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23 January 2026
D.C. Man Arrested and Charged with Murder for the Death of 17-Month-Old ChildRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Lawerence Perryman, 76, of Washington, D.C., was arrested and charged today, with first-degree cruelty to children and first-degree felony murder for the death of a 17-month-old child on March 12, 2025, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Perryman made his initial appearance before Superior Court Magistrate Judge Dorsey Jones on January 23, 2026, where Judge Jones found probable cause that Perryman committed the offense of first-degree cruelty to children and felony murder and ordered that Perryman be held without bond pending a preliminary hearing which is scheduled for February 2, 2026, before Judge Neal Kravitz.
According to court documents, on March 12, 2025, at approximately 7:00 a.m., Perryman contacted 911 for an unconscious 17-month-old child. A post-mortem examination was conducted on the child’s remains and his cause of death was determined to be “Combined Toxic Effects of Diphenhydramine and Methadone.”
Joining the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
This case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Emma McArthur.
These charges are merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
2026CF1001259
Collin County man indicted for sex trafficking in the Eastern District of TexasRead the Press Release
SHERMAN, Texas – A Frisco man has been indicted and charged with federal sex trafficking violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Nolan Anthony Ritchie, 29, was named in a six-count indictment returned by a federal grand in the Eastern District of Texas charging him with sex trafficking violations.
If convicted, Ritchie faces up to life in federal prison.
This case is being investigated by the FBI and the Frisco Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Calli Bailey.
A federal indictment is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Chester County Woman Charged by Superseding Indictment with Allegedly Running Years-Long Immigration Fraud Scheme, Committing Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Fatima DeMaria, 65, of Lincoln University, Pennsylvania, was charged by superseding indictment with eight counts of asylum fraud, eight counts of mail fraud, and four counts of tax evasion. DeMaria was the owner and operator of Immigration Matters Legal Services, located in Oxford, Pa.
The superseding indictment alleges that the defendant falsely represented herself to clients and prospective clients as an immigration attorney who could help undocumented aliens obtain employment authorization or “work permits.” However, DeMaria was neither a licensed attorney, nor accredited or authorized by the Executive Office for Immigration Review to represent individuals in immigration proceedings.
As alleged, from at least December 2021 to July 2024, DeMaria prepared, and caused to be prepared, fraudulent Form I-589 asylum applications in her clients’ names, without their knowledge or consent, knowingly making, and aiding and abetting the making of, false and material misstatements in the I-589 asylum applications.
For example, the defendant caused to be stated on each asylum application that the applicant was “seeking asylum or withholding of removal” based on “political opinion” and “Torture Convention.” Her clients, however, were not seeking asylum based on either of these categories, and never informed DeMaria or anyone at Immigration Matters Legal Services of facts that could make them eligible for asylum under either of these categories.
According to the superseding indictment, DeMaria placed, and caused to be placed, her clients’ signatures on the Form I-589 asylum applications, certifying under penalty of perjury that the applications and supporting evidence were true and correct, again without her clients’ knowledge or consent.
The superseding indictment further alleges that the defendant, and those acting at her direction, failed to advise clients that the mechanism through which she would help them obtain work permits from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) was by filing frivolous Form I-589 asylum applications. Nor did the defendant advise clients that, if the asylum applications filed on their behalf were rejected or referred by USCIS, it would result in their being placed in removal proceedings, at which point the filing of the baseless asylum application could jeopardize their eligibility for future immigration benefits.
According to the superseding indictment, DeMaria charged her clients approximately $6,000-$9,000 per individual, and $12,000-$15,000 per couple, for her purported legal services in conjunction with their applications. As alleged in the superseding indictment, she also frequently had her clients pay her in cash or peer-to-peer transactions that were deposited into her personal bank accounts, hundreds of thousands of dollars of which were withdrawn at casinos.
Finally, the superseding indictment alleges that the defendant willfully attempted to evade and defeat a large part of her income tax due and owing by her and her husband to the United States of America for calendar years 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024 through various means, including the failure to report substantial business income from Immigration Matters Legal Services in Internal Revenue Service (IRS) filings; deposits of significant amounts of business funds, consisting of lmmigration Matters Legal Services’ gross receipts, into DeMaria’s personal bank accounts; and concealing amounts of DeMaria’s true and correct income, and the frequency with which she deposited money, by structuring cash deposits into her personal and business bank accounts.
