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Tuesday 4 August 2026
Owner of Brockton Store “Banks & Brancos” Pleads Guilty to Drug Trafficking and Firearm CrimesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The owner of a Brockton clothing store, “Banks & Brancos,” pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to drug trafficking and firearm charges.
Felipe Jonet-Branco, 31, of Brockton, pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and 10 counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm. U.S. District Court Judge Brian E. Murphy scheduled Jonet-Branco’s sentencing for Nov. 2, 2026. Seven members and associates of the Brockton-based Harvard Street Gang were charged in February 2026, following the execution of search warrants at numerous residences and stash locations associated with the group, including Banks & Brancos.
On Feb. 4, 2026, a search was executed at Banks & Brancos in Brockton where 10 firearms, over 35 pounds of marijuana with packaging, over 200 grams of psilocin mushrooms and over $40,000 in cash was seized during the search. Eight of those firearms, along with large-capacity magazines and several empty bottles of promethazine with codeine, were found inside a hidden drawer underneath the store’s front counter. The guns included a large-caliber rifle and a Glock handgun equipped with a machine gun conversion device. An additional gun was hidden inside the store’s vending machine, and another was in plain view in a storage room. Jonet-Branco is prohibited from possessing firearms due to a prior conviction for felony battery in Miami-Dade County, Fla.
The charge of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, supervised release for at least three years and a fine of up to $1 million. The charge of being a felon in possession of firearms provides for a sentence of up to 15 years in prison, supervised release for up to three years and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by Homeland Security Investigations, Boston Division; the Abington, Acushnet, Ashland, Boston, Braintree, Bridgewater, Brockton, Chelsea, East Bridgewater, Medford, Quincy, Randolph, Raynham, Stoughton, Taunton and West Bridgewater Police Departments; the Plymouth and Suffolk County Sheriff’s Departments; Massachusetts Department of Correction; and the Plymouth, Norfolk and Suffolk County District Attorney’s Offices. Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Cutshall and Philip A. Mallard of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit are prosecuting the case.
Operations Manager of Wholesale Drug Distributor Sentenced to 30 Months in Prison for Role in Scheme to Buy Nearly $50m of Prescription Medications Under False Pretenses and Resell Them for ProfitRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A North Jersey man was sentenced on July 29, 2026, to 30 months’ imprisonment for conspiring with doctors and others to purchase nearly $50 million worth of oncology and ophthalmology medications, under false pretenses, and then reselling these medications for profit, United States Attorney Robert Frazer announced.
Frank Incognito, 46, of Englishtown, New Jersey, previously pled guilty before U.S. District Judge Susan D. Wigenton to an information charging him with conspiring to unlawfully resell various medications, including oncology and ophthalmology medications, that previously had been purchased by a healthcare entity. These medications had been purchased through the medical licenses and offices of various doctors, with the express representation and on the condition that the medications would be used to treat the doctors’ own patients. In actuality, these medications were not used to treat the doctors’ patients; instead, the medications were resold by Incognito and/or his coconspirators for profit.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
For several years, Incognito worked as an operations manager of a wholesale drug distributor located in Sewaren, New Jersey. Incognito conspired with others, including multiple doctors, to obtain expensive prescription medications that Incognito and his coconspirators otherwise would not be able to obtain on their own. These medications were “straw-purchased” through the doctors’ medical practices, and then Incognito and his co-conspirators illegally transferred and resold those medications. Primarily, these medications were cold-chain biologic infusion medications that typically are used to treat cancers, macular degeneration, and autoimmune diseases.
In purchasing the drugs, Incognito and his coconspirators made numerous false and misleading representations to the pharmaceutical manufacturers and authorized distributors, including that the doctors were purchasing the drugs to treat their own patients, and that the drugs would not be resold or redistributed to others. In actuality, none of the drugs were administered to any of the doctors’ own patients but were ultimately sold to customers for a profit.
The scheme in which Incognito participated ran from approximately June 2012 through January 2019. During this time, Incognito conspired with others to buy and sell more than $47.7 million worth of the prescription drugs. Incognito is the third defendant who has been sentenced in connection with this fraudulent scheme, in addition to doctors Anise Kachadourian and Joel Lerner.
U.S. Attorney Frazer credited special agents of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Office of Criminal Investigations New York Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Fernando McMillan, and special agents of U.S. Attorney’s Office, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Matthew Maltese, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph McFarlane and Sara Aliabadi of the U.S Attorney’s Office in Camden.
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Defense Counsel: Rocco Cipparone, Esq.
Ohio Man Sentenced to 160 Months in Prison for Sex with Missouri TeenRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Matthew T. Schelp on Tuesday sentenced an Ohio man to 160 months in prison for engaging in sex acts with a Missouri minor.
Andrew Raymond Crum, 33, of Toledo, originally met the girl on an online gaming platform when she was 14 years old, in 2021. Crum began driving to Missouri to have sex with the girl in February of 2024, when she was 16. He also exchanged sexually explicit images and videos with the victim via Snapchat, where he used the name “Sassy Man.”
The FBI was alerted in October of 2024 about Crum’s plans to return to Missouri and located and contacted the victim and her mother.
“Thanks to an anonymous tip to the FBI, we were able to stop Andrew Raymond Crum from continuing to sexually exploit a teenage victim,” said Special Agent in Charge Chris Crocker of the FBI St. Louis Division. “Crum believed he would never be caught. He was wrong. Tips from the public are often the key to rescuing victims and identifying offenders. The FBI and our law enforcement partners will relentlessly pursue those who prey on children. When they are convicted in federal court, there is no parole.”
Crum pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis in April to one count of coercion or enticement of a minor.
The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dianna Edwards prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and 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.
Northern District of Indiana U.S. Attorney’s Office Supports Community Events During National Night OutRead the Press Release
HAMMOND, SOUTH BEND, FORT WAYNE - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Indiana supports and encourages community organizers, neighbors, and law enforcement partners to participate in National Night Out events on August 4, 2026, in each of the branches in Northwest Indiana, South Bend and Fort Wayne.
“National Night Out is an annual community-building campaign that promotes partnerships and camaraderie between law enforcement and the communities they serve to make our neighborhoods safer places to live. Millions take part in National Night Out across thousands of communities throughout the country on the first Tuesday of August in most areas of the country. We are proud to support those leaders who are committed to helping make our communities a safer place to live, work, and play,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Mildred.
National Night Out was established in 1984 with funding from the Bureau of Justice Assistance of the United States Department of Justice. The program is administered by the National Association of Town Watch, a nationwide non-profit organization.
“Coordinated by local law enforcement and trained volunteers, National Night Out provides a great opportunity to bring police and neighbors together under positive circumstances. Neighborhoods host block parties, cookouts, festivals, parades, safety demonstrations, seminars, youth events, visits from emergency personnel, and more. National Night Out sends a message that neighbors are united and working together to keep their communities and each other safe,” said U.S. Attorney Adam L. Mildred.
Below is a list of National Night Out Events happening today in the Northern District of Indiana all hosted by local participating law enforcement agencies.
Scheduled Events:
- NATW’s National Night Out at the Pavilion
Wolf Lake Memorial Park
2324 Calumet Ave. Hammond, IN 46320
4:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m. CST
- St. Joseph County Police National Night Out
Memorial Park
302 W Michigan St, New Carlisle, IN 46552
5:30 p.m.- 7:00 p.m. EST
- South Bend Police Department National Night Out
701 W. Sample Street, South Bend, IN 46601
5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. EST
- Fort Wayne Police Department National Night Out
Memorial Park
2301 Maumee Ave. Fort Wayne, IN 46803
5:00 p.m.- 7:00 p.m.
For more information, visit https://natw.org/.
New Federal Charges Filed Against Two Defendants in Providence-Area Gang Racketeering Case; Arraignments Completed for All Arrested DefendantsRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – First Assistant United States Attorney Charles C. Calenda and Thomas A. Greco, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Boston Field Division, in partnership with Providence Police Chief Colonel Oscar L. Perez, announce additional federal charges against two defendants related to the ongoing investigation into alleged criminal activities committed by members and associates of East Side/Congress gang and affiliated Providence-area street gangs.
Arraignments have now been completed for all defendants arrested in connection with the racketeering indictment. Nineteen defendants were ordered detained pending trial, two were released on bond, and four defendants remain at large, Jose Bautista, Marcus McClain, Marlon McClain, and Randy Winfield. Federal, state, and local law enforcement partners continue efforts to locate and apprehend the remaining defendants.
On July 22, 2026, additional charges were filed against defendants Dele Souza and Keshawn Jones for narcotics and firearms offenses. Both Souza and Jones were previously named in the June 17, 2026 racketeering indictment charging twenty-three associates and members of The Enterprise. Three additional individuals were charged with related offenses.
According to court documents, the Enterprise operated in Providence, Pawtucket, Central Falls, and elsewhere since at least 2013. Prosecutors allege that members and associates advanced the Enterprise’s interests through acts of violence, narcotics trafficking, firearms offenses, fraud schemes, and other criminal conduct. The indictment further alleges that the distribution of controlled substances, including fentanyl, cocaine, cocaine base, and Percocet, served as a significant source of income for the Enterprise.
Court documents also describe alleged violent crimes committed by members and associates, including murder, conspiracy to commit murder, attempted murder, assault with intent to commit murder, robbery, conspiracy to commit robbery, firearms offenses, narcotics trafficking, wire fraud, and other financial crimes involving fraud against unemployment insurance programs, COVID 19 relief programs, tax filings, and other federal benefit programs.
“For more than a decade, members and associates of this enterprise used violence, firearms, narcotics trafficking, and fraud to strengthen their influence, enrich themselves, and retaliate against rivals,” said First Assistant United States Attorney Charles C. Calenda. “The charges in this case allege a pattern of criminal conduct that reached into neighborhoods, businesses, government programs, and communities throughout Rhode Island. This indictment reflects years of work conducted by the ATF, the Providence Police Department, and our law enforcement partners to dismantle an organization that prosecutors allege relied on fear, intimidation, and criminal activity to maintain its power.”
“These arrests represent a significant victory for the City of Providence in the culmination of a long-term effort to identify, investigate, and dismantle the network of violent criminal activity perpetrated by the East Side gang and its affiliates,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Thomas A. Greco. “This case highlights the experience and expertise of ATF agents in investigating complex and violent criminal organizations. Working with the Providence Police Department and other law enforcement partners, agents identified incidents of violence, conducted witness interviews, and used crime gun intelligence tools such as the National Integrated Ballistics Information Network (NIBIN) to analyze evidence and hold violent criminals accountable. ATF remains firmly committed to working with our law enforcement partners to build safer, stronger communities.”
“This indictment is the result of years of dedicated work by the Providence Police Department and our law enforcement partners to address violence, drug trafficking, and organized criminal activity that has impacted our neighborhoods," said Providence Police Chief Oscar Perez. "This case demonstrates our shared commitment to holding offenders accountable and protecting the safety of our residents. We remain committed to working with our community and our partners to reduce violence and strengthen public safety throughout Providence.”
“These arrests have made the cities and streets of Rhode Island a safer place,” said Thomas Demeo, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Boston Field Office. “Organized street gangs have preyed on the Providence area for far too long. From drug trafficking, to robberies, extortion, and various frauds, these groups have been a stain on society and only act to further their own self-interests at enormous costs to their own communities. Their violent acts of retaliation and retribution have shattered lives and broken families across the region. IRS-CI is proud to, and will continue to work closely with our Federal, State, and Local law enforcement partners to ensure that those who seek to do harm to communities across New England see their day in court.”
New Charges Against Dele Souza
Federal agents executed an arrest warrant for Dele Souza on June 17, 2026. During the arrest and subsequent consent search of Souza’s residence, investigators recovered a loaded Glock .40 caliber pistol and quantities of fentanyl and cocaine. Souza was charged with additional offenses including:
- Felon in possession of a firearm
- Possession with intent to distribute fentanyl/cocaine
New Charges Against Keshawn Jones
On the same day, investigators executed arrest and search warrants for Keshawn Jones. Agents recovered approximately 65.59 grams of cocaine from the residence. Jones was charged with additional federal narcotics offenses.
The defendants charged in the indictment are as follows:
*Not yet in custody
(1) JAMES ADAMS a/k/a “Money Man,” a/k/a “DopieDeniro,” a/k/a “Man”
*(2) JOSE BAUTISTA a/k/a “JJ”
(3) JEMEL BLYDEN a/k/a “Mel,” a/k/a “Jemel Waite”
(4) JAMON BROWN a/k/a/ “Sheek”
(5) KEVEND CASTILLO a/k/a “Kev”
(6) RYAN DACRUZ a/k/a “Lil Ry,” a/k/a “Cryan”
(7) LATRELLE FISHER a/k/a “Trelle”
(8) TERRANCE FISHER a/k/a “Baby Moondo,” a/k/a “Doodoo”
(9) NELSON GOMES GONCALVES a/k/a “Nelly”
(10) AYSHA GONZALEZ a/k/a “Easha,” a/k/a “Veronica” a/k/a “GetThatMoney”
(11) KESHAWN JONES a/k/a “Kemoney”
(12) JORDAN KOMHLAN a/k/a “Drowze”
(13) TYREESE McCANTS a/k/a “Reese”
*(14) MARCUS McCLAIN a/k/a “Petey,” a/k/a “Pistol Pete”
*(15) MARLON McCLAIN a/k/a “Marl,” a/k/a “Cuzzy”
(16) DARIO MERCADO a/k/a “Jose”
(17) ROMEO MERCADO a/k/a “Romey”
(18) SCOTT MONROE a/k/a “Skizz,” a/k/a “Sleezy”
(19) ISAIAH ORTIZ a/k/a “Loso”
(20) DENZEL RICHARDSON a/k/a “Deezy,” a/k/a “Richie Rebel”
(21) GARY RUSPUS a/k/a “Lil G”
(22) JEFFREY SIMS a/k/a “Jeffery Sims” a/k/a “Smoove,” a/k/a “Smooth”
(23) DELE SOUZA a/k/a “Deydey”
(24) MARK VARELA
(25) KELVIN VILORIO
*(26) RANDY WINFIELD, a/k/a “Hardbody”
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys John P. McAdams, Paul F. Daly, Jr., and Special Assistant United States Attorney John M. Moreira.
