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Thursday 4 December 2025
Maryland Man Sentenced for Conspiracy to Commit Wire FraudRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Deborah L. Boardman sentenced Minh Phuong Ngoc Vong, 41, of Bowie, Maryland, today, to 15 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release — including six months of home confinement — for his role in a wire fraud scheme. Through the fraudulent scheme, Vong assisted foreign information technology (IT) workers in China, posing as U.S. citizens, with obtaining remote IT positions at more than a dozen U.S. companies.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office.
Vong conspired with others, including John Doe, aka William James, a foreign national living in Shenyang, China, to defraud U.S. companies into hiring Vong as a remote software developer. After securing these jobs through materially false statements about his education, training, and experience, Vong allowed Doe and others to use his computer access credentials to perform the remote software development work and receive payment for that work. According to court documents, Vong knew that Doe was located in China next to North Korea. Additionally, Doe’s communications indicate that he is likely a North Korean national who was working to generate revenue for the North Korean government.
“This prosecution shows that we, along with our law-enforcement partners, are serious about holding accountable individuals who endanger our nation,” Hayes said. “By conspiring with a foreign national to infiltrate U.S. companies, Mr. Vong put American businesses, their employees, and our broader economic and national security at risk. Our office will zealously pursue anyone who undermines the integrity of U.S. systems for personal gain.”
“Vong is yet another subject being held accountable for using false identities on behalf of North Korea to infiltrate American companies,” Paul said. “His crimes threaten our economic and national security. I’m proud of the work FBI Baltimore has done to ensure that anyone who seeks to steal from or endanger the United States is brought to justice.”
According to the plea agreement, on Jan. 30, 2023, Doe submitted a fraudulent resume in Vong’s name to a Virginia-based technology company for a web application developer position that required U.S. citizenship as a condition of employment. The resume falsely represented that Vong possessed a Bachelor of Science degree and 16 years of experience as a software developer. In fact, Vong did not have a college degree nor experience in software development.
On March 28, 2023, Vong participated in an online job interview with the CEO of a Virginia-based company. Vong verified his identity and citizenship by showing his Maryland driver’s license and U.S. Passport. Following the interview, the Virginia-based company hired Vong and assigned him to work on a contract for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) involving a particular software application used by various U.S. government agencies to manage sensitive information regarding national defense matters. The Virginia-based company provided Vong with a laptop to use in connection with his employment, and the FAA authorized Vong to receive a Personal Identity Verification card to access government facilities and systems. Vong installed remote access software on the laptop to facilitate Doe’s access to it and conceal his location in China.
Between March 2023 and July 2023, Doe used Vong’s credentials to perform the software development work from his location in China. The Virginia-based company paid Vong more than $28,000 in wages for work he performed, portions of which Vong then sent overseas to Doe and other conspirators.
As part of his guilty plea, Vong admitted that the Virginia-based company was not the only company he and his co-conspirators defrauded. Between 2021 and 2024, Vong used fraudulent misrepresentations to obtain employment with at least 13 different U.S. companies, who collectively paid Vong more than $970,000 in salary for software development services that were, unbeknownst to them, performed by Doe or other overseas conspirators. Several of these defrauded companies contracted out Vong’s services to U.S. government agencies in addition to the FAA. As a result of Vong’s fraudulent misrepresentations, these government agencies unknowingly granted Vong’s co-conspirators access to sensitive U.S. government systems, which they accessed from China.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI for its work in the investigation. Additionally, Ms. Hayes thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Christina A. Hoffman, who is prosecuting the case with valuable assistance from the National Security Division’s National Security Cyber Section. The U.S. Attorney and FBI Baltimore also thank the supporting federal and local law-enforcement partners that assisted with this case.
Under the Department-wide DPRK RevGen: Domestic Enabler Initiative, launched in March 2024 by the National Security Division and the FBI’s Cyber and Counterintelligence Divisions, Department prosecutors and agents are prioritizing the identification and shuttering of U.S.-based “laptop farms” – locations hosting laptops provided by victim U.S. companies to individuals they believed were legitimate U.S.-based freelance IT workers – and the investigation and prosecution of individuals hosting them. The Department previously announced other actions pursuant to the initiative, including in Januaryand June 2025.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Maryland Man Sentenced for Conspiracy to Commit Wire FraudRead the Press Release
Minh Phuong Ngoc Vong, 40, of Bowie, Maryland, was sentenced today to 15 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for his role in a fraudulent scheme that assisted foreign information technology (IT) workers posing as U.S. citizens with obtaining remote IT positions at over a dozen U.S. companies.
According to court documents, Vong conspired with others, including John Doe, aka William James, a foreign national living in Shenyang, China, to defraud U.S. companies into hiring Vong as a remote software developer. After securing these jobs through materially false statements about his education, training, and experience, Vong allowed Doe and others to use his computer access credentials to perform the remote software development work and receive payment for that work. According to court documents, Vong knew that Doe was located next to North Korea. Additionally, Doe’s communications indicate that he is likely a North Korean national who was working to generate revenue for the North Korean government.
According to the plea agreement, on Jan. 30, 2023, Doe submitted a fraudulent resume in Vong’s name to a Virginia-based technology company for a web application developer position that required U.S. citizenship as a condition of employment. The resume falsely represented that Vong possessed a Bachelor of Science degree and 16 years of experience as a software developer. In fact, Vong did not have a college degree or experience in software development.
On March 28, 2023, Vong participated in an online job interview with the CEO of a Virginia-based company. Vong verified his identity and citizenship by showing his Maryland driver’s license and U.S. Passport. Following the interview, the Virginia-based company hired Vong and assigned him to work on a contract for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) involving a particular software application used by various U.S. government agencies to manage sensitive information regarding national defense matters. The Virginia-based company provided Vong with a laptop to use in connection with his employment and the FAA authorized Vong to receive a Personal Identity Verification card to access government facilities and systems. Vong installed remote access software on the laptop to facilitate Doe’s access to it and conceal his location in China.
Between March 2023 and July 2023, Doe used Vong’s credentials to perform the software development work from his location in China. The Virginia-based company paid Vong more than $28,000 in wages for work he performed, portions of which Vong then sent overseas to Doe and other conspirators.
As part of his guilty plea, Vong admitted that the Virginia-based company was not the only company he and his co-conspirators defrauded. Between 2021 and 2024, Vong used fraudulent misrepresentations to obtain employment with at least 13 different U.S. companies, who collectively paid Vong more than $970,000 in salary for software development services that were, unbeknownst to them, performed by Doe or other overseas conspirators. Several of these defrauded companies contracted out Vong’s services to U.S. government agencies in addition to the FAA. As a result of Vong’s fraudulent misrepresentations, these government agencies unknowingly granted Vong’s co-conspirators access to sensitive U.S. government systems, which they accessed from China.
The FBI Baltimore Field Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Christina A. Hoffman for the District of Maryland prosecuted the case with valuable assistance from the National Security Division’s National Security Cyber Section.
Under the Department-wide DPRK RevGen: Domestic Enabler Initiative, launched in March 2024 by the National Security Division and the FBI’s Cyber and Counterintelligence Divisions, Department prosecutors and agents are prioritizing the identification and shuttering of U.S.-based “laptop farms” – locations hosting laptops provided by victim U.S. companies to individuals they believed were legitimate U.S.-based freelance IT workers – and the investigation and prosecution of individuals hosting them. The Department previously announced other actions pursuant to the initiative, including in January and June 2025.
Marshall County Man Sentenced for Firearms and Methamphetamine OffensesRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Joseph William Alfred, also known as “Chris,” age 51, was sentenced to 132 months in federal prison for methamphetamine and firearms charges, United States Attorney Matthew L. Harvey announced.
Following a trial in July 2025, a jury found Alfred guilty of the distribution of five grams or more of methamphetamine, attempted possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, unlawful possession of a firearm, and failure to appear.
A package shipped from an address in California containing more than two pounds of methamphetamine was intercepted by the United States Postal Service postmarked for Alfred’s address. A subsequent search warrant executed at Alfred’s home resulted in the seizure of more controlled substances, a firearm, ammunition, $2,156, and drug paraphernalia. Alfred is prohibited from having firearms because of a prior felony drug conviction.
Alfred also violated his pre-trial release while on home confinement with electronic monitoring. He failed to appear for a pretrial conference in April 2024 in federal district court.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Clayton Reid and Carly Nogay prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.
This case was investigated by the Ohio Valley Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and the United States Postal Service.
U.S. District Judge Thomas E. Johnston presided.
Marion County Man Pleads Guilty to Attempting to Meet Two Minors to Engage in Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Terry Levi Brown (36, Summerfield) has pleaded guilty to attempted enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity. Brown faces a minimum penalty of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to court documents, in July 2025, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office conducted an undercover operation aimed at apprehending individuals using the internet to sexually exploit children. On July 27, 2025, two detectives from the Marion County Sheriff’s Office posed online as a 14-year-old girl and a 15-year-old girl. Brown messaged both undercover accounts. After learning he was speaking with a minor, Brown engaged in sexually explicit conversations with both undercover accounts. Brown was arrested when he subsequently traveled to a location in Marion County to meet the minors to engage in sexual activity.
This case was investigated by the Marion County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Marion County Man Pleads Guilty to Attempting to Meet A Minor to Engage in Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Shawn Adampeter Grunther (42, Marion County) has pleaded guilty to attempted enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity. Grunther faces a minimum penalty of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the plea agreement, in July 2025, a Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) special agent posed online as a 14-year-old girl (UC). Grunther messaged the UC account, and after learning the minor’s age, engaged in a sexually explicit conversation. On July 24, 2025, Grunther was arrested when he traveled to a location in Marion County to meet the UC to engage in sexual activity.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Marion County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Man Charged for Planting Explosive Devices outside the RNC and DNC on January 5, 2021Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Brian J. Cole, Jr., 30, of Woodbridge, Virginia, was arrested this morning and charged for transporting and planting two improvised explosive devices (IEDs) on January 5, 2021, at the headquarters of both the Republican National Committee and the Democratic National Committee in Washington D.C., announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Cole is charged in a complaint unsealed today with transporting an explosive device in interstate commerce with the intent to kill, injure, or intimidate any individual or unlawfully to damage or destroy any building, vehicle, or other real or personal property. He is also charged with attempted malicious destruction by means of fire and explosive materials.
Joining in the announcement were U.S. Attorney General Pamela Bondi, FBI Director Kash Patel, FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino, FBI Assistant Director in Charge Darren B. Cox of the Washington Field Office, and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department.
“The well-being of our society rests on our ability as law enforcement to safeguard our citizens,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “When bad actors intervene to disrupt and threat that peace – to destroy the very fabric of our country – we must, we do, and we will track them down and hold them to account for their crimes to the full extent of the law. FBI and members of my office worked around the clock to methodically piece together the clues that ultimately identified the defendant.”
“Today’s arrest was the result of good, diligent police work and collaboration on a case that languished for four years under the prior administration,” said Attorney General Bondi. “The American people are safer thanks to this morning’s successful operation.”
“The investigation into the pipe bombs in Washington, D.C. has been a high priority since Deputy Director Bongino and I assumed our roles nine months ago. Since that time, our FBI teams have gone back over every fact and every data point looking for new leads – and today’s arrest is the result of that outstanding work,” said FBI Director Patel. “Although almost five years have passed, this shows the FBI will never rest in bringing justice to those who endanger American lives and our communities. I would like to thank our Washington Field Office, FBI personnel across the country, and our partners for their hard work and dedication which led to this arrest.”
“This historic arrest shows this FBI delivers on its promises to protect the American people,” said FBI Deputy Director Bongino. “The pipe bombs could have caused devastating loss of life and injuries, as well as property damage. I want to thank the FBI employees who worked on this over the years, our law enforcement partners who assisted in the investigation, and the American people for the tips they shared with us.”
"Today's actions underscore the long memory and reach of the FBI," said FBI’s Cox, the Assistant Director in Charge of the Washington Field Office. "The FBI and our partners do not forget. We do not give up. We do not relent. For nearly five years, the investigative team combed through a massive amount of data and leads to identify the suspect arrested today."
According to the complaint, during 2019 and 2020, Cole purchased multiple components consistent with those used to manufacture the two IEDs at several retailers in northern Virginia.
At approximately 1 p.m. on Jan. 6, 2021, multiple law enforcement agencies received reports of a suspected IEDs near the headquarters of the RNC in Washington, D.C. About 1:15 p.m. the same day, a second suspected IED was reported just a few blocks away near the headquarters of the DNC.
