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28 January 2026
Mexican National Sentenced to Prison TimeRead the Press Release
SOUTH BEND – Manuel De Jesus Tinoco-Calderon, 36 years old, of Mexico and a resident of South Bend, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Cristal C. Brisco after pleading guilty to felony reentry of removed alien, announced United States Attorney Adam L. Mildred.
Tinoco-Calderon was sentenced to time served. He has been in custody since August 15, 2025.
According to documents in the case, Tinoco-Calderon was previously removed from the United States in September of 2007.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement with assistance from the Notre Dame Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Luke N. Reilander.
Mexican National Couple Sentenced for Making and Selling Thousands of Counterfeit IdentificationsRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – A Mexican national couple sentenced for making and selling thousands of counterfeit identifications to clients throughout the United States, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
U.S. District Judge Sara E. Hill sentenced Karina Garcia-Salazar, 47, for Conspiracy to Transfer Identification Documents and Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Use or Transfer Five or More Documents. Judge Hill ordered Garcia-Salazar to 60 months imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release.
Garcia-Salazar’s co-defendant, Jorge Augusto Prieto-Gamboa, 41, was sentenced in December 2025 for Conspiracy to Possess Fire or More Documents with Intent to Transfer. Judge Hill ordered Prieto-Gamboa to serve 15 months imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release.
From August 2020 through their arrest in February 2025, Garcia-Salazar and Prieto-Gamboa worked together to create thousands of fake immigration documents. Court records show that the defendants sold the fake documents in several controlled buys orchestrated by agents. During those buys, agents confirmed that Garcia-Salazar and Prieto-Gamboa were working together to sell identification cards and Social Security cards.
A search warrant was served on their home in Tulsa. During that search, agents found at least 67 fake completed documents and seized several electronic devices for further search. After searching their devices, agents found more than 2,000 different identification documents, including Social Security cards, lawful permanent resident cards, state driver’s licenses and ID cards, foreign ID cards, and passports. Screenshot communications found showed conversations with clients that included photos, dates of birth, other information needed to complete the false documents, and photos verifying that the documents were completed. Agents also found client ledgers and images of envelopes mailed across the United States.
Bank records and surveillance obtained by agents show that Garcia-Salazar used a fake Mexican passport to open a local checking account rather than her permanent resident card. Cash deposits made by both defendants and peer-to-peer transactions showed that the couple charged $120 to $150 for fake cards. The fake passport used by Garcia-Salazar and more than $32,000 in cash were also found during the search warrant.
During the investigation, agents confirmed that at least one ID was made and sold to a separate defendant charged in the Northern District of Oklahoma. He admitted to smuggling and trafficking three kilograms of methamphetamine and three kilograms of black tar heroin into the United States.
Court records show that Garcia-Salazar obtained a lawful permanent resident card and that Prieto-Gamboa entered the United States unlawfully in 2002. The couple will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.
Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Greenough prosecuted the case.
This case was investigated and prosecuted by the Dallas Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) as part of Operation Take Back America. HSTFs, which were established by President Trump in Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion, are joint operations led by the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security. Operation Take Back America is a nationwide federal 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.
Manitowoc Woman Receives Prison Time for Money Laundering Scheme Involving MillionsRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Brad D. Schimel announced that on January 27, 2026, Cherie Campion (age: 64) was sentenced to eighteen months’ imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, by United Stated District Judge Lynn Adelman. Campion was also ordered to pay over $10 million in restitution.
Campion, through her temporary staffing agency, generated and submitted thousands of fraudulent invoices, causing respective losses of $5,000,000 and $5,389,371.51 for the two companies she deceived. Campion pled guilty to two counts of money laundering, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1956(a)(1)(B)(i).
While imposing sentence, Judge Adelman emphasized that this was “significant” misconduct, involving large dollar amounts and lies that continued over the course of years. Judge Adelman also noted that Campion’s crimes were sophisticated and involved “intricate operations,” including the generation of fake financial records; the creation of a fictitious persona to deceive her victims; and Campion’s employment of a “voice modulator” to facilitate her deception. Although Judge Adelman concluded that Campion was unlikely to reoffend, given her age and lack of prior criminal history, Judge Adelman nevertheless believed an imprisonment term was necessary to “promote general deterrence,” and hopefully dissuade other would-be white-collar criminals.
“As the Judge said, this should be a message to all would-be fraudsters and embezzlers that they will be caught and imprisoned,” said U.S. Attorney Schimel. “I am proud of the very capable and hard-working investigation and prosecution team that brought this offender to justice.”
“Cherie Campion devised an elaborate fraud scheme which caused significant loss to the victims. The sentencing of Campion and the accompanying restitution order of more than $10 million serves justice for the victims of this fraud scheme,” said FBI Milwaukee Special Agent in Charge Alan Karr. “The FBI is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to diligently pursue those who defraud and exploit others for personal gain.”
“Today’s sentencing of Campion demonstrates our commitment to pursuing those who engage in deception and fraud,” said Adam Jobes, IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge of the Chicago Field Office. “IRS Criminal Investigation provides financial investigative expertise in our joint work with our law enforcement partners. Pooling the skills of each agency creates a formidable team to uncover wrongdoing. Today’s actions highlight our collective efforts to enforce the law and protect the public’s trust.”
“The U.S. Postal Inspection Service works diligently to preserve the integrity of the U.S. Mail,” said Mary T. Johnson, Acting Inspector in Charge of the Chicago Division of the United States Postal Inspection Service. “This sentencing reflects the successful teamwork across many federal law enforcement agencies. We want the public to know that Postal Inspectors will aggressively pursue anyone who attempts to use the Postal Service for criminal activity. We will not allow the U.S. Mail to be used to commit fraud, and we aim to keep the mail safe and secure for the American public."
“Ms. Campion’s fraud caused significant losses to the two affected companies,” said Special Agent in Charge Vincent Zehme, of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General (FDIC OIG), Chicago Regional Office. “This type of sophisticated fraud scheme not only causes losses to the victim companies but also undermines the integrity of our Nation’s banks when fraud proceeds are laundered through our financial systems. Her prison sentence and significant restitution of over $10 million should send a message that FDIC OIG will continue to work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners to bring these schemes to a halt.”This matter was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation-Office of Inspector General, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin Knight.
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Members of a Local Heroin and Drug Trafficking Organization Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Kurt L. Wall announced the sentencing of five individuals by U.S. Chief Judge Shelly D. Dick in connection with a large-scale cocaine and heroin trafficking network based in East Baton Rouge Parish.
Francisco Palma, age 45, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, was sentenced to 156 months in federal prison following his conviction for conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and heroin, unlawful use of communication facilities, unlawful travel in aid of a racketeering enterprise, possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and money laundering. The Court further sentenced Palma to serve three years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment.
Chief Judge Dick previously sentenced four other individuals in connection with this scheme. Juan Villareal, age 40, of Roma, Texas, was sentenced to 78 months in federal prison following his conviction for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine and heroin and unlawful use of communication facilities. The Court further sentenced Villareal to serve three years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment and entered a forfeiture money judgment of $100,000 against him, representing the amount of proceeds that he obtained from the offenses.
Richard Antunez, age 36, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, was sentenced to 70 months in federal prison following his conviction for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine and heroin, distribution of cocaine and heroin, and unlawful use of communication facilities. The Court further sentenced Antunez to serve three years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment.
Marco Antonio Filos, age 44, of Marrero, Louisiana, was sentenced to 26 months in federal prison following his conviction for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine and heroin, unlawful travel in aid of a racketeering enterprise, and unlawful use of communication facilities. The Court further sentenced Filos to serve two years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment.
Clarence Corey Anderson, age 44, of Prairieville, Louisiana, was sentenced to two years of probation following his conviction of unlawful use of communication facilities.
According to admissions made during his plea, beginning in or before October of 2017, and continuing until January 31, 2019, Palma conspired with others to obtain, distribute, and possess with the intent to distribute large quantities of cocaine, in excess of five kilograms, and heroin in the Middle District of Louisiana.
As part of the conspiracy, Palma, along with Juan Villareal, purchased or obtained kilogram quantities of cocaine and heroin from sources in Mexico and supplied these drugs to each other if one or the other ran out before the next shipment came in. Palma distributed cocaine and heroin to Richard Antunez, Marcos Antonio Filos, and Corey Anderson for further distribution in Baton Rouge, New Orleans, and elsewhere.
Palma and other members of his organization used telephones, which were listed in their names and the names of others, to discuss, negotiate, and arrange the purchase and sale of heroin. They also used telephones to facilitate the exchange of monies related to the buying and selling of heroin. Palma and the other members used public and private places to carry out the exchange of cocaine and heroin and cash from the drug transactions.
Agents seized over $250,000 in illegal drug proceeds, luxury vehicles, heroin, cocaine, and marijuana, and thirteen firearms during the investigation. The United States separately obtained forfeiture judgments for proceeds from the sale of a 2010 Rolls Royce Ghost and $253,110 in cash through civil forfeiture.
This investigation was led by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office, Iberville Parish Sheriff's Office, and Baton Rouge Police Department, and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Eli J. Abad. Assistant United States Attorney J. Brady Casey litigated the associated forfeiture proceedings.
Luzerne County Man Sentenced to 20 Years’ Imprisonment for Drug Distribution Resulting in DeathRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Christian Barnes, age 38, of Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on January 27, 2026, to 20 years in prison by United States District Judge Karoline Mehalchick for conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute fentanyl resulting in serious bodily injury and death.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, on November 4, 2021, Barnes sold approximately 1.3 grams of fentanyl to Jennifer Giuli, age 43, of Luzerne County. Giuli, in turn, then sold a half gram of the fentanyl that she received from Barnes to a Kingston, Luzerne County, resident, who later died after ingesting the fentanyl. Both Barnes and Giuli pleaded guilty to the charge of drug delivery resulting in death. On May 27, 2025, Judge Mehalchick also sentenced Jennifer Giuli to 240 months’ imprisonment.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Kingston Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jenny P. Roberts prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
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Long Island Tax Preparer Pleads Guilty to Nearly $12 Million Tax Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Earlier today, in federal court in Central Islip, Damaris Beltre, a former tax preparer in Freeport, New York, pleaded guilty to two counts of wire fraud and one count of aiding and assisting in the preparation of false tax returns. The proceeding was held before United States District Judge Sanket J. Bulsara. When sentenced, Beltre faces a maximum sentence of 53 years’ imprisonment, as well as restitution of approximately $12 million.
Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York and Harry T. Chavis, Jr., Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, New York (IRS-CI New York) announced the guilty plea.
“Beltre brazenly defrauded the government and callously put her clients in jeopardy to line her own pockets,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “Today’s guilty plea should serve as a warning to anyone who, like this defendant, views federal programs and the federal treasury as their own personal piggybanks, that you will be arrested and vigorously prosecuted.”
Mr. Nocella also expressed his appreciation to the United States Customs and Border Protection, New York Field Office, the Freeport Police Department, and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) for their assistance on the case.
“Beltre was a shady tax preparer with a complete disregard for U.S. law or the American public she failed when she fraudulently claimed tens of millions of dollars in COVID-19-related tax credits. She hoarded funds meant for those with a legitimate need just to fatten her own pockets. With today’s plea, she can move forward with facing the full consequences of her actions,” stated IRS-CI New York Special Agent in Charge Chavis.
As set forth in court filings and at today’s guilty plea proceeding, Beltre owned and operated multiple corporate entities offering tax preparation and other financial services in Freeport, New York. From approximately January 2021 through April 2024, Beltre personally prepared, and supervised employees in the preparation of, false and fraudulent individual income tax returns, and associated schedules and forms, for her client-taxpayers, which were submitted to the IRS.
The tax returns that Beltre prepared and caused to be prepared for her clients listed false dependents and fraudulently claimed tens of millions of dollars in COVID-19-related tax credits and motor fuel income tax credits to directly reduce tax liability and provide substantial refunds to which her clients were not entitled. Beltre’s clients paid over $1 million in fees for her services preparing these false returns, which included a percentage of any tax refund issued. For example, in April 2023, a federal agent acting in an undercover capacity (the UC) hired Beltre to prepare his individual income tax return. If prepared accurately, the UC would have owed the IRS approximately $205. By contrast, the defendant prepared an income tax return for the UC which contained false and fraudulent statements and baseless tax credits, and which thereby claimed a refund of over $14,243. Beltre charged the UC $2,200 in fees to prepare and submit the fraudulent tax return. As a result of this years-long scheme, the IRS improperly issued nearly $11 million in tax refunds to the defendant’s clients, and failed to collect several million dollars as a result of fraudulently reduced tax liabilities.
In a separate Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) fraud scheme, from approximately April 2020 through July 2022, Beltre filed and caused to be filed false payroll reports and income tax returns with the IRS on behalf of her corporate clients to fraudulently obtain PPP loans from the SBA, totaling approximately $1 million. Beltre used these proceeds, and those generated from the tax preparer fraud scheme described above, for personal expenses, including paying personal debts, to fund a home in the Caribbean, and to purchase a car and jewelry.
The government’s case is being handled by the Criminal Section of the Office’s Long Island Division. Assistant United States Attorney Charles P. Kelly is in charge of the prosecution, with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Samantha Schroder and Victim Witness Coordinator Stephanie Marroquin.
