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2 February 2026
Albuquerque man faces federal charges for possession and distribution of child sexual abuse materialRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – An Albuquerque man is facing federal charges for knowingly possessing and distributing child sexual abuse material, including images and videos of prepubescent children.
According to court records, in August 2025, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Albuquerque began investigating Julian Alcantar Rodriguez, 35, who was linked to multiple reports of online child sexual exploitation spanning from October 2021 to July 2025. The activity involved numerous social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Google, and investigators identified Alcantar as the individual behind the accounts.
On January 22, 2026, HSI executed a search warrant at Alcantar’s Southwest Albuquerque residence and recovered Alcantar’s cellphone, which contained numerous images and videos of child sexual abuse material.
Alcantar is charged with distribution and possession of child pornography. He will remain in custody pending trial, which has not been scheduled. If convicted of the current charges, Alcantar faces five to 20 years in prison.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Ryan G. McRae, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations - El Paso, made the announcement today.
Homeland Security Investigations - Albuquerque investigated this case with assistance from the New Mexico Department of Justice and Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico is prosecuting this case 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.
View the Criminal Complaint (Rodriguez).pdfA complaint or indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Armed Drug Trafficker Sentenced for Firearms and Narcotics OffensesRead the Press Release
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Corderrius Terrelle McShane, 38, of Ocala, Florida, was sentenced to 12 years in prison after previously pleading guilty to distribution of more than 40 grams of fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute more than 40 grams of fentanyl, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “This substantial prison sentence is a reflection of the incredible threat this violent drug trafficker posed to our community by flooding our streets with fentanyl, a devastatingly deadly drug that President Donald J. Trump recently designated as a weapon of mass destruction. This successful federal prosecution is yet another step toward fulfilling the promise made by President Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi when they launched Operation Take Back America to deploy the full might of the Department of Justice to eliminate the threats posed by drug traffickers and violent felons like this defendant. The residents of the Northern District of Florida deserve safe streets and drug-free communities, and that is exactly what my office will continue to deliver.”
Court documents showed the defendant sold approximately 55 grams of fentanyl in November 2024. Also, that same month, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle the defendant was driving, during which officers located over 230 grams of fentanyl and a loaded firearm. The defendant has prior felony convictions for possession of a weapon or ammunition by a convicted felon, resisting law enforcement with violence, possession of cocaine, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
The conviction and sentence were the result of a joint investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jessica S. Etherton.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime, human and drug trafficking.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.
31 January 2026
Illegal Alien Who Shot Rifle on Crowded Dallas Bridge on Jan. 1 Federally Charged with Unlawful Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
A man who allegedly shot multiple rounds from an AR-style rifle on the Margaret McDermott Bridge on New Year’s Eve has been federally charged with unlawfully possessing a firearm as an illegal alien, announced United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould.
Jose Raul Alarcon Sanchez, a Mexican national unlawfully present in the United States, was charged by federal complaint yesterday. As alleged, just after midnight on January 1, 2026, Alarcon Sanchez and another man were on the Margaret McDermott Bridge amid numerous stopped cars and people at the time of the downtown Dallas firework presentations. While standing on the bridge, Alarcon Sanchez and the other individual took turns filming each other shooting black rifles over the bridge. The approximate location of the shooting is indicated by the red “x” in the map below:
“This type of violent behavior wrought tremendous danger to countless lives on the bridge that night,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould. “I applaud our law enforcement partners’ meticulous investigation and use of ballistic evidence to connect this individual to the violent crime he is alleged to have committed on New Year’s Eve.”“Firing a rifle from a crowded bridge in the middle of downtown Dallas posed a serious threat to public safety. Through close coordination with the Dallas Police Department and the use of NIBIN, investigators were able to connect critical ballistic evidence and advance this case. ATF will continue working with our partners to address violent crime and protect our communities,” said ATF Dallas Special Agent in Charge Brian W. Garner.
According to the complaint, on January 5, 2026, Dallas Police Department officers recovered seventy-nine 5.56/.223 caliber and four 9-millimeter fired cartridge casings (FCCs) where Alarcon Sanchez and the other man were observed firing the rifles. They also recovered an additional sixteen 5.56/.223 caliber FCCs, eight 9-millimeter FCCs, and one .40 caliber FCC under the bridge.
Court records show that Alarcon Sanchez was arrested on January 1, 2026, by Grand Prairie Police Department officers in response to a “shots fired” call to 911. Alarcon Sanchez had multiple 5.56/.233 live rounds in both of his front pockets. During a search of Alarcon Sanchez’s van, officers located additional 5.56/.223 FCCs, along with an AK-47 style rifle and magazines loaded with rounds of a different caliber than those recovered from the bridge in Dallas.During a later search of Alarcon Sanchez’s home on January 28, 2026, pursuant to a federal search warrant, court records show that ATF agents and Dallas Police task force officers located multiple firearms—including what is believed to be the firearm used on the bridge on New’s Year’s Eve—in a space between Alarcon Sanchez’s bed and his closet. As alleged in the complaint, the firearms recovered consisted of a .380 caliber pistol, a 9mm caliber pistol, and three 5.56 caliber AR-15 pistols. The investigation linked one of the recovered AR-15 pistols to the fired cartridge casings found at the Margaret McDermott Bridge.
Agents also found Alarcon Sanchez’s Mexican passport in his room. Court records show that Alarcon Sanchez entered the United States in May 2025 on a temporary visitor visa that expired and that he did not request an extension. As alleged, Alarcon Sanchez decided to stay and live in the United States illegally rather than returning to Mexico.
Investigators also located photographs posted on a social media account of Alarcon Sanchez, dated December 28, 2025, and January 1, 2026, showing a man holding two AR-style rifles, which, according to the complaint, are typically chambered in 5.56/.223 caliber and appear to be the same two firearms from the bridge on New Year’s Eve:
An appearance date for Alarcon Sanchez in federal court has not yet been scheduled.
ATF Dallas and the Dallas Police Department, assisted by the Grand Prairie Police Department, investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Marissa Aulbaugh is prosecuting the case.
complaint_-_alarcon_sanchez_1.pdfA complaint is merely an allegation of criminal conduct. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
30 January 2026
Wisconsin Man Pleads Guilty After Requesting Person in Philippines Sexually Abuse a Child and Record the AbuseRead the Press Release
Bradley D. Hounsell, 44, of Oshkosh, Wisconsin, pleaded guilty today to one count of coercing and enticing a minor to engage in unlawful sexual conduct.
As detailed in the plea agreement, Hounsell communicated with an individual in the Philippines on a social media platform, seeking sexually explicit videos and images of children. In November 2023, the individual informed Hounsell that the individual had access to a 13-year-old child, and Hounsell asked the individual to produce and send him a video of the individual sexually abusing the child. Hounsell paid the individual and the child via an online payment platform and in exchange, the individual sent him a video depicting the sexual abuse of the child, performing the acts that Hounsell requested. A later review by law enforcement of Hounsell’s online communications with this individual revealed Hounsell’s repeated requests for sexualized images of minors.
Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Brad D. Schimel for the Eastern District of Wisconsin made the announcement.
This case was investigated by the FBI with the assistance of the Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office. Trial Attorney William G. Clayman of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel R. Humble for the Eastern District of Wisconsin are 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 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 www.justice.gov/psc.
Western District of Texas U.S. Attorney’s Office Adds Nearly 200 More Immigration Cases This WeekRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO – Federal prosecutors in the Western District of Texas filed 192 new immigration and immigration-related criminal cases from Jan. 23 to Jan. 29, announced U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons. Charges were brought against human smugglers and illegal aliens with past convictions for violent crimes, DWIs, and multiple prior removals.
Among the new cases, Mexican national Aurelio Murillo-Ruedas was arrested on Jan. 22 in Broadview, Illinois, near Chicago. Murillo-Ruedas became the subject of a human smuggling investigation in El Paso after ICE Homeland Security Investigations and U.S. Border Patrol agents arrested 26 illegal aliens in a stash house on May 1, 2025. A criminal complaint affidavit alleges that Murillo-Ruedas was identified through WhatsApp communications in which he discussed approximately 12 smuggling schemes and sent a video of himself driving in the snow in or near Chicago. Additionally, a foot guide arrested in November 2024 identified Murillo-Ruedas as the individual he worked for. Murillo-Ruedas was allegedly paid around $6,500 to $7,000 for each illegal alien before he paid his associates who carried out his alien smuggling operations. Murillo-Ruedas is charged with bringing in or harboring aliens.
USBP agents arrested Jose Ozuna-Moreno after encountering foot prints of several individuals traveling north in the Calamity Gap area near Sierra Blanca. A criminal complaint alleges that Ozuna-Moreno was found with eight other illegal aliens. Ozuna-Moreno, who was in the country illegally and had prior apprehensions, allegedly admitted to being the foot guide for the group and expected to receive a discount for his own smuggling fees in return for his efforts on behalf of an alien smuggling organization. Ozuna-Moreno is charged with bringing in or harboring aliens.
Jose Angel Alvarado-Reyes, a Mexican national with prior convictions for sexual assault and illegal re-entry, was arrested by ICE Enforcement Removal Operations in El Paso during a worksite enforcement operation with ICE HSI and the U.S. Border Patrol. Alvarado-Reyes has been removed from the U.S. three times, the last being in 2005, and is again charged with illegal re-entry.
Mexican national Fredy Saligan-Perez was arrested near the Ysleta Port of Entry on Tuesday, after been previously removed to Mexico through Calexico, California in October 2025. In March 2025, Saligan-Perez was convicted in Utah for one count of child abuse with injury and one count of assault.
Martin Vaquera-Garcia, also a Mexican national, was arrested at the Eagle Pass Port of Entry when he was allegedly discovered attempting to smuggle a handgun and four magazines from the U.S. to Mexico. U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers referred a passenger bus for inspection, and a scan allegedly revealed the magazines in a suitcase belonging to Vaquera-Garcia, who also admitted to concealing a 9mm handgun inside his medical fracture boot. A criminal complaint alleges that Vaquera-Garcia expected to be paid $150 for smuggling the firearm.
USBP agents arrested Salvadoran national Danys Ricardo Martinez-Lazo in Eagle Pass. In August 2025, Martinez-Lazo was convicted in Maryland for negligent manslaughter and sentenced to three years of confinement. He was removed to El Salvador on Nov. 24.
Mexican national Ramon Mendez-Escamilla was also arrested in Eagle Pass and charged with illegal re-entry. Mendez-Escamilla has been removed from the U.S. three times, the last being on Nov. 25, 2025. He has two prior convictions for DWIs and one for assault causing bodily injury to a family member.
In Pflugerville, Mexican national Edgar Martinez Rivera was charged with illegal re-entry after he was arrested for allegedly possessing a fraudulent passport. Pflugerville Police discovered the passport during a traffic stop and notified ICE. Martinez Rivera has been convicted of two DWIs, burglary of a building and, most recently, theft. He has two prior removals, the most recent being to Mexico on Jan. 10, 2025.
These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including ICE, U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the FBI, the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas comprises 68 counties located in the central and western areas of Texas, encompasses nearly 93,000 square miles and an estimated population of 7.6 million people. The district includes three of the five largest cities in Texas—San Antonio, Austin and El Paso—and shares 660 miles of common border with the Republic of Mexico.
These cases are 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.
Indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Webster Man Pleads Guilty to Distributing Crystal MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Webster man pleaded guilty on Jan. 23, 2026 in federal court in Worcester in connection with his role in distributing crystal methamphetamine.
Giang Tran, 36, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances (involving 50 grams or more of methamphetamine) and distribution of methamphetamine. U.S. District Court Judge Margaret R. Guzman scheduled sentencing for May 6, 2026. Tran was indicted on June 10, 2025.
According to court records, in December 2024, a cooperating witness told law enforcement that Tran was a supplier of pounds of crystal methamphetamine. Undercover law enforcement contacted Tran, posing as the cooperating witness. Through these communications, Tran agreed three times to deliver crystal methamphetamine to undercover law enforcement. On Jan. 2, 2025, Tran personally delivered the drugs at a commercial plaza in Everett. On Jan. 8, 2025, and again on Jan. 21, 2025, Tran sent an associate to deliver the drugs in Worcester. In total, Tran delivered or arranged the delivery of approximately 1 kilogram of methamphetamine.
The charge of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances (involving 50 grams or more of methamphetamine) provides for a sentence of at least 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years of supervised release and up to life and a fine of up to $10 million. 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 Jarod A. Forget, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by Riverside (Calif.) DEA Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Samuel R. Feldman of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case.