The Hazardous Devices Section of the United States Capitol Police (USCP) neutralized both devices. Subsequently, the FBI assessed that the two devices contained a main explosive charge, a fuzing system, and a container.
Video surveillance determined that the same individual placed the devices on the evening of January 5, 2021. The suspect had been wearing dark pants, a grey hooded sweatshirt, dark gloves, Nike Air Max Speed Turf shoes, and a facemask that obscured the person’s face. The video showed the individual adjusting eyeglasses and carrying a backpack.
On January 5, 2021, about 7:10 p.m., Cole’s Nissan Sentra was observed driving past a License Plate Reader at the South Capitol Street exit from I-395 South, which is less than one-half mile from the location where the individual who placed the devices was first observed on foot near North Carolina and New Jersey Avenues, Southeast.
Cell phone records further show that Cole’s cell phone communicated with cell towers in the area of the RNC and DNC on January 5, 2021, between 7:39 p.m. and 8:24 p.m. The FBI’s Cellular Analysis and Survey Team determined that the location of Cole’s cell phone during this period corresponded with the path of the suspect identified by the FBI through analysis of video from that day.
This investigation is being conducted by the FBI Washington Field Office, the U.S. Capitol Police, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Metropolitan Police Department, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. It is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
cole_jr._-_criminal_complaint_redacted_xxx_redacted.pdfLake County Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Attempting to Meet A 13-Year-Old to Engage in Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – United States District Judge Thomas P. Barber has sentenced Kahlil Yanier Amilivia Rodriguez (27, Groveland) to 10 years in federal prison for attempted enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity. Amilivia Rodriguez pleaded guilty on July 22, 2025.
According to court documents, on October 5, 2023, Amilivia Rodriguez had an online conversation with an undercover law enforcement officer posing as a 13-year-old girl. Amilivia Rodriguez graphically described to the fictional child the sexual acts he wanted to perform with her. Amilivia Rodriguez was arrested when he arrived at a pre-determined location to meet with the minor to engage in sexual activity.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Lake County Sheriff’s Office, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Lake County Man Sentenced to 28 Years in Federal Prison for Producing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – United States District Judge Thomas P. Barber has sentenced Jon Don Bannister, Jr. (31, Clermont) to 28 years in federal prison for two counts of production of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Bannister entered a guilty plea on July 21, 2025.
According to court documents, on April 26 and May 4, 2023, in Lake County, Bannister produced CSAM by filming himself engaging in sexual activity with a 14-year-old child. An investigation by law enforcement showed that Bannister had been supplying vape pens and drugs to minors. In return for these items, Bannister had asked the minors to provide him with nude images of themselves.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the Mascotte Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg.
This is another case 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.justice.gov/psc.
Kansas Man Pleads Guilty to Illegally Possessing a MachinegunRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – An Overland Park, Ks., man pleaded guilty in federal court today to illegally possessing a fully automatic pistol.
Verdell D. Mays, 30, of Overland Park, Ks. pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and possession of a machinegun.
By pleading guilty today, Mays admitted on June 28, 2025, he possessed a Glock, Model 22C, .40 caliber fully automatic pistol and that the Glock pistol had a rear slide plate that was modified to produce automatic fire. Mays is prohibited from possessing firearms because he has prior felony convictions, including a prior conviction in federal court for being an unlawful user of a controlled substance in possession of a firearm.
Under federal statutes, Mays is subject to a sentence of up to 25 years in federal prison without parole. 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 is scheduled for April 2, 2026, after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica Jennings. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Cass County, Missouri Sheriff’s Office.
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. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Itawamba County Man Sentenced to 20 Years for Producing Images During His Assault of a Child and for Distributing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
GREENVILLE, MS – Keith Blake Clifton, 31, was sentenced yesterday to 20 years for producing images of a child during his sexual assault of the victim and distributing child sexual abuse material through a mobile messaging application.
The investigation began after the National Center of Missing and Exploited Children alerted law enforcement authorities that a mobile messaging application user was distributing images and videos of child sexual abuse material. Investigators with the Mississippi Attorney General’s Office and Federal Bureau of Investigation Task Force determined the user was Clifton, who resided in Itawamba County. Analysis of Clifton’s devices revealed over 1,000 images of child sexual abuse material, including depictions of infants and toddlers.
Clifton later admitted to investigators that he had sexually abused a child in his care and photographed the encounter. Clifton is also under state indictment in the Circuit Court of Itawamba County, Mississippi, where the charges remain pending.
Chief U.S. District Court Judge Debra M. Brown sentenced Clifton to 180 months for his production of child sexual abuse material, and 60 months for distribution, to be served consecutively. After serving the 240-month sentence in federal prison, Clifton will be subject to 5 years of supervised release. The Court ordered restitution to be paid to victims in the amount of $66,500. Clifton will be required to register as a sex offender.
“The actions of Clifton were abhorrent, and such acts against a child will never be tolerated. The prevention and prosecution of crimes against the most vulnerable among us will always be a top priority of this office,” said United States Attorney Scott Leary. “I want to thank our state, local and federal law enforcement partners for this investigation that made it possible to protect our community from this defendant.”
"When children are victimized, the FBI, along with our law enforcement partners, will bring to bear every effort to ensure perpetrators, like Keith Clifton are held accountable. There is no justification to victimize and abuse our most vulnerable,” stated Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Jackson Field Office Robert Eikhoff. “This sentencing underscores the unwavering commitment of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, the Itawamba County Sheriff’s Department, the Fulton Police Department, the Mississippi Attorney General’s Office, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Mississippi. Through initiatives such as Project Safe Childhood, these agencies remain steadfast in identifying, investigating, and bringing to justice anyone who violates federal laws designed to protect our children.”
“Child sexual abuse is a horrific crime that does extraordinary physical, mental, and emotional damage to the victim. And when it is recorded or photographed, that child’s trauma occurs over and over again. We are proud to work with our federal, state, and local partners to help these victims achieve justice and closure, and help protect other children from abuse,” said Attorney General Lynn Fitch.
The Mississippi Attorney General’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie Addison prosecuted the case.
The case against Clifton is 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.
This case is also part of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children’s CyberTipline system and the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC). ICAC is a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to protect children on the Internet. The Mississippi ICAC Task Force includes local, state, and Federal law enforcement and is managed by the Mississippi Attorney General’s Office.
Illegal Alien Pleads Guilty to Unlawfully ReentryRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that WILSON VLADMIR MENJIVAR SIBRIAN, a/k/a Wilson Sibrianmenjivar, a/k/a Sibrianmenjivar Wilson, a/k/a Wilson Sibrian, a/k/a Sibrian Wilson, a/k/a Wilson Menjivar, a/k/a Menjivar Wilson, a/k/a Wilson Menjivar-Sibrian, a/k/a Wilson Menjivarsibrian, a/k/a Menjivarsibrian Wilson, age 28, a Salvadoran national unlawfully present in Bryan County, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty to one count of Unlawful Reentry of Removed Alien, punishable by a term of imprisonment of not more than two years, and a fine of not more than $250,000.00.
The charge arose from an investigation by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement Division, ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations, and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol.
The Indictment alleged that on November 17, 2025, Sibrian, an alien, was found in the United States without obtaining the express consent of the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States after having been previously removed on November 20, 2018.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The Honorable Gerald L. Jackson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Sibrian will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lewis M. Reagan represented the United States.
Hastings Man Sentenced for Distributing FentanylRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Seth Fontaine, 30, of Hastings, Nebraska, was sentenced on December 3, 2025, in federal court in Omaha for distribution of fentanyl. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Fontaine to 180 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Fontaine is released from prison, he will begin a 5-year term of supervised release.
On May 17, 2023, Fontaine sent a Facebook message to Victim 1 stating “do u got Narcan?” The victim replied, “yea.” Fontain then replied, “Cool, thank you, I got some real fentanyl, wanna smoke some.” The parties met at Victim 1’s residence in Hastings, and smoked fentanyl. Victim 1 became unconscious and was not breathing. First responders were called to the scene and administered Narcan. Victim 1 went to the local hospital and received further medical attention. At the scene, law enforcement located pipes with fentanyl residue on them, burnt tin foil, and a torch still lit.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Overdose Task Force, which is comprised of law enforcement from the Drug Enforcement Administration, Omaha Police Department, Nebraska State Patrol, and Douglas County Sheriff’s Office.
Harrisburg Man Indicted for Failure to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Troy Darnell McFall, age 54, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, was indicted yesterday by a federal grand jury for failing to register as a sex offender.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, from December 2024 and continuing to July 2025, despite being required to register under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (“SORNA”), McFall traveled in interstate commerce without updating his sex-offender registration by leaving the state and later returning to Pennsylvania to reside at a new address.
This matter was investigated by the United States Marshals Service (USMS). Assistant United States Attorney Michael Scalera is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by 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.
The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 10 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Guatemalan National Charged with Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG -The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Eduardo Domingo-Aguilar, age 38, a citizen of Guatemala, was indicted yesterday by a federal grand jury on the charge of illegally reentering the United States after having previously been removed.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, the indictment alleges that Domingo-Aguilar illegally reentered the United States and was found in Franklin County, Pennsylvania, on September 23, 2025. Domingo-Aguilar was removed from the United States through San Antonio, Texas on or about September 21, 2015, and reentered without first obtaining legal permission to do so.
The case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations. Assistant United States Attorney Kelley K. McGraw is prosecuting 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. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is two years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Goochland man sentenced to five years in prison for providing cocaine and fentanyl that caused friend’s fatal overdoseRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Goochland man was sentenced today to five years in prison for distribution of cocaine and fentanyl.
According to court documents, on Aug. 20, 2021, in Richmond, Don Carnell Batchelor Jr.’s friend, identified in court records as “SN,” asked Batchelor to acquire cocaine and fentanyl for him. Batchelor obtained and provided the drugs to SN, who took the substances with him to visit family. SN used a portion of the cocaine and fentanyl Batchelor had provided, which caused SN’s fatal overdose. SN was found deceased in his parent’s home the following morning. The medical examiner determined that the cause of death was cocaine and fentanyl toxicity.
Lindsey Halligan, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Christopher C. Goumenis, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Division and Lee S. Bailey, New Kent County Sheriff, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson.
The Virginia State Police assisted in the investigation of this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Olivia L. Norman prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-134.
Goochland man sentenced to five years in prison for providing cocaine and fentanyl that caused friend’s fatal overdoseRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Goochland man was sentenced today to five years in prison for distribution of cocaine and fentanyl.
According to court documents, on Aug. 20, 2021, in Richmond, Don Carnell Batchelor Jr.’s friend, identified in court records as “SN,” asked Batchelor to acquire cocaine and fentanyl for him. Batchelor obtained and provided the drugs to SN, who took the substances with him to visit family. SN used a portion of the cocaine and fentanyl Batchelor had provided, which caused SN’s fatal overdose. SN was found deceased in his parent’s home the following morning. The medical examiner determined that the cause of death was cocaine and fentanyl toxicity.
Lindsey Halligan, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Christopher C. Goumenis, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Division and Lee S. Bailey, New Kent County Sheriff, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson.
The Virginia State Police assisted in the investigation of the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Olivia L. Norman prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-134.
Gainesville Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Attempting to Meet A 13-Year-Old Child to Engage in Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – United States District Judge Thomas P. Barber has sentenced Jose Raul Andreu Rodriguez (23, Gainesville) to 10 years in federal prison for attempted enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity and attempted transfer of obscene material to a minor. Andreu Rodriguez pleaded guilty on May 23, 2025.
According to court documents, an undercover agent from Homeland Security Investigations posed online as a 13-year-old girl on a social media platform. Andreu Rodriguez contacted the undercover agent’s account. On November 14, 2024, after learning the girl’s age, Andreu Rodriguez engaged in a graphic sexual conversation and sent multiple explicit videos of himself. Andreu Rodriguez then arranged to meet the minor for sexual activity at a predetermined location in Marion County. When Andreu Rodriguez traveled to that location, he was arrested by law enforcement.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Marion County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Former State Employee and Co-Conspirator Sentenced for Stealing Unemployment Insurance BenefitsRead the Press Release
DETROIT - A former employee of the State of Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency and her former romantic partner were sentenced today for their roles in an unemployment insurance fraud conspiracy, announced United States Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon Jr.
Timeka Johnson, 44, was sentenced to 42 months in prison after having pleaded guilty to engaging in aggravated identity theft and conspiring to engage in wire fraud. Johnson’s co-conspirator Ray Anthony Eddington, 45, was sentenced to 36 months after having pleaded guilty to conspiring to engage in wire fraud.