The matter was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Providence Police Department, the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General, IRS Criminal Investigation, HSTF, and numerous additional federal, state, and local law enforcement partners including the U.S. Marshal’s Service, Rhode Island Department of Corrections, Rhode Island State Police, Central Falls Police Department, Cranston Police Department, East Providence Police Department, Pawtucket Police Department, Warwick Police Department, West Warwick Police Department, Woonsocket Police Department, Massachusetts State Police Detective Unit - Plymouth County, Shrewsbury (MA) Police Department, Worcester County (MA) District Attorney’s Office
Rhode Island Attorney General’s Office, U.S. Attorney’s Office Eastern District of Virginia.
The charges contained in the indictments and complaints are allegations. All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Additional information will be provided at the appropriate time.
The investigation into this case is ongoing
NJ man pleads guilty to document fraudRead the Press Release
ROCHESTER, NY — U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Christopher Hernandez, 31, of Bergen, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Frank P. Geraci, Jr. to fraudulent production of more than five identification documents, authentication features, or false identification documents, which carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, and a fine of $250,000.
On July 7, 2025, investigators executed a search warrant on Hernandez’s iCloud account [email protected]. The account contained fraudulent driver’s licenses, social security cards, U.S. passports, credit cards, and bank cards. These included a fraudulent NYS Driver’s License using the name and other personally identifiable information of Victim 1, a resident of the Western District of New York. On September 16, 2025, as investigators attempted to execute a search warrant at Hernandez’s residence, he attempted to obstruct justice by destroying evidence. After law enforcement successfully entered the residence, they found additional fraudulent driver’s licenses, social security cards, credit cards, and other identification documents, as well as equipment that the defendant used to make false identification documents.
In total, investigators seized: approximately 67 debit/credit cards; approximately 15 Social Security cards; approximately nine Passport Cards; approximately one Permanent Resident Alien Card; approximately three MTA Transit Track Safety Certifications; and approximately 106 driver’s licenses from approximately 21 different states. Hernandez used the personally identifiable information of more than 10 individuals to produce the identification documents, authentication features, and false identification documents.
In addition, Hernandez admits:
- In December 2024, he fraudulently obtained a $175,400.80 check that was issued out of a bank account belonging to Victim 2. The check was deposited into Hernandez’s checking account.
- In October, 2024, he fraudulently obtained a $10,900 check that was issued out of the retirement account of Victim 3 and deposited into his checking account.
- In April 2024, he fraudulently obtained a $79,500.89 check that was issued out of the retirement account of Victim 4 and deposited into his checking account.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan K. McGuire. The plea is the result of an investigation by the Buffalo Office of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Allen D. Davis, II, the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Amie Feroleto, the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Harry T. Chavis, Jr.
Sentencing is scheduled for November 17, 2026, before Judge Geraci.
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Missoula man pleads guilty to drug, gun charges following high-speed chaseRead the Press Release
MISSOULA – A Missoula man who trafficked significant amounts of methamphetamine and cocaine admitted to charges today, Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith said.
Wynton Ryan Magee, 35, pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Magee faces a mandatory minimum 10 years and up to life in prison for the drug offense and a consecutive mandatory minimum of five years up to life in prison for the firearm.
U.S. District Judge William W. Mercer presided and will determine a sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for Oct. 30, 2026. Magee was detained pending further proceedings.
The government alleged in court documents that Magee was traveling to Washington to buy fentanyl that he planned to sell in the Missoula area, and that he was doing it while armed.
Law enforcement had learned from multiple sources that Magee was dealing methamphetamine and fentanyl, and that at one point he traded drugs for a handgun. In January 2026, agents learned Magee had rented a motel room for Patrick Allen, who was also dealing fentanyl in the Missoula area. Allen pleaded guilty to drugs and firearm charges earlier this year and was sentenced last week to 10 years in prison.
In February 2026, law enforcement obtained a search warrant for Magee’s hotel room and found scales, plastic baggies, and other items associated with drug distribution. Agents also found a handgun. Magee admitted to traveling to Washington to buy fentanyl powder that he distributed in the Missoula area.
Two months later, Magee was returning to Montana from a drug run to Washington when law enforcement on I-90 attempted to pull him over. Rather than stop, Magee led officers on a high-speed chase through a Missoula neighborhood that ended when he crashed his car. In the vehicle, law enforcement found illicit drugs, needles, and other items indicative of drug trafficking. One of the occupants in the car confirmed Magee had purchased 2 ounces of fentanyl in Washington.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. The FBI conducted the investigation.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.
Milton Man Sentenced to More Than Eight Years in Prison for Role in Cross-State Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
CONCORD – A Milton man was sentenced in federal court to 100 months in prison with four years of supervised release for one count of conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, in a case brought by New Hampshire’s Homeland Security Task Force.
Jacob D. King, age 42, was sentenced by U.S District Court Judge Joseph Laplante yesterday. According to the charging documents and statements made in court, King purchased over $60,000 worth of methamphetamine and fentanyl from a Massachusetts-based drug trafficking organization (DTO) between November 2023 and December 2023. A New Hampshire state investigation led to a search warrant of King’s Milton residence in January of 2024 resulting in the seizure of a weapon, fentanyl, methamphetamine, other drugs, $8,000 cash and multiple cellphones. Investigators discovered messages that revealed King’s transactions with the Massachusetts-based DTO. Investigators learned that King travelled to Massachusetts, and that at least one member of the trafficking conspiracy appeared to visit King’s Milton home, to exchange cash for large quantities of fentanyl and methamphetamine.
“Those like Mr. King who traffic in dangerous illicit drugs that bring grave harm to New Hampshire communities will face serious criminal consequences,” said U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan. “We will continue to work with federal and state law enforcement partners to disrupt these trafficking networks and put those who run their illegal operations behind bars.”
“This sentence sends a clear message: anyone who traffics methamphetamine and fentanyl across state lines and profits from the harm they cause will be held accountable,” said Special Agent in Charge Jarod Forget, New England Field Division. “These deadly drugs devastate families and communities, and DEA remains committed to working with our law enforcement partners to identify, investigate and dismantle the criminal networks responsible for bringing these dangerous substances into our neighborhoods.”
The Drug Enforcement Administration led the investigation. The Hudson Police Department, the Bedford Police Department, the Nashua Police Department, the Manchester Police Department, the Laconia Police Department, the New Hampshire State Police, the Strafford County Sheriff’s Department, and Paralegal Specialist Hayley Orlando provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cesar Vega and Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles V. DeJoie III prosecuted this 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 New Hampshire comprises agents and officers from FBI, HSI, IRS, DEA, ATF, USMS, and DSS with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Hampshire.
Miami Man Sentenced to 27 Years in Prison for Exploiting Child in Cuba and Transporting CSAMRead the Press Release
MIAMI – A Miami man who solicited sexually explicit videos and images from a 14-year-old child in Cuba and amassed hundreds of files depicting child sexual abuse material (CSAM) has been sentenced to 27 years in federal prison.
U.S. District Judge K. Michael Moore sentenced Ariel Espinosa, 63, of Miami, to 324 months in prison after he pleaded guilty to attempted production and transportation of CSAM.
“Ariel Espinosa knew his victim was only 14 years old, yet he repeatedly paid and directed the child to create sexually explicit material for his gratification,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones. “His conduct was calculated, exploitative, and profoundly cruel. This 27-year sentence holds him accountable and sends a clear message that those who prey on children, whether here or abroad, will face severe consequences.”
According to court records, Espinosa arrived at Miami International Airport on Aug. 24, 2025, on a flight from Holguin, Cuba. During a secondary inspection, law enforcement officers conducted a cursory search of Espinosa’s cellphone and discovered hundreds of images and videos depicting CSAM.
Law enforcement also uncovered communications between Espinosa and a 14-year-old minor in Cuba. Despite knowing the victim was underage, Espinosa repeatedly solicited sexually explicit videos from the victim and directed the victim to create CSAM, often in exchange for electronic payments.
U.S. Attorney Reding Quiñones and Special Agent in Charge José R. Figueroa of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Miami made the announcement.
HSI Miami investigated the case with assistance from the HSI Caribbean Regional Attaché Office and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrea Montes prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 25-cr-20403.
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Mexican national sentenced for firearms possession in the Eastern District of TexasRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas –A Mexican national illegally in the United States has been sentenced to federal prison for firearms possession in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Alberto Saenz-DeLaCruz, 33, pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a prohibited person and was sentenced to 15 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone on August 4, 2026.
According to information presented in court, on December 8, 2025, Saenz-DeLaCruz was stopped for a traffic violation in Lufkin. During the stop, Saenz-DeLaCruz provided a Mexican passport for identification, but did not provide a driver license. A search of the vehicle resulted in the discovery of a firearm and drug paraphernalia. Further investigation revealed Saenz-DeLaCruz was a Mexican citizen who had previously been deported from the United States and did not have permission to return to the United States. As a prohibited person, Saenz-DeLaCruz cannot legally possess firearms in the United States.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.
This case was investigated by the Texas Department of Public Safety; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; and the Department of Homeland Security. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Gaston.
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Members of Violent D.C. Street Crew Convicted of Drug Trafficking, Murder ChargesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Four members of the violent “Push Dat Sh*t” (PDS) street crew were found guilty yesterday by a federal jury in connection with their roles in a drug trafficking conspiracy that distributed marijuana and oxycodone in Southeast Washington, D.C. and used machine guns to protect their drug-dealing territory and kill an innocent bystander, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
“We continue to take down the drivers of violence in our community, and these convictions reflect that commitment,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “The defendants were part of a violent crew that fueled senseless, retaliatory attacks and put entire neighborhoods at risk. Their actions weren’t just destructive—they cost an innocent young man his life. Today’s verdict sends a clear message: we will not tolerate armed gangs terrorizing D.C., and we will use every tool available to hold violent offenders accountable and protect the public.”
Markquette Rajon Cowan, 27, of Maryland, aka "Quette" and "Lil Why," was found guilty of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 50 kilograms or more of marijuana and a quantity of oxycodone, conspiracy to use firearms, including machine guns, in furtherance of drug trafficking, first-degree murder while armed, causing death through the use of a firearm during a drug trafficking offense, and related firearms counts and drug distribution charges.
Christopher Jordan Broady, 26, of the District, aka "Suave" and "Swerve," was found guilty of the same drug trafficking and firearms conspiracy charges, first-degree murder while armed, causing death through the use of a firearm during a drug trafficking offense, and related firearms counts and drug distribution charges.
Joshua Nicholas Stephenson, 25, of the District, aka “Migo,” was found guilty of the drug trafficking and firearms conspiracy charges, first-degree murder while armed, causing death through the use of a firearm during a drug trafficking offense, carrying a pistol without a license, and multiple counts of distributing and possessing with intent to distribute marijuana while armed with a firearm, including discharging a firearm during a drug trafficking offense.
Larry Duncan, 35, of the District, aka “Larry Love,” was found guilty of the drug trafficking and firearms conspiracy charges, first-degree murder while armed, causing death through the use of a firearm during a drug trafficking offense, and unlawfully using and possessing a machinegun in furtherance of drug trafficking.
U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson scheduled sentencing for Christopher Broady for Nov. 13, 2026, Markquette Cowan for Nov. 20, 2026, Joshua Stephenson for Dec. 3, 2026, and Larry Duncan for Dec. 4, 2026. Each defendant faces a statutory maximum sentence of up to life in prison. Any sentence will be determined by the court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Each defendant faces a mandatory minimum of 30 years for the murder.
The verdicts came August 3 following a four-week trial and three days of jury deliberation.
According to the evidence presented at trial, Cowan, Broady, Stephenson, and Duncan were members of the PDS street crew, which distributed marijuana and oxycodone in the Congress Heights neighborhood of Southeast D.C., beginning as early as April 2018. The co-conspirators used firearms to protect themselves, their money, their drugs, and their drug-dealing territory, and carried firearms to discourage rival crews from entering their territory.
PDS maintained gang territory on the 3300 – 3500 blocks of Wheeler Road, Southeast, and adjacent areas, and operated an open-air drug market outside the Holiday Market. In August 2018, PDS became allied with a neighboring street gang known as Jugg Gang, or “JG.” Between August 2018 and April 2023, members of the allied PDS/JG street crew sold drugs from Holiday Market and from “trap houses” that they maintained in apartment buildings surrounding that location.
As their drug business grew, PDS/JG became the target of drive-by shootings conducted by rival gangs – shootings they referred to as “spinning the block.” Beginning in approximately August 2019, a PDS/JG member began assembling and distributing fully automatic AR-pistols that he purchased as “kits” from online retailers. Such firearms are defined as “privately made firearms” by the ATF but frequently are referred to as “ghost guns” on the street.
PDS/JG members possessed the ghost guns to both defend their territory from rival gangs, but also to “spin the block” on rival gangs in order to deter and dissuade the rivals from entering PDS/JG territory. PDS/JG members “kept score” with rival gangs, and the points earned by “spinning the block” varied depending on the “importance” of the people that were injured or killed.
On May 9, 2019, while in a trap house in the 3300 block of Wheeler Road SE, Larry Duncan supplied a car (leaving a fingerprint on the outside) to fellow crew members and asked for “volunteers” to spin the block (shoot up rival territory). Duncan was in a leadership role of the PDS gang. Stephenson drove Cowan and Broady until they found a target. Mark Milline Jr. was walking up the street looking down at his phone when Cowan and Broady jumped out of the car and opened fire on Milline. Broady then chased Milline down and stood over his body firing several shots. Stephenson then drove Broady and Cowan back to 10th Place where they entered apartments where Duncan was waiting. Cowan, Broady, and Stephenson were middle level members of the gang.