The Defendant:
DAMARIS BELTRE
Age: 58
Freeport, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 25-CR-081 (SJB)
Local doctor who tied up, repeatedly raped a woman in 1989 sentenced to 15 years in prison for making false statements to FBIRead the Press Release
DAYTON, Ohio – A Sycamore Township man who admitted to tying up and repeatedly raping a woman in 1989 was sentenced in U.S. District Court here today to the statutory maximum 180 months in prison for making false statements about the rapes to federal agents.
Frederick Louis Tanzer, 67, pleaded guilty in September 2025 to three counts of the false‑statements crime.
“Before admitting that he was the man who committed these horrific rapes in 1989, Tanzer lied to the FBI. His DNA confirmed his guilt, and evidence points to Tanzer being a serial rapist,” said U.S. Attorney Dominick S. Gerace II. “Tanzer poses a grave risk to the public and deserves to be in prison not only for his lies but also for the despicable attack he was trying to cover up.”
“The strong investigative work by the Cincinnati Police Department and the FBI led to Frederick Tanzer’s identification and his admission of his heinous crimes,” stated FBI Cincinnati Special Agent in Charge Jason Cromartie. “I commend the investigators who never gave up in their pursuit of justice for the victim.”
According to court documents, on Aug. 1, 1989, Tanzer broke into the home of Dana Beatty (then Dana Sandbo) in Cincinnati and repeatedly raped her over the course of five and a half hours. Tanzer, masked and dressed from head to toe in black Lycra, held a knife to the victim’s throat, dragged her into her bedroom, blindfolded her with surgical tape, bound her hands and feet to her bed frame, and then repeatedly, and with extreme violence, raped her vaginally, anally and orally.
The case remained unsolved for nearly 35 years. In 2024, the FBI, working with the Cincinnati Police Department, confirmed that DNA taken from Tanzer’s coffee cup matched the semen left by the man who attacked Dana Beatty in 1989.
When approached about the rapes, the defendant made several distinct and materially false statements to a federal agent and a Cincinnati Police Department detective, including denying having seen or interacted with the victim on the date of the attack.
The statute of limitations for the crimes committed during the 1989 attack expired in approximately 1995.
Tanzer was arrested in December 2024 and has remained in custody since.
Dominick S. Gerace II, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Jason Cromartie, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Cincinnati Division; and Cincinnati Interim Police Chief Adam Hennie announced the sentence imposed today by U.S. District Judge Michael J. Newman. The IRS-Criminal Investigation Cincinnati Field Office assisted in the investigation. Assistant United States Attorneys Kelly K. Rossi and Julie D. Garcia are representing the United States in this case.
While the United States Attorney’s Office typically does not identify crime victims, Dana Beatty is identified here by name at her request.
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Lincoln County Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Kevin James Murphy, 30, of West Hamlin, was sentenced today to five years and 10 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 11, 2025, Murphy was the front seat passenger in a vehicle pulled over by law enforcement officers in Huntington. During the traffic stop, officers directed Murphy to exit the vehicle and asked if he had any weapons. As part of his guilty plea, Murphy admitted that officers seized a Taurus Model G2C 9mm from his waistband after he told them he had a firearm. Murphy further admitted that the seized firearm was reported stolen, and that officers also seized approximately 29 grams of methamphetamine, digital scales, plastic bags, and 9mm ammunition from his backpack in the vehicle during the traffic stop. Murphy also admitted that he possessed and intended to distribute the seized methamphetamine and possessed the seized firearm in connection with that offense.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Murphy knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony convictions for attempt to commit a felony-possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance on March 29, 2016, and being a person prohibited from possessing firearms on June 29, 2019, both in Cabell County Circuit Court.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Huntington Police Department, the Huntington Violent Crime and Drug Task Force. and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Courtney L. Finney prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:25-cr-99.
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Last of Four Individuals Charged in $63 Million Mail Theft Conspiracy, Including Two Postal Employees Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
DETROIT – Four individuals who were charged in an Information last year for their involvement in a $63 million scheme that involved stealing checks from the mail and selling them online have all since pleaded guilty, United States Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon Jr. announced today.
Gorgon was joined in the announcement by U.S. Postal Service Inspector General Tammy Hull; Acting Inspector in Charge Sean McStravick, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Detroit Division; Special Agent in Charge Karen Wingerd, Detroit Field Office, Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation; Special Agent in Andrew McKay, Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, Mid-Atlantic Field Division; and Megan Howell, Special Agent-in-Charge, Great Lakes Region, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General.
Jaiswan Williams, 32, of Rochester Hills, Daquan Foreman, 32, of Eastpointe, Vanessa Hargrove, 40, of Detroit, and Crystal Jenkins, 32, of Detroit, all pleaded guilty to conspiracy to aid and abet bank and wire fraud. Williams also pleaded guilty to money laundering, and accepted responsibility for $1.5M of fraudulent pandemic unemployment insurance benefit claims submitted between May 2020 and September 2021.
Hargrove and Jenkins were United States Postal Service employees who diverted and ultimately stole checks and other negotiable instruments from the mail, including a high volume of tax refund checks issued by the U.S. Treasury. Williams and Foreman were the administrators of the online marketplaces used to sell the checks.
According to the Information, postal employees Hargrove and Jenkins would provide the stolen checks to Williams and Foreman in exchange for payments. Williams and Foreman would take those checks and market them for sale via Telegram Messenger, a cloud-based, cross-platform instant messaging application. Prices varied based on the face-value of the checks. One of the Telegram channels, named “Whole Foods Slipsss,” was used to advertise high-dollar checks, while another channel, named “Uber Eats Slips,” was used to advertise lower-dollar checks. “Slips” is a term commonly used in these schemes to refer to stolen checks. Transactions were completed off-platform using a variety of electronic payment systems. Purchasers of these checks would then attempt to fraudulently cash them using a variety of methods.
All four defendants face up to 30 years in prison for the conspiracy. Williams also faces up to 20 years on the money laundering charge.
Sentencing hearings will be held later this year, in front of U.S District Judge Judith E. Levy, as follows:
D-1 Jaiswan Williams: April 14, 2026
D-2 Daquan Foreman: March 3, 2026
D-3 Vanessa Hargrove: March 3, 2026
D-4 Crystal Jenkins: May 27, 2026
This multi-agency investigation was led by the U.S. Postal Service Office of the Inspector General (USPS-OIG), with the assistance of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS); the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI); the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA); and the Department of Labor Office of the Inspector General (DOL-OIG), and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Particka.
Last Defendant in Akron Drug Conspiracy Case Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
AKRON, Ohio – The last of seven defendants has been sentenced to prison for his role in a trafficking conspiracy that peddled opioids and other drugs throughout communities in Summit County and the surrounding areas.
Jonnell L. Ammons, aka Nell, 36, of Akron, Ohio, was sentenced to 125 months (10 years and four months) in prison by U.S. District Judge Donald C. Nugent after a federal jury convicted him in September 2025 of the following charges:
- Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine and Fentanyl
- Use of a Communication Facility to Facilitate a Felony Drug Offense
In addition to the sentence on the drug charges, he was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release after imprisonment.
According to court documents, from about May 2023 to January 2024, Ammons was engaged in illicit activities with an Akron-area drug trafficking organization known for dealing in methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine. As one of seven co-conspirators, he played a key role in pushing illegal drugs out into the communities of Northeast Ohio. The individuals in the conspiracy used residential and commercial buildings in Akron to store the illicit drugs before selling them. Members of the conspiracy also used firearms as a means of security to protect their drugs in storage before selling. Throughout the investigation, agents seized methamphetamine, fentanyl, cocaine, and three loaded firearms. More than $8,500 in cash, a Rolex watch, and a Chevrolet Corvette, were also seized by federal agents.
The following co-defendants in the case are currently serving sentences in federal prison for their roles in the conspiracy:
- Terrance D.N. McCormick, aka, TNasty, 41; 420 months (35 years)
- Jonez S. Ammons, aka, Nez, 34; 151 months (12 years and 6 months)
- Karim S. Davis, 33; 42 months (3 years and 6 months)
- Tyler J. Sands, 24; 140 months (11 years and 7 months)
- Ashley E. Steiner, 36, 102 months (8 years and 6 months)
- Jonte J. Averiett, aka, Sticks, 24, 30 months (2 years and 6 months)
All defendants resided in Akron.
This wiretap case was investigated by the DEA Cleveland Field Office.
Assistant United States Attorneys Peter E. Daly and Joseph P. Dangelo for the Northern District of Ohio led the prosecution.
Justice Department Recognizes Arizona’s Successful Completion of Disability Access Reforms at Statewide Corrections FacilitiesRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today the successful completion of reforms required under an agreement with the Arizona statewide prison system, the Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation, and Reentry (ADCRR). The Department concluded its Nov. 16, 2023 agreement with ADCRR, which resolved the Justice Department’s findings that ADCRR violated Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by discriminating against incarcerated individuals with vision disabilities, including those who are blind or have low vision.
“The Civil Rights Division continues its commitment to upholding the Americans with Disabilities Act,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “We commend ADCRR for its work to protect the ADA rights of people with disabilities, including those who are blind or have other vision disabilities, incarcerated in state facilities.”
Under the agreement, ADCRR implemented a series of reforms, including revising policies and practices, training personnel, providing necessary modifications, aids, and services, and providing assistive technology to people with vision disabilities in ADCRR custody. ADCRR also implemented screening and documentation procedures and appointed ADA coordinators to facilitate implementation of the agreement across the state.
The Justice Department plays a central role in advancing the ADA’s goals of equal opportunity, and full participation for people with disabilities, including people who are incarcerated. For more information on the Civil Rights Division, please visit www.justice.gov/crt. For more information on the ADA, please call the department’s toll-free ADA Information Line at 1-800-514-0301 (TTY 1-833-610-1264) or visit www.ADA.gov.
Justice Department Joins Lawsuit Against Racial Discrimination in Admissions at UCLA’s Medical SchoolRead the Press Release
Today, the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division sought intervention in a lawsuit against the David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) over the school’s continued use of race in its admissions policies and practices. The underlying lawsuit against UCLA was brought by several groups, including Students for Fair Admissions (SFFA). In 2023, SFFA won a historic victory against Harvard University and the University of North Carolina, in which the Supreme Court determined that U.S. universities were no longer allowed to use race as a factor in admissions decisions. SFFA, and now the United States, allege in this lawsuit that UCLA has continued to use race in its admissions decisions after the Supreme Court’s decision in SFFA v. Harvard.
“As the Supreme Court has made clear, admission into our nation’s educational institutions cannot be based on discriminatory racial policies,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Today’s intervention is the Department of Justice’s latest effort to hold our universities accountable for unlawful policy — especially in the state of California.”
“Even after the Supreme Court banned race-balancing, the Geffen School kept discriminating by using illegal DEI preferences in admissions,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “As the Supreme Court stated more than 80 years ago, a free people, founded on the doctrine of equality, regard distinctions between citizens solely because of their ancestry as inherently odious. This Civil Rights Division will not tolerate such conduct and welcomes the Court’s role in ensuring justice.”
“The law is clear: Discrimination on the basis of race is illegal and immoral,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli for the Central District of California. “As a state where so many of its leaders pride themselves on being on the ‘right side of history,’ California can and must do better.”
The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, notes that the Geffen School gathers data on the race of its applicants, and uses racial preferences to illegally balance its admissions classes by race such that they will “look like” America.
The United States’ complaint notes that, based on admissions data obtained from the Geffen School, large disparities exist between the academic preparation of minority applicants and non-minority applicants. This invidious racism not only violates the U.S. Constitution, but stigmatizes minority applicants as less qualified, and causes the medical school to admit applicants who are substantially less qualified to become medical doctors.
This case is brought by the Educational Opportunities Section of the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division.
You can view the complaint here.
Jersey City Man Admits to Conspiring to Transport Stolen GoodsRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A Jersey City man admitted to engaging in a conspiracy to burglarize logistics warehouses and transport the stolen goods, Senior Counsel Philip W. Lamparello announced.
Derek Spivey, 37, of Jersey City, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Edward S. Kiel to an information charging him with one count of conspiring to transport stolen goods. Spivey also pleaded guilty to violating the conditions of his supervised release from a prior conviction for possessing a firearm as a felon.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Spivey conspired with Jamil Bethea, Jamal Reid, Rasheed Sharpe, and others to burglarize trailers at logistics warehouses in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, transport the goods stolen from those warehouses, and sell the stolen goods to others. As part of the conspiracy, burglars stole $50,000 of Department of Defense laptops from a Pennsylvania warehouse in January 2025; $200,000 of high-end perfume from a Pennsylvania warehouse in March 2025; and $20,000 of liquor from a New Jersey warehouse in March 2025. Spivey and his co-conspirators then transported stolen goods into and through New Jersey for the purpose of selling them.
The count of conspiracy carries a maximum penalty of 5 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000, or twice the gross loss to the victim or gain to the defendant, whichever is greatest. Sentencing is scheduled for June 1, 2026.
Bethea, Reid, and Sharpe previously pleaded guilty for their roles in the conspiracy and are scheduled to be sentenced later this year.
Senior Counsel Lamparello credited agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Atlantic City Resident Agency, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy in Newark, with the investigation leading to this plea. He also thanked the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Philadelphia Field Division with its assistance in the investigation.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Bender of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Camden.