If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of 260 years’ imprisonment and a $5 million fine. The government is also seeking forfeiture of the defendant’s alleged ill-gotten earnings, which are alleged to be at least $1 million.
This case is being investigated by the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and IRS Criminal Investigation. USCIS, the Diplomatic Security Service, and the Coast Guard Investigative Service provided assistance. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Sara Solow and Eileen Castilla Geiger.
The charges and allegations contained in the superseding indictment are merely accusations. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
Superseding Indictment - U.S. v. DeMaria
Cheshire Nurse Admits Illegally Distributing Controlled SubstancesRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that on January 21, 2026, MICHELE RENE MUZYKA, 61, of Cheshire, waived her right to be indicted and pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in New Haven to an offense related to her illegal distribution of controlled substances.
According to court documents and statements made in court, between approximately January 2024 and June 2025, Muzyka, an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN), unlawfully distributed amphetamines and benzodiazepines to individuals who did not have a legitimate medical need. During office visits, Muzyka did not conduct medical examinations of certain patients and did not confirm conditions that would medically require treatment using these controlled substances. Muzyka charged patients $200 in cash for the office visits in which she prescribed Schedule II and IV controlled substances, including to an undercover agent who posed as a Medicaid beneficiary. Although she was enrolled as a Medicare and Medicaid provider, Muzyka declined to accept the undercover agent’s Medicaid plan and instead charged her $200 cash fee. Medicaid paid $287.58 for the unlawful prescriptions written for the undercover agent.
Muzyka was arrested on June 23, 2025.
Muzyka pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute, distribution of, and dispensing of controlled substances, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years. She is released on a $75,000 pending sentencing, which is scheduled for April 30.
This investigation is being conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General, with assistance from the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection, Drug Control Division. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine E. Boyles.
Cherokee County Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Firearm OffenseRead the Press Release
GREENVILLE, S.C. — David Dustin Fowler, 41, of Gaffney, has been sentenced to 15 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in November 2024 Fowler sought and located his estranged wife. He then fired a shotgun at her multiple times, causing her to lose three fingers and sustain other significant injuries requiring medical treatment. Cherokee County Sheriff’s deputies responded to the scene and found Fowler standing over the victim with a shotgun in his hand. After deputies arrested Fowler, they found an additional firearm in his truck.
Fowler has a prior felony conviction for criminal domestic violence of a high and aggravated nature that prohibits him from possessing firearms.
United States District Judge Jacquelyn D. Austin sentenced Fowler to 180 months imprisonment, to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office and the Seventh Circuit Solicitor’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Max Cauthen prosecuted the case.
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Cartel Member Convicted of Fentanyl Distribution and ObstructionRead the Press Release
Brad D. Schimel, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on January 22, 2026, Jose Cardenas-Salcido (age: 43), of Arizona, was convicted after a bench trial before the Honorable J.P. Stadtmueller of distribution of fentanyl, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(A); use of the mail to facilitate a felony, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 843(b); attempted obstruction involving physical violence, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1512(a)(2)(B)(i); and attempted obstruction involving corrupt persuasion, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1512(b)(1).
According to the trial evidence, the investigation of Cardenas-Salcido began after law enforcement determined he was responsible for an October 2022 shipment containing over 5,000 pills containing fentanyl. At trial, witnesses described how Cardenas-Salcido supplied pills containing fentanyl to lower-level distributors selling in the Milwaukee metro area. The evidence also showed that the defendant was an admitted member of the Sinaloa cartel, with familial connections to the same.
The evidence further showed that after Cardenas-Salcido was detained pending this trial, he attempted to obstruct justice, in multiple ways. First, the defendant offered to supply a fellow inmate with guns and drugs from the cartel, if that inmate would provide the defendant with false exculpatory affidavits. Next, the defendant offered a cartel connection to a different inmate, if that same inmate would kill the witnesses set to testify against him. And finally, the defendant attempted to intimidate the witnesses against him, by sending threatening letters, mentioning his cartel connections, to the witness’s families.