Joining in the announcement were Joseph V. Cuffari, Inspector General, Department of Homeland Security—Office of Inspector General; Megan Howell, Special Agent-in-Charge, Great Lakes Region, U.S. Department of Labor-Office of Inspector General; Jennifer Runyan, Special Agent in Charge of the Detroit Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; and Jason Palmer, Director of the State of Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency.
The defendants were sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge Stephen J. Murphy, III.
Johnson was an employee for the State of Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency (MUIA). Her duties included reviewing, processing, and verifying the legitimacy of unemployment insurance claims.
According to court records, Johnson used her insider access to fraudulently process claims in the names of third parties. As part of the scheme, Johnson personally:
- accessed third-party unemployment insurance assistance claim information without authorization;
- dismissed and improperly closed fraud prevention triggers and information requests relating to third-party unemployment insurance assistance;
- uploaded false and fraudulent documentation to support illegitimate unemployment insurance assistance claims, including false and fraudulent personal identifying information in the names of third parties;
- falsely and fraudulently certified the entitlement of third-party claims as being eligible to receive unemployment insurance assistance funds;
- caused at least one other Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency employee to fraudulently access and alter third-party unemployment insurance assistance claim information for Johnson’s benefit in exchange for financial compensation from Johnson;
- caused unauthorized debit cards to be issued in the names of third-party unemployment insurance assistance claimants;
- caused improper payments to be issued in connection with unemployment insurance assistance claims; and
- conducted unauthorized cash withdrawals of unemployment insurance assistance issued in the name of a third party.
According to court records, many of the third-party unemployment benefits that Johnson fraudulently caused to be issued were withdrawn from local ATMs by Eddington, her former romantic partner.
As a result of the conspiracy, over $250,000 in fraudulent unemployment assistance payments were made by the State of Michigan.
As part of their sentences, the defendants were ordered to pay $250,001 in restitution.
“It is one thing to steal if you are hungry and can’t find a job. But it is despicable to abuse your position of trust so that you can steal from a program needed to help the unemployed,” stated U.S. Attorney Gorgon.
“DHS Inspector General Joseph V. Cuffari, Ph.D., said, “Government employees are entrusted to protect the integrity of these crucial aid programs. Those who betray that trust will be held accountable. The Office of Inspector General remains committed to aggressively investigating anyone who abuse their position, betray the public trust, and conspire with others to defraud government programs intended for a vulnerable population. We appreciate the continued partnership between DHS OIG and our law enforcement partners in bringing these individuals to justice”.
“Today’s sentencings of Ray Eddington and Timeka Johnson demonstrate the Office of Inspector General’s commitment to investigate bad actors who defraud the unemployment insurance program for financial gain, particularly those like Timeka Johnson who abused her position of trust as a Unemployment Insurance Examiner. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to bring to justice those who seek to exploit these critical U.S. Department of Labor programs, especially when it involves serious insider threats,” said Megan Howell, Special Agent-in-Charge, Great Lakes Region, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General.
“As a State of Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency Investigator, Timeka Johnson had insider access and the authority to help people—instead, she abused that trust by teaming up with Ray Eddington and others to commit identity theft and fraud. Their actions harmed the very communities that rely on these unemployment resources the most,” said Jennifer Runyan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Detroit Field Office. “This sentencing should serve as a reminder to anyone who defrauds Michigan’s assistance programs: FBI Detroit will never stop working to hold those accountable who abuse them. I want to recognize my team from the FBI Detroit Area Corruption Task Force, alongside our partners at the Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General, the Department of Labor Office of Inspector General, the State of Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan for their thorough work and successful prosecution in securing this sentence.”
“Timeka Johnson’s actions prove once again that crime doesn’t pay. UIA aggressively goes after anyone who thinks they can get away with stealing taxpayer money,” said Jason Palmer, UIA Director. “I’m proud of the success our dedicated, professional agents have had in helping to bring bad actors to justice, especially those who worked for the agency."
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Andrew J. Yahkind. The investigation is being conducted jointly by the Department of Homeland Security—Office of Inspector General, Department of Labor—Office of Inspector General, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Unemployment Insurance Agency, Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity
Former Senior Analyst for United States Postal Service Pleads Guilty to Bribery SchemeRead the Press Release
A former United States Postal Service employee pled guilty this week to a bribery scheme involving USPS service contracts, announced United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould.
Zechariah Yi, 52, of Aurora, Colorado, was indicted in March 2025 for his role in accepting payments related to USPS service contracts awarded to certain trucking companies. On Tuesday this week, Yi pled guilty to one count of Receiving a Bribe by a Public Official.
According to court documents, Yi admitted that, while working as a Senior Network Operations Analyst for the United States Postal Service, he solicited and received approximately $1.5 million in kickbacks from the owners and associates of three trucking companies in exchange for Yi’s agreeing to help the trucking companies obtain USPS service contracts. The USPS service contracts awarded to the three trucking companies paid the companies a total of approximately $15 million.
Yi faces up to fifteen years in federal prison. His sentencing date has been set for March 26, 2026.
Yi is the fourth defendant to plead guilty as part of this bribery scheme. Previously, another USPS employee, Tai Rho, and the owners of two trucking companies, Wan Jin Yoon and Hong Jin Yoon, each pled guilty to one count of Conspiracy to Commit Honest Services Wire Fraud for their involvement in the bribery scheme. They each face up to five years in federal prison. All three are set for sentencing in early 2026.
The FBI Dallas Field Office and the United States Postal Service - Office of the Inspector General conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Marty Basu and Joshua Detzky prosecuted the case.
Former President of Failed Oklahoma Bank Indicted for Bank FraudRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – A federal grand jury in the Western District of Oklahoma has returned an indictment charging the former President and Chief Executive Officer of the First National Bank of Lindsay, DANNY SEIBEL, 54, of Lindsay, Oklahoma, for his role in a conspiracy to commit bank fraud, bank fraud, making false entries in the books and records of a financial institution, obstructing the examination of a financial institution and failing to implement an anti-money laundering program.
According to the indictment, Seibel served as the President and Chief Executive Officer of the First National Bank of Lindsay from in or about February 2007 until his termination in September 2024. Seibel also held other management roles at the bank during that time, including Chief Financial Officer and Bank Secrecy Act Officer. As alleged, Seibel caused the bank to issue loans to certain customers, many of whom were his personal friends and neighbors, that the borrowers never repaid. It is alleged that Seibel then manipulated the bank’s records and falsified various bank reports to falsely overstate the performance of the loans, including by using new loans or transfers of the bank’s own funds to cover overdrafts of outstanding loans.
The indictment alleges that Seibel frequently modified bank records to conceal this activity from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), which was the bank’s federal regulator, as well as from the bank’s Board of Directors and others. During the summer of 2024, when the OCC was conducting an onsite examination at the bank, Seibel allegedly provided OCC staff with a false document that concealed hundreds of changes that Seibel had made to loan data. The indictment also alleges that Seibel failed to implement an anti-money laundering program at the bank as required by the Bank Secrecy Act. For example, Seibel allegedly failed to file any suspicious activity reports on his own fraudulent scheme, and he advised Bank customers to make cash deposits below $10,000 to avoid relevant reporting requirements.
The OCC appointed a receiver for the bank in October 2024.
If convicted, Seibel faces up to 30 years in federal prison, and a fine of up to $1,000,000.
Making the announcement today are Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester for the Western District of Oklahoma; Acting Special Agent in Charge Joseph Melle of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General (FDIC-OIG); Special Agent in Charge Doug Goodwater of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Oklahoma City Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Christopher Altemus of the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI); and Special Agent in Charge Korey Brinkman of the Federal Housing Finance Agency Office of the Inspector General (FHFA-OIG).
FDIC-OIG, FBI, IRS-CI and FHFA-OIG are investigating the case.
Western District of Oklahoma Assistant U.S. Attorneys Julia E. Barry and Jackson D. Eldridge are prosecuting the case along with Trial Attorneys Mark Goldberg, Ryan McLaren, and Elysa Wan of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section. The Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section’s Bank Integrity Unit investigates and prosecutes banks and other financial institutions, including their officers, managers, and employees whose actions threaten the integrity of the individual institution or the wider financial system.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Former President of Failed Oklahoma Bank Indicted for Bank FraudRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury in the Western District of Oklahoma returned an indictment yesterday charging the former President and Chief Executive Officer of the First National Bank of Lindsay for his role in a conspiracy to commit bank fraud, bank fraud, making false entries in the books and records of a financial institution, obstructing the examination of a financial institution and failing to implement an anti-money laundering program.
According to the indictment, Danny Seibel, 54, of Lindsay, Oklahoma, served as the President and Chief Executive Officer of the First National Bank of Lindsay from in or about February 2007 until his termination in September 2024. Seibel also held other management roles at the bank during that time, including Chief Financial Officer and Bank Secrecy Act Officer. As alleged, Seibel caused the bank to issue loans to certain customers, many of whom were his personal friends and neighbors, that the borrowers never repaid. Seibel then allegedly manipulated the bank’s records and falsified various bank reports to falsely overstate the performance of the loans, including by using new loans or transfers of the bank’s own funds to cover overdrafts of outstanding loans.
The indictment alleges that Seibel frequently modified bank records to conceal this activity from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), which was the bank’s federal regulator, as well as from the bank’s Board of Directors and others. During the summer of 2024, when the OCC was conducting an onsite examination at the bank, Seibel allegedly provided OCC staff with a false document that concealed hundreds of changes that Seibel had made to loan data. The indictment also alleges that Seibel failed to implement an anti-money laundering program at the bank as required by the Bank Secrecy Act. For example, Seibel allegedly failed to file any suspicious activity reports on his own fraudulent scheme, and he advised Bank customers to make cash deposits below $10,000 to avoid relevant reporting requirements.
The OCC appointed a receiver for the bank in October 2024.
If convicted, Seibel faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison, and a fine of up to $1 million.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester for the Western District of Oklahoma; Acting Special Agent in Charge Joseph Melle of Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General (FDIC-OIG); Special Agent in Charge Doug Goodwater of the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Christopher Altemus of IRS Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI); and Special Agent in Charge Korey Brinkman of the Federal Housing Finance Agency Office of the Inspector General (FHFA-OIG) made the announcement.
FDIC-OIG, FBI, IRS-CI and FHFA-OIG are investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Mark Goldberg, Ryan McLaren and Elysa Wan of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section; and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Julia E. Barry and Jackson D. Eldridge for the Western District of Oklahoma are prosecuting the case.
The Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section’s Bank Integrity Unit investigates and prosecutes banks and other financial institutions, including their officers, managers and employees whose actions threaten the integrity of the individual institution or the wider financial system.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Former Mail Carrier Pleads Guilty to Theft of Postal Customers' Prescription DrugsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A former U.S. Postal Service mail carrier pleaded guilty today to stealing packages containing prescription medications from postal customers on his route.
Michael Vernon, 52, of Somerville, Mass., pleaded guilty to one count of theft of mail by a postal officer or employee. U.S. District Court Judge Brian E. Murphy scheduled sentencing for April 2, 2026. Vernon was arrested and charged in September 2025.
On Jan. 31, 2024, over 1,000 pieces of undelivered mail and 17 bottles of pills prescribed to 10 different postal customers on Vernon’s route were discovered in his personal vehicle. Most of the customers whose medications Vernon stole were elderly. The medications included Gabapentin, Chlorthalidone, Citalopram, Bupropion, Glipizide, Butalbital, Atomoxetine, Escitalopram and Tamsulosin Hydrochloride. These medications are used to treat nerve pain, seizures, diabetes, high blood pressure, enlarged prostate, depression, anxiety and ADHD. The pill bottles were dated as far back as June 2022.
The charge of theft of mail by a postal employee provides a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Matthew Modafferi, Special Agent in Charge of the United States Postal Service, Office of the Inspector General, Northeast Area Field Office, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine Wichers of the Public Corruption & Special Prosecutions Unit is prosecuting the case.
Former Laguna Niguel Resident Found Guilty of Threatening to Kill Judge Who Presided over His Family Law CaseRead the Press Release
SANTA ANA, California – A former Orange County resident was found guilty by a jury today of threatening to kill a superior court judge who presided over his family law case.
Byrom Zuniga Sanchez, 34, formerly of Laguna Niguel, but whose most recent residence was in Mexico, was found guilty of two counts of threats by interstate and foreign communication. Sanchez has been in federal custody since February 2024.
According to evidence presented at a three-day trial, from May 2023 to July 2023, Sanchez sent multiple death threats via email to the victim judge. Sanchez also threatened to kill or harm others, including other judges, lawyers, and law enforcement officials.