Wagoner County Resident Sentenced to Life in Prison for Sexual Abuse Crimes Against Three ChildrenRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Richard Leroy Osborn III, age 48, of Wagoner County, Oklahoma, was sentenced to life in prison for five counts of Aggravated Sexual Abuse in Indian Country and one count of Abusive Sexual Contact in Indian Country, and to two years in prison for two counts of Abusive Sexual Contact in Indian Country. The Court ordered the terms to be served concurrently.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
On December 11, 2024, at the conclusion of a three-day trial, a federal jury convicted Osborn on all eight counts. According to investigators, Osborn began sexually assaulting three children in 2011. In May of 2022, one of the children came forward to report the abuse. At trial, the United States presented evidence that Osborn had also sexually abused three other victims when they were minors. Osborn, who was convicted in 2005 of Rape in the Second Degree in the State of Oklahoma, was a registered sex offender when he committed these crimes.
The crimes occurred in Wagoner County, within the boundaries of the Cherokee and the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Reservations, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
“It’s heartbreaking when innocent people in our communities are victimized, especially our children,” said United States Attorney Christopher J. Wilson. “It remains a priority of the United States Attorney’s Office to pursue justice for crime victims. In this case, the defendant, a convicted sex offender, abused three children and the life sentences imposed by the Court are fitting punishments for his heinous crimes.”
The Honorable Robert J. Shelby, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the District of Utah, sitting by assignment, presided over the hearing. Osborn will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Morgan Muzljakovich and Nicole Paladino represented the United States.
Upton man sentenced to 30 months’ imprisonment for planting a destructive deviceRead the Press Release
On Jan. 27, U.S. District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson sentenced an Upton man to 30 months’ imprisonment with two years of supervised release for possessing a destructive device. The court also imposed a $300 fine.
David Riggle, 40, of Upton, Wyoming, was arrested on April 28, 2025, for allegedly planting a destructive device inside a storage trailer on a drilling company’s property in Weston County. The device was discovered on Nov. 30, 2024, after a worker noticed the smell of propane emanating from the trailer. Inside, authorities found a battery-powered device with wires, a timer, and a fuse placed next to an open 100-pound propane tank, releasing gas. Investigators believe the timer was intended to delay ignition so the suspect could escape.
The device ultimately failed to ignite but law enforcement said it was otherwise capable of causing serious harm. Footprints at the scene led investigator in the direction of Riggle’s home approximately two-thirds of a mile away. A federal search warrant executed at Riggle’s home on Dec. 11, 2024, uncovered footprints matching those at the scene, along with a 6-volt battery matching the battery connected to the device, safety fuse, wires, and soldering tools consistent with components used in the device.
“This was not a harmless or symbolic act. The defendant placed a functioning propane-based explosive inside a work trailer, putting employees, nearby residents, and an entire community at risk of serious injury or death. While the device failed to ignite, the fear and disruption it caused were real—employees were afraid to return to work, business operations were delayed, and a sense of safety in Upton was shaken. The law does not measure harm only by what detonates, but by the danger created and the lives put in jeopardy,” said U.S. Attorney Darin Smith.
Riggle waived indictment and pleaded guilty on Nov. 12, 2025. Weston County Sheriff’s Office, Campbell County Sheriff’s Office, Wyoming Highway Patrol, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigate the crime. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paige Hammer prosecuted the case.
Case No. 25-CR-00149
Undocumented Mexican National Indicted in the District of Utah for Alleged Drug CrimesRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – An indictment was unsealed today after an alleged drug trafficker, living in the United States illegally on an expired Visa, appeared in federal court after he allegedly possessed and distributed fentanyl and methamphetamine in the District of Utah.
Jose Cesar Paredes-Davila, 33, a Mexican national living in Utah, was charged by complaint on January 20, 2026.
According to the allegations in court documents, beginning in January 2026, the Utah County Major Crimes Task Force (UCMC) initiated a criminal investigation into Paredes-Davila after receiving information he was distributing large quantities of narcotics. On January 15, 2026, law enforcement executed a search warrant on a vehicle believed to be used by Paredes-Davila to traffic drugs. During the search, law enforcement seized 2,196 grams of field-tested positive fentanyl and approximately 615 grams of field-tested methamphetamine. UCMC officers estimated the fentanyl evidence to be approximately 21,000 fentanyl pills. UCMC officers also located $9,124 in U.S. currency and $2,000 in Western Union money orders.
As alleged in court documents, UCMC officers also learned Paredes-Davila was using vacation rentals to receive controlled substances in the mail. A United States Postal Investigator ran a rental property address Paredes had been using in Salt Lake City and postal records showed a parcel enroute to a Salt Lake City address that was addressed to “Cesar Paredes.” A search warrant was obtained and executed, and agents seized 3,562 grams of field-tested positive methamphetamine.
Paredes-Davila is charged with possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute, possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, and attempted possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. A two-day jury trial is scheduled for April 3, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. in courtroom 7.4 before a U.S. District Court Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.
United States Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the District of Utah made the announcement.
The case is being investigated jointly by the Utah County Major Crimes Task Force (UCMC) and the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS).
Special Assistant United States Attorney Peter Reichman of the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
U.S. Law Enforcement Assists Bulgarian Law Enforcement in Taking Down Three of the Largest Piracy Sites in the European UnionRead the Press Release
The U.S. government executed seizure warrants against three U.S.-registered internet domains of commercial websites allegedly engaged in the illegal distribution of copyrighted works.
The coordinated law enforcement operation targeted online services that provided illegal copies of copyrighted works—many belonging to U.S. companies and individuals—including movies, television shows, video games, software, e-books, and other content.
According to the affidavits in support of the seizure warrants, the three domains receive tens of millions of visits a year, offer thousands of infringed works, and result in millions of downloads of those works, the retail value totaling millions of dollars. The three domains are among the most popular in Bulgaria—one is often ranked as one of the top 10 most visited domains in Bulgaria —and, given the huge internet traffic they receive every day, seem to make considerable money from advertisements.
The seized domains are in the custody of the United States government. Visitors to the sites will now find a seizure banner that notifies them that federal authorities have seized the domain names and that informs them that willful copyright infringement is a crime. The domain are zamunda.net, arenabg.com and zelka.org.
The Justice Department is grateful for its Bulgarian partners at the National Investigative Service, the Ministry of the Interior’s General Directorate Combating Organized Crime, the State Agency for National Security, and the Prosecutor’s Office, and its domestic partners at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Mississippi, the Homeland Security Investigation (HSI) New Orleans Field Office, and the National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center (IPR Center). The Justice Department also acknowledges the critical role of Europol, the HSI Athens office, and the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Sofia office in coordinating efforts and providing technical assistance.
The Justice Department is providing intellectual property and cybercrime technical assistance to foreign law enforcement, prosecutorial, and judicial partners in other countries, including Bulgaria, through the International Computer Hacking and Intellectual Property (ICHIP) program. Learn more about the Criminal Division’s ICHIP Program, jointly administered by the Criminal Division’s Office of Overseas Prosecutorial Development, Assistance and Training (OPDAT) and the Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section through partnership between the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, here.
The IPR Center is one of the U.S. government’s key weapons in the fight against criminal counterfeiting and piracy. The IPR Center uses the expertise of its member agencies to share information, develop initiatives, and coordinate enforcement actions and conduct investigations related to IP theft. Through this strategic interagency partnership, the IPR Center protects the public’s health and safety, the U.S. economy and the war fighters. To report IP theft or to learn more about the IPR Center, visit www.IPRCenter.gov.
Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Baxter Kruger for the Southern District of Mississippi, and Acting Special Agent in Charge Matt Wright of the HSI New Orleans Field Office made the announcement.
HSI is investigating the matter.
Senior Counsel Matthew A. Lamberti of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Max Meyers for the Southern District of Mississippi are handling the case. The ICHIP based in Bucharest, Romania provided significant assistance.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Filed 86 Border-Related Cases This WeekRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Federal prosecutors in the Southern District of California filed 86 border-related cases this week, including charges of bringing in aliens for financial gain, reentering the U.S. after deportation, and importation of controlled substances.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California is the fourth-busiest federal district, largely due to a high volume of border-related crimes. This district, encompassing San Diego and Imperial counties, shares a 140-mile border with Mexico. It includes the San Ysidro Port of Entry, the world’s busiest land border crossing, connecting San Diego (America’s eighth largest city) and Tijuana (Mexico’s second largest city).
In addition to reactive border-related crimes, the Southern District of California also prosecutes a significant number of proactive cases related to terrorism, organized crime, drugs, white-collar fraud, violent crime, cybercrime, human trafficking and national security. Recent developments in those and other significant areas of prosecution can be found here.
A sample of border-related arrests this week:
- On January 23, Maria Luisa Luna-Garduno, a Mexican citizen, was arrested and charged with Bringing in Aliens for Financial Gain. According to a complaint, Customs and Border Protection officers found a minor undocumented female hiding under a blanket in the trunk of the defendant’s vehicle as she tried to cross the border at the Tecate Port of Entry.
- On January 27, Fernando Martin Cota Sordia, a citizen of Mexico, was arrested and charged with Importation of a Controlled Substance. According to a complaint, Customs and Border Protection officers found 994 pounds of liquid methamphetamine in the fuel tank of the defendant’s Kenworth Tractor when he attempted to cross the border at the Otay Mesa Port of Entry Commercial Facility.
- On January 28, Adolfo Garcia-Vega, a Mexican citizen, was arrested and charged with Attempted Entry after Deportation. According to a complaint, Border Patrol agents intercepted the defendant about 200 yards north of the border. Garcia-Vega was previously deported to Mexico on January 22, 2026, through Texas.
The immigration cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with the support and assistance of state and local law enforcement partners.
Indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
U.S. Attorney's Office Recognizes National Human Trafficking Prevention MonthRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada observes National Human Trafficking Prevention Month and joins the Departments of Justice (DOJ) and Homeland Security (DHS) in reaffirming the administration’s commitment to combating all forms of human trafficking and protecting victims and survivors. Human Trafficking Prevention Month presents an opportunity for DHS and DOJ, through Homeland Security Task Forces (HSTF) to intensify operational efforts, raise public awareness, and strengthen partnerships across federal, state, and local agencies to disrupt trafficking networks, protect vulnerable individuals, and ensure traffickers are brought to justice.
“This Department of Justice is working tirelessly alongside our partners to dismantle human trafficking networks, help survivors, and protect vulnerable populations from being exploited,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Under this administration we have seen an increase in human trafficking prosecutions, and during Human Trafficking Prevention Month we reaffirm our commitment to prosecuting traffickers and encourage Americans to report instances of human trafficking in their communities.”
“Through the Homeland Security Task Force, President Trump is taking the fight directly to human trafficking networks and disrupting their modern-day slave trade while seizing their assets and arresting their kingpins and foot soldiers. The American people should not have to live in fear of cartels, gang bangers, and foreign terrorists preying upon the most vulnerable among us,” the United States Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem said in a statement. “The Homeland Security Task Force is the largest coordinated campaign against transnational criminal organizations in U.S. history, and I’m proud to co-lead it with Attorney General Bondi.”
“During Human Trafficking Prevention Month, the FBI reiterates our work with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies and national victim-based advocacy groups in joint task forces to protect our communities across the country,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “The horrifying reach of human trafficking spreads far and wide. Homeland Security Task Forces are fighting back to disrupt these perilous networks and put a stop to that reach. The FBI will continue our investigations and bring justice to those exploited by human traffickers.
In January 2025, President Donald J. Trump signed Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. Section 6 of this order directed the Attorney General and the Secretary of Homeland Security to jointly establish HSTFs in every state nationwide. The HSTF objective is to end the presence of criminal cartels, foreign gangs, and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) throughout the United States; dismantle cross-border human smuggling and trafficking networks; end the scourge of human smuggling and trafficking, with a particular focus on such offenses involving children; and ensure the use of all available law enforcement tools to faithfully execute the immigration laws of the United States.
Since January 20, 2025, the following individuals have been charged with human trafficking-related crimes:
- Carlos Recinos-Valdez and his son Kevin Recinos-Ruano were charged in a criminal complaint for allegedly conspiring with each other to harbor illegal aliens in the Reno area for their personal financial gain. As alleged, Recinos-Valdez orchestrated the illegal smuggling of aliens through a Transnational Criminal Organization (TCO) with a network of human smugglers and traffickers located throughout Guatemala, Mexico, and the United States. Once in Reno, Recinos-Valdez would demand and collect regular payments for smuggling fees from the victims to pay off their debt to the TCO; and he threatened victims with physical violence if payments were not received. Recinos-Valdez is charged with one count of conspiracy to harbor aliens; three counts of harboring illegal aliens; two counts of aiding and abetting attempted interference with commerce by extortion; and one count of aiding and abetting bringing illegal aliens. Recinos-Ruano is charged with one count of conspiracy to harbor illegal aliens. A jury trial is scheduled to begin April 21, 2026.