In announcing his verdict, Judge Stadtmueller emphasized that this “stand out case” was only made possible by the “gum shoe detective work” of the lead case agent, a Detective Sergeant of the West Allis Police Department, and his colleagues.
The defendant will be sentenced on April 24, 2026, by Judge Stadtmueller.
This matter was investigated by the West Allis Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the United States Postal Inspection Service. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Katherine Halopka-Ivery and Kevin Knight.
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Buffalo man pleads guilty to his role in narcotics conspiracyRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.–U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Ernest Brown, a/k/a Wayne Perry, a/k/a Wayne Brown, 43, Buffalo, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr to narcotics conspiracy, which carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum of life.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua A. Violanti and Louis A. Testani, who are handling the case, stated that during the conspiracy, Brown was a source of supply for Joseph Zaso. Zaso met Brown through co-defendant James Jackson, a middleman for narcotics transactions. Brown met his co-conspirators at various locations in Buffalo, including Zaso’s and Jackson’s residences. At times, Jackson delivered fentanyl to Zaso on behalf of Brown. Joseph Zaso was previously charged and convicted and is awaiting sentencing. Charges remain pending against James Jackson.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the Jamestown Police Department, under the direction of Chief Timothy Jackson, the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Farhana Islam, New York Enforcement Division, and the Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff James Quattrone.
Sentencing is scheduled for May 26, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. before Judge Sinatra.
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Brazilian National Pleads Guilty to Assaulting Federal Officers During His ArrestRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that LUIS PETERSON ROHR FERREIRA BORGES, 25, a citizen of Brazil, pleaded guilty yesterday before U.S. District Judge Vernon D. Oliver in Hartford to assault on a federal officer.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Ferreira Borges has a case pending in Connecticut Superior Court stemming from an arrest on September 16, 2023. In that case, he is charged with assault of public safety, emergency medical, public transit or health care personnel; assault in the third degree; breach of peace in the second degree; interfering with an officer; and intimidation based on bigotry or bias in the first degree. On October 10, 2023, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued an arrest warrant for Ferreira Borges charging him with being present in the United States in violation of the Immigration and Nationality Act.
On June 25, 2025, federal law enforcement officers, including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Enforcement and Removal Operations officers, apprehended Ferreira Borges in the area of Zion Street in Hartford. Ferreira Borges was non-compliant and resisted arrest. After being placed in a government vehicle, he kicked, flailed, and screamed obscenities at the ERO officers. As the vehicle traveled to the federal building on Main Street in Hartford, Ferreira Borges began raising and moving his leg, which was inches away from the ERO officer who was driving the vehicle, and Ferreira Borges stated he was going to kick the officer in the neck. Ferreira Borges then started to bite another ERO officer who tried to control him, and spit on the ERO officer who was driving the vehicle.
Ferreira Borges has been detained since his arrest. Judge Oliver scheduled sentencing for April 16, at which time Ferreira Borges faces a maximum term of imprisonment of one year.
This matter is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Enforcement and Removal Operations. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Neeraj N. Patel.
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.
Brazilian National Arrested for Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Brazilian national, residing in Milford, was arrested and charged in federal court in Worcester for possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
Joao Carlos Tavares Da Silva, 21, was charged with possession of child pornography. The defendant was detained after making an initial appearance in federal court in Worcester.
According to the charging documents, Tavares Da Silva is a Brazilian citizen with an outstanding warrant in Brazil for statutory rape; production, reproduction, direction, recording or filming of scenes of explicit sexual acts or pornography involving children or adolescents; and selling or offering for sale any photograph, video, or other recording that contains scenes of explicit sexual acts or pornography involving a child or adolescent. During a search of Tavares Da Silva’s home in Milford, multiple electronic devices were seized. According to the criminal complaint affidavit, images containing CSAM were located on one of those devices. The images appeared to be of an alleged victim in Brazil.
The charge of possession of child pornography provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, supervised release for life 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 Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by Milford Police Department and the Massachusetts State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen M. Noto of the Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
The case is brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. 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 identity and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/.
The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.
