included in the images were prepubescent children engaging in sexually explicit conduct.
Perez admitted he started viewing CSAM two years prior and that there were multiple images on his phone.
He will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patrick Overman and Izaak Bruce prosecuted the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources tab on that page.
Baltimore County Man Sentenced for Fraudulently Obtaining More Than a Half Million Dollars in COVID-19 Cares Act LoansRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett sentenced a Baltimore County man to federal prison today, in connection with submitting fraudulent CARES Act loan applications.
Judge Bennett sentenced Edward McCorkle, 37, to two years in prison, followed by six months of home detention, and then three years of supervised release, for one count of wire fraud. McCorkle pled guilty to the federal charges back on September 15, 2025. Judge Bennett also ordered McCorkle to pay $523,500 in restitution.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul, FBI – Baltimore Field Office, and Chief Robert O. McCullough, Baltimore County Police Department (BCPD).
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act — a federal law enacted in March 2020 — provided emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering from the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. It gives financial assistance including forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and other expenses. Established by the CARES Act, the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) — administered through the Small Business Administration (SBA) — along with the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL), helped businesses meet their financial obligations.
According to his plea agreement, beginning in May 2020, and continuing through February 2021 in the District of Maryland, McCorkle engaged in a scheme to defraud financial institutions — including Cross River Bank and the SBA — to obtain fraudulent loans for various purported businesses that he previously established under the PPP and EIDL program.
McCorkle ultimately fraudulently obtained more than $523,000 as part of this scheme while attempting to obtain a total of $946,500. He used the fraudulently obtained funds for multiple impermissible purposes, including numerous personal expenses, large cash withdrawals, and to purchase and rehabilitate real estate in Baltimore City.
The District of Maryland Strike Force is one of five strike forces established throughout the United States by the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute COVID-19 fraud, including fraud relating to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The CARES Act was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The strike forces focus on large-scale, multi-state pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors. The strike forces are interagency law enforcement efforts, using prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams designed to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds.
For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit justice.gov/coronavirus. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI and BCPD for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul E. Budlow, who prosecuted the case, and recognized Paralegal Specialists Juliette Jarman and Joanna B.N. Huber, for their valuable assistance.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, please visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/report-fraud.
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Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Hoover Receives FBI Certificate of Appreciation for Leadership in Human Trafficking ProsecutionRead the Press Release
MIAMI – Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Hoover was presented with a Certificate of Appreciation signed by FBI Director Kash Patel in recognition of his outstanding work in the successful prosecution of Shannima Yuantrell Session.
The award was presented by FBI Supervisory Special Agent Peter Angell of the Fort Pierce Resident Agency at a meeting hosted by the Human Trafficking Coalition of the Treasure Coast and Okeechobee at the Martin County Sheriff’s Office.
“Human trafficking is one of the most vicious crimes imaginable: it strips victims of their freedom, dignity, and humanity,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “AUSA Justin Hoover showed exceptional leadership and resolve in holding a trafficker accountable and standing up for survivors. This recognition from the FBI reflects the kind of commitment and partnership that defines the best of public service.”
The certificate honors AUSA Hoover’s exemplary leadership, dedication, and advocacy for victims throughout the prosecution of Session, who was convicted by a federal jury in September 2024 following a nine-day trial. Session was subsequently sentenced to life in federal prison for trafficking nearly a dozen women and girls and exploiting their vulnerabilities over multiple years.
Evidence at trial demonstrated that Session lured his victims with false promises of legitimate employment and housing assistance, then used violence, coercion, and intimidation tactics — including physical assault and firearm threats — to control them. Session also manipulated victims’ substance abuse issues to compel them into commercial sex acts.
Anyone who has information about human trafficking should report that information to the National Human Trafficking Hotline toll-free at 1-888-373-7888, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more information about human trafficking, please visit www.humantraffickinghotline.org. Information on the Justice Department’s efforts to combat human trafficking can be found at www.justice.gov/humantrafficking.
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Arnold Parolee Who Led Police on High-Speed Chase with Child in Vehicle Sentenced to 13 Years in Prison for Trafficking Fentanyl and HeroinRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Arnold, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 156 months of incarceration, to be followed by five years of supervised release, on his conviction for fentanyl and heroin trafficking, United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
United States District Judge W. Scott Hardy imposed the sentence on Kevin Watson, 36, on February 4, 2026.
According to information presented to the Court, on April 26, 2019, Watson was stopped by the Pennsylvania State Police for traffic violations, with a young child present in the back seat of Watson’s vehicle. When asked to get out of the vehicle, Watson sped away and led officers on a high-speed chase that reached speeds of 115 mph before Watson crashed the vehicle and fled on foot, leaving the child, who was not seriously injured, alone and unattended in the vehicle. Later, the Pennsylvania State Police obtained a search warrant for the vehicle, which revealed more than $100,000 of a mixture containing fentanyl and heroin in the trunk. Watson has an extensive criminal history that includes, among other convictions, three previous drug trafficking convictions, and was on parole at the time of this offense.
Assistant United States Attorneys Kelly M. Locher and Barbara K. Doolittle prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Pennsylvania State Police and Drug Enforcement Administration for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Watson.
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.
Arkansas Company and Affiliates Pay $3.2 Million to Resolve Allegations Relating to Paycheck Protection Program LoansRead the Press Release
BOSTON – QP Holdings, LLC, an Arkansas company, and its affiliates, River Bend, Industries, LLC, Master Molded Products, LLC and 3D Plastics, LLC, have agreed to pay $3,295,129.76 to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act by obtaining Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans for which they were not eligible.
Congress enacted the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) on March 29, 2020, to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans who were suffering the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The CARES Act authorized forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain approved expenses through the PPP, which the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) administered. The PPP provided for loans in two “draws”—first draw loans became available in March 2020, with a second draw announced in January 2021. Businesses were required to certify on their loan applications that they met certain size standards based on, for example, the number of employees they, and their affiliated entities, collectively employed.
QP Holdings’ affiliates each received a second-draw PPP loan. As part of the settlement, QP Holdings and its affiliates acknowledge that they were ineligible for their PPP loans because they exceeded the applicable business size standards for second-draw loans. The affiliates sought and received forgiveness from SBA for the full amount of their second-draw loans.
The settlement credits the QP Holdings Entities for cooperation under the Department of Justice’s Guidelines for Taking Voluntary Disclosure, Cooperation, and Remediation into Account in False Claims Act Matters.
The claims resolved in today’s settlement include claims that were brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act. Under the Act, a private party 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. QP Holdings, LLC, et al., No. 24-cv-12001-NMG. As part of today’s resolution, the relator will receive 10% of the settlement amount.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and the U.S. Small Business Administration made the announcement today. Brian M. LaMacchia, Chief of the Affirmative Civil Enforcement Unit handled the matter.
Arizona man sentenced for sexual abuseRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – An Arizona man was sentenced to more than 11 years in prison for engaging in sexual acts with a minor victim using threats and intimidation.
There is no parole in the federal system.
In August of 2021, Fernando Yatsatie, Jr., 48, a member of the Zuni Pueblo, unlawfully engaged in a sexual act with a minor victim using threats and intimidation.
Yatsatie pleaded guilty to sexual abuse. Upon his release from prison, Yatsatie will be subject to fifteen years of supervised release and must register as a sex offender.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Zuni Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Marshall is prosecuting the case.
Anti-ICE Antifa member arrested on federal charges of Cyberstalking and Threatening Communications after allegedly calling for the murder and assault of federal immigration officers in MinneapolisRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – Self-identified Antifa member Kyle Wagner was arrested today on federal threat and cyberstalking charges following alleged murder and assault threats against ICE, announced United States Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon, Jr. Wagner, 37 of Minneapolis, is expected to make an initial appearance in federal court today.
“This man allegedly doxxed and called for the murder of law enforcement officers, encouraged bloodshed in the streets, and proudly claimed affiliation with the terrorist organization Antifa before going on the run,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Today’s arrest illustrates that you cannot run, you cannot hide, and you cannot evade our federal agents: if you come for law enforcement, the Trump Administration will come for you.”
“It’s no surprise that an Antifa terrorist is allegedly threatening to kill and assault federal law enforcement officers as they dutifully remove criminal threats from neighborhoods,” said Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche. “After all, this is what Antifa is about, lawlessness and violence. But under the leadership of President Trump and Attorney General Bondi, there is no safe haven for terrorists and no protection from the full weight of justice.
“We know that a ‘worthless man plots evil, and his speech is like a scorching fire.’ And Wagner’s alleged actions were an attempt to spread fire into our peaceful community. That is not going to happen,” said U.S. Attorney Gorgon.
According to the criminal complaint, Wagner has escalated his opposition to ICE operations, including conspiring and threatening to assault federal law enforcement officers in Minneapolis. In January 2026, Wagner repeatedly posted on Facebook and Instagram encouraging his followers to forcibly confront, assault, impede, oppose, and resist federal officers whom he referred to as the “gestapo” and “murderers.”
On January 8, 2026, Wagner posted a video directly threatening ICE agents by stating, “I’ve already bled for this city, I’ve already fought for this city, this is nothing new, we’re ready this time, ICE we’re f---ing coming for you.” The following day, Wagner posted about the “constant harassment of ICE” and said that “we need to continue that, but we also need to cripple them.” Wagner then advocated for physical confrontation, stating, “Anywhere we have an opportunity to get our hands on them, we need to put our hands on them.”
Wagner also urged others to “hunt” ICE, including those who are “armed” to “fight [ICE]. This is kill or be killed.” He described agitators’ “goal [ ] to unmask and identify [ICE] agents - stop their ability to arrest individuals through group resistance.” On January 10, 2026, Wagner asserted that “we are at f----- war” and stated, “So, either we’re going to win, or I will die in this process.” On January 13, 2026, Wagner praised the success of the agitators’ anti-ICE efforts, stating, “This is where ICE has come to die” and then threatened ICE agents, “We want to know who they are. We will identify every single one of them and we will prosecute them to the fullest extent of the law. If it has to be done at the barrel of a gun, then let us have a little f------ fun.”
On January 24, 2026, Wagner stated that he was “not talking about peaceful protests anymore.” And urged violence against federal officers: “Get your f----- guns and stop these f------ people.” Wagner also reposted a video where he passed out gas masks and shields to agitators.
The complaint further alleges that on January 29, 2026, Wagner, used his Instagram account to dox a pro-ICE individual by publishing a phone number, birth month and year, and address in Oak Park, Michigan, threatening the individual. Wagner later admitted that he doxxed the victim’s parents’ house.
A complaint is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent. As a felony trial cannot be held on a complaint, a decision to seek an indictment will be made in the near future.
The case was investigated by the agents of Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations.
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.
