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18 September 2026
Hartford, Connecticut Man Charged with Distributing Cocaine Base in Brattleboro, VermontRead the Press Release
BURLINGTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that Shameik Camara, of Hartford, Connecticut, has been charged by criminal complaint with knowingly and intentionally distributing cocaine base, a Schedule II controlled substance.
On September 17, 2026, Camara appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle, who ordered that Camara be detained during the pendency of this matter.
According to court records, Camara’s charge resulted from a controlled purchase in which Camara is alleged to have sold 39 grams of cocaine base to a law enforcement confidential informant in Brattleboro, Vermont. That purchase was one of a series of seventeen video-recorded controlled purchases arranged by law enforcement using a phone associated with Camara, which in total resulted in the distribution of over 293 grams of cocaine base and over 91 grams of fentanyl.
The United States Attorney’s Office emphasizes that the complaint contains allegations only and that Camara is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. Camara faces up to 20 years of imprisonment if convicted. The actual sentence, however, would be determined by the District Court with guidance from the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines and the statutory sentencing factors.
First Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan A. Ophardt commended the investigatory efforts of the Vermont Drug Task Force, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Brattleboro Police Department, and the Police Department of Hartford, Connecticut.
The prosecutor is Assistant United States Attorney David Golubock. Camara is represented by the Office of the Federal Public Defender.
Guatemalan National Sentenced to Federal Prison for Attempting to Meet a Minor to Engage in Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – Ismael Osbaldo Pedro Tomas (24, Guatemala) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber to 10 years in federal prison for attempted enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity. Pedro Tomas pleaded guilty on May 27, 2026. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents, between July 22 and August 11, 2025, Pedro Tomas communicated online with someone whom he believed was a 13-year-old prostitute. That individual, however, was an undercover detective with the Marion County Sheriff’s Office. During the conversation, Pedro Tomas discussed the sexual activity in which he wanted to engage and the associated costs. Ultimately, he traveled to a predetermined meeting location in Marion County to meet the minor for that purpose. Pedro Tomas was arrested by law enforcement when he arrived at the meeting location.
This case was investigated by the Marion County Sheriff’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg.
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 United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), 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 www.justice.gov/psc.
Georgia man indicted for traveling to Kansas to have sex with minorRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. – A Georgia man made his initial appearance before a U.S. magistrate judge after a federal grand jury in Wichita returned an indictment charging him with crossing state lines to allegedly have sex with a minor.
According to court documents, Cameron Blount, 24, of Savannah, Georgia, was indicted on one count of travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct.
In February 2026, Blount is accused of traveling from Georgia to Kansas intending to take part in sexual conduct with a minor victim.
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Chanute Police Department are investigating the case.
Project Safe Childhood
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 https://www.justice.gov/psc.An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
###Georgia Man Sentenced for Using Defunct Trucking Company to Steal More Than $170,000 in COVID-19 Relief FundsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Preston Fleming, 68, of Ducula, Georgia was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 6-months of home confinement in connection with a scheme to fraudulently obtain more than $170,000 in COVID-19 disaster relief loans for a trucking company that had ceased operating years earlier, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
“Fleming lied about his company’s operations, lied about how the money would be used, and then lied again to have the loan forgiven, all so he could build himself a new home with pandemic relief funds meant to save struggling small businesses,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “My office will continue to hold accountable anyone who treated disaster relief programs as a personal piggy bank.”
“Preston Fleming’s conduct reflects a blatant audacity to commit fraud. As a former HUD employee, he knew the responsibilities that come with public service, yet he chose to exploit a national emergency for personal gain,” according to HUD Office of Inspector General, Special Agent in Charge Jerome Winkle. “Applying for substantial COVID‑19 relief funds for a business he had already closed undermines the integrity of programs meant to support Americans in crisis. Our office remains steadfast in bringing accountability to those who abuse federal relief efforts.”
Fleming pleaded guilty on April 17, 2026, before U.S. District Judge Beryl A. Howell to one count of wire fraud. In addition to 6-months home confinement, Judge Howell ordered Fleming to serve two years of supervised release and to pay the total remaining balance of fraudulently obtained funds. Prosecutors had requested a term of imprisonment.
According to court papers, between 2018 and 2019, Fleming was a co-owner of Fleming Transport Services, Inc. (FTS), a Texas-based trucking company. FTS went out of business before the COVID-19 pandemic and was not an ongoing concern by January 2020. Despite that, between April 2020 and June 2021, Fleming submitted a series of false and fraudulent loan applications to the Small Business Administration in which he sought disaster relief funds through the Paycheck Protection Program and Economic Injury Disaster Loan program.
Fleming falsely certified that FTS was operational as of January 2020 and that the loan proceeds would be used for payroll and other covered operating expenses. Based on the misrepresentations, the SBA and third-party lenders funded about $172,500 in loans. Rather than using the funds to support FTS, Fleming spent the loan proceeds on personal expenses. He bought land in Dacula, Georgia, and spent loan money to build a personal residence on that property. He also disbursed thousands of dollars in loan proceeds to a relative.
In August 2021, Fleming applied for forgiveness of the company’s $12,994 Paycheck Protection Program loan. On the application, Fleming falsely certified that he had complied with all program requirements. Based on those fraudulent documents, the SBA forgave the loan in full, plus interest.
The investigation was conducted by U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Office of the Inspector General. The matter was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nickolas Reck, and Trial Attorneys Alexandre Dempsey and Aaron Jennen of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section.
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 Department of Justice’s Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in federal districts across the country, has charged more than 6,200 defendants who collectively billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $45 billion since 2007. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
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Georgetown Man Sentenced to 30 Years for Production of Child Sexual Assault MaterialRead the Press Release
COVINGTON, Ky. – A Georgetown, Ky., man, Brent Comstock, 45, was sentenced on Wednesday to 30 years in prison by Chief U.S. District Judge David Bunning for production of child pornography.
According to his plea agreement, Comstock sexually abused a prepubescent minor with whom he had a quasi-familial relationship and created sexually explicit pictures/videos of the abuse. Law enforcement learned about the abuse when the victim’s mother discovered an image that had been inadvertently shared from Comstock’s Google account to another family member’s tablet. Law enforcement later executed a search warrant of Comstock’s residence, locating his cell phone and a tool bag containing children’s underwear in a safe in his bedroom. Law enforcement also located implements of sexual abuse that they would later observe in Comstock’s videos of the victim. A subsequent review of Comstock’s phone revealed at least 603 sexually explicit visual depictions of the victim. After his arrest, Comstock made several incriminating statements to his family members about his sexual abuse of the victim.
The court record shows that Comstock requested a psychological evaluation for sanity and competency. Being deemed both sane and competent, Comstock attempted to claim diminished capacity at sentencing based on a diagnosis of “delusional disorder”—his delusion being that he was in a “romantic relationship” with a prepubescent minor. Psychologists with the Bureau of Prisons’ Federal Correctional Complex in Butner, North Carolina, therefore provided significant assistance to Comstock’s prosecution.
“One instance of child sexual abuse inflicts unspeakable harm to a child; protracted sexual abuse compounds that harm; and repeatedly capturing the child’s moments of sexual trauma exponentially increases the harm to the point of devastation,” said Jason Parman, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky. “Apex predators deserve apex penalties to proportionally reflect the damage they have caused and to send a message to other would-be predators. While 30 years only minimally reflects the lifelong impact on this young victim, it will allow her to feel safe from her abuser well into her adulthood, protect the general public, and send a deterrent message.”
Jason Parman, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Olivia Olson, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office; and Chief Darin Allgood, Georgetown Police Department, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by FBI and Georgetown Police Department. Collaboration from Kelli Kearney, Commonwealth Attorney for Kentucky’s Fourteenth Judicial District, facilitated the federal adoption of the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Melton prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
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Former banker sentenced for defrauding bank through PPP loan schemeRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 38-year-old Houston man has been ordered to federal prison for conspiring to defraud his former employer through fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans.
Feliciano Pineda pleaded guilty Feb. 12.
U.S. District Judge George C. Hanks Jr. ordered Pineda to serve 50 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard that Pineda, a former banker, helped customers obtain millions of dollars in fraudulent loans and later obstructed the investigation. Pineda was also ordered to pay approximately $2.2 million in total restitution to his victims.
As part of his plea, Pineda admitted to creating a fake LLC and opening a business bank account to receive kickback checks from customers he helped obtain fraudulent loans.
Pineda worked at a Houston bank at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. From April through August 2020, he used his position to process fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program loans for businesses that did not qualify because they either did not exist or had falsely inflated their financial information.
Pineda personally benefited from the scheme, receiving more than $200,000 in load proceeds from borrowers whose PPP loans he helped facilitate.
Pineda was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The Secret Service, U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, and Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation - Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie Bauman prosecuted the case.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division, which 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.
Feds Charge Russian National for Illegally Voting in the 2024 Presidential ElectionRead the Press Release
DETROIT – Victoria Viktorovna Aquilina, 43, a Russian national, was charged today with illegally voting in the 2024 presidential election, United States Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon Jr. announced.
Gorgon was joined in the announcement by Jared Murphey, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Detroit.
Aquilina was charged in an Information with voting by an alien.
Aquilina first entered the United States using her Russian passport over 20 years ago, on a visa obtained through an au pair program. Aquilina never became a naturalized citizen. But she voted in-person in the 2024 presidential election.
“American elections are for American citizens. And foreigners who undermine our election integrity threaten our republican institutions,” said U.S. Attorney Gorgon.
“Election integrity is national security,” said HSI Detroit Special Agent in Charge Jared Murphey. “If you are not a United States citizen, you do not get to vote in American elections, and if you do, HSI will work relentlessly with our partners to identify you, investigate you, and bring you before the justice system. HSI Detroit will not tolerate unlawful conduct that undermines public confidence in our democratic process.”
This case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations.
An information is only a charge and not evidence of guilt. A defendant is presumed innocent. It is the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Federal grand jury indicts Brooklyn man on charges of production and distribution of child pornographyRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that a federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging Alexey Aleksandrovich Moskalyuk, 27, of Brooklyn, NY, with production and distribution of child pornography, which carry a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison and a maximum of 30 years.
According to the indictment and a previously filed complaint, law enforcement was alerted on August 3, 2026, to a report involving a missing minor. Investigators examined electronic devices provided by the minor’s parent, which revealed communications between the minor and Moskalyuk on social media.
The minor was located the following day in Niagara Falls, NY, accompanied by Moskalyuk, who had traveled from Brooklyn, NY. The investigation recovered evidence of sexually explicit communications and recordings involving the minor and Moskalyuk, as well as Moskalyuk’s participation in an online group that facilitated harmful interactions between adults and minors.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sasha Mascarenhas. The indictment is the result of an investigation by the FBI Buffalo Office, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Allen D. Davis, II and the Albion Police Department, under the direction of Chief David Mogle. Additional assistance was provided by the Orleans County Sheriff’s Office and the Honolulu FBI Office.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Federal Judge Sentences Venezuelan Illegal Alien to 48 Months After He Assaulted a Federal Agent and Grabbed His GunRead the Press Release
DETROIT – This week, a federal judge sentenced a Venezuelan illegal alien to 48 months in federal prison. The illegal alien pleaded guilty in May to assaulting a federal law enforcement officer and grabbing the officer’s firearm, announced United States Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon, Jr.
Gorgon was joined in the announcement by Jared Murphey, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations Detroit and ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Detroit acting Field Office Director Kevin Raycraft.
The court sentenced Arnoldo Jose Marquez-Pulido, 33, an illegal alien from Venezuela who illegally entered the United States via the US-Mexico border in April 2024. Despite having no visa or other travel document that would allow him to lawfully enter the United States, the government in 2024 paroled Marquez-Pulido into the United States.
According to court documents, law enforcement officers assigned to the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) were conducting surveillance of businesses in the Utica area after learning that illegal aliens were working as delivery drivers. While on surveillance, agents observed a car registered to Marquez-Pulido depart a parking lot of one of the businesses. Agents activated their vehicle emergency equipment and attempted a traffic stop. Marquez-Pulido briefly stopped before fleeing at a high rate of speed. To avoid a dangerous vehicle chase, agents deactivated their emergency equipment and continued to follow Marquez-Pulido at a safe distance. When Marquez-Pulido returned to the business location, he fled on foot and ignored a Task Force agent’s commands to stop, forcing the agent to tackle Marquez-Pulido as he fled into the business. Marquez-Pulido forcibly resisted arrest, assaulting the agent by striking him in the face with his elbow. Marquez-Pulido then reached for and removed the agent’s service firearm, a Glock Model 19 pistol, from the agent’s holster and briefly wielded it before losing control of the weapon. Additional Task Force officers and agents arrived on scene and recovered the firearm. Marquez-Pulido continued to forcibly resist and had to be restrained. Marquez-Pulido injured one agent’s elbow, knees, hands, and face. Another agent injured his knee. Both agents required hospital treatment.
“This illegal alien sped away from federal agents and then created a potentially deadly fight when he grabbed an agent’s gun. Our federal agents put their lives on the line every day to protect Americans against dangerous illegal aliens like this man. He should never have been in our country,” said U.S. Attorney Gorgon.
“Marquez-Pulido turned a lawful enforcement action into a violent confrontation when he assaulted a federal agent and grabbed for a gun,” said HSI Detroit Special Agent in Charge Jared Murphey. “That kind of brazen disregard for law enforcement and public safety will be met with consequences. HSI Detroit and our partners will continue to track down those who threaten our communities and put agents’ lives at risk.”