Boston-Area Gang Member Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Crack Cocaine and Fentanyl OffensesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A member of the Annunciation Road/Mission Hill gang was sentenced yesterday in connection with crack cocaine and fentanyl possession with intent to distribute.
Shakeem Johnson, a/k/a “Sha-Money,” 35, was sentenced U.S. District Court Senior Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV to five years in prison to be followed by four years of supervised release. On Oct. 14, 2025, Johnson pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute 28 grams or more of cocaine base (crack cocaine) and one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
In early 2025, while on parole upon his release from state prison for a 2016 conviction for manslaughter in a gang-related shooting – for which he was sentenced to 12 to 14 years in state prison – Johnson was captured on recorded jail calls discussing his drug trafficking activity with another Annunciation Road/Mission Hill gang member who was incarcerated. Following these communications, the defendant was observed repeatedly traveling to the “Mass and Cass” area of Boston, a location known for drug use and drug distribution, and engaging in hand-to-hand drug transactions.
Search warrants executed in April 2025 resulted in the seizure of more than 45 grams of crack cocaine from Johnson and more than 24 grams of fentanyl from his Lynn residence. Other items indicative of street-level drug distribution were also seized.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Lynn Police Chief Christopher P. Reddy; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Philip C. Cheng and John Dawley of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Attleboro Woman Sentenced to 18 Months in Prison for Embezzling More Than $400,000Read the Press Release
BOSTON – The former office manager for a Franklin environmental services business was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for embezzling more than $400,000 from her employer.
Marie Hobson, 55, of Attleboro, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge Denise J. Casper to 18 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. Hobson was also ordered to pay restitution of $511,119 and to forfeit $429,980. In October 2025, Hobson was charged with and pleaded guilty to two counts of wire fraud and one count of filing a false tax return.
Between December 2019 and March 2025, Hobson inflated her own payroll by adding approximately $268,046 in phony expense reimbursements, such as uniform costs even though Hobson did not wear a uniform in her position. To conceal the thefts, Hobson manipulated her employer’s accounting software to make it appear she was only receiving her weekly salary. Hobson also misused her company-issued credit card to pay for country club memberships, vacations, cruises, timeshares and personal residence costs totaling more than $105,000.
To further conceal her scheme, Hobson failed to report the funds that she embezzled on her federal income tax filings for tax years 2021 through 2024, resulting in a tax loss to the government of approximately $81,000.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Thomas E. Demeo, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston made the announcement today. The Franklin Police Department provided valuable assistance with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth Kosto, Chief of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit, prosecuted the case.
Argentine National Sentenced to 80 Years in Federal Prison for Producing and Possessing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
MIAMI – An Argentine national was sentenced to the maximum term of imprisonment for producing and possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
U.S. District Judge Darrin P. Gayles sentenced Osvaldo Daniel Fernandez, 61, on Jan. 6 to 80 years of imprisonment, followed by a lifetime of supervised release, after a federal jury convicted him of two counts of production and one count of possession of CSAM a trial in September 2025.
“At 61 years old, this defendant will spend the rest of his life in federal prison for crimes that stole childhoods and inflicted lasting harm,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “An 80-year sentence reflects both the severity of his conduct and the justice owed to the victims. Our message is clear: those who sexually exploit children will be removed from society, no matter their age, nationality, or how long they think they can hide.”
According to evidence presented at trial, Fernandez sexually abused two minor victims over an extended period and recorded the abuse. Investigators determined that one victim was abused between the ages of nine and 17, and another between the ages of six and 15. A search of Fernandez’s residence resulted in the seizure of multiple cellphones and a laptop containing hundreds of explicit images and videos, including more than 500 files depicting one victim and more than 900 files depicting other minors, including pre-pubescent children, engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
U.S. Attorney Reding Quiñones and Special Agent in Charge Brett D. Skiles of the FBI Miami, Field Office, made the announcement.
FBI Miami investigated the case, with substantial assistance from the Miami Beach Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Elena Smukler-Dominguez and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Audrey Pence Tomanelli prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case number 24-cr-20406.