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Defense counsel: Thomas Young, Esq., Assistant Federal Public Defender
spivey.information.pdfIndictment Charges Dubai Resident with Fraud, Money Laundering, and Identity Theft OffensesRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and P.J. O’Brien, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, today announced that a federal grand jury in Bridgeport has returned a nine-count indictment SAUL SHALEV, 36, a dual U.S.-Israeli national, with offenses stemming from an alleged scheme that defrauded numerous small and medium-sized businesses and commercial lenders.
The indictment was returned on August 20, 2025, and Shalev was arrested in Barcelona, Spain, on September 15, 2025, at the request of the United States. Shalev appeared yesterday before U.S. Magistrate Judge S. Dave Vatti in Bridgeport and was ordered detained.
As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, Shalev holds U.S. and Israeli passports, lived in Brooklyn, New York, until approximately February 2019, and most recently resided in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Between approximately December 2019 and November 2022, Shalev defrauded more than 20 small and medium-sized businesses (“SMBs”). As part of the scheme, Shalev obtained information about commercial loans received by the SMBs and offered the SMBs the opportunity to refinance the loans or to obtain additional financing, either from the original lender or from a new lender. Shalev, using stolen identities and making fraudulent representations, acted as a broker between SMBs and potential lenders. After obtaining new or additional financing for an SMB from a commercial lender, Shalev provided fraudulent payoff instructions to the SMB with respect to a prior loan, causing the SMB to send all or part of the loan proceeds to an account he controlled. Shalev also fraudulently received a commission from the lender.
The indictment specifically alleges that
- In December 2020, Shalev used a stolen identity and posed as a broker between an auto dealership in Ohio and a commercial lender in Connecticut. Shalev caused the lender to make a loan of $343,000 to the auto dealer, caused the auto dealer to make a payoff payment of $190,668.06 to a commercial lender in Colorado that was actually directed to an account controlled by Shalev, and received a commission from the Connecticut lender of $42,000.
- In August 2021, Shalev used a stolen identity and posed as a broker between a healthcare provider in Indiana and the Connecticut lender. Shalev caused the lender to make a loan of $145,500 to the healthcare provider, caused the healthcare provider to make payoff payments totaling $156,838.85 to the commercial lender in Colorado that were actually directed to an account controlled by Shalev, and received a commission from the Connecticut lender of $18,000.
- In November 2022, Shalev posed as a broker between a provider of home improvement services in Michigan and a commercial lender in Pennsylvania. Shalev caused the lender to make a loan of $196,000 to the Michigan business, advised the business that the loan proceeds were sent in error, and instructed the business to “return” the proceeds to an account he controlled.
It is alleged that Shalev converted stolen funds into cryptocurrency.
The indictment charges Shalev with three counts of wire fraud, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years on each count; four counts of money laundering, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years on each count; and two counts of aggravated identity theft, an offense that carries a mandatory consecutive term of imprisonment of two years on each count.
U.S. Attorney Sullivan stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This investigation is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Connecticut Cyber Task Force (CCTF), the Stamford Police Department, and the Greenwich Police Department. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and Spanish authorities provided significant assistance in securing Shalev’s arrest and January 23 extradition.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward Chang.
Indianapolis Man Sentenced to 5 Years in Federal Prison for Defrauding Elderly VictimsRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced an Indianapolis, Indiana, man convicted in a federal jury trial of Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud. The sentencing took place on January 26, 2026.
Abdul Waheed Mohammed, age 33, was sentenced to five years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund and $163,000 in restitution.
Mohammed was indicted for Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud and Wire Fraud by a federal grand jury in November 2024. Mohammed was found guilty on the Conspiracy charge after a three-day jury trial in October 2025.
In September 2023, Mohammed and several co-conspirators, including co-defendant Shalinee Vyas, were involved in a scam targeting elderly victims across the United States and fraudulently taking money from them. The victims were told and convinced by these scammers that they had committed a crime or had their bank accounts hacked. In September 2023, those working with Mohammed contacted an elderly victim in the Rapid City area and falsely claimed to be law enforcement officers. The victim was told she had been involved in a crime and would be arrested if she did not do exactly what she was told, which included paying over cash and gold to resolve the non-existent criminal matter. The scammers also told the victim she could not speak about the matter to anyone, or she would be arrested. Over the course of a week, the victim lost more than $100,000 to the scammers when they came to the victim’s home to pick up cash and gold.
After these events, the victim’s friends noticed a change in her behavior that ultimately led to uncovering the scam. The victim notified law enforcement of the communications and law enforcement learned that another $95,000 in gold was to be picked up by a scammer. Law enforcement then conducted an operation and arrested Mohammed when he arrived at the victim’s home to pick up the gold. Following Mohammed’s arrest, law enforcement located numerous messages in Mohammed’s phone from Vyas to Mohammed and others directing Mohammed to various locations throughout the United States to collect cash from elderly victims who were being scammed, including the pick-up of gold in Rapid City.
“This defendant and his ring of thieves systematically preyed upon the elderly and vulnerable to rob them of their life savings and hard-earned retirement funds,” said U.S. Attorney Parsons. “It really takes a special kind of rotten to make a living scaring, threatening, stealing from, and impoverishing our senior citizens in what are supposed to be their golden years. I’m so proud of these law enforcement officers for catching these criminals and holding them accountable.”
This case was investigated by the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office. Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Patterson prosecuted the case.
Mohammed was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
If you or someone you know is asked to do any of these things mentioned in the above case, you are dealing with a fraudster, and you should do the following immediately:
• Do not send any more money
• Save copies of your communications, receipts, bank records, etc.
• Call your local police department, sheriff’s office, or the FBI
• Submit a complaint online at IC3.gov
In addition, an individual employed by the federal government will never:
• Tell you to withdraw any of your money from your bank accounts.
• Ask you to convert your money into gold bars or some other form of currency.
• Come to your house or meet you at a predetermined location and take money from you.
• Ask you to wire money to an account.
• Ask you to send money via CashApp, Zelle, Apple Pay, or any other peer-to-peer platform.
• Ask you to send cryptocurrency.
• Ask you to buy gift cards and send them.
(either by mailing the physical cards or by scratching them off and sending pictures of the redemption information)• Tell you they need remote access to your computer or any of your accounts.
• Ask you for your social security number, bank account information, or any other sensitive information over phone or email.
Huntington Woman Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Tabatha Rae Gardner, 35, of Huntington, pleaded guilty today to distribution of fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on October 31, 2024, Gardner sold approximately 3.47 grams of fentanyl to a confidential informant in a garage behind the residence of Gardner’s grandmother in Huntington.
Gardner is scheduled to be sentenced on May 11, 2026, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $1 million.
Gardner’s co-defendant, Tina Marie Dixon, 52, of Huntington, pleaded guilty on January 6, 2026, to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine base, also known as “crack,” and is scheduled to be sentenced on April 13, 2026.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Huntington Police Department.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Lesley C. Shamblin is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:25-cr-172.
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Hudson Valley Law Enforcement Symposium – Federal, State, and Local Officials Gather to Combat Violent Crime, Narcotics Traffickers, and Child Sex OffendersRead the Press Release
On January 27, 2026, over 100 federal, state, and local law enforcement officials gathered at the Orange County Government Center to discuss their efforts to combat crime on behalf of the people of New York. Participants included, among many others, the U.S. Attorneys for the Southern and Northern Districts of New York, leaders of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”), the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (“ATF”), District Attorneys and Sheriffs from Albany County, Rockland County, Orange County, Westchester County, Dutchess County, Greene County, and Rensselaer County, and senior leaders of the New York State Police.
The presentations and discussions focused on combining resources across offices and departments to combat the greatest threats to the quality of life and safety of the good people of the Hudson Valley. Areas identified as requiring a collective effort included:
- Removing gun-toting career criminals from our streets;
- Dismantling sophisticated narcotics production and distribution enterprises, including the violent transnational gangs that have invaded communities across the Hudson Valley;
- Protecting our children from sexual predators.
Several case studies involving multi-agency efforts that led to highly successful prosecutions were discussed with an eye toward greater cooperation in the future. The participants also discussed community engagement and community priorities, including “hot spots” where the need for a combination of federal, state, and local resources is most acute.
“It is invaluable to hear directly from our state and local partners,” said U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Jay Clayton. “Our principal objective is to deliver a better quality of life, including safe streets, for the people of the Hudson Valley, and we can best achieve that objective if we work in concert with our state and local partners. Together, we have brought—and will continue to bring—our most violent and most dangerous criminals to justice.”
“Public safety does not stop at district or county lines,” said Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of New York John A. Sarcone III. “This symposium underscores the power of strong partnerships among federal, state, and local law enforcement to confront the most serious threats facing our communities—violent crime, narcotics trafficking, and the exploitation of children. By sharing intelligence, coordinating resources, and aligning our priorities, we are better positioned to dismantle criminal organizations, protect the most vulnerable, and deliver real results for the people we serve.”
“Drugs, guns, and violent crime are endemic public safety concerns that know no boundaries,” said Orange County District Attorney David M. Hoovler. “In order to best protect the residents of Orange County from these ever-present dangers, we must work with our law enforcement partners, near and far. I am grateful not only for all of the law enforcement professionals who attended the symposium, but also for the commitment to work together to serve the residents of the Hudson Valley. This historic event highlights the importance of collaboration in effective law enforcement in the 21st century.”
“This meeting was a tremendous opportunity to gather officials from federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to share information and ideas on how we can leverage our resources to identify, investigate, and bring to justice the dangerous criminals bringing harmful narcotics and weapons into our communities,” said Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albany Field Office Craig Tremaroli. “I’m incredibly grateful to all the partners who made the time to attend this important discussion, and I look forward to working together to achieve our shared goal of keeping all our communities safe.”
“DEA New York remains steadfast in our commitment to working alongside our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to target those looking to distribute illicit narcotics throughout the Hudson Valley region,” said DEA New York Enforcement Division Special Agent in Charge Farhana Islam. “These symposiums provide us the opportunity to gather and collaborate with our partners, which helps strengthen our resolve to enhance public safety and helps protect our communities from drug poisonings which are harming our neighbors.”
“HSI New York was honored to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with our fellow law enforcement leaders at the Hudson Valley Law Enforcement Symposium, united by our shared commitment to protecting our communities,” said HSI New York Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael Alfonso. “Bringing together the strength and expertise of federal, state, and local partners is how we turn the tide against violent crime, drug traffickers, and those who prey on our children. When we unite our resources and resolve, we deliver real results—making the Hudson Valley a safer place for every New Yorker.”
“We appreciate our U.S. Attorneys for hosting and participating in this collaborative effort,” said Special Agent in Charge of ATF’s New York Division Bryan DiGiralamo. “ATF’s Crime Gun Intelligence, when combined with strong partnerships across all levels of law enforcement, enhances investigations and plays a critical role in reducing violent gun crime and keeping our communities safe.”
“Special thanks to our United States Attorneys for the Southern and Northern Districts of New York, and the Orange County District Attorneys’ Office, for bringing together our federal, state and local law enforcement partners for this meeting,” said DEA Northeast Regional Associate Chief of Operations Frank Tarentino. “The DEA is committed to working with all our law enforcement partners across the region in targeting those drug trafficking organizations and individuals who are responsible for the most harm. This is the DEA’s focus, both here and abroad, and we will continue this fight until we have a fentanyl-free America.”
Hays man pleads guilty to assault on Fort Belknap Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS - A Hays man accused of assaulting two females on the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation admitted to charges today, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
The defendant, Lane Blake Kirkaldie, 21, pleaded guilty to one count of assault with a dangerous weapon and one count of simple assault. Kirkaldie faces a term of imprisonment of ten years, a $250,000 fine, and 3 years of supervised release.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided and will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for May 28, 2026. Kirkaldie was released with conditions pending further proceedings.
The government alleged in court documents that in the early hours of January 1, 2025, Kirkaldie and a group of people attended a gathering at a house on the Fort Belknap Indian
Reservation. According to witnesses, there was an altercation that resulted in Kirkaldie being told to leave the house. Jane Doe 1 and Jane Doe 2 left the house with him. The trio walked to a business in Lodge Pole, which is equipped with surveillance cameras. In one of the surveillance videos, Kirkaldie can be seen throwing things before lunging toward Jane Doe 2. The video also shows him making threatening comments while holding a glass bottle.
A different surveillance video shows both Jane Does leave the building, with Kirkaldie trailing them outside. He tried to approach Jane Doe 2, and Jane Doe 1 put herself between them. She held Kirkaldie back as Jane Doe 2 returned inside. After he pushed her away, Kirkaldie struck Jane Doe 1 in the head with the glass bottle, which cut her head badly enough to require stitches.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The FBI and Fort Belknap Law Enforcement Services conducted the investigation.
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Hawaii Man Sentenced to 4 Years in Federal Prison for Defrauding Elderly Victim Out of Nearly $2 MillionRead the Press Release
SANTA ANA, California – A Hawaii man was sentenced today to 48 months in federal prison for defrauding a 79-year-old Orange County victim out of nearly $2 million via false promises to broker the sale of the victim’s yacht and by taking out unauthorized loans against the victim’s Irvine condominium, which left the victim homeless.