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that Marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Federal Grand Jury Indicts Illegal Alien from Mexico for Voter Fraud, False Statement in Passport Application, Unlawfully Possessing a Firearm, and Other CrimesRead the Press Release
BOISE – A federal grand jury in Boise returned an indictment charging Fredy Avila Gomez, with Wire Fraud, Theft of Government Funds, False Statement of Citizenship in Order to Vote, Voting by Alien, False Statement in Application of Passport, Fraud in Connection with Identification Documents—Production, False Statement During Purchase of Firearm, and Unlawful Possession of Firearm, U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis announced today.
According to court records, from at least March 2017 until in or about June 2026, Gomez knowingly devised and intended to devise a scheme to defraud departments and agencies of the United States and Idaho, including Health and Human Servies, Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services, and the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare. During that time, Gomez allegedly fraudulently obtained Idaho identification cards using a false and fraudulent birth certificate and falsely claiming to be a United States citizen and/or national. The indictment further alleges Gomez used the identification cards and birth certificate to fraudulently obtain a passport, Medicaid benefits, and a firearm.
Gomez also allegedly falsely claimed to be a United States citizen to register to vote and thereafter voted in May 2022 and November 2024.
Gomez is scheduled for an initial court appearance on September 21, 2026, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Debora K. Grasham of the U.S. District Court for the District of Idaho. If convicted, Gomez faces a maximum of 20 years in federal prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Davis commended the work of Homeland Security Investigations; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General; and U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, which led to the charges.
Assistant United States Attorneys Sean Mazorol and Darci Crane are prosecuting the case.
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.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Fayette County Man Sentenced for Armed Methamphetamine and Firearms TraffickingRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. – A Lexington, Ky., man, Martaveus Lee Bell Jr., 32, was sentenced on Friday to 240 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Karen Caldwell for two counts of distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine; one count of possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine; one count of trafficking in firearms; one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; and one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Between February and March of 2025, law enforcement conducted a series of controlled drug and firearm transactions with Bell in Lexington, Kentucky. During this period, a confidential informant purchased multiple quantities of high‑purity methamphetamine from Bell, totaling more than 480 grams of methamphetamine. The informant also purchased two firearms from Bell after Bell agreed to supply weapons despite knowing the informant was a convicted felon. The investigation culminated in the execution of a federal search warrant in June at a residence occupied by Bell. During the search, law enforcement seized more than 1.5 kilograms of high‑purity methamphetamine, over 83 grams of fentanyl, two loaded stolen firearms, ammunition, and more than $20,000 in cash. Per his plea agreement, Bell admitted to possessing the seized narcotics with the intent to distribute them. He further admitted to possessing the recovered firearms to further his drug trafficking activities and despite knowing that he was prohibited as a convicted felon from possessing them.
Jason Parman, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; John Nokes, Special Agent in Charge, ATF, Louisville Field Division; and Chief Travis Thompson, Winchester Police Department, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by the ATF and Winchester Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paco Villalobos prosecuted the case on behalf of 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.
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Ex-Energy Trader for Vitol Sentenced to 48 Months in Prison for $500 Million International Bribery SchemeRead the Press Release
BROOKLYN, NY – Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Javier Aguilar was sentenced to 48 months in prison for his role in two interrelated schemes to bribe Ecuadorian and Mexican government officials. In February 2024, Aguilar was convicted at trial of conspiring to violate the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FPCA), violating the FCPA, and money laundering in connection with a scheme to bribe Ecuadorian officials. Aguilar subsequently pleaded guilty to charges arising out of a related scheme to bribe officials at PEMEX Procurement International (PPI), a wholly owned affiliate of the Mexican state-owned oil company, PEMEX. The trial and sentencing were held before United States District Judge Eric N. Vitaliano. In addition to the custodial sentence, Aguilar was also ordered to pay approximately $7.13 million in criminal forfeiture and a $100,000 fine. Restitution will be determined at a later date. Aguilar will be deported to Mexico upon completion of his prison term.
Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York (EDNY); Tysen Duva, Assistant Attorney General for the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division; and Brett Skiles, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Miami Field Office (FBI), announced the sentence.
“Today’s sentence sends a powerful message of deterrence to those who might be tempted to engage in similar bribery schemes,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “This case is a demonstration of our Office’s long-standing commitment to rooting out corruption in the commodities markets. We will be indefatigable in protecting American interests from corruption that unfairly tilts the playing field and threatens American businesses.”
“Today’s sentence makes clear that corrupt actors, like Javier Aguilar, who facilitated and led two major international bribery and money laundering schemes will be brought to justice and punished accordingly,” stated Assistant Attorney General Duva. “We will root out those who brazenly undermine the rule of law and use our financial system to launder their corrupt funds, and we will prosecute them to the fullest extent of the law.”
“Today’s sentencing underscores the FBI’s unwavering commitment to protecting U.S. interests by dismantling complex bribery and corruption schemes that compromise global markets. This case demonstrates that individuals who attempt to corrupt foreign officials and manipulate international commerce will be held accountable. We will continue working alongside our partners to ensure the integrity of the financial system and safeguard American businesses,” stated FBI Miami Special Agent in Charge Skiles.
Mr. Nocella expressed his appreciation to the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas for their assistance on the case.
Between 2015 and 2020, Aguilar was a trader in the Houston office of Vitol, Inc. (Vitol), the U.S. affiliate of the Vitol group of companies, which together form one of the world’s largest energy trading firms. As part of the scheme, Aguilar and his co-conspirators agreed to bribe senior Ecuadorian officials to obtain a $300 million contract to purchase fuel oil for Vitol. Aguilar and his co-conspirators used another Middle Eastern state-owned entity to circumvent Petroecuador’s restrictions on contracts with private companies. In return for the promise and payments of bribes, the Ecuadorian officials then ensured that the Middle Eastern state-owned entity and Vitol were awarded the contract.
To conceal the scheme, Aguilar and his co-conspirators used a series of fake contracts, sham invoices, and shell entities incorporated in Curacao, Panama, and Cayman Islands. Aguilar also used alias email accounts to communicate with his co-conspirators.
The evidence at trial also demonstrated that Aguilar used the same system of shell entities and sham invoices to launder bribe payments to two officials at PPI. In total, Aguilar paid approximately $600,000 in bribes to PPI officials to obtain contracts for Vitol to supply hundreds of millions of dollars of ethane gas to PEMEX.
The jury convicted Aguilar of conspiracy to violate the FCPA and violating the FCPA in connection with the Ecuador bribery scheme, and conspiracy to commit money laundering in connection with the Ecuador and Mexico bribery schemes. Aguilar separately pleaded guilty to conspiracy to violate the FCPA and to violate the Travel Act in connection with the Mexico bribery scheme.
Seven of Aguilar’s co-conspirators, including three foreign government officials, have pleaded guilty for their roles in the schemes. These individuals have collectively agreed to forfeit more than $63 million in proceeds from the schemes.
In December 2020, Vitol admitted to bribing officials in Ecuador, Mexico, and Brazil in violation of the anti-bribery provisions of the FCPA. Vitol entered into a deferred prosecution agreement with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York and the Criminal Division’s White Collar and Corporate Enforcement Section. As a part of the resolution, Vitol agreed to pay a combined $135 million in penalties as part of a coordinated resolution with the Justice Department, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, and authorities in Brazil.
FBI Miami’s International Corruption Squad investigated the case.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Business and Securities Fraud Section and the Criminal Division’s White Collar and Corporate Enforcement and Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture (MNF) Sections. Assistant United States Attorney Nick M. Axelrod, Assistant Chief Derek J. Ettinger of the White Collar and Enforcement Section, and Trial Attorney D. Hunter Smith of the Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Deputy Chief Suzanne Elmilady and Assistant United States Attorney Sherin Daniel of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas. Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan P. Lax of the Eastern District of New York was also responsible for the case. The MNF Special Financial Investigations Unit and the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs also provided substantial assistance in this case.
The Defendant:
JAVIER AGUILAR
Age: 52
Houston, TexasE.D.N.Y. Docket Nos. 20-CR-390 (ENV) / 24-CR-304 (ENV)
Eleven accused of auto theft from warehouse in downtown St. LouisRead the Press Release
EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – A grand jury charged 11 southern Illinois residents with various federal crimes for their alleged involvement in a criminal enterprise to sell vehicles and motorcycles stolen from a warehouse in downtown St. Louis.
“Federal criminal law specifically applies to criminal rings that attempt to evade detection by working across state lines,” said U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft. “This case shows what happens when federal, state, county, and local agencies on both sides of the river refuse to let a geographic boundary become an impediment to bringing offenders to justice.”
According to the indictment, conspirators made multiple trips to steal vehicles and motorcycles from the warehouse. The conspirators then transported the stolen goods back to southern Illinois to conceal and sell. The alleged conduct occurred from December 2025 through April 2026.
“Thanks to the comprehensive and collaborative investigative work of the FBI, together with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, the deliberate activities of these 11 individuals have been disrupted,” said FBI Springfield Special Agent in Charge Ryan Presley. “We are not done, and we will not waver in our commitment to identify and investigate people and their criminal enterprises across Southern Illinois.”
The indictment states some of the stolen items include a 1972 Chevrolet Chevelle SS, a 1997 John Deere 6675 skid steer, a 1937 Ford dirt track race car, a white race car and numerous motorcycles.
The grand jury charged:
- Ashley J. Fulmer, 29, of Godfrey, with one count of conspiracy against the U.S. and one count of sale or possession of stolen motor vehicle.
- Jason A. Bristow, 46, of Alton, with one count of conspiracy against the U.S. and two counts of sale or possession of stolen motor vehicle.
- Trevonte L. Caldwell, 30, of Brighton, with one count of conspiracy against the U.S. and two counts of sale or possession of stolen motor vehicle.
- Jeremy D. Churchman, 46, of Brighton, with one count of conspiracy against the U.S. and two counts of sale or possession of stolen motor vehicle.
- Brenda L. Donithan, 28, of Alton, with one count of conspiracy against the U.S. and one count of sale or possession of stolen motor vehicle.
- Ethan C. Humbert, 50, of Bunker Hill, with one count of sale or possession of stolen motor vehicle.
- Douglas F. Manns, 48, of Alton, with one count of conspiracy against the U.S. and four counts of sale or possession of stolen motor vehicle.
- Wesley P. Martin, 28, of Wood River, with one count of conspiracy against the U.S. and one count of interstate transportation of a stolen vehicle.
- Christopher M. Palmer, 48, of Godfrey, with one count of conspiracy against the U.S. and one count of sale or possession of stolen motor vehicle.
- Robert L. Tidwell, 59, of Brighton, with one count of conspiracy against the U.S. and three counts of interstate transportation of a stolen vehicle.
- Michael A. Wittman, 51, of Alton, with one count of conspiracy against the U.S. and two counts of sale or possession of stolen motor vehicle.
An indictment is merely a formal charge against a defendant. Under the law, a defendant is presumed to be innocent of a charge until proved guilty beyond a reasonable doubt to the satisfaction of a jury.
Convictions for sale or possession of stolen motor vehicle and interstate transportation of a stolen vehicle are punishable by up to 10 years’ imprisonment and conspiracy against the U.S. are up to 5 years.
The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, the Metro East Auto Theft Task Force, the Alton Police Department, the FBI Springfield Field Office, the St. Clair County Sheriff’s Department, the Madison County Sheriff’s Department, the Macoupin County Sheriff’s Department, the Illinois State Police, St. Louis County Police and the Bridgeton Police Department contributed to the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney John Trippi is prosecuting the case.
District of Arizona Charges 289 Individuals for Immigration-Related Criminal Conduct this WeekRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – During the week of enforcement operations from Sep. 12 through Sep. 18, 2026, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona brought immigration-related criminal charges against 289 individuals. Specifically, the United States filed 152 cases in which aliens illegally re-entered the United States, and the United States also charged 113 aliens for illegally entering the United States. In its ongoing effort to deter unlawful immigration, the United States filed 21 cases against 24 individuals responsible for smuggling illegal aliens into and within the District of Arizona.
These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE-ERO), ICE- Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the FBI, the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Recent matters of interest include:
United States v. Brandon Hernandez, et al. On Sep. 11, 2026, Brandon Hernandez and Kelssy Ayleen Urzua, both United States citizens, were charged by criminal complaint with Conspiracy to Transport an Illegal Alien. A Pinal County Sheriff’s Deputy conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle that Hernandez was driving, with Urzua as the front seat passenger. During the stop, the Deputy observed two male individuals wearing camouflage clothing hiding in the rear seats. Border Patrol Agents (BPAs) were called to the scene and determined one male passenger was a citizen of Mexico and the other was a citizen of El Salvador, both unlawfully present in the United States. [Case Number: 26-MJ-5460]
United States v. Javier Chavez-Flores. On Sep. 11, 2026, Javier Chavez-Flores was charged by criminal complaint with Reentry of a Removed Alien. Chavez-Flores had been previously removed from the United States in February 2026 after being convicted of Criminal Sexual Conduct in the 3rd degree (Victim Mentally Impaired/Helpless), in the District Court for the State of Minnesota. Chavez-Flores was sentenced to 253 days in prison and 5 years of probation in that case. [Case Number: 26-MJ-5453]
United States v. Leonel Esteban Loreto. Leonel Esteban Loreto was charged by criminal complaint on Sep. 14, 2026, with Transportation of an Illegal Alien for Profit. On Sep. 11, 2026, BPAs near Naco, AZ observed Loreto driving a Chevy Tahoe down a road commonly used for alien smuggling and reverse direction less than one minute later. BPAs attempted to stop the vehicle to conduct an immigration inspection, but Loreto failed to yield. Instead, the driver sped up, reaching speeds of 90-100 mph before finally pulling over. BPAs found a passenger in the rear seat of the Tahoe wearing camouflage clothing. The passenger was determined to be a citizen of Mexico, unlawfully present in the United States. [Case Number: 26-MJ-09711]
A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
RELEASE NUMBER: 2026-161_September 18, 2026 Immigration Enforcement
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Disgraced Former Rocky Mount Cop Sentenced to Almost 4 Years in Federal Prison for Selling CocaineRead the Press Release
RALEIGH N.C. – A federal judge sentenced Linc Oshea Brooks, 56, to over 3 years in federal prison for possession with the intent to distribute cocaine.