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Amherst man going to prison for selling cocaine and fentanyl that resulted in serious bodily injury to two individualsRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. – U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Lloyd Smith, 26, of Amherst, NY, who was convicted of distribution of cocaine and fentanyl, was sentenced to serve 108 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Donna Duncan, who handled the case, stated on May 27 and 28, 2023, Smith communicated by Snapchat and text message with an individual identified as K.W about purchasing narcotics. On May 28, 2023, Smith met K.W., and another individual identified as J.D., to sell them narcotics. After using the narcotics, J.D. lost consciousness. Smith carried J.D. out of his vehicle to J.D.’s vehicle, where he left J.D. K.W. also lost consciousness at the time. After receiving a 911 call from a good Samaritan, Amherst Police responded to the scene of the overdose, finding K.W. and J.D. unconscious and unresponsive in a vehicle. Both individuals survived. Amherst Police found two baggies in K.W.’s pocket, which both tested positive for cocaine and fentanyl. The baggies were purchased from Smith.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Amherst Police Department, under the direction of Chief Scott Chamberlin and the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Farhana Islam, New York Enforcement Division.
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Albuquerque Man Sentenced for Online Sextortion and Sexual Exploitation of Two MinorsRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – An Albuquerque man was sentenced to 19 and a half years in prison for coercing a 15-year-old girl into producing sexually explicit images over several years and for sexually exploiting a second victim who was 12 years old.
There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court records, between 2019 and 2022, Adrian Puentes, 26, engaged in an ongoing pattern of sextortion and sexual exploitation involving two minor victims. Beginning when Jane Doe 1 was in eighth grade, Puentes used multiple social media platforms, including Snapchat, Instagram, and TikTok, to coerce her into producing and sending sexually explicit photos and videos of herself. Puentes repeatedly threatened to post the explicit material online for her social media followers to see if she did not comply, and when Jane Doe 1 blocked his accounts, he created new ones to continue the abuse. Over the course of three years, Puentes harassed, manipulated, and threatened Jane Doe 1, misrepresenting his age and identity and ultimately posting explicit material of her publicly online.
Puentes also exploited a second victim, Jane Doe 2, who was 12 years old. Using his cellphone, he communicated with Jane Doe 2 to request sexually explicit material, sent her money, and arranged to meet her on multiple occasions at a public park, where he engaged in sexual acts with her. As with Jane Doe 1, he misrepresented his age to further the abuse.
Puentes subsequently pled guilty to two counts of coercion and enticement of a minor. Upon his release from prison, Puentes will be subject to 15 years of supervised release and must register as a sex offender.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with the assistance of the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office and the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jesse Pecoraro prosecuted the case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
334 more charged in new cases related to SDTX’s continuing efforts to secure southern borderRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – In support of Operation Take Back America, the Southern District of Texas has filed another 331 cases in immigration and border security-related matters from Jan. 16-22, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
The cases include charges against 18 people allegedly involved in human smuggling. A total of 104 criminal complaints were filed for illegal entry, while another 206 people face charges of felony reentry after prior removal. Most of those individuals have prior felonies such as narcotics, violent crime, immigration crimes and more. The remaining cases charged this week relate to other immigration crimes and smuggling of goods.
As part of the new matters, criminal complaints allege several individuals attempted to unlawfully reenter the country after they had already been removed within the last year. Mexican nationals Jorge Samuel Herrera-Elias and Abel Zambrano-Hernandez were previously removed Oct. 22, 2025, and Nov. 24, 2025, respectively, according to court records, while authorities removed El Salvadorian national Jasson Eduardo Canas-Membrano May 12, 2025. Each allegedly has prior felony convictions, including illegal reentry, injury to child/elderly/disabled with intended bodily injury or burglary of a habitation.
Further, authorities discovered Mexican national Juan Hernandez-Ramirez in the Roma area, according to his complaint. The charges allege he was previously removed August 2023 and has a prior conviction for sexual assault of a child.
All four now face up to 20 years in federal prison, if convicted
Also announced this week was the transfer of two alleged members of dangerous drug cartels to face federal drug trafficking charges. Juan Pedro Saldivar-Farias aka “Z-27” was allegedly a Los Zetas plaza boss and then regional commander of the northern region of Mexico, while Ricardo Cortez-Mateos aka “Billeton,” was a high-ranking member of Cartel del Gulfo, according to the charges. Separate indictments charge both men with participating in large-scale drug trafficking conspiracies operating along the U.S. – Mexico border. If convicted, they face up to life in prison.