Milline was shot 13 times with RIP ammunition (radically invasive projectiles) and died from his injuries that day. Milline had no crew affiliation.
The crew maintained “trap houses” throughout their territory to store drugs and firearms, and communicated using coded language, referring to ammunition as “eggs” and firearms as “dogs,” “irons,” and “joints,” in an effort to conceal their activity from law enforcement.
In September 2025, Duncan was found to be in possession of approximately 38 pounds of marijuana, $72,000 in cash, and a firearm fitted with a device that converted it into a machine gun. Duncan faces an additional mandatory minimum of 30 years for his possession of the machinegun in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense.
These convictions are part of an ongoing joint investigation which has resulted in 30 convictions and the seizure of two vehicles, 47 firearms, six machine guns, more than 1,500 rounds of ammunition, over 100 pounds of marijuana, 41 grams of cocaine base, dozens of oxycodone pills, and approximately $581,000 in cash.
Other members of the PDS crew who have been sentenced include:
Eugene Tracey Hill, aka “Geno” and “Cheese,” of the District, was sentenced in October 2024 to 15 years in prison for his role as leader in the drug trafficking conspiracy and multiple firearms offenses. He held a leadership role in the PDS gang.
Dartanyan Ricardo Hawkins, aka “Shitty,” of the District, was sentenced in April 2025 to five years in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute more than 50 kilos of marijuana and firearms offenses.
Isjalon Jermiah Armstead, aka “Smaut” and “Lil Blow Diddy,” of the District, was sentenced in May 2025 to 10 years in federal prison for discharging a firearm during a drug trafficking offense in connection with a shootout in a residential neighborhood.
Andre Alone Willis, aka “Boogie,” of the District, was sentenced in February 2025 to 20 years in federal prison in connection with drug and gun charges related to a drug trafficking conspiracy. He held a leadership role in the PDS gang.
Broadus Jamal Daniels, aka “Wardy,” of the District, was sentenced in April 2025 to 35 years in federal prison in connection with drug and gun charges related to a drug trafficking conspiracy.
The case was investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office, the Metropolitan Police Department, and the ATF’s Washington Field Division.
The matter was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Emma McArthur, Matthew Mattis, and Alyssa Levey-Weinstein.
Screen grab from surveillance footage of the May 9, 2019, slaying of Mark Milline Jr., who was shot 13 times and died from his injuries.
Evidence presented during the trial of PDS members Cowen, Broady, Stephenson, and Duncan.
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Massachusetts Man Pleads Guilty to Trafficking Large Quantities of Methamphetamine and Fentanyl in New HampshireRead the Press Release
CONCORD – A Massachusetts man pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court to a drug trafficking conspiracy, U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan announces.
Roberto Ramon-Avalo, 27, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, specifically methamphetamine and fentanyl. U.S. District Court Chief Judge Samantha D. Elliott scheduled Avalo’s sentencing for November 9, 2026.
According to the court documents and statements made in court, beginning in early 2024, the DEA began an investigation into an unknown individual who was selling multiple-ounce quantities of methamphetamine in the Rochester, New Hampshire area. During the investigation, two DEA cooperating sources (or “CS”) communicated with another individual to purchase methamphetamine and fentanyl. Each time, Avalo traveled to New Hampshire to deliver the drugs at the agreed upon price. In December 2025, DEA obtained a search warrant for a suspected drug house in Boston that Avalo and another individual were using to conduct their drug trafficking activity. In the residence, DEA found items used to package and mix narcotics and approximately 5 pounds of methamphetamine and other controlled substances. After Avalo’s arrest, DEA found more controlled substances in a drug hide built into the dash of his car, including more than 200 grams of methamphetamine and more than 700 grams of fentanyl.
The charge of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance carries a sentence of up to 20 years’ incarceration, not less than 3 years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $1,000,000. 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.
The Drug Enforcement Administration investigated this case. The Portsmouth Police Department, Somersworth Police Department, and the New Hampshire State Police provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew T. Hunter and Charles DeJoie are 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 New Hampshire comprises agents and officers from FBI, HSI, IRS, DEA, ATF, USMS, and DSS with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Hampshire.
Maryland Man and Illegal Alien Indicted in Connection with Southern Maryland HSTF Drug InvestigationRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced, today, that it filed a two-count indictment against two drug traffickers, a Maryland man and an illegal alien, stemming from a federal drug investigation.
Jamar Rashard Whitaker, 42, of Waldorf, and Pedro Antonio Guardado Rivera, 33, of El Salvador, made their initial appearances to face the charges.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the indictment with Special Agent in Charge Akil Baldwin, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) – Maryland; Special Agent in Charge Christopher C. Goumenis, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) – Washington Division; Colonel Michael A. Jackson, Superintendent, Maryland State Police (MSP); Charles County Sheriff’s Department (CCSD); and St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Department (SMCSD).
According to the indictment, beginning in July 2025, and continuing into at least October 2025, Whitaker and Guardado Rivera conspired to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine. On July 22, 2025, the co-conspirators sold approximately 594 grams of cocaine to an undercover officer. They are both charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance and distribution and possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance.
An indictment is not a finding of guilt. Individuals charged by indictment are presumed innocent until proven guilty at a later criminal proceeding.
If convicted, Whitaker and Guardado Rivera face a minimum mandatory of five years and up to life in prison for conspiring, distributing, and possessing with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine.
Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This prosecution is part of the 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 Baltimore is comprised of agents and officers from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); the United States Attorney’s Office (USAO) for the District of Maryland; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI); the United States Marshals Service (USMS); the Washington/Baltimore HIDTA (W/B HIDTA); the Maryland State Police (MSP); the Baltimore Police Department (BPD); and the Baltimore County Police Department (BCPD) with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended HSI, DEA, MSP, CCSD, and SMCSD for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrea Duvall and Elizabeth Wright who are prosecuting the federal case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md.
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Maryland Man Sentenced to 60 Months in Prison for His Role in Commercial Burglary Ring in New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and DelawareRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Maryland man was sentenced to 60 months in prison for conspiring to transport stolen property from burglarized consignment shops across multiple states, U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer announced.
Dominique Hayes, 30, of Capitol Heights, Maryland, was sentenced to 60 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Esther Salas in Newark federal court on July 29, 2026. Hayes was also ordered to pay restitution of $2,167,688 to victims of the offense. This followed Hayes’s guilty plea on November 18, 2025 to one count of conspiracy to receive stolen property.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Hayes was part of a commercial burglary ring that committed at least 18 burglaries in multiple states between March 2024 and November of 2024, including in New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Delaware. On several dates, Hayes and his co-conspirators targeted consignment shops, broke in using sledgehammers and other objects in the middle of the night, destroyed windows, doors, and other property in the shops, stole dozens of designer handbags and other items from each shop, and transported the stolen goods across state lines where they were sold or otherwise disposed of. Hayes and his co-conspirators burglarized some of the consignment shops on more than one occasion. As a result, the consignment shop victims collectively lost more than $2 million in valuable property.
U.S. Attorney Frazer credited officers of Homeland Security Investigations-Newark, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Spiros Karabinas, with the investigation leading to the charges. He also thanked the New Jersey State Police, Delaware State Police, Cape May County Prosecutor’s Office, Morris County Prosecutor’s Office, Philadelphia Police Department, Prince George’s County Police Department, Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office, Cape May Police Department, Cherry Hill Police Department, Colts Neck Police Department, Englewood Police Department, Guilderland Police Department, Haddonfield Police Department, Livingston Police Department, Manalapan Police Department, Margate Police Department, Millburn Police Department, Montclair Police Department, North Castle Police Department, Roxbury Police Department, Saratoga Springs Police Department, Springfield Police Department, Tenafly Police Department, Warren Police Department, and Watchung Police Department for their assistance.
Anyone who believes they may be a victim, or has information about the theft group or burglaries, is asked to call 1-866-DHS-2-ICE, or call a local field office.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelly M. Lyons of the Economic Crimes Unit in Newark.
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Defense counsel: Bruce S. Rosen, Esq., Hackensack, New Jersey.
Maryland Man Sentenced for Possessing Firearm in Furtherance of Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A Maryland man received a federal prison term in connection with firearm charges.
U.S. District Court Judge Ellen L. Hollander sentenced Keith Cook, 32, to seven years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Additionally, Cook is a convicted felon who is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge Charles Doerrer, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and Commissioner Richard Worley, Baltimore Police Department (BPD).
According to court documents, on January 27, 2023, a BPD officer, monitoring a West Baltimore neighborhood via CitiWatch camera, observed Cook and other individuals in front of a mini mart. During the surveillance, Cook reached into a blue backpack and took out a clear plastic Tupperware container. Then Cook opened the container and took out a clear plastic bag containing suspected marijuana. Cook then took some of the suspected marijuana out of the bag and gave it to an unidentified male.
Minutes later, Cook again took out suspected marijuana and handed it to a second unidentified male. Based on their observations via the Citiwatch camera, officers proceeded to the mini mart.
Upon arrival, officers located and handcuffed Cook and then searched him. During the search, officers found a firearm, equipped with an extended magazine loaded with 26 rounds of 9-millimeter ammunition; 14 Alprazolam pills; 88 Oxycodone pills; a Buprenorphine foil strip; $906 in cash; an iPhone; and a flip phone.
Additionally, law enforcement recovered the backpack that contained the Tupperware filled with bags of suspected marijuana and a clear bag and gelcaps containing a heroin and fentanyl mixture. Law enforcement also discovered a clear bag with 33 clear gelcaps containing a tan powder that didn’t test positive as a controlled substance; a digital scale; and various drug-packaging materials.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the ATF and BPD for their work in this investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Tsuei who is prosecuting the federal case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md.
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Maple Hill Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Drug DistributionRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, N.C. – A federal judge sentenced Eugene James, 48, to 10 years in federal prison. On January 29, 2026, James pleaded guilty to distribution of 5 grams or more of meth and fentanyl.
“We will continue to focus on individuals who sell drugs that poison our community,” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle. “He is old enough to know better already, but he has 10 years to think about being a productive member of society when he gets out of prison.”
In 2024, federal and local authorities investigated a drug trafficking organization operating in the Eastern District of North Carolina. The group, which included James, distributed meth, cocaine, crack, and fentanyl across the counties of Pender, Onslow, and New Hanover. Between February and April 2024, the ATF, New Hanover Sheriff’s Office, Wilmington and Jacksonville Police Departments purchased fentanyl and meth from James using investigative methods at a home in Maple Hill. On May 6, 2025, federal and county authorities arrested Eugene at a home in Onslow County, where they found a small amount of narcotics and several firearms.
James has several prior convictions for assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury, discharging a firearm into occupied property, and conspiring to distribute and possess crack cocaine with intent to distribute, as well as possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.
“This investigation is a testament to the dedication and commitment of law enforcement to ensuring the safety of our communities by removing dangerous narcotics from our streets and the offenders who bring them into our communities. It also highlights effectiveness of cooperation between Federal, State and Local partners,” said Jacksonville Police Department Chief, Ashley Weaver.
This prosecution is part of Operation Counterpunch which 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 Wilmington comprises agents and officers from HSI, FBI, DEA, NCIS, US Coast Guard, New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office, Craven County Sheriff’s Office, Sampson County Sheriff’s Office, Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office, Dare County Sheriff’s Office, Currituck County Sheriff’s Office, Wilmington Police Department, State Bureau of Investigations, and NC Department of Public Safety with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of N.C.
Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II. The ATF, DEA, New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office, Pender County Sheriff’s Office, Wilmington Police Department, and Jacksonville Police Department investigated 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. 7:25-CR-00035-M-RN.
Man operating trafficking ring from California prison pleads guilty to drug chargesRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – An inmate who was running a drug ring from inside a California state prison admitted to charges today, Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith said.
Dion Andre Davis II, 39, pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. Davis faces 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine, at least five years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
U.S. District Judge Kathleen S. Lane presided and will determine a sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for Dec. 2, 2026. Davis remained incarcerated pending further proceedings.
The government alleged in court documents that Davis was head of a large-scale, multistate narcotics trafficking organization, which he operated from his prison cell using contraband mobile phones.
Law enforcement learned in June 2023 that Christina Hill and Nathan Wilnau were selling illicit drugs in Billings. Hill was a local leader in the operation and was sending money to a source in California, who then sent packages of fentanyl and methamphetamine to Billings and to Cody, Wyoming.
Hill was sentenced last month to 15 years in prison on drug possession and money laundering charges. Wilnau was sentenced in June to 11 years in prison on meth possession charges.
During the investigation, law enforcement discovered images on Hill’s phone of FedEx receipts for packages mailed from California and pictures of large sums of cash corresponding to the dates on the FedEx receipts. Also found on Hill’s phone were images of text conversations with Davis where she ordered $72,500 worth of fentanyl and $96,000 worth of methamphetamine.
A search warrant on Davis’s phones found messages to a handful of associates, including Hill, directing the distribution of drugs, which would be shipped or delivered to Wyoming and Montana. Davis demanded payments, discussed shipments, instructed his associates on how to evade law enforcement, and complained about drug debts. Davis’s contraband phones were confiscated in April 2024 and he was subsequently charged.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. The DEA and Montana Division of Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.
Man charged with wire fraud, aggravated identity theft in solar panel loan schemeRead the Press Release
Dallas — A federal grand jury indicted a Dallas man July 31 for allegedly orchestrating a fraudulent scheme involving solar panel sales and illicitly obtaining homeowner loans announced United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas, Ryan Raybould.
Andres Jesus Linares‑Rea, 27, was charged in a four‑count indictment with two counts of wire fraud and two counts of aggravated identity theft.
According to the indictment, Linares‑Rea contracted with solar engineering, procurement and construction companies (“Solar EPC contractors”) that marketed and installed rooftop solar panels. He sold solar systems door‑to‑door and assisted customers in securing financing through a fintech lender.