“Each day, thousands of men and women courageously put on the badge, kiss goodbye to their families, step into harm’s way, and protect the community from criminal ne'er-do-wells. Unfortunately, a select few choose wrong; breaking the law they swore to enforce,” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle. “This traitor thought he could outsmart the system. Thought the law didn’t apply to him. But instead, he will now sit behind the cold bars of a prison cell and reflect on how treacherously he behaved. Simple Lesson: Drugs Kill; Prison Awaits – Do Right.”
In early 2022, DEA investigators uncovered Brooks’ connection to a cocaine trafficker in Richmond, Virginia. Later that year, another drug trafficker told agents Brooks had been selling up to 5 kilograms of cocaine at a time since 2021.
Investigators continued building their case, and by January 11, 2023, determined that Brooks would be driving up I‑95 to Roanoke Rapids to deliver 9 ounces of cocaine. Nash County Sheriff’s Deputies spotted him commit several traffic violations and pulled him over. During the stop, a K‑9 alerted to drugs in the car, leading deputies to discover 191 grams of cocaine. Brooks became combative at this point, forcing deputies to restrain him.
Following the arrest, law enforcement continued their investigation by searching Brooks’ home. In a shed on the property, deputies found two digital scales with white residue, plastic baggies, and two guns. Inside the house, they located two additional guns in the master bedroom, along with marijuana.
The DEA investigation also revealed that cooperating witnesses had linked Brooks to large‑scale cocaine trafficking dating back to the early 2000s. Although Brooks retired from the Rocky Mount Police Department in 2006, investigators noted that when deputies arrested him in January 2023, he still carried his police shield and law enforcement ID card; revealing how long he hid his illegal ways had remained hidden behind his tarnished badge.
“Law enforcement officers are entrusted with protecting their communities, not exploiting their positions to facilitate drug trafficking,” said Michael J. Connolly, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division. “When an officer becomes involved in drug trafficking, that conduct not only violates the law, but it also betrays the public trust. Today’s sentence reflects the seriousness of those actions and the commitment of law enforcement to hold accountable anyone who chooses to traffic dangerous drugs.”
"Sheriff Keith Stone extends his sincere gratitude to each agency involved in this investigation for their dedication and hard work. Law enforcement professionals are held to the highest standards in order to provide the level of public service our communities deserve. Mr. Brooks violated that trust by swearing an oath to uphold the law and then engaging in the very criminal activity he was entrusted to prevent. Our mission is to keep our citizens and communities safe from crime. When law enforcement and citizens work together, it enhances the community by reducing illegal narcotics, crime, and provides a safe environment for all. "
W. Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan. The DEA, ATF, and Nash County Sherriff’s Office 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. 5:24-CR-00310-FL.
Department of Justice Returns Approximately $2.5 Million in Corruption Proceeds for Victims of the Ex-President of the GambiaRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice is returning approximately $2.5 million in corruption proceeds to the Republic of The Gambia to be used to compensate victims of the Jammeh regime. Yahya Jammeh, the former President of The Gambia, and his wife, Zineb Jammeh, used criminal proceeds and misappropriated Gambian public funds to purchase a mansion in Potomac, Maryland, for their personal use. The Department of Justice forfeited and liquidated that property in United States v. Real Property Located in Potomac, MD, Commonly Known as 9908 Bentcross Drive, 8:20-cv-2071 (D. Md.). As alleged in the complaint, Yahya Jammeh corruptly obtained millions of dollars through the embezzlement of public funds and the solicitation of bribes from businesses seeking to obtain monopoly rights over various sectors of the Gambian economy. Jammeh conspired with his family members and close associates to utilize a host of shell companies and overseas trusts to launder his corrupt proceeds throughout the world.
“This case is an important example of international cooperation to hold accountable those who use our financial system to attempt to hide illicit criminal proceeds,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Returning these funds forfeited from the former leader to compensate his victims demonstrates our commitment to recover funds taken in violation of the rule of law and to return them for the benefit of victims in a lawful process.”
“Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) remains committed to protecting the integrity of the U.S. financial system by ensuring that corrupt foreign officials cannot use the United States to hide, move, or enjoy the proceeds of bribery, embezzlement, and abuse of office,” said Acting Executive Associate Director John A. Condon of HSI. “This return of approximately $2.5 million to The Gambia demonstrates the impact of HSI’s illicit finance investigations and our enduring partnerships to identify, seize, and return stolen assets for the benefit of victims harmed by corruption.”
The recovered funds from the sale of the mansion in Potomac, Maryland, resulted in the return of $2,507,911.73 in net proceeds to The Gambia based on the valuable assistance of officials of The Gambia in cooperation with the United States, which facilitated the successful forfeiture. The agreement entered into with The Gambia provides that it will use these funds to compensate eligible victims of the Jammeh regime, as defined under the Gambian Victims Reparations Act of 2023, which was established to benefit the people harmed by former President Jammeh’s acts of corruption and abuse of office.
The investigation was conducted by HSI’s Illicit Proceeds and Foreign Corruption Group in Miami, with the assistance of HSI Baltimore and the HSI Attaché Office in Dakar. HSI established this group in 2003 to conduct investigations into the laundering of proceeds emanating from foreign public corruption, bribery, and embezzlement. HSI’s goal is to prevent foreign-derived, ill-gotten gains from entering the U.S. financial infrastructure.
The case was handled by Trial Attorneys Steven Parker and Kaycee Sullivan of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section. Substantial assistance was provided by the government of The Gambia, the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, the U.S. Department of State, and the U.S. Department of the Treasury.
The Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section's (MNF) mission is to take the profit out of crime, eliminate drug cartels, and protect the U.S. financial system. MNF pursues criminal prosecutions and criminal and civil asset recovery actions involving: financial facilitators who launder profits for criminals; financial institutions and their officers and employees whose actions threaten the U.S. financial system and financial institutions; international money launderers who support transnational organized crime; and the top command and control of international drug trafficking organizations.
MNF’s International Unit investigates and prosecutes cross-border money laundering schemes involving transnational criminal organizations, cartels, foreign official corruption and related money laundering affecting the U.S. financial system and prosecutes criminal cases and civil forfeiture matters to recover the proceeds of those crimes.
HSI Miami Illicit Proceeds and Foreign Corruption Investigations Group was established in 2003 to target corrupt foreign officials around the world that attempt to utilize U.S. financial institutions to launder illicit funds. Since inception, the group has seized over $500 million in ill-gotten gains traced to foreign corruption. To report suspicious activity, reach out to your local HSI office or call 1-866-347-2423.
Department of Justice Charges 16 Individuals for Illegal Voting and Related Election CrimesRead the Press Release
Today, the Justice Department announced charges against 16 individuals in connection with illegal voting, illegal voter registration, and related election-fraud schemes across the country. The charges include unlawful voting by non-citizens in federal elections, false claims of citizenship to register or vote, and related offenses including wire fraud, naturalization fraud, passport fraud, and unlawful firearm purchases uncovered during the course of these investigations.
Case details are as follows:
Northern District of Texas
This week, eight aliens residing in Texas are facing charges for alleged unlawful voting.
- Moises Anwar Arellano‑Alba, 36, an illegal alien from Mexico, was charged with final order of removal, has been charged with voting by an alien in a federal election and false statement of citizenship in order to register to vote.
- Nigerian national, Helen Sayen Adams, 67, a lawful permanent resident since May 2024, was charged with Voting by an Alien in a Federal Election and False Statement of Citizenship in Order to Register to Vote.
- Nigerian national, Joshua Nmelichukwu Akpom, 27, a lawful permanent resident since 2016, has been charged with false statements in relation to naturalization.
- Mexican national, Carlos Salas Barrios, 41, a lawful permanent resident since 2018, has been charged by complaint with allegedly voting by an Alien in a Federal Election.
- Indian National, Khalwinder Singh Bhengura, 69, a lawful permanent resident since 2022, has been charged with voting by an alien in a federal election and false statement of citizenship in order to register to vote.
- Democratic Republic of Congo National, Celestin Katubadi, 20, a lawful permanent resident, has been charged with voting by an alien in a federal election and false statement of citizenship in order to vote.
- Mexican national, Rocio Thrasher, 38, a lawful permanent resident since 2017, has been charged with voting by an alien in a federal election and false statement of citizenship in order to register to vote.
Western District of Texas
Mexican national, Monica Carzoli, 46, a lawful permanent resident, admitted to registering to vote and then voting in the November 2024 election. Carzoli was arrested on criminal charges this week in Del Rio, Texas.
District of Idaho
Avila Gomez, an illegal alien from Mexico, allegedly claimed to be a U.S. citizen to register to vote and thereafter voted in May 2022 and November 2024. Additionally, Gomez allegedly fraudulently obtained Idaho identification cards while devising a scheme to defraud U.S. departments and agencies.
A federal grand jury in Boise, Idaho, returned an indictment charging Gomez with Wire Fraud, Theft of Government Funds, False Statement of Citizenship in Order to Vote, Voting by Alien, False Statement in Application of Passport, Fraud in Connection with Identification Documents Production, False Statement During Purchase of Firearm, and Unlawful Possession of Firearm.
Photo of Mexican national, Monica Carzoli, 46, a lawful permanent residentNorthern District of Georgia
Three aliens residing in Georgia are facing charges for illegally voting in U.S. elections.
- Pauline Lewis, 65, a suspected illegal alien from Antigua and Barbuda, was arrested on a criminal complaint charging her with voting as a non-citizen in a federal election.
- Gabriel Covarrubias, 44, a suspected illegal alien from Mexico, is alleged to have voted in person using a false name in the November 2024 federal election in addition to making a false statement in a U.S. passport application.
- Analiea Milliscent Eccles, 44, an illegal alien from Venezuela and DACA recipient, voted nine times between 2008 and 2024. She appeared in federal court following her arrest on a criminal complaint charging her with voting as a non-citizen in a federal election and making a false claim of U.S. citizenship to vote in an election.
District of Massachusetts
Nigerian national, Gladys Adaeze Okafor, 56, a lawful permanent resident, has been arrested and charged with illegally voting in the 2022 elections and allegedly voting in the 2024 general election.
Photo of Nigerian national, Gladys Adaeze Okafor, 56, a lawful permanent residentWestern District of Wisconsin
Colombian national, Julieta Englestad, 53, a lawful permanent resident, is facing charges for falsely claiming to be a U.S. citizen when registering to vote in the November 2022 federal election. If convicted, Englestad faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison on the illegal registering to vote count and a maximum penalty of one year in prison on the illegal voting count.
Photo of Columbian National, Julieta Englestad, 53, a lawful permanent residentDistrict of New Jersey
Santana Coulibaly, an alien with lawful permanent residence. She registered to vote in October 2016, voted in federal elections in 2018 and 2020, and submitted a provisional ballot in the 2024 Presidential election. Additionally, Coulibaly made fraudulent statements in an application for Naturalization (N-400) she submitted in December 2021 and October 2024. Coulibaly was arrested this week.
Photo of Santana Coulibaly, an alien with lawful permanent residenceEastern District of Michigan
Russian national, Victoria Viktorivna Aquilina, 43, registered to vote in 2023, and allegedly casted a vote in a U.S. election. Aquilina was charged today with illegally voting in the 2024 general election.
A complaint, indictment, and information merely contain accusations. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
DOJ Secures Agreements with NYU and UPMC to End Pediatric “Gender-Affirming Care”Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Today, the Department of Justice announced agreements with two of the nation’s largest health care systems—New York University Langone Hospitals (“NYU”) and University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (“UPMC”)—that resolve investigations into potential violations of federal law arising from their provision of sex-rejecting procedures on children, often euphemistically referred to as “gender-affirming care.” Under the agreements, NYU and UPMC will cease providing these dangerous interventions to minors, which include administering puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones and performing surgical procedures. Each hospital will also pay a monetary amount as part of the resolutions, with NYU agreeing to pay $8.5 million and UPMC $950,000.
“The Department of Justice is fighting to protect our nation’s children and working tirelessly to reach agreements with hospitals to end so-called ‘gender affirming care’ for minors,” said Attorney General Todd Blanche. “Today’s resolutions send a clear message: hospitals that target children in these practices and then fraudulently obtain payment for the procedures will be held to account.”
Today’s announcement follows similar agreements with Mount Sinai Health System in New York, Texas Children’s Hospital, the Cleveland Clinic Foundation, and Connecticut Children’s Hospital. In working towards these resolutions, the United States acknowledged that both NYU and UPMC took significant steps entitling them to credit for cooperation with the Department in its investigation, including ongoing cooperation in the Department’s investigation of other entities potentially violating federal law in connection with the provision of sex-rejecting procedures to minors. At all times during the investigation, NYU and UPMC remained cooperative and solutions-driven.