- A grand jury returned an indictment charging Rafael Juan Mitjans for allegedly subjecting three victims from Cuba to forced, confiscating their passports and other identifications, and providing false statements on immigration documents. Mitjans was charged with three counts of forced labor, three counts of unlawful conduct with respect to documents in furtherance of trafficking and forced labor, and three counts of false statements on immigration documents. A jury trial is scheduled to begin May 19, 2025.
In January 2026, DHS and DOJ are surging resources to fight and raise awareness about human trafficking, including:
- Identifying ongoing investigations and prioritizing featured operations across 45 federal locations and 10 state locations with an emphasis on border states.
- Coordinating with FBI Human Trafficking Squads and multi-agency Human Trafficking Task Forces to conduct victim recovery.
- Partnering with AMTRAK and FAMS to increase law enforcement resources and distribute posters with QR codes for reporting human trafficking in all station bathrooms and trains.
- Running advertisements related to $250 million recovery from Backpage to distribute to victims and additional victim restitution efforts by DOL-OIG.
- Organizing Human Trafficking seminars and outreach events with DHS Center for Countering Human Trafficking at high schools and colleges to highlight the role of HSTFs in addressing human trafficking.
On August 25, 2025, HSTF officially launched its effort to protect the Homeland with a September Surge encompassing 400 operations nationwide. In just 43 days, HSTF nationwide operations resulted in 3,266 arrests and seizures including:
- 1,041 Sinaloa members
- 856 Cártel Jalisco Nueva Generación (“CJNG”) members
- 641 MS-13 members
- 456 Tren de Aragua members
- 1,067 weapons
- More than $3,250,000 in currency
- Approximately 91 metric tons of narcotics
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U.S. Attorney Moore Capito Announces Success of Major Immigration Operation in West VirginiaRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – United States Attorney Moore Capito is commending federal, state, and local law enforcement partners after “Operation Country Roads,” a 15-day enforcement operation conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), resulted in 650 arrests throughout West Virginia.
More than 550 of the arrests during Operation Country Roads involved West Virginia law enforcement agencies assisting ICE through the 287(g) program. West Virginia law enforcement led the nation in daily immigration arrests by 287(g) program participants during at least four days of the operation, which concluded on January 19, 2026.
“This operation is a clear demonstration of the strength, discipline, and resolve of our state and local law enforcement partners,” said Capito. “We are delivering on our promise to the people of West Virginia: the law will be enforced. I stand unequivocally with the men and women of law enforcement who put in long hours and do the difficult work required to protect our communities, defend the rule of law, and preserve the integrity of our nation’s legal system.”
The 287(g) program delegates to state and local law enforcement officers the authority to perform specified immigration officer functions under ICE’s direction and oversight. To date, 25 West Virginia law enforcement entities have signed agreements with ICE to participate in the 287(g) program, including three state-level agencies and 11 county and local agencies within the Southern District of West Virginia.
Federal, state, and local law enforcement officials identified and arrested individuals illegally residing in the United States who present dangers to national security and risks to public safety, as well as those who entered the United States illegally or have otherwise undermined the integrity of U.S. immigration laws and border control efforts. Several of those arrested have serious criminal histories, including convictions for child sex abuse, drug possession and endangering the welfare of children.
“This operation demonstrates how strong partnerships between ICE and West Virginia law enforcement agencies enhance public safety and the integrity of our immigration system,” said ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Philadelphia acting Field Office Director Michael Rose. “By training and supporting our 287(g) partners across the state, we’ve expanded local capacity to identify, arrest, and process illegal aliens while ensuring these authorities are exercised professionally and consistent with the law.”
While most immigration enforcement arrests are handled through an administrative process and removal proceeding, multiple arrests during Operation Country Roads resulted in federal criminal charges in the Southern District of West Virginia. These include immigration-related charges against eight individuals resulting from the execution of federal search warrants at a Nitro business and residence on January 16, 2026.
The West Virginia State Police, the West Virginia National Guard, and the West Virginia Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation are the state-level participants in the 287(g) program. The 287(g) participants in the Southern District of West Virginia also include the Cabell, Fayette, McDowell, Nicholas, Putnam, and Wood sheriff’s offices and the Fayetteville, Hurricane, Oak Hill, Richwood, and Summersville police departments.
“The Putnam County Sheriff’s Office is always proud to assist our federal partners in the enforcement of the law,” said Putnam County Sheriff Bobby Eggleton. “Illegal immigrant enforcement actions are a way to make our communities safer and that is my ultimate goal and responsibility.”
“I appreciate and support our federal law enforcement officers and our involvement to work toward a common goal of safely protecting Cabell County,” said Cabell County Sheriff Doug Adams. “By participating in this campaign, we have been able to successfully assist in removing dangerous fugitives. As always, we remain committed to protecting our citizens both native born and legal immigrants who call our community home.”
The United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of West Virginia participated in Operation Country Roads in furtherance 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 as well as 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.
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Third Georgia State Representative charged with pandemic unemployment fraudRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - Dexter L. Sharper, a member of the Georgia House of Representatives, was charged today with making false statements to fraudulently obtain thousands of dollars of emergency pandemic unemployment assistance payments.
“While many of his constituents and fellow citizens were losing jobs and desperately needed unemployment assistance during the pandemic, Representative Sharper allegedly pretended to be out of work to collect a share of unemployment benefits for himself,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “When government officials lie to take money, and do it while holding an elected office, it violates the trust of citizens and weakens faith in our elected government.”
“These charges point to some disgraceful conduct at the highest level, which should shock and repulse every citizen”, said Georgia State Inspector General Nigel Lange. “The alleged activities describe a disgusting abuse by an elected official who appeared to trade his integrity for money destined for those in need. Shameful.”
“Dexter L. Sharper, while serving as an elected member of the Georgia House of Representatives, is alleged to have unlawfully enriched himself by improperly obtaining taxpayer funds from the unemployment insurance program intended to assist American workers who lost their jobs through no fault of their own,” said Anthony P. D’Esposito, Inspector General, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General. “These charges reflect allegations, and the case will be resolved through the judicial process. We will continue our efforts to investigate and pursue accountability for those who are charged with defrauding taxpayers by exploiting Department of Labor programs.”
“Nobody is above the law, including elected officials,” said FBI Atlanta Acting Special Agent in Charge Peter Ellis. “Those who violate the public trust and steal from taxpayers to fill their own pockets will be held accountable.”
According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: In 2020, in response to the forced closures of businesses and unprecedented economic hardship resulting from the COVID-19 emergency, the U.S. Congress created special unemployment compensation programs to provide cash assistance to individuals who lost their jobs due to the pandemic. Applicants had to provide a certification for every week for which they wished to claim benefits, attesting to whether they were actively seeking work for the week and the reason they were unemployed.
Sharper, while serving as the Georgia State Representative for District 177, which includes portions of Lowndes County, allegedly applied for unemployment assistance benefits for April 2020 through May 2021. In his initial application, he stated that he had only one employer, Dexter Sharper Party Rental, which had employed him for 40 hours per week for over seven years, but had not worked since March 13, 2020. Then, in 38 separate weekly certifications, he stated that had not worked or earned any wages, was actively looking for work, and had not refused any work.
Contrary to those claims, Sharper was allegedly working and earning money from at least two—and sometimes three—jobs each week. He received at least $325 every week from the Georgia General Assembly for his position as Georgia State Representative. Sharper’s party rental business was operating and generating income of up to $2,231 of income per week. And Sharper was also collecting up to an additional $275 per week for work as a musician.
As a result of the allegedly false initial application and 38 subsequent certifications, Sharper collected a total of $13,825 of unemployment assistance benefits to which he was not entitled.
Dexter L. Sharper, 54, of Valdosta, Georgia, was arraigned today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Russell G. Vineyard, on federal charges of making false statements to obtain funds administered by the U.S. Department of Labor. Members of the public are reminded that the criminal information only contains charges. The defendant is presumed innocent of the charges and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
Two other Georgia State Representatives were previously charged with similar pandemic unemployment assistance fraud:
- Karen L. Bennett, Georgia State Representative for District 94 until she resigned on January 1, 2026, pleaded guilty on January 21, 2026, to federal charges of making false statements in connection with receiving $13,940 of pandemic unemployment benefits.
- Sharon Henderson, Georgia State Representative for District 113, was federally indicted on December 2, 2025, for theft of government funds and making false statements in connection with receiving $17,811 of pandemic unemployment benefits.
This case is being investigated by the Georgia Office of the State Inspector General, U.S. Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and DeKalb County District Attorney’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Garrett L. Bradford is prosecuting the case.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Tangipahoa Man Guilty of Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl, MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LA –GARRETT MCCLAIN JR.(“MCCLAIN”), age 24, of Tangipahoa Parish, pled guilty on January 29, 2026, before U.S. District Judge Barry Ashe, to possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and 40 grams or more of fentanyl, in violation of Title 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1), §841(b)(1)(A), and § 841(b)(1)(B), announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle. Judge Ashe scheduled sentencing for May 7, 2026. At sentencing, MCCLAIN faces a mandatory minimum sentence of ten (10) years and up to life imprisonment, up to a $10,000,000 fine, and at least five (5) years of supervised release.
According to the indictment, beginning on a time unknown but continuing until at least June 26, 2025, MCCLAIN, and other individuals, conspired to distribute, and possess with intent to distribute, fentanyl and methamphetamine throughout the Tangipahoa, St. Tammany, and Washington Parishes region. Law enforcement officers attempted a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by MCCLAIN after he was seen leaving a residence in Tickfaw, Louisiana. MCCLAIN led officers on a high-speed pursuit before fleeing his vehicle on foot. Ultimately, he was arrested and a backpack in his possession was seized and found to contain 226 grams of pure methamphetamine, 336 grams of marijuana, and 77 grams of fentanyl.
U.S. Attorney Courcelle praised the work of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Fentanyl Overdose Response Team (FORT), Hammond Police Department, Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, 22nd JDC District Attorney’s Office, Washington Parish Sheriff’s Office and the Louisiana National Guard. FORT was also assisted by the Louisiana State Police, Bogalusa Police Department, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Stuart Theriot of the Narcotics Unit.
Surgeon Sentenced to 6 Years in Federal Prison for Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Brad D. Schimel, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on January 29, 2026, Dr. Calvin Eriksen (age: 47) of Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, was sentenced to 72 months in federal prison by United States District Judge Brett H. Ludwig.
Four CyberTips were referred to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (“NCMEC”) regarding user accounts on the Kik online platform that had received and distributed Child Sexual Abuse Material (“CSAM”). Those tips led investigators to Dr. Eriksen’s home and workplace. Search warrants at those locations revealed CSAM, including images that depicted the abuse of infants and toddlers. Eriksen was also discovered to have been communicating online with an undercover law enforcement agent (“UC”) who was posing as the mother of an 8-year-old daughter. Eriksen repeatedly expressed an interest in sexually assaulting the UC’s daughter and sent a naked photo of himself.
At sentencing, Judge Ludwig noted that Eriksen’s sexually deviant behavior was disturbing and that his conduct contributed to a market which perpetuates the abuse of children. Upon completion of his prison sentence, the defendant will spend seven years on supervised release and will have to register as a sex offender under state and federal law.
According to United States Attorney Brad Schimel, “We have no higher priority in the criminal justice system than to protect children, and we will continue to devote substantial resources to catching and punishing those who steal their innocence. This case demonstrates the troubling reality that people who prey on children for sexual gratification can come from all walks of life.”
“This case is a disturbing example of criminal conduct that scars children for life and compromises the feeling of safety and security that all parents, families and communities deserve to enjoy” said Chief Christopher Garcia of the Brookfield Police Department.
“The City of Brookfield Police Department is thankful for the efforts of Homeland Security Investigations and the United States Attorney’s Office. I am proud to have such outstanding criminal justice partners who are committed to protecting our children and holding people accountable for such egregious crimes.”
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations offices in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and West Palm Beach, Florida, as well as the City of Brookfield Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Megan J. Thomas.