Anti-ICE Antifa member arrested on federal charges of Cyberstalking and Threatening Communications after allegedly calling for the murder and assault of federal immigration officers in MinneapolisRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – Self-identified Antifa member Kyle Wagner was arrested today on federal threat and cyberstalking charges following alleged murder and assault threats against ICE, announced United States Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon, Jr. Wagner, 37 of Minneapolis, is expected to make an initial appearance in federal court today.
“This man allegedly doxxed and called for the murder of law enforcement officers, encouraged bloodshed in the streets, and proudly claimed affiliation with the terrorist organization Antifa before going on the run,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Today’s arrest illustrates that you cannot run, you cannot hide, and you cannot evade our federal agents: if you come for law enforcement, the Trump Administration will come for you.”
“It’s no surprise that an Antifa terrorist is allegedly threatening to kill and assault federal law enforcement officers as they dutifully remove criminal threats from neighborhoods,” said Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche. “After all, this is what Antifa is about, lawlessness and violence. But under the leadership of President Trump and Attorney General Bondi, there is no safe haven for terrorists and no protection from the full weight of justice.
“We know that a ‘worthless man plots evil, and his speech is like a scorching fire.’ And Wagner’s alleged actions were an attempt to spread fire into our peaceful community. That is not going to happen,” said U.S. Attorney Gorgon.
According to the criminal complaint, Wagner has escalated his opposition to ICE operations, including conspiring and threatening to assault federal law enforcement officers in Minneapolis. In January 2026, Wagner repeatedly posted on Facebook and Instagram encouraging his followers to forcibly confront, assault, impede, oppose, and resist federal officers whom he referred to as the “gestapo” and “murderers.”
On January 8, 2026, Wagner posted a video directly threatening ICE agents by stating, “I’ve already bled for this city, I’ve already fought for this city, this is nothing new, we’re ready this time, ICE we’re f---ing coming for you.” The following day, Wagner posted about the “constant harassment of ICE” and said that “we need to continue that, but we also need to cripple them.” Wagner then advocated for physical confrontation, stating, “Anywhere we have an opportunity to get our hands on them, we need to put our hands on them.”
Wagner also urged others to “hunt” ICE, including those who are “armed” to “fight [ICE]. This is kill or be killed.” He described agitators’ “goal [ ] to unmask and identify [ICE] agents - stop their ability to arrest individuals through group resistance.” On January 10, 2026, Wagner asserted that “we are at f----- war” and stated, “So, either we’re going to win, or I will die in this process.” On January 13, 2026, Wagner praised the success of the agitators’ anti-ICE efforts, stating, “This is where ICE has come to die” and then threatened ICE agents, “We want to know who they are. We will identify every single one of them and we will prosecute them to the fullest extent of the law. If it has to be done at the barrel of a gun, then let us have a little f------ fun.”
On January 24, 2026, Wagner stated that he was “not talking about peaceful protests anymore.” And urged violence against federal officers: “Get your f----- guns and stop these f------ people.” Wagner also reposted a video where he passed out gas masks and shields to agitators.
The complaint further alleges that on January 29, 2026, Wagner, used his Instagram account to dox a pro-ICE individual by publishing a phone number, birth month and year, and address in Oak Park, Michigan, threatening the individual. Wagner later admitted that he doxxed the victim’s parents’ house.
A complaint is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent. As a felony trial cannot be held on a complaint, a decision to seek an indictment will be made in the near future.
The case was investigated by the agents of Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations.
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.
Alaskan man indicted as financial sponsor of unaccompanied minor in Texas alien smuggling investigationRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – A 44-year-old man from Chugaik, Alaska, has been charged in the Southern District of Texas for paying to bring illegal aliens into the country, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Douglas Price is set to appear before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kyle F. Reardon in Anchorage, Alaska, at 1 p.m. (Alaska Standard Time).
The charges allege Price used a payment account associated with his business to pay approximately $5,000 to alien smugglers for a Honduran woman and her child to be smuggled into the United States. The woman and her child were subsequently separated during the smuggling journey, according to the criminal complaint originally filed in the case.
“This man allegedly paid smugglers to bring an illegal alien child and mother to this country, and in doing so, the child ended up alone during the dangerous journey,” said Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche. "Under POTUS, vetting of sponsors for unaccompanied alien children is as strong as ever, and federal partners found this “sponsor” to be unfit. It is a crime to smuggle illegal aliens into this country, and particularly horrendous to expose a child to untold dangers. Working with our federal partners, we will continue to uphold the law and in doing so, keep children from potential harm.”
"This indictment demonstrates the far-reaching and positive impact a secure southern border provides for all Americans,” said Ganjei. “Price allegedly spent thousands of dollars attempting to smuggle two aliens, including an unaccompanied minor, more than 4,000 miles, from the Texas border all the way up to Alaska. Price’s alleged scheme unreasonably subjected this child to incredible risk, as human smuggling is a dangerous, and often even deadly, business. Now, Price will be paying for his own return trip—to a federal courthouse in the Southern District of Texas."
Law enforcement allegedly apprehended the unaccompanied minor Jan. 16 upon crossing the border in Hidalgo. They took the mother into custody six days later as she crossed illegally at the same location, according to the charges.
The indictment, returned Feb. 3, charges Price with conspiracy to bring aliens to the United States and encouraging aliens to come to, enter or reside in the country. If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
Homeland Security Investigations in McAllen and Anchorage conducted the investigation with the assistance of Border Patrol, Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Enforcement and Removal Operations, Department of Health and Human Services - Office of Refugee and Resettlement and U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Devin V. Walker is prosecuting the case with assistance from Assistant U.S. Attorney Alana Weber in the District of Alaska.
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.
A criminal complaint or indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
4 February 2026
Yorktown drug trafficker sentenced to five years in prison for firearm possessionRead the Press Release
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Yorktown man was sentenced today to five years in prison for possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
According to court documents, on Feb. 3, 2025, law enforcement conducted a controlled purchase of an ounce of methamphetamine, which was supplied by Jonathan Michael Jenkins, aka JHood, 42. On March 3, 2025, the investigative team searched two residences associated with Jenkins. From the first residence, investigators recovered methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin, fentanyl, and crack cocaine as well as a loaded handgun. From the second residence, investigators recovered additional indicia of drug trafficking and use.
Jenkins previously was convicted of 15 crimes and 17 probation violations as an adult.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division investigated the case with significant assistance from the Virginia State Police Tri-Rivers Task Force, Gloucester County Sheriff’s Office, Mathews County Sheriff’s Office, and York-Poquoson Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Devon Heath prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
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. 4:25-cr-16.
Worcester Couple Sentenced to 18 Years in Prison for Sex TraffickingRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A husband and wife from Worcester have been sentenced for sex trafficking a victim in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Connecticut and Rhode Island.
Kiersten Soto, 32, and Moises Soto, 33, were sentenced on Jan. 23, 2026 by U.S. District Court Judge Margaret R. Guzman to 18 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. The defendants were also ordered to pay a $5,000 fine and pay mandatory restitution to the victim in the amount of $138,000. In September 2025, the defendants were convicted of one count each of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking and sex trafficking by force, fraud and coercion. Kiersten Soto was also convicted of one count of traveling or using interstate facilities to promote unlawful activities. The defendants were arrested and charged in December 2022.
From February through May 2022, the Sotos used force, fraud and coercion to traffic the victim for commercial sex in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Connecticut and Rhode Island. A website was used to advertise the victim to sex buyers from all over New England. Kiersten Soto regularly threatened the victim with violence, abandonment and involuntary commitment to a facility. Moises Soto used extreme physical violence including beatings, assaults with wooden dowel rods and choking if the victim failed to make enough money. Videos from the defendants’ cell phones show the defendants cornering the victim in their home, threatening her, berating her, calling her a snitch, all while the victim suffered through agonizing drug withdrawals.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement. Special assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police and the Marlborough and Worcester Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephen W. Hassink and Torey B. Cummings of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case.
Wood County Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Cory Alan Fout, 32, of Walker, was sentenced today to three years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for possession of a firearm by a person previously convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 17, 2025, Fout possessed 12 firearms at his residence in Walker. As part of his guilty plea, Fout admitted to possessing the firearms and that one of them, a loaded Smith & Wesson model M&P 45 Shield M2.0 .45-caliber pistol, was reported stolen.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior conviction for a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Fout knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his conviction for domestic battery in Wood County Circuit Court on August 22, 2022.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Wood County Sheriff's Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the Wood County Probation Office.
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney JC MacCallum prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-133.
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Wareham Man Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography OffensesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Wareham man pleaded guilty in federal court in Boston to possessing and receiving child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
Brandon Bendall, 50, pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child pornography and one count of receipt of child pornography. U.S. District Court Judge Myong J. Joun scheduled sentencing for May 7, 2026. He was arrested and charged by criminal complaint on May 2, 2025 and indicted by a federal grand jury in June 2025.
According to court documents, Bendall was a member of an online chat group in which members viewed and posted CSAM. While in the chat group Bendall posted at least 17 videos containing CSAM. During a search of Bendall’s residence and cell phone, approximately 9,400 images and videos of CSAM, including images of children as young as infants being sexually assaulted, were located.
The charges of receipt and possession of child pornography each provide for a sentence of at least five years and up to 20 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime 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 and Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police and the Wareham, Marion and East Bridgewater Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney David G. Tobin of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Utah Business Owner of Urban Armz LLC Sentenced to Two Years’ Imprisonment After Defrauding Victims $591,932Read the Press Release
ST. GEORGE, Utah – A Utah man who misrepresented his business, Urban Armz, LLC, as a federal firearms licensee based in St. George, was sentenced today to 24 months’ imprisonment after he engaged in financial fraud by falsely representing to customers that his business could fulfill orders to help first responders in Ukrainian warzones. Instead, the defendant and his coconspirator used the money elsewhere, including on personal expenses.
John Earl Donaldson, 32, of Saratoga Springs, Utah, pleaded guilty on May 19, 2025, to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to launder money.
In addition to Donaldson’s term of imprisonment, U.S. District Court Judge Ann Marie McIff Allen, sentenced Donaldson to three years of supervised release and ordered him to pay $591,932.73 jointly and severally with his codefendant.
According to court documents and admissions made at Donaldson’s change of plea and sentencing hearings, between December 2021 and January 2023, in the District of Utah, Donaldson engaged in financial fraud by holding himself out as the owner and operator of Urban Armz LLC, a purported federal firearms licensee. He falsely represented to two customers that his company sold large quantities of ammunition and had an established business relationship with a major ammunition supplier. When Donaldson received the victims’ money, he failed to deliver the ordered products. At one point, Donaldson obtained capital from a financial firm by lying about his company’s revenues and altering bank statements to reflect fictitious revenues. In March 2022, shortly after Russia invaded Ukraine, a Ukrainian American nonprofit and a Detroit-based company separately sought to donate needed supplies to first responders (police, paramedics, and firefighters) in warzones. Those entities paid Urban Armz to deliver body armor, bullet proof vests, and other equipment to Ukraine. Donaldson lied about his ability and intent to fulfill the order. He instead took the charitable donors’ money—over $517,000—and spent it elsewhere, including on personal expenses. In all, Donaldson and his coconspirator caused a $591,932.73 loss to four victims. See prior press release: Utah Married Couple Running a Gun and Ammo Shop, Arrested and Indicted After Deceitfully Obtaining Over $600,000 from Customers.