“We appreciate that some of the nation’s largest and most prestigious hospital systems have agreed to cease harming minors under the guise of ‘gender-affirming care’ and agreed to pay for potential violations of federal law when they did so,” said Brett Shumate, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Division. “But I want to be clear: our efforts and investigations into other providers are ongoing. Those that have broken the law and not resolved their potential liability will be prosecuted to the fullest extent possible.”
“My office’s foremost priority is protecting children. The resolutions announced today reflect the close collaboration across the Department of Justice and our continued commitment to ensuring that minors are safeguarded,” said Ryan Raybould, US Attorney for the Northern District of Texas. “These investigations are ongoing, and my office will continue to follow the evidence, act decisively when the well-being of minors is at stake, and fully pursue wrongdoers who have broken federal law.”
The resolutions obtained in this matter were the result of a coordinated effort between the Civil Division’s Enforcement and Affirmative Litigation Branch and the Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, and the Food and Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigations.
In 2025, President Trump directed the Department of Justice to prioritize investigations and enforcement actions involving violations of federal law in the provision of so-called “gender-affirming care” to children. Acting on that directive, the Civil Division launched a nationwide investigation into the child gender-transition industry. The investigation examines potential violations of the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, the False Claims Act, and other federal health care laws, including fraudulent billing practices such as the use of false diagnosis codes to obtain payment from federal health care programs and private insurers. These schemes compound the harm inflicted on vulnerable children by fraudulently shifting the cost of potentially unlawful medical interventions to taxpayers and insurers. Today’s agreements are the results of that nationwide investigation. The Civil Division’s Enforcement & Affirmative Litigation Branch and Commercial Litigation Branch will continue to pursue these cases across the country, stop unlawful conduct, recover funds obtained through fraud, and hold accountable those who profit by violating federal law at children’s expense.
The claims resolved by the United States in these agreements are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability. NYU and UPMC have expressly denied all allegations.
DOJ Revises Justice Manual to Strengthen False Claims Act EnforcementRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON -- Today, the Department of Justice announced revisions to the Justice Manual to strengthen its fight against fraud under the False Claims Act through clearer standards that promote fair and effective enforcement. These revisions clarify the limits on the use of sub-regulatory guidance across Department litigation and when the Department will seek dismissal of qui tam actions that do not serve the interests of the United States.
“The Department of Justice should enforce the law, not make law through enforcement,” said Associate Attorney General Stanley E. Woodward, Jr. “These updates reflect the Department’s commitment to fair notice, transparent enforcement, and the rule of law.”
“The Civil Division will continue to focus on cases that advance the interests of the United States,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate. “Evaluating qui tam cases for potential dismissal ensures our enforcement efforts remain aligned with those interests and promotes the efficient use of government resources.”
“The False Claims Act is one of the government’s most powerful tools for combatting fraud,” said Associate Deputy Attorney General Paul Perkins. “These revisions will help ensure the Department uses its enforcement authority fairly and effectively—holding fraudsters accountable for violations of binding legal or contractual obligations while seeking dismissal of meritless qui tam actions that waste taxpayer resources and impose unjustified burdens on businesses.”
The first revision reinstates and builds upon the Department’s 2017 policy that sub-regulatory guidance cannot impose legal obligations beyond those established by statute or regulation. This revision reflects the Department’s commitment to fair notice and the rule of law—individuals and businesses should be held accountable for violating binding legal obligations, not agency guidance that lacks the force and effect of law. It also ensures that the Department focuses its enforcement resources on violations of those binding obligations.
The second revision makes clear that the Department should consider exercising its dismissal authority when it declines to intervene in a qui tam action and, where it does not seek dismissal, revisit that assessment as appropriate during litigation. The Department will continue to exercise this authority judiciously, with an emphasis on seeking dismissal of qui tam actions that lack legal or factual merit and focusing Department resources on matters that advance the interests of the United States.
The Justice Manual revisions may be found here and here.
Court Revokes Supervised Release and Sentences Music Producer “Mally Mall” to PrisonRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced that U.S. District Judge Gloria M. Navarro revoked supervised release for Jamal Rashid, also known as “Mally Mall,” a music producer who was on federal supervision after a prison term for unlawfully operating prostitution businesses under the guise of escort businesses. The Court imposed a prison sentence of 17 months.
“Supervised release is a critical extension of the federal justice system, designed to ensure accountability, protect the public, and support rehabilitation. Jamal Rashid chose to treat those court-ordered boundaries with absolute disregard,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada. “Rather than complying with the law, he actively subverted court oversight by failing drug tests, maintaining hidden spaces, and violating association restrictions. Most egregiously, Mr. Rashid engaged in federal witness tampering against an established victim from his underlying criminal case. The Department of Justice will not tolerate the intimidation of victims or the manipulation of judicial proceedings. This 17-month prison sentence sends a definitive message: federal oversight is mandatory, and those who attempt to bypass or undermine the authority of the court will face immediate extraction from the community and a return to federal prison.”
“Although a sentence may have ended on paper, certain rules still apply after release. Mr. Rashid chose to ignore those rules by failing drug tests, unlawfully recording conversations with a victim, and associating with convicted felons,” said Special Agent in Charge Christopher S. Delzotto for the FBI Las Vegas Field Office. “No one has the right to threaten, intimidate, or coerce victims. Those who engage in coordinated campaigns of threats and intimidation should expect to be held fully accountable under federal law.”
According to statements made in court on Thursday, Jamal “Mally Mall” Rashid admitted violating the conditions of his supervised release. The violations included unlawfully recording telephone conversations with a victim in the underlying criminal case and attempting to influence her in connection with pending civil litigation; using controlled substances, including marijuana, cocaine, and MDMA; providing false information to his probation officer; associating with a convicted felon without permission; and having unauthorized contact with a victim in the underlying criminal case.
In October 2019, Rashid pleaded guilty to one count of use of an interstate facility in aid of unlawful activity. In May 2021, he was sentenced to two years and nine months in prison for unlawfully operating prostitution businesses over a 12-year period.
This case was investigated by the FBI. This hearing was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Rose.
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Convicted Felon Sentenced to Nine Years in Federal Prison for Possession of AmmunitionRead the Press Release
Gainesville, Florida – DeShawn Russ, 36, of Jacksonville, Florida, was sentenced to nine years in federal prison for possession of ammunition by a convicted felon. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Keeping this violent, serial felon off our streets and locked away behind bars is necessary to protect our communities from his continued criminality. I am grateful for the excellent investigative work by the Gainesville Police Department, with support from our federal law enforcement partners, that facilitated this successful prosecution by my office.”
Court documents reflect that the Gainesville Police Department responded to a shooting within a vehicle where officers found a bullet hole in the driver’s window. Russ, who was known to the driver, was located nearby. Although no firearm was recovered, a .380 bullet was located in his pocket. Russ is multi-time convicted felon and is therefore prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition. At sentencing, the Court found that the defendant shot the firearm and then engaged in obstruction by encouraging witnesses to change their statements.
“Time and again, convicted felons who are prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition continue to place our community at risk,” said Gainesville Police Chief Nelson Moya. “We are grateful for the thorough work of our investigators and our federal partners in holding him accountable for his actions.”
The case involved an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Gainesville Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Christie S. Utt.
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.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.
Clinic owner imprisoned for health care fraud kickback scheme causing $49 million lossRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 53-year-old Willis resident has been sentenced for conspiring to pay and receive health care kickbacks.
Henry Allen Gonzales pleaded guilty June 30, 2022.
Chief U.S. District Judge Charles Eskridge ordered Gonzales to serve 30 months in federal prison, to be immediately followed by one year of supervised release. In imposing the sentence, the court noted the significant financial loss to the Department of Labor Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs (DOL-OWCP). The court also ordered Gonzales to pay more than $49 million in restitution to the DOL-OWCP.
“Gonzales treated injured workers as a personal ATM, bleeding a federal program of nearly $50 million through kickbacks, bogus prescriptions, and outright greed,” said U.S. Attorney Aaron Reitz. “Under President Trump and Vice President Vance’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, this kind of theft from the American people will not be tolerated. My office will keep working hand-in-hand with DOJ’s National Fraud Enforcement Division to track down every fraudster preying on federal benefit programs and make them pay in full and behind bars.”
Gonzales owned and operated Option 1 Pain & Rehab Clinic, formerly Direct Medical Clinic, and received more than $2 million in kickbacks from Rayford ACP Pharmacy. In exchange, he referred prescriptions for expensive compounded medications to the pharmacy.
Gonzales also admitted paying marketers to refer DOL-OWCP claimants to his clinic and bribing doctors to sign prescriptions for the compounded medications.
After the Rayford ACP kickback scheme ended, Gonzales opened Farmacia, and continued fraudulently billing DOL-OWCP.
From 2015 to 2018, Rayford ACP and Farmacia received approximately $49,014,183.03 in DOL-OWCP claims involving medically unnecessary compounded medications.
Gonzales was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General, Department of Labor Office of Inspector General, U.S. Postal Service OIG, FBI – Houston, and Department of War Defense Criminal Investigative Service conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kathryn Olson and Alexander Alum prosecuted the case.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division, which 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.
Calhoun County Man Sentenced to over Ten Years in Prison for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
ANNISTON, Ala. – A Calhoun County man has been sentenced for trafficking methamphetamine, announced U.S. Attorney Phillip W. Williams Jr.
U.S. District Court Judge Corey L. Maze sentenced Quinton Montral Gunn aka “Poo Nanny,” 45, to 126 months in prison. In May, Gunn pleaded guilty to three counts of distribution of methamphetamine.
“Drug dealers who plague our streets with methamphetamine put our communities and our families at risk, and we will not stop pursuing them,” said U.S. Attorney Williams. “Our law enforcement partners and prosecutors work tirelessly to ensure these dangerous and illegal drugs and dealers are removed from our streets. If you choose to profit from putting methamphetamine or any illegal drugs into our communities, you should expect to be held accountable in federal court.”
“If you choose to flood our neighborhoods with methamphetamine, you aren’t just running a criminal enterprise, you are reserving a spot in federal prison,” said Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in Charge John P. Scott, New Orleans Field Division. “This 126-month sentence should serve as a blunt warning to every dealer pushing poison: law enforcement is hunting you down with unprecedented fury, and we will not rest until you are locked behind bars.”
According to court documents, during three separate controlled drug transactions in 2023, Gunn sold methamphetamine to a confidential source (CS). On September 7, 2023, as part of the investigation, the CS met Gunn at Parkwin Kitchen to purchase two ounces of methamphetamine for $500. On October 6, 2023, the CS met Gunn at a location on Parkin Avenue to purchase three ounces of methamphetamine for $675. A third controlled purchase was conducted on September 30, 2024, the CS met Gunn at Gunn’s residence in Anniston to purchase three ounces of methamphetamine for $450.
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.
DEA investigated the case along with the 7th Judicial Major Crimes Unit. Assistant United States Attorney Brittany T. Byrd prosecuted the case.
Brooklyn Man Charged with Sex Trafficking, Interstate Prostitution, and Promotion of Prostitution at “Penn Track” in East New York, Brooklyn and ElsewhereRead the Press Release
Earlier today, an indictment was unsealed in federal court in Brooklyn, charging Michael Brown, also known as “Mack Bills,” with sex trafficking by force, fraud, and coercion; interstate prostitution; and promotion of prostitution. The charges relate to Brown’s trafficking of women to work as prostitutes in New York, including along an open‑air sex trafficking market on a stretch of Pennsylvania Avenue in Brooklyn known as the “Penn Track,” and his transportation of women from New York to at least one other state with the intent that they engage in commercial sex for his financial benefit. Brown was arrested today and is scheduled to be arraigned this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Lara K. Eshkenazi.
Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and James C. Barnacle, Jr., Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI) announced the arrest and charges.
“As alleged, the defendant trafficked women to serve as commercial sex workers for him on the notorious Penn Track in Brooklyn and in at least one other state,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “Today’s arrest demonstrates our commitment to protecting victims of exploitation. Our Office will continue to prioritize the investigation and prosecution of sex trafficking crimes that threaten the safety and dignity of our communities, and to eradicate this blight in our district.”
Mr. Nocella expressed his appreciation to the FBI and the New York City Police Department Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force for their work on the case.
“Michael Brown allegedly trafficked multiple women to engage in prostitution, benefitted financially from their involuntary arrangement, and even threatened violence when challenged. The FBI and its law enforcement partners will continue to work tirelessly to get these criminals off of the streets to face justice for their heinous acts,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Barnacle.
According to court filings, between March 2026 and August 2026, Brown had numerous women working in prostitution for him on the Penn Track and other locations, and trafficked at least two of those women using force, fraud, and coercion. Specifically, evidence obtained pursuant to the investigation reflects that Brown regularly required his female victims to solicit customers on the Penn Track and other locations, including in at least one other state, and to engage in commercial sex acts with those customers. Brown collected the proceeds earned by these women after they engaged in commercial sex acts with customers, and he used threats, emotional manipulation, and violence to discipline and control them.
For example, in several communications, women working for Brown call him “daddy,” discuss giving money from “dates,” i.e., paid sexual encounters, to the defendant, and discuss posting advertisements for prostitution and tips on how to increase making money in prostitution. Brown also has messages discussing methods to discipline the women working in prostitution for him. In a message sent in or about September 2025, he talks about insubordination from a woman working for him and stated in substance and in part that he “need[s] something more creative than the gut punch for this one…” and decides he “[m]ight put that Hoe on her knees on rice.”