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 U.S. Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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For further information contact:
Public Affairs Officer Steve Caballero
(414) 297-1700
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Suburban Chicago Man Sentenced to Two and a Half Years in Prison for Conspiring to Straw Purchase FirearmsRead the Press Release
ROCKFORD — A suburban Chicago man has been sentenced to two and a half years in federal prison for conspiring with his sister to straw purchase seven firearms.
From 2020 to 2023, DERWIN VAZQUEZ, JR. conspired with his sister—JALISSA R. VAZQUEZ—to make false or fictious written statements to three licensed firearms dealers in connection with the acquisition or attempted acquisition of the firearms. Vazquez Jr. often purchased firearms online but falsely used his sister’s name as the purchaser. He then instructed Jalissa Vazquez to go pick up the firearms, knowing that she would falsely certify on federal forms that she was the actual buyer. Other times, Vazquez Jr. provided cash to Jalissa Vazquez or instructed her to purchase firearms with cash on his behalf. Vazquez, Jr. admitted that he intended to unlawfully re-sell the firearms to others on Facebook.
Vazquez Jr., 26, of Waukegan, Ill., pleaded guilty last year to one count of conspiracy to provide false and fictitious written statements to federally licensed dealers of firearms. U.S. District Judge Iain D. Johnston imposed the 30-month prison sentence during a hearing on Thursday in federal court in Rockford.
The sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Christopher Amon, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan S. Kim.
Jalissa Vazquez, 37, of Garden Prairie, Ill., pleaded guilty last year to the same conspiracy charge as her brother. She is scheduled to be sentenced before Judge Johnston on April 23, 2026.
Holding illegal firearm possessors accountable through federal prosecution is a centerpiece of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). In the Northern District of Illinois, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and law enforcement partners have deployed the PSN program to tackle a broad range of violent crime issues facing the district, particularly firearm offenses.
Sitting Judge and Three Others Charged with Scheme to Steal Hundreds of Thousands of Dollars from Vulnerable and Incapacitated WardsRead the Press Release
DETROIT - Four Detroit-area residents, including a sitting judge and a local attorney, were charged for their roles in a years-long scheme to embezzle money from incapacitated individuals, United States Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon, Jr. announced today.
Gorgon was joined in the announcement by Jennifer Runyan, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation Detroit Field Office, and Karen Wingerd, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations Detroit Field Office.
Nancy Williams, 59, Avery Bradley, 72, Andrea Bradley-Baskin, 46, and Dwight Rashad, 69, all Detroit residents, were charged via indictment with conspiracy to commit wire fraud. The indictment also charges Bradley with one count of wire fraud, Bradley, Bradley-Baskin, and Rashad with several counts of money laundering, and Bradley-Baskin with a single count of making a false statement to federal law enforcement agent.
According to the indictment, probate courts regularly appoint guardians and conservators to manage the personal and financial affairs of adults, known as wards, who have been found by the court to lack the capacity to do so themselves. Guardians and conservators are fiduciaries who are obligated to act in the best interests of their wards. The indictment alleges that Nancy Williams owned Guardian and Associates, an agency that was appointed as a fiduciary by the Wayne County Probate Court for incapacitated wards in over 1,000 cases. Avery Bradley is an attorney, who, along with his daughter (and fellow attorney) Andrea Bradley-Baskin, operated a law firm that often represented Guardian and Associates in Wayne County Probate Court and otherwise practiced regularly in that court. Bradley-Baskin is currently a district judge on Michigan’s 36th District Court. Dwight Rashad operated a series of group homes and residential facilities for elderly individuals, including wards, who needed support and care.
The indictment alleges that the four defendants conspired to systematically embezzle funds from wards, and to obtain and retain money for themselves that rightly belonged to the wards and the wards’estates. The indictment sets forth numerous examples of the co-conspirators working together to misappropriate money belonging to wards. In one instance, Bradley-Baskin is alleged to have used $70,000 in a ward’s funds to purchase an ownership stake in a local bar. In another, Bradley, Williams, and Rashad are alleged to have taken for themselves some $203,000 in funds from a ward’s legal settlement, with none of the money being used to benefit the ward. Williams is alleged to have paid Rashad rent for wards who did not live in one of Rashad’s homes. Bradley-Baskin, in yet another case, is alleged to have used money embezzled from the estate of a ward to pay a two-year lease on a new Ford Expedition for herself.
“We respect the authority that covers a black robe. This state judge and her cronies allegedly abused that high honor for personal gain by preying on the needy protected by the court. This would be a grievous abuse of our public trust,” said U.S. Attorney Gorgon.
“Regardless of a person’s position in society, no one is above the law. These four defendants allegedly conspired to steal from some of our most vulnerable citizens — looting bank accounts, exploiting legal authority, and profiting off those who relied on them for care and protection," said Jennifer Runyan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Detroit Field Office. "Let me be clear: if you prey on the vulnerable, we will find you and bring you to justice. Finally, I want to recognize our FBI Detroit Area Corruption Task Force, alongside our partners at the IRS Criminal Investigations Detroit Field Office, for their dedicated work on behalf of these victims, as well as the Wayne County Probate Court for bringing this matter to our attention and assisting the investigation."
“No matter who you are, or what your position is, it is entirely unacceptable to help yourself to money that is not yours. What makes these allegations so disturbing is that the victims are part of very vulnerable population and trusted the accused to act in their best interest,” said Karen Wingerd, Special Agent in Charge, Detroit Field Office, IRS Criminal Investigation. “IRS-CI is proud to work alongside our law enforcement partners to protect the financial well-being of the vulnerable and root out those who threaten their security.”
If you have information concerning a ward of Guardian & Associates or Tri-State Guardian Services, please visit the FBI website at
— Seeking Information Concerning Wards of Guardian & Associates and Tri-State Guardian Services
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Robert A. Moran and John Neal.
Senior Official at United States African Development Foundation Agrees to Plead Guilty to Accepting Gratuities and Making False StatementRead the Press Release
The Director of Financial Management of the United States African Development Foundation (USADF) was charged today by criminal information and has agreed to plead guilty to accepting gratuities from a USADF contractor and then lying to federal law enforcement officers about those payments.
“Mathieu Zahui is charged with accepting payments from a government contractor and then abusing his position by directing USADF funds to that contractor for little-to-no work,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Corruption by senior officials representing the United States cheats American taxpayers and rigs the system against honest work. This plea agreement demonstrates the Criminal Division’s pursuit of bad actors who engage in waste and abuse in government contracting.”
“The USADF Director of Financial Management’s fraudulent acts betrayed the trust of the American people,” said Acting Assistant Inspector General for Investigations Sean M. Bottary of the U.S. Agency for International Development’s Office of Inspector General (USAID-OIG). “As the Inspector General with continued oversight jurisdiction over U.S.-funded foreign assistance, we will utilize our global investigative reach to aggressively detect and disrupt those who defraud taxpayer dollars programmed overseas.”
According to court documents, Mathieu Zahui, 59, of Fairfax, Virginia, who referred to himself as the “CFO” of USADF, arranged for USADF to pay USADF vendors and contractors through a Kenya-based company, Company-1. Company-1 was owned by a government contractor (CC-1), whom Zahui had known for over 20 years. Between June 2020 and December 2023, Zahui arranged for Company-1 to act as a pass-through for USADF’s payments to certain vendors, rather than have USADF pay the vendors directly. For example, when USADF needed to pay a past-due debt to a staffing vendor, Zahui directed the vendor to invoice Company-1 instead of USADF. Company-1 then invoiced USADF for the vendor’s past-due amount, but added a mark-up of over $20,000 to the amount owed. Zahui approved Company-1’s invoice even though he knew that Company-1 had provided no services related to the vendor’s work.
Zahui approved pass-through invoices for Company-1 that included mark-ups ranging from 17% to 66% above the amounts owed to the vendors, even when Company-1 did no work justifying the mark-up. In total, Company-1 submitted more than 20 pass-through invoices to USADF, for which Zahui caused USADF to pay at least $617,625.49 to Company-1. Of this total amount paid, Company-1 retained $134,886.34 as a mark-up. In connection with this pass-through contracting and invoicing by Company-1, as well as other official acts to benefit Company-1, Zahui accepted $12,000 in cash payments directly from CC-1.
Zahui and CC-1 did not disclose this conduct to the Bureau of the Fiscal Service, which oversaw and authorized USADF’s payments to external parties. With Zahui’s involvement, CC-1 falsely stated on Company-1’s invoices that Company-1 had provided “logistical support” to USADF when, in fact, it had nothing to do with logistical support. For example, in late 2020, USADF owed a membership fee of $50,000 to a professional networking organization serving the African diaspora. Instead of having USADF pay its membership fee directly, Zahui directed CC-1 to have Company-1 submit an invoice to USADF that included the membership fee so that Company-1 could act as a pass-through for the $50,000 payment to that organization. The invoice submitted claimed that Company-1 provided “logistical assistance support for ADF” and included a mark-up of $9,900.08.
When interviewed by federal law enforcement agents in 2024, Zahui was asked about his relationship with CC-1 and falsely stated that he had never received any benefits from CC-1 when, in fact, he had received $12,000 in cash payments from CC-1.
Zahui agreed to plead guilty to one count of accepting gratuities from CC-1 and one count of making a false statement to a federal law enforcement officer. He faces a maximum penalty of two years in prison for the gratuities charge and five years in prison for the false statement charge. His plea hearing will be scheduled by a federal district court judge. The judge will thereafter determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
USAID-OIG is investigating the case.
Assistant Chief Kyle Hankey of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Sungtae Kang for the District of Columbia are prosecuting the case.
Senior Official at U.S. African Development Foundation to Plead to Accepting Gratuities from Kenyan ContractorRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Mathieu G. Zahui, 59, the Director of Financial Management for the United States African Development Foundation was charged today by criminal Information for accepting gratuities from a USADF contractor and then lying to federal law enforcement officers about those payments, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Zahui, of Fairfax, Virginia, agreed to plead guilty to one count of accepting gratuities from the contractor and to one count of making a false statement to a federal law enforcement officer. He faces a maximum penalty of two years in prison for the gratuities charge and five years in prison for the false statement charge. His plea hearing will be scheduled by a federal district court judge. The judge will thereafter determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
“President Trump has made it clear that he will put an end to the fraud, waste and abuse that was commonplace throughout these agencies,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “There will be serious consequences whenever corruption is unearthed, whether at the U.S. African Development Foundation or any other foundation.”
“Mathieu Zahui is charged with accepting payments from a government contractor and then abusing his position by directing USADF funds to that contractor for little-to-no work,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Corruption by senior officials representing the United States cheats American taxpayers and rigs the system against honest work. This plea agreement demonstrates the Criminal Division’s pursuit of bad actors who engage in waste and abuse in government contracting.”
“The USADF Director of Financial Management’s fraudulent acts betrayed the trust of the American people,” said Acting Assistant Inspector General for Investigations Sean M. Bottary of the U.S. Agency for International Development’s Office of Inspector General. “As the Inspector General with continued oversight jurisdiction over U.S.-funded foreign assistance, we will utilize our global investigative reach to aggressively detect and disrupt those who defraud taxpayer dollars programmed overseas.”
According to court documents, Zahui arranged for United States African Development Foundation (USADF) to pay the foundation’s vendors and contractors through a Kenya-based company, Company-1.
Company-1 was owned by a government contractor, CC-1, whom Zahui had known for over 20 years. Between June 2020 and December 2023, Zahui arranged for Company-1 to act as a pass-through for USADF’s payments to these vendors, rather than have USADF pay the vendors directly. Zahui approved pass-through invoices for Company-1 that included mark-ups ranging from 17% to 66% above the amounts owed to the vendors, even when Company-1 did no work justifying the mark-up.
For example, when USADF needed to pay a past-due debt to a staffing vendor, Zahui directed the vendor to invoice Company-1 instead of USADF. Company-1 then invoiced USADF for the vendor’s past-due amount, but added a mark-up of over $20,000 to the amount owed. Zahui approved Company-1’s invoice even though he knew that Company-1 had provided no services related to the vendor’s work.
In total, Company-1 submitted more than 20 pass-through invoices to USADF, for which Zahui caused USADF to pay at least $617,625.49 to Company-1. Of this total amount paid Company-1 retained $134.886.34 as a mark-up. In connection with this pass-through contracting and invoicing by Company-1, as well as other official acts to benefit Company-1, Zahui accepted $12,000 in cash payments directly from CC-1.