For example, in July 2023, Sanchez emailed the victim judge’s former courtroom, “I am more committed to murdering you than I am to being present as a father.”
In the same email, Sanchez also wrote, “You’re already dead. The remainder of my life will be dedicated to assassinating judges, attorneys, and a police station’s entire shift staff.”
These communications were sent via interstate commerce, and law enforcement believes Sanchez was in Mexico when he sent the threatening messages. Sanchez was arrested in San Diego in February 2024 after attempting to enter the United States.
United States District Judge Fred W. Slaughter scheduled a March 5, 2026, sentencing hearing, at which time Sanchez will face a statutory maximum sentence of five years in federal prison for each count.
The FBI investigated this matter.
Assistant United States Attorneys Alexandra J. Kelly of the Transnational Organized Crime Section and Diane B. Roldán of the Major Crimes Section are prosecuting this case.
Former Honduran Official Sentenced to 262 Months in Prison for Conspiring to Import Cocaine into the United States and Related Acts of ViolenceRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, and Administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”), Terrance C. Cole, announced that MIDENCE OQUELI MARTINEZ TURCIOS, a former Honduran military official and congressman, was sentenced today to 262 months in prison for conspiring to import cocaine into the United States and for his participation in multiple related acts of violence. MARTINEZ TURCIOS previously pled guilty to one count of cocaine importation conspiracy and was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Lewis A. Kaplan, who presided over MARTINEZ TURCIOS’s December 2024 Fatico hearing.
“For years, Midence Oqueli Martinez Turcios partnered with violent drug traffickers and other corrupt officials to send tons of cocaine to the United States,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “He will now rightfully spend decades in prison. I thank the career prosecutors of this Office and our steadfast partners at the DEA’s Special Operations Division, Bilateral Investigations Unit, for their commitment to holding accountable those who abuse their positions to flood this country with cocaine.”
“Martinez Turcios abused the trust of the Honduran people and the responsibilities of elected office,” said DEA Administrator Terrance C. Cole. “Instead of serving his country, he turned a seat in the Honduran Congress into a channel for cartel influence, allowing violence and cocaine to flow into communities in Honduras and across the United States. When public officials, regardless of where they are, choose to stand with the cartels, they become part of the threat we are sworn to confront. Today’s sentence sends a clear message: those who betray their oath and enable cartel violence will be brought to justice.”
As reflected in the charging instruments and other public filings, statements in public court proceedings in this and related prosecutions, and evidence presented at the December 2024 Fatico hearing:
MARTINEZ TURCIOS was a key member of the Cachiros, which was one of the largest and most violent drug trafficking organizations in Honduras, responsible for trafficking more than 100 tons of cocaine to the United States between approximately 2003 and 2013 and dozens of drug-related murders. The Cachiros trafficked ton-quantities of cocaine by relying upon, among others, corrupt Honduran government, military, and police officials at the highest levels in Honduras, who were paid bribes in exchange for protecting the Cachiros’s drug shipments and providing them with sensitive military and law enforcement information. To facilitate their drug trafficking operation, the Cachiros also relied upon hitmen from the notorious street gang La Mara Salvatrucha, or “MS-13,” to protect drug shipments and carry out murders.
MARTINEZ TURCIOS began partnering with the Cachiros in approximately 2003. Over the next decade, MARTINEZ TURCIOS, who previously served in the Honduran military and was related to the leaders of the Cachiros, carried out acts of violence alongside the Cachiros. For example, in 2006, when MARTINEZ TURCIOS was not appointed to be Minister of Security—a position that would have allowed him to further support the Cachiros’s drug operation—he ordered the murder of the Honduran politician who failed to deliver on his promise to appoint MARTINEZ TURCIOS to that position. Shortly thereafter, MARTINEZ TURCIOS also ordered the murder of a Honduran journalist who had spoken publicly about MARTINEZ TURCIOS’s association with the Cachiros—a request that resulted in not only the murder of the journalist, but also the journalist’s significant other. On other occasions, in 2008 and 2011, MARTINEZ TURCIOS himself pulled the trigger in shootings that killed multiple victims who had taken actions adverse to the Cachiros’s interests. Prior to killing one of those victims, MARTINEZ TURCIOS tortured the victim by putting a rope around the victim’s neck and choking him, as well as putting pins in his fingertips. MARTINEZ TURCIOS also participated in the 2012 kidnapping of a drug rival who was later tortured and murdered.
Between approximately 2009 and 2014, while MARTINEZ TURCIOS served as a congressman in Honduras, he also worked directly with the Cachiros to receive ton-quantity cocaine shipments at clandestine airstrips located throughout Honduras. Once the Cachiros’s cocaine shipments arrived by aircraft at clandestine airstrips, MARTINEZ TURCIOS led teams of armed men as they transported cocaine shipments across Honduras on its way to the United States. MARTINEZ TURCIOS also used his military experience to train MS-13 hitmen on how to transport and protect the Cachiros’s cocaine shipments. And, finally, MARTINEZ TURCIOS abused his elected position to facilitate the Cachiros’s laundering of drug proceeds by serving as a nominal owner for one of the Cachiros’s front companies, Ganaderos, thus providing the company with an appearance of legitimacy.
MARTINEZ TURCIOS’s involvement in narco-corruption and support for the Cachiros continued even after U.S. authorities had publicly identified the Cachiros as a major drug cartel. Indeed, in January 2014, after the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctioned the Cachiros and several of their front companies, including Ganaderos, MARTINEZ TURCIOS participated in a meeting with a group of violent drug traffickers and corrupt Honduran politicians. The purpose of the meeting was to align their efforts and support a particular political candidate for President of the Honduran National Congress who could continue protecting their drug trafficking interests. The meeting, which was video recorded, was yet another example of the systemic narco-corruption that MARTINEZ TURCIOS and his co-conspirators helped perpetuate in Honduras during that time.
* * *
In addition to the prison term, MARTINEZ TURCIOS, 65, was sentenced to five years of supervised release.
Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding efforts of the DEA’s Special Operations Division Bilateral Investigations Unit, and Tegucigalpa Country Office, as well as the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs for securing the arrest and March 2023 extradition from Honduras of MARTINEZ TURCIOS.
This case is being handled by the Office’s National Security and International Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jacob H. Gutwillig and David J. Robles are in charge of the prosecution.
Former High School Wrestling Coach Convicted of Attempting to Send Obscene Material to MinorRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Burlington, Mass. man was convicted yesterday following a three-day jury trial of attempting to send obscene material to an undercover agent posing as a 14-year-old girl on Kik messenger.
Stephen James Lemelin, 51, was convicted of three counts of attempted transfer of obscene material to a minor. U.S. District Court Judge Patti B. Saris scheduled sentencing for March 26, 2026. Lemelin was arrested and charged in May 2024 and subsequently indicted by a federal grand jury in June 2024.
Evidence presented at trial established that, over the course of five months, Lemelin – a Burlington High School wrestling coach at the time – sent sexually explicit messages and obscene material over Kik Messenger to an undercover officer posing as a 14-year-old girl. In the messages, Lemelin sent three separate obscene photographs of his genitals to the purported child and proposed meeting in person for sex.
The charges of attempted transfer of obscene material to a minor each provide 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, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by Customs and Border Protection and the Arlington, Boston, Brookline, Burlington, Salisbury and Winchester Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys David G. Tobin and Eric L. Hawkins are prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by 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.
Former City Clerk / Treasurer Sentenced to Prison for Stealing over $196,000 from the City of New PlymouthRead the Press Release
BOISE – Danielle Painter, 41, of Emmett, Idaho, was sentenced to 15 months in federal prison for stealing over $196,000 from the City of New Plymouth, U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis announced today.
According to court records, Danielle Painter was employed as the City Clerk / Treasurer for the City of New Plymouth from 2012 to 2023. As the City Clerk / Treasurer, Painter was responsible for performing various accounting functions, including recording and coding of credit card charges in the accounting system, issuing electronic credit card payments, and retaining credit card statements.
Between 2017 and 2023, Painter devised a scheme to defraud the City of New Plymouth by using City of New Plymouth credit cards for unauthorized personal expenses. The unauthorized personal expenses included retail purchases, restaurants, clothing, travel, concerts, utility and rent, and medical expenses. In total, Painter made $196,947.87 in unauthorized charges using City of New Plymouth credit cards between 2017 and 2023. To hide her scheme, Painter entered many of the expenses as professional services in the City of New Plymouth’s internal accounting system.
U.S. District Judge Amanda K. Brailsford also ordered Painter to serve three years of supervised release following her prison sentence and ordered Painter to pay $196,947.87 in restitution.
U.S. Attorney Davis commended the work of the Idaho State Police, which led to the charges. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean Mazorol prosecuted this case.
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Five Members of Hobbs Based Drug Trafficking Organization Arrested on Federal Drug Trafficking ChargesRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Four members of the Navarrette Drug Trafficking Organization have been indicted, and one charged by a criminal complaint, on federal drug trafficking charges following an investigation into the distribution of methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine in Hobbs, New Mexico.
According to court documents, from October 2024, through December 2025, Raul Muñoz Navarrette, 44, his sons Raul Hernandez Navarrette, 26, and Adrian Hernandez Navarrette, 21, Amanda "Mandy" Ortega, 44, and Leonel Jaquez-Martinez, 45, a Mexican national, illegally present in the United States who had been previously deported, conspired and attempted to distribute, and distributed, controlled substances throughout Lea County.
Raul Muñoz Navarrette made multiple sales of methamphetamine to undercover agents beginning in October 2024, when he sold approximately 26 grams of methamphetamine for $500. The quantities escalated over subsequent months, with Raul Muñoz Navarrette selling over 400 grams of pure methamphetamine on multiple occasions for $3,500 each. On April 29, 2025, Raul Muñoz Navarrette arranged for the delivery of over 427 grams of pure methamphetamine to an undercover agent and accept payment of $3,500. On July 8, 2025, Raul Muñoz Navarrette sold over 1,200 grams of pure methamphetamine to an undercover agent for $9,500. Leonel Jaquez-Martinez attempted to provide one 440 grams of that 1200 grams to Raul Muñoz Navarrette.
On August 1, 2025, Raul Muñoz Navarrette provided fentanyl to Amanda Ortega, who then distributed it to an individual which resulted in a non-lethal overdose. Following the overdose, Amanda Ortega told Raul Muñoz Navarrette that the fentanyl was too strong and warned they could face murder charges if someone died.
Beginning in early September 2025, Raul Hernandez Navarrette coordinated an extensive cocaine distribution operation, directing Adrian Hernandez Navarrette and Raul Muñoz Navarrette to deliver cocaine to customers throughout Hobbs, including at a hotel in Hobbs. Adrian Hernandez Navarrette was apprehended by police at that location with 1.5 grams of cocaine, a loaded .45 caliber firearm, and a drug ledger. Throughout the remainder of September 2025, Raul Hernandez Navarrette continued coordinating cocaine sales, frequently directing customers to Raul Muñoz Navarrette’s ranch where they would pick up the cocaine.
On December 3, 2025, federal agents executed search warrants on six residences connected to the Navarrette Drug Trafficking Organization. During execution of those federal search warrants, federal agents located and seized 15 rifles, 14 pistols, approximately one pound of methamphetamine, approximately 500 pills of fentanyl, and approximately eight ounces of cocaine.
Raul Muñoz Navarrette is charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine, eight counts of distribution of methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, two counts of distribution of fentanyl, distribution of cocaine, 10 counts of distribution of cocaine, and three counts of using a communication facility to facilitate drug trafficking. If convicted, he faces up to life in prison.
Amanda “Mandy” Ortega is charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl, attempted possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, distribution of fentanyl, and three counts of using a communication facility to facilitate drug trafficking. If convicted, she faces up to 40 years in prison.
Raul Hernandez Navarrette is charged with conspiracy to distribute cocaine, 20 counts of possession with intent to distribute cocaine, 14 counts of distribution of cocaine, and three counts of using a communication facility to facilitate drug trafficking. If convicted, he Navarrette faces up to 20 years in prison.
Adrian Hernandez Navarrette is charged with conspiracy to distribute cocaine, two counts of possession with intent to distribute cocaine, using and carrying a firearm during a drug trafficking crime, and three counts of using a communication facility to facilitate drug trafficking. If convicted, Adrian Hernandez Navarrette faces up to life imprisonment.
Leonel Jaquez-Martinez is charged with attempting to distribute methamphetamine, re-entry of a removed alien, and being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm. If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in prison.