The indictment alleges that between September 2022 and December 2024, Linares‑Rea devised a scheme to fraudulently obtain loans in the names of unsuspecting homeowners. In several instances, he allegedly submitted loan applications and electronically signed loan agreements without the customers’ knowledge or consent and added co‑borrowers without their authorization.
Linares‑Rea allegedly misled homeowners by falsely claiming the solar panels were “free” due to government subsidies or the homeowners’ financial status. In at least one case, he is accused of obtaining a loan for a solar panel installation despite the homeowner repeatedly stating he did not want solar panels.
Once the fraudulent loans were funded, the lending company transferred loan proceeds to Solar EPC contractors, who then paid Linares‑Rea commissions inflated by these unauthorized transactions.
The indictment lists specific interstate wire transfers made in support of the scheme, including a $71,754.79 transfer on November 19, 2023, to fund a loan allegedly obtained without Victim 1’s consent, and a $57,173.25 transfer on March 14, 2023, for a loan allegedly obtained without Victim 2’s consent.
Linares‑Rea is also charged with two counts of aggravated identity theft for allegedly using Victim 1’s and Victim 2’s electronic signatures without lawful authority in connection with the wire fraud scheme.
If convicted, Linares‑Rea faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years on each of the wire fraud counts and two years on each of the aggravated identity theft counts. The indictment also includes a notice of criminal forfeiture.
The FBI Dallas Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Marty Basu and Elise Aldendifer from the Fraud section are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, not evidence. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Man Currently Serving a State Prison Sentence Pleads Guilty to Threatening Several U.S. Senators and Former Vice President Kamala HarrisRead the Press Release
LITTLE ROCK—Todd Curry, currently imprisoned at the Ouachita River Unit of the Arkansas Department of Corrections, pleaded guilty to mailing threatening communications to six U.S. Senators and former Vice President Kamala Harris. Jonathan D. Ross, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, announced the guilty plea, which occurred today before United States District Judge Lee P. Rudofsky.
On December 2, 2025, Curry, 55, who is currently incarcerated at the Arkansas Department of Corrections, was indicted by a federal grand jury in a 14-count Indictment charging him with seven counts of mailing threatening communications to a federal employee and seven counts of false information and hoaxes. On August 4, 2025, Curry pleaded guilty to seven counts of mailing threatening communications to a federal employee. Judge Rudofsky will sentence Curry at a later date after a presentence report is prepared by the United States Probation Office.
Curry faces a potential sentence of up to 10 years’ imprisonment for each count for a total of 70 years.
On October 7, 2022, Curry mailed seven letters from Little Rock to members of the United States Congress and the former Vice President in Washington, D.C. The letters contained specific threats to kill or cause bodily harm to those members of Congress and the former Vice President for their roles and official duties as employees of the federal government. The investigation revealed that in addition to the threats to kill the selected six members of Congress and the former Vice President, Curry made references in his letters to either anthrax or “rison” (ricin), which are both considered deadly poisons. After the letters were submitted for analysis, it was determined that none of the substances inside the letters contained anthrax, ricin, or any other toxic or poisonous substance. During the investigation, it was positively determined that the letters were written by Curry and some of the letters were signed by Curry.
Curry has a significant criminal history dating back to 1990 that includes violent offenses and drug offenses: breaking or entering, criminal attempt, drugs, battery in the second degree, domestic battery third degree, robbery and theft of property. He is currently serving a state sentence of 10 years following a 2024 drug conviction for trafficking a controlled substance.
The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Capitol Police. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Arkansas.
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Additional information about the office of the
United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at
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Macy, Nebraska Man Sentenced to 120 Months for Abusive Sexual ContactRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Tyrece D. Thomas, 25, of Macy, Nebraska, was sentenced on July 30, 2026, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for one count of Abusive Sexual Contact. United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Thomas to 120 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Thomas’s release from prison, he will begin a five-year term of supervised release.
On June 8, 2020, while Victim 1 was walking home on the Omaha Nation Indian Reservation, an unknown male, later identified as Thomas, struck her in the head and took her cell phone. Thomas offered to return Victim 1’s cell phone if she had sex with him. When Victim 1 refused and attempted to walk away, Thomas struck Victim 1 again. Victim 1 fell to the ground and Thomas sexually assaulted her. Victim 1 did not know Thomas. Victim 1 went to the hospital after the assault and underwent a Sexual Assault Nurse Examination (SANE), during which a SANE nurse collected forensic evidence from Victim 1’s body. Victim 1’s SANE kit was sent to the FBI Laboratory. An FBI forensic scientist identified unknown, male DNA on swabs collected from Victim 1 during her SANE exam. The FBI submitted the male DNA to the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) but received no potential matches at the time.
On October 4, 2024, the FBI Laboratory notified local FBI agents that a routine CODIS search yielded a possible DNA match between the male DNA collected from Victim 1 and a federal arrestee, Tyrece D. Thomas. The FBI obtained a search warrant and obtained a known sample of Thomas’s DNA. The FBI laboratory confirmed the male DNA collected during Victim 1’s SANE exam was, in fact, Tyrece D. Thomas’s DNA.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Omaha Nation Law Enforcement Services.
Lafayette Man Sentenced to Eight Years in Federal Prison for Felon-in-Possession Firearm OffenseRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE – On July 29, 2026, United States District Judge S. Maurice Hicks, Jr., sentenced Thaddaeus W. Paul, 33, of Lafayette, to 96 months in federal prison after his conviction for Felon in Possession of a Firearm.
According to court documents, Lafayette Police Department (LPD) officers conducted a lawful traffic stop on January 23, 2025, on a vehicle in which Paul was a passenger. Officers located Paul in the backseat in possession of a satchel bag containing a loaded semiautomatic SCCY CPX‑2 9mm pistol, crack cocaine and marijuana. Paul admitted to knowingly possessing the firearm and ammunition after having been convicted of a prior felony offense punishable by imprisonment exceeding one year. Federal law prohibits convicted felons from possessing firearms.
U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Keller for the Western District of Louisiana made the announcement.
The Lafayette Police Department investigated the case. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Casey N. Stelly with assistance from Paralegal Specialists Stephanie Stewart and Tanya Broussard.
This case was prosecuted as part of Operation Take Back America (TBA), 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 agencies, and coordinates efforts with state and local law enforcement and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces (HSTF), ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities. Learn more about PSN at https://www.justice.gov/psn
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 6:25-cr-00328.
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Twitter @USAO_WDLAKnoxville Resident Indicted for Laundering Fraudulently Obtained COVID-19 Unemployment Insurance BenefitsRead the Press Release
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – On July 28, 2026, a federal grand jury in Chattanooga returned a two-count indictment against Amy Denise Fields, 62, of Knoxville, for conspiracy to commit money laundering and a substantive money laundering offense. On August 3, 2026, Fields appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Debra C. Poplin in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee in Knoxville. Fields pleaded not guilty and was released pending trial, which has been set for October 6, 2026, before the Honorable Thomas A. Varlan, United States District Judge in United States District Court, at Knoxville.
The indictment alleges that Fields and others not named in the indictment conspired to launder money Fields knew was fraudulently obtained from federal programs. Fields’s co-conspirators submitted fraudulent applications for Unemployment Insurance (UI) benefits to several different states during the Covid-19 pandemic. Many of those fraudulent UI applications listed Fields’s personal information, including her residential address and bank account information, which Fields knowingly provided to her co-conspirators. Fields’s co-conspirators caused the fraudulent UI benefits to be electronically deposited into Fields’s bank accounts, several of which she opened in furtherance of the conspiracy. Knowing that the funds deposited into her bank accounts were fraudulently obtained UI benefits intended for other individuals, Fields intentionally withdrew the funds from her bank accounts—often in cash—and then deposited the cash into Bitcoin ATM machines in the Eastern District of Tennessee, laundering the funds to promote the ongoing unlawful activity and to conceal the proceeds of the fraudulently obtained UI benefits.
If convicted, Fields faces up to 20 years in prison, a term of supervised release of up to three years, a fine of up to $500,000, restitution, and forfeiture.
U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III of the Eastern District of Tennessee and Acting Supervisory Agent in Charge Kelly Linemann of the U.S. Department of Labor-Office of Inspector General, made the announcement.
This indictment is the result of an investigation by the United States Department of Labor-Office of Inspector General.
Assistant United States Attorney William A. Roach, Jr., will represent the United States.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (Fraud Division). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
Members of the public are reminded that an indictment constitutes only charges and that every person is presumed innocent until their guilt has been proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
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Knoxville Man Indicted on 22 Counts for Making Threats to Kill Public OfficalsRead the Press Release
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – On July 28, 2026, a federal grand jury in Chattanooga returned a 22 count indictment against Garry Lee Williams, 44, of Knoxville, for posting public threats on TikTok to murder and maim national public officials, Knox County public officials, and members of Williams’s own family, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 871(a) (threats against the President), 18 U.S.C. § 875(c) (interstate threats), and 18 U.S.C. § 115(a)(1)(B) and (b)(4) (threats to murder federal law enforcement officer). On August 4, 2026, Williams appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Debra C. Poplin in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee in Knoxville. Williams pleaded not guilty and was detained in custody pending trial, which has been set for October 6, 2026, before the Honorable Katherine A. Crytzer, United States District Judge in United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee in Knoxville.
The indictment alleges that from January through April 2026, Williams used TikTok to make numerous public posts announcing his intent to murder and maim public officials, and exhorting others to do the same. Specifically, the indictment alleges that Williams made 11 separate threats to murder President Trump, one threat to murder a member of President Trump’s immediate family, seven separate threats to murder the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), two threats to murder the Knox County Sheriff and the Chief of the Knoxville Police Department, and one threat to murder numerous family members.
If convicted, Williams faces a total term of 145 years in prison. The maximum prison sentence for each violation of 18 U.S.C. § 871(a) is five years; the maximum prison sentence for each violation of 18 U.S.C. § 875(c) is five years; and the maximum prison sentence for each violation of 18 U.S.C. § 115(a)(1)(B) and (b)(4) is 10 years. Each violation also includes a maximum fine of $250,000 and a term of supervised release of up to three years.
U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III of the Eastern District of Tennessee; and Terence G. Reilly, of the Nashville Field Office of the FBI, made the announcement.
This indictment is the result of an investigation by the FBI, the U.S. Secret Service, the Knox County Sheriff’s Office, and the Knoxville Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney David P. Lewen, Jr. will represent the United States.
Members of the public are reminded that an indictment constitutes only charges and that every person is presumed innocent until their guilt has been proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
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Justice Served: Homeland Security Task Force Dismantles Mississippi Delta Drug Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
GREENVILLE, MS – U.S. Attorney Scott Leary announced that law enforcement agencies came together in the Northern District of Mississippi to bring down a drug trafficking organization. Multiple offenders were arrested, 25 pounds of methamphetamine was seized, along with over 4,000 pills containing fentanyl.
U.S. Attorney Scott F. Leary stated, “We live in a wonderful state and a wonderful country. Old fashioned patriotism should never be criticized. Normal love of country does not make one a zealous super-patriot, it makes one an American. Oh yea, and we still live with heroes in our midst. Law enforcement officers are engaged in a constant and primitive struggle to protect our communities and children. An aspect of this struggle concerns the scourge of drug trafficking organizations (DTOs). DTOs entice our children with the false promise of camaraderie and easy money. The result is destroyed lives and broken communities. The DEA, United States Marshal Service, and Grenada Police Department recently concluded a multi-year investigation into such a DTO, responsible for trafficking in fentanyl and methamphetamine, all while committing firearm crimes. State and federal officers engaged in the dangerous work of dismantling this organization, which involved the unfortunately familiar Vice Lord and Gangster Disciple gangs. The Marshals apprehended a fugitive in California. Our officers are heroes, and we as patriots applaud their dedication.”
Chief United States District Court Judge, Honorable Deborah M. Brown ordered the following:
- Chauncey Young was sentenced to 46 months on the charge of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl with an additional three years supervised release.
- Courasier Young was sentenced to 151 months on the charge of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute methamphetamine in addition to three years supervised release.
- Antonio Harley was sentenced to 18 months on the charge of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a mixture and substance containing fluorofentanyl in addition to three years supervised release.
- Jerrica Nahwooksy was sentenced to 21 months on the charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute a mixture of substance containing fentanyl in addition to three years supervised release.
- Aleatha Pullen was sentenced to 70 months on the charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute a mixture of substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine in addition to three years supervised release.
- Jesse Coleman was sentenced to 48 months on the charge of aiding and abetting the use of a communication facility in committing, causing and facilitating a felony in addition to one-year supervised release
- Johnathan Sanders was sentenced to 21 months on the charge of conspiracy to distribute a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine in addition to three years on supervised release.
- Kevin Golliday was sentenced to 44 months on the charge of aiding and abetting the use of communication facility in causing or facilitating the commission of a felony in addition to one year on supervised release.
- Marcus Jones was sentenced to 120 months on the charge of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a mixture and substance containing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine in addition to five years of supervised release.
- James Pruitt was sentenced to 44 months on the charge of conspiracy to distribute a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine and fentanyl in addition to three years of supervised release.
- Erik Love was sentenced to 92 months for the charge of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine in addition to three years of supervised release.
- Christopher Caffey was sentenced to 200 months for the charge of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl in addition to five years of supervised release.
“Through the Homeland Security Task Force, law enforcement stood united to dismantle a dangerous drug network operating in the Mississippi Delta. Taking 25 pounds of methamphetamine and thousands of fentanyl pills off the streets saved lives. The DEA and our partners will not let armed gangs poison our communities; if you deal lethal drugs in Mississippi, we will find you and hold you accountable,” said Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in Charge John P. Scott.
“The Mississippi Department of Public Safety is proud to stand alongside our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners in our shared mission to protect the people of Mississippi," stated Mississippi Department of Public Safety Commissioner Sean Tindell. "Public safety is strongest when agencies work together, share information, and coordinate resources to hold offenders accountable and prevent crime before it impacts our communities. We are grateful for the leadership at the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the dedication of every partner committed to making our neighborhoods safer for the families we serve.”