Zahui and CC-1 did not disclose this conduct to the Bureau of the Fiscal Service, which oversaw and authorized USADF’s payments to external parties. With Zahui’s involvement, CC-1 falsely stated on Company-1’s invoices that Company-1 had provided “logistical support” to USADF when, in fact, it had nothing to do with logistical support. For example, in late 2020, USADF owed a membership fee of $50,000 to a professional networking organization serving the African diaspora. Instead of having USADF pay its membership fee directly, Zahui directed CC-1 to have Company-1 submit an invoice to USADF that included the membership fee so that Company-1 could act as a pass-through for the $50,000 payment to that organization. The invoice submitted claimed that Company-1 provided “logistical assistance support for ADF” and included a mark-up of $9,900.08.
When interviewed by federal law enforcement agents in 2024, Zahui was asked about his relationship with CC-1 and falsely stated that he had never received any benefits from CC-1 when, in fact, he had received $12,000 in cash payments from CC-1.
The U.S. Agency for International Development’s Office of Inspector General (USAID-OIG) is investigating the case.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sungtae Kang for the District of Columbia and Assistant Chief Kyle Hankey of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section.
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San Antonio Woman Sentenced to 11 Years in Prison and over $955K Money Judgment for Role in Deadly Alien Smuggling OperationRead the Press Release
DEL RIO, Texas – A San Antonio woman was sentenced in a federal court in Del Rio on Thursday to 132 months in prison and ordered to pay a money judgment of $955,350 for conspiracy to transport illegal aliens resulting in death.
According to court documents, Erica Aracely Carmona, 36, was a member of an Alien Smuggling Organization that smuggled illegal aliens to San Antonio from the area around Eagle Pass. Carmona’s role included coordinating smuggling operations with co-conspirators in Mexico and directing other members of the conspiracy in regard to payments and driver coordination.
On May 25, 2021, a driver with the ASO transported a trailer containing illegal aliens from a residence in Eagle Pass to San Antonio. When the trailer arrived, one of the aliens was near death, and died about one hour later. Co-conspirators dumped the deceased illegal alien into a ditch within a few miles of a Von Ormy property belonging to Carmona that was being used as a drop-off location. The Bexar County Sheriff’s Office recovered the body along with the deceased alien’s ID card on May 30, 2021.
ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) determined that Carmona had purchased the property in Von Ormy specifically for the purpose of alien smuggling with proceeds from the ASO’s operations. Following the arrest of co-conspirator Evan John Herrera, ICE HSI discovered WhatsApp communications pertaining to alien smuggling between Herrera and Carmona.
The ASO smuggled more than 500 illegal aliens and generated over $4.7 million in proceeds between January 2021 and July 2022. Throughout their operation, the ASO used custom made “tow-behind” trailers to transport illegal aliens. The ASO had begun to use an 18-wheeler with a false compartment inside the tractor trailer that held up to 40 aliens but that trailer was interdicted by federal law enforcement on the first smuggling attempt.
Carmona was arrested on Aug. 23, 2022, and pleaded guilty on Dec. 19, 2022. Herrera was sentenced on May 28, 2025, to 151 months in federal prison with credit for time served. Herrera was also ordered to pay a $955,350 money judgment. On May 1, 2025, co-defendant Miguel Angel Rivera was sentenced to 216 months with credit for time served. Additional co-defendants Pedro Luis Martinez-Jaquez and Jose Eduardo Rodriguez Moreno are scheduled to be sentenced in March. Chief U.S. District Judge Alia Moses presides over the case.
“Alien smuggling organizations and Mexican cartels will always value profit over human lives, and illegal aliens are routinely placed in extremely dangerous situations during their journey, often resulting in death,” said U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas, Justin R. Simmons. “In San Antonio, we’ve seen firsthand how dangerous it can be to transport humans in trailers of any kind, especially tractor trailers. While we mourn the life lost in this case, the amazing work done by federal law enforcement to shut down this criminal organization and their continued use of a tractor trailer no doubt saved lives in the long run.”
“The loss of life in this case is a stark reminder that human smuggling is not just a crime—it is a deadly threat to our communities and those seeking a better future,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge John A. Pasciucco, HSI San Antonio. “Carmona’s sentencing demonstrates that HSI and our partners will relentlessly pursue and dismantle criminal organizations that prioritize profit over human life. We will not tolerate those who exploit and endanger vulnerable individuals, and we will continue to bring the full weight of justice against anyone responsible for these events.”
ICE HSI investigated the case with assistance from the U.S. Border Patrol, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office, and the Maverick County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brett Miner 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.
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U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of TexasA “tow-behind” trailer used by the organization to smuggle illegal aliens from Eagle Pass to San Antonio. The trailers were custom made by Alien Smuggling Organization member, Evan John Herrera, to conceal the illegal aliens in route.
U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of TexasFederal law enforcement interdicted an alien smuggling operation that used the “tow-behind” trailer.
U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of TexasThe exterior of the tractor-trailer that was to be used by the organization to smuggle illegal aliens from Eagle Pass to San Antonio. The trailer was custom built to hold as many as 40 illegal aliens, and it was retrofitted with air conditioning in the false trap compartment. The organization had graduated from the “tow-behind” trailers to 18-wheelers to transport the illegal aliens.
U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of TexasThe top of the trailer that was to be used by the organization to smuggle illegal aliens from Eagle Pass to San Antonio.
U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of TexasThe interior of the false compartment that was to be used by the organization to smuggle illegal aliens from Eagle Pass to San Antonio.
SDTX charges another 307 people with criminal actions this week in support of Operation Take Back AmericaRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – The first month of the new year has come to a close with another 299 filed cases related to immigration and border security, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
From Jan. 23-29, a total of 169 people have been charged with felony reentry after removal, and another 108 face allegations of illegal entry. Most have felony convictions for narcotics, violent crime, various immigration crimes and more. The filed cases also include 26 individuals accused of human smuggling with four others accused of other crimes.
In addition to the new cases, Mexican national Javier Andres Rivera received a 60-month federal prison sentence for illegally reentering the country without authorization. He has prior convictions for aggravated robbery with a firearm, possession of more than 50 pounds of marijuana, terroristic threats and illegal reentry. He was first removed in 2011 and illegally returned three times.
In Laredo, Mexican national Erik Villegas Cusi was ordered to prison for 51 months for conspiring with others in Mexico to smuggle fentanyl and cocaine during a family trip. Authorities discovered the drugs hidden in an aftermarket compartment in the undercarriage of his vehicle as he entered the United States with his wife and minor son.
These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations, ICE - Enforcement and Removal Operations, Border Patrol, Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, U.S. Marshals Service and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners.
The cases are 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.
Under current leadership, public safety and a secure border are the top priorities for this district. Enhanced enforcement both at the border and in the interior of the district have yielded aliens engaged in unlawful activity or with serious criminal histories, including convictions for human trafficking, sexual assault and violence against children.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas 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.
An indictment or criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Recidivist Drug Dealer Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for a Bulk Methamphetamine-Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – A Bay Minette man was sentenced to 120 months in prison for taking part in a conspiracy to distribute bulk methamphetamine.
According to court documents, Ladarrius Markeil Fields, 30, pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine between October 2024 and December 2024. On December 9, 2024, narcotics investigators received information that a bulk methamphetamine deal was going to occur at a truck stop in Whistler. Agents attempted to conduct a traffic stop of Fields’s vehicle near the truck stop, but Fields reversed out of a parking lot and drove away. As he did so, Fields threw a large bag of methamphetamine from his vehicle into a drainage ditch before coming to a stop. Agents arrested Fields and recovered the bag that he discarded, which contained nearly a pound of methamphetamine packaged in five separate baggies.
Agents then interviewed Fields, who admitted that he had bought a pound of methamphetamine from a supplier with whom he had previously served prison time. Fields has several prior convictions for possession and distribution of narcotics and was released from Alabama state prison in mid-2024.
Fields said that on December 8, 2024, he had met his supplier at a gas station near Meaher Avenue in Prichard. Fields said the supplier had accidentally given him the wrong bag, so Fields came to the truck stop to switch out the drugs the next day. Fields said he had been buying bulk methamphetamine from his supplier for roughly two months and had secured one to two pounds of methamphetamine on about 15 separate occasions. At one point during his interview, Fields said, “Y’all caught me bro, red handed.”
In addition to the 120-month prison sentence, Senior U.S. District Judge William H. Steele ordered Fields to serve a five-year term of supervised release upon his release from prison, during which time he will be subject to drug testing and treatment. The court did not impose a fine, but Judge Steele ordered Fields to pay a total of $100 in special assessments.
U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement.
Homeland Security Investigations and the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Roller prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
This prosecution was 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 Mobile comprises agents and officers from, among others, Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Alabama.
Principals of ‘Pre-IPO’ Funds Plead Guilty to Defrauding InvestorsRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, announced today that MARIO GOGLIORMELLA, STEVEN LACAJ, and KARIM IBRAHIM, a/k/a “Chris Hayes,” pled guilty to conspiracy and fraud charges in connection with their management of L & G Capital Corp., Legend Venture Partners LLC, and a related series of funds. GOGLIORMELLA and LACAJ pled guilty before U.S. District Judge Vernon S. Broderick and IBRAHIM pled guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Henry J. Ricardo. The defendants will be sentenced before Judge Broderick at a later date.
“Our pre-IPO markets are important to investors, entrepreneurs, and our economy,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “Their integrity is critical to our continued leadership in technology, healthcare, energy, and other key industries. The defendants used high-pressure sales tactics, false and misleading disclosures, and hidden exorbitant fees to defraud retail investors seeking to invest in private companies that had not yet had initial public offerings. The women and men of our Office and our law enforcement partners continue to focus on our pre-IPO markets and our listed small-cap markets. Our message is clear: marketing and trading in securities of new and smaller companies does not give you a pass to commit fraud.”
According to the allegations contained in the Indictment, public filings, and statements made in court:
GOGLIORMELLA, LACAJ, and IBRAHIM engaged in a scheme to defraud investors in a group of related private funds known generally as the “StraightPath Funds” and the “Legend Funds.” The defendants, and others working at their direction, used “boiler room”-style call centers to market the funds to non-professional investors by promising an opportunity to invest in privately held companies expected to go public in the near future (“pre-IPO companies”). The defendants purported to offer investors the chance to acquire shares in pre-IPO companies at favorable prices in advance of an anticipated public offering, at which time, they claimed, the shares would be worth significantly more. The defendants also claimed there were no upfront fees or commissions, and that they would not get paid until their investors got paid.
These representations that the defendants made to investors were lies. In fact, the defendants sold shares to investors at arbitrarily inflated and excessive prices without disclosing to investors the nature or extent of the markup. The defendants’ fraudulent misrepresentations about the operation of their funds allowed them to raise approximately $185 million from hundreds of investors. Based in large part on the excessive and undisclosed share price markups they charged to investors, the defendants were able to divert nearly $28 million in investor funds to themselves. They also used investor funds to pay their sales representatives at least $17.5 million in fees and commissions, despite making explicit representations to investors that fees were not being charged. In addition to misrepresentations about fees and markups, the defendants also misled investors regarding the nature of their investments and hid the involvement of GOGLIORMELLA and IBRAHIM, who had previously been disciplined by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, in the management of the Funds.
In order to generate interest in the Funds among retail investors, GOGLIORMELLA, LACAJ, and IBRAHIM used finders, or “referral agents,” to pitch prospective investors and thereafter to serve as the investors’ primary point of contact. The defendants used “boiler room”-style call centers wherein salespeople cold-called potential investors, many of whom were not experienced investors, and gave aggressive sales pitches using notes and pitch scripts. The defendants referred to their pitch scripts as “The Bible.” Contrary to the defendants’ claim that they and their agents did not make money unless and until investors received a profit on their investments, the defendants paid referral agents a commission, typically a 10 to 15 percent front-end fee based on the amount of the investment that agents were able to draw to the Funds, plus a portion of the carried interest when the Funds exited their position in a particular company.
At first, the defendants operated this scheme as a marketing arm for StraightPath Venture Partners, Inc. (“StraightPath”). In approximately 2021, multiple individuals associated with StraightPath received subpoenas from the SEC, and in approximately February 2022, StraightPath ceased operations. In approximately February 2022, when StraightPath ceased operations, GOGLIORMELLA, LACAJ, and IBRAHIM began conducting the scheme under the corporate entity Legend Venture Partners, LLC (“Legend”), where they continued to run the same scheme that StraightPath had started. The three principals of StraightPath —Michael Castillero, Francine Lanaia, and Brian Martinsen—were also prosecuted by this Office and convicted at a trial before U.S. District Judge Jesse M. Furman in November 2025.
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GOGLIORMELLA, 48, of Manhasset, New York, STEVEN LACAJ, 28, of New York, New York, and KARIM IBRAHIM, 36, of Queens, New York, each pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit securities fraud, wire fraud, and investment adviser fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison, and one count of investment adviser fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.