In addition to the new cases, Penitas resident Diego Masiel Torres was ordered to federal prison for impeding federal law enforcement during a consensual worksite enforcement operation in Harlingen. Torres attempted to physically interfere by trying to remove the individual from custody and placing the law enforcement officer in a chokehold.
“There is, at present, an unfortunate belief that the public can freely obstruct law enforcement from carrying out their duties, and do so without consequence,” said Ganjei. “If you want to express your disagreement with a particular federal law or policy, there is a right way to do so, and a wrong way — and tangling with the police is one hundred percent always the wrong way. Today, Mr. Torres learned that lesson the hard way.”
Also announced was the sentencing of the owners of Abby’s Bakery and Dulce’s Cafe in Los Fresnos for employing and housing illegal aliens within their restaurant. Leonardo Baez-Lara and Alicia Avila-Guel hired and harbored workers who were in the United States illegally or on B1/B2 visas without having the right to work. The jury heard that employees were living in a storage area with only one exit, sleeping on mattresses and rarely had hot water.
These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations, ICE - Enforcement and Removal Operations, Border Patrol, Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, U.S. Marshals Service and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners.
The cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Under current leadership, public safety and a secure border are the top priorities for this district. Enhanced enforcement both at the border and in the interior of the district have yielded aliens engaged in unlawful activity or with serious criminal histories, including convictions for human trafficking, sexual assault and violence against children.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas remains one of the busiest in the nation. It represents 43 counties and more than nine million people covering 44,000 square miles. Assistant U.S. Attorneys from all seven divisions including Houston, Galveston, Victoria, Corpus Christi, Brownsville, McAllen and Laredo work directly with our law enforcement partners on the federal, state and local levels to prosecute the suspected offenders of these and other federal crimes.
An indictment or criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
22 January 2026
Worcester Pharmacy Agrees to Pay $750,000 to Resolve False Claims Act AllegationsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Trang Pharmacy (Trang), a Worcester-based pharmacy, has agreed to pay $750,000 to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by billing Medicare for dispensing medications for which it lacked inventory.
As detailed in the settlement agreement, Trang admitted that between Jan. 1, 2016, and Jan. 13, 2023, it submitted claims to Medicare’s Part D program seeking reimbursement for dispensing certain medications for which they could not prove to have purchased. As such, the government alleges that Trang submitted false claims to Medicare for reimbursement for medications that it did not dispense to Medicare beneficiaries.
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts and the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Sharobem of the Affirmative Civil Enforcement Unit handled the matter with assistance from the Civil Fraud Branch of the U.S. Department of Justice.
Weathersfield Man Charged with Possession of Eleven Firearms as a Convicted Felon and Possessing Firearms in Furtherance of Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
Burlington, Vermont – The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that on January 21, 2026, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Marshall Gagne, 35, of Weathersfield, Vermont, with possession of firearms as a convicted felon, possessing fentanyl and cocaine with the intent to distribute, and possessing firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking. Gagne’s arraignment is scheduled to occur on February 23, 2026, before United States Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle.
According to court records, on May 19, 2025, Gagne was arrested in a hotel room in Claremont, New Hampshire with six other individuals, after law enforcement forced entry to discover evidence of firearms and illicit drugs recently having been flushed down the drain. Gagne was carrying more than $11,000 and a backpack with fentanyl and cocaine residue on its strap. The next day, on May 20, 2025, a search warrant was executed at a Weathersfield, Vermont residence linked to Gagne. During the search, law enforcement found thousands more in suspected drug proceeds and a dozen firearms, including privately made “ghost” guns and a silencer. The camping trailer where the firearms were kept also contained the box for the handgun found in the hotel room where Gagne was arrested the night before. Gagne had previously been convicted of multiple felonies and was prohibited from possessing firearms.