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Chad Doleac prosecuted the case.
This operation and conviction 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 tin 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 Jackson comprises agents and officers from FBI, HSI, DEA, ICE ERO, CBP, CBP OFO, CBP USBP, CBP AMO, CGIS, ATF, USMS, IRS-CI, USPIS and with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Mississippi.
Justice Department Announces Monitoring of Polling Sites in Four Michigan CitiesRead the Press Release
Today, the Department of Justice is monitoring polling sites in four Michigan cities for the state’s primary election to ensure transparency, ballot security, and compliance with federal law.
The Department, through the Civil Rights Division, enforces federal voting rights laws that protect the rights of all eligible citizens to access the ballot. The Department regularly deploys its staff to monitor for compliance with federal civil rights laws in elections in communities across the country.
“Our primary monitoring efforts continue today as we seek to ensure free and fair elections nationwide,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Department of Justice is devoting extensive resources to ensure uniform and nondiscriminatory monitoring. We appreciate the cooperation of these jurisdictions in promoting trust and transparency.”
“Transparency promotes both trust and better behavior in election administration,” said U.S. Attorney Timothy VerHey for the Western District of Michigan. “Our office is always going to be ready to lead in promoting free and fair elections.”
The Department is currently monitoring polls in Detroit, Hamtramck, Lansing, and East Lansing with DOJ staff from the Civil Rights Division’s Voting Section and Michigan’s U.S. Attorney’s Offices for both the Western and Eastern districts.
This initiative is aimed at promoting transparency and an open flow of communication between poll observers and election monitors. The Civil Rights Division’s Voting Section enforces various federal statutes that protect the right to vote, including the Voting Rights Act, National Voter Registration Act, Help America Vote Act, Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the Civil Rights Acts.
From now and up to Election Day on Nov. 3, 2026, Civil Rights Division personnel will be available to receive questions and complaints from the public related to possible violations of federal voting rights laws. If you would like to request election monitoring in a particular jurisdiction, please contact the Voting Section at [email protected], and the Civil Rights Division will determine whether monitoring is warranted.
Jackson County Postal Employee Pleads Guilty to Delay or Destruction of MailRead the Press Release
Tallahassee, Florida – Stacy Michelle Braxton, 39, of Marianna, Florida, pleaded guilty in federal court to one count of delay or destruction of mail. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Our citizens must be able to rely upon the mail to be delivered quickly, securely, and efficiently, and this postal carrier’s reprehensible violation of the public trust placed in her to fulfill that duty deserves serious punishment. I applaud the excellent work of the USPS Inspector General to identify, investigate, and hold accountable this criminal behavior by a postal carrier.”
Court documents reveal that the defendant was a rural mail carrier for the Greenwood Post Office in Jackson County, Florida. In February 2026, law enforcement recovered 498 pieces of mail from the defendant’s mail route that were discarded in a burn barrel in Marianna, Florida. The defendant admitted to investigators that she attempted to discard and burn the mail from her route rather than delivering the mail to the designated recipients.
Braxton faces up to five years in prison.
Sentencing is scheduled for September 16, 2026, at 2:00 pm at the United States Courthouse in Tallahassee, Florida before United States District Judge Mark E. Walker.
The case was investigated by the United States Postal Service – Office of Inspector General. Assistant United States Attorney Emma Schwan is prosecuting the case.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access available public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.
Justice Department Awards over $2.8 Million in Grants to Area Law Enforcement AgenciesRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice has awarded $2,809,033 collectively to area law enforcement agencies, announced U.S. Attorney Kurt L. Wall, who stated, “I am thrilled to see taxpayer dollars returned to support our law enforcement partners. Protecting our first responders with better equipment and reducing violent crimes against women are both extremely worthy causes that should always be well funded.”
The Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office (LPSO) was awarded $39,145 to reduce gun-related violence by supporting investigative efforts, enhancing officer safety, and strengthening evidence collection. This will be accomplished through funding for investigator overtime, the use of advanced technology, and targeted enforcement against violent offenders. Under this initiative, LPSO will continue Operation Gun Stop, a program that enables citizens to anonymously report illegal gun activity, thereby increasing community involvement and intelligence gathering. LPSO will further expand the Firearms Investigative Unit, a proven program focused on conducting undercover purchases of illegal firearms and apprehending individuals involved in unlawful gun transactions. Together, these approaches will enhance proactive enforcement, improve case development, and support the prevention of gun-related crimes throughout Livingston Parish.
The Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Office (APSO) was awarded $28,433 to equip all APSO deputies with reliable and effective Body Armor such as ballistic vests, carriers, and trauma plates to increase the likelihood of survival during deadly force encounters. Special emphasis will be incorporated in departmental training regarding the advantages of wearing body armor by non-uniformed officers while performing their duties.
The East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office (EBRSO) was awarded $232,868 to support a comprehensive equipment and technology initiative aimed at enhancing public safety, officer safety, and operational effectiveness across multiple divisions. Funds will be used to acquire LIDAR speed detection devices, breaching kits, electronic writing devices, a portable ballistic protection system, traffic control equipment, and portable solar-powered crime camera systems.
The Louisiana Commission on Law Enforcement (LCLE) was awarded $893,708 to support rape crisis centers (including governmental rape crisis centers not in territories and tribal governmental programs) and nonprofit, nongovernmental organizations that provide core services, direct intervention, and related assistance to victims of sexual assault, regardless of age.
The LCLE was awarded an additional $2,508,587 to develop and strengthen law enforcement, prosecution, and court strategies to combat violent crimes against women and to develop and strengthen victim services in cases involving domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking.
The LCLE is a foundation located in Baton Rouge dedicated to improving the operations of the criminal justice and juvenile justice systems and to promoting public safety by providing progressive leadership and coordination within the criminal justice community.
For more information about these awards, contact OJP Office of Communications at 202-307-0703 or [email protected], or the Office on Violence Against Women at 202-307-6026 and ask for the Policy, Communication, and Evaluation Division.
Inmate who ran gun trafficking organization from state prison sentenced in Homeland Security Task Force investigationRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 38-year-old resident of Rock Hill, South Carolina, has been ordered by a federal judge to prison for conspiring to “straw purchase” firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. A straw purchase of firearms involves the illegal purchase of a firearm for or on behalf of others—in this case, dangerous cartel members.
Shawn Bisnauth pleaded guilty May 7.
U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos has now ordered Bisnauth to serve 300 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard that from 2022 through 2024, Bisnauth directed the straw purchasing operation from a South Carolina state prison using a contraband cell phone. In handing down the sentence, the court found Bisnauth responsible for placing firearms in the hands of cartel members in Mexico. The sentence imposed will run consecutively to the remainder of his state sentence.
The investigation began in early 2023 when law enforcement identified Bisnauth as a major supplier of firearms to a drug trafficking organization responsible for importing meth, cocaine, and fentanyl from Mexican cartels for distribution throughout the United States.
Bisnauth arranged for others in South Carolina to purchase at least eight firearms, including .50 caliber rifles and semiautomatic machine guns. He then directed the firearms to be transported to Texas and exchanged with the drug trafficking organization for narcotics, which individuals in South Carolina then distributed.
He has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ashley Martin and Tyler Foster prosecuted the case.
This investigation and prosecution was part of the Homeland Security Task Force 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 U.S. law enforcement towards identifying, investigating and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes these organizations commit, 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 South Texas comprises agents and officers from Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations; FBI; Drug Enforcement Administration; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; U.S. Marshals Service; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; Department of Transportation; IRS Criminal Investigation; Interpol/Department of State, and Naval Criminal Investigative Service with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas leading the prosecution.
Illegal alien who was convicted of the sexual assault of a child pleads guilty to and sentenced for illegal re-entryRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, NY — U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Arlem Bayardo Cabrera-Escoto, 41, of a native and citizen of Honduras, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara to illegal re-entry subsequent to an aggravated felony conviction. The defendant was then sentenced to serve five months in prison. After serving his sentence, Cabrera-Escoto will be turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
On April 22, 2026, four illegal aliens were arrested in Depew, NY, as part of a targeted enforcement effort. Law enforcement, who observed four Hispanic males exit a residence and leave in a truck parked at the residence, conducted a vehicle stop shortly after. After questioning, all four admitted that they were in the United States illegally and did not have any immigration documents that would have allowed them to be, enter, or remain in the United States. Law enforcement asked the driver to step out of the vehicle, at which time he attempted to flee on foot and actively resisted arrest. The three passengers, including Cabrera-Escoto, also fled on foot. Cabrera-Escoto was taken into custody a short time later.
During processing, it was determined that Cabrera-Escoto is a native and citizen of Honduras illegally present in the United States. In April 2005, Cabrera-Escoto was convicted of 2nd Degree Sexual Assault of a Child, an aggravated felony, and sentenced to 240 days confinement in the State of Wisconsin. In August 2005, he was physically removed from the United States.
This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Buffalo comprises agents and officers from Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations, Department of Homeland Security Enforcement and Removal Operations, Customs and Border Protection, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service, the U.S. Marshals Service, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the U.S. Secret Service, and the Diplomatic Security Service, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of New York.
The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Brendan W. Fitzgerald. The plea and sentencing are the result of an investigation by Customs and Border Protection, under the direction of Acting Chief Patrol Agent James D’Amato, and Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Anthony Patrone.
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Illegal alien couple sentenced to 10 years in prison for cocaine, gun crimesRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Two illegal aliens from Mexico were sentenced in federal court here to 10 years in prison for cocaine and gun crimes.
Laura Reyes Esquivel, 49, and Mario Gamino Sanchez, 30, both of Lewis Center, possessed with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine and possessed a firearm in furtherance of their drug trafficking crimes. Reyes Esquivel was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge Sarah D. Morrison. Sanchez was sentenced last week by U.S. District Judge Michael H. Watson.
According to court documents, in June 2025, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop in which the couple were the sole occupants of the vehicle. Officers discovered more than two kilograms of cocaine and a loaded handgun inside the car. The couple planned to distribute the cocaine in the Columbus area for personal profit.
Sanchez and Reyes Esquivel were both charged in June 2025. Sanchez pleaded guilty in December 2025 and Reyes Esquivel in April 2026.
Dominick S. Gerace II, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Jared Murphey, Acting Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Detroit, announced the sentences imposed. Assistant United States Attorney Sheila G. Lafferty is representing the United States in this 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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Illegal Alien Pleads Guilty to Unlawful ReentryRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that ARNULFO FERNANDEZ SOLIS, a/k/a Carlos Fernandez Soliz, a/k/a Carlos Alberto Solis, a/k/a Carlos Alberto Alimaranon, a/k/a Juan Garcia Paramo, a/k/a Juan Garciap, a/k/a Carlos Albert Solis, a/k/a Samuel Santana, a/k/a Carlos Soliz, a/k/a Carlos F. Soliz, a/k/a Carlos A. Solis, a/k/a Juan Paramo, a/k/a Carlos Slismaranon, a/k/a Arnulfo Fernandez, a/k/a Carlos Albert Soliz, a/k/a Arnulfo Solis Fernandez, a Mexican national unlawfully present in Okmulgee County, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty to one count of Unlawful Reentry of Removed Alien, punishable by a term of imprisonment of not more than two years, and a fine of not more than $250,000.00.
The charge arose from an investigation by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement Division.
The Indictment alleged that on April 24, 2026, Solis, an alien, was found in the United States without obtaining the express consent of the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States after having been previously removed on May 2, 2005, June 28, 2001, and January 29, 1998.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The Honorable Gerald L. Jackson, Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Solis will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Chuck Sullivan represented the United States.
Hunterdon County Felon Pleads Guilty to Possessing Videos and Images of Child Sexual AbuseRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – A Hunterdon County man admitted to possessing videos and images of child sexual abuse, U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer announced.
David Tuytjens, 70, of Tewksbury Township, New Jersey, pleaded guilty yesterday before U.S. District Judge Michael A. Shipp in Trenton federal court to a one-count Indictment charging him with possession of child pornography.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
In December 2024, officers from the New Jersey State Parole Board visited Tuytjens’ residence and discovered various electronic devices, including a 64 gigabyte MicroSD storage card. Officers conducted their visit because Tuytjens is prohibited from possessing, among other things, Internet-capable devices as an individual under Community Supervision for Life due to a prior State conviction for aggravated sexual assault. The storage card contained at least 800 images and 30 video files containing child sexual abuse materials (CSAM). The CSAM included images depicting prepubescent minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, images portraying sadistic or masochistic conduct, and sexual abuse or exploitation of an infant or toddler.
Due to Tuytjens’ prior convictions, including a federal conviction for possession of child pornography, the charge of possession of child pornography carries a statutory maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison. The charge also carries with it a maximum $250,000 fine. Sentencing is scheduled for January 12, 2027.
U.S. Attorney Frazer credited special agents of the Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force in the Newark Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy in Newark, the U.S. Probation Office, District of New Jersey, under the direction of Chief Probation Officer Joseph A. DaGrossa, the New Jersey State Parole Board, under the direction of Chairman Samuel J. Plumeri, Jr., and the Hunterdon County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Renée M. Robeson, with the investigation leading to the guilty plea.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan S. Garelick of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Trenton.
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Defense counsel: Carlos Diaz-Cobo, Esq.
tuytjens.indictment.pdfHouston Man Pleads Guilty to Child Sexual Exploitation ChargesRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A Houston man pled guilty in federal court, today, to child sex abuse crimes.
Dazhon Darien, 34, formerly of Baltimore, Maryland, pled guilty to sexually exploiting a child. Darien admitted that he sexually exploited eight minor victims.
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, and Chief Robert McCullough, Baltimore County Police Department (BCPD).
According to his guilty plea, on five occasions, between April 2023, and June 2024, Darien persuaded, induced, enticed, and coerced Minor Victim 1, age 15 and 16, respectively, at the time, to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing and transmitting child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Darien then used CashApp to pay Minor Victim 1 for the production and transmission of CSAM videos. Additionally, Darien admitted to sexually exploiting seven other victims who were between ages 14 and 17. Darien stored the exploitation videos on his cellphones and in internet-based accounts. He lived in Maryland until approximately June 2024, before moving to Texas.