The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by a judge.
Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding work of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Mr. Clayton also thanked the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, which has filed a parallel civil action.
The case is being handled by the Office’s Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adam S. Hobson and Matthew R. Shahabian are in charge of the prosecution.
Postal Employee Sentenced for Her Role in Conspiracy to Steal Checks from the MailRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge John A. Ross on Friday sentenced a former mail carrier who aided a check stealing and bank fraud conspiracy to a year and a day in prison and ordered her to repay $21,635.
Cambria M. Hopkins, a postal carrier based in Clayton, sold her “arrow key,” which allows access to U.S. Postal Service collection boxes, to Malik A. Jones on March 20, 2022. She also told Jones which boxes the key would open. Jones then paid others to steal mail using Hopkins’ key. Hopkins also sold checks multiple times to Jones that she’d stolen from mail at the Post Office and from mail while on her route. Jones paid her in cash, via CashApp or in groceries. Jones then recruited others who allowed him to use their bank accounts to deposit forged and fraudulent checks.
“The relatively small amount of money for which (Hopkins) was willing to abuse her position, undermine the public’s trust, and harm those whose mail she stole speaks to the selfishness of her actions,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Clow wrote in a sentencing memo. When confronted, Hopkins “lied to investigators… and attempted to cover up her crimes by then deleting her messages with Jones,” Clow wrote.
Hopkins, 30, of Florissant, Missouri, pleaded guilty in August to one count of conspiracy and one count of unlawful use of a mail key.
Jones, now 28, was sentenced to 42 months in prison after pleading guilty to bank fraud and aggravated identity theft.
“The sentencing in this case illustrates that individuals who steal mail will be held accountable for their actions,” stated Acting Inspector in Charge, Mary Johnson, who leads the Chicago Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, which includes St. Louis. “The Postal Inspection Service is proud to work with our local, state, and federal partners to bring mail theft perpetrators to justice and prevent financial crimes targeting local citizens, postal customers, and financial institutions.”
“This sentencing represents the hard work and dedication by USPS OIG Special Agents working with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to bring charges on this significant mail theft investigation,” said Special Agent in Charge Dennus Bishop, U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General, Central Area Field Office. “The United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General and the United States Postal Inspection Service, along with our law enforcement partners, remain committed to safeguarding the U.S. Mail and ensuring the accountability and integrity of U.S. Postal Service employees.”
The U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General and U.S. Postal Inspection Service investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Clow is prosecuting the case.
Portland Resident Pleads Guilty to Damaging Federal PropertyRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—A Portland resident pleaded guilty yesterday to depredation of government property after damaging cameras affixed to the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) building and setting debris on fire.
Alistair Macfarlane Sidener, 20, pleaded guilty to one count of depredation of government property.
According to court documents, on June 12, 2025, Sidener intentionally damaged several cameras mounted on the facility by shooting paint at them from a water gun and striking cameras with a long metal pole. Shortly after damaging the cameras, Sidener lit debris on fire that had been placed against a metal gate.
On January 28, 2026, Sidener was charged by superseding information with depredation of government property.
Sidener faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, a $250,000, and three years of supervised release. Sidener will be sentenced on May 27, 2026, before a U.S. District Court Judge.
As part of the plea agreement, Sidener has agreed to pay restitution in full.
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon.
Peabody Man Arrested for Theft of Government MoneyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Peabody man has been arrested and charged with fraudulently obtaining over $100,000 in coronavirus relief funds.
Jonathan Carpenter, 41, was indicted on one count of theft of government money. Carpenter was arrested yesterday and released on conditions following an initial appearance in federal court in Boston.
According to the charging documents, Carpenter defrauded the United States Small Business Administration (SBA) in 2020 by applying for and obtaining an Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL). The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act authorized SBA to provide EIDLs to eligible small business experiencing financial disruption due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
It is alleged that Carpenter fraudulently obtained $125,000 in EIDL funds for Homeland Electric, an electrical contractor that had not existed for approximately five years at the time of his application. It is further alleged that Carpenter falsely claimed that Homeland Electric was established on March 1, 2011; had gross receipts of $250,000; and had eight employees as of Jan. 21, 2020. Carpenter also allegedly failed to indicate that he had a criminal record.
The charge of theft of government money provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $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. Valuable assistance was provided by Peabody Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy E. Moran of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.
Palestinian Immigrant Guilty Second Time in Murder for Hire SchemeRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – A federal jury convicted a Rocky Mount man on three counts of Interstate phone calls in a Murder-for-Hire scheme.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Nahro Sudoi INNAB, 70, attempted to arrange the murders of three people. He did all this after pleading guilty to the same conduct, while sitting in jail awaiting the start of his prison term. INNAB tried to pay other inmates $10,000 per head to murder these men. The intended victims were Rocky Mount small business owners. A cooperating defendant informed the FBI of the plot and captured an audio recording of INNAB’s murderous plan.
“This Palestinian immigrant came here to take advantage of the American dream, but he has repeatedly tried to hire thugs to murder his perceived enemies,” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle. “We will not tolerate this type of terror spreading behavior. He needs to learn his lesson and behave in a civilized manner.”
"Even after being federally charged, arrested, and pleading guilty to a murder for hire plot, Nahro Innab continued his demented and dangerous plans. Thankfully, a coordinated law enforcement effort thwarted multiple murderous plots, and he will be safely behind prison bars for years to come," said James C. Barnacle Jr., the FBI Special Agent in Charge in North Carolina.
INNAB faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for each crime the federal jury convicted him of committing.
W. Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III accepted the verdict. The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney John P. Newby, Jr. is prosecuting the case.
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.5:24-CR-307-D-RN.
Pensacola Tax Preparers Face Federal Charges for Fraudulent Tax Return SchemeRead the Press Release
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – D’ontrinique K. Johnson, formerly known as D’ontrinique K. Wilkerson, 30, and Tequilla D. Nairn, formerly known as Tequilla D. Robinson, 37, both of Pensacola, Florida, have been indicted in federal court for one count of conspiracy to aid or assist in preparation of false tax returns and to steal government money and three counts of filing false tax returns. Nairn has additionally been charged with one count of aggravated identity theft and one count of wire fraud. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida announced the charges.
Johnson appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Hope T. Cannon for her arraignment at the United States Courthouse in Pensacola, Florida. Trial is scheduled for March 16, 2026, at 8:30 am before District Court Judge T. Kent Wetherell, II.
If convicted, Johnson faces up to 5 years’ imprisonment for the conspiracy count and up to 3 years’ imprisonment for each count related to filing a false tax return.
Nairn appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Zachary C. Bolitho for her arraignment at the United States Courthouse in Pensacola, Florida. Trial is scheduled for March 16, 2026, at 8:30 am before District Court Judge T. Kent Wetherell, II.
If convicted, Nairn faces up to 5 years’ imprisonment for the conspiracy count, up to 3 years’ imprisonment for each count related to filing a false tax return, a mandatory consecutive 2 years’ imprisonment for the aggravated identity theft count, and up to 20 years’ imprisonment for the wire fraud count.
The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Alicia H. Forbes.
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.
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.
Orlando Doctor Sentenced to Two Years for Injecting Silicone Oil into PatientsRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – Nhan Pham (55, Orlando) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge John Antoon II to two years in federal prison for receipt in interstate commerce and proffered delivery of an adulterated device, in violation of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. Pham pleaded guilty on May 7, 2025. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents, between 2015 and 2019, Pham, a physician who performed cosmetic procedures, ordered silicone oil online and injected the silicone into his patients for gluteal and buttock enhancement procedures at his office and residence. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not approved the use of injectable silicone for body contouring or enhancement and has issued warnings to the public advising them of the illegality of and health risks associated with silicone injections.
Pham inaccurately represented to his patients before performing the procedures that the substance he was injecting into their bodies was “safe,” “natural,” and would dissolve over time. After receiving the silicone oil injections, patients experienced complications, such as sharp and severe pain, discomfort, discoloration, itchiness, burning, inflammation, soreness, and hardness in the injection areas. On September 24, 2019, Pham offered to perform silicone oil injections on an undercover law enforcement agent.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration – Office of Criminal Investigations and the Metropolitan Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office and United States Marshals Service. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Diane Hu.
Oklahoma County Resident Sentenced for Felony AssaultRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Bryan Dewayne Goodbear, a/k/a Bryan D. Goodbear, a/k/a Bryan W. Goodbear, a/k/a Sonny F. Goodbear, age 29, formerly of Edmond, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 174 months in prison for one count of Assault with Intent to Commit Murder in Indian Country.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Oklahoma Department of Corrections.
On June 18, 2025, Goodbear pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on August 16, 2023, Goodbear and two other inmates of the Davis Correctional Facility stabbed a fellow inmate over 70 times, causing severe injuries to the victim’s neck, chest, and abdomen. The crime occurred in Hughes County, within the boundaries of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The Honorable Robert J. Shelby, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court of Utah, sitting by special appointment, presided over the hearing. Goodbear will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lewis M. Reagan, T. Cameron McEwen, and Patrick M. Flanigan represented the United States.
Nine Charged with Conspiracy to Straw Purchase FirearmsRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – On Jan. 27, 2026, the following nine people were charged by federal criminal complaint with Conspiracy to Commit the Offense of Material False Statement During the Purchase of a Firearm: Jorge Alain Corona, 28, of Gilroy, California; Alejandro Corona, 32, of Yuma, Arizona; Jonathan Ventura Bravo, 32, of Phoenix, Arizona; Marvin Agustin Teutle, 29, of Laveen, Arizona; Jesus Roberto Corella Mares, 33, of Mesa, Arizona; Rosario Agustin Teutle, 27, of Buckeye, Arizona; April Denise Corral Aldecoa, 24, of Yuma, Arizona; Linda-Ana Grace Camarillo, 22, of Kalispell, Montana; and Jose Ruben Quiroz, 26, of Yuma, Arizona.
“This case exposes a scheme to lie, buy, and funnel dangerous firearms into the hands of nefarious actors, including trafficking firearms across our southern border,” said U.S. Attorney Timothy Courchaine. “It is particularly alarming when these weapons are intended for use by criminal organizations. This office will continue working in tandem with our law enforcement partners to block the flow of illegal firearms to those who would use them to harm others.”
“Straw purchasers aren’t just lying on a form- they’re often putting firearms directly onto the hands of criminals,” said Shawn Stallo, acting special agent in charge for the Phoenix Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. “Straw purchasing is a serious felony that can carry penalties of up to 10 years in jail and a $250,000 fine.”
“Straw purchasing undermines public safety by intentionally concealing the identity of the actual offender and defeating lawful safeguards,” said Matthew Murphy, acting special agent in charge for HSI Arizona. “HSI and our law enforcement partners remain steadfast in our commitment to protecting the public, thoroughly investigating this criminal activity and reviewing all facts objectively and with integrity — because community safety depends on it.”
According to the complaint, between March 2020 and January 2024, defendants acted to unlawfully acquire firearms by making false representations to the firearms seller. Specifically, at the time of purchase, the straw purchaser would sign forms claiming that they were the actual purchaser of the firearm, when in fact they were acquiring the firearm on behalf of another individual. Over the course of the investigation, these individuals conspired to straw purchase more than 15 firearms, including at least three Barrett .50 caliber and 10 belt-fed semi-automatic rifles, which were intended to be smuggled into Mexico.
On July 26, 2023, law enforcement was able to seize six of the firearms shortly after they were illegally obtained. On March 24, 2025, authorities with the Government of Mexico seized another firearm identified in this investigation as illegally acquired by this conspiracy.
This investigation is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. 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 HSTF investigation comprises agents and officers from Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), with the prosecution being led by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Travis L. Wheeler and Bradley Baugher of the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona, Phoenix.
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.
CASE NUMBER: 26-3011MJ
RELEASE NUMBER: 2026-014_Corona, et. al
Photos of firearms seized.
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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.
New York Man Pleads Guilty and Is Sentenced for Federal Fraud CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Xavier Booker, 38, of New York City, pleaded guilty on Thursday, January 29, 2026, to aiding and abetting a false statement on a loan and credit application and was sentenced to time served.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on November 27, 2024, Booker presented a false North Carolina driver’s license at a federal credit union in Parkersburg in an attempt to obtain proceeds from a loan fraudulently applied for in the name appearing on the false driver’s license.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Parkersburg Police Department and the assistance provided by the West Virginia Fusion Center.
United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston presided over the hearing and imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer D. Gordon prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-95.