“Defendant preyed on charitable donors seeking to help first responders on the front line in Ukraine. Stealing charitable donations is pernicious, but particularly so when the donations are meant to help those suffering horrific conditions in warzones,” said U.S. Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the District of Utah. “We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute individuals who exploit others for their own financial gain.”
"Mr. Donaldson’s actions were more than just financial fraud; they were a heartless exploitation of a global crisis,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert Bohls of the Salt Lake City FBI. "By pocketing over $517,000 intended for life-saving equipment in Ukraine, he prioritized personal greed over the safety of first responders. The FBI remains dedicated to ensuring that those who use deception to defraud others are held fully accountable."
The case was investigated jointly by the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office, St. George Resident Agency and Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI).
Assistant United States Attorney Stephen P. Dent of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Collects over $8 Million in Civil and Criminal Actions and Forfeitures in FY 2025Read the Press Release
LAFAYETTE - U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Keller announced today that the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Louisiana collected $7,695,567 in criminal and civil actions, as well as $420,268 in asset forfeiture actions, in Fiscal Year 2025. Of this amount, $2,410,275 was collected in criminal actions and $5,285,291 was collected in civil actions. Forfeited assets deposited into the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund are used to restore funds to crime victims and for a variety of law enforcement purposes.
The Office also worked with other U.S. Attorney’s Offices and components of the Department of Justice to collect an additional $637,270 in cases pursued jointly by these offices. Of this amount, $2,946 was collected in criminal actions and $634,323 was collected in civil actions.
“These collections demonstrate our Office’s commitment to holding individuals and entities accountable for violations of federal law and restoring lost funds to victims,” said U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Keller. “Our Office remains focused on securing restitution for victims, protecting public funds, and working with our partners to promote public trust in the justice system.”
The U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, along with the Department’s litigating divisions, are responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the United States and criminal debts owed to federal crime victims. The law requires defendants to pay restitution to victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered a physical injury or financial loss. While restitution is paid to the victim, criminal fines and felony assessments are paid to the Department’s Crime Victims Fund, which distributes the funds collected to federal and state victim compensation and victim assistance programs.
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U.S. Attorney Ganjei announces record-breaking year for border security, cartel dismantling, and espionage disruptionRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – The Southern District of Texas marked major milestones in the pursuit of justice and fulfilled its duties with substantial results in safeguarding the district with important actions in the recent year, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
The highlighted matters include major announcements throughout the district, Houston/Galveston cases as well as significant actions from other divisions, to include Corpus Christi/Victoria, McAllen, Laredo and Brownsville.
Most notably was the implementation of “Operation Pick-Off,” an initiative created in the Southern District of Texas that targets criminal illegal aliens who are currently serving terms of probation following convictions for state crimes, such as drug offenses, human smuggling, fraud, burglary, assault and other violent crimes. The enforcement effort, originally announced Aug. 25, 2025, led to federal charges against 67 illegal aliens in the Rio Grande Valley area, 65 of whom had returned to the country after being previously removed, only to commit other crimes, according to the allegations. In a subsequent roundup in Laredo, law enforcement took another 28 into custody, including a convicted murderer. More actions are in place for the remaining counties within the district.
In a case out of the Houston Division, Operation Gatekeeper uncovered a scheme in which Alan Hao Hsu and Benlin Yuan allegedly conspired together to obtain export-controlled Nvidia GPUs through straw purchasers and falsely claimed the goods were destined for approved locations. The GPUs were routed through U.S. warehouses, relabeled under a fake company name and misclassified as generic computer parts before being shipped to the People’s Republic of China and Hong Kong, according to the charges.
Prosecutors also announced charges against 14 Banditos Outlaw Motorcycle Gang members for racketeering activity, assault and murder. According to the indictment, members and associates engaged in a conspiracy to commit racketeering activity and carried out violent crimes, including murder and attempted murder, as part of a turf war with rival gang BEAST that began in 2019. The indictment alleges Bandidos leadership authorized a “smash on site” order targeting BEAST members, resulting in gunfire on public roadways and in public establishments with civilians present.
As part of Operation Double Down, numerous Houston-area residents were indicted on various charges including conspiracy, operating illegal game rooms, bribery and money laundering. Approximately 700 law enforcement officers from 18 agencies served a total of 45 search and 40 seizure warrants at locations throughout Houston and the surrounding area and closed 30 illegal gaming rooms.
Also in 2025, a 33-year-old Chinese state-sponsored hacker was taken into custody for his alleged involvement in U.S. computer intrusions, including the reckless and indiscriminate HAFNIUM campaign that compromised thousands of computers worldwide. According to court documents, in early 2020, Xu Zewei and his co-conspirators targeted U.S.-based universities and researchers conducting COVID-19 vaccine, treatment and testing research and reported their activities to officers in China’s Ministry of State Security, who directed the hacking operations.
In a major case out of Laredo, the extradition of three Guatemalan nationals were part of a national announcement for their charges stemming from a 2021 mass casualty event in Chiapas, Mexico. The crash allegedly involved a tractor-trailer packed with at least 160 illegal aliens – many of them Guatemalan – that killed more than 50 people, including unaccompanied children, and injured over 100 more. The three smugglers – Tomas Quino Canil, Oswaldo Manuel Zavala Quino and Josefa Quino Canil De Zavala – were arrested in Guatemala last December and made their appearances in Laredo Sept. 4, 2025.
A six-count second superseding indictment was also unsealed in Houston, charging four Venezuelan nationals for providing material support to foreign terrorist organization, Tren de Aragua, as well as international drug trafficking. According to court records, Yohan Jose Romero and Juan Gabriel Rivans Nunez are two of the topmost leaders of TdA involved in the illegal mining of gold in Venezuela. Giovanni Vicente Mosquera and Jose Enrique Martinez Flores are TdA leaders allegedly involved in international drug trafficking.
In another Houston case, charges allege Venezuelan national Juan Carlos Cairo-Padron and Thomas Michael Fortinberry conspired for years to sell chemical catalysts, industrial equipment and associated services to Venezuelan state-owned steel mills and petrochemical companies that are subject to U.S. sanctions. According to the charges, the scheme involved U.S. and overseas front companies, foreign bank accounts and falsified shipping documents to conceal the fact that goods and services were destined for sanctioned entities.
Notable sentencings out of the Houston Division included Fredrick Douglas Shelton who received 27 years after he was linked to three fentanyl overdose deaths. At the hearing, the court commented on the disturbing fact that after the deaths, Shelton continued to sell fentanyl with a verbal warning to customers that the drugs were strong.
Mexican national Eustorgio Quiroz-Salto was ordered to serve 240 months for conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute bulk methamphetamine. He arranged to deliver over 20 kilograms in the parking lot of a church. A subsequent search of his residence resulted in the seizure of an additional 93.5 kilograms of methamphetamine, 12 firearms, a silencer, 351 rounds of live ammunition and multiple firearm parts.
In other Houston cases, two local men received major sentences for child exploitation crimes. Manvel resident Brian Jones received 840 months after uploading more than 1,000 child pornography files and had over 11,000 images and more than 850 videos. They depicted children engaged in sexually explicit conduct which included sadistic and masochistic conduct. During sentencing, the court heard additional evidence regarding how he convinced a woman to send videos of her sexually abusing her own children. Also sentenced was 28-year-old Vermont man Daniel Lee Hicks, who received 300 months for the production of child pornography and coercion of enticement of a child. Hicks began communicating with the 14-year-old minor victim, during which he sent demeaning and threatening messages to coerce the minor to create and send videos and images depicting sexually explicit conduct.
A 25-year-old Houston resident was sentenced to 60 years for robbing five fast-food and convenience store locations. At trial, the jury heard Carl Pickens carried out a series of armed robberies at McDonald’s locations while wearing a red Nike sweatshirt or black hooded jacket, brandishing a pistol and threatening victims as he demanded money from the safe. He then fled through the back door and fled in a stolen black Chevrolet Tahoe, which needed scissors to start.
Another notable sentencing involved a 39-year-old Mexican national with a felony criminal history. Luis Adrian Torres-Tamayo received 105 months in federal prison for illegally reentering the country after removal. He has prior convictions for possession of a controlled substance and in 2022, Torres-Tamayo assaulted two members of law enforcement during a domestic violence dispute. He seized their taser guns and attacked them with his fists.
Other pending Houston division cases include seven Houston residents who were charged for their roles in a $110 million hospice fraud and kickback scheme. According to a superseding indictment, Dera Ogudo and Victoria Martinez operated United Palliative & Hospice Company. The indictment alleges the company falsely enrolled elderly Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries in hospice care and misrepresented the services provided. They also allegedly paid kickbacks to group home operators and a physician to improperly certify patients as terminally ill.
Another notable case involves a nationwide business email compromise scheme for which seven people have been indicted. The investigation began when an individual used a synthetic identity to open a bank account that received $3 million in fraudulent payments from a Catholic church in Indiana, according to the charges. Law enforcement has allegedly identified over 80 victims, including public entities, insurance companies, law firms, schools, real estate companies and churches. More than 50 people have been indicted nationwide, including nine in the Southern District, with the group allegedly responsible for more than $100 million in fraud routed through Australian banks.
A 40-year-old Nigerian citizen who illegally resided in Houston has pleaded guilty for his role in a business email compromise conspiracy and nationwide romance scam. From 2018 through 2023, Leslie Chinedu Mba and others accessed business email accounts, redirected payments to fraudulent accounts and moved the proceeds as money mules. Mba also attempted to obtain U.S. permanent residency through fraudulent marriages after being ordered removed.
A podiatrist and the self-proclaimed CEO of a local medical clinic were also charged in a $90 million Medicare fraud scheme in a 15-count superseding indictment. The charges allege David Jenson and Nestor Rafael Romero Magallanes conspired to bill Medicare for skin substitute products for patients who did not have qualifying wounds or any wounds at all. The charges allege they falsified medical records to make it appear patients had chronic wounds and continued billing even after a 2023 audit denied the claims and flagged the conduct as improper.
In Galveston, eight high-level Mara Salvatrucha, commonly known as MS-13, gang members pleaded guilty to racketeering activity, murder and other violent crimes and are facing prison terms of 35-50 years. MS-13 members committed multiple murders, extortion, drug trafficking, robbery and obstruction of justice in and around the Houston area. They committed the murders to maintain or elevate their status, targeting suspected rivals with law enforcement or opposing the gang. They killed the victims using machetes, baseball bats and strangulation, then sent photos of the bodies to senior MS-13 leaders in El Salvador.