Darien faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and a maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison for sexual exploitation of a minor. Sentencing is set for Tuesday, Nov. 10, at 11 a.m.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit justice.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, visit justice.gov/psc and click on the “Resources” tab on the left of the page.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI and BCPD for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul E. Budlow who is prosecuting the federal case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit justice.gov/usao-md.
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Four Individuals Charged with Illegal Re-Entry After Being Previously DeportedRead the Press Release
SRINGFIELD, Mo. – Four individuals were indicted by a federal grand jury in separate cases this week for illegally re-entering the United States after they were previously deported.
Honduran National charged with Illegal Re-Entry After Being Previously Deported and Convicted of a Prior Aggravated Felony Offense
According to an indictment returned today, Mario Robert Mejia-Valledares, 49, was charged with illegal re-entry by a previously deported alien who had been previously convicted of an aggravated felony offense. On July 27, 2026, Mejia-Valledares was found voluntarily in the United States after being previously deported on January 29, 2010, September 23, 2011, and February 4, 2023. Further, Mejia-Valledares’ aggravated felony offense was because of his conviction in Houston, Texas for discharging a firearm at an occupied dwelling, building or vehicle.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick. It was investigated by ICE Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HIS) and the Christian County, Missouri Sheriff’s Department.
Honduran National Charged with Immigration Offense
Fredy Rolando Rivera-Gonzalez, 31, was indicted today with one count of illegal re-entry by an alien. The indictment alleges Rivera-Gonzalez had been previously deported from the United States on November 6, 2019, from Huntsville, Texas.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick Carney. It was investigated by ICE Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI), and the Pulaski County, Missouri Sheriff’s Office.
Guatemalan National Charged in Indictment with Illegal Re-Entry After Being Previously Deported and Convicted of a Prior Aggravated Felony Offense
Yalex Rodas-Rodas, 25, was indicted today by a Federal Grand Jury for illegally re-entering the United States after being previously deported and convicted of a prior aggravated felony offense. On July 3, 2026, Rodas-Rodas was discovered by law enforcement voluntarily and illegally within the United States after having been deported on October 21, 2010, on April 26, 2012, and October 21, 2020.
Rodas-Rodas has an aggravated felony conviction for forgery on August 18, 2010, in Jasper County, Missouri. Rodas-Rodas has also been previously convicted of the felony offense of illegal re-entry after being previously deported on April 1, 2012, in the Federal District Court for the Western District of Missouri.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Carney. It was investigated by ICE Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI) and the Jasper County, Missouri Sheriff’s Office.
Mexican National charged with Illegal Re-Entry After Being Previously Deported
Lorenzo Castillo-Rivera, 32, was indicted today by a Federal Grand Jury charging him with illegal re-entry into the United States by a previously deported alien. On July 20, 2026, Castillo-Rivera was found voluntarily within the United States, specifically Stone County, Missouri, after being previously deported on April 18, 2022, November 14, 2023, and September 18, 2024.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Carney. It was investigated by ICE Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI), the Stone County, Missouri Sheriff’s Office, and the Reed Springs, Missouri, police department.
The charges contained in these indictments are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
Operation Take Back America
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.
Fort Hall Man Sentenced to 17.5 Years in Federal Prison for Sexually Abusing a ChildRead the Press Release
BOISE – Shone Jem Bache, 47, of Fort Hall, was sentenced to 210 months in federal prison for Abusive Sexual Contact with a Child Under 12 Years of Age, U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis announced today.
“I hope this outcome provides some closure and justice to the victim and her family,” said U.S. Attorney Davis. “I am grateful for the partnership between the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Fort Hall Police Department and their dedication to identifying and investigating those who commit egregious acts of sexual abuse on the Fort Hall Indian Reservation.”
According to court records, the investigation began when a nine-year-old child victim disclosed to family members and school staff that Bache had sexually abused her. The child victim disclosed multiple instances of sexual abuse that occurred on the Fort Hall Indian Reservation. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Fort Hall Police Department conducted a thorough investigation and were able to corroborate aspects of the victim’s disclosure through physical evidence and witness statements.
“No punishment can ever undo the trauma inflicted on a child or erase the lifelong impact of these crimes, but we hope this offers some comfort on their journey toward healing,” stated Robert Bohls, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office. “Children deserve to grow up safe. Alongside our Tribal and law enforcement partners, the FBI will never stop fighting to protect the most vulnerable and bring offenders to justice”.
U.S. District Judge David C. Nye also ordered Bache to serve five years of supervised release following his prison sentence. Bache will be required to register as a sex offender as a result of his conviction.
U.S. Attorney Davis commended the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Fort Hall Police Department, which led to the charge. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kassandra McGrady and Justin Paskett prosecuted the case.
These cases were 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. As part of Project Safe Childhood, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Idaho and the Idaho Attorney General’s Office partner to marshal 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.
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Former Union Officer Sentenced to Federal Prison for EmbezzlementRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A 65-year-old former financial secretary of the Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen, Local Lodge 21, has been sentenced to prison for federal charges in the Western District of Missouri.
David Scofield of Independence, Missouri, pleaded guilty on November 24, 2025, to bank fraud, embezzlement of labor union assets, and falsification of annual financial report filed by labor union. He was sentenced to one year and one day in federal prison today by U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough.
According to information presented in court, for nearly nine years, Scofield used his position as the financial secretary of Local Lodge 21 to steal more than $54,000 from the union. He issued unauthorized checks, made personal payments from the union account, and conducted hundreds of online transactions for his own benefit. He then hid his fraud by falsifying records.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rudolph R. Rhodes IV. This case was investigated by U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Labor-Management Standards.
National Fraud Enforcement Division
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (“Fraud Division”). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
Former Employee of Lafayette Medical Clinics Sentenced for Embezzling More Than $500kRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE – On July 31, 2026, Brooke Miller Duck (formerly “Brooke Miller Tauzin”), 31, a former resident of Arnaudville, was sentenced by United States District Judge Robert R. Summerhays to 22 months in federal prison and 3 years of supervised release. She was also ordered to pay $539,451.41 in restitution. Duck previously pled guilty on March 16, 2026, to embezzling more than $500,000 from her medical clinic employer and using the stolen funds for personal expenses and luxury items that included expensive vacations, new cars, and fancy consumer products.
“Brooke Duck has now been held fully accountable for years of abusing her position and exploiting her employers’ trust,” said United States Attorney Zachary A. Keller. “With this sentence, justice has been delivered not only for the clinics she stole from, but for all honest, hardworking small businesses across Louisiana. Our Office remains committed to protecting those businesses and prosecuting anyone who seeks to take advantage of them.”
According to court documents, Duck was employed by two medical clinics with offices in Lafayette and Baton Rouge and had access to the clinics’ credit cards and bank accounts. Between May 2020 and October 2023, Duck used the clinics’ credit cards for unauthorized personal purchases, including a $15,000 payment for a time-share vacation property. She then used funds drawn from the clinics’ bank accounts to pay the credit card balances associated with those purchases. In total, Duck caused $539,451.41 in unauthorized credit card transactions for her personal use and financial gain.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Secret Service, and the Lafayette Police Department investigated the case. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Danny Siefker with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Denise Duhon.
U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Keller for the Western District of Louisiana made the announcement.
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 6:26-cr-00096.
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Flatwoods Woman Sentenced for Meth Trafficking Through U.S. MailRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – A Braxton County woman was sentenced today for her role in a methamphetamine trafficking scheme that relied on the U.S. Mail to move large quantities of drugs into West Virginia, U.S. Attorney Matthew L. Harvey announced.
Kelly Marie Myers, 56, was sentenced to 12 months in prison. According to court documents, the investigation began when U.S. Postal Inspection Service personnel in Charleston, West Virginia, intercepted a suspicious USPS Priority Mail parcel. Inspectors obtained a federal search warrant later that day and discovered approximately 890 grams of methamphetamine inside. The package had been mailed from Moreno Valley, California, and was addressed to “K. Myers” at a Flatwoods residence.
Investigators removed the methamphetamine and made the parcel available for pickup at the Flatwoods Post Office. Postal Inspectors and local law enforcement kept watch as the parcel was retrieved, ultimately leading to Myers.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Cogar prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service investigated.
Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.
Final Sentencing Completed in Multi‑Defendant Scheme to Deliver Contraband into Alabama PrisonRead the Press Release
A federal judge in Montgomery has sentenced the final defendant in a drug‑trafficking conspiracy that funneled narcotics and other contraband into a correctional facility in Elmore, Alabama. In total, five defendants have now been sentenced for their roles in the scheme.
On July 30, 2026, Lilbrian Rondarrius Ladd, 28, a former inmate at the Elmore Correctional Facility, was sentenced to 215 months in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. Following his term of imprisonment, Ladd will serve five years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
United States Attorney Thomas Govan and Special Agent in Charge John P. Scott of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) New Orleans Field Division made the announcement.
“Those who attempt to smuggle drugs into our prisons, whether they are inmates or individuals on the outside, must be held accountable,” said United States Attorney Govan. “This conduct endangers staff, inmates, and the public, and we will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to stop it.”
“Whether you are coordinating from behind bars or driving the drop-off from the outside, your illicit business will end in a federal courtroom,” said Special Agent in Charge Scott. “This operation is a clear win for public safety and reflects our unwavering commitment to Operation Take Back America.”
The other co‑defendants were previously sentenced as follows:
- Lawrence Alexander Dudley, 48, of Birmingham, Alabama, was sentenced to 240 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release.
- Ja’meria Quanay Snowden, 27, also from Birmingham, Alabama, received a sentence of 120 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release.
- Jarod Allen Poe, 39, another former inmate at the Elmore Correctional Facility, was sentenced to 145 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release.
- Chasity Pearl Lee Cox, 38, of Mobile, Alabama, was sentenced to 46 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release.
According to court documents and statements made during the plea hearings, the Alabama Department of Corrections Law Enforcement Services Division and DEA began investigating the conspiracy in 2024 after learning that Ladd was coordinating the delivery of narcotics into the prison. Ladd worked with Poe, while he was also incarcerated at the Elmore Correctional Facility, along with Dudley, Snowden, and Cox, three individuals outside the facility, to smuggle methamphetamine and other contraband behind prison walls.
On May 23, 2024, agents arrested Dudley near the Elmore Correctional Facility after he attempted to access the grounds to deliver contraband. Snowden and Cox also admitted to making multiple deliveries using various methods to conceal their activities.
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Alabama Department of Corrections Law Enforcement Services Division investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorneys Christine Levi, Eric M. Counts, and John J. Geer, III 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.
Felon Sent Back to Prison for Possessing a GunRead the Press Release
A convicted felon who illegally possessed a gun was sentenced yesterday to five years in federal prison.
Miykael Jolliff, age 20, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a March 19, 2026, guilty plea to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
At the guilty plea, Jolliff admitted he possessed a gun after being previously convicted of felony offenses. In 2025, Jolliff was convicted of intimidation with a dangerous weapon and possession with intent to deliver marijuana.
Jolliff was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Jolliff was sentenced to 60 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
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.
Jolliff is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lisa C. Williams and investigated by the Cedar Rapids Safe Streets Task Force. The task force is composed of representatives from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Cedar Rapids Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-CR-0079.
Federal Inmate Sentenced to Five Years in Federal Prison for Possession of Methamphetamine with the Intent to DistributeRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – United States District Judge Thomas P. Barber has sentenced Billy Boortz (43, Duval Couty, Texas) to five years in federal prison for possession of five grams or more of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to the court records, on July 18, 2025, Boortz was a federal inmate in the Coleman Federal Correctional Complex (FCC Coleman) in Sumter County, Florida. On that date, Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) corrections officers ordered Boortz to submit to a search. Instead of complying, Boortz attempted to assault the officers by throwing punches towards their heads and upper bodies. Eventually, the officers were able to gain control over Boortz, and discovered over nine grams of methamphetamine hidden in Boortz’s sock. Boortz told law enforcement that he would have made approximately $20,000 if he had been able to sell the methamphetamine inside FCC Coleman.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Bureau of Prisons. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Hannah Nowalk Watson and Sarah Janette Swartzberg.
The 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).
Evansville Pedophile to Spend 15 Years in Federal Prison After Victim Discovers Hidden Bathroom CameraRead the Press Release
EVANSVILLE- Jason Donald Brenton, 51, of Evansville, has been sentenced to 15 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to two counts of production and attempted production of sexually explicit material involving minors.
According to court documents, on November 3, 2023, a 19-year-old female victim reported to the Evansville Police Department that she had discovered a hidden camera in her bathroom. She removed the Micro SD card from the device and viewed the files, finding videos of herself fully nude. The recordings had been made over the course of several years while she was a minor. The victim identified Brenton as the perpetrator, confronted him, and he admitted to the conduct.
Detectives executed a search of Brenton’s cell phone, laptop, and the Micro SD card. Investigators recovered more than 100 videos and 60 images of the victim in the nude, as well as sexually explicit images and videos of the victim’s underage boyfriend.
The FBI and Evansville Police Department investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Matthew P. Brookman.
“This defendant violated the privacy and trust of vulnerable victims in the most egregious way, and today’s sentence reflects the seriousness of his crimes. We are grateful to the investigators and prosecutors who worked swiftly to uncover the truth and ensure accountability, but I especially want to commend the victim for her remarkable courage in coming forward and confronting the offender,” said Tom Wheeler, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “I urge our community to remain vigilant; if you see signs of abuse or exploitation, report it. Your awareness and willingness to speak up can protect children and help prevent future crimes.”
"Hidden cameras, secret recordings, and other forms of covert exploitation are not victimless acts—they are calculated crimes that rob children of their privacy, dignity, and sense of security," said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Timothy O'Malley. "The FBI remains committed to identifying those who prey on children, standing with victims, and ensuring offenders are held accountable for these devastating crimes."