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New Orleans Man Indicted for Being a Felon in Possession of FirearmRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – KYLE ARMSTRONG, age 23, of New Orleans, was indicted on January 29, 2026, for being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8), announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle. If convicted, ARMSTRONG faces a maximum sentence of 15 years of imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and up to 3 years of supervised release.
According to the indictment, on July 19, 2025, in the Eastern District of Louisiana, ARMSTRONG possessed a Canik Model TP9 SF, nine-millimeter handgun, knowing that he had been previously convicted on November 8, 2022 of felonies including, Theft or Receipt of Stolen Mail Matter, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1708, and Unlawful Possession of Postal Key, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1704.
U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle reiterated that the indictment is merely an allegation and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
This case is being investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service and the Louisiana State Police. Assistant United States Attorney Rachal Cassagne of the Narcotics Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
New Bedford Couple Charged with Defrauding Clients of over $750,000 in Connection with their Insurance BusinessRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A married couple was charged today for their alleged involvement in a scheme to defraud individuals seeking insurance coverage through the couple’s business, BL Insurance Brokerage, LLC.
Brendan Lawler, 58, and Lisa Lawler, 45, of New Bedford, Mass., were charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Both defendants will appear in federal court in Boston at a later date. The Lawlers were charged by criminal complaint in August 2025.
According to the charging documents, from March 2023 through March 2024, the Lawlers allegedly solicited and collected insurance payments from BL Insurance’s clients, which should have been paid to the clients’ insurance providers. But instead of paying the insurance companies, the Lawlers allegedly pocketed their clients’ payments and used the money for their own purposes. To conceal this theft of client funds and to keep their BL Insurance afloat to perpetuate the scheme, the Lawlers allegedly used incoming client funds to pay outstanding balances due to other clients’ insurers. The Lawlers also allegedly created and distributed certain insurance documents to clients that falsely suggested that the clients were insured. In total, through this scheme, the Lawlers allegedly defrauded at least 50 individuals or insurance providers and stole more than $750,000 from insurance providers, premium finance companies and hard money lenders.
Members of the public who believe they may be a victim of this case or have any relevant information related to this case are requested to please fill out the attached form to be contacted by a member of law enforcement: https://forms.fbi.gov/victims/BLInsuranceVictims/view.
The charge of conspiracy to commit wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000, or twice the loss to the victim. 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 Division of Insurance and Insurance Fraud Bureau. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan Cleary of the Criminal Division is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
New Orleans Man Sentenced for Being Felon in Possession of FirearmRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – HAVEN PATTERSON (“PATTERSON”), age 43, a resident of New Orleans, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Wendy B. Vitter on January 29, 2026, for being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle. Chief Judge Vitter sentenced PATTERSON to 48 months imprisonment to be followed by three years of supervised release.
According to court records, on February 27, 2025, PATTERSON intentionally possessed a loaded 40 caliber semi-automatic handgun and a loaded .380 caliber semi-automatic handgun. PATTERSON is prohibited from possessing firearms due to a prior Louisiana State conviction.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Chandra Menon of the of the Public Integrity Unit.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Missouri Man Admits Sexual Abuse of TeenRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A Washington County, Missouri man on Friday admitted sexually abusing a girl and soliciting child sexual abuse material from her.
William R. Murphy, 41, of Washington County, pleaded guilty U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of production of child pornography and one count of coercion and enticement of a minor. He admitted engaging in sexual contact with a juvenile when she was between the ages of 13 and 17. Sometimes Murphy threatened the victim to obtain images from her that constitute child sexual abuse material, his plea agreement says.
Murphy is scheduled to be sentenced April 29. Both the U.S. Attorney’s office and Murphy’s lawyer have agreed to recommend 27 years in prison.
The Washington County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jillian Anderson 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 U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Mexican national sentenced for smuggling drugs with family in vehicleRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – A 50-year-old resident of Queretaro, Queretaro, Mexico, has been ordered to federal prison after admitting to conspiring to import four kilograms of fentanyl and two kilograms of cocaine from Mexico, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Erik Villegas Cusi pleaded guilty Sept. 29, 2025.
U.S. District Judge Diana Saldaña has now ordered Cusi to serve 51 months in federal prison. Not a U.S. citizen, he is expected to face removal proceedings following his imprisonment. In handing down the sentence Jan. 29, the court noted the toxic nature of this drug and the effect it currently has on the population of the United States.
On Feb. 14, 2025, Cusi approached the International Bridge No. 2 in a sedan with his wife and minor son as passengers. An x-ray of his vehicle revealed anomalies in the center of the car, prompting further inspection. Authorities drilled into the undercarriage and discovered an aftermarket compartment containing six bundles with 4.02 kilograms of fentanyl and 2.05 kilograms of cocaine.
Cusi initially denied knowledge of the drugs and claimed a mechanic in Mexico may have been responsible. In the presence of law enforcement, he contacted the mechanic who confirmed he had only performed brake work.
Further investigation revealed significant underbody modifications to create the hidden compartment. The muffler and catalytic converter had been removed, reshaped and rewelded before installation. There were also cuts beneath the center console and additional insulation used to seal the compartment after the drugs were placed there.
As part of his plea, Cusi admitted he had conspired with others in Mexico to smuggle the drugs into the United States during the family trip. According to documents filed with the court, Cusi knew he was transporting the drugs from Mexico into the United States at Laredo and was then supposed to deliver the drug-laden vehicle to other people in the United States.
Cusi has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of Customs and Border Protection, its Laredo Evidence Collection Team and the Drug Enforcement Administration Southwest Regional Laboratory. Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Homero Ramirez prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Massachusetts Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Fentanyl DistributionRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Springfield, Mass. man was sentenced yesterday to a decade in federal prison for conspiring to possess more than 400 grams of fentanyl with intent to distribute.
Abraham Heredia, 25, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni to 10 years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. In October 2025, Heredia pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute more than 400 grams of fentanyl.
From at least November 2022 to June 2023, Heredia conspired with others to distribute larges amounts of fentanyl throughout Western Massachusetts. On one occasion in June of 2023, Heredia conspired to distribute nearly one and a half kilograms of fentanyl, which was intercepted by law enforcement. The investigation revealed a number of other occasions during which Heredia supplied mid-level drug dealers with large amounts of fentanyl.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; Massachusetts State Police; the Berkshire, Hampden and Franklin County Sherriff’s Offices; and the Holyoke, Springfield, Chicopee, West Springfield and Easthampton Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Neil L. Desroches, Chief of the Springfield Branch Unit prosecuted the case.
This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Boston is comprised of agents and officers from HSI, FBI, DEA, ATF, USMS, IRS-CI, USPIS, DOL-OIG and DSS, as well as several state and local law enforcement agencies, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts.
Maryland Man Pleads Guilty to Attempting to Provide Material Support to IsisRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A Hanover, Maryland, man entered a guilty plea in federal court today, in connection with charges stemming from his attempt to join and fight for ISIS.
Michael Sam Teekaye, Jr., 22, pled guilty to attempting to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty plea with Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul, FBI - Baltimore Field Office.
According to the plea agreement, between March and April 2023, Teekaye engaged in multiple conversations with an undercover officer (UCO). During these conversations, Teekaye told the UCO he wanted to travel to Africa to join ISIS as a “mujahid,” or fighter. Teekaye also told the UCO that his “plan B” was to carry out an attack in the United States against Jews and people who support Israel. He said that he researched buildings close to him that support Israel and thought about how to “gun down key members or anyone involved.”
On three occasions in May and June 2024, Teekaye purchased ammunition and range time at a shooting range in Severn, Maryland, which he later told the UCO was part of his “training.” In July 2024, Teekaye attempted to purchase a Kalashnikov K-9 9mm assault rifle, but since Teekaye was on probation in a state criminal case, the purchase was denied.
“Teekaye aspired to become an ISIS fighter to unleash attacks on the homeland. He took real-world steps to carry out a terrorist attack in Maryland, including attempting to purchase an assault rifle and researching locations where he could kill Jews and supporters of Israel,” Hayes said. “Thanks to the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, we stopped Teekaye before he could harm anyone. There is no margin for error when it comes to terrorism.”
“Michael Teekaye spent years maliciously plotting to join ISIS and murder Americans. His evil plans failed thanks to the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force. Their swift action and coordination stopped Teekaye from carrying out his deadly plans against Americans,” Paul said. “The FBI remains steadfastly committed to protecting our nation.”
During conversations with the UCO between August and October 2024, Teekaye told the UCO that he engaged with a Somali ISIS fighter regarding his plans to travel to Somalia to join ISIS. Teekaye explained that first, he would fly to Turkey, then travel to Ethiopia, and then cross the border into Somalia. He sent the UCO screenshots of an Ethiopian e-Visa he obtained from the ISIS fighter. On October 4, 2024, Teekaye told the UCO that he received airline tickets from the ISIS fighter. He also sent the UCO screenshots of his travel itinerary showing that he planned to depart from Baltimore/Washington International Airport (BWI) on October 14, and fly to Istanbul, Turkey, with a layover in London.
Then on October 10, Teekaye sent the UCO a photo of himself wearing a black mask and holding a large machete, and he added, “Victory or shahada [i.e., martyrdom] … either you do it here or over there or both.” On October 11, the UCO asked whether Teekaye was “sure” he wanted to join ISIS. Teekaye responded that he was “sure” because he had done “a lot of research” and “they are the only group that has the most true and sincere intentions.”
On October 14, FBI agents arrested Teekaye at BWI after he checked in for his flight and proceeded through security. Following his arrest, Teekaye made the following unprovoked statements, among others: “I’m just gonna get out in 20 years and I’m just gonna do it here. Okay? Okay? It will never stop. Jihad will never stop. I’ll just do it here then, when I get out. . . . You think 20 years is something? I’ll be like 40 when I get out, then I’ll just do it. I don’t care. It will never stop. Jihad will never stop. I’ll come and I’ll kill your soldiers. I’ll kill you, and I’ll kill . . . .” While making these statements, Teekaye kicked and spat on one of the arresting agents.
Teekaye faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison and lifetime supervised release for attempting to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization. U.S. District Judge Adam B. Abelson scheduled sentencing for Wednesday, July 8, at 10 a.m.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI Baltimore Field Office for its outstanding work in the investigation and praised the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, along with the FBI’s Newark and Richmond Field Offices and New York Police Department, for their valuable assistance. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Christina Hoffman, who is prosecuting this case, with the assistance of Trial Attorney Elisa Poteat, DOJ’s National Security Division Counterterrorism Section.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Maryland Man Charged with Distributing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A complaint unsealed this morning in U.S. District Court charges Brandon Postow, 40, of Maryland, with distribution of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
According to court documents, starting on January 15, 2026, Postow communicated with a user on Telegram regarding his sexual interest in children. Postow, aka “Michael Brandon Russell,” distributed four videos depicting the sexual abuse of teenage and prepubescent boys during those communications. When the Telegram user mentioned that he had a young son, Postow stated that he was interested in sexually abusing the child.
Joining U.S. Attorney Pirro in the announcement was FBI Assistant Director in Charge Darren B. Cox of the Washington Field Office.
This case is being investigated by FBI’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Janani Iyengar.
This case was brought as part of the Department of Justice's Project Safe Childhood initiative. In February 2006, the Attorney General created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorney's Offices, 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 identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Charges in a complaint are merely allegations, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Manderson Man Sentenced to 5 Years in Federal Prison for Receipt of Child Pornography and AssaultRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a Manderson, South Dakota, man convicted of Receipt of Child Pornography and Assault by Beating, Striking or Wounding. The sentencing took place on January 26, 2026.
John Steele, Jr., 51, was sentenced to five years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $3,000 in restitution and $125 in special assessments to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Forfeiture was also ordered.
A federal grand jury indicted Steele for the charges in July 2024. He pleaded guilty on October 30, 2025.
Between 2012 and 2016, Steele hid his Samsung cellular phone in the bathroom of the home he shared with his girlfriend. Steele surreptitiously photographed a minor female as she exited the shower when the girl was approximately 13 years old. In 2023, Steele assaulted the adult female by striking her with his hand at Manderson. When Steele’s cellular phone was examined as part of the assault investigation, the sexually explicit photos Steele took of the minor were discovered.
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.
This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian country be prosecuted in Federal court as opposed to State court.
This case was investigated by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Knox prosecuted the case.
Steele was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Magoffin County Man and Former Teacher Sentenced for Attempted Online Enticement of a MinorRead the Press Release
ASHLAND, Ky. – A Salyersville, Ky., man, Jordan Cobb, 32, was sentenced by Chief U.S. District Judge David Bunning to 132 months in prison, for attempted online enticement of a minor.