The United States Attorney’s Office emphasizes that an indictment contains allegations only and that Marshall Gagne is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. If convicted, Gagne faces up to 15 years for possession of firearms, 20 years for drug distribution, and a consecutive sentence of at least five years for possessing firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking. The actual sentence, however, would be determined by the District Court with guidance from the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines and the statutory sentencing factors.
First Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan A. Ophardt commended the investigatory efforts of the Vermont State Police, the Vermont Drug Task Force, the FBI, the Claremont New Hampshire Police Department, the Hartford Vermont Police Department, and the Brattleboro Police Department.
The prosecutor is Assistant United States Attorney Dana E. Hill. An attorney for Gagne has not yet been appointed or appeared on his behalf.
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.
Wasilla man receives 30-year sentence for distribution of carfentanil, resulting in one fatal and one non-fatal overdoseRead the Press Release
ANCHORAGE, Alaska – A Wasilla man was sentenced today to 30 years in prison and will serve the rest of his life on court mandated supervision following release from federal custody for distributing carfentanil to two people, resulting in the near fatal overdose of an adult victim and the fatal overdose of a minor victim.
According to court documents, on Nov. 14, 2024, Sean Mobley, 45, agreed to supply an individual with fentanyl powder to distribute to a third party. Mobley and the intermediary drove to a residence in Wasilla, where the intermediary sold the powder to an adult victim for $100. Shortly after the sale, the adult victim used the substance and overdosed. The adult victim was revived by Naloxone. Law enforcement later determined that the powdered substance that Mobley believed was fentanyl was, in fact, carfentanil. Carfentanil is an opioid used by veterinarians and is 100 times more potent than fentanyl.
After distributing carfentanil to the adult victim, Mobley drove to a local gas station, dropped the individual off, and picked up the 16-year-old victim. Mobley took the minor victim to an isolated location intending to use drugs together. Mobley provided some of the substance containing carfentanil to the minor victim. The minor victim used the substance, overdosed and died within minutes. Mobley dumped her body in a remote area and fled.
Following the overdoses, Mobley was found with a shotgun. On Jan. 28, 2025. At that time, Mobley was prohibited from possessing the weapon under federal law because of three prior felony convictions.
On June 10, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Mobley with distribution resulting in death and serious bodily injury. On July 17, a federal grand jury returned a separate indictment charging Mobley with being a felon in possession of a firearm and being an unlawful drug user and addict in possession of a firearm. On Oct. 9, Mobley pleaded guilty to two counts of distribution resulting in death or bodily injury, and one count of possessing a firearm as a felon.
During sentencing, the Court stipulated that Mobley will serve 30 years in prison for the distribution charges, and will serve 2 years in prison concurrently for the firearm charge.
“Mr. Mobley acted callously and without remorse. He peddled whatever he could get his hands on to make a quick buck, including deadly drugs, with zero regard for human life,” said U.S. Attorney Michael J. Heyman for the District of Alaska. “Let this be a warning—whether you lead an international drug trafficking organization or are a street-level dealer—if you endanger Alaskans, the consequences will be severe.”
“Mr. Mobley showed complete disregard for human life when he provided the deadly dose of carfentanil to the 16-year-old victim,” said Robert A. Saccone, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Seattle Field Division. “Not only did the teenage girl overdose in his vehicle, but instead of trying to get help, he disposed of her body in a remote area and fled. DEA was proud to work with our partners at the Alaska State Troopers and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Alaska to seek justice for the young victim in this case. Mr. Mobley will spend the next 30 years paying for his complete disregard for human life. Let this sentence also send a message to other drug traffickers: you will be held accountable for peddling this poison.”
“This significant sentence reflects the danger and seriousness of distributing illicit drugs like carfentanil,” said Alaska State Troopers Colonel Maurice Hughes. “These drugs upend lives and devastate communities across our great state. Your Alaska State Troopers will continue to hold offenders accountable and keep dangerous narcotics out of Alaska.”
The DEA Anchorage District Office and the Alaska State Troopers investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tom Bradley and Alana Weber are prosecuting the case, with assistance and collaboration from the State of Alaska Department of Law, Office of Special Prosecutions.
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 drug trafficking and violent crime.