John Tamahere McCabe, 42, of Kailua, Hawaii, was sentenced by United States District Judge Fred W. Slaughter, who also ordered him to pay $1,814,000 in restitution.
From July 2017 to January 2024, McCabe devised and executed a scheme to defraud the victim. McCabe offered to help the victim sell his yacht and promised to transfer the sale’s proceeds to the victim. What the victim did not know was McCabe used fabricated documents to change the ownership of the yacht to McCabe’s name. Once the yacht was in his name, McCabe then diverted the proceeds to his own personal bank account and used most of the proceeds for his own personal purposes.
McCabe further convinced the victim to transfer his million-dollar Irvine residence into a McCabe-controlled limited liability company (LLC), claiming that it would protect the victim’s most-valuable asset and provide tax benefits. Without the victim’s knowledge or consent, McCabe caused himself to be the sole manager of the LLC and caused $1 million in loans to be taken out and secured by the victim’s residence, draining all its equity.
Once McCabe spent most of the loan proceeds, he defaulted on the loans and the victim’s residence was sold at a foreclosure sale, leaving the victim homeless. Through this scheme, McCabe defrauded the victim out of approximately $1,814,000.
The FBI investigated this case with the help of the Irvine Police Department.
Chief Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer L. Waier prosecuted this case.
If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is available at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This Department of Justice hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, is staffed by experienced professionals who provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying relevant next steps. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. English, Spanish and other languages are available.
Information about the Department of Justice’s Elder Fraud Initiative is available at www.justice.gov/elderjustice.
Hale County Man Sentenced to 11 Years in Prison for Attempted Sex Trafficking of ChildrenRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A Hale County man has been sentenced on charges related to attempted sex trafficking and drugs, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona.
United States District Judge Anna M. Manasco sentenced Kenneth Dylan Williams, 39, of Gallion, Alabama, to 135 months in prison followed by 5 years of supervised release. In September 2025, Williams pleaded guilty to attempted sex trafficking of children and possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine.
According to court documents, on August 9, 2024, a West Alabama Human Trafficking Task Force (WAHTTF) undercover (UC) officer posted an advertisement on a commercial sex website posing as a 19-year-old female in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. The following day, Williams sent a text message to the UC responding to the advertisement. During the exchange, the UC stated that she was only 15 years old and asked Williams if he wanted to continue to arrange a meeting. Williams requested a call with the UC to reassure himself that the UC was “real.” After the call, Williams confirmed the meeting location with the UC. Williams then traveled over an hour from his home to meet the UC at the set location in Brookwood, Alabama, and was arrested. During the arrest, officers recovered a Samsung Galaxy cell phone, wallet, and cash from Williams. A Tuscaloosa police officer searched Williams’s vehicle and recovered a clear plastic bag containing 25 grams of methamphetamine, a loaded Smith & Wesson 9mm pistol, a loaded Sig Sauer 10mm pistol, a black ski mask, and leather gloves.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The ATF investigated the case along with the West Alabama Human Trafficking Task Force and the Tuscaloosa Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Daniel S. McBrayer prosecuted the case.
Husband & Wife Sentenced for Federal Fentanyl & Firearm CrimesRead the Press Release
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Kevin Lamonte Powell Jr., 41, of Crestview, was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison after having previously pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and possession of firearms and ammunition by a convicted felon. His wife and codefendant, Shantel Marie Powell, 38, of Crestview, was sentenced to one year of home confinement as a part of a five-year probationary term after having been found guilty by a jury of making a false statement to a federal agent. The sentences were announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Fentanyl has an undeniably devastating impact on our communities. Anyone caught peddling this deadly weapon of mass destruction will be aggressively prosecuted by my office as we continue to work arm-in-arm with our state and federal law enforcement partners to rid our streets of this poison. This case is yet another successful prosecution under Operation Take Back America, through which President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi have deployed the full might of the Department of Justice to take down and eliminate the drug traffickers terrorizing our communities.”
Evidence admitted at Shantel Powell’s trial and court documents established that on January 31, 2025, following federal search warrants executed simultaneously at an outbuilding in Crestview where Kevin Powell regularly stored and distributed drugs and the Powells’ home in Pensacola, law enforcement seized fentanyl; evidence that Kevin Powell was packaging and preparing drugs for sale, including two large kilogram presses; a total of five firearms; and various amounts of ammunition. One of the firearms was a privately made firearm with no manufacturer markings or serial number, often referred to as a “ghost gun.” While the search warrant was being executed, Shantel Powell told law enforcement that all the firearms were hers, and she willfully falsely told a federal task force officer that she had purchased the privately made firearm at a particular gun store in Crestview, which was a lie intended to obstruct the investigation of this case.
“This joint operation highlights our law enforcement partners and the relationships we have with them,” said DEA Miami Field Division Acting Special Agent in Charge Kevin Bobbitt. “Our collaborative effort brought this drug trafficker to justice.”
The convictions were the result of a joint investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office, the Crestview Police Department, and the Niceville Police Department, with assistance from the Gulf Coast High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) Task Force. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Alicia Forbes.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime, human and drug trafficking.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.
H Block Gang Member Sentenced to Eight Years in Prison for Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A member of the violent Boston-based gang, H-Block, was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for drug conspiracy charges.
Trea Lankford, a/k/a “Montana,” a/k/a “Heffna Boss Don,” a/k/a “Tre Cain,” 34 of Boston, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin to eight years in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release. In October, 2025, Lankford pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances.
Lankford was one of 10 H-Block gang members and associates charged in August 2024 following a multi-year investigation of H Block beginning in 2021 in response to an uptick in gang-related drug trafficking, shootings and violence. According to court documents, over 500 grams of cocaine, cocaine base (crack cocaine) and fentanyl, as well as over 20,000 doses of drug-laced paper were seized during the investigation.
According to the charging documents, the H Block Street Gang is one of the most feared and influential city-wide gangs in Boston. Originally formed in the 1980s as the Humboldt Raiders in the Roxbury section of Boston, the gang re-emerged in the 2000s as H Block. Current members of H Block have a history of violent confrontation with law enforcement, including an incident in 2015 when a member shot a Boston Police officer at point blank range without warning or provocation.
From 2022 through 2023, Lankford, a long-time H Block gang member, participated in a conspiracy to distribute various controlled substances, including fentanyl, powdered cocaine and cocaine base (crack). On numerus occasions, Lankford conducted drug deals on various dates with an undercover officer, often accompanied by co-conspirators.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Jarod A. Forget, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; Randy Maloney, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service, Boston Field Office; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Jonathan Mellone, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Northeast Region; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement today. The investigation was supported by the Massachusetts State Police; Massachusetts Department of Corrections; Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office; and the Braintree, Quincy, Randolph and Watertown Police Departments. Assistant United States Attorney John T. Dawley of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit prosecuted the case along with Jeremy Franker of the Justice Department’s Violent Crime & Racketeering Section.
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.
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.
Guatemalan National Pleads Guilty to Aggravated Identity Theft of Minnesota ManRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Guatemalan man residing in St. Joseph, Mo., pleaded guilty in federal court today for fraudulently using a Minnesota man’s identity for over a decade to work legally in the United States.
Romeo Perez-Bravo, 43, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Greg Kays, to one count of aggravated identity theft and one count of illegal re-entry by an alien previously convicted of a felony.
According to the plea agreement, Perez-Bravo began using the victim’s name and social security number to obtain employment at several businesses in St. Joseph, Missouri beginning as early as 2009 up to his indictment in March 2025. The victim discovered the identity theft when he began receiving tax bills from the Internal Revenue Service for unpaid income taxes assigned to his social security number. Perez-Bravo also used the victim’s identity to obtain several Missouri issued identification cards.
Perez-Bravo is a citizen of Guatemala and does not have permission to enter, remain, or work in the United States legally. Records indicate he has been deported three separate times, with at least one deportation occurring after he was convicted of a felony.
Under federal statutes, Perez-Bravo faces a mandatory two years in federal prison for the offense of aggravated identity theft. He faces up to 10 years in federal prison for the offense of illegal re-entry by an alien previously convicted of a felony. According to federal statute, these prison terms must be served consecutively. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda K. Hanson. It was investigated by Social Security Administration’s Office of the Inspector General; Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations; the St. Joseph Mo. Police Department; and the Olivia Mn. Police Department.
Operation Take Back America
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Groton Man Sentenced to More Than 7 Years in Federal Prison for Child Exploitation OffenseRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that RYAN CAMERON, 23, of Groton, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Vernon D. Oliver in Hartford to 90 months of imprisonment and 20 years of supervised release for a child exploitation offense.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in 2023, Cameron was convicted in state court of illegal dissemination of intimate images of a 15-year-old female. In April 2024, while Cameron was on state probation, his probation officer conducted a home visit and discovered Cameron was in possession of a cell phone in violation of the conditions of his probation. Subsequent forensic analysis of the phone revealed that it contained videos of child sexual abuse and messages between Cameron and others in which Cameron solicited and distributed child pornography. The phone also contained recordings of Cameron sending sexually explicit images and videos of himself to young girls on Snapchat.
Cameron has been detained since May 20, 2024, when he was arrested on unrelated state charges. On January 3, 2025, he pleaded guilty in federal court to receipt of child pornography.
This matter was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) with the assistance of the New Haven Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Lembo.
This prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com.
Four Georgia Men Sentenced for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
Four Columbus, Georgia, men have now been sentenced for their roles in a drug trafficking organization centered in Columbus. The prosecution stemmed from Operation Sweet Silence, a multi-agency investigation into drug trafficking in the Columbus area.
The defendants were sentenced as follows:
Undrae Hayes, also known as Skizite, 38, was sentenced to 96 months’ imprisonment after pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine;
Malik Williams, also known as YSN Bird, 27, was sentenced to 51 months’ imprisonment after pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute cocaine;
Dahvontay Richardson, 28, was sentenced to 33 months’ imprisonment after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute marijuana and cocaine; and
Jeffrey Kimbrough, 29, also known as YSN Trap, was sentenced to three years’ probation after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute marijuana.
The investigation into these defendants and their drug dealing included court authorized wiretaps on co-defendant Fernando Brown’s cellular telephone, physical surveillance and other investigative techniques.
According to filed court documents:
On April 14, 2023, law enforcement conducted physical surveillance at 2403 Garden Drive, Columbus, Georgia. This address had been previously identified, through both physical and pole camera surveillance, as a location from which co-defendant Fernando Brown distributed narcotics. At approximately 10:00pm, Agents observed a silver Honda sedan arrive at the location. The passenger of the vehicle entered the residence, returned to the vehicle several minutes later with an unknown object/bag in his hand, and left. The Muscogee County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) conducted a traffic stop of the silver Honda sedan and the passenger, later identified as Hayes, exited the car and fled on foot. Officers witnessed Hayes carrying a small backpack in his hands which he discarded. He was apprehended a short time later and the bag was retrieved. A search of the bag revealed eight clear plastic baggies containing 208.863 grams of methamphetamine, one clear plastic baggie containing nine grams of a brownish powder substance suspected to be heroin, a digital scale, and a box of plastic baggies.
On June 2, 2023, Fernando Brown contacted Williams about conducting a drug transaction in the parking lot of Pyramid Food Mart in Columbus. Brown informed Williams he was “dry” and needed some product for his “play” at Pyramid. The FBI set up surveillance and observed Brown meeting with an individual who matched the physical description of Williams. Brown was observed interacting with the driver of a pick-up truck parked next to his vehicle and briefly appeared to place something into the pickup truck.
Following the transaction, law enforcement attempted a traffic stop on Williams' car, from which Williams fled. Intercepted calls captured Williams speaking with Brown during the pursuit with Williams repeatedly asking Brown for his location and saying that he was traveling towards Brown. Williams' Toyota Camry was found abandoned. Agents searched the Camry and located about 2,992 grams of marijuana divided into 13 plastic bags, along with cocaine.
Additionally, based on intercepted calls during a court authorized Title III wiretap on co-conspirator Fernando Brown's phone, agents with the FBI and DEA determined Richardson distributed cocaine and marijuana on behalf of Brown. On May 24, 2023, intercepted calls showed Richardson sold an ounce of cocaine to a customer at a Dollar Tree in Columbus, Georgia at the behest of co-conspirator Brown.
Calls were also intercepted between co-defendant Fernando Brown and Kimbrough facilitating the distribution of narcotics. On June 11, 2023, FBI and DEA intercepted calls where Kimbrough and Brown were discussing “zips.”
On that same date, Brown advised Kimbrough to “grab that mambo serve them a cutie out of the mambo go in the closet in the bathroom.” Agents believed “mambo” was in reference to marijuana and “cutie” typically denotes a quarter pound of drugs.
Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department's Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes of the Middle District of Georgia, Special Agent in Charge Peter Ellis of the FBI Atlanta Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge Jae W. Chung of the DEA Atlanta Field Division made the announcement.
The case was investigated by the FBI, the DEA, and the Muscogee County Sheriff’s Office, with critical assistance from the Harris County Sheriff’s Office; the Russell County, Alabama Sheriff’s Office; the Coweta County Sheriff’s Office; the Sacramento, California Sheriff’s Office; and the Muscogee County District Attorney’s Office.
Trial Attorney Matthew Mattis of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Veronica Hansis for the Middle District of Georgia are prosecuting the case.