U.S. Attorney Wheeler thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremy Scott Kemper, who prosecuted this case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, 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.
If you are a victim of child sexual exploitation, please contact your local police department. Resources for victims of child exploitation can be found on our website at https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdin/project-safe-childhood
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EDNC US Attorney’s Office Joins New Southeast Fraud Enforcement PartnershipRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. - Ellis Boyle, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, joined the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division in announcing sweeping fraud enforcement actions alongside a new, dedicated, federal and state anti-fraud task force in North Carolina and across the Southeast. Following a major strategic roundtable emphasizing the partnerships forged amongst federal and state prosecutors, regulators, and law enforcement agencies, DAG Colin McDonald, the National Fraud Czar heading the DOJ efforts in this battle, led a press conference in Columbia, S.C. In support, 18 U.S. Attorneys' Offices, including the EDNC, seven State Attorneys General, five federal law enforcement agencies, and over 50 state officials announced their ironclad efforts in exposing and prosecuting systemic fraud. Press Conference Link: https://youtu.be/RaJJlIlaIWU
The DOJ’s National Fraud Enforcement Division established this joint taskforce to aggressively track, investigate, and prosecute regional financial fraud stealing federal taxpayer dollars. The sweeping southeast regional initiative targets 17 distinct cases currently prosecuted across seven Southeastern states, highlighting more than $350 million in attempted theft perpetrated against American taxpayers. Prosecutors prioritize systemic public program abuse involving SNAP benefits, Small Business Administration (SBA) loans, federal housing assistance, and tax fraud. Showing immediate results, federal prosecutors surged enforcement actions, charging crimes in cases that account for over $90 million in losses and indicting 12 named defendants since July 4 alone.
"This office is fully COMMITTED to protecting federal funds intended for the communities, families, and small businesses of Eastern North Carolina," said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle. "By combining forces with our state, local, and federal law enforcement partners and launching this new anti-fraud task force, we will ensure that those who attempt to line their pockets through deception face swift federal justice. If you steal from the American people: we are looking for you; we will find you; we will convict you; and you will hibernate behind cold steel bars. Cheaters. Never. Win."
To illustrate recent crackdown efforts in the EDNC, Mr. Boyle described a June conviction where a Robeson County woman, who owned a North Carolina tax filing franchise, pleaded guilty to a massive Covid tax fraud scheme in federal court. Nejlai Mitchell, 48, admitted to preparing false returns claiming fraudulent refunds based on COVID-19 tax credits and submitting false tax returns. The conspiracy resulted in the IRS paying out almost $14 MILLION in fraudulent tax refund claims. Mitchell faces a maximum term of eight years in prison and a $500,000 fine when a federal judge sentences her later this year. Seven other tax return preparers who worked for her have already pleaded guilty for their roles in the same multi-million-dollar fraud scheme$25M Pandemic-Relief Fraud Scheme.
Dozens Charged with Health Care Fraud in Federal and State Cases Involving $5.76 Million in Billings to Pennsylvania’s Medicaid ProgramRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that 12 individuals and an agency have been charged by federal indictment and additional defendants charged by the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General with health care fraud and other offenses, for allegedly conspiring to defraud the Pennsylvania Medicaid program.
U.S. Attorney Metcalf discussed the cases at a news conference this morning, alongside Assistant Attorney General Colin McDonald of the Department of Justice’s National Fraud Enforcement Division; Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday; Scott Brady, Executive Director of the White House Task Force to Eliminate Fraud; Dr. Mehmet Oz, Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services; T. March Bell, Department of Health and Human Services Inspector General; Wayne Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Philadelphia; Stanley Rutkowski, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (“HHS-OIG”), Philadelphia Regional Office; Timothy Flaherty, Special Agent in Charge of DEA Philadelphia; and Larry Arrow, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation (“IRS-CI”) in Philadelphia.
“The great fraud against the American taxpayer takes many forms,” said U.S. Attorney Metcalf. “It is outrageous and unacceptable that anyone could steal money by billing nonexistent home care services for caregivers who were, in fact, dead, in prison, or trafficking drugs.”
In addition, AAG McDonald announced a significant expansion of the Fraud Division’s Northeast Health Care Fraud Strike Force to Philadelphia, an enforcement initiative uniting the Division’s Health Care Fraud Section with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. The Health Care Strike Force model has proven to be one of the most powerful tools in the federal enforcement arsenal, responsible nationally for the prosecution of over 6,200 defendants who collectively billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $45 billion.
The Strike Force’s expansion into the Eastern District of Pennsylvania brings enhanced federal resources to a district with an established tradition of strong health care fraud enforcement. The partnership between the Fraud Division and the Eastern District of Pennsylvania will uniquely enable law enforcement to combat criminals who hide behind corporations to commit fraud. Philadelphia and its surrounding areas have vibrant and cutting-edge health care technology and insurance industries, and the Eastern District of Pennsylvania has long been a prime venue for private lawsuits that bring unlawful corporate conduct in the health care industry to the attention of law enforcement.
“Home care funding exists to assist America’s elderly and most vulnerable — not to fund schemes in which aides claim be providing care while incarcerated or vacationing in Miami and Saudi Arabia,” said Assistant Attorney General McDonald. “Today’s charges and the expansion of our Northeast Strike Force into the Eastern District of Pennsylvania send a clear message to fraudsters in the region: the Department of Justice will relentlessly pursue you and use all available tools to protect Medicaid and the programs everyday Americans rely on.”
“The magnitude of home care fraud is shocking and requires the total force of the United States government to solve,” said U.S. Attorney Metcalf. “This is why we are excited to announce the return of the Philadelphia Fraud Strike Force, partner with the National Fraud Enforcement Division, and enhance our alliance with Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday.”
The Unit’s corporate enforcement efforts align closely with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and its history of successful criminal and civil actions against corporate bad actors operating in the health care industry.
Recently, the Eastern District of Pennsylvania has become the target of fraudsters seeking to take advantage of Medicaid’s home health care funds, which should be devoted to assisting elderly and ill Pennsylvanians to age in place with dignity. Today’s announcement is a result of coordinated and dedicated investigations and prosecutions at the federal and state levels.
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Three federal cases were the focus of today’s takedown; the first case involves three separate indictments charging a total of eight defendants.
The first indictment charges Joseph Pizzo, 47, and Tiziana Taormina, 52, both of Philadelphia, with conspiracy to commit health care fraud, and multiple counts of health care fraud
The indictment alleges that, from about July 2023 to April 2024, and about July 2024 to May of this year, Taormina, a personal care aide with “Agency 1,” and Pizzo, a Medicaid recipient, schemed to defraud Medicaid.
They did so through a series of false and fraudulent clock-ins, for care she purportedly provided to Pizzo — including while he was incarcerated in Bucks County, and while he was working a construction job. In total, the indictment alleges that Taormina and Pizzo’s scheme caused a payout of at least $160,000 in Medicaid claims.
The second indictment in the case charges Donna Romsteadt, 63, Alyssa Cuculino, 27, Louise Israel, 46, and Elexis Cuculino, 51, all of Philadelphia, with a similar conspiracy and health care fraud offenses.
Alyssa Cuculino is the daughter of Elexis Cuculino and the niece of Donna Romsteadt. Alyssa Cuculino and Israel were the home care aides, employed by “Agency 1,” and Romsteadt and Elexis Cuculino were the Medicaid recipients for whom the aides purportedly provided home care.
Also referenced in the indictment is Medicaid “Recipient #1,” a relative of Romsteadt’s who resided with her. Both Israel and Alyssa Cuculino purportedly provided, and billed for, services to “Recipient #1” for lengthy periods. Israel also sought payment for Romsteadt’s supposed care, and Alyssa billed for care she supposedly provided her mother Elexis.
Again, the indictment alleges no-show billing, with Alyssa Cuculino working at another job, or even hospitalized, during times she claimed that she was providing home care. Israel was, at times, incarcerated while purportedly providing care services. As alleged, Romsteadt and Elexis Cuculino actively assisted in the conspiracy, performing fraudulent clock-ins for Alyssa Cuculino and Israel. In total, these four defendants allegedly caused approximately $445,000 in fraudulent claim payouts.
Finally, the third indictment in this case charges Albert Coccia Jr., 56, and Santino Coccia, 28, both of Philadelphia, with conspiracy to commit health care fraud and multiple counts of health care fraud. Albert Coccia Jr., a Medicaid recipient, is the father of Santino Coccia, a home care aide with “Agency 1.”
The indictment alleges repeated billing for care Santino Coccia supposedly provided to his father, at times when Santino Coccia was actually behind the wheel, making hundreds of trips as a contractor for a national rideshare and food-delivery provider. The indictment alleges that the Coccias conspired to cause fraudulent claims and payouts totaling at least $211,000.
The case involving these indictments was investigated by the FBI and HHS-OIG and is being prosecuted jointly by Trial Attorneys Paul J. Koob and Carla Jordan-Detamore of DOJ’s Health Care Fraud Strike Force and Assistant United States Attorney Paul Shapiro of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
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The second federal case features separate indictments against Sean Murray, 58, and Charles Bowie, 53, both of Philadelphia, who both worked for “Home Care Company 1.”
Murray was indicted on one count of health care fraud and nine counts of wire fraud, arising from an alleged scheme to defraud Medicaid through fraudulent home care services. He is already awaiting trial in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania for separate narcotics trafficking and firearms charges.
The indictment alleges that most of what Murray billed for home care services occurred while he was actually at the gym, massage parlor, traveling, or even selling illegal drugs, with Murray paying kickbacks to clients to go along with the scheme. The indictment alleges $400,000 in billings by Murray, the vast majority of which were for services not rendered.
Bowie was indicted on one count of health care fraud and 13 counts of wire fraud, arising from a similar scheme. The indictment alleges that he billed for purported home care services rendered at times when, in reality, he was vacationing in Saudi Arabia, Jamaica, Colombia, and other destinations. As alleged, Bowie caused approximately $600,000 in Medicaid billings, the vast majority of which were fraudulent.
This case was investigated by the FBI, HHS-OIG, and IRS-CI and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Sara Solow and Angella Middleton.
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In the third federal case, Khaleelah Williams, 49, and Saleemah Davis, 29, both of Philadelphia, and the home care agency they own, Benevolent Home Health LLC, have been charged with health care fraud conspiracy, health care fraud, and 14 counts of wire fraud. In addition, Williams and Davis have each been charged with two counts of aggravated identity theft.
The indictment alleges that Williams billed Medicaid for home care services purportedly provided by her husband, both while he was allegedly trafficking narcotics and after he was detained in federal custody on drug trafficking charges. Davis and Williams also billed for home care services purportedly performed by aide who was deceased. As alleged, Williams and Davis made approximately $224,000 in fraudulent claims to Medicaid.
The case was investigated by the DEA and HHS-OIG and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jessica Rice and Special Assistant United States Attorney Megan Curran.
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“This criminal conduct is much more than someone ‘working the system’ — the impact is deep and wide-ranging, as every dollar diverted deprives someone in need of care,” Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday said. “In collaboration with our partners, my office last year convicted more than 100 defendants, and clawed back more than $40 million that was intended for Pennsylvanians in need.”
“Medicaid fraud robs hardworking taxpayers, deprives vulnerable Americans of the care they need, and undermines the public trust that sustains our social safety net,” said CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz. “CMS will continue partnering with law enforcement to shut down these scams while establishing new anti-fraud safeguards that flag criminal activity before the money ever leaves the building. This Administration is taking a whole-of-government approach to protecting Medicaid — ensuring the program serves the Americans who depend on it, not criminals seeking to exploit it.”
“Today’s announcement underscores the need to confront Medicaid and Medicare fraud head on,” stated Department of Health and Human Services Inspector General T. March Bell. “The schemes alleged here involved fabricated services, impossible work hours, and claims made while defendants were incarcerated, overseas, or working other jobs. Together with our federal and state partners, we remain steadfast in protecting Medicaid and Medicare by pursuing anyone who seeks to exploit these programs and the people they are designed to serve.”
“Health care fraud is not a victimless crime — it undermines public trust and diverts critical resources from patients who need them,” said FBI Philadelphia Special Agent in Charge Wayne Jacobs. “No single agency can tackle complex health care fraud schemes alone. Let today’s announcement be a warning to those engaging in similar activity: if you seek to exploit our health care systems for personal profit, you should expect the FBI and our partners to uncover your scheme and bring it to an end. Every dollar stolen through fraud is a dollar diverted from patient care, and the FBI will continue its work to safeguard the public's trust and hold accountable those who abuse these vital programs.”
“Health care fraud is not just a financial crime, it threatens public safety and victimizes the American people,” said DEA Philadelphia Special Agent in Charge Timothy Flaherty. “Our message is clear: if you are a medical provider who chooses greed over your professional responsibility, DEA will hold you accountable.”
“IRS Criminal Investigation enforces the nation’s tax laws but also takes particular interest in cases involving fraud against government health care programs,” said Yury Kruty, Special Agent in Charge of the IRS-CI Philadelphia Field Office. “With both law enforcement and financial investigation expertise, our agents are uniquely qualified to assist state, local and federal law enforcement agencies in these matters by tracing financial transactions. The success of these investigations is attributable to the collaborative efforts of our law enforcement partners.”
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (“Fraud Division”). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
The charges and allegations contained in federal indictments and state complaints are merely accusations. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
U.S. v. Pizzo et al
U.S. v. Romsteadt et al
U.S. v. Coccia Jr et al
U.S. v. Murray
U.S. v. Bowie
U.S. v. Benevolent Home Health Care et alDowney Man Who Was Arrested with Loaded Pistol at Trump Golf Club Charged in Federal Complaint with Firearm-Related CrimeRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A Downey man arrested over the weekend at Trump National Golf Club Los Angeles while possessing ammunition on his person and a loaded firearm in his pickup truck was charged today in a federal criminal complaint with a firearm offense.
Jeanine John Taele, 38, is charged with possession of an unregistered short-barreled rifle, a felony that carries a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison.