According to his plea agreement, in April and May 2023, Cobb was employed as a middle school teacher, and he engaged in a Snapchat conversation with a former student of his, who was a minor. In the course of the conversation, Cobb sent the minor a series of sexually explicit messages, offers to provide the minor with marijuana, and a plan to meet for sexual intercourse.
Under federal law, Cobb must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for 10 years.
Paul McCaffrey, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Olivia Olson, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Division; and Col. Phillip J. Burnett, Jr., Commissioner of the Kentucky State Police jointly announced the conviction.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI and KSP. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Blankenship is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States. The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted this case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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Louisiana Man Sentenced to Life in Federal Prison for Killing Lafayette Parish Woman in Armed CarjackingRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE – On January 27, 2026, Brandon Jermaine Francisco, 39, of Mansura, Louisiana was sentenced to life in prison after pleading guilty to committing a carjacking that resulted in the death of victim E.G., a Lafayette Parish woman who had been missing for three years.
“Today’s sentence ensures that the defendant will spend the rest of his life in federal prison for a brutal and senseless crime,” said United States Attorney Zachary A. Keller. “While no prison sentence can repay or erase the loss suffered by the victim’s family, including her young children, this case reflects our commitment alongside our state and federal partners to hold violent offenders accountable and pursue justice for victims.”
“Convicted carjacker Brandon Jermaine Francisco will be permanently removed from society and unable to hurt the people of Louisiana ever again," said Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Tapp of the FBI's New Orleans Field Office. "Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family of the victim, and we are so sorry for your loss. We are very grateful for our partners at the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Louisiana and the Louisiana State Police and the FBI Special Agents who relentlessly pursued justice for the innocent victim of this awful crime.”
While pleading guilty, Francisco admitted to the following facts: Francisco carjacked the victim, an Uber and Lyft driver, on March 9, 2022, while attempting to avoid an attempted murder charge in Louisiana. Francisco contacted E.G. about transportation to Missouri, and the two agreed that E.G. would meet him in Lafayette, Louisiana, and E.G. would drive him as far as Houston, Texas. After leaving Houston, the two headed eastbound back into Louisiana. Around Iowa, Louisiana, Francisco took control of the vehicle, shot E.G. several times, and disposed of her body before fleeing with the vehicle, ultimately reaching Missouri. Francisco was arrested in Missouri while possessing the firearm that killed E.G. as well as the key fob to E.G.’s vehicle roughly two weeks later, on March 25, 2022.
U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Keller for the Western District of Louisiana made the announcement.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Louisiana State Police, St. Joseph’s Police Department, Bedford Police Department, and Scott Police Department investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys John W. Nickel and Casey N. Stelly are prosecuting the case with assistance from Legal Assistant Dru Casebonne.
You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Louisiana at www.justice.gov/usao-wdla.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Western District of Louisiana at www.lawd.uscourts.gov or at https://www.lawd.uscourts.gov/cmecf-pacer, under Case Number 24-CR-00249.
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Public Affairs
United States Attorney’s Office
Western District of Louisiana
www.justice.gov/usao-wdla
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Long Beach Man Found Guilty of Distributing Fentanyl-Laced Cocaine that Caused Fatal Overdoses of Engaged Couple in Orange CountyRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A Long Beach man was found guilty by a jury today of distributing fentanyl-laced cocaine that resulted in the overdose deaths on the same day in Orange County of two victims who were engaged to be married.
Stephen Johnson, 43, a.k.a. “Stephen Jo,” was found guilty of two counts of distribution of fentanyl resulting in death and two counts of distribution of cocaine.
According to evidence presented at a four-day trial, the victims paid Johnson $240 on the night of May 24, 2023, and in exchange he twice gave them cocaine. The victims then attended a concert in West Hollywood before returning to Johnson’s residence at approximately 3 a.m. on May 25, 2023, to pick up the remainder of their cocaine – which contained fentanyl.
The victims then returned to their residence in Brea, where they consumed the narcotics and suffered fatal overdoses.
United States District Judge Stephen V. Wilson scheduled an April 20 sentencing hearing, at which time Johnson will face a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years in federal prison and a statutory maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
The FBI and the Brea Police Department investigated this matter.
Assistant United States Attorneys Kevin Y. Fu of the Orange County Office, and Christopher R. Jones, Christina R.B. López, and William Kanellis of the General Crimes Section are prosecuting this case.
Lincoln Man Sentenced to 30 Years for Drug ChargeRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Jamaal McNeil, 48, of Lincoln, Nebraska, was sentenced on January 29, 2026, in federal court in Lincoln for one count of possession with intent to distribute 50 grams of methamphetamine actual with 1 prior conviction for a serious drug felony. United States District Judge Susan M. Bazis sentenced McNeil to a total of 360 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After McNeil’s release from prison, he will begin a 10-year term of supervised release.
McNeil was responsible for selling methamphetamine, cocaine, and marijuana in Lincoln for at least six months in 2023. On November 29, 2023, he was contacted by the Lincoln Police Department in his vehicle. A probable cause search of the vehicle was conducted due to the odor of marijuana. Investigators found multiple plastic baggies. Six of the baggies field-tested positive for cocaine, six baggies field-tested positive for methamphetamine, and three baggies contained marijuana. Investigators also found four hydrocodone pills. McNeil was arrested and $853 was found on his person.
A search warrant was executed at McNeil’s residence in Lincoln. Investigators found additional quantities of methamphetamine, cocaine, and marijuana, as well as digital scales, and $2,495 in U.S. currency. The methamphetamine and cocaine were sent to the State Crime Lab. The lab confirmed there were at least 180 grams of methamphetamine actual and more than 212 grams of a mixture or substance containing methamphetamine. Additionally, the lab confirmed McNeil possessed more than 50 grams of cocaine and at least 6 grams of cocaine base.
McNeil was convicted in 2007 in the Nebraska federal court in Omaha for possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine as was sentenced to 120 months’ imprisonment.
This case was investigated by the Lincoln Police Department and the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office.
Leslie County Man Sentenced for Attempted Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
ASHLAND, Ky. – A Hyden, Ky., man, Finley Wooton, 33, was sentenced by Chief U.S. District Judge David Bunning to 180 months in prison, following his conviction for attempted production of child pornography.
According to his plea agreement, on April 10, 2023, Wooton engaged in a Facebook Messenger conversation with a minor victim. During the conversation, Wooton sent sexually explicit images and asked for sexually explicit images in return. By doing so, Wooton used Facebook Messenger to attempt to persuade the minor victim to produce child pornography.
Under federal law, Wooton must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for 10 years.
Paul McCaffrey, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Olivia Olson, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Division; and Col. Phillip J. Burnett, Jr., Commissioner of the Kentucky State Police jointly announced the conviction.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI and KSP. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Blankenship is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States. The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted this case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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Leader of Trans-Pacific Drug Trafficking Organization Sentenced to over 28 Years in Federal Prison for Drug and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
HONOLULU – United States Attorney Ken Sorenson announced that Leonard Gutierrez, 65, of Whittier, California, was sentenced yesterday in federal court by Senior United States District Judge Leslie E. Kobayashi to 340 months in prison followed by 5 years of supervised release after pleading guilty to conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, fentanyl, and carfentanil, nine counts of distribution of 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, and possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking. Gutierrez has been detained since his initial arrest in this case on April 9, 2024.
Judge Kobayashi found that Gutierrez was one of the leaders of the organization, and responsible for bringing more than 26 kilograms of methamphetamine, 1 kilogram of fentanyl, and over 4 kilograms of carfentanil into the Hawaiian Islands, using a variety of methods, and collecting thousands of dollars in illegal drug proceeds.
Carfentanil is a fentanyl analogue and is used as a tranquilizing agent for elephants and other large mammals. Carfentanil is approximately 100 times more potent than fentanyl, which can be lethal at the 2-milligram range, depending on route of administration and other factors.
Gutierrez is one of eleven defendants charged in three separate indictments for crimes related to the operation of a trans-Pacific drug trafficking network, nine of whom have pled guilty with the remaining awaiting trial. The investigation yielded seizures of more than 150 pounds of methamphetamine, several kilograms of fentanyl and carfentanil, eight firearms, ammunition, and over $150,000 in cash.
Gutierrez is the sixth defendant of eleven to be sentenced. Those charged in his and other related indictments have been sentenced as follows:
- On April 30, 2025, Shawn Pauahi Santana was sentenced to 240 months’ imprisonment and 5 years’ supervised release after pleading guilty to conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and to distributing methamphetamine.
- On December 10, 2025, Faith Michelle Nelson was sentenced to 151 months’ imprisonment and 5 years’ supervised release after pleading guilty to possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
- On December 16, 2025, Francis Anthony Abergas, Jr. was sentenced to 210 months’ imprisonment and 5 years’ supervised release after pleading guilty to possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possessing a firearm and ammunition after having been previously convicted of a felony.
- On January 8, 2026, Trish Leila Henderson was sentenced to 36 months’ imprisonment and 5 years’ supervised release after pleading guilty to possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
- On January 12, 2026, Travis Kalani Hong-Ah Nee was sentenced to 78 months’ imprisonment and 5 years’ supervised release after pleading guilty to conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute carfentanil and possessing with intent to distribute carfentanil and possessing ammunition after having been previously convicted of a felony.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Honolulu, Kauai, and Maui Police Departments, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Margaret C. Nammar is prosecuting the case.
This prosecution 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 Hawaii is comprised of agents and officers from ICE-HSI, FBI, ATF, CBP, CGIS, DCIS, DEA, DSS, IRS-CI, NCIS, USMS, USPIS and HHIDTA, and the prosecution is being led by the Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Hawaii.
Lafourche Parish Resident Guilty of Cocaine Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LA – JOHN PAUL GAGE JR., (“GAGE JR.”) age 43, of Des Allemands, Louisiana, pled guilty on January 27, 2026 before U.S. District Judge Brandon S. Long to one count of conspiracy to distribute, and possess with the intent to distribute, five kilograms or more of cocaine, and a quantity of methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21, U.S.C. §841(a)(1), §841(b)(1)(A), §841(b)(1)(C), and §846, as well as two counts of illegal use of communications facility, in violation of Title 21, U.S.C. §843(b) and Title 18, U.S.C. §2, announced the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana.
Judge Long scheduled sentencing for April 28, 2026.
At sentencing, GAGE JR. faces a mandatory minimum sentence of ten (10) years, and up to life imprisonment, up to a $10,000,000 fine, and at least five (5) years of supervised release as to the conspiracy count. For the two phone counts, he faces up to 4 years imprisonment, up to $1,000,000 fine, and at least 3 years supervised release following imprisonment. As to all counts, he also faces payment of a mandatory $100 special assessment fee.
According to the indictment, beginning on a time unknown but continuing until at least June 5, 2024, GAGE JR. conspired with several individuals to distribute, and possess with intent to distribute, cocaine and methamphetamine throughout the Lafourche and Terrebonne Parish region of the Eastern District of Louisiana. The conspiracy involved obtaining narcotics from Houston, Texas and transporting the narcotics to Thibodaux, Louisiana. The conspiracy was carried out through wire and electronic communications, and the use of multiple vehicles. On numerous occasions, GAGE JR. used his cell phone to further this conspiracy and distributed cocaine and methamphetamine to numerous customers in Thibodaux, Louisiana. GAGE JR. worked with Linez Green to distribute methamphetamine to customers and also had Yolanda Tillman pay others to help further this conspiracy by transporting drugs. Both Green and Tillman have also previously pled guilty in this case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at http://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The United States Attorney’s Office praised the work of the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Louisiana State Police, the Thibodaux Police Department, the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office, and the Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Stuart Theriot of the Narcotics Unit.
Kansas bookkeeper indicted for failing to pay payroll taxes for clientsRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. – A federal grand jury in Wichita returned an indictment charging a Kansas business owner with allegedly defrauding her clients by failing to make tax payments estimated at over $1.5 million.
According to court documents, Nicole Clem, 42, of Augusta was indicted on 19 counts of wire fraud, seven counts of money laundering, three counts of aggravated identity theft, and 21 counts of failure to pay employment taxes.
Clem, as owner of a business named Bookkeeping N Beyond, is tasked with collecting funds from her clients to pay their employee payroll taxes to the federal government and state government. From November 2017 to June 2024, Clem is accused of either making no tax payments or partial tax payments on behalf of her clients and allegedly using the money for her own personal use.
IRS – Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Hart 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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