Acting U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Omar Arellano, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s El Paso Division, made the announcement today.
These arrests are 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 understanding children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Region II CORE 7 is comprised of agents and officers from Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Internal Revenue Service, Customs and Border Protection – Office of Field Operations, U.S. Border Patrol and Air and Marine, Office of Professional Responsibility, United States Department of the Interior – Bureau of Land Management, Joint Task Force North, United States Postal Inspection Service, United States Marshal Service, Department of State, Bureau of Diplomatic Security (DSS), U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, Texas Department of Public Safety, El Paso Police Department, New Mexico State Police, West Texas / New Mexico High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas, Albuquerque Police Department, New Mexico Sixth Judicial District, Las Cruces/Dona Ana County Metro Narcotics Agency, and the prosecution is being led by the Office of the United States Attorney for the Districts of New Mexico and Western Texas.
Indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Final man pleads guilty in $4 million wire fraud conspiracyRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 40-year-old Nigerian citizen who illegally resided in Houston has pleaded guilty for his role in a business email compromise conspiracy and for running a romance scam that targeted victims nationwide, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Leslie Chinedu Mba, 40, admitted to his role in conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit false statements in immigration documents.
“These online scams that Mba and others perpetrated jeopardized the livelihood of family-run businesses, the ability of elderly individuals to retire, and exploited the trust on which our economy is based,” said Ganjei. “The Southern District of Texas remains committed to holding such fraudsters accountable, and protecting our people and companies from financial harm, especially when these scammers remain in our country under false pretenses and deceive immigration authorities.”
From April 2018 to December 2023, Mba and others inside and outside of the United States carried out business email compromise and romance scams targeting unsuspecting victims. The schemes began overseas, where co-conspirators gained unauthorized access to business email accounts and redirected payments to fraudulent bank accounts.
Victims believed they were sending money to legitimate businesses, but Mba and others instead funneled the funds to accounts they controlled. Mba and others acted as money mules, opening or using existing bank accounts to collect and move proceeds from the fraud.
Additionally, Mba tried to obtain U.S. permanent residency through multiple fraudulent marriages after his initial application was denied and he was ordered to be removed from the country.
The scheme resulted in a total loss of $4 million.
Four others had also previously pleaded guilty to the same charges – Grace Morisho, 30, Rodgers Kadikilo, 29, Kristin Smith, 37, and Alexandra Golovko, 35, all of Houston.
U.S. District Judge David Hittner accepted the plea and set sentencing for Feb. 26, 2026. At that time, Mba faces up to 20 years for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and five years for committing false statements on immigration documents as well as a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
He will remain in custody pending that hearing.
FBI conducted the investigation with the assistance of Houston Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen M. Lansden and Alexander Alum are prosecuting the case.
Fallbrook Woman Admits Multi-Year Fraud Against Customers of Her Porsche Restoration and Resale BusinessRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Former Fallbrook business owner Andrea Nicole Doherty pleaded guilty in federal court today to defrauding customers of her former Porsche restoration and resale business, admitting to pocketing more than $827,000 and agreeing to pay over $8 million in restitution to 57 people.
In her plea agreement, Doherty, 38, admitted that she took over CPR Classic from her father after his death in 2021. The defendant did business as CPR Classic, which was never registered as a corporation or a limited liability company, restoring classic Porsches and selling them on consignment from its storefront in Fallbrook. Doherty pleaded guilty to three counts of wire fraud, relating to three specific vehicles sold on consignment by the defendant through CPR Classic.
Doherty was released on bail pending her sentencing on February 23, 2026, at 10 a.m. before U.S. District Judge Andrew G. Schopler.
During 2022 and 2023, Doherty sold a 1973 Porsche 911E Targa to two different buyers, accepting payment from both without informing or paying the seller. The seller eventually transferred the vehicle’s title after receiving a check from Doherty, which bounced when he attempted to cash it.
In February 2023, Doherty admitted that she agreed to sell a 1972 Porsche 911S for its owner, and found a buyer the very next day who wired her $280,000 within a week. Although this buyer received the vehicle, Doherty did not transfer legal title and admitted that she had not used the wired funds to pay the seller. Instead, in October 2023, Doherty sold the vehicle again to another buyer, who wired her $275,000, part of which she used to pay the seller, who then transferred title to the October 2023 buyer, unaware of the February 2023 sale.
Also in 2023, Doherty admitted that she sold a 1983 Porsche 930T Slantnose on consignment for $130,000, without telling (or paying) the owner. To complete the sale, Doherty forged the seller’s signature on the transfer of title document. More than a year later, this buyer contacted the vehicle’s owner, who then learned that his car had been sold and delivered to the buyer despite still being listed as available for sale on the CPR Classic website.
CPR Classic’s vehicle dealer license was suspended by the California Department of Motor Vehicles in September 2024, and it ceased operations soon thereafter.
If you believe that you are a victim in this case, please submit a report to the Internet Crime Complaint Center at https://www.ic3.gov, or to the California Department of Motor Vehicles at https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/customer-service/dmv-complaints-ffinv-1/. Victims can also file a claim through the Consumer Motor Vehicle Recovery Corporation at www.CMVRC.org.
This case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey D. Hill.
DEFENDANT Case Number 25cr4683-AGS
Andrea Nicole Doherty Age: 38 Fallbrook, CA
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Wire Fraud – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1343 (three counts)
Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison and a $250,000 fine per count
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Federal Bureau of Investigation
California Department of Motor Vehicles – Criminal Investigations
Deltona Man Pleads Guilty to Attempting to Meet A 13-Year-Old Girl to Engage in Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Keiron Jashua Williams (23, Deltona) has pleaded guilty to attempted enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity. Williams faces a minimum penalty of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the plea agreement, in June 2025, a detective with the Marion County Sheriff’s Office posed online as a 13-year-old girl (UC). Williams messaged the UC account. After learning he was speaking with a minor, Williams engaged in a sexually explicit conversation. On July 5, 2025, Williams was arrested when he traveled to a location in Marion County to meet the minor to engage in sexual activity. A search of Williams’s car revealed he had brought an unopened box of condoms, a video game system, and marijuana for the meeting with the minor.
This case was investigated by the Marion County Sheriff’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Defendant in Operation Rock Bottom Sentenced to 20 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The final defendant in the region’s largest-ever federal drug trafficking prosecution was sentenced this week to 20 years in federal prison.
Norman Eugene Goins Jr., 31, of Charlottesville, was sentenced this week to 20 years in federal prison. On August 27, 2025, a jury convicted Goins of possession with the intent to distribute over 4,000 fentanyl pills, nearly a kilo of fentanyl powder, and the possession of three firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense following a multi-week trial. The jury trial was prosecuted by Acting United States Attorney Robert N. Tracci and Assistant United States Attorney Rachel B. Swartz.
“This sentencing concludes a multi-jurisdictional, cooperative investigation and prosecution that landed more than 15 defendants in federal prison for more than 186 years collectively,” Acting United States Attorney Robert N. Tracci said today. “This prosecution took thousands of fentanyl pills out of the Western District of Virginia, any one of which could have resulted in a fatal overdose. Fentanyl is a uniquely pernicious and lethal toxin, so deadly that just one pill can kill. I am grateful to our local, state, and federal partners for their dedication to this case. Fentanyl has killed thousands of Virginians and hundreds of thousands of Americans and this office will continue to attach the highest priority to combatting those who traffic fentanyl and use firearms to protect their deadly trade.”
“The DEA, and all our dedicated law enforcement partners are using every tool and resource available to investigate and prosecute dangerous narcotics distributors. Our mission to save and protect lives is clear,” commented DEA Washington Division Special Agent in Charge Christopher Goumenis. “Prominent drug traffickers like Mr. Goins and his organization destroy families throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia and beyond by selling deadly illicit drugs, such as counterfeit pills containing fentanyl. This sentencing is the result of our collective efforts to dismantle drug trafficking networks and defend American citizens.”
“This conviction and sentencing shows what can be accomplished when law enforcement agencies work together to target dangerous criminals,” said Col. Matthew D. Hanley, Superintendent of Virginia State Police. “Lives were saved because together we were able to get large amounts of fentanyl off of the streets.”
“This investigation and prosecution demonstrate what can be accomplished when local, state, and federal partners work together to hold those individuals who harm our community accountable for their actions,” said Colonel Sean Reeves, Albemarle County Chief of Police.
Goins was identified at trial as the leader of a drug conspiracy that distributed large amounts of fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine in and around the Charlottesville region beginning in February 2023 and continuing through February 2024.
Goins distributed fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, and other drugs to members of the conspiracy for redistribution and profit.
A search warrant executed at Goins’ home revealed a safe that contained a brick of fentanyl and 4,000 fentanyl pills. In addition, investigators found at least 10 firearms at the home, including a loaded gun found with his baby’s clothes. Goins is a convicted felon and prohibited from possessing a firearm.
Previously convicted and sentenced as part of the conspiracy are:
- DuShaun Lamont Gregory -186 months
- Landon Devon Fields -180 months
- Bobby Eugene Christmas -120 months
- Michael Edward Cornett -120 months
- Antone Laron Harris -120 months
- John Ellis Turner, III -120 months
- Tyquane Pertell Gregory -108 months
- Dashard Brown -96 months
- Gary Wayne Woodson -84 months
- Brandon Carl Dent -75 months
- Shahiem Taishaun Michie -72 months
- Dustin Lee Welch -70 months
- Ashlee Renee Morris -54 months
- Brooks Lorenzo Woodfolk -52 months
- Wendy Nicole Shifflett -36 months
- Caleb Andrew Herndon -27 months
The Virginia State Police 3A Regional Drug and Gang Task Force, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Albemarle County Police Department, the Department of Homeland Security- HSI, the City of Charlottesville Police Department, the Greene County Sheriff’s Office, the Nelson County Sheriff’s Office, the Fluvanna County Sheriff’s Office, the Henrico County Police Department, and the United States Marshal’s Service are investigating the case. The Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Offices from the City of Charlottesville and Albemarle County, along with the Charlottesville Emergency Services and the Virginia National Guard have assisted in the investigation.
Acting United States Attorney Robert N. Tracci, Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachel Swartz and retired Assistant United States Attorney Ronald Huber prosecuted the case for the United States.
Dallas man sentenced to over 17 years in federal prison in ATM crime spreeRead the Press Release
PLANO, Texas – A Dallas man has been sentenced to over 17 years in federal prison for a violent crime spree in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Joseph George Turner, 31, pleaded guilty to Hobbs Act robbery and was sentenced to 210 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Richard A. Schell on December 3, 2025.
According to court documents, Turner was the leader and organizer of a group of individuals involved in a crime spree aimed at forcibly removing ATMs from convenience stores in the DFW area. From May 16 to June 1, 2023, the defendants participated in a conspiracy that involved smashing the glass from a convenience storefront with a sledgehammer before using a stolen truck or SUV to drag an ATM from the store. Once the ATM was removed from the store, the defendants would load the machine into the vehicle and leave the scene. The ATM and vehicle would later be found abandoned after the money was removed and divided among the participants.
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.
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Frisco Office, Plano Police Department, Irving Police Department, Dallas Police Department, Mesquite Police Department, Carrolton Police Department, and Grapevine Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Johnson.
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Convicted Felon Charged with Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – A federal grand jury has indicted a convicted felon for illegally possessing a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona.
A one-count indictment filed in U.S. District Court charges Michael Lee Kelton, 44, of Gadsden, Alabama, with being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to the indictment, on July 29, 2025, Kelton illegally possessed a Glock .45 semi-automatic pistol. Kelton is prohibited from possessing a firearm because of eight prior felony convictions that span from 2009 to 2024 for various drug offenses and theft.
The ATF investigated the case along with the Etowah County Drug Task Force, Etowah County Sheriff’s Office, and the Atalla Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Davis A. Barlow is prosecuting the case.
An indictment contains only charges. Defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty
Colorado Woman Sentenced to 36 Years for Creation of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
DENVER – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Charlyna Butterworth, 29, of Aurora, was sentenced to 36 years in prison followed by supervised release for life after pleading guilty to one count of production of child pornography and one count of distribution of child pornography.
According to the plea agreement, Butterworth repeatedly sexually abused three minors who were all under the age of five while they were entrusted to her care and created child sexual exploitation material of the abuse.
“This is a serious sentence for a serious crime,” said United States Attorney for the District of Colorado Peter McNeilly. “I am grateful that this individual is no longer in a position to harm another child.”