If convicted of sex trafficking, Brown faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment and a maximum of life imprisonment. The interstate prostitution and promotion of prostitution charges each carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison
The charges in the indictment are allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Human Trafficking and Civil Rights Section. Assistant United States Attorney Erin Reid is in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendant:
MICHAEL BROWN (also known as “Mack Bills”)
Age: 35
Brooklyn, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 26-CR-267 (NRM)
michael_brown_ecf_stamped_detention_letter_2026.9.18.pdf 26-cr-267_ecf_indictment.pdfBronx Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison in Connection with June 2024 ShootingRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jamie McDonald, announced today that ANTHONY NORTHOVER was sentenced to 10 years in prison by U.S. District Judge Victor Marrero for illegally possessing a firearm and ammunition in connection with a June 4, 2024, shooting during which NORTHOVER, who previously had been convicted of several felonies, fired multiple shots on a residential street in the Bronx, striking a victim and causing him life-threatening injuries.
“Today’s lengthy sentence protects New Yorkers from gun violence and sends an important message, especially to recidivist violent criminals—those who bring illegal guns and violence into our communities will be investigated and prosecuted to the full extent of the law,” said U.S. Attorney Jamie McDonald. “In February 2024, Northover was released from federal custody after serving a lengthy sentence for racketeering, narcotics, and firearm-related offenses. But on June 4, 2024, less than four months later, while on supervised release, Northover fired a gun multiple times on a residential street in the Bronx, striking and severely injuring a victim, before fleeing.”
As alleged in public court filings, statements in public court proceedings, and the charging documents in the case:
On June 4, 2024, at approximately 11:25 p.m., NORTHOVER shot a male individual (the “Victim”) several times in the vicinity of Van Nest Avenue and between Melville Street and Van Buren Street in the Bronx. After the Victim was hit and fell to the ground, NORTHOVER continued shooting at other individuals who were in the vicinity and running away from the gunfire. NORTHOVER fled the scene of the shooting by moped.
Shortly after the shooting, several law enforcement officers—who, at the time, were unaware that NORTHOVER had just committed a shooting—saw NORTHOVER, who was driving a moped, commit a traffic violation in the vicinity of Prospect Avenue and Freeman Street in the Bronx. While driving, the defendant discarded a firearm on a pile of trash on the sidewalk. Law enforcement officers stopped NORTHOVER and, following a brief canvass of the sidewalk on which the defendant drove, recovered the firearm where the defendant had dropped it and arrested NORTHOVER.
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In addition to the prison term, NORTHOVER, 40, of the Bronx, New York, was sentenced to three years of supervised release.
Mr. McDonald praised the outstanding investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New York City Police Department, and thanked the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives for their assistance with the investigation.
This case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rebecca T. Dell and Dana R. McCann are in charge of the prosecution.
Brockton Man Pleads Guilty to Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Brockton man pleaded guilty in federal court in Boston to being a felon in possession. The defendant participated in a violent shootout that left a female victim with a gunshot wound to her chest.
Romeo Miller, 28, pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of ammunition before U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns who scheduled sentencing for Dec. 17, 2026. Miller was arrested and charged in April 2025, along with his alleged co-conspirators
According to court filings, on June 2, 2024, at approximately 1:45 a.m., law enforcement responded to a “shots fired” call to a home in Brockton. Upon arrival, officers observed a large crowd outside the home and a 31-year-old female victim suffering from a gunshot wound to the chest. The victim was transported to a nearby hospital and survived.
It is alleged that numerous bullet casings were found scattered throughout the front yard and driveway of the Brockton residence. According to court documents, video footage obtained from the home’s surveillance system determined that a house party at the residence led to a physical altercation in the driveway and, allegedly, an exchange of gunfire between the victim and Natalio Miranda, Miller and Jonathan Alves.
Specifically, surveillance video captured Miranda as he allegedly discharged several bursts of ammunition from an automatic weapon in the front yard of the residence before leaving the scene. Miller, and allegedly Alves, are also seen firing towards the victim from the driveway. In addition, Miller is later seen crossing the street to hide behind a parked car, where he shot the victim in the chest. Surveillance video captured Miller returning to the driveway, where he passed his firearm off to Monteiro, before the two drove away in separate parked cars.
At the time of the shooting, Miller was on state probation for unlawfully possessing a firearm, after having served a prison sentence for assault and battery on a police officer.
The charge of being a felon in possession of ammunition provides for a sentence of up to 15 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. 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; Thomas Greco, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Division; and Brockton Police Chief Brenda I. Perez made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was also provided by the U.S. Marshals Service in the District of Massachusetts, Massachusetts State Police and the Plymouth County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Pohl of the Criminal Division is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Border enforcement efforts result in nearly 250 more cases filed in the Southern District of TexasRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – Another 254 people have been charged with immigration and border security-related crimes from Sept. 11-17.
A total of 176 criminal complaints were filed for felony reentry after prior removal, while another 43 people face charges of illegal entry. Most of those illegal aliens have prior felony convictions involving narcotics, violent crimes, immigration crimes, and more. In addition, 29 people have been charged with human smuggling, including 20 illegal aliens themselves. The remaining cases charged this week relate to other immigration crimes and firearms charges.
As part of the newly filed complaints, Albanian national Arben Cima has been charged with illegal reentry into the country. According to the charges, authorities previously removed him March 12, 2022, before discovering him again near Mission. According to his complaint, he has a prior conviction for possession with intent to distribute heroin.
One of the cases includes Hector Bartelemi Morales-Valle, a Honduran illegal alien who law enforcement allegedly discovered unlawfully in the country near Roma. The criminal complaint against him alleges he has a prior conviction for burglary. If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in prison.
The cases are referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations, ICE - Enforcement and Removal Operations, Border Patrol, Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, U.S. Marshals Service, as well as the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners.
The cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigrants, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Under current leadership, public safety and a secure border are the top priorities for the Southern District. Enhanced enforcement both at the border and in the interior of the district have yielded aliens engaged in unlawful activity or with serious criminal histories, including convictions for human trafficking, sexual assault, and violence against children.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas remains one of the busiest in the nation. It represents 43 counties and more than 10 million people covering 44,000 square miles. Assistant U.S. Attorneys from all seven divisions including Houston, Galveston, Victoria, Corpus Christi, Brownsville, McAllen, and Laredo work directly with our law enforcement partners on the federal, state, and local levels to prosecute the suspected offenders of these and other federal crimes.
An indictment or criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Baytown man sent to prison following Homeland Security Task Force cocaine investigationRead the Press Release
BROWNSVILLE, Texas – A 40-year-old Baytown man has been sentenced for possession with intent to deliver cocaine.
Pablo Luis Fuentes-Rivas pleaded guilty July 2, 2025.
At a Sept. 17 hearing, U.S. District Judge Fernando Rodriguez Jr. ordered Fuentes-Rivas to serve 70 months in federal prison. His prison term will be immediately followed by three years of supervised release.
The investigation revealed that on March 29, 2025, authorities conducted an undercover operation involving the delivery of a tractor-trailer loaded with cocaine to the Houston and Baytown areas.
Three vehicles traveled in tandem with the drug load and conducted counter-surveillance during the trip. Efren Pinales-Hernandez drove one of the vehicles.
Law enforcement later observed Fuentes-Rivas, Pinales-Hernandez, and Daniel Teniente-Marfileno at a Baytown truck lot offloading bundles of cocaine from the tractor-trailer into a Ford F-150 driven by Teniente-Marfileno.
After Teniente-Marfileno left with the cocaine, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop, took him into custody, and seized approximately 182.25 kilograms of cocaine with an estimated street value of nearly $2.3 million. Authorities then arrested Fuentes-Rivas and Pinales-Hernandez at the truck lot as they attempted to leave.
Teniente-Marfileno, 39, a Mexican citizen residing in Baytown, also pleaded guilty and is set for sentencing Sept. 29.
Pinales-Hernandez, 51, Weslaco, is set for further criminal proceedings.
Fuentes-Rivas 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. Attorney Oscar Ponce prosecuted the case.
This prosecution is 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 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 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 the Naval Criminal Investigative Service with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas leading the prosecution.
4 Indicted for Wire Fraud and Counterfeiting CurrencyRead the Press Release
This press release has been edited to correct Moorer's age to 48.
COLUMBIA, S.C. — A federal grand jury in Columbia returned a 13-count indictment, presented by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, charging four individuals in a wire fraud conspiracy involving counterfeit currency.
- Octiva Rasheem Moorer, 48, of Orangeburg, was charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, six counts of wire fraud, one count of manufacturing counterfeit currency and one count of felon in possession of a firearm.
- Brittney Kay Pringle, 38, of Summerville, was charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and six counts of wire fraud. Pringle was an employee with the South Carolina Department of Probation, Parole and Pardon Services at the time of the conduct.
- Amy Chavis, 34, of Marion, was charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, three counts of wire fraud, and four counts of passing counterfeit currency.
- Priscilla Sweeper, 50, of Orangeburg, was charged with one count of wire fraud conspiracy, three counts of wire fraud, and one count of manufacturing counterfeit currency.
The indictment alleges that Moorer coordinated a scheme to manufacture counterfeit currency by bleaching $10 bills and printing the image of a $50 bill onto the face of the bleached bill. Moorer and Chavis then loaded the counterfeit bills onto various Cash App accounts at Dollar General stores throughout South Carolina. The defendants then transferred the money to each other via Cash App.
Each defendant faces a maximum penalty of 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and a three-year term of supervised release.
The case was investigated by the United States Secret Service, the Orangeburg County Sheriff’s Office, and the Dillon County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Matthews is prosecuting the case.All charges in the indictment are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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17 September 2026
Yakima Man Sentenced for Possessing Child Sex Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Yakima, Washington – First Assistant United States Attorney Pete Serrano announced that on September 11, 2026, Ricardo Louis Espinosa, age 47, of Yakima, Washington, was sentenced to 120 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release by Chief United States District Judge Stanley A. Bastian in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Washington. Chief Judge Bastian also ordered Espinosa pay $33,000 in restitution to victims. Espinosa pled guilty to one count of Possession of Child Pornography on May 19, 2026.
According to court documents and information presented at sentencing, on September 8, 2025, Espinosa was involved in a domestic violence incident and told responding Yakima Police Department officers that he had “kiddy stuff” on his phone that he had received online. Espinosa represented that he wished to help law enforcement. Further investigation by an HSI task force officer with Southeast Regional Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and Homeland Security Investigations revealed that Espinosa sought “samples” from vendors of child pornography on internet message services and possessed twenty-six videos and thirty-three images of child pornography on his cellular telephone.
Prior to the federal investigation, in 2001 Espinosa was convicted of Lewd or Lascivious Acts with Child Under 14 in Sacramento Superior Court, Sacramento, California. He also had a prior conviction in 2006 for Failure to Register as a Sex Offender in Benton County Superior Court, Kennewick, Washington.
“Repeat offenders who persist in exploiting children pose a grave and ongoing threat to our communities,” stated Serrano. “Espinosa’s history made his horrific conduct even more alarming, and our prosecution through the hard work of the ICAC Task Force and the Yakima Police Department resulted in a strong sentence that reflects the seriousness of these crimes. Our office will continue to prioritize cases involving repeat offenders and pursue every available measure to protect children and hold predators fully accountable.” “It is clear Espinosa is a danger to the community, and this sentence will keep him off our streets for a significant amount of time,” said Acting HSI Seattle Special Agent in Charge April Miller. “We will do everything we can to find and investigate predators like this. Our children and our communities deserve no less."
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 https://www.justice.gov/psc.
This case was investigated by the Southeast Regional Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and Homeland Security Investigations and the Yakima Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael Murphy.
1:25-cr-02125-SAB
Western District Celebrates Constitution Day with Naturalization Ceremony Held at the University of Louisiana at LafayetteRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE – On September 17, 2026, the University of Louisiana at Lafayette hosted a naturalization ceremony marking the end of a proud journey for candidates seeking United States citizenship, with United States District Judge David C. Joseph administering the Oath of Allegiance to two new United States citizens.
Joanne Henry-Mills Judge Joseph (r) and new citizenJudge Joseph opened the ceremony by welcoming the candidates and acknowledging the dedication shown by each applicant throughout the naturalization process. The ceremony then featured a moving performance of the Star-Spangled Banner by the UL Lafayette choir, followed by Judge Joseph’s introduction of U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Keller, who spoke briefly about the privileges and responsibilities of American citizenship. Mr. Keller then introduced the candidates, asking them to individually stand and state their names and countries of origin. Mr. Keller then formally moved the Court to grant citizenship to each candidate.
Joanne Henry-Mills U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Keller (r) and new citizenJudge Joseph then administered the Oath of Allegiance, the defining moment of every naturalization ceremony. Candidates raised their right hands and recited the oath together — and officially became citizens of the United States on this Constitution Day.
Following the oath, Judge Joseph led the newly sworn citizens in the Pledge of Allegiance alongside other attendees. The ceremony concluded with Judge Joseph presenting each new citizen with a Certificate of Naturalization, marking their happy realization of a long-held dream: to become an American.