From the Corpus Christi Division, Honduran national Marvin Reyes received 108 months in federal prison. He was the leader of an alien smuggling organization responsible for transporting hundreds of illegal aliens from the border further into the United States. Reyes and others coordinated the movement of illegal aliens through the Border Patrol checkpoints near Sarita and Falfurrias as well as by airplane. He also arranged private flights for illegal aliens from Weslaco to Houston.
Valentine Cancino received 324 months for production of child sexual abuse material, otherwise known as sexual exploitation of a child. The investigation began when authorities received multiple cyber-tips indicating CSAM had been uploaded onto the internet. A search warrant led to the seizure of two electronic devices. Upon inspection, law enforcement discovered a video recording Cancino made of himself engaging in sexual activity with a minor relative.
Also of note was the sentencing of Robstown resident Guadalupe Calderon III for pointing a gun at a law enforcement officer. During a traffic stop on Calderon’s truck, he pointed a Ruger pistol at the officer’s face and pulled the trigger. When the firearm misfired, he fled the scene in his truck. After locating him riding in another vehicle, authorities discovered the firearm in the backseat along with over 30 rounds of ammunition and a high-capacity drum magazine.
In McAllen, a 35-year-old Mexican citizen who illegally resided in Palmview received a life sentence for producing CSAM of a family member and coercing the production of the material using various chat platforms. At the hearing, the court heard that Jesus Adrian Barraza-Vega’s ongoing abuse of a minor family member continued until just days before his encounter with law enforcement.
Also of note was the sentencing of three members of the Pasia gang for assaulting two federal corrections officers at the East Hidalgo Detention Center. The inmates, who were already in custody pending federal immigration charges, outnumbered the officers and repeatedly punched and kicked them. They were housed in a gang-designated unit within the facility. One inmate wielded a sock with a bar of soap as a weapon during the assault. One correctional officer sustained injuries that resulted in multiple staples in his forehead.
Laredo’s Operation Noreste Parte Dos resulted in the convictions of six individuals for their roles in an alien-smuggling conspiracy that led to the death of a Guatemalan man in July 2024. Each person filled key roles in the operation, including transportation coordinator, driver, scout, vehicle purchaser, stash-house operator and Mexico-based logistics coordinators.
A father and son were also charged in the division with trafficking over 500 weapons along with ammunition and magazines. Emilio Ramirez Cortes and Edgar Emilio Ramirez Diaz were smuggling the weapons and related items in exchange for payment and had done so on multiple occasions. Authorities had found false walls in both trailers which resulted in the discovery of approximately 534 firearms, 31,482 rounds of ammunition, 525 magazines, 40 scopes, four lasers, 10 rifle slings and other related items. They have pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing.
In another Laredo case, Jesus Covarrubias, a convicted felon and Hermanos de Pistoleros gang member, orchestrated a long-running straw purchasing scheme that supplied over 50 firearms, including high-powered rifles, to a Mexican cartel. Covarrubias falsely reported the weapons stolen and later fled to Mexico after killing a man in a Laredo bar while out on bond. He was returned to the United States and received 120 months in federal prison.
In Brownsville, an armed repeat illegal alien was sentenced to 60 months for his part in a human smuggling event. Alejandro Ramirez-Carranza was a river guide and had conspired with Issac Azuara-Vasquez to transport and smuggle illegal aliens in the bed of a truck after they illegally arrived from Mexico via boat on the Rio Grande River. Ramirez-Carranza, Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico, admitted to transporting and bringing an alien into the United States as well as illegal reentry and being an alien in possession of a firearm.
The final two members of a deadly alien smuggling group were also ordered to prison in 2025. Julia Isairis Torres and Erasmo Garcia were involved in the attempted smuggling of illegal aliens in March 2019 by motor vehicle from the Rio Grande Valley to Houston. During this failed attempt, a vehicle rolled over and caused the deaths of four non-U.S. citizens with serious injuries to one other. Authorities had identified a Rio Grande City-based smuggling organization as responsible and linked it’s leader and others to a separate February 2022 human smuggling attempt by watercraft from South Padre Island to the Corpus Christi area. The watercraft capsized, resulting in the deaths of four other non-U.S. citizens and serious injury to another.
A 38-year-old Georgia woman pleaded guilty to smuggling 17 firearms and 27 magazines concealed in a vehicle’s gas tank. Mirna Luna attempted to cross into Mexico at the Brownsville-Matamoros Port of Entry. Authorities discovered the weapons during secondary inspection. Luna admitted she owned and drove the vehicle but did not have a license to export the firearms.
Finally, a Brownsville federal jury also returned a guilty verdict against the owners of Abby’s Bakery and Dulce’s Café in Los Fresnos for employing and housing illegal aliens within their restaurant. The jury deliberated for less than three hours before finding Leonardo Baez-Lara and Alicia Avila-Guel guilty as charged following a two-day trial. Testimony revealed they hired and harbored workers who were in the United States illegally or on B1/B2 visas without having the right to work. The jury heard that employees were living in a storage area with only one exit, sleeping on mattresses and rarely had hot water.
The district remains one of the busiest in the nation. It represents 43 counties and more than nine million people covering 44,000 square miles. Assistant U.S. Attorneys from all seven divisions including Houston, Galveston, Victoria, Corpus Christi, Brownsville, McAllen and Laredo work directly with our law enforcement partners on the federal, state and local levels to prosecute the suspected offenders of these and other federal crimes.
Two Mescalero men charged in assaultRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Two Mescalero men are facing federal charges in connection with a unprovoked assault.
According to court documents, on September 11, 2025, John Doe was at a residence within the exterior boundaries of the Mescalero Apache Indian Reservation when he was allegedly assaulted without provocation by Harlyn Cody Geronimo, 49, and Raymond Shaun Chee, 28, both enrolled members of the Mescalero Apache Tribe. Geronimo and Chee allegedly struck John Doe and repeatedly kicked him while he was on the ground, causing him to lose consciousness. As a result of the attack, John Doe sustained multiple injuries, including serious head injuries that required medical treatment.
Witnesses reported that Geronimo, who was wearing steel toed boots, kicked John Doe in the head and that Chee also participated in the assault. After the incident, Chee fled the scene.
Following his arrest, Geronimo’s steel-toed boots were recovered and found to contain dried blood. Geronimo later denied assaulting John Doe, despite witness statements to the contrary.
Geromino and Chee are charged with assault causing serious bodily injury. If convicted of the current charges, Geromino and Chee face ten years in prison.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison made the announcement today.
The Bureau of Indian Affairs investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Silvia Delgado is prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint or indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Two Individuals Sentenced for Child ExploitationRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – On January 28, 2026, United States District Court Judge Aida Delgado Colón sentenced two individuals to multiple years in prison for child exploitation.
Aneudy Jazzan Pérez-Santiago was sentenced to 10 years in prison for child exploitation. Pérez-Santiago was indicted on July 10, 2025, and arrested on July 14, 2025.
According to court documents, from February 2023 to February 2025, Aneudy Jazzan Pérez-Santiago used a cellphone, online instant messaging services, and social media to knowingly persuade, induce, entice, and coerce a 14-year-old female minor to engage in sexual activity and transferred obscene material to her.
The defendant plead guilty on October 2, 2025, to one count of coercion and enticement of a 14-year-old female minor. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daynelle Álvarez-Lora of the Crimes Against Children, Human Trafficking and Immigration Unit, prosecuted the case. The Puerto Rico Crimes Against Children Task Force led by HSI was in charge of the investigation.
In a second unrelated case, defendant José Antonio Vilella, of Fajardo, was sentenced to 57 months (four years and nine months) in prison for possession of child pornography. According to court documents, from April 2024 until November of 2024, Velilla knowingly possessed and accessed with intent to view images containing child exploitation material, including child pornography of a prepubescent minor or a minor who had not attained 12 years of age. Velilla was indicted on November 20, 2024; arrested on November 13, 2024, and pleaded guilty on October 16, 2025.
“There’s no greater priority than safeguarding our children from those who seek to exploit or harm them,” said W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to prioritize the prosecution of child sexual predators. We will not rest until those who commit these heinous crimes are brought to justice.”
“These sentences demonstrate the seriousness with which these crimes are prosecuted and the severe consequences faced by those who prey on children. These cases also prove that child predators have no single profile—one offender was a minister and teacher, while the other was a collector of online child exploitation images. We urge parents and trusted adults to remain vigilant and closely supervise the online activities of their children. Let this serve as an unequivocal warning: child predators will be found, prosecuted, and held fully accountable for their actions. HSI San Juan is unwavering in our commitment to protecting children and ensuring that anyone who threatens their safety is brought to justice,” said HSI San Juan Acting Special Agent in Charge Yariel Ramos.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Emelina Agrait Barreto of the Crimes Against Children, Human Trafficking and Immigration Unit prosecuted the case. The Puerto Rico Crimes Against Children Task Force led by HSI was in charge of the investigation.
U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow of the District of Puerto Rico; and Yariel Ramos, Acting Assistant Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations San Juan made the announcement.
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Three Defendants Indicted for $447,000 COVID-19 FraudRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Three men from the Kansas City metropolitan area have been indicted by a federal grand jury for their receipt of $440,000 in fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans being issued under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
Robert Turner, Kansas City, Mark Crosby, Kansas City, and Earl Howard, Grandview, were charged in separate sealed indictments returned by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo., on January 28, 2026. These indictments were unsealed following the initial appearance of these individuals in court this week.
These federal indictments allege that Robert Turner’s company, Handy Hands Services LLC, submitted a fraudulent application for a PPP loan. Based upon false payroll records, Turner received a $324,900 PPP loan. Mark Crosby submitted fraudulent applications for two companies, Crosby Auto LLC and MSC & Sons Trucking LLC. Crosby Auto received $71,400 based upon false payroll records submitted with the application and MSC & Sons Trucking received $20,832 based upon similar false statements regarding the company’s payroll. Howard’s company, Turn 2 LLC, also submitted a fraudulent PPP loan application. Turn 2 received a $30,800 PPP loan. The applications allegedly caused more than $447,000 in fraudulent PPP loans to be issued to these three ineligible borrowers, all of which were forgiven by the SBA even though the funds were not used for the purposes specified in the PPP.
The charges contained in these indictments are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
These cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul S. Becker. They were investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigation and the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department.
Texas man pleads guilty for his role in narcotics conspiracyRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Norman Patillo, 45, of Houston, Texas, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, five kilograms or more of cocaine, which carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum of life, and a fine of $10,000,000.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael J. Adler, Donna Duncan, and Jeffrey E. Intravatola, who are handling the case, stated that between April 2023, and February 20, 2025, Patillo conspired with others to sell cocaine. Patillo primarily transported cocaine to bulk cocaine customers around the U.S., including to co-conspirators in Buffalo, NY. The cocaine, which came from Mexico, was collected by Patillo for transportation in Texas. Patillo would also pick up narcotics proceeds in Buffalo, and elsewhere, to be returned to Texas. Patillo personally made numerous trips to Buffalo to drop bulk cocaine or collect narcotics proceeds.