United States District Judge Gordon P. Gallagher presided over the sentencing.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation Denver Field Office handled the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Alecia L. Riewerts handled the prosecution.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Colombian National Sentenced to Federal Prison for Role in Nationwide Jewelry Theft RingRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JORGE GIOVANNI ESCOBAR GONZALEZ, 41, a citizen of Colombia last residing in Kissimmee, Florida, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to 57 months of imprisonment for his involvement in an organized jewelry theft ring that targeted mall-based stores and kiosks across the country.
According to court documents and statements made in court, from May 2023 through April 2024, Escobar Gonzalez and several other Colombian nationals burglarized jewelry stores and kiosks in malls and then transported the stolen property or the proceeds from it across state lines. Before the burglaries, Escobar Gonzalez and his associates surveilled the stores and kiosks to formulate game plans and, as part of that reconnaissance, Escobar Gonzalez more than once posed as a legitimate customer to examine the desired merchandise and assess the establishment’s security measures. During the burglaries, Escobar Gonzalez frequently served as one of the thieves who broke into stores and display cases while other co-conspirators served as lookouts.
Escobar Gonzalez and his co-conspirators burglarized jewelry establishments in Paterson, New Jersey, on May 17, 2023; in Mentor, Ohio, on July 21, 2023; in Fort Wayne, Indiana, on August 13, 2023; in Greece, New York, on September 20, 2023; at the Connecticut Post Mall in Milford, Connecticut, on October 5, 2023; in Lombard, Illinois on October 17, 2023; in Hamilton Township, New Jersey, on October 27, 2023; and in Henrico, Virginia on November 4, 2023. The total losses from these burglaries exceed $4.4 million.
Members of the conspiracy also cased additional jewelry stores and kiosks in Iowa, Indiana, Wisconsin, Illinois, and Delaware.
To date, none of the stolen jewelry has been recovered by law enforcement.
On April 9, 2025, Escobar Gonzalez pleaded guilty to interstate transportation of stolen property. He has been detained since May 19, 2024, when he was arrested in Florida on state charges related to another jewelry burglary.
This investigation has been conducted by the FBI New Haven’s Transnational Organized Crime Task Force with the assistance of the Milford (Conn.) Police Department, the Hamilton Township (N.J.) Police Division, the Delaware State Police, the Henrico County (Va.) Police Division, the New York State Police, the New York Police Department, the Pensacola (Fla.) Police Department, the Paterson (N.J.) Police Department, the Mentor (Ohio) Police Department, the Fort Wayne (Ind.) Police Department, the Greece (N.Y.) Police Department, and the Lombard (Ill.) Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys David T. Huang and Conor M. Reardon.
U.S. Attorney Sullivan thanked the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida, and FBI Field Offices in New York, Dallas, Miami, and Tampa for their assistance.
Central Ohio man sentenced to more than 12 years in federal prison after arranging online to meet ‘minor’ in Cincinnati for sexRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – A Dublin, Ohio, man was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 151 months in prison for arranging online to meet up with who he believed was a minor to engage in sexual conduct. The defendant drove to Cincinnati within hours of when he first started talking to the purported minor online.
Kyle Tennyson, 35, a registered sex offender, used the social media app Kasual to talk to who he thought was a 15-year-old, but was actually an undercover agent.
According to court documents, after learning of the supposed minor’s age in online conversations, Tennyson messaged “It’s just extremely risky for a guy to do anything with you sadly. :/ I hate the law.”
Tennyson sent several requests for specific images, saying he needed to verify the 15-year-old was real. The defendant told the minor what sexual activities he had in mind, proposed different sexual positions for her to look up, and ensured that her parents did not have access to her hotel room.
Tennyson also mentioned he was being cautious because he had been “caught for this a few months ago and am currently going through the legal system,” adding, “Girl on bumble said she was 18. She wasn’t. Parents found out. I got screwed.” He sent the minor a picture of his leg with an ankle monitor, which was imposed as a condition of bond in connection to his ongoing prosecution in Delaware County for charges alleging sexual abuse of a 13-year-old.
Tennyson drove from Dublin to a hotel in Cincinnati, where he was apprehended by agents. When law enforcement officials apprehended him, Tennyson had on him a grocery bag with an open box of 36 count condoms.
A federal grand jury indicted Tennyson in June 2024 with attempted coercion and enticement of a minor. He pleaded guilty in June 2025. Tennyson was previously convicted in 2014 of pandering obscenity. He is also currently facing 10 charges for sex offenses involving a minor in Delaware County.
Dominick S. Gerace II, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Matthew Stentz, Acting Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Detroit, announced the sentence imposed on Dec. 3 by U.S. District Court Judge Matthew W. McFarland. Assistant United States Attorney Danielle E. Margeaux and Criminal Chief Christy L. Muncy are representing the United States in this case.
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California Lobbyist and Former Chief of Staff to an Elected Official Plead Guilty to Conspiracy to Commit FraudRead the Press Release
California lobbyist Greg Campbell, 52, of Davis, pleaded guilty today to one count of conspiracy to commit bank and wire fraud, and one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States and to commit offenses against the United States. On Nov. 20, 2025, Sean McCluskie, 56, of Davis, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and wire fraud.
According to court documents, in 2021, McCluskie was the Chief of Staff to an elected official and continued in that role when the official was confirmed to a United States government position. Between February 2022 and September 2024, Campbell and McCluskie conspired with Dana Williamson, 53, of Carmichael, and others to steal approximately $225,000 in funds from the elected official’s dormant political campaign for McCluskie’s personal use in order to pay for McCluskie’s bicoastal lifestyle. Collectively, they funneled the money through various business entities and disguised it as pay for what was, in reality, a no-show job for McCluskie’s spouse.
In July 2024, at Williamson’s request, Campbell had three fake retroactive contracts created to respond to a subpoena Williamson had received questioning her company’s eligibility for PPP loans and loan forgiveness. The Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) provided forgivable loans to small businesses to help them keep employees on the payroll during the pandemic. Lobbying firms were not eligible to receive PPP loans. Campbell signed the fake contracts, which made it appear as though Williamson provided only non-lobbying services to her clients, and her firm was only a subcontractor for Campbell’s independently owned lobbying firm.
On Nov. 12, 2025, a 23-count indictment was unsealed, charging Williamson with conspiracy to commit bank and wire fraud, bank fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to defraud the United States and obstruct justice, subscribing to false tax returns, and making false statements. The charges are only allegations; Williamson is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
These cases are the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and IRS Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael D. Anderson, Rosanne Rust, and Katherine T. Lydon, and Public Integrity Section Trial Attorney Alexandre Dempsey are prosecuting the case.
A status of sentencing hearing for both Campbell and McCluskie is set for Feb. 26, 2026, before Chief U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley. The next court date for Williamson is a status conference set for Dec. 11, 2025, at 9:30 a.m., before Chief Judge Nunley.
Campbell and McCluskie face a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 for each count of conspiracy.
If convicted, Williamson faces a maximum statutory penalty of 30 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each count of bank fraud and conspiracy to commit bank fraud and wire fraud; up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each count of wire fraud; up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each count of conspiracy to obstruct and making a false statements; and up to three years in prison and a $100,000 fine for each count of subscribing to a false tax return.
The actual sentences, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
Brooklyn Man Charged with Sex Trafficking, Interstate Prostitution, and Promotion of Prostitution at “Penn Track” in East New York and Throughout the United StatesRead the Press Release
Earlier today, an indictment was unsealed in federal court in Brooklyn, charging Kaleem Nurse, also known as “Consistent,” with sex trafficking by force, fraud, and coercion, interstate prostitution, and promotion of prostitution. The charges in the indictment relate to Nurse’s trafficking of women to work as prostitutes in New York, including along an open‑air sex trafficking market on stretch of Pennsylvania Avenue in Brooklyn known as the “Penn Track,” and his transportation of women from New York to multiple other states with the intent that they engage in commercial sex for his financial benefit. Nurse was arrested today and is scheduled to be arraigned this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Vera M. Scanlon.
Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York and Christopher G. Raia, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI) announced the arrest and charges.
“As alleged, the defendant trafficked women to serve as commercial sex workers for him on the notorious Penn Track in Brooklyn and in numerous states across the country,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “Today’s arrest reinforces our commitment to removing criminals from the streets in our District and protecting victims of exploitation by prosecuting individuals like Nurse. Our Office will continue to prioritize the investigation and prosecution of sex trafficking crimes that threaten the safety and dignity of our communities.”
Mr. Nocella expressed his appreciation to the FBI and New York City Police Department Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force for their work on the case.
“Kaleem Nurse allegedly trafficked multiple women in New York and across the country, forcing them to perform sexual acts for his own financial gain,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Raia. “Nurse’s alleged actions deprived his victims of their dignity and autonomy, degrading them to serve as vessels to satisfy his selfish greed. The FBI maintains its steadfast commitment to apprehending any sexual predator utilizing our city as a perverted hub to facilitate the exploitation of vulnerable women in our state and others.”
According to court filings, between January 2021 and June 2025, Nurse had numerous women working in prostitution for him on the Penn Track and other locations across the United States, and trafficked at least one of those women using force, fraud and coercion. Specifically, evidence obtained pursuant to the investigation reflects that Nurse regularly required his female victims to solicit customers on the Penn Track and other locations across the country, including Miami and Atlantic City, and to engage in commercial sex acts with those customers. Nurse collected the proceeds earned by these women after they engaged in commercial sex acts with customers, and he used emotional manipulation and violence to discipline and control them.
If convicted of sex trafficking by force, fraud, and coercion, the defendant faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment.
The charges in the indictment are allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Human Trafficking and Civil Rights Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Erin Reid and Miranda Gonzalez are in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendant:
KALEEM NURSE (also known as “Consistent”)
Age: 30
Brooklyn, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 25-CR-377 (VMS)
Brockton Man Arrested and Charged with Drug Trafficking; Attempted to Flush Fentanyl Pills Down ToiletRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Brockton man has been arrested and charged for allegedly trafficking fentanyl from his residence while on GPS home confinement for two pending drug cases in Massachusetts Superior Court. Hundreds of fentanyl pills, a respirator mask, cutting agents and other drug trafficking paraphernalia were allegedly recovered during a search.
Edmund Kelsey, 26, was charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl. Kelsey is currently in state custody and will appear in federal court in Boston at a later date.
According to the charging documents, during a search of Kelsey’s Brockton residence on Oct. 30, 2025, Kelsey fled upon seeing law enforcement, ran inside the residence and locked the door. Kelsey then ran down to the basement, where he allegedly attempted to flush hundreds of grams of multi-colored pills and other material down the toilet. A sample of the pills field-tested positive for a fentanyl/methamphetamine compound. Kelsey was immediately taken into custody.
A respirator mask, two large containers of cutting powder, over 1,000 grams of marijuana, approximately 10 cell phones and over $1,000 in cash were also located inside the residence.
At the time of the search, Kelsey was on home confinement with GPS monitoring as a condition of release on two pending Massachusetts Superior Court drug trafficking cases. Kelsey was previously sentenced to a total of five years in state prison for multiple Superior Court convictions involving drug dealing and firearms.
The charge of possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl provides for a sentence of no less than 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $10 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Brockton Police Department and the Massachusetts State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Cutshall and Philip A. Mallard of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit are prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Box Elder man arraigned on robbery chargesRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS – A Box Elder man accused of being involved in a robbery on the Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation was arraigned earlier this week, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Gordon George Denny, Jr., 30, pleaded not guilty to an indictment charging him with conspiracy to commit robbery. If convicted of the charge contained in the indictment, the defendant faces 5 years of imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and 3 years of supervised release.
U.S. Magistrate Judge John Johnston presided. The defendant was detained pending further proceedings.
Count 1 of the indictment alleges that on July 29, 2024, near Box Elder, Denny and others knowingly conspired to commit a robbery.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. The FBI and Chippewa Cree Law Enforcement Services conducted the investigation.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
The charging documents are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
PACER case reference. 25-118.
The progress of cases may be monitored through the U.S. District Court Calendar and the PACER system. To establish a PACER account, which provides electronic access to review documents filed in a case, please visit http://www.pacer.gov/register.html. To access the District Court’s calendar, please visit https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl.
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Billings doctor sentenced to two years of probation for arranging commercial sexRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – A Billings man who previously pleaded guilty to using a cell phone to arrange for commercial sex was sentenced today to 24 months of probation and ordered to pay a fine of $100,000, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Usman Hanif Khan, 52, pleaded guilty in June 2025 to one count of use of a facility of interstate commerce to aid in racketeering.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.