Taele, who also faces criminal charges in Los Angeles Superior Court stemming from the same incident, is expected to make his initial appearance tomorrow in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles.
“While we are still investigating the motives of this individual, we are thankful he was apprehended before the President’s visit,” said First Assistant United States Attorney Bill Essayli. “Federal and local law enforcement stepped in early and prevented what could have been a dangerous situation from occurring. This investigation remains ongoing.”
“Mr. Taele’s troubling behavior at the President’s public golf course merely days before the President was expected to arrive raised serious red flags for law enforcement and led to the discovery of an unregistered firearm, a loaded weapon, as well as additional items of concern,” said Patrick Grandy, the Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office. “There is no room for error, particularly in light of previous attempts on President Trump’s life, and the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, working with our partners at the U.S. Secret Service, the ATF, and the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, will investigate this case thoroughly.”
“The ATF was honored to offer our subject matter experience to assist this investigation,” said Kenneth R. Cooper, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Los Angeles Field Division. “A potential tragedy was averted due to the exceptional whole-of-government approach in providing the very best public safety response to all citizens in this great nation that we are proud to serve.”
“This case is a strong example of the important work our agents do to keep the individuals we protect and our protected sites safe, starting well before each and every visit,” said Armando Marquez, Special Agent in Charge of the United States Secret Service’s Los Angeles Field Office. “Since the moment our agents became aware of this individual, they’ve worked tirelessly with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and our federal partners to investigate this case. We take seriously any information that could indicate a potential threat to individuals under Secret Service protection and we’re deeply grateful for the prompt and thorough work by our agents and law enforcement partners.”
According to an affidavit filed with the complaint, on July 31, federal agents conducted a security assessment at Trump National Golf Club Los Angeles in Rancho Palos Verdes taken in advance of a visit to the club by President Donald J. Trump on August 4.
During this security assessment, federal agents saw a suspicious individual later identified as Taele at the club. Taele was seen walking throughout the golf course at Trump Golf Club, was wearing an earpiece, and took photographs and filmed videos of federal agents’ security-planning activities. Taele later left the area and drove away.
On August 2, Taele returned to Trump Golf Club. Golf course staff notified federal agents, who were continuing their security assessment. Taele approached the federal agents and stated that he was employed by the State Department and was at the location for security detail. Taele further admitted to having a loaded firearm in his car, which was parked in the Trump Golf Club parking lot.
Federal agents contacted the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD) and sheriff’s deputies arrived at the club. LASD deputies learned that Taele was wanted in connection with a robbery case out of El Segundo. Taele was detained and a 16-round magazine containing hollow-point ammunition was found in his pants pockets.
A search of Taele’s pickup truck led to the seizure of a loaded 9mm pistol with a loaded magazine containing hollow-point ammunition, a pair of binoculars, and a badge that read, “security protection agent.”
A search of Taele’s residence on August 3 led to the seizure of an illegally modified AR-platform rifle, other firearms, body armor, high-capacity magazines, an earpiece, two radio signal devices, and multiple notebooks containing concerning statements.
A criminal complaint contains merely allegations, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The FBI, the United States Secret Service, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are investigating this matter with substantial assistance from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
Assistant United States Attorney Jordan Patterson of the General Crimes Section is prosecuting this case.
District Man Sentenced to 114 Months in Armed Kidnapping of 14-Year-Old GirlRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Antoine Jones, 24, of the District of Columbia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 114 months in prison in connection with the armed kidnapping of a 14-year-old girl, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
“Antoine Jones held a gun to the face of a 14-year-old girl, drove her across the city, and delivered her to a man he knew would continue terrorizing her,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “Targeting a child is heinous under any circumstance, but pointing a gun at her head to force her compliance is uniquely cruel. My office will continue to pursue prison sentences for anyone who preys on the young people of this city.”
Jones pleaded guilty before Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly to one count of kidnapping while armed. In addition to the 114-month prison term, Judge Kollar-Kotelly ordered Jones to serve five years of supervised release.
According to court papers, on Sept. 26, 2024, Jones was driving a car in Northwest D.C. when he crossed paths with Keishawn Johnson, who was driving a separate vehicle. Johnson gestured for Jones to follow him, and Jones did so.
The two men drove to the 1300 block of Longfellow Street NW, where Johnson pulled over near the minor victim, who was standing on the sidewalk.
The minor victim got into Johnson's vehicle. Johnson then got out, came around to where the victim was sitting, and pointed a firearm in her face, demanding that she tell him the location of a gun he believed she had taken.
Jones joined Johnson at the vehicle, blocking the victim from getting away. Jones pointed his own firearm in the victim's face and demanded the same information.
When the minor victim said she did not have the gun, Johnson grabbed her by the arm and moved her into Jones's car. Johnson buckled her into the passenger seat and directed Jones to take her cell phone, which Jones did.
Police arrived at the scene after a bystander called 911. Johnson fled in his vehicle, and Jones followed with the minor victim still in his car.
Jones drove the minor victim to Johnson's residence in Southeast D.C., against her will and waited outside while Johnson brought her inside to continue searching for the missing firearm. Johnson later brought the minor victim back out, placed her in his vehicle, and drove off with her again. Jones left the scene at that point.
Jones has three prior adult criminal convictions and was on probation in two of those cases at the time of the offense.
Joining U.S. Attorney Pirro in the announcement was FBI Assistant Director in Charge Darren B. Cox of the Washington Field Office and Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI Washington Field Office and the Metropolitan Police Department.
The matter was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Caroline Burrell.
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Convicted Felon Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for $50 Million Real Estate Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
MIAMI – A convicted felon has been sentenced to federal prison for his leading role in a real estate fraud scheme that raised over $50 million from investors.
U.S. District Judge Jose E. Martinez sentenced Jean Joseph, also known as “Jon,” 55, of Boca Raton, to 240 months in prison after he pleaded guilty to wire fraud. A restitution hearing is set for September 4. Janalie Camille Bingham, his 44-year-old wife and accomplice who also goes by Janalie Camille Joseph, was sentenced to 48 months for her part in the crime.
“Jean Joseph was already serving a federal prison sentence for wire fraud when he continued directing another massive investment scheme from behind bars,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones. “He lied about the company’s assets, diverted millions of dollars into speculative trading and personal expenses, and used new investor money to pay earlier investors. This 20-year sentence delivers serious accountability for an unrepentant fraudster who repeatedly abused the trust of his victims.”
According to court documents, Joseph and Bingham formed Wells Real Estate Investment, LLC in or around 2017 and operated the company together, with Bingham serving as the Chief Executive Officer. Beginning in approximately 2019, Joseph and Bingham concealed Joseph’s involvement in the business after he became a convicted felon.
Despite beginning to serve a prison sentence in June 2020 in an unrelated wire fraud case (19-cr-20177), Joseph continued to direct aspects of the scheme from prison. Earlier, in October 2019, Joseph and Bingham opened a bank account in the name of Wells Real Estate, with Bingham as the sole authorized signer due to Joseph’s pending criminal prosecution. Joseph nevertheless directed transactions in the account, including while incarcerated.
From approximately 2019 through 2024, Joseph and Bingham solicited investors to purchase promissory notes issued by Wells Real Estate. They falsely represented that investor funds would be used to acquire and improve residential and commercial real estate and that the notes were backed by valuable real estate holdings. In reality, only a small portion of investor funds was used for real estate. Instead, Joseph diverted approximately $28 million into speculative equities trading.
Joseph and Bingham also falsely claimed that the investment notes were secured by a real estate portfolio purportedly worth as much as $450 million. In truth, neither Wells Real Estate nor the defendants owned sufficient real estate assets to secure the investments.
Joseph and Bingham further misled investors by claiming that Wells Real Estate did not pay commissions on note sales. In fact, the company paid up to 15% in commissions, distributing approximately $8 million in investor funds to sales personnel.
To sustain the scheme, the defendants used funds from newer investors to make more than $8 million in Ponzi-style payments to earlier investors, without disclosing the source of those payments.
They also used more than $2 million in investor funds for personal expenses, including a down payment on a $1.95 million home that they used as their primary residence. Shortly after purchasing the home through a limited liability company, the property was transferred into Bingham’s name.
U.S. Attorney Reding Quiñones and Special Agent in Charge Brett D. Skiles of the FBI, Miami Field Office, made the announcement.
FBI Miami is investigating the case. The U.S. Attorney’s Office appreciates the assistance of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, which previously brought a civil action against Joseph and Bingham.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Eli S. Rubin and Roger Cruz are prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Grosnoff is handling asset forfeiture.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 25-cr-20483.
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Convicted Felon Sentenced to 10 Years for Highway Shooting that Injured Two PeopleRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Anil Dabydeen, 41, of Charlotte, was sentenced today to 10 years in prison followed by three years of supervised release for illegally possessing the stolen firearm he used to shoot at vehicles on I-485, injuring two people, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
“We will use federal statutes to charge federal crimes when individuals act recklessly with firearms,” said U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson. “No one driving on the highway should be in fear they are going to be shot by a passerby. My office is diligently working to remove felons illegally possessing handguns from our streets and send them to prison where they cannot harm innocent people.”
“Taking violent and dangerous individuals off our streets is a critical effort that ATF is proud to be a part of,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Alicia Jones. “We continue to work with our law enforcement partners to apprehend those that pose the biggest threat to our public safety.”
“Violent acts like this have no place in our city, and this case shows what can be accomplished when strong partnerships work together to protect the community. Our officers, federal partners, and prosecutors moved quickly and decisively to hold this offender accountable,” said Chief of Police Estella D. Patterson. “CMPD remains firmly committed to working with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, ATF and all of our public safety partners to address violent crime, remove dangerous individuals from our streets and ensure the safety of everyone who lives, works, and travels in Charlotte.”
According to court documents and the court hearing, on January 8, 2025, at 3:49 p.m., officers with the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) were dispatched to I-485 at the South Tryon Street exit after receiving several 911 calls reporting a male operating a white Honda sedan on the highway shooting at passing vehicles. CMPD officers arrived on the scene and located two victims who had been shot. The victims told the officers that they were traveling south on I-485 when their vehicle was struck by gunfire. Both victims were transported to the hospital, and one required surgery because of the injuries sustained. While on the scene, the officers reviewed a video recorded by a witness. The video showed a white sedan stopped on the side of the highway, and an individual, later identified as Dabydeen, walking around the vehicle, brandishing a firearm and pointing it at passing vehicles. Dabydeen had shot the victims’ car three times.
While the officers were investigating the incident, they observed a white Honda sedan driving in their direction at a high rate of speed. The vehicle swerved onto the grassy area on the right shoulder of the highway, passing close by the officers. The officers recognized the vehicle as the one observed during the shooting and began to pursue it while the driver fled. Eventually, Dabydeen stopped the vehicle, and he was taken into custody. Officers searched the vehicle and found a loaded Taurus Model G3c, 9mm pistol affixed with a loaded extended magazine. The firearm had been reported stolen. During the investigation, law enforcement determined that Dabydeen has a prior felony conviction for Attempted Murder in New York, and he is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition.
Dabydeen remains in federal custody. He will be transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation to a federal facility.
The ATF and CMPD led the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie Spaugh of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte handled the prosecution.
Columbus Woman Sentenced as Career Offender for Distributing MethRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ga. – A Georgia woman with a lengthy criminal record and prior convictions in two states was sentenced as a career offender to serve 20 years in prison for distributing methamphetamine.
“Career offenders face significant consequences in the federal system when they repeatedly violate the law and endanger our communities,” said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes. “By working closely with law enforcement partners at every level, our office is committed to holding these individuals accountable and ensuring justice is served.”
“Repeat drug traffickers who continue to profit from the distribution of dangerous narcotics pose a significant threat to our communities,” said Jae W. Chung, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division. “Today’s sentence demonstrates that career offenders who repeatedly engage in methamphetamine trafficking will be held accountable. DEA remains committed to working alongside our law enforcement and prosecutorial partners to disrupt drug trafficking organizations and protect the public from the devastating impact of methamphetamine.”
“The Muscogee County Sheriff’s Office takes a very firm stance on ridding our community of illegal and dangerous drugs,” said Muscogee County Sheriff Greg Countryman. “We are proud to work with our federal partners to leverage resources for a safer Muscogee County. The MCSO remains committed to ensuring Muscogee County is a safer place to work and live for all citizens.”
Conier Long, 49, of Columbus, was sentenced as a career offender to serve 240 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release by U.S. District Judge Clay Land on Aug. 3. Long previously pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of methamphetamine on Jan. 20, 2026. There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court documents, DEA agents and Muscogee County Sheriff’s Office deputies used a confidential source to conduct a controlled purchase of methamphetamine from Long, who was under investigation for drug trafficking. On Jan. 25, 2023, Long agreed to meet the source to distribute methamphetamine. During this conversation, Long also stated that she had to report to her parole officer for a drug test. Later that day, Long met the confidential source at the Players Billiard Club on 54th Street in Columbus and handed over a cardboard box containing 107.81 grams of pure methamphetamine.
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.
The DEA and the Muscogee County Sherrif’s Office investigated the case, and it was prosecuted by the Columbus Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Georgia.
Clarendon County Armed Drug Dealer Sentenced to 20 Years in Federal Prison for Drug and Gun OffensesRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Everett Sabb, 37, of Summerton, has been sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distribution of 500 grams or more of cocaine and 28 grams or more of cocaine base, felon in possession of a firearm, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.
Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that Sabb was a supplier of cocaine, crack, and marijuana in the Clarendon County area. On at least one occasion, he traveled to California to meet with potential drug suppliers on behalf of his coconspirator.
Law enforcement discovered Sabb with firearms or ammunition on two occasions. Sabb was prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition due to his prior state felony convictions, which included convictions for Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine Base, Distribution of Cocaine Base with the Proximality of a School or Park, and Unlawful Carrying of a Pistol.
United States District Judge Joseph F. Anderson Jr. sentenced Anderson to 240 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by a 4-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and Clarendon County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elle E. Klein is prosecuting the case.