Four Chinese Nationals Indicted on Charges of Human Trafficking, Immigration Violations, and Money Laundering Involving Pair of Illicit Massage Businesses in ErieRead the Press Release
ERIE, Pa. - Four Chinese nationals residing in Flushing, New York, have been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of conspiracy, human trafficking, immigration violations, and money laundering, United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
The nine-count Indictment named Shuhua Qiu, 56; Chunlong Lin, 38; Lijuan Zhao, 40; and Ming Zhai, 39, as defendants.
According to the Indictment, from at least November 2023 through January 20, 2026, the defendants conspired together to commit offenses against the United States that included the use of a place of interstate or foreign commerce to facilitate, promote, manage, establish, or carry on commercial prostitution; the transport of individuals in interstate or foreign commerce for the purpose of commercial prostitution and the commission of immigration and sex trafficking violations relative to non-citizens kept, harbored, or controlled for prostitution; and money laundering.
Specifically, defendants Qiu, Lin, and Zhao owned and managed businesses called “Sunny Spa,” located at 4615 Buffalo Road in Erie, and “Point Spa,” located at 4432 Peach Street in Erie. The Indictment alleges that these businesses were illicit massage establishments where customers were required to pay a “house fee” to meet with a “masseuse” and would then pay “tips” in exchange for commercial sex acts. In many instances, these “tips” were paid in amounts between 100% and 400% of the initial “house fee.” According to the Indictment, the defendants caused those individuals engaged in prostitution to reside within the commercial properties leased by the defendants and within efficiencies located adjacent to the business properties.
As part of the conspiracy, defendants Qiu, Lin, and Zhao are alleged to have kept, harbored, or controlled non-citizens as sex workers in violation of immigration reporting requirements under federal human trafficking statutes. Lin and Zhai are alleged to have transported an individual into New York for the purpose of prostitution, with Zhai also having transported an individual from New York into the Western District of Pennsylvania to engage in prostitution. The Indictment further alleges that the defendants opened and maintained bank accounts to manage, promote, and facilitate their illicit massage businesses, and that Qiu engaged in monetary transactions with a value greater than $10,000 with money obtained from the operation of the businesses to purchase the Flushing residence the group shared.
“This Indictment represents the culmination of a multi-year collaborative effort involving all levels of municipal, state, and federal law enforcement, as well as the commitment of our office and law enforcement partners—not only during this National Human Trafficking Prevention Month but throughout the year—to combatting human trafficking and protecting its victims and survivors,” said United States Attorney Rivetti.
“Homeland Security Investigations-Erie, together with our law enforcement partners, worked relentlessly in a joint investigation to take down an alleged family run sex trafficking operation in Western Pennsylvania through two illicit massage businesses run by Chinese nationals,” said HSI Philadelphia Special Agent in Charge Eric McLoughlin. “As a result of our coordinated efforts, multiple individuals have been arrested, and significant assets and evidence have been seized. HSI extends our gratitude to FBI-Erie, the IRS, the Pennsylvania State Police, and the Erie County District Attorney’s Office who collaborated with us at every stage of this case. This investigation is yet another reminder that there is no place in our communities for illicit enterprises that facilitate sex trafficking, exploit vulnerable individuals, and pose serious threats to public health and safety.”
“Investigations like this are about protecting our community,” said FBI Pittsburgh Special Agent in Charge Kevin Rojek. “The focus of this joint investigation is the criminal operation undermining the safety of our neighborhoods, fueling organized crime, and exploiting the vulnerable behind closed doors. The FBI and our local, state, and federal partners will never stop fighting for an end to victimization and for the safety of our communities.”
“IRS-Criminal Investigation is committed to lending our financial expertise and working with our law enforcement partners whenever and wherever we are needed,” said IRS-Criminal Investigation Philadelphia Field Office Special Agent in Charge Yury Kruty.
“I want to extend my sincere gratitude to all law enforcement agencies and commend their exceptional dedication, cooperation, and professionalism,” said Erie County District Attorney Elizabeth Hirz. “This investigation underscores the critical importance and strength of unified law enforcement efforts and shared resolve to identify, disrupt, and eradicate these crimes. We remain steadfast in our commitment to continued collaboration to protect victims, safeguard our community, and eliminate human trafficking and related exploitation wherever it exists.”
For the charges involving human trafficking and prostitution of alien persons, as well as money laundering, the law provides for a maximum sentence of up to 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. As to the conspiracy and use of a facility of interstate or foreign commerce charges, the law provides for a maximum sentence of up to five years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendants.
The United States has filed motions with the Court requesting that all four defendants be detained pending trial.
Assistant United States Attorney Paul S. Sellers is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Pennsylvania State Police, Homeland Security Investigations, the Internal Revenue Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Erie County Detectives, and the Erie County District Attorney’s Office conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment.
This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. The HSTF for the Western District of Pennsylvania comprises agents and officers from Homeland Security Investigations, the Pennsylvania State Police, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Erie Bureau of Police, the Erie County District Attorney’s Office, the Internal Revenue Service–Criminal Investigation, and the Middle Atlantic-Great Lakes Organized Crime Law Enforcement Network, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Pennsylvania.
January is designated National Human Trafficking Prevention Month. Read a recent news release from the Departments of Justice and Homeland Security recognizing the month here.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Former labor union president sentenced for embezzling over $280,000 in union fundsRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 42-year-old Corpus Christi resident has been sentenced to prison for one count of wire fraud and one count of embezzlement from a labor organization, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Robert Cirilo pleaded guilty April 28, 2025.
U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos has now ordered Cirilo to serve 21 months in federal prison, to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. The court also ordered him to pay more than $280,000 in restitution.
From June 2021 to January 2024, Cirilo, former president of the United Steelworkers Local 13-1647 in Corpus Christi, used union debit cards to make approximately 430 unauthorized personal purchases. He concealed the transactions by lying to union members.
As part of his guilty plea, he acknowledged the embezzlement totaled more than $280,000.
Cirilo was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The FBI and Department of Labor’s Office of Labor Management Standards conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tyler Foster and John Marck prosecuted the case.
Former Willingboro Township Mayor and Associate Convicted of Mortgage Fraud in Connection with Fraudulent Short SaleRead the Press Release
NEWARK/TRENTON/CAMDEN, N.J. – A federal jury found the former Mayor of Willingboro Township and another individual guilty yesterday of mortgage fraud in connection with a fraudulent short sale of real estate, Senior Counsel Philip Lamparello announced.
Nathaniel Anderson, 59, a town councilman and the former Mayor of Willingboro in Burlington County, New Jersey, and his business associate Chrisone D. Anderson, 58, of Sicklerville, New Jersey, were each convicted of one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud affecting a financial institution, one count of bank fraud, and two counts of making a false statement on a mortgage application.
The jury deliberated for approximately two-and-one-half hours before returning verdicts following a two-week trial before U.S. District Judge Robert Kirsch in Trenton federal court. A federal grand jury indicted both defendants on August 22, 2024.
According to documents filed in this case and the evidence at trial:
From March 2015 through June 2017, Nathaniel Anderson and Chrisone D. Anderson conspired to orchestrate a fraudulent short sale of a property in Willingboro from Nathaniel Anderson to Chrisone D. Anderson.
As part of the conspiracy to defraud a government-sponsored enterprise to discharge a mortgage obligation on Nathaniel Anderson’s property in Willingboro and to induce a mortgage lending business to issue a new mortgage on the property, Chrisone D. Anderson executed mortgage documents containing materially false representations. These misrepresentations included that the short sale was an arm’s length transaction, that Chrisone D. Anderson did not have a prior business relationship with Nathaniel Anderson, that Nathaniel Anderson would not continue to occupy the property as his residence following the short sale, and that Chrisone D. Anderson would occupy the property as her primary residence.
As a result of the fraudulent short sale, the government-sponsored enterprise discharged Nathaniel Anderson’s mortgage obligation, causing a total loss of over $200,000, and the victim lender issued a new mortgage on the property.
The charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud affecting a financial institution, bank fraud, and making false statements on a loan application are each punishable by a maximum potential penalty of 30 years in prison and a maximum fine of up to $1 million. Sentencing is scheduled for June 1, 2026 before Judge Kirsch.
Senior Counsel Lamparello credited special agents of the FBI, Newark Division, Trenton Resident Agency, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy in Newark; and special agents of the Northeast Region of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, Office of the Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Robert Manchak, with the investigation leading to the charges.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph McFarlane of the Special Prosecutions Division, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Trombly, Chief of the Cybercrime Unit in Newark.
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Defense counsel: Troy Archie, Esq. (Chrisone D. Anderson)
Andrea Aldana and Adalgiza Nunez (Nathaniel Anderson)
anderson.indictment.pdfFormer Police Officer Sentenced to 20 years for Child Sexual ExploitationRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A former Grain Valley, Mo., police officer was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge D. Gregory Kays to 20 years in the Bureau of Prisons to be followed by supervised release for Life.
August Price Gildehaus, 30, of Blue Springs, Mo., previously pleaded guilty to one count of enticing a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity and one count of producing child pornography.
Gildehaus admitted that he engaged in illegal sexual activity with a 15-year-old female victim. Gildehaus and the victim met on an online social media platform. Gildehaus met with the victim on five separate occasions between Aug. 5, 2022, and Jan. 5, 2023, to engage in illicit sexual activity at different locations, including a middle school parking lot.
Gildehaus admitted that the child victim took photographs of herself when she was home, and he took photographs of himself that he sent to her. Gildehaus also admitted that he recorded videos of their sexual encounters.
Gildehaus will be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison and will be subject to federal and state sex offender registration requirements, which may apply throughout his life.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Maureen Brackett. It was investigated by the Grain Valley, Mo., Police Department and the Missouri State Highway Patrol.
Project Safe Childhood
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 the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
Former Official Admits Embezzling from St. Louis CircusRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A former official with a St. Louis-based non-profit circus on Wednesday admitted embezzling over $123,000 from December 2022 through at least September 2023.
George S. Pace, 63, of Ladue, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to four counts of wire fraud. He admitted using a credit card that he’d obtained without the knowledge or approval of the circus to pay thousands of dollars of personal expenses, including payments to nail salons, restaurants, and for skin care treatments. He used a second card for thousands of dollars more in unapproved expenses, including horseback riding related expenses and payments to restaurants. When another circus official reviewed the second card’s expenses, Pace lied and claimed the card had been stolen. Pace presented the official with forged account statements falsely showing that he had resolved the charges.
Pace also diverted checks drawn on the circus’ bank account to himself instead of using them to pay down a line of credit. Pace’s diversion of the line of credit payments caused thousands of dollars in interest to be accrued by the circus. Finally, Pace deposited thousands of dollars of donor checks made out to the circus into his personal account. In the plea agreement, Pace admitted defrauding the circus out of over $123,015.94. Pace was on the board of directors beginning in 2020 and later became board president.
In his plea agreement, Pace also admitted fraudulently applying for two U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Disaster Assistance Loans totaling $29,400. The SBA denied the loans.
Pace is scheduled to be sentenced on May 4. Each wire fraud charge carries a potential penalty of up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both prison and a fine.
The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gwendolyn Carroll is prosecuting the case.
Former DOJ Contractor Charged with Mail Fraud in Theft of Cell Phones Valued at $1.3 MillionRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Javan King, 42, of Laurel, Maryland, has been charged with stealing thousands of government cell phones when he worked for the Department of Justice, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
According to the criminal Information, which was filed on Tuesday and appeared on the Court’s docket today, between approximately 2021 and 2025 while he worked as an information technology contractor for the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division, King defrauded DOJ out of more than $1.3 million by successfully requesting that DOJ order thousands of mobile devices that the Department did not need.
After phones were shipped to King at DOJ, he sold them to phone reselling businesses. In total, those businesses paid him more than $1.3 million for the phones. The Information, which charges King with one count of mail fraud, further alleges that the Department of Justice suffered an actual loss of over $1.3 million because of fees that it paid AT&T for the unnecessary phone lines and phones.
This case is being investigated by the Department of Justice’s Office of Inspector General. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kondi Kleinman.
An Information is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Florida Man Sentenced in Federal Methamphetamine and Firearms CaseRead the Press Release
ABINGDON, Va. – A former resident of Lebanon, Virginia was sentenced recently to 27 months on federal methamphetamine and firearm charges in U.S. District Court in Abingdon.
Brett Lamar Howard, 35, of West Palm Beach, Fla., pled guilty in September 2025 to one count of possessing with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and one count of possessing a firearm by a prohibited person.
According to court documents, on January 22, 2025, Virginia State Police encountered Howard in Dickenson County, Virginia, which later turned into a traffic stop. A K-9 officer performed a free air sniff of Howard’s vehicle, which led to a search of the vehicle and discovery of a loaded Taurus .357 revolver with an obliterated serial number, 30 rounds of ammunition, approximately 29 grams of methamphetamine, a digital scale, and 94 small individual plastic bags. Howard admitted the items in the vehicle belonged to him.
In addition to prison time, Howard was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release and forfeit a Taurus .357 Magnum revolver and assorted ammunition in connection with his convictions.
Acting United States Attorney Robert N. Tracci and Anthony A. Spotswood, Special Agent in Charge of the Washington Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives made the announcement.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, with assistance from the Virginia State Police and Dickenson County Sheriff’s Office.