Patillo was arrested in April 2025, along with six other defendants, including: Winnie Taru Woods a/k/a Ru, Sharron McCullough a/k/a Black, Marlon Holt, Jr. a/k/a Scooter a/k/a Professor, Gary Sudesh Gosine, Sr., Ian Dyer, and Shannell Gosine. Patillo is the first to be convicted. On May 7, 2024, the Ontario County, NY Sheriff’s Office seized more than nine kilograms of cocaine and 3,528 grams of pure methamphetamine from Marlon Holt during a traffic stop.
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/Rochester comprises agents and officers from HSI and the FBI with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of New York.
The plea is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Erin Keegan, and the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Farhana Islam, New York Enforcement Division. Additional assistance was provided by the Ontario County, NY, Sheriff’s Office, the 23rd Judicial Taskforce, Tennessee, as well as Homeland Security Investigations in NY, and Houston and Austin, Texas.
Sentencing is scheduled for August 14, 2026, at 9:30 a.m. before Judge Vilardo.
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South Bend Man Found Guilty by JuryRead the Press Release
SOUTH BEND – Octavius Wentland, 22 years old, of South Bend, Indiana, was found guilty of illegal possession of a machinegun after a two-day jury trial presided over by United States District Court Judge Cristal C. Brisco, announced United States Attorney Adam L. Mildred.
Sentencing is scheduled for May 20, 2026.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with assistance from the South Bend Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Joel Gabrielse and Luke N. Reilander.
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.
Shiprock man pleads guilty to assault with a dangerous weaponRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Shiprock man pleaded guilty in federal court to a violent assault in which he stabbed a victim three times in the back without provocation.
According to court documents, on April 19, 2025, Matthew David Charley, 30, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, stabbed John Doe three times in the back without provocation, causing serious injury.
Charley pleaded guilty to assault with a dangerous weapon. At sentencing Charley faces up to 10 years in prison.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Farmington Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Nation Police Department and Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Mondragon is prosecuting the case.
Ryan Wesley Routh Sentenced to Life in Prison for Attempted Assassination of President Donald J. Trump and Assault of a Federal Law Enforcement OfficerRead the Press Release
Today, Ryan Wesley Routh, 59, was sentenced to life plus 84 months in federal prison for the attempted assassination of then-presidential candidate Donald J. Trump and related violent and firearms offenses. U.S. District Judge Aileen M. Cannon for the Southern District of Florida imposed the sentence following Routh’s conviction by a federal jury on all five counts charged in the indictment.
“Ryan Routh’s heinous attempted assassination of President Trump was not only an attack on our President — it was a direct assault against our entire democratic system," said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Thanks to our prosecutors in the National Security Division and the Southern District of Florida, Routh will never walk free again.”
“Routh’s plan to kill a major presidential candidate, President Donald Trump, was a despicable attack on our democratic system,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “Thanks to the work of the FBI and our Justice Department partners, he will pay a high price for his actions. Today’s sentencing demonstrates the justice system will not tolerate such heinous attacks.”
“Routh attempted to assassinate President Trump and thereby cast our Nation into what would have been one of its darkest periods,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “Today’s sentence is a resounding rejection of political violence and a clear reminder that we resolve our differences through civil discourse, democratic elections, and lawful protest, not by force.”
“This life sentence reflects a fundamental truth: political violence is un-American and will never be tolerated,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “An attempted assassination of a presidential candidate is an attack on our democratic process and the rule of law itself. This assassination attempt was stopped by the courage and professionalism of U.S. Secret Service Special Agent Robert Fercano, whose decisive actions protected lives and prevented a national tragedy. Today’s life sentence ensures the defendant will never again threaten public safety and sends a clear message that those who choose violence to advance their beliefs will face swift, certain, and decisive justice.”
“Political violence is unacceptable in the United States, and this sentence is commensurate with the gravity of Routh’s actions,” said Special Agent in Charge Brett Skiles of the FBI Miami Field Office. “The investigation was immense and left no stone unturned. The FBI worked shoulder to shoulder with the Secret Service, ATF, the Palm Beach Sheriff’s Office, and the Martin County Sheriff’s Office. The FBI covered leads across the country and around the globe using all the tools and techniques at our disposal to include FBI Laboratory analysis, the Computer Analysis Response Team and the Cellular Analysis Survey Team. I commend our law enforcement partners and investigative team for their tireless work which led to today’s result.”
In September 2025, after a two-week trial in Fort Pierce, Florida, a jury found Routh guilty of attempted assassination of a major presidential candidate, assault of a federal law enforcement officer, and multiple firearms offenses.
According to evidence presented at trial, then-U.S. Secret Service Special Agent Robert Fercano was patrolling one hole ahead of President Trump at the Trump International Golf Club when he observed Routh pointing what appeared to be an AK 47-style rifle at him from a sniper’s hide concealed in a fence line bordering the golf course. Fearing for his life and the life of President Trump, Special Agent Fercano fired at Routh, who fled the scene.
Rifle Behind Fence LineLaw enforcement officers later recovered a Norinco SKS rifle equipped with a scope, a loaded magazine containing 19 rounds of ammunition and one round in the chamber, steel armor plates, and a camera affixed to the fence and pointing at the sixth green of the golf course where President Trump was about to play golf.
A civilian witness reported seeing Routh run across a roadway and enter a black Nissan Xterra. Based on that information, Routh was apprehended while traveling northbound on I-95 by officers from the Martin County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office.
A search of Routh’s vehicle revealed multiple mobile phones and a list of international flights along with directions to Miami International Airport. Cell phone records showed that between Aug. 18 and Sept. 15, 2024, Routh’s phone accessed cell towers located near Trump International Golf Club and the President’s residence at Mar-a-Lago on multiple occasions.
Testimony at trial also established that Routh had dropped off a box at a witness’s residence in April 2024 after making another trip to the area near the golf course. Inside the box was a handwritten letter addressed “Dear World,” in which Routh stated, among other things, “This was an assassination attempt on Donald Trump but I am so sorry I failed you.”
Routh Handwritten LetterFBI Miami investigated the case with assistance from the U.S. Secret Service and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The Palm Beach Sheriff’s Office and Martin County Sheriff’s Office also assisted with this case.
Senior Counsel John C. Shipley, Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher B. Browne, National Security Division Chief Maria K. Medetis Long, Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Luce for the Southern District of Florida, and Trial Attorneys James Donnelly and John Cella of the Justice Department’s National Security Division Counterterrorism Section prosecuted the case.
Ryan Wesley Routh Sentenced to Life Plus Seven Years in Prison for Attempted Assassination of President Donald J. Trump and Assault of a Federal Law Enforcement OfficerRead the Press Release
MIAMI – Ryan Wesley Routh, 59, was sentenced today to life plus 84 months in federal prison for the attempted assassination of then-presidential candidate Donald J. Trump and related violent and firearms offenses.
U.S. District Judge Aileen M. Cannon imposed the sentence following Routh’s conviction by a federal jury on all five counts charged in the indictment.
“Ryan Routh’s heinous attempted assassination of President Trump was not only an attack on our President — it was a direct assault against our entire democratic system," said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Thanks to our prosecutors in the National Security Division and the Southern District of Florida, Routh will never walk free again.”
“Routh attempted to assassinate President Trump and thereby cast our Nation into what would have been one of its darkest periods,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “Today’s sentence is a resounding rejection of political violence and a clear reminder that we resolve our differences through civil discourse, democratic elections, and lawful protest, not by force.”
“This life sentence reflects a fundamental truth: political violence is un-American and will never be tolerated,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “An attempted assassination of a presidential candidate is an attack on our democratic process and the rule of law itself. This assassination attempt was stopped by the courage and professionalism of U.S. Secret Service Special Agent Robert Fercano, whose decisive actions protected lives and prevented a national tragedy. Today’s life sentence ensures the defendant will never again threaten public safety and sends a clear message that those who choose violence to advance their beliefs will face swift, certain, and decisive justice.”
“Routh’s plan to kill a major presidential candidate, President Donald Trump, was a despicable attack on our democratic system,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “Thanks to the work of the FBI and our Justice Department partners, he will pay a high price for his actions. Today’s sentencing demonstrates the justice system will not tolerate such heinous attacks.”
“Political violence is unacceptable in the United States, and this sentence is commensurate with the gravity of Routh’s actions,” said Special Agent in Charge Brett Skiles of the FBI, Miami Field Office. “The investigation was immense and left no stone unturned. The FBI worked shoulder to shoulder with the Secret Service, ATF, the Palm Beach Sheriff’s Office, and the Martin County Sheriff’s Office. The FBI covered leads across the country and around the globe using all the tools and techniques at our disposal to include FBI Laboratory analysis, the Computer Analysis Response Team and the Cellular Analysis Survey Team. I commend our law enforcement partners and investigative team for their tireless work which led to today’s result.”
In September 2025, after a two-week trial in Fort Pierce, a jury found Routh guilty of attempted assassination of a major presidential candidate, assault of a federal law enforcement officer, and multiple firearms offenses.
According to evidence presented at trial, then-U.S. Secret Service Special Agent Robert Fercano was patrolling one hole ahead of President Trump at the Trump International Golf Club when he observed Routh pointing what appeared to be an AK 47-style rifle at him from a sniper’s hide concealed in a fence line bordering the golf course. Fearing for his life and the life of President Trump, Special Agent Fercano fired at Routh, who fled the scene.
Law enforcement officers later recovered a Norinco SKS rifle equipped with a scope, a loaded magazine containing 19 rounds of ammunition and one round in the chamber, steel armor plates, and a camera affixed to the fence and pointing at the sixth green of the golf course where President Trump was about to play golf.
A civilian witness reported seeing Routh run across a roadway and enter a black Nissan Xterra. Based on that information, Routh was apprehended while traveling northbound on I-95 by officers from the Martin County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office.
A search of Routh’s vehicle revealed multiple mobile phones and a list of international flights along with directions to Miami International Airport. Cell phone records showed that between Aug. 18 and Sept. 15, 2024, Routh’s phone accessed cell towers located near Trump International Golf Club and the President’s residence at Mar-a-Lago on multiple occasions.
Testimony at trial also established that Routh had dropped off a box at a witness’s residence in April 2024 after making another trip to the area near the golf course. Inside the box was a handwritten letter addressed “Dear World,” in which Routh stated, among other things, “This was an assassination attempt on Donald Trump but I am so sorry I failed you.”
U.S. Attorney Reding Quiñones and Special Agent in Charge Skiles announced the sentence.
FBI Miami investigated the case with assistance from the U.S. Secret Service and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The Palm Beach Sheriff’s Office and Martin County Sheriff’s Office also assisted with this case.