Joanne Henry-Mills left to right: First Assistant United States Attorney Myers Namie; United States Attorney Zachary A. Keller; and United States District Judge David C. Joseph
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CONTACT: Public Affairs: [email protected]
United States Attorney’s Office: www.justice.gov/usao-wdla
X: @USAO_WDLA
Facebook: USAO_WDLA
(337) 262-6704
West Dallas Man Pleads Guilty to $15 Million Bank FraudRead the Press Release
DALLAS — United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould announced that a West Dallas man pleaded guilty today to bank fraud and admitted to using stolen identities and fake IDs to deposit over $15 million in U.S. Treasury checks intended for various business throughout the United States.
Kendrick Lamont Fugett, 34, pleaded guilty before Chief U.S District Court Judge Reed O’Connor. Fugett was arrested on a federal criminal complaint on Aug. 20.
Mr. Fugett’s guilty plea reflects our office’s commitment to protecting federal funds,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould. “We will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners to hold accountable those who steal from the American taxpayer and Main Street Americans.”
As Fugett admitted in his plea agreement, he assumed the identity of the chief financial officer of a software company based in Austin, Texas, to open a business account at an Origin Bank branch in Dallas. To pass himself off as the company’s CFO, Fugett used a fake Texas driver’s license and forged corporate documents, later arranging the deposit of a Treasury refund check worth more than $13.8 million.
Fugett’s scheme extended to several other banks in the Dallas area. For example, court documents reveal that Fugett successfully deposited a refund check for more than $447,000 at a Bank of America branch in Mesquite, Texas, that had been made out to a real business. In connection with that transaction, Fugett assumed the identity of the billionaire chairman of the holding company that owns that business and presented a fake Illinois driver’s license bearing his own image.
Fugett faces a statutory maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for Jan. 14, 2027.
IRS Criminal Investigation investigated this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ignacio Perez de la Cruz and Alexander Schwab from the Fraud section are prosecuting the case.
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Washington County Man Sentenced to Five Years’ Imprisonment for Possession of Sexually Explicit AI Photos of ChildrenRead the Press Release
ST. GEORGE, Utah – A Washington County man was sentenced to 60 months’ imprisonment after law enforcement found child sexual abuse material (CSAM) on his phone, which had been digitally altered.
The sentence, imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Ann Marie McIff Allen comes after Jared Marsh, 49, of Santa Clara, Utah, pleaded guilty on May 4, 2026, to possession of child pornography. In addition to his term of imprisonment, he was sentenced to a lifetime of supervised release.
According to court documents and statements made at Marsh’s change of plea and sentencing hearings, on June 8, 2024, and continuing through November 21, 2024, Marsh was in possession of child pornography. As stated in court documents, law enforcement executed a search warrant on Marsh’s phone after being contacted by a victim who reported Marsh had sexually explicit photos of her without her consent. In reviewing the contents of Marsh’s phone, law enforcement found approximately 20 photographs of children ranging in age from 12 to 17 years old that had been digitally altered to make the children appear to be completely nude. The investigation revealed that the photos were first placed on the phone shortly after Marsh had completed a probationary term for a State of Utah misdemeanor voyeurism conviction.
“Digitally altering a child’s image through technology is illegal and will be met with severe consequences,” said U.S. Attorney Melissa Holyoak for the District of Utah. “I have zero tolerance for this conduct and will continue working closely with our law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute offenders to the fullest extent of the law.”
“The Santa Clara–Ivins Police Department is proud of the investigative work that brought this case forward. We appreciate the partnership of the U.S. Attorney’s Office,” said Chief Jaron Studley of the Santa Clara-Ivins Police Department. As technology continues to evolve, our focus remains the same: protecting victims, holding offenders accountable, and doing everything we can to keep our children and communities safe.”
The case was investigated by the Santa Clara-Ivins Police Department.
Assistant United States Attorney Christopher Burton of The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Joins DOJ Fraud Division, SBA, and SBA OIG in Surge Takedown Exceeding $245 Million in COVID-era Loan FraudRead the Press Release
View the national press release and a dynamic map of the Fraud Division & SBA’s Operation “No Doze” Summer Surge here.
INDIANAPOLIS- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Indiana today announced one sentencing as part of a nationwide enforcement action led by the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division, the Small Business Administration, and the SBA Office of Inspector General targeting fraud in the SBA’s Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). The Southern District of Indiana was a key participant in this surge effort.
From June 12 to September 1, federal prosecutors across the country facilitated fraud enforcement actions spanning over 160 criminal defendants, including approximately 80 newly charged defendants, reaching approximately $245 million dollars in intended loss to American taxpayers.
In the Southern District of Indiana, U.S. Attorney Tom Wheeler announced that Sandra Pierce, 42, of McCordsville, has petitioned the court to plead guilty to two counts of wire fraud for PPP-related fraud involving approximately $632,905 in losses. According to court documents, Pierce was the sole owner of a business called Sandy’s on the Run and purported to help individuals and businesses obtain COVID-19 relief program loans. In that position, Pierce executed a wire fraud scheme by drafting and submitting 22 fraudulent COVID-19 relief loan applications under the names of others in exchange for more than $100,000 from clients. Additionally, Pierce submitted applications in her own name and received $48,191 from the government. The total loss was approximately $632,905.
This case is being prosecuted by U.S. Postal Services – Office of Inspector General. Pierce faces up to 20 years in federal prison per count. A sentencing hearing will be set by a U.S. District Court Judge at a later date.
“Exploiting a national crisis for personal gain goes against every fiber of Hoosier decency,” said U.S. Attorney Tom Wheeler. “Programs like the Paycheck Protection Program were created to help honest small business owners survive an unprecedented hardship, not to serve as an opportunity for fraud. Our office will continue working with our federal partners to identify those who took advantage of this moment of need, hold them accountable, and protect relief programs meant to support Hoosiers when they need it most.”
“Pandemic loan relief was meant to keep American small businesses alive during government lockdowns—not line the pockets of fraudsters,” said Attorney General Todd Blanche. “The defendants charged during our summer surge allegedly fabricated businesses, submitted false payroll and revenue claims, stole identities, and concealed foreign ties on their applications— but they will now be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
“This summer surge shows what is possible when dedicated public servants across the country work together with a single purpose,” said Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. “Our mission is clear: protect taxpayer funds, safeguard the integrity of federal relief programs, and deliver justice to those who exploited them. We will remain steadfast every day—standing shoulder-to-shoulder with our partners—to identify fraud, pursue those responsible, and restore confidence in the programs meant to help American small businesses thrive.”
“Today’s announcement represents the largest-ever action against perpetrators of SBA fraud, with 870,000 suspended borrowers tied to $39 billion in suspected fraudulent PPP and COVID EIDL activity. In partnership with Vice President Vance and the White House Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, we’re putting fraudsters on notice: the federal government will no longer turn a blind eye to those who stole from taxpayers and exploited programs designed to sustain small businesses during the pandemic,” said SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler. “With demand letters going out to suspected fraudsters, we’re also sending a clear message that they must repay their debts or face Treasury collections and possible federal law enforcement. Under this Administration, the free ride is over. We are restoring accountability, recovering taxpayer dollars, and protecting SBA programs for the legitimate small businesses they were created to serve.”
“Operation No Doze brings a focused and coordinated approach to pursuing fraud in SBA’s pandemic relief programs,” said SBA Inspector General William Kirk. “By concentrating our investigative resources and working closely with SBA and our law enforcement partners, we are strengthening our ability to identify fraud, recover taxpayer funds, and hold accountable those who exploited programs created to help small businesses in a time of extraordinary need. This initiative makes clear that the passage of time does not diminish our commitment to accountability.”
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.
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Two Defendants Indicted for COVID-19 FraudRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Two women from the Kansas City metropolitan area have been indicted by a federal grand jury for their receipt of fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans issued under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
Alyshia Smith, 33, of Kansas City, and Michelle Green, 36, of Grandview, Mo., were charged in separate sealed indictments returned by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo., on August 26, 2026. These indictments were unsealed following the initial appearances of these individuals in court this week. This is one of many federal fraud cases pursued under the leadership of President Donald Trump and through the establishment of the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud.
Smith’s indictment alleges that she submitted a fraudulent application for a PPP loan and received a loan in the amount of $20,415, which was later forgiven by the Small Business Administration (SBA). Green’s indictment alleges that she submitted two fraudulent applications for PPP loans and received loans totaling $34,997.
The charges contained in these indictments are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
These cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David Wagner. They were investigated by the SBA Office of Inspector General.
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.
Trinitarios Gang Member Sentenced to over 11 Years in Prison for Racketeering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A member of the Lynn Chapter of the Trinitarios was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for racketeering charges, including his participation in the attempted murder of two victims.
Westyn Lantigua, a/k/a “Wes,” a/k/a “Muddy,” 25, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton to 135 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. In May 2026, Lantigua pleaded guilty to conspiracy to conduct enterprise affairs through a pattern of racketeering activity, more commonly referred to as RICO conspiracy. Lantigua was arrested and charged in February 2025.
The Trinitarios is a violent criminal enterprise comprised of thousands of members across the United States. The Trinitarios adhere to a Magna Carta, employ an internal hierarchy to organize and execute violence, and undertake extensive efforts to maintain the secrecy of the organization and its members.
Photographs and videos showed Lantigua wearing Trinitarios beaded necklaces, making Trinitarios gang signs with his hands and associating with other members and leaders. Lantigua admitted to his membership in the gang and to his participation in a June 2022 shooting outside of a fast-food restaurant in Lynn. Lantigua drove past the drive-thru lane of the restaurant, where a vehicle believed to be used by rival gang members was in line. The vehicle was in fact occupied by two innocent female victims. Surveillance video showed Lantigua’s white Mercedes parked across the street from the exit of the parking lot waiting for the victims’ vehicle to leave.
As the victims’ vehicle left the fast-food restaurant parking lot, surveillance video showed Lantigua exit his vehicle and discharge numerous rounds from a fully automatic firearm at the victims’ vehicle. Both female occupants were hit by gunfire and survived, and their vehicle had 10 bullet holes. Fifteen 9mm casings were recovered at the scene. A review of Lantigua’s cellular phones showed photographs and videos of him possessing a fully automatic handgun around the time of the shooting and showed Lantigua in possession of distribution quantities of drugs.
Lantigua also participated in the Trinitarios conspiracy to conduct burglaries of convenience stores in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. Through these burglaries, the Trinitarios stole lottery tickets that they would cash in shortly after they were stolen. Lantigua participated in multiple such break-ins and was captured on video redeeming stolen tickets with other members of the Trinitarios.
In February 2025, federal racketeering charges were unsealed against 22 leaders and members of the Trinitarios. The charges were the result of a multijurisdictional investigation, which began in the aftermath of four murders as well as a series of attempted murders and shootings that took place in Lynn in 2023, allegedly committed by the Trinitarios criminal enterprise and its members. On June 9, 2026, additional federal racketeering and drug charges were unsealed charging 26 additional leaders, members and associates of the Lawrence, Haverhill and Boston Chapters of the gang. According to court documents, members of the Trinitarios have allegedly participated in at least 15 murders in Essex County since 2017. Since 2025, a total of 56 leaders, members and associates have been charged in federal court.
The charge of conspiracy to conduct enterprise affairs through a pattern of racketeering activity (also known as “racketeering conspiracy” or “RICO conspiracy”) provides for a sentence of up to life in prison, five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Jeff Grimming, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations in New England; Ted Docks, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Essex County District Attorney Paul F. Tucker; Massachusetts State Police Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble; and Lynn Police Chief Christopher P. Reddy made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip A. Mallard of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Boston is comprised of agents and officers from HSI, FBI, DEA, ATF, USMS, IRS-CI, USPIS, DOL-OIG and DSS, as well as several state and local law enforcement agencies, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.
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#
FIRST NAME
LAST NAME
DOCKET NO.