The government alleged in court documents that prior to April 9, 2023, Khan met a woman on a social media website for those interested in a commercial sex relationship. Then, on or about April 9, 2023, Khan communicated with the woman for the purpose of arranging a commercial sex date with Jane Doe, who the woman represented was an adult but was actually a minor. Khan and the woman communicated via text messenger, utilized cell phones to make arrangements, and discussed, among other items, the particulars of the commercial sex date. On the evening of April 9, 2023, the woman transported Jane Doe to Khan’s residence for the purpose of a commercial sex date. Khan and Jane Doe engaged in a sex act, after which Khan contacted the woman to arrange transportation of Jane Doe and provided Jane Doe with money for the encounter.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Zeno Baucus prosecuted the case. The FBI conducted the investigation.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
Baltimore Man Pleads Guilty to his Role as the Shooter in a Drug-Related Robbery, Kidnapping, and Murder in QueensRead the Press Release
Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Marcus Pittman, also known as “Nacho” and “Cheese,” pleaded guilty to discharging a firearm and causing a death through the use of a firearm in connection with the kidnapping, robbery, and murder of a marijuana dealer on July 25, 2024. When sentenced, he faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years’ imprisonment and up to life in prison. Today’s proceeding was held before United States District Judge Kiyo A. Matsumoto.
Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; Christopher G. Raia, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI); and Jessica S. Tisch, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD) announced the guilty plea.
“Today, the defendant pleaded guilty to an execution-style, drug-related killing carried out in the rear of a U-Haul van in brutal fashion,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “Marcus Pittman was the trigger man of this robbery crew that traveled to our District for the purpose of kidnapping and robbing marijuana dealers. I commend our excellent prosecutors, the FBI Special Agents, and NYPD detectives whose outstanding work has brought all six defendants to justice for their brutal crimes.”
“With five other defendants, Marcus Pittman orchestrated a kidnapping and armed robbery of two local marijuana dealers before executing a restrained captive in the back of a U-Haul,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Raia. “Pittman demonstrated an utter disregard for human life by shooting a defenseless rival in cold blood. May today’s plea send a message that the FBI and our law enforcement partners will hold accountable anyone who travels to our city to wage unnecessary violence and death.”
According to court filings and statements by the defendant at the guilty plea proceeding, during the night of July 24, 2024 and into July 25, 2024, Marcus Pittman and his co-defendants carried out a violent armed robbery and kidnapping plot that resulted in the defendant shooting and killing John Doe #1 inside of a U-Haul van in Bayside, Queens.
Specifically, Marcus Pittman and his co-defendants drove up from Maryland to New York for the purpose of robbing John Doe #1 and John Doe #2, who were both drug dealers. Once in New York, co-defendants Jerome Waters and William Barnett met with John Doe #1 and John Doe #2 at a stash house in Queens under the guise of purchasing marijuana.
Moments later, Waters and Barnett pulled out their weapons and held up John Doe #1 and John Doe #2. They then brought Marcus Pittman and his brother Delonta Pittman into the stash house to assist in the robbery and kidnapping. While in the stash house, Marcus Pittman and his co-defendants restrained John Doe #1 and John Doe #2 with zip ties and forced them outside and into the back of a Jeep and a U-Haul van. At the same time, Marcus Pittman and his co-defendants stole approximately 30 pounds of marijuana from the stash house.
Marcus Pittman and his co-defendants drove John Doe #1 and John Doe #2, who were still restrained, through Queens at gunpoint, demanding drugs and money. Co-defendant Jalon Garrett held a gun to John Doe #2 in one vehicle while Marcus Pittman held John Doe #1 at gunpoint in the back of a U-Haul van driven by Calvin Israel. Soon thereafter, Marcus Pittman shot John Doe #1 to death in the rear compartment of the U-Haul van. After the shooting, the defendants returned to Maryland. When John Doe #1’s body was later found by first responders, he still had a zip tie binding one of his hands and was surrounded by bags of marijuana.
Co-defendants Barnett, Delonta Pittman, Waters, Garrett, and Israel all previously pleaded guilty for their roles in the crime, and are awaiting sentencing.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. As part of the program, U.S. Attorneys’ Offices work in partnership with federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement and their local communities to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s International Narcotics and Money Laundering Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Chand Edwards-Balfour and Adam Amir are in charge of the prosecution.
Defendant:
MARCUS PITTMAN (also known as “Nacho” and “Cheese”)
Age: 30
Baltimore, MarylandDefendants Who Previously Pleaded Guilty:
DELONTA PITTMAN (also known as “D Lo”)
Age: 31
MarylandJEROME WATERS (also known as “the Engineer” and “Rome”)
Age: 23
Baltimore, MarylandCALVIN ISRAEL
Age: 23
Baltimore, MarylandWILLIAM BARNETT
Age: 27
Baltimore, MarylandJALON LENNY GARRETT
Age: 20
Baltimore, MarylandE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 24-CR-413 (S-2) (KAM)
Bristol Man Found Guilty of Attempted Murder of ATF Agents Serving a Search WarrantRead the Press Release
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – John Caleb Allen, 26, of Bristol, Florida, was found guilty by a federal jury of ten counts, including two counts of attempted murder of a federal officer. The guilty verdict was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said, “The case exemplifies the incredible danger our brave men and women in law enforcement face as they keep our communities safe from violent offenders like this defendant. Attacks on law enforcement will be prosecuted by my office to the fullest extent of the law and deserve severe punishment.”
Evidence at trial demonstrated that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) had been investigating the defendant for the illegal sale of machine gun conversion devices (MCDs). On June 3, 2025, ATF used a confidential source to purchase a firearm and a MCD from the defendant. On June 23, 2025, ATF used a confidential source to purchase 13 MCDs and two firearms from the defendant. Officers watched the defendant pick up the two firearms he sold to the confidential source from a federal firearms licensee (FFL), where he lied on ATF Form 4473. Based on their investigation, ATF obtained a federal search warrant for the defendant’s house.
While attempting to execute the search warrant, the defendant shot approximately 14 times at ATF agents as they attempted to enter his front door. One of the officers had a bullet pass through his shirtsleeve and another officer was struck by a bullet in the body armor, but neither was injured. Officers did not return fire and were able to get the defendant to peacefully exit the residence with his hands up several minutes later.
Agents located numerous firearms, including an unregistered firearm silencer, during the residential search.
In total, the defendant was convicted of:
- Count 1: Transfer of a machinegun on June 3, 2025;
- Count 2: Transfer of a machinegun on June 23, 2025;
- Count 3: Making a false statement to an FFL on June 23, 2025;
- Count 4: Attempted murder of a federal officer (first ATF Special Agent);
- Count 5: Forcibly assaulting a federal officer with a deadly weapon (first ATF Special Agent);
- Count 6: Discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence (first ATF Special Agent);
- Count 7: Attempted murder of a federal officer (second ATF Special Agent);
- Count 8: Forcibly assaulting a federal officer with a deadly weapon (second ATF Special Agent);
- Count 9: Discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence (second ATF Special Agent); and
- Count 10: Possessing an unregistered or unmarked silencer.
Sentencing is scheduled for February 17, 2026, at 10:00 am at the United States Courthouse in Tallahassee before Chief United States District Court Judge Allen C. Winsor.
This conviction was the result of a joint investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from the Liberty County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney James A. McCain 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.
As part of its PSN strategy, the United States Attorney’s Office is encouraging everyone to lock their car doors, particularly at night. Burglaries from unlocked automobiles are a significant source of guns for criminals in the Northern District of Florida. Please do your part and protect yourself by locking your car doors.
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 http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Assistant Professor’s Embezzlement from Washington University Leads to 27 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autrey on Thursday sentenced a former assistant professor who embezzled $412,163 from the Washington University School of Medicine to 27 months in prison.
Judge Autrey also ordered Gary Grajales-Reyes, MD-PhD, to repay the money. Federal law enforcement has already seized a substantial quantity of collectible trading cards from Grajales-Reyes’ laboratory that he bought with some of the funds.
As part of his guilty plea in August to three counts of wire fraud, Grajales-Reyes admitted submitting 73 false requisition requests to WashU Medicine for 761 different pieces of computer equipment, falsely claiming that it was for the research laboratory that he directed. Once he received the equipment at his lab, Grajales-Reyes sold some of the computer equipment through his personal eBay site and some to an Amazon-based third-party seller. He used the money obtained by selling the computer equipment for his own personal expenses.
Grajales-Reyes’s greed-fueled crime affected WashU Medicine in multiple ways, Assistant U.S. Attorney Hal Goldsmith said in court Thursday. Grajales-Reyes “defrauded the very institution which has supported him in achieving all that he has,” Goldsmith said, including by providing him “an education, substantial salary and benefits” and a research lab. In addition to the loss of funds that were intended to support important patient care and research, the University had to terminate a National Institutes of Health grant for which Grajales-Reyes was a principal investigator, causing the loss of $87,545 in grant funding. Staff spent more than 500 hours investigating and dealing with Grajales-Reyes’ crime, which damaged the reputation of the department and its programs and prompted concerns from academic and business leaders and philanthropic supporters.
The FBI investigated the case, with the cooperation and assistance of Washington University. Assistant U.S. Attorney Hal Goldsmith prosecuted the case.
Anchorage man sentenced to 15 years for trafficking large quantities of fentanyl, methamphetamine, heroin, cocaine in AlaskaRead the Press Release
ANCHORAGE, Alaska – An Anchorage man was sentenced today to 15 years in prison for trafficking large quantities of illicit narcotics in Anchorage and for possessing a firearm in furtherance of his drug trafficking crimes.
According to court documents, in February 2024, Thurman Reed, 67, sold roughly six grams of fentanyl analogue and six grams of heroin. In March 2024, Reed also sold over 27 grams of a mixture containing methamphetamine. One week later, Reed sold over 49 grams of heroin. In May 2024, Reed also sold over 311 grams of methamphetamine.
In late May 2024, the FBI and Anchorage Police Department (APD) executed a search warrant on Reed’s residence and a storage unit, recovering a cumulative total of over 10 kilograms of pure methamphetamine, 245 grams of fentanyl, 485 grams of heroin and 15 grams of cocaine.
U.S. Attorney's Office, District of AlaskaThe FBI and APD also recovered a firearm at Reed’s residence during the search. The firearm was found inside a backpack that contained distribution quantities of dangerous drugs and a digital scale. At the time of the search, Reed had seven prior felony convictions.
On Aug. 14, 2025, Reed pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
“Mr. Reed was clearly undeterred by his seven prior felony convictions and chose to stockpile and distribute large quantities of dangerous drugs in Alaska, putting our communities at significant risk,” said U.S. Attorney Michael J. Heyman for the District of Alaska. “My office is resolute in its commitment to target and prosecute drug traffickers for the crimes that are devastating our communities.”
“Over the course of our investigation, the FBI and APD seized a stockpile of deadly drugs, including over 22 pounds of methamphetamine that this seven-time convicted felon had intended for distribution in Alaska,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Brandon Waddle of the FBI Anchorage Field Office. “Now, Reed’s days of menacing our community are over. We will continue working with our partners at every level to hold drug traffickers accountable."
"I want to thank the FBI and the Anchorage High-Intensity Drug Tracking Area (HIDTA) Unit for their steadfast dedication in the aggressive pursuit of those trafficking deadly drugs within Alaska. I also want to thank the U.S. Attorney’s office for prosecuting these cases so there is accountability for outrageous acts in our community. This case is a very clear example of our commitment to reducing the drugs in this community that have had such a devastating impact. People involved in this level of distribution should be investigated, prosecuted, and placed in jail for long periods of time so they will not continue to cause harm," said Chief Sean Case of the Anchorage Police Department.
The FBI Anchorage Field Office and APD investigated the case as part of the Anchorage High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Unit.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ainsley McNerney prosecuted the case.
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Wednesday 3 December 2025
‘King’ of Violent Haitian Gang Sentenced to Life in Prison for Hostage Taking of 16 American Christian MissionariesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Joly Germine, 34, of Croix-des-Bouquets, Haiti, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to life in prison without the possibility of supervised release for his role in orchestrating the 2021 hostage taking of 16 American citizens, including five children, and holding most of them hostage for 62 days, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. The victims were part of a missionary organization, Christian Aid Ministries, and were on their way back from working at an orphanage when they were taken hostage in October 2021.
Germine, aka “Yonyon,” was found guilty by a federal jury on May 16, following a 10-day trial in the District of Columbia, of one count of conspiracy to commit hostage taking and 16 counts of hostage taking of a U.S. national for ransom. In addition to life in prison, Judge John D. Bates ordered Germine to pay a fine of $1,700.