Special Assistant United States Attorney M. Suzanne Kerney-Quillen, a Senior Assistant Attorney General and Deputy Section Chief with the Virginia Attorney General’s Major Crimes and Emerging Threats Section, prosecuted the case for the United States.
Financial Planner Who Did Not File Tax Returns or Pay Income Tax on Nearly $1,500,000 in Income Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A financial planner who failed to file income tax returns for eight years after failing to do so for seven earlier years was sentenced today to three months in federal prison.
Matthew Westberry, age 43, from Marion, Iowa, received the prison term after a July 22, 2025, guilty plea to two counts of failure to file a tax return.
In a plea agreement, Westberry admitted that he did not file a tax return from 2006 to 2012. After being contacted by tax authorities in 2013, Westberry filed delinquent returns for those years and a tax return for 2013. However, he did not pay the income tax he owed for 2008 through 2013.
After filing a tax return in 2013, Westberry stopped filing tax returns. He did not file a tax return for any year between 2014 and 2021. During those years, Westberry had gross income of nearly $1,500,000 from his work as a financial planner. He paid no income tax on those earnings during those years. Westberry should have paid more than $250,000 in federal income tax for that income.
As a result of his failure to pay income taxes for 2008 to 2013, the IRS placed two liens on a piece of property Westberry had agreed to purchase. Westberry did not go through with the purchase but did not have the liens removed from the property. When the property owner tried to sell the property to someone else, the owner discovered the IRS liens in Westberry’s name. To get the liens off the property, Westberry filed false lien releases with the Linn County Recorder’s Office. He prepared the lien releases to look like they came from the IRS. Westberry was convicted of forgery in state court for filing the false lien releases.
Westberry was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States Magistrate Judge Mark Roberts. Westberry was sentenced to three months’ imprisonment. Once he is released from prison, he will have to serve an additional three months of home confinement. He was ordered to make $264,502 in restitution to the IRS. He must also serve a one-year term of supervised release after the prison term. Westberry had paid approximately $36,000 towards restitution prior to his sentencing. There is no parole in the federal system.
Westberry was released on the bond previously set and is to surrender to the Bureau of Prisons on a date yet to be set.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Morfitt and investigated by the Internal Revenue Service and the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-cr-00054.
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Felon Sentenced for Failing to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – A man living in Tulsa and previously convicted of raping a teenage girl was sentenced today for failing to register as a sex offender, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
U.S. District Judge John D. Russell sentenced Antonio Juan Paredes, 36, to 21 months imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release. Upon his release, Paredes will also be required to register as a sex offender.
In 2014, Paredes pled guilty to forcibly raping a 13-year-old in McCurtain County. He was sentenced for first-degree rape and ordered to serve 15 years, with the first 10 years being suspended. In 2015, Paredes was charged in federal court with Assault with a Dangerous Weapon in the Eastern District of Oklahoma. He pleaded guilty in 2016 and was ordered to serve 24 months' imprisonment. Paredes McCurtain County sentence was revoked, and he was ordered to serve two years concurrently with the Eastern District of Oklahoma sentencing.
Paredes was rearrested in 2022 and charged in federal court for failing to comply with the terms of his supervision by quitting his job and moving to Arkansas. He was additionally charged with failing to register as a sex offender and pleaded guilty in both cases. Paredes was ordered to serve 24 months’ imprisonment for both charges.
Court documents show that Paredes was released in March 2024 and failed to report to the U.S. Probation and Parole Offices and that he failed to register as a sex offender, again. He was ordered to serve 12 months’ imprisonment. In August 2025, the marshals found that Paredes had been living in an apartment in Tulsa since his release in 2024. He was charged and arrested in the Northern District of Oklahoma for failing to register as a sex offender.
Paredes will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.
The U.S. Marshal Service investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Greenough prosecuted the case.
Felon Sentenced for Illegally Possessing Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Tyrone Noble, age 59, was sentenced to 15 months in prison for one count of Felon in Possession of Firearm and Ammunition.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Okfuskee County Sheriff’s Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Lighthorse Tribal Police Department.
On June 25, 2025, Noble pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on December 2, 2024, law enforcement discovered Noble in possession of a 12-gauge shotgun and 5 rounds of Winchester 12-gauge ammunition. At the time, Noble had been previously convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year imprisonment.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The Honorable Robert J. Shelby, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the District of Utah, sitting by assignment, presided over the hearing in Muskogee, Oklahoma. Noble will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Gross represented the United States.
Federal, State, and Local Officials Gather to Combat Violent Crime, Narcotics Traffickers, and Child Sex Offenders at Hudson Valley Law Enforcement SymposiumRead the Press Release
On January 27, 2026, over 100 federal, state, and local law enforcement officials gathered at the Orange County Government Center to discuss their efforts to combat crime on behalf of the people of New York. Participants included, among many others, the U.S. Attorneys for the Southern and Northern Districts of New York, leaders of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”), the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (“ATF”), District Attorneys and Sheriffs from Albany County, Rockland County, Orange County, Westchester County, Dutchess County, Greene County, and Rensselaer County, and senior leaders of the New York State Police.
The presentations and discussions focused on combining resources across offices and departments to combat the greatest threats to the quality of life and safety of the good people of the Hudson Valley. Areas identified as requiring a collective effort included:
- Removing gun-toting career criminals from our streets;
- Dismantling sophisticated narcotics production and distribution enterprises, including the violent transnational gangs that have invaded communities across the Hudson Valley; and
- Protecting our children from sexual predators.
Several case studies involving multi-agency efforts that led to highly successful prosecutions were discussed with an eye toward greater cooperation in the future. The participants also discussed community engagement and community priorities, including “hot spots” where the need for a combination of federal, state, and local resources is most acute.
“It is invaluable to hear directly from our state and local partners,” said U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Jay Clayton. “Our principal objective is to deliver a better quality of life, including safe streets, for the people of the Hudson Valley, and we can best achieve that objective if we work in concert with our state and local partners. Together, we have brought—and will continue to bring—our most violent and most dangerous criminals to justice.”
“Public safety does not stop at district or county lines,” said Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of New York John A. Sarcone III. “This symposium underscores the power of strong partnerships among federal, state, and local law enforcement to confront the most serious threats facing our communities—violent crime, narcotics trafficking, and the exploitation of children. By sharing intelligence, coordinating resources, and aligning our priorities, we are better positioned to dismantle criminal organizations, protect the most vulnerable, and deliver real results for the people we serve.”
“Drugs, guns, and violent crime are endemic public safety concerns that know no boundaries,” said Orange County District Attorney David M. Hoovler. “In order to best protect the residents of Orange County from these ever-present dangers, we must work with our law enforcement partners, near and far. I am grateful not only for all of the law enforcement professionals who attended the symposium, but also for the commitment to work together to serve the residents of the Hudson Valley. This historic event highlights the importance of collaboration in effective law enforcement in the 21st century.”
“This meeting was a tremendous opportunity to gather officials from federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to share information and ideas on how we can leverage our resources to identify, investigate, and bring to justice the dangerous criminals bringing harmful narcotics and weapons into our communities,” said Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albany Field Office Craig Tremaroli. “I’m incredibly grateful to all the partners who made the time to attend this important discussion, and I look forward to working together to achieve our shared goal of keeping all our communities safe.”
“DEA New York remains steadfast in our commitment to working alongside our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to target those looking to distribute illicit narcotics throughout the Hudson Valley region,” said DEA New York Enforcement Division Special Agent in Charge Farhana Islam. “These symposiums provide us the opportunity to gather and collaborate with our partners, which helps strengthen our resolve to enhance public safety and helps protect our communities from drug poisonings which are harming our neighbors.”
“HSI New York was honored to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with our fellow law enforcement leaders at the Hudson Valley Law Enforcement Symposium, united by our shared commitment to protecting our communities,” said HSI New York Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael Alfonso. “Bringing together the strength and expertise of federal, state, and local partners is how we turn the tide against violent crime, drug traffickers, and those who prey on our children. When we unite our resources and resolve, we deliver real results—making the Hudson Valley a safer place for every New Yorker.”
“We appreciate our U.S. Attorneys for hosting and participating in this collaborative effort,” said Special Agent in Charge of ATF’s New York Division Bryan DiGiralamo. “ATF’s Crime Gun Intelligence, when combined with strong partnerships across all levels of law enforcement, enhances investigations and plays a critical role in reducing violent gun crime and keeping our communities safe.”
“Special thanks to our United States Attorneys for the Southern and Northern Districts of New York, and the Orange County District Attorneys’ Office, for bringing together our federal, state and local law enforcement partners for this meeting,” said DEA Northeast Regional Associate Chief of Operations Frank Tarentino. “The DEA is committed to working with all our law enforcement partners across the region in targeting those drug trafficking organizations and individuals who are responsible for the most harm. This is the DEA’s focus, both here and abroad, and we will continue this fight until we have a fentanyl-free America.”
Federal Jury Convicts Man of Extorting Money from Chicago RestaurateurRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A federal jury has convicted a man on extortion charges for threatening and assaulting a Chicago restaurateur to collect a debt.
JAWAD FAKROUNE, also known as “Angelino Escobar” or “Anjelino Escobar,” 46, was found guilty on both extortion counts against him. The jury returned its verdicts after a week-long trial in federal court in Chicago. Each count is punishable by up to 20 years in federal prison. U.S. District Judge Manish S. Shah set sentencing for June 30, 2026.
Fakroune is a foreign national who recently resided in the Chicago area. Evidence at trial revealed that in 2023 and 2024, Fakroune loaned approximately $405,000 to the restaurateur to develop and open a new restaurant in the Lincoln Park neighborhood of Chicago and to pay back taxes. In November 2024, Fakroune began to threaten the restaurateur about repayment of the loan. On the evening of Nov. 25, 2024, Fakroune confronted the restaurateur and threatened him over the manner and nature of the repayments. Fakroune choked, kicked, and punched the restaurateur, while continuing to demand money and repeatedly threatening the lives of the restaurateur and his family.
The guilty verdicts were announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI, and Adam Jobes, Special Agent-in-Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation in Chicago. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sean Hennessy and Richard M. Rothblatt.
Everett Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Child Pornography OffensesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – An Everett man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for possessing, distributing and receipt of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). The defendant committed these offenses within months of being released from federal prison.
Robert Sokolowski, 52, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge F. Dennis Saylor to 15 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. In September 2025, Sokolowski pleaded guilty to one count each of possession of child pornography; distribution of child pornography; and receipt of child pornography.
In September 2024, Sokolowski lost his cell phone on an MBTA Green Line trolley. After the phone was turned in, an employee attempting to identify the owner of the lost phone discovered images of CSAM on the phone. The phone was found to contain hundreds of images and videos depicting CSAM, depicting children as young as toddlers.
This case is Sokolowski’s third federal conviction for CSAM offenses. In 2015, Sokolowski was convicted in U.S. District Court for possession of CSAM and was sentenced to 46 months in prison. In 2015, Sokolowski was convicted a second time in U.S. District Court for possession of CSAM and sentenced to 150 months in prison. He committed the offenses in this case seven months after being released from prison for the 2015 offense.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement today. Special assistance was provided by the MBTA Transit Police. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren Maynard and Eric L. Hawkins of the Major Crimes Unit 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 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.
Eastern District of Louisiana U.S. Attorney’s Office Collects over $900,000,000 in Civil and Criminal Actions in Fiscal Year 2025Read the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle announced today that the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana (“USAO”) collected $898,444,168.50 in criminal and civil actions in Fiscal Year (“FY”) 2025. Of this amount, $27,361,565.95 was collected in criminal actions and $871,082,602.55 was collected in civil actions, through the efforts of the Office’s Monetary Penalties and Recovery Unit (MPRU).
Further, the MPRU, as detailed below, also collected $3,700,536.80 in forfeited assets.
The U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, along with the Department of Justice’s (“Department”) litigating divisions, are responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the United States, as well as criminal debts owed to federal crime victims. The law requires defendants to pay restitution to victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered a physical injury or financial loss. While restitution is paid to the victim, criminal fines and felony assessments are paid to the Department’s Crime Victims Fund, that distributes the funds collected to federal and state victim compensation and assistance programs.
In addition to those amounts, the MPRU, working with partner agencies and divisions, also separately forfeited $3,700,536.80 in assets and 200 firearms connected to criminal activity in FY 2025. Forfeited assets deposited into the Department’s Assets Forfeiture Fund are used to restore funds to crime victims and for a variety of law enforcement purposes.
Representative examples of the MPRU’s collection and forfeiture efforts include:
- In April 2025, the USAO recovered $868,965,517.00 from BP Exploration & Production Inc. that was imposed as a result of the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill.
- The MPRU collected approximately $15 million in fines and restitution on behalf of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) and First National Bank of Pennsylvania following a guilty plea from a corporate entity, Murex Management, LLC, for violations of 18 U.S.C.§§ 1005, and 2, as it relates to a fraudulent transaction with a financial institution and aiding and abetting.
- From October 2024 to April 2025, the MPRU collected approximately $4.7 million in restitution on behalf of Medicare from the sale of defendant Shiva Akula’s healthcare agencies, following the filing of Writs of Execution after Akula was found guilty at trial of healthcare fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1347.