CASE STATUS
1
Ricardo
Bratini-Perez
24-CR-10310
Pleaded Guilty,
Sentenced to 120 Months
2
Rosnel
Polanco
24-CR-10263
Pleaded Guilty,
Awaiting Sentencing
3
Eric
Rosario
24-CR-10263
Pleaded Guilty,
Awaiting Sentencing
4
Robert
Santana
24-CR-10263
Pleaded Guilty,
Awaiting Sentencing
5
Yeferson
Vallecillo Cambar
24-CR-10335
Pending
6
Elvis
Trujillo
24-CR-10336
Pending
7
Abel
Severino-Reyes
24-CR-10373
Pleaded Guilty,
Awaiting Sentencing
8
Warly
Ruiz
24-CR-10380
Pleaded Guilty,
Awaiting Sentencing
9
David
Garcia
25-CR-10006
Pleaded Guilty,
Awaiting Sentencing
10
Tomy
Sanchez
25-CR-10007
Pleaded Guilty, Awaiting Sentencing
11
Carlos
Ramirez
25-CR-10008
Pleaded Guilty
12
Justin
Alba
25-CR-10058
Pending
13
Darwin
Batista
25-CR-10058
Pending
14
Janoy
Batista
25-CR-10058
Pending
15
Aaron
Diaz Liranzo
25-CR-10058
Pleaded Guilty,
Sentenced to 168 Months
16
Israel
Garcia-Vasquez
25-CR-10058
Pleaded Guilty, Awaiting Sentencing
17
James
Jimenez
25-CR-10058
Pleaded Guilty, Awaiting Sentencing
18
Ery
Jordani Rosario
25-CR-10058
Pleaded Guilty, Awaiting Sentencing
19
Westyn
Lantigua
25-CR-10058
Pleaded Guilty, Awaiting Sentencing
20
Kelvin
Liranzo Roman
25-CR-10058
Pleaded Guilty, Awaiting Sentencing
21
Michael
Miliano
25-CR-10058
Pleaded Guilty,
Awaiting Sentencing
22
Enmanuel
Paula-Cabral
25-CR-10058
Pending
23
Luis Jeffrey
Santana
25-CR-10058
Pleaded Guilty,
Sentenced to 120 Months
24
Luis Enrique
Santana
25-CR-10058
Pleaded Guilty,
Sentenced to 136 Months
25
Angel
Santos
25-CR-10058
Pending
26
Wilving
Lopez
25-CR-10062
Pleaded Guilty,
Awaiting Sentencing
27
Leonardo
Espinoza
25-CR-10236
Pleaded Guilty,
Awaiting Sentencing
28
Isiah
Medina
25-CR-10302
Pending
29
Rodderrith
Peralta
25-CR-10302
Pending
30
Derek
Mercado
25-CR-10411
Pleaded Guilty,
Sentenced to 37 Months
31
Yordali
Yorro
25-CR-10058
Pending
32
James
Cabrera
25-CR-10058
Pending
33
Luis
Crispin
25-CR-10058
Pending
34
Angel
Castillo-Garcia
25-CR-10058
Fugitive
35
Osviallis
Serrano
25-CR-10058
Fugitive
36
Jervis
Almanzar
25-CR-10058
Pending
37
Enrique
Duran
25-CR-10058
Pending
38
Abigail
Arias
25-CR-10058
Pending
39
Justane
Garcia
25-CR-10058
Pending
40
Riky
Montilla
25-CR-10058
Pending
41
Jeremy
Felix
25-CR-10058
Pending
42
Jose
Martinez
25-CR-10058
Pending
43
Jayden
Muniz
25-CR-10058
Pending
44
Geovane
Fernandes
25-CR-10058
Pending
45
Jahir
Davila
25-CR-10058
Pending
46
Yanuel
Mejia
25-CR-10058
Pending
47
Luis
Fernandez Lopez
25-CR-10058
Pending
48
Victor
Diaz
25-CR-10058
Pending
49
Xavier
Puello
25-CR-10058
Pending
50
Joelfry
Cabrera
25-CR-10058
Pending
51
Richard
Pena
25-CR-10058
Pending
52
Hector
Mota
25-CR-10058
Pending
53
Jean
Delgado
25-CR-10058
Pending
54
Luis
Cabral
25-CR-10058
Pending
55
Yoldari
Tejeda Coronado
25-CR-10058
Pending
56
Martin
Taveras
25-CR-10058
Pending
Trax Retail, Inc. Agrees to Pay $3 Million to Resolve Allegations of PPP Loan FraudRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Trax Retail, Inc. (Trax) has agreed to pay approximately $3 million to resolve False Claims Act allegations that the company falsely certified to the United States Small Business Administration (SBA) its eligibility for a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan.
As detailed in the settlement agreement, Trax admits that, in February 2021, it obtained a second draw PPP loan and certified that it was eligible to receive the loan under the PPP rules. When it applied for the loan and when it applied for forgiveness, Trax, together with its foreign parent company and affiliates, had over 300 employees. Businesses with more than 300 employees were not eligible for second draw loans.
Congress enacted the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and the Economic Security Act (CARES Act) on March 29, 2020, to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans who were suffering the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The CARES Act authorized forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain approved expenses through the PPP, which the SBA administered. On May 5, 2020, the SBA issued guidance that explained that, for purposes of meeting size eligibility requirements (i.e. whether the applicant is a “small business concern” or otherwise falls below the cap on employee headcount), an applicant must count all its employees and the employees of its U.S. and foreign affiliates, absent a waiver of, or an exception to, the affiliation rules.
The claims resolved in today’s settlement include claims that were brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act. Under those provisions, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. As part of today’s resolution, the whistleblower will receive approximately $300,000.
The settlement credits Trax for cooperation under the Department of Justice’s Guidelines for Taking Voluntary Disclosure, Cooperation and Remediation into Account in False Claims Act Matters.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and the Small Businesses Administration made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexandra Brazier of the Affirmative Civil Enforcement Unit handled the case.
Texas Man Sentenced for Distributing and Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Texas man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for distributing and possessing child pornography.
Chief U.S. District Judge Lance E. Walker sentenced Kenneth Kring, 23, to 13 ½ years in prison to be followed by a lifetime of supervised release. Judge Walker also ordered Kring to pay $34,500 in restitution to victims whose images he possessed and distributed. Kring pleaded guilty on April 27, 2026.
According to court records, while assigned to the USS Cheyenne, a submarine stationed at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery, then-U.S. Navy sailor Kring engaged in ongoing distribution of child sexual abuse material. In January 2025, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) executed a search warrant at Kring’s residence on the naval base, during which time he voluntarily admitted to accessing, viewing, and distributing child sexual abuse material over the internet, including the instant messaging mobile app Kik Messenger. Investigators also located child sexual abuse material on his cell phone. A subsequent search warrant to MediaLab.ai, the parent company of Kik, revealed Kring had created 11 separate Kik Messenger accounts that he used to distribute sexually explicit material of children to other Kik users.
NCIS investigated the case.
To report an incident involving the possession, distribution, receipt or production of child sexual abuse material: Child sexual abuse material – referred to in legal terms as “child pornography” – captures the sexual abuse and exploitation of children. These images document victims’ exploitation and abuse, and they suffer revictimization every time the images are viewed. In 2023, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) received 36 million reports of the possession, manufacture, or distribution of child sexual abuse materials. To file a report with NCMEC, go to https://report.cybertip.org or call 1-800-843-5678. If you are in Maine and you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted or abused, you can get help by calling the free, private 24-hour statewide sexual assault helpline at 1-800-871-7741.
Project Safe Childhood: 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’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, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-me/psc.
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Takedown of “Operation Klean Strip” Dismantles Two Methamphetamine Conversion Labs; Nine Arrested, Three IndictedRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — The United States Attorney’s Office announced the results of Operation Klean Strip, a multi‑agency investigation that dismantled two large‑scale clandestine methamphetamine conversion laboratories in Bakersfield and Visalia. The operation began in November 2025 and ended today with nine arrests and the execution of 16 search warrants where agents seized 4,000 marijuana plants, $20,000 drug proceeds, and 20 firearms adding to the 2,171 pounds of crystal methamphetamine and hundreds of gallons of methamphetamine seized earlier.
“This investigation struck at the heart of high‑volume methamphetamine conversion operations that were pumping poison into communities across the Central Valley,” said U.S. Attorney Eric Grant. “Through the relentless effort of our federal, state, and local partners, we have taken nine alleged conspirators off the streets and secured indictments against three more. Operations like this underscore our unwavering commitment to dismantling the criminal networks that manufacture and traffic these dangerous drugs, and we are far from finished.”
“Today is an example of the great work that can be done when law enforcement agencies from all levels of government come together for one, unified mission,” said Attorney General Bonta. “Stopping the production of illegal drugs is about more than enforcing the law. It’s about protecting our families and communities from the life-threatening danger these drugs pose. Public safety is priority number one at the California Department of Justice, and we will continue to pursue it in our communities and in the courtroom. Thank you to all the agencies and individuals who worked together to make California a safer place.”
“This takedown reflects exactly what the Homeland Security Task Force framework was designed to achieve: federal, state, and local partners operating as one team to dismantle the networks trafficking dangerous narcotics into our communities,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Brian Tosh. “These partnerships bring the shared expertise, resources, and resolve that make operations of this magnitude possible.”
According to court documents, agents with the Fresno High Impact Investigation Team (HIIT), the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and partner agencies seized 2,171 pounds of crystal methamphetamine and hundreds of gallons of methamphetamine in solution from the two conversion laboratories—721 pounds from the Bakersfield site on April 20, 2026, and 1,450 pounds from the Visalia site on May 20, 2026. In a related traffic stop on April 20, 2026, deputies recovered approximately 320 pounds of crystal methamphetamine from a vehicle driven by Ramiro Luna, 52, of San Bernardino.
Luna and his passenger Robert Gray, 54, of San Bernardino, were charged by indictment on Aug. 20, 2026, with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Gustavo Alejandro Mendoza‑Felix, 27, of Visalia, was arrested on May 20, 2026, when HITT and other law enforcement agencies served a search warrant at the Visalia methamphetamine lab where he resided. He was indicted on June 11, 2026, charged with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
A criminal complaint charges the following nine defendants with conspiracy to manufacture, distribute, and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine:
- Jesus Efrain Lopez‑Felix, 34, of Tulare;
- Elvis Ramirez‑Beltran, 25, of Mexico, residing in Porterville;
- Gabriel Ramirez‑Beltran, 27, of Mexico, residing in Selma;
- Marissa Lopez‑Felix, 30, of Porterville;
- Jose Armando Lopez‑Felix, 29, of Mexico, residing in Yokuts Valley;
- Jaciel Lopez‑Felix, 23, of Mexico residing in Sanger;
- Faustino Romero‑Leon, 50, of Mexico, residing in Sanger;
- Alberto Lopez‑Castillo, 21, of Visalia;
- Jesus Adrian Rios‑Ramirez, 27, of Mexico.
This case is the product of an investigation led by the FBI and the California Department of Justice Fresno High Impact Investigation Team (HIIT), which is made up of partner agencies from Fresno County Sheriff’s Office, Fresno Police Department, California Highway Patrol, Madera County Sheriff’s Office, King’s County Sheriff’s Office, and the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Additional assistance was provided by the Central Valley High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA), consisting of Kern County HIDTA and Tulare County HIDTA, along with Department of Homeland Security, the Drug Enforcement Agency, the Mendocino Major Crimes Task Force, the Kern County District Attorney’s Office, and the Tulare County District Attorney’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Eric Catto, Luke Baty, and Antonio Pataca are prosecuting the case.
If convicted, the defendants face mandatory minimum sentences of 10 years and up to life in prison, and fines up to $10 million, depending on drug quantity and prior convictions. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
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. The Central Valley HSTF is composed of agents and officers from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Marshals Service, and IRS Criminal Investigation with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California.
Bakersfield Methamphetamine Conversion Laboratory Photograph of igloos with liquid methamphetamine.
Photograph of metal pots and burners.
Photograph of individually bagged crystal methamphetamine.
Photograph of crystal methamphetamine, propane tanks, and 5-gallon acetone containers.
Photograph of crystal methamphetamine drying on tabletops.
Photograph of igloo containers with liquid methamphetamine.
Photograph of 5-gallon acetone containers used in methamphetamine conversion process.Stepfather in 2-Month-Old’s Death Arrested and ChargedRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Demetrius Beatty, 40, of the District of Columbia, was arrested and charged with first-degree felony murder and first-degree cruelty to children for the August 16 death of a two-month-old child in his custody, in Southeast, D.C., announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Beatty made his initial appearance September 17 before Superior Court Judge Dorsey Jones. Judge Jones found probable cause that Beatty committed the offenses and ordered him to be held without bond pending a preliminary hearing on September 28, 2026, before Judge J. Michael Ryan.
According to court documents, on August 16, 2026, Beatty was left with two of his stepchildren, two-month-old twins, alone in his residence with three other minor children. Officers responded to 809 New Jersey Avenue Southeast and located a two-month-old child unconscious and unresponsive. An autopsy was done on the baby where it was determined that her cause of death was multiple blunt force injuries to the head and the manner of death was homicide.
Joining in the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery W. Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
This case is being investigated by the Special Victims Unit of the Metropolitan Police Department.
Charges in a complaint are merely allegations, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
2026 CF1 014643
Serial Embezzler Sentenced in San Antonio to 13 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO – A San Antonio woman was sentenced in federal court Wednesday to 160 months in prison for embezzling from several employers and their clients, announced U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas, Justin R. Simmons.
According to court documents, during three separate periods between June 2021 and February 2025, Monica Marie Padilla, 49, worked as a bookkeeper for multiple businesses. As bookkeeper, Padilla had access to bank and credit accounts. At each of the three employers, Padilla used various methods to fraudulently steal funds from the accounts. With the stolen money, Padilla remodeled her home, purchased Disney merchandise, bought hundreds of DoorDash orders, and funded her daughter’s cheerleading activities along with a more than $5,700 trip to California.
Padilla was first charged in a 30-count indictment on Aug. 16, 2023, then in an 18-count superseding indictment on Feb. 19, 2025, both of which included more than a dozen wire fraud counts. While on pretrial release after the February 2025 superseding indictment, Padilla violated her bond conditions, lied to pretrial services, and obtained employment as a remote bookkeeper for an accounting firm, where she again defrauded her employer and her employer’s clients. Throughout Padilla’s multi-year criminal scheme, she defrauded three separate businesses for a total loss of at least $595,585.41.
On Aug. 13, 2025, Padilla was named in a five-count information, which charged her with just three wire fraud charges, one mail fraud charge, and one money laundering charge. She pleaded guilty to all five of those counts on Aug. 20, 2025.
“An embezzling bookkeeper can do incalculable harm not just to the victimized businesses but to the lives of many innocent people. The monetary harm is usually just the tip of the iceberg in these types of cases,” said U.S. Attorney Simmons. “With numerous prior convictions, Monica Padilla acted as a financial predator. Thanks to FBI and our justice system, we were able to tame this particular predator as she will be spending the next thirteen-plus years behind bars.”
“For several years, Monica Padilla betrayed the trust of her employers and stole company funds at numerous businesses, all for her own personal gain,” said FBI San Antonio Special Agent in Charge Daniel Faith. “Her spending spree with the stolen money of her victims has finally come to an end and now she will face justice.”