Senior Counsel John C. Shipley, Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher B. Browne, National Security Division Chief Maria K. Medetis Long, Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Luce for the Southern District of Florida, and Trial Attorneys James Donnelly and John Cella of the Justice Department’s National Security Division Counterterrorism Section prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 24-cr-80116.
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Rock Island Man Sentenced to Seven Years in Federal Prison for Gun and Cocaine ChargesRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, Iowa – A Rock Island man was sentenced on January 28, 2026, to seven years in federal prison for false statements during purchases of firearms, possession with intent to deliver cocaine, and carrying a firearm during and in relation to drug trafficking.
According to public court documents and evidence presented at sentencing, Lashawn Leroy Williams, Jr., 24, purchased at least 21 firearms between September 2022 through December 2024 and falsely claimed he was not a drug user and provided a false address. Seven of the guns Williams purchased have been recovered by law enforcement, including during drug and homicide investigations. In March 2025, Williams was arrested with a distribution quantity of cocaine and a firearm with an extended magazine that he carried for protection.
After completing his term of imprisonment, Williams will be required to serve a three-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
United States Attorney David C. Waterman of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF).
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. PSN aims to hold illegal firearm possessors and straw purchasers accountable. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN
Rochester Man Sentenced to 4 Years’ Imprisonment for Conspiring to Distribute Fentanyl and CocaineRead the Press Release
Rochester Man Sentenced to 4 Years’ Imprisonment for
Conspiring to Distribute Fentanyl and Cocaine
CONCORD – A Rochester man was sentenced yesterday in federal court for conspiring to distribute fentanyl and crack cocaine, U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan announces.
Trevor Mackenzie, age 34, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge Samantha D. Elliott to 48 months in federal prison and 3 years of supervised release. In May 2025, Mackenzie pleaded guilty to the single-count indictment charging him with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, namely, fentanyl and cocaine.
“Fentanyl and crack cocaine bring misery to our state,” said U.S. Attorney Creegan. “This sentence demonstrates that we are committed to interdicting the supply of these harmful drugs.”
“Fentanyl is an incredibly dangerous drug that destroy lives and tears communities apart. HSI continues to work alongside our state and local partners to disrupt the distribution networks that bring these drugs to our streets,” said Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Krol for Homeland Security Investigations in New England.
According to the charging documents and plea agreement, investigators learned that Mackenzie had been conspiring with a drug trafficking organization led by codefendant Michael Martinez to purchase fentanyl and cocaine. Vehicle tracker data on cars operated by Martinez’s drug couriers or “runners” showed repeated trips to Mackenzie’s home. Toll analysis showed that Mackenzie had at least 354 separate contacts with a phone belonging to Martinez between May 8, 2024, and August 6, 2024. CashApp records showed that Mackenzie paid a total of $4,900 to Martinez between April 28, 2024, and July 3, 2024. A search warrant for Martinez’s TextNow account revealed numerous messages between the defendant and Martinez discussing Mackenzie’s purchases of narcotics from Martinez. Mackenzie would in turn sell narcotics he acquired from Martinez to his own customers.
On October 16, 2024, investigators executed a search warrant at Mackenzie’s home, where they arrested him on a federal warrant. In a back bedroom, investigators found scales, baking soda, and plates with residue on them. In the living room, investigators found on a coffee table approximately 269 grams of fentanyl (almost nine and a half ounces) and approximately 164 grams of powder cocaine (over five and a half ounces) in multiple baggies, which were distribution-level quantities of those drugs.
Homeland Security Investigations led the investigation. The Strafford County Sheriff’s Office provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mike Shannon and Yasir Sadat prosecuted the case.
Repeat Offender Sentenced to Ten Years in Federal Prison for Distributing Methamphetamine in the Lakes RegionRead the Press Release
Repeat Offender Sentenced to Ten Years in Federal Prison for
Distributing Methamphetamine in the Lakes Region
CONCORD – A Massachusetts man was sentenced today in federal court for drug trafficking in New Hampshire, U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan announces.
Christopher Davis, 54, of Haverhill, Massachusetts, was sentenced to 120 months imprisonment and 4 years of supervised release by U.S. District Judge Steven McAuliffe. In October 2025, Davis pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of a controlled substance, namely methamphetamine, after selling the drug during a controlled purchase. This was his third felony conviction for distributing controlled substances in the Lakes Region.
“The defendant has persistently and brazenly distributed drugs throughout the Lakes Region across multiple decades,” said U.S. Attorney Creegan. “We will continue to pursue individuals and organizations who profit from the trafficking of methamphetamine and other dangerous substances in our state.”
“Christopher Davis is a repeat offender, committed to selling methamphetamine and making money,” said Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Boston Division. “Today’s sentence shows how the FBI’s Major Offender Task Force is just as committed to getting illegal drugs and the career criminals who peddle them off the streets. We’re working hard every day to make the Granite state safer by removing those who have no regard for the incredible damage they’re inflicting on people’s lives.”
The Federal Bureau of Investigation Major Offender Task Force led the investigation. The Laconia Police Department, the New Hampshire State Police, and the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Drug Task Force provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Vicinanzo prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Repeat Drug Offender Pleads Guilty to Meth and Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
A man who conspired to distribute meth and illegally possessed a firearm pled guilty February 2, 2026, in federal court in Sioux City.
Seann Mackey, 31, from Mount Pleasant, Iowa admitted that between June 2024 and December 2024, he was involved in a conspiracy that distributed at least 1500 grams of mixed methamphetamine which contained at least 150 grams of pure methamphetamine. On December 20, 2024, law enforcement apprehended Mackey after he operated a motor vehicle in a high-speed/reckless driving filled chase. Then during a foot pursuit, Mackey was observed throwing a firearm. Law enforcement seized methamphetamine, numerous empty baggies and a digital scale from Mackey, along with a Glock 9mm handgun.
Mackey had three prior convictions for drug offenses, and a conviction for possession of a firearm by a felon. Each of these convictions prohibit Mackey from possessing any firearm and also enhance his sentencing penalties.
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.
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Mackey remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Mackey faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $8,250,000 fine, and at least eight years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by Tri-State Drug Task Force based in Sioux City, Iowa, that consists of law enforcement personnel from the Drug Enforcement Administration; Sioux City, Iowa, Police Department; Homeland Security Investigations; Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office; South Sioux City, Nebraska, Police Department; Nebraska State Patrol; Iowa National Guard; Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; United States Marshals Service; South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation; and Woodbury County Attorney’s Office.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-4006. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Raleigh Man Sentenced for Selling Dangerous Counterfeit Car AirbagsRead the Press Release
NEW BERN, N.C. – A federal judge sentenced a Raleigh man to one year and a day for importing and selling thousands of counterfeit car airbags into the Raleigh area over the past two years. The defendant, Mateen Mohammad Alinaghian, 31, sold the counterfeit airbags locally and to online buyers through Facebook Marketplace. The court also ordered Alignaghian to pay restitution in the amount of $83,405.95 to the victims who unknowingly purchased a counterfeit airbag, and to the car manufacturers, and forfeit $154,693.16.
“Selling fake airbags recklessly puts our citizens in danger,” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle. “This sentence makes clear that we do not tolerate criminals who endanger drivers on our roads. We will keep working with our partners to take these threats off the streets and out of our cars.”
“Unregulated and untested counterfeit airbags threaten the safety of the traveling public and place unsuspecting consumers at significant risk,” said Greg Thompson, Special Agent-in-Charge, Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General, Mid-Atlantic Region. “Today’s sentencing underscores DOT-OIG’s commitment to working with our law enforcement and prosecutorial partners to keep these dangerous products out of the nation’s vehicles and off our roads”
“This case spotlights the serious consumer health and safety dangers posed by many counterfeit products like fake vehicle airbags and exemplifies the importance of interagency cooperation in protecting public safety and bringing counterfeiters to justice,” said Secretary of State Elaine Marshall.
According to court documents and other information presented in court, Alinaghian, imported approximately 2,500 counterfeit air bags into Raleigh between May 2022 and April 2024. Alinaghian imported airbags with counterfeit markings of Honda, Chevrolet, General Motors, and Toyota, from a supplier in the United Kingdom. Alinaghian then sold the counterfeit airbags to unsuspecting customers using the Facebook Marketplace seller profile of “Matt AutoParts” or “Medo Smith” to advertise and sell the counterfeit airbags.
According to testing done by Honda, General Motors, and Toyota, the steering wheel airbags obtained and sold by Alinaghian were not manufactured by the car companies and often included materials of lesser quality. In testing, the counterfeit airbags often malfunctioned, either not fully inflating or worse, inflating late – posing a potentially serious risk of injury to the vehicle driver.
The Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) led the investigation, along with the U.S. Department of Transportation, Office of Inspector General. The investigation included a search of Alinaghian’s house, which resulted in the seizure of approximately 20 counterfeit airbags, and multiple seizures by Customs and Border Control of in-bound packages from the United Kingdom containing counterfeit airbags en route to Alinaghian.
After identifying that Alinaghian was importing the counterfeit airbags from a source in the United Kingdom, HSI contacted law enforcement abroad. As a result, the City of London Police’s Intellectual Property Crime Unit (PICU) executed a search warrant on September 19, 2024, PICU officers searched two residential and one business address and seized a total of 500 counterfeit airbags and an estimated £140,000 in cash. Three men were arrested on suspicion of fraud by false representation, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and conspiracy to distribute counterfeit goods. The UK investigation is still ongoing.
Although not specifically linked to this case, according to a consumer alert published by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), three people in the U.S. were killed and two people suffered injuries from September 2023 to July 2024 as a result of their vehicles being fitted with substandard replacement airbags.
Individuals who suspect they purchased a counterfeit airbag should consult their brand’s dealership or a reputable mechanic to determine if the parts need to be replaced, and report it to their local Homeland Security Investigations office or submit an online complaint to the National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center or the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Haughton prosecuted the case. The Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) led the investigation, along with the U.S. Department of Transportation, Office of Inspector General, with assistance from the N.C. Secretary of State Trademark Enforcement Division or Anti-Counterfeit Task Force.
A copy of this press release is located on our website. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:25-cr-00013-FL.
Previously Convicted DC Man Indicted for Felony Burglary with Enhancements for Two Prior Convictions for Crimes of ViolenceRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Michael Scott, 34, of Washington, D.C., was indicted by a D.C. Superior Court grand jury on four counts related stemming from an October 2025 assault on two women, U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro announced.
Scott was indicted on February 2, 2026, on one count each of first-degree burglary, assault, destruction of property and resisting arrest.
According to the indictment, on October 25, 2025, Scott entered the home of a woman, Victim 1, with the intent to assault his ex-romantic partner, Victim 2, who was also inside the dwelling. Upon entering the apartment, Scott broke down the bedroom door, assaulted and threatened Victim 2.