- As part of the investigation and prosecution of defendant Joseph West, Jr., the MPRU successfully seized and forfeited $162,597.27 in fraud proceeds tied to the defendant’s wire-fraud conspiracy.
- In connection with a narcotics investigation, the MPRU identified and forfeited real property connected to the drug-trafficking activities of defendant, Curtis Williamson, Jr., effectively depriving him of the proceeds and instrumentalities of his crime.
“These statistics demonstrate the steadfast commitment of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana to seek financial restitution for victims of civil or criminal wrongdoing. Our office achieves such financial justice through the aggressive collection of civil judgments, through criminal fines and restitution, through the seizure of criminal proceeds, as well as through the forfeiture of firearms used to commit crimes” said U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle. “In accordance with our mission to protect the public, our Monetary Penalties and Recovery Unit will continue, not only to hold accountable those who have profited from their crimes, but also to take guns out of the hands of those who used them to victimize others.”
U.S. Attorney Courcelle thanks Asset Forfeiture Assistant United States Attorney Alexandra Giavotella, Financial Litigation Assistant United States Attorney Churita Hansell, as well as the Office’s outstanding support professionals Jerrilyn A. Dufauchard, Laquana Bates, Christina Garcia, Danielle Smith-Graham, Daishawn Smith, and David Vigier for their hard work and dedication to the pursuit of justice.
Eagle Butte Man Found Guilty of Threatening Federal OfficialRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a jury has convicted Joseph Lafferty, age 68, of Eagle Butte, South Dakota, of one count of Threatening a Federal Official following a 3-day jury trial in federal district court in Pierre, South Dakota. The verdict was returned on January 23, 2026.
The charge carries a maximum penalty of six years in custody and/or a $250,000 fine, three years of supervised release, with a violation of a condition of release possibly resulting in two years of additional incarceration on any such revocation, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
Lafferty was indicted by a federal grand jury in August 2025.
The evidence presented at trial established that on July 21, 2025, Lafferty threatened to get his gun and kill a federal official employed by Indian Health Service, an agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services. The Defendant made the threat in Eagle Butte, in the Cheyenne River Sioux Indian Reservation.
“This jury verdict should send a clear message,” said U.S. Attorney Parsons. “We take threats of violence against public officials very seriously and they will be investigated and swiftly prosecuted under the full force of the law.”
This case was investigated by the FBI and the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Wayne Venhuizen prosecuted the case.
A presentence investigation was ordered. Sentencing has been scheduled for April 20, 2026. The defendant was continued on release pending sentencing.
Drug Dealer Kills Victim with Fentanyl, Will Spend 25 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, N.C. – A federal judge sentenced James Mason Daugherty, 33, to 25 years in federal prison for selling fentanyl which killed a 33-year-old man. Inmate Daugherty pleaded guilty on May 22, 2025.
According to the court documents and other information presented in court, in December of 2021, the New Bern Police Department (NBPD) learned Inmate Daugherty sold fentanyl in New Bern. Law enforcement conducted seven controlled purchases of fentanyl from Inmate Daugherty. On May 16, 2022, the 33-year-old victim died from fentanyl Inmate Daugherty sold him.
Inmate Daugherty admitted this about his victim “that’s the third person I killed off a dope.” Daugherty named the additional two victims he admitted killing with fentanyl saying, “I gave them the dope that killed ‘em.” Daugherty also admitted to selling fentanyl to another person on the same day, and first responders rushed to administer Narcan narrowly saving another victim from dying.
State officials arrested Inmate Daughtery, released him on bond, and ultimately gave him just a probationary sentence for selling fentanyl. Then, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the EDNC federally indicted him for killing the 33-year-old-victim. When the feds arrested him, he remained detained. Following his arrest, law enforcement located and searched his cell phone and discovered that he knew he had killed three people with the fentanyl he sold them, he continued to sell fentanyl while on release and probation from the state, up until his federal arrest and detention.
“Fentanyl kills everyone it touches. These filthy drug dealers know how deadly it is, and they just don’t care. The only way to stop a murderous greedy pig like this is to remove him off the streets, away from our children and families. This murdering drug dealer won’t kill anyone else’s family member until 2050, at least. Good riddance.” said US Attorney Ellis Boyle.
W. Ellis Boyle, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after sentencing by Chief District Judge Richard E. Myers II. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security Investigations, the New Bern Police Department, and Craven County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case and Assistant United States Attorneys Katherine Englander and Jennifer C. Nucci prosecuted 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 number 4:24-CR-00013-M-RN.
Charlotte Drug Trafficker Sentenced to 21+ Years After Being Arrested with Large Quantities of Methamphetamine, Fentanyl, Two Firearms, $10,000 in Cash, and A Stolen VehicleRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A Charlotte drug trafficker was sentenced to 262 months in prison today following a federal investigation that resulted in the seizure of large quantities of methamphetamine, fentanyl, two firearms, more than $10,000 in cash, and a stolen vehicle, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. In addition to the prison term imposed, Deontaye Smith, 32, was ordered to serve five years of supervised release. Smith pleaded guilty to three counts of distributing methamphetamine.
Alicia Jones, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division, joins U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making the announcement.
According to court documents and the sentencing hearing, on March 27, 2024, investigators became aware that an individual known as “Taye,” later identified as Deontaye Smith, was selling large quantities of methamphetamine, fentanyl, and firearms in the Charlotte area. Using a confidential informant, investigators arranged multiple drug buys with Smith, during which they purchased significant quantities of methamphetamine. Court records show that, on July 16, 2024, Smith was indicted by a federal grand jury. On July 25, 2024, ATF agents arrested Smith at his residence. During a subsequent search, investigators recovered approximately 1.6 kilograms of methamphetamine, 633 grams of fentanyl, $10,099 in cash, two scales, and a stolen Dodge Charger parked at the residence. In addition to the drugs, law enforcement recovered powder used to dilute the drugs. Law enforcement further seized two firearms and several rounds of assorted caliber ammunition. One of the firearms was fitted with a machinegun conversion device, or “Glock switch,” and was equipped with a 31-round extended magazine.
Smith is in federal custody and will be ordered to report to the Federal Bureau of Prison upon designation of a federal facility.
In making the announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson commended the ATF.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.
Charleston Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Nicholas Kagen Woodin, 34, of Charleston, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on November 22, 2024, law enforcement officers went to Woodin’s residence to arrest him for alleged violations of his parole. Officers recovered a Hi-Point model C9 9mm pistol under the pillow of Woodin’s bed in his bedroom.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Woodin knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony convictions for first-degree robbery in Putnam County Circuit Court on January 17, 2018, possession of a stolen vehicle in Kanawha County Circuit Court on September 6, 2018, and escape from custody in Fayette County Circuit Court on September 13, 2020.
Woodin is scheduled to be sentenced on May 18, 2026, and faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), West Virginia Parole Services, and the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office.
United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Amy L. McLaughlin is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-178.
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Carrollton woman pleads guilty to harboring illegal aliens and participating in massive methamphetamine distribution operationRead the Press Release
Atlanta – Jackelyne Marroquin has pleaded guilty to possessing with the intent to distribute over 760 pounds of methamphetamine and harboring illegal aliens to facilitate the drug trafficking operation.
“Marroquin harbored illegal aliens to operate a metro-Atlanta drug distribution ring,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “As a result of unwavering law enforcement dedication, this insidious trafficking network has been dismantled, and well over a million dollars’ worth of lethal drugs have been removed from our streets. The Department of Justice and our law enforcement partners will continue to protect the public by ensuring North Georgia is never a haven for criminal cartels.”
“Today’s guilty plea reinforces that DEA will not tolerate drug traffickers,” said Jae W. Chung, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division. “Those who fuel the drug trade while putting communities and vulnerable individuals at risk will face serious consequences.”
“Jackelyne Marroquin trafficked illicit drugs and utilized illegal aliens in the furtherance of that crime,” said John B. Stevens, Chief Deputy U.S. Marshal. “The U.S. Marshals, along with our partners in the U.S. Attorney's Office and the Drug Enforcement Administration, will never stop our pursuit of criminals. The mission of enhancing public safety is vital, and we are honored that it is our responsibility. No matter how long a criminal runs, we will find them, and they will pay.”
According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: In March of 2024, Marroquin rented a home in Stone Mountain, Georgia that was used by a drug trafficking organization to store and distribute large amounts of methamphetamine. The investigation revealed that the methamphetamine was imported from Mexico in bags of charcoal. During the investigation, agents found buckets of methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) at multiple stash houses used by the organization, including the Stone Mountain stash house. MSM is a dietary supplement drug traffickers use to “cut” or mix with methamphetamine to maximize profits.
On April 2, 2024, the DEA and local law enforcement executed a search warrant at the Stone Mountain residence. Inside of the residence, law enforcement found approximately 760 pounds of 99 percent pure methamphetamine, with a street value of between $1,450,000 and $1,900,000. Agents discovered that two illegal aliens from Mexico, Jonathan Guzman Esquivel and Alfonso Calderon-Rodriguez, had been living at and trafficking drugs from the residence, the inside of which was sparsely furnished and covered with charcoal dust. The investigation revealed that Marroquin had provided the two illegal aliens with the use of her rented residence as well as money for expenses.
Sentencing for Jackelyne Marroquin, 33, of Carrollton, Georgia, is scheduled for April 23, 2026, at 10:00 a.m., before U.S. District Judge Steven D. Grimberg. In determining the actual sentence, the Court will consider the United States Sentencing Guidelines, which are not binding but provide appropriate sentencing ranges for most offenders.
Jonathan Guzman Esquivel, 34, and Alfonso Calderon-Rodriguez, 30, both of Uruapan, Mexico, previously pleaded guilty to possession with the intent to distribute controlled substances and were each sentenced in the fall of 2024 to serve five years and ten months in federal prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release.
This case is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the U.S. Marshals Service, with valuable assistance provided by the DeKalb County High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Unit and the Gwinnett County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew LaGrone is prosecuting the case, with valuable assistance provided by former Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy M. Palumbo.
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.
This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. The Atlanta Wilhelm HSTF is comprised of agents and officers from ATF, CGIS, DEA, FBI, ICE-HSI, IRS-CI, DOL-OIG, DSS, USMS, USPIS, and USSS, as well as numerous state and local agencies, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Atlanta recommends parents and children learn about the dangers of drugs at the following web site: www.justthinktwice.gov.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga
Buffalo man going to prison on fentanyl chargeRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. -- U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Alexis Perez, Jr., 22, of Buffalo, NY, who was convicted of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, was sentenced to serve 40 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Donna Duncan, who is handling the case, stated that on November 6, 2024, law enforcement officers conducted a traffic stop of Perez’s vehicle and executed a search warrant, seizing a shotgun and ammunition. Investigators then searched his Cambridge Avenue residence, recovering 28 grams of fentanyl, 89 grams of a mixture of fentanyl and cocaine, and 24 grams of cocaine.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Farhana Islam, New York Enforcement Division, and the Cheektowaga Police Department, under the direction of Chief Brian Coons.
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Brooklyn Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Murder-for-Hire Plot and Stalking a Journalist and Prominent Critic of the Iranian GovernmentRead the Press Release
Today, convicted murderer Carlisle Rivera, also known as “Pop,” was sentenced to 15 years in prison for his participation in a murder-for-hire plot directed by the Government of Iran targeting Masih Alinejad, a journalist, author, and human rights activist. Rivera previously pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire and one count of conspiracy to commit stalking before U.S. District Judge Lewis J. Liman for the Southern District of New York, who imposed today’s sentence.
“Today’s sentence underscores the consequences of conspiring with a regime that relies on violence and intimidation to survive,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “The National Security Division will continue to work tirelessly with its partners to detect and protect against such plots and to hold accountable those who try to achieve the vile ends of the Iranian regime.”
“The Iranian government repeatedly targeted a journalist and human rights activist living in New York, but thanks to the good work of the FBI and our partners those efforts failed,” said Assistant Director Donald Holstead of the FBI's Counterterrorism Division. “Today's sentencing sends a strong message that anyone who conspires with foreign powers to harm people living in the United States will be held accountable.”
“The Government of Iran, a sponsor of terrorism, assassination, and espionage around the globe, has engaged in a campaign of assassination plots in the United States and abroad targeting those who oppose the regime,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton for the Southern District of New York. “The Government of Iran hired Rivera through an associate living in Iran to locate and murder Masih Alinejad in cold blood, right here in New York City. The Government of Iran has long sought to murder Ms. Alinejad, a U.S. citizen residing in New York City, because of her efforts to stand up to the Iranian regime and expose its discriminatory treatment of women, corruption, and human rights abuses. Today’s sentence should be a warning to anyone who would cast their lot with the brutal Iranian regime and seek to do their murderous bidding, especially on American soil: You will be stopped, you will be arrested, and you will be brought to justice.”
“The Iranian government enlisted a convicted killer to stalk and murder an American journalist and activist, Masih Alinejad, in an effort to forever silence her vocal criticism of its regime,” said FBI Assistant Director in Charge James C. Barnacle, Jr. “Carlisle Rivera served as a hired gun to facilitate the political assassination attempt ordered by an international adversary. May today’s lengthy sentence reflect the FBI’s unwavering stance against any domestic or foreign actor seeking to target our nation’s residents for nefarious agendas.”