Joining U.S. Attorney Pirro in the announcement was FBI Assistant Special Agent in Charge Brett Skiles of the Miami Field Office.
“The missionary group included 12 adults and five young children, including a 6-year-old, 3-year-old, and an 8-month-old. Sixteen of the victims were U.S. citizens from Christian Aid Ministries,” said U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro. “This sentencing makes clear that Germine’s scheme to win freedom for himself by using Christians as pawns backfired.”
The former leader and self-described “king” of the notoriously violent Haitian gang known as 400 Mawozo, Germine had previously pleaded guilty to his role in a gun trafficking conspiracy that smuggled firearms to Haiti in violation of U.S. export laws and the laundering of the gang’s funds derived from ransoms paid for other U.S. hostage victims. For those crimes, he was sentenced in June 2024 to 35 years in federal prison.
According to court documents, Germine’s gang, 400 Mawozo, operated in the Croix-des-Bouquets area to the east of the Haitian capital, Port-au-Prince. Germine directed the gang’s operations from prison using unmonitored cell phones and was constantly in touch with other 400 Mawozo leaders, most of whom were his relatives. Germine controlled the gang’s finances, supplied the gang’s weapons, and otherwise directed operations.
On October 16, 2021, 17 Mennonite missionaries from Christian Aid Ministries, an Ohio-based missionary aid organization, were returning from visiting an orphanage when they were stopped by 400 Mawozo’s armed and masked soldiers. Many of the gang’s soldiers brandished guns supplied by Germine.
The gang drove the missionaries to a field and robbed them, while consulting by phone with Germine, their leader. The gang took the missionaries to a building in a rural area, held them at gunpoint, and demanded ransom of $1 million each for their return.
In postings on social media, the gang threatened to kill all the hostages if the ransom was not paid. Early on in the negotiations, senior gang leadership said that, in lieu of the ransom monies, 400 Mawozo would accept Germine’s release from prison in exchange for the hostages.
On November 20, 2021, two hostages were released when one of them was suffering from life-threatening health conditions. On December 5, 2021, 400 Mawozo released three of the hostages, two adults who had significant medical issues and the six-year old child, after receiving a $350,000 ransom payment. Though the gang had stated they would release all the hostages for the ransom paid, at Germine’s direction, the gang thereafter refused to release any more hostages, hoping instead for his own release from Haitian jail in exchange for the hostages’ release. On December 16, 2021, the remaining hostages escaped under cover of darkness while their captors were distracted, walking for five hours through the Haitian bush until they were out of the gang’s territory. They were received by the FBI, which had deployed to Haiti and arranged to immediately transport them from Haiti before the gang could respond to their escape. In total, most of the missionaries were held for 62 days.
The evidence at trial showed that Germine directed the initial kidnapping, arranged for the locations where hostages were held, and set the $17 million ransom demand, knowing it was too high to be paid and hoping it would result in the Haitian government negotiating his release from prison in exchange for the missionaries. The evidence also showed that Germine was involved in or consulted on the decisions to release victims.
The FBI Miami Field Office investigated the case, with assistance from Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. During the law enforcement response to the kidnapping, extraordinary assistance was provided by various agencies in a whole-of-government response, including the Department of Commerce, Customs and Border Protection Service, the Drug Enforcement Agency, Department of Defense, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Valuable assistance was provided by the government of Haiti, the government of the Dominican Republic, the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, the Department of State and the Embassy in Port-au-Prince, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida’s Special Prosecutions Section.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Karen P. Seifert and Thomas N. Saunders with invaluable assistance from Paralegal Specialist Jorge Casillas, former Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Paschall, Victim Advocate Yvonne Bryant, and Victim Witness Coordinators Tonya Jones and Guisela Castillo.
22cr161
York Man Who Impersonated A Deputy U.S. Marshal Sentenced to over Three Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Jaimie Lynn Cummings, age 52, of York County, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on December 2, 2025, to 40 months’ imprisonment by United States District Judge Kelli N. Neary for impersonating an officer of the United States and a firearms offense.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, Cummings was sentenced for falsely impersonating a Deputy U.S. Marshal and illegal possession of a short-barreled firearm. Cummings previously pleaded guilty those charges. The charges arose from a September 20, 2023, incident where Cummings appeared at the Northern York Regional Police Department wearing what purported to be a U.S. Marshal badge, tactical gear, tactical clothing, and a firearm. After representing himself to police as a deputy U.S. Marshal, local law enforcement recognized that he was not a law enforcement officer. Cummings left the police station but was later stopped by police. Police found in his car and in his home an assortment of firearms, ammunition, and rifles less than sixteen inches in length. Cummings possessed the short-barreled rifles illegally.
When imposing sentence, Judge Neary noted Cummings’s criminal history, his personal circumstances, and the seriousness of the conduct.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Northern York Regional Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Michael A. Consiglio is prosecuting 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. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
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Wausau Man Sentenced to 7 Years for Fentanyl TraffickingRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Chadwick M. Elgersma, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Christopher Harter, 49, Wausau, Wisconsin, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge William M. Comley to 7 years in federal prison for possessing 40 grams or more of fentanyl with intent to distribute. This prison term will be followed by 5 years of supervised release. Harter also pleaded guilty to this charge yesterday.
In February 2025, investigators with the Central Wisconsin Narcotics Task Force identified Harter as a heroin dealer in the Wausau, Wisconsin, area. Investigators also determined that Harter frequently traveled to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to purchase heroin that he would then sell in the Wausau area.
On March 7, 2025, investigators stopped a car in which Harter was a passenger as it returned to Wausau from Milwaukee. Investigators located 80.3 grams of a fentanyl and heroin mixture in Harter’s pocket. Investigators executed a search of Harter’s apartment on the same day. There, investigators located more than 50 grams of methamphetamine, a drug ledger, a digital scale, and drug paraphernalia.
At sentencing, Judge Conley noted Harter’s long-standing history of selling drugs and prior convictions for drug related conduct. Judge Conley also noted that Harter continued to degrade his community by selling drugs.
The charges against Harter were the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI’s Central Wisconsin Narcotics Task Force with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Taylor L. Kraus prosecuted this case.
Federal criminal cases involving narcotics are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
U.S. Attorney’s Office Recognizes Law Enforcement with its 2025 Law Enforcement Excellence AwardsRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Acting United States Attorney Paul McCaffrey honored several federal, state, and local law enforcement professionals on Wednesday, for their outstanding contributions to investigations and prosecutions in the Eastern District of Kentucky.
The Office’s 2025 Law Enforcement Excellence Awards were presented during a ceremony at the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Lexington and recognized exceptional work in a number of cases involving Office priority areas, including violent crime, drug trafficking, overdose deaths, money laundering, government program fraud, and child exploitation.
“The results we obtain in court to keep Eastern District of Kentucky communities safe and to preserve taxpayer dollars are only possible because of the exceptional work of our law enforcement partners,” said Acting United States Attorney Paul McCaffrey. “The men and women recognized today stand out for their tremendous courage and character in the pursuit of justice.”
The following law enforcement officers and organizations were honored:
- Ted Jones, Special Agent, FBI
- Matt Resch, Special Agent FBI
- Ben Hughes, Staff Operations Specialist, FBI
- Josh Smith, Postal Inspector, U.S. Postal Inspection Service
- Kimberly Kidd, Special Agent, FBI
- Michael Frazee, Deputy, Franklin County Sheriff’s Office; Task Force Officer, DEA
- Todd Tremaine, Special Agent ATF
- John Barnett, Special Agent, ATF
- Jason McCowan, Detective, Manchester Police Department; Task Force Officer, ATF
- Brian Lewis, Deputy, Laurel County Sheriff’s Office; Task Force Officer, ATF
- Stanley Williams, Task Force Officer, FBI; University of Kentucky Police Department
- Jeff Monnin, Special Agent, U.S. Department of Agriculture- Office of Inspector General
- Diane Ansley, Special Investigator, U.S. Department of Agriculture RMA
- Tressa Whittington, Forensic Accountant, FBI
- Jared Volk, Supervisory Special Agent, IRS
- Chris Boyd, Detective, Newport Police Department; Task Force Officer, DEA
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Two Virginia Men Arrested for Conspiring to Destroy Government DatabasesRead the Press Release
Two Virginia men were arrested today for their roles in a conspiracy to destroy government databases hosted by a federal government contractor, among other crimes.
“These defendants abused their positions as federal contractors to attack government databases and steal sensitive government information. Their actions jeopardized the security of government systems and disrupted agencies’ ability to serve the American people,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The Criminal Division remains committed to investigating and prosecuting those who compromise sensitive information and threaten the integrity of government operations.”
“The malicious and intentional criminal actions allegedly committed by the defendants in this case undermine the ability of the United States to serve our citizens effectively and transparently,” said U.S. Attorney Lindsey Halligan for the Eastern District of Virginia. “This office will hold accountable anyone who abuses the trust placed in them to safeguard vital government information, and we will prosecute those who deliberately compromise our data infrastructure.”
“Destroying government records and data is unlawful and can jeopardize public safety and the integrity of agency operations,” said Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) Inspector General Jennifer L. Fain. “Such misuse and exploitation by government contractors will not be tolerated. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate allegations of wrongdoing that pose a threat to federal agency programs and operations, and services they provide to the American people.”
“Federal contractors who abuse their positions will be held accountable for their actions,” said Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Inspector General Joseph V. Cuffari, Ph.D. “The actions of individuals like Muneeb and Sohaib Akhter are threats to our national security. The Office of Inspector General remains committed to working with our law enforcement partners to bring perpetrators to justice.”
According to court documents, brothers Muneeb and Sohaib Akhter, both 34, of Alexandria, Virginia, were indicted on Nov. 13 for conspiring to delete databases used to store U.S. government information. Both men were federal contractors. Following the termination of their employment, the brothers allegedly sought to harm the company and its U.S. government customers by accessing computers without authorization, issuing commands to prevent others from modifying the databases before deletion, deleting databases, stealing information, and destroying evidence of their unlawful activities.
The indictment alleges that on or about Feb. 18, Muneeb Akhter deleted approximately 96 databases storing U.S. government information. Many of these databases contained records and documents related to Freedom of Information Act matters administered by federal government departments and agencies, as well as sensitive investigative files of federal government components.
Court documents further allege that approximately one minute after deleting a DHS database, Muneeb Akhter asked an artificial intelligence tool how to clear system logs following the deletion of databases.
According to the indictment, the brothers also discussed cleaning out their house in anticipation of a law enforcement search. The company laptops used by both men were wiped before being returned to the federal contractor.
Muneeb Akhter also allegedly obtained information from the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission without authorization after he was fired from the contractor. He is further alleged to have stolen copies of IRS information stored on a virtual machine, including federal tax information and other identifying information of at least 450 individuals.
The indictment also charges Sohaib Akhter with trafficking in a password that could access a computer used by and for the government of the United States.
Muneeb Akhter is charged with conspiracy to commit computer fraud and to destroy records, two counts of computer fraud, theft of U.S. government records, and two counts of aggravated identity theft. Sohaib Akhter is charged with conspiracy to commit computer fraud and to destroy records and computer fraud (password trafficking). If convicted, Muneeb Akhter faces a mandatory minimum penalty of two years in prison for each aggravated identity theft count and a maximum penalty of 45 years in prison on the remaining charges. If convicted, Sohaib Akhter faces a maximum penalty of six years in prison.
The FDIC Office of Inspector General (OIG), DHS OIG, and Homeland Security Investigations are investigating the case. Valuable assistance was provided by the Department of Agriculture OIG; Department of Education OIG; Environmental Protection Agency OIG; Equal Employment Opportunity Commission OIG; Federal Reserve Board OIG; Department of Health and Human Services OIG; DHS Office of the Chief Security Officer; Department of Housing and Urban Development OIG; Department of the Interior OIG; International Development Finance Corporation OIG; Department of Justice OIG; Department of Labor OIG; Nuclear Regulatory Commission OIG; Small Business Administration OIG; Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration; Department of Veterans Affairs OIG; United States Capitol Police; and Fairfax County Virginia Police Department.
Trial Attorneys George Brown and Stefanie Schwartz of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Vanessa Strobbe for the Eastern District of Virginia are prosecuting the case.
CCIPS investigates and prosecutes cybercrime in coordination with domestic and international law enforcement agencies, often with assistance from the private sector. Since 2020, CCIPS has secured the conviction of over 180 cybercriminals, and court orders for the return of over $350 million in victim funds.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.