Scott has two prior convictions for crimes of violence.
Joining in the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
This case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Olivis Hinerfeld.
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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Plymouth Woman Sentenced to 8 Years in Federal Prison for Distributing over Seven Pounds of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Plymouth Woman Sentenced to 8 Years in Federal Prison
for Distributing Over Seven Pounds of Methamphetamine
CONCORD – Jessica Olena, 48, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge Samantha D. Elliott to 8 years in federal prison and 4 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan announces. Olena previously pleaded guilty to two counts of methamphetamine distribution.
“Today’s sentence reflects the serious threat posed by those who deal in dangerous drugs like methamphetamine,” said U.S. Attorney Creegan. “This defendant was distributing large quantities of this highly potent substance. Our office will continue supporting our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners in drug interdiction efforts to prevent illicit drugs from reaching our streets, and to hold accountable those who seek to profit from poisoning New Hampshire communities.”
“DEA stands committed to keeping highly addictive drugs like methamphetamine off the streets of New Hampshire,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Jarod Forget, New England Field Division. “Today’s sentence not only holds Ms. Olena accountable for her crimes but serves as a warning to those traffickers who are contributing to the drug crisis. This investigation demonstrates the strength of collaborative law enforcement efforts and our strong partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in New Hampshire.”
Between January and June 2024, a confidential source, acting at the direction of law enforcement, arranged to purchase more than one and a half pounds of methamphetamine from Olena. When law enforcement arrested Olena for these drug transactions on June 26, 2024, she admitted to selling a pound of methamphetamine to someone else the night prior and to routinely purchasing significant quantities of methamphetamine for distribution.
The Drug Enforcement Administration led the investigation. The New Hampshire State Police Mobile Enforcement Team provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cesar Vega and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Anderson prosecuted the case.
Pittsburgh Felon Pleads Guilty to Possession of Firearm and Trafficking of Fentanyl and HeroinRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court on February 3, 2026, to charges of violating federal firearms and narcotics laws, United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
Jamar Perminter, 26, pleaded guilty before United States District Judge Marilyn J. Horan to one count of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon and one count of possession with intent to distribute a quantity of fentanyl and a quantity of heroin.
In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, on July 31, 2025, law enforcement executed search warrants of Perminter’s person, residence, and two vehicles, and recovered a loaded and chambered 9mm pistol, a firearm magazine, and 9mm ammunition. In addition, law enforcement recovered dozens of bricks of fentanyl/heroin, a digital scale, multiple cell phones, and approximately $84,000 in United States currency from Perminter’s home and vehicles. Perminter has previously been convicted in federal court of possession with intent to distribute 28 grams or more of cocaine base and a quantity of heroin. Federal law prohibits possession of a firearm or ammunition by a convicted felon.
Judge Horan scheduled sentencing for May 27, 2026. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 45 years in prison, a fine of up to $2,250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history of the defendant. Perminter will remain in custody pending sentencing.
Assistant United States Attorney Kelly M. Locher is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Stowe Township Police Department, McKees Rocks Police Department, and Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Perminter.
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.
Pedophile Sentenced for Receiving and Distributing Hundreds of Photos and Videos of Child Sexual AbuseRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – A pedophile living in Tulsa was sentenced for receiving and distributing hundreds of photos and videos that showed children, toddlers, and infants being sexually abused, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
U.S. District Judge John D. Russell sentenced Devin James Woodis, 34, for Receipt and Distribution of Child Pornography. Woodis was ordered to serve 240 months imprisonment, followed by lifetime supervised release. Upon his release, he will be required to register as a sex offender. Judge Russell further ordered Woodis to pay $18,000 in restitution.
The Tulsa Police Department received a CyberTip from the messaging app, Kik, reporting that Woodis was distributing child pornography. After officers executed a search warrant at his home, they found that Woodis was engaging in sexually explicit conversations with several people, including a person he believed to be a 14-year-old minor child. Officers discovered that he used various messaging apps, including Kik, TeleGuard, and Sessions. After reviewing devices collected during the search warrant, officers found 258 photos and 242 videos of children, toddlers, and infants being sexually exploited and abused.
The child sexual abuse material found on Woodis devices was submitted to the National Child Victim Identification System managed by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Sixty children were identified from the submitted photos and images. Several of those victims provided victim impact statements to the court. Restitution paid by Woodis will go directly to the child victims identified.
Woodis will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.
The Tulsa Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley Robert prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
Pasadena Woman Sentenced to More Than 5 Years in Federal Prison for Stalking Campaign and for Threats to Bomb U.S. Consulate in VietnamRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A San Gabriel Valley woman was sentenced today to 64 months in federal prison for stalking a victim then impersonating him and his wife to further stalk government employees at a United States consulate in Vietnam, which she threatened to bomb.
Nathalie Nguyen, 40, of Pasadena, was sentenced by United States District Judge Sherilyn Peace Garnett, who also ordered her to pay $5,372 in restitution.
Nguyen pleaded guilty in April 2025 to one count of stalking and one count of threat by interstate commerce to kill another person and to damage and destroy buildings by fire and explosives. She has been in federal custody since February 2024.
Nguyen stalked a victim – identified in court documents as “T.H.” – from April 2023 to February 2024, sending emails threatening to kill him and his wife. One of the emails contained screenshots of a text conversation about paying a hitman $15,000 to kill the victim’s wife.
She also began stalking five employees at the U.S. consulate in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. At times, she impersonated T.H.’s wife, including in an August 2023 email in which she threatened to “bomb the [expletive] consular in Ho Chi Minh City.”
In October 2023, Nguyen – impersonating T.H. and using T.H.’s email account without permission – sent an email to three government employees at the U.S. consulate stating, “i wil [sic] kill every [expletive] one of you who has been delaying issuing my wife visa.”
In January 2024, Nguyen – impersonating T.H.’s wife – sent a message to U.S. officials through an online portal stating, “Device will be detonated at America consular in Saigon and in San Francisco. All of you will be exploded for causing my separation with my husband for this last year. Everything will be exploded around new year or after.”
The following month, Nguyen impersonated T.H. and sent an inquiry to a U.S. Embassy online portal threatening to explode grenades around the time of the lunar new year at the consulate. Several minutes later, Nguyen, impersonating T.H., sent an email to the Vietnamese consulate stating, “i have a grenade set to be exploded this lunar new year at the consulate. my wife is ready.”
“[Nguyen’s] methods were technical and calculated,” prosecutors argued in a sentencing memorandum. “She stole her victims’ identities, cut off their electricity, and interfered with their health insurance. She researched specific Vietnamese Consulate employees, finding the names of their spouses, parents, and children, which she used to terrify the employees…[Nguyen’s] terror campaign upended her victims’ lives.”
The FBI investigated this matter with assistance from the Diplomatic Security Service.
Assistant United States Attorney Diane B. Roldán of the Major Crimes Section prosecuted this case.
Parolee Who Shot Police Officer While Resisting Arrest Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN – U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Timothy VerHey today announced that Andrial Ortiz, 30, from Lansing, was sentenced to 15 years in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
U.S. Attorney VerHey said, “Andrial Ortiz was a felon who was not allowed to possess a gun, and the moment he did he used it to shoot a police officer. My office was happy to prosecute this case. We accept the 15-year sentence as a just response. I hope everyone reading this will take a minute to remember and appreciate that we ask law enforcement officers to risk their lives on a regular basis.”
Police pulled Ortiz over while investigating a road rage incident. Ortiz was on parole for selling drugs, unarmed robbery, and larceny. Police searched his car and found drugs. When they attempted to arrest Ortiz, he violently resisted. During the struggle, he was able to remove guns from two of the officers’ waistbands. He fired one of the guns, striking a patrol officer in the leg.
“Ortiz’s conduct was reckless, violent, and showed a complete disregard for the lives of the officers involved,” said ATF Detroit Field Division Special Agent in Charge James Deir. “As a convicted felon, he was prohibited from possessing firearms, yet this defendant violently resisted arrest, disarmed officers, and fired a weapon, seriously injuring a patrol officer. This sentence reflects the seriousness of that violence and sends the right message to drug trafficking convicted felons in our community who attack law enforcement: if you do this, pack your bags because you’re going to prison for an extended period of time.”
The Michigan State Police, Lansing Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Olivia Ghiselli and Jonathan Roth prosecuted it.
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. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
Oregon Man Sentenced to More Than 11 years for Marijuana and Money Laundering ChargesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Michael J. Konior, 50, of Salem, Oregon, was sentenced on February 4, 2026, in federal court in Omaha for conspiracy to distribute marijuana and money laundering. United States District Court Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Konior to 135 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After completing his term of imprisonment, Konior will begin a three-year term of supervised release.
Konior was charged based on his involvement with a drug trafficking organization (DTO) that transported large quantities of marijuana and marijuana products, as well as the proceeds from the sale of those products, across the country for more than 20 years. Konior’s involvement began around January 1, 2000, when he began assisting the DTO with several illegal California marijuana grow operations. The marijuana from these operations was cultivated and shipped to customers outside of California to include Nebraska.
Konior’s involvement with the DTO progressed over the years after he established his own marijuana customers and began using the DTO to transport his own marijuana. The proceeds from the sale of the marijuana were then collected and shipped back to California by the DTO where it was distributed to other co-conspirators and owners of the marijuana. The investigation resulted in the seizure of thousands of pounds marijuana and marijuana products and more than $30 million in cash and assets purchased with the proceeds from the illegal sales.
This is the result of a long-term investigation that 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.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, United States Postal Inspection Service, Nebraska State Patrol, Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office, and various other state and local agencies across the United States.
Oklahoma City Nurse Pleads Guilty to Possessing Child Pornography in Case Connected to a Former South Carolina State RepresentativeRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – CHRISTIAN ISMAEL SOTO RETAMOSA, 35, of Oklahoma City, has pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
According to court records, in March 2024, the mobile messaging application Kik submitted a tip to law enforcement regarding a user distributing videos containing child sexual abuse material (CSAM). The FBI determined that the user was exchanging CSAM with Retamosa, a registered nurse who was then working in Oklahoma City. Court records further indicate that Retamosa exchanged CSAM with Robert John May III, a former state representative for South Carolina. May III was charged separately in the District of South Carolina and was recently sentenced to 17 years in federal prison for distributing child pornography.
On February 3, 2026, Retamosa pleaded guilty and admitted he knowingly possessed several electronic devices containing CSAM, including images of prepubescent children.
At sentencing, Retamosa faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a fine of up to $250,000.
This case is the result of an investigation by the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office, Homeland Security Investigations offices in Columbia, South Carolina, and Oklahoma City, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department in South Carolina. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Bow Bottomly.
Reference is made to public filings for additional information.
Ohio Man Indicted for Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – An Ohio man has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Massachusetts in connection with multiple sales of firearms transported from Ohio to Massachusetts.