As reflected in the charging instruments, other public filings, and statements in public court proceedings, in 2024, Rivera was hired by his criminal confederate, Farhad Shakeri, to murder Masih Alinejad on instructions from high-ranking members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The IRGC is a military and intelligence organization that directly reports to the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran and is the Government of Iran’s primary instrument for providing financial and lethal aid to proxy terror groups in the Middle East. Among its activities, the IRGC plots and conducts attack operations outside Iran targeting, among others, U.S. citizens residing abroad and in the United States.
Alinejad is one of the IRGC’s principal targets. The IRGC and the Government of Iran’s intelligence services have long sought to kidnap or murder Alinejad because of her efforts to promote gender equality and civil liberties in Iran and to expose the regime’s corruption, oppression, and terrorism to the international community. In 2020 and 2021, Iranian intelligence officials and assets plotted to kidnap Alinejad in the U.S. for rendition to Iran; then, in 2022, the IRGC hired powerful, violent members of the Russian Mob to murder Alinejad. After those efforts failed, the IRGC turned to Shakeri, who hired Rivera to kill Alinejad.
Rivera and Shakeri were incarcerated together in the New York State prison system after Rivera’s 1994 conviction for murder and Shakeri’s 1991 conviction for manslaughter. In 2024, Shakeri was living in Iran and was an IRGC asset. Shakeri offered Rivera $100,000 to locate and kill Alinejad, and Rivera agreed. Rivera then recruited his friend, co-defendant Jonathon Loadholt, to assist him in the murder plot. Using money sent by Shakeri, Rivera and Loadholt purchased a firearm and “burner” cellphones. The two men then spent several months attempting to find and kill Alinejad, including by following her to a public speaking event and repeatedly stalking the Brooklyn house where Shakeri and the IRGC believed Alinejad lived.
During their efforts to locate and kill Alinejad, Rivera and his co-conspirators shared messages about their progress and photographs relating to their murder plot. For example, in or about February 2024, Rivera and Loadholt messaged about an incoming payment from Shakeri, and then traveled to Fairfield University, where Alinejad was scheduled to appear, and took photographs on campus. In April 2024, Rivera and his co-defendants exchanged a series of voice notes discussing their efforts to locate and kill Alinejad. In one voice note, Rivera told Shakeri that Alinejad was “hard to catch, bro. And because she hard to catch, there ain’t gonna be no simple pull up, unless there[’s] the luck of the draw.” In a subsequent voice note, Rivera referred to the “slammer,” meaning a firearm he had obtained to kill Alinejad.
On Nov. 7, 2024, before he could complete his plan to kill Ms. Alinejad, Rivera was arrested. At Rivera's residence, law enforcement agents recovered, among other things, a firearm with a partially obliterated serial number.
In addition to the prison term, Rivera, 50, was sentenced to three years of supervised release.
In January 2026, Loadholt pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit stalking and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering. Loadholt is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Liman in April 2026. Shakari remains at large.
Investigative work in this case was conducted by the FBI’s New York Joint Terrorism Task Force, which principally consists of agents and analysts from the FBI’s New York and Washington Field Offices and detectives from the New York City Police Department. The Department of Justice’s National Security Division (NSD), U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s New York Field Office, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s New York Division, and the New York State Police provided assistance.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jacob H. Gutwillig and Michael D. Lockard for the Southern District of New York, with assistance from Leslie Esbrook of NSD’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section and Paul Casey of NSD’s Counterterrorism Section.
Brooklyn Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Murder-For-Hire Plot and Stalking A Journalist and Prominent Critic of the Iranian GovernmentRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, Assistant Attorney General for National Security, John A. Eisenberg, Assistant Director of the Counterterrorism Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), Donald Holstead, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI New York Field Office, James C. Barnacle, Jr., and Commissioner of the New York City Police Department, Jessica S. Tisch, announced that CARLISLE RIVERA, a/k/a “Pop,” was sentenced today to 15 years in prison for his participation in a murder-for-hire plot directed by the Government of Iran targeting Masih Alinejad, a journalist, author, and human rights activist. RIVERA previously pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire and one count of conspiracy to commit stalking before U.S. District Judge Lewis J. Liman, who imposed today’s sentence.
“The Government of Iran, a sponsor of terrorism, assassination, and espionage around the globe, has engaged in a campaign of assassination plots in the United States and abroad targeting those who oppose the regime,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “The Government of Iran hired Rivera through an associate living in Iran to locate and murder Masih Alinejad in cold blood, right here in New York City. The Government of Iran has long sought to murder Ms. Alinejad, a U.S. citizen residing in New York City, because of her efforts to stand up to the Iranian regime and expose its discriminatory treatment of women, corruption, and human rights abuses. Today’s sentence should be a warning to anyone who would cast their lot with the brutal Iranian regime and seek to do their murderous bidding, especially on American soil: You will be stopped, you will be arrested, and you will be brought to justice.”
“Today’s sentence underscores the consequences of conspiring with a regime that relies on violence and intimidation to survive,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “The National Security Division will continue to work tirelessly with its partners to detect and protect against such plots and to hold accountable those who try to achieve the vile ends of the Iranian regime.”
“The Iranian government repeatedly targeted a journalist and human rights activist living in New York, but thanks to the good work of the FBI and our partners those efforts failed,” said FBI Assistant Director Donald Holstead. “Today's sentencing sends a strong message that anyone who conspires with foreign powers to harm people living in the United States will be held accountable.”
“The Iranian government enlisted a convicted killer to stalk and murder an American journalist and activist, Masih Alinejad, in an effort to forever silence her vocal criticism of its regime,” said FBI Assistant Director in Charge James C. Barnacle, Jr. “Carlisle Rivera served as a hired gun to facilitate the political assassination attempt ordered by an international adversary. May today’s lengthy sentence reflect the FBI’s unwavering stance against any domestic or foreign actor seeking to target our nation’s residents for nefarious agendas.”
“The defendant in this case showed a pitiless, calculated disregard for human life—and today’s sentencing is the culmination of a coordinated, comprehensive effort to bring him and his co-conspirators to justice,” said NYPD Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch. “The plot to murder Masih Alinejad, directed by the government of Iran and its terrorist proxy, is further proof that the work of our Joint Terrorism Task Force is as important and relevant as ever. I want to thank all of our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners for their work on this critical, wide-ranging case.”
As reflected in the charging instruments, other public filings, and statements in public court proceedings:
In 2024, RIVERA was hired by his criminal confederate, FARHAD SHAKERI, to murder Masih Alinejad on instructions from high-ranking members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (“IRGC”). The IRGC is a military and intelligence organization that directly reports to the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran and is the Government of Iran’s primary instrument for providing financial and lethal aid to proxy terror groups in the Middle East. Among its activities, the IRGC plots and conducts attack operations outside Iran targeting, among others, U.S. citizens residing abroad and in the United States. Ms. Alinejad is one of the IRGC’s principal targets. The IRGC and the Government of Iran’s intelligence services have long sought to kidnap or murder Ms. Alinejad because of her efforts to promote gender equality and civil liberties in Iran and to expose the regime’s corruption, oppression, and terrorism to the international community. In 2020 and 2021, Iranian intelligence officials and assets plotted to kidnap Ms. Alinejad in the U.S. for rendition to Iran; then, in 2022, the IRGC hired powerful, violent members of the Russian Mob to murder Ms. Alinejad. After those efforts failed, the IRGC turned to SHAKERI, who hired RIVERA to kill Ms. Alinejad.
RIVERA and SHAKERI were incarcerated together in the New York State prison system after RIVERA’s 1994 conviction for murder and SHAKERI’s 1991 conviction for manslaughter. In 2024, SHAKERI was living in Iran and was an IRGC asset. SHAKERI offered RIVERA $100,000 to locate and kill Ms. Alinejad, and RIVERA agreed. RIVERA then recruited his friend, co-defendant JONATHAN LOADHOLT, to assist him in the murder plot. Using money sent by SHAKERI, RIVERA and LOADHOLT purchased a firearm and “burner” cellphones. The two men then spent several months attempting to find and kill Ms. Alinejad, including by following her to a public speaking event and repeatedly stalking the Brooklyn house where SHAKERI and the IRGC believed Ms. Alinejad lived.
During their efforts to locate and kill Ms. Alinejad, RIVERA and his co-conspirators shared messages about their progress and photographs relating to their murder plot. For example, in or about February 2024, RIVERA and LOADHOLT messaged about an incoming payment from SHAKERI, and then traveled to Fairfield University, where Ms. Alinejad was scheduled to appear, and took photographs on campus. In April 2024, RIVERA and his co-defendants exchanged a series of voice notes discussing their efforts to locate and kill Ms. Alinejad. In one voice note, RIVERA told SHAKERI that Ms. Alinejad was “hard to catch, bro. And because she hard to catch, there ain’t gonna be no simple pull up, unless there[’s] the luck of the draw.” In a subsequent voice note, RIVERA referred to the “slammer,” meaning a firearm he had obtained to kill Ms. Alinejad.
On November 7, 2024, before he could complete his plan to kill Ms. Alinejad, RIVERA was arrested. At RIVERA’s residence, law enforcement agents recovered, among other things, a firearm with a partially obliterated serial number.
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In addition to the prison term, RIVERA, 50, was sentenced to three years of supervised release.
In January 2026, LOADHOLT pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit stalking and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering. LOADHOLT is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Liman in April 2026. SHAKERI remains at large.
Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI’s New York Joint Terrorism Task Force, which principally consists of agents and analysts from the FBI and detectives from the New York City Police Department, and the FBI Washington Field Office. Mr. Clayton also thanked the Department of Justice’s National Security Division, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection New York Field Office, the Drug Enforcement Administration New York Division, and the New York State Police.
This case is being handled by the Office’s National Security and International Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jacob H. Gutwillig and Michael D. Lockard are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Leslie Esbrook of the Counterintelligence and Export Control Section, as well as the Counterterrorism Section of Department of Justice’s National Security Division.
Brandon, Vermont Man Sentenced to 35 Months for Unlawful Firearms PossessionRead the Press Release
Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that on January 27, 2026, Christopher Rantanen, 40, of Brandon, Vermont, was sentenced by Chief United States District Judge Christina Reiss to a term of 35 months’ imprisonment to be followed by a 3-year term of supervised release. Rantanen previously pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court records, in September 2024, Rantanen was involved in a single car accident on U.S. Route 7 in Pittsford, Vermont. Rantanen denied any drug or alcohol use to responding law enforcement. While an officer wrote Rantanen tickets for numerous traffic infractions related to the crash, fire department officials on the scene alerted law enforcement that Rantanen was slumped over on a nearby bench. Thereafter, officers again asked Rantanen about his drug use, and Rantanen again denied any drug use that day. While waiting for a tow truck to arrive, law enforcement observed drug paraphernalia in plain view inside and around Rantanen’s car. Law enforcement obtained a search warrant for Rantanen’s car, and located inside the vehicle two handguns (including a privately manufactured firearm), ammunition, fentanyl, cocaine, and assorted drug paraphernalia. A few weeks later, in November 2024, law enforcement encountered Rantanen and another person in a car in Rutland, Vermont when responding to a drug-related complaint. Once Rantanen and the other person were out of the car, law enforcement observed a Glock pistol in the area near where Rantanen had been seated. A search of this car revealed approximately 13 grams of fentanyl and approximately 19 grams of crack cocaine in the area around where Rantanen was seated.
First Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan A. Ophardt commended the collaborative investigatory efforts of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Pittsford Police Department.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle Arra. Rantanen was represented by Lisa Shelkrot, Esq.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Brandon Woman Sentenced to Four Years in Federal Prison for Distributing Cocaine and MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – Temeko Evans (47, Brandon) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber to four years in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute and the distribution of cocaine and 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Evans pleaded guilty on October 2, 2025. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court records, Evans conspired with her co-defendant, Torrey Taylor, to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine. Between February 11 and March 26, 2025, detectives from the Tampa Police Department conducted a series of controlled purchases from Evans and Taylor, including approximately two ounces of crack cocaine and two ounces of methamphetamine.
Taylor was sentenced to six years in federal prison on November 20, 2025.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Tampa Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeff Chang.
Boston Man Pleads Guilty to Threatening a Federal Law Enforcement OfficerRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Boston man has pleaded guilty to threatening a federal law enforcement officer.
Kenneth Pacheco, 22, pleaded guilty on Jan. 23, 2026 to one count of threatening a federal law enforcement officer before U.S. District Court Judge Julia E. Kobick who scheduled sentencing for April 28, 2026. Pacheco was arrested and charged in October 2025. He remains in custody.In May 2025, law enforcement received a tip from an anonymous complainant alleging that an individual using the online moniker “Amir Haqqani” was using a Facebook account to make threats against the complainant and other individuals. In response, Pacheco was interviewed by law enforcement. In July 2025, a relative of Pacheco expressed concerned that Pacheco may pose harm to himself and in response, law enforcement spoke with Pacheco again. On Oct. 7, 2025, Pacheco responded to these interventions by lashing out with threats aimed at friends, acquaintances and a federal agent. Specifically, Pacheco threatened that people would “get hurt,” that he would “put people in the [] hospital” and that he would “blow” the agents “brains out.”
The charge of threatening a federal law enforcement officer provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Looney of the National Security Unit is prosecuting the case.