The FBI investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Harris prosecuted the case.
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Russian National Sentenced for Synthetic Identity Theft Fraud Scheme and Conspiring to Submit Fraudulent Voter RegistrationsRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL — Dmitry Shushlebin (age 45), a Russian citizen living in Miami Beach, was sentenced to six years in prison and three years of supervised release for organizing an identity theft fraud scheme that included efforts by the conspirators to submit fraudulent voter registrations. He was also ordered to pay $458,839.69 in restitution.
“Voting is one of the most significant rights and responsibilities Americans have,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe for the Middle District of Florida. “We will continue to investigate threats to the integrity of our electoral process and prosecute those who engage in fraud or other means to violate our nation’s voting laws.”
“Those who engage in fraud and deception in our election processes will be investigated and prosecuted,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “After arriving in the United States, Dmitry Shushlebin created sham companies to facilitate a multi-year financial fraud scheme. He used these companies to commit identity theft, which allowed him to create synthetic or fake identities that appeared real after they were used to submit over 100 false voter registrations.”
“The FBI is committed to supporting our election security partners ensuring fraudulent schemes, like the defendant’s identity-theft scheme using fraudulent voter registration applications, never have a chance to succeed,” said Special Agent in Charge Rodney Crawford of the FBI Tampa Division. “We have the investigative tools and the strong partnerships to detect and disrupt these crimes.”
“Combatting fraud and identity theft are critical missions of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service,” said Inspector in Charge Bladismir Rojo of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service Miami Division. “We will continue to work with our local, state, and federal partners to investigate those individuals who use the mail to enrich themselves at the expense of others.”
On July 24, 2025, the United States filed a four-count superseding information charging Shushlebin with conspiracy to give false information in registering to vote and submit fraudulent voter registrations, wire fraud, making false statements, and aggravated identity theft. Shushlebin pleaded guilty to all four counts on July 25, 2025.
According to court documents, Shushlebin hired Sanjar Jamilov, an Uzbekistani national, and others to submit more than 100 fraudulent voter registration applications to the Pinellas County Supervisor of Elections in February and March 2023. One purpose of registering these fake voters was to create synthetic or fake identities that Shushlebin could use to commit financial fraud. Shushlebin used the fake identities to obtain fraudulent credit cards and loans. He perpetrated this scheme against the victim financial institutions hundreds of times using hundreds of different synthetic identities.
This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lindsey Schmidt for the Middle District of Florida and Acting Chief Edward P. Sullivan of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section prosecuted the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Suzanne C. Nebesky for the Middle District of Florida is handling the forfeiture.
Richland County Man Sentenced to Nine Years in Prison for Child Sexual Abuse OffensesRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – A Richland County man has been sentenced to federal prison for engaging in online activities that involved Child Sexual Abuse Materials (CSAM).
Shane E. Westerfeld, 51, of Mansfield, Ohio, has been sentenced to 108 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Patricia A. Gaughan, after pleading guilty in May to Receipt of Real Minors Engaged in Sexually Explicit Conduct and Possession of Child Pornography. He was also ordered to serve 10 years of supervised release after imprisonment and pay $11,000 in restitution to victims.
According to court documents and evidence presented in court, in February 2024 Westerfeld was discovered trafficking CSAM on an online platform and communicating with an undercover agent posing as a 13-year-old girl. During a search warrant executed on his electronic devices, investigators found that he knowingly received more than 100 computer files which contained the sexual abuse of children. Several files involved prepubescent minors under the age of 12 including toddlers. Upon further investigation, Westerfeld was found to also have a previous conviction for possessing child pornography in Canada.
The investigation leading to the indictment was led by the FBI Mansfield Resident Agency.
Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer J. King for the Northern District Ohio led the prosecution.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. The initiative is led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices throughout the country and 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, visit justice.gov/PSC.
To report child exploitation, please visit cybertipline.org, or call 1-800-843-5678, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Registered Sex Offender Sentenced to Nine Years in Prison for Distributing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Guy Anthony Wachob, 64, of Leicester, North Carolina, was sentenced to nine years in prison today for distributing child sexual abuse material (CSAM), announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Wachob was also ordered to serve a lifetime of supervised release and to register as a sex offender.
“There’s a price to pay for convicted sex offenders who exploit children, and that price is prison,” said U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson. “We have a responsibility to protect children from those who seek to harm them, and we take that responsibility seriously. My office will continue seek lengthy sentences for repeat offenders who pose a threat to children.”
“Wachob is a convicted sex offender who distributed horrific child sexual abuse material,” said Mark M. Zito, Special Agent in Charge of HSI Carolinas. “HSI Carolinas and our law enforcement partners will continue to pursue these offenders relentlessly and do everything within our authority to protect children from further harm.”
According to filed court documents and the sentencing hearing, in 2017, Wachob was convicted of Sexual Battery and Assault on a Female. As a result of that conviction, he was required to register as a sex offender. In August 2024, Wachob accessed a chatroom dedicated to the exchange of CSAM and began communicating with an undercover HSI agent. Between August and September 2024, during his communications with the HSI agent, Wachob discussed his sexual interest in young children. Wachob also used an encrypted messaging app to distribute CSAM to the undercover agent, including videos that depicted prepubescent minors being sexually abused.
On September 10, 2024, HSI agents, Franklin Police Department officers, and Macon County Sheriff’s deputies arrested Wachob. During an interview with law enforcement, Wachob admitted that he had been sending CSAM to the undercover agent.
Wachob remains in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service until he is transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.
In making the announcement U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson commended the HSI Greenville Office, the Macon County Sheriff’s Office, and the Franklin Police Department for their work on this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexis Benjamin of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville 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 Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Recidivist New Castle Felon Sentenced to More Than 17 and a Half Years in Prison for Trafficking Fentanyl, Heroin, and Cocaine While on Federal Supervised ReleaseRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of New Castle, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 212 months in prison, to be followed by six years of supervised release, on his conviction of trafficking fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine while on federal supervised release, United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
Chief United States District Judge Cathy Bissoon imposed the sentence on Melvin Dorsey-Pace, 33.
According to information presented to the Court, on February 12, 2025, Dorsey-Pace possessed with intent to distribute a mixture of fentanyl and heroin, as well as a mixture of fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine. Dorsey-Pace was on federal supervised release at the time, following a 2024 release from prison for a prior drug trafficking conviction. The instant offense was Dorsey-Pace’s third federal drug trafficking conviction during the last 10 years, with the defendant also having been on federal supervised release when he engaged in the criminal conduct that led to his second federal drug trafficking conviction. Additionally, Dorsey-Pace was on Pennsylvania state parole following a prison sentence for a drive-by shooting when he engaged in the criminal conduct that led to his first federal drug trafficking conviction.
Assistant United States Attorney Craig W. Haller prosecuted this case on behalf of the United States.
United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Lawrence County Drug Task Force for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Dorsey-Pace.
Rawlins man sentenced for role in multi-county drug trafficking ringRead the Press Release
CASPER, Wyo. — On September 14, 2026, Denny Jason Shrove, 48, of Rawlins, was sentenced to 216 months in federal prison followed by five years of supervised release for the distribution of methamphetamine.
According to court documents, the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation, with the assistance of the Drug Enforcement Administration and Homeland Security Investigations, launched a sweeping campaign against a major drug trafficking organization spanning multiple counties in Wyoming and Colorado.
Agents identified Shrove as the lead distributor in Wyoming alongside co-conspirators Bryan Hackleman, Gregory McCoy, Nicole Phipps, Alysha Dahl, Jonathan Burton, Cainen Taylor, and dozens of others charged through state court. The group worked together to transport narcotics from Colorado and distribute them across Natrona, Carbon, Campbell, Laramie and Albany counties in Wyoming. The investigation revealed Shrove was responsible for redistributing at least 23 pounds of methamphetamine in Wyoming.
Over the course of the investigation, authorities seized approximately 1,429.7 grams of methamphetamine, 25.3 grams of fentanyl pills, 67.5 grams of heroin, 16.4 grams of cocaine, fentanyl powder, psilocybin mushrooms and marijuana.
"The trafficking of highly addictive substances like methamphetamine and fentanyl threatens the safety and well-being of families across Wyoming," said U.S. Attorney Darin Smith. "Today's sentencing holds a key distributor accountable and underscores our resolve to pursue those who profit from drug abuse."
The Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation investigated the case with the assistance of the DEA, HSI, and multiple state and local agencies in Colorado and Wyoming. Shrove was arrested on Jan. 23, 2026, and remained in continual custody until he pleaded guilty. Assistant U.S. Attorney Z. Seth Griswold prosecuted the case. U.S. District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl imposed the sentence in Casper.
Case No. 26-CR-00071-SWS
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).
Pine Ridge Man Sentenced to 8 Years in Federal Prison for Abusive Sexual Contact of a Young GirlRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a Pine Ridge, South Dakota, man convicted of Abusive Sexual Contact. The sentencing took place on September 14, 2026.
Donovan He Crow, 53, was sentenced to eight years in federal prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. He Crow will be required to register as a sex offender under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act.
He Crow was indicted for Abusive Sexual Contact by a federal grand jury in November 2025. He pleaded guilty on March 6, 2026.
He Crow entered a child’s bedroom during the nighttime and forcibly engaged in sexual contact with her by groping her bare breast. The child was between the ages of 12 and 13 when the offense occurred.
This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in Federal court as opposed to State court.
This case was investigated by the FBI and the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety Criminal Investigations Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Poppen prosecuted the case.
He Crow was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Pierre Man Sentenced for Failure to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced a Pierre, South Dakota, man convicted of Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. The sentencing took place on September 14, 2026.
Duane Long Pumpkin, age 27, was sentenced to eight months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Long Pumpkin was indicted by a federal grand jury in June 2025. He pleaded guilty on June 11, 2026.
Long Pumpkin was convicted of Abusive Sexual Contact in U.S. District Court in 2023. Consequently, he is required to register as a sex offender and update his registration within three business days of relocation or changing employment or student status. In October 2024, Long Pumpkin updated his sex offender registration to reflect that he was residing in Allen, South Dakota. He relocated to Pierre in December 2024, but he did not update his sex offender registration. Long Pumpkin was arrested in Pierre on February 14, 2025.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service and the Pierre Police Department. Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Albertson prosecuted the case.
Long Pumpkin was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Pensacola Mail Handler Pleads Guilty to Drug and Postal CrimesRead the Press Release
Pensacola, Florida – Divincent M. Madison, Jr., 25, of Pensacola, Florida, pleaded guilty to one count of theft of mail by a postal employee, one count of delay or destruction of mail, and one count of possession with intent to distribute marijuana. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “This defendant sought to exploit his position with the USPS to facilitate a drug trafficking operation through the U.S. Mail, but thanks to the excellent investigative work by the USPS Inspector General that supported the successful prosecution by my office, he now faces federal prison time.”
Court documents reflect that in July 2023, while working at the United States Postal Service Processing and Distribution Center in Pensacola, the defendant would smell mail packages, cut them open, and steal marijuana located inside the parcels. Federal agents intercepted the defendant while leaving work and found over 1,000 grams of marijuana inside of his lunchbox. Later the same day, the defendant attempted to have another mail handler help him retrieve a package containing 448 grams of marijuana that the defendant had hidden inside the Distribution Center.
Madison faces up to 5 years imprisonment on each count.
The case was investigated by the United States Postal Service – Office of Inspector General and the United States Postal Inspection Service. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Christopher C. Patterson and Brooke Lindsay.
Sentencing is scheduled for November 10, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. in the United States Courthouse in Pensacola before United States District Judge T. Kent Wetherell, II.
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.
Oregon Man Sentenced to 40 Years for Child Pornography OffensesRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Newberg, Oregon man was sentenced on September 16, 2026, to 480 months’ imprisonment to be followed by 10 years of supervised release for child pornography offenses, U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer announced.
Jayson Setera, 51, of Newberg, Oregon, was convicted by a federal jury on April 15, 2026, of one count of possession of prepubescent child pornography and one count of transportation of child pornography following a trial before U.S. District Judge Jamel K. Semper in Newark federal court. Judge Semper also imposed the sentence, which constitutes the statutory maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for each count of conviction. Judge Semper ordered that the sentences on each count run consecutively.
“This sentence underscores our unwavering commitment to prosecute and hold accountable those involved in child sexual abuse material. The statutory maximum sentence imposed by the Court represents justice to the victims and should serve as a warning to others who engage in these heinous crimes.”
- U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On January 22, 2024, Setera returned from an international trip aboard a flight that landed at Newark Liberty International Airport. Law enforcement searched Setera’s cellular phone and found approximately 170 photographs and 8 videos depicting child sexual abuse material, including material involving pre-pubescent minors. Law enforcement also found messages from Setera soliciting child pornography and referring to the sexual abuse of young children. In addition, law enforcement found payments from Setera to the individuals sending him child pornography.
U.S. Attorney Frazer credited special agents of the Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”), under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael S. McCarthy and officers from Customs and Border Protection (“CBP”), under the direction of New York Director of Field Operation Frank Russo, with the investigation leading to the conviction.
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 Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) in the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit: https://www.justice.gov/psc
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert L. Toll of the Health Care Fraud and Opioids Enforcement Unit in Newark. Valuable assistant in the prosecution was provided by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Specht of the Southern District of New York.
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Defense counsel: Tyler Newman, Esq.