Ruben Joel Sanchez Jr., 31, of Youngstown, Ohio, was indicted on one count of engaging in the business of dealing in firearms without a license and two counts of being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition. Sanchez was arrested on Jan. 8, 2026, and remains in federal custody.
According to the charging documents, beginning at least as early as June 2025 through January 2026, Sanchez engaged in the business of unlawful trafficking in firearms. Specifically, in June 2025, Sanchez, who is not licensed to deal in firearms, allegedly sold three firearms to an individual in exchange for $4,000. It is further alleged that, on Jan. 8, 2026, Sanchez was recorded and observed selling four additional firearms to the same individual in return for $8,500. Sanchez was arrested at the scene where an AR-style pistol equipped with a loaded, 100-round drum; a rifle equipped with a loaded, 100-round drum; a loaded pistol equipped with an extended magazine; and an additional loaded pistol were allegedly recovered.
The charge of felon in possession of firearms and ammunition provides for a sentence of up to 15 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of unlawful trafficking in firearms provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Thomas Greco, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Field Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Julissa Walsh of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Nicaragua National Who Unlawfully Attempted to Purchase Firearm Indicted for Assault of ICE OfficerRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A citizen of Nicaragua illegally residing in the Mount Washington neighborhood of Pittsburgh has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on a charge of assaulting a federal officer, United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
The one-count Indictment named Darwin Alexander Davila-Perez, 33, as the sole defendant. Davila-Perez was initially charged in a December 23, 2025, Criminal Complaint.
According to the Indictment and Criminal Complaint, on December 17, 2025, Davila-Perez assaulted an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer while being apprehended for being illegally present in the United States. The Department of Homeland Security previously had learned that Davila-Perez had attempted to purchase a firearm from a federal firearms licensee (FFL) in the Western District of Pennsylvania, claiming to be a United States citizen. The firearm sale was denied by the FFL as Davila-Perez is a citizen and national of Nicaragua with no legal status to be present in the United States. Federal law prohibits those without legal status from purchasing firearms.
When officers with ICE activated the emergency lights on their vehicle and attempted to detain him, Davila-Perez forcefully resisted, including backing his vehicle into a law enforcement vehicle with an officer still inside, fleeing his vehicle, elbowing an officer in the face, attempting to unholster an officer’s service weapon, biting an officer’s arm, and striking an officer in the forehead with a swinging handcuff. Throughout this incident, officers gave commands to Davila-Perez, such as to stop and to give up his hands, in both English and Spanish. Davila-Perez, however, actively resisted, ignored their commands, and remained noncompliant until he was secured and in handcuffs. The officers suffered contusions, abrasions, and a bite mark, requiring medical attention.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offense and prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant. Davila-Perez has been in custody since his arrest and remains detained pending resolution of this criminal charge.
Assistant United States Attorney Lee A. Fry is prosecuting this case on behalf of the United States.
Homeland Security Investigations/Immigration and Customs Enforcement conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
New York Man and Alleged Member of Nihilistic Violent Extremist Organization 764 Charged with Receiving Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Aaron Corey, also known as “Baggeth,” of Albany, New York, appeared in federal court yesterday after being charged with receiving child pornography.
“The 764 network is a depraved criminal group that exploits vulnerable children and revels in their abuse,” said Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche. “The very serious crimes alleged in this indictment will be aggressively prosecuted until justice is served, as the Justice Department and federal partners continue efforts to take down this violent extremist network.”
“Let this send a warning to anyone engaged in any conduct that involves assaulting children: You eventually will be caught and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” said Acting U.S. Attorney John A. Sarcone III for the Northern District of New York. “I thank the FBI and the New York State Police for their hard work and the sacrifices they make to keep our communities safe.”
“Aaron Corey, an alleged member of the nihilistic violent extremist group 764, has been charged today for allegedly receiving sexually explicit content of minors via the Internet. Preying on our nation’s children, who are among the most vulnerable members of society, is beyond comprehension,” said FBI Co-Deputy Director Christopher Raia. “The FBI won’t tolerate these heinous acts and remains determined to stop these predators in their tracks. Along with our law enforcement partners, the dangerous criminals involved with the atrocious activities of violent online networks will be held accountable.”
According to the criminal complaint, between October and December 2025, Corey received video and image files depicting pre-pubescent minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct via the Internet.
The complaint also alleges that Corey is a member of “764,” a criminal organization of Nihilistic Violent Extremists operating within the United States and abroad. Those involved with the 764 network methodically target vulnerable, underage populations by using social media to encourage the possession, production, and sharing of extreme gore media and child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Members of 764 seek to desensitize young people to violence and break down societal norms regarding it. They normalize the possession, production, and sharing of explicit CSAM and gore material to corrupt and groom their victims toward future violence, gain notoriety among other members of the network, and spread fear for the purpose of accelerating chaos with an aim toward the disruption of society.
The charge filed against Corey carries a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison and a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, and a term of supervised release of at least five years and up to life. If convicted, a judge will impose a sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
Corey’s initial appearance yesterday in Albany was before U.S. Magistrate Judge Daniel J. Stewart for the Northern District of New York. Corey was ordered detained pending a detention hearing which is scheduled for tomorrow.
The FBI is investigating the case, with assistance from the New York State Police.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Wentworth-Ping for the Northern District of New York is prosecuting the case.
Project Safe Childhood is a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
The charges in the complaint are merely accusations. All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
New Terrorism-Related Charges Filed Against Alleged Killer of Israeli Embassy EmployeesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Elias Rodriguez, 31, of Chicago, was charged in a 13-count superseding indictment unsealed today in U.S. District Court with multiple terrorism-related offenses in connection with the May 21, 2025, fatal shootings of two Israeli Embassy staff members outside the Capital Jewish Museum in downtown Washington D.C., announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Rodriguez previously was charged with the murder of a foreign official, causing death through the use of a firearm, and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence, two federal counts of hate crime resulting in death, and two counts each of first-degree premeditated murder while armed and assault with intent to kill while armed under the D.C. criminal code.
The superseding indictment adds four counts of acts of terrorism while armed (two counts each for the first-degree murders and assaults with intent to kill) in violation of the D.C. criminal code and a federal statutory aggravating factor for substantial planning and premeditation to commit an act of terrorism.
Several of the charges filed against Rodriguez carry a maximum penalty of death or life imprisonment.
“My office will not rest in our efforts to hold Elias Rodriguez accountable for this horrific, and targeted act of terror against Yaron Lischinsky, Sarah Milgrim and our Jewish community,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “These additional terrorism-related charges carry a mandatory life sentence under D.C. Code, while also reflecting the reality that this act was in fact an act of terror.”
“In addition to allegedly murdering two innocent people and terrorizing the survivors of his attack at the Capital Jewish Museum, Rodriguez wrote and published a manifesto attempting to morally justify his actions and inspire others to commit political violence,” said FBI Assistant Director in Charge Darren B. Cox of the Washington Field Office. “His alleged actions warrant the additional terrorism charges being announced today.”
Yaron Lischinsky, 30, and Sarah Milgrim, 26, died in the attack. Lischinsky was an Israeli citizen and employee of the Government of Israel who was in the United States on official business while working for the Israeli Embassy. Milgrim, from Overland Park, Kansas, was also employed by the Israeli Embassy. Two surviving victims also worked for the Embassy.
According to the superseding indictment, Rodriguez allegedly approached the victims as they left a “Young Diplomats Reception” at the museum, fired approximately 20 shots from a semi-automatic handgun, and called out “Free Palestine.”
After the shooting, Rodriguez entered the museum. Several event attendees were still present. Rodriguez allegedly displayed a red keffiyeh and said, “I did it for Palestine. I did it for Gaza.”
As police removed Rodriguez from the museum, he shouted, “shame on you” and “shame on Zio-nazi terror” at the remaining event attendees.
The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office and the Metropolitan Police Department. It is being prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia with assistance from the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice.
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42_rodriguez_superseding_indictment_1.pdfNew Orleans Man Indicted for Assaulting Postal Carrier with a Deadly WeaponRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – GILBERT DARBY (“DARBY”), age 48, a resident of New Orleans, was indicted on January 30, 2026, for assaulting a federal officer, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 111(a)(1) and (b); discharging a firearm during a crime of violence, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A)(iii); and being a felon in possession of ammunition, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g)(1), announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle.
According to the indictment, on or about January 12, 2026, DARBY assaulted a United States Postal Carrier of the United States Postal Service during the performance of his official duties. During the assault, DARBY discharged a deadly weapon.
If convicted of the assault count, DARBY could receive up to twenty (20) years imprisonment, up to a $250,000.00 fine, up to three (3) years of supervised release, and a mandatory $100.00 special assessment fee.
If convicted of discharging a firearm during a crime of violence count, DARBY could receive a mandatory minimum of ten (10) years imprisonment and a maximum of life imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, up to a maximum of 3 years supervised release, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee.
If convicted of the felon in possession of ammunition count, DARBY could receive up to 15 years imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, up to 3 years of supervised release, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee.
United States Attorney Courcelle reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
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.
U.S. Attorney Courcelle praised the work of the United States Postal Inspectors and the New Orleans Police Department for investigating this matter. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul J. Hubbell, I.V. of the Violent Crime Unit.
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New Jersey Man Pleads Guilty to Bank Fraud, Aggravated Identity Theft and False Use or Forgery of a PassportRead the Press Release
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Michael Scott Hillwig, 59, of Camden, New Jersey, pleaded guilty in federal court to bank fraud, aggravated identity theft, and false use or forgery of a passport. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “It is of vital importance to raise awareness about the vulnerability of our personal identifying information online, which fraudsters relentlessly pursue as they seek to enrich themselves by exploiting their victims. As this defendant has learned, my office is just as relentless in our pursuit of criminals like him, and we aggressively prosecute such frauds to the fullest extent to achieve justice for the victims of these crimes.”
Court documents reflect that in May 2023, the defendant unlawfully obtained personal identification information of other people, including their names, dates of birth, social security numbers, and passport card numbers. He then fraudulently withdrew funds from the bank accounts of multiple victims by presenting U.S. passport cards bearing his photograph, but with the personal identifying information of the victims. During the course of this fraud scheme, Hillwig travelled to financial institutions in South Carolina and throughout Florida, including in Bonifay, Niceville, and Winter Garden, where he would provide bank tellers with a victim’s social security number and the fraudulent U.S. passport card in order to make withdrawals from their bank accounts.
Hillwig faces up to thirty years’ imprisonment for the bank fraud counts, up to ten years’ imprisonment as to false use or forgery of a passport, and a mandatory two years’ imprisonment consecutive to any other prison sentence as to aggravated identity theft counts.
The case involved a joint investigation by U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office, and Holmes County Sheriff’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Justin M. Keen.
Sentencing is scheduled for April 2, 2026, at 2:00 pm at the United States Courthouse in Tallahassee, Florida, before United States District Court Judge Mark E. Walker.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.