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Warsaw Man Sentenced to 46 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
SOUTH BEND – On January 22, 2026, Gary Schmucker, 47 years old, of Warsaw, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Damon R. Leichty after a jury found him guilty of possessing a firearm as an unlawful drug user, announced United States Attorney Adam L. Mildred.
Schmucker was sentenced to 46 months in prison followed by 2 years of supervised release.
According to documents in the case, in the months leading up to late April 2024, Schmucker regularly and repeatedly used methamphetamine and marijuana. During this time, he also possessed at least three firearms, including a semi-automatic rifle modified to fire rapidly. Law enforcement was called to his property on the morning of April 28, 2024, after he had used methamphetamine throughout the previous day and night while armed. Schmucker refused to leave his house and engaged in a standoff with law enforcement for several hours before he was finally detained.
“This case is an example of how collaboration between state, local, and federal law enforcement can achieve the most effective available response to drug and gun offenses. We thank Kosciusko County Prosecuting Attorney J. Brad Voelz and his office, along with the agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department, Nappanee Police Department, and Warsaw Police Department for partnering with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to help make Hoosiers safer to live, work, and raise their families,” said United States Attorney Adam L. Mildred.
The case was prosecuted by Acting Criminal Division Chief Joseph P. Falvey and Assistant United States Attorney Jerome W. McKeever.
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.
Virginia Trucker Sentenced to 17 Years in Federal Prison for Transporting a Minor to Engage in Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A Virginia truck driver was sentenced in federal court in Rhode Island for engaging in sexual contact with a minor female who traveled with him in his tractor-trailer truck, announced United States Attorney Charles C. Calenda.
David Romero Reyes, 55, of Stafford, Virginia, was sentenced on January 20, 2026, by Chief Judge John J. McConnell, Jr. to 17 years in federal prison. Romero Reyes pleaded guilty on September 3, 2025, to transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity. He was also given 20 years of supervised release following his prison term and was ordered to register as a sex offender.
“The sentence imposed in this case reflects the defendant’s monstrous actions. There is no place in our federal district or in our society for such egregious abuse of a child,” said United States Attorney Charles C. Calenda. “This office will use every available resource to ensure that those who prey on the most vulnerable will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
According to court documents, in April 2021, Romero Reyes was detained by Naval Station Newport Police following a routine background check to enter the Navy base to make a delivery. Police determined that he was wanted in Texas on a charge of felony assault of a child. The young girl was located inside the sleeping compartment of the truck during a routine inspection. The girl was brought for a medical examination at Hasbro Children’s Hospital where it was learned that she was approximately five months pregnant. The girl was reported missing from her Virginia home in July 2020, when she was 14 years old. An investigation determined that Romero Reyes was known to the girl and to her family prior to her disappearance.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Ronald R. Gendron and John P. McAdams.
The matter was investigated by the Naval Station Newport Police, FBI, and Rhode Island State Police.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. 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
Venezuelan National Sentenced to 30 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
SOUTH BEND – On January 22, 2026, Guillermo Zarate-Martinez, 29 years old, of Venezuela, residing in Chicago, Illinois, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Damon R. Leichty after pleading guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm by an illegal alien, announced United States Attorney Adam L. Mildred.
Zarate-Martinez was sentenced to 30 months in prison.
According to documents in the case, Zarate-Martinez is a citizen of Venezuela who was in the United States illegally in August 2024 when he was found in possession of three firearms in Mishawaka, Indiana. Zarate-Martinez had the firearms when he and several other individuals went to a local business and threatened the owner in an attempt to recover an alleged debt of money.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Homeland Security Investigations, with assistance from the Mishawaka Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Katelan McKenzie Doyle and Luke N. Reilander.
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.
Vacaville Man Sentenced to 17.5 Years in Prison for Sexual Exploitation of a MinorRead the Press Release
Michael Rubino, 38, of Vacaville, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley to 17 years and six months in prison for sexually exploiting an underage girl, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
According to court documents, Rubino convinced a 17-year-old girl to live with him at his parents’ Vacaville residence in late 2024. During this time, Rubino engaged in aggressive sexual conduct with his minor victim and created approximately 15 videos of himself assaulting her. At least one recording Rubino made depicted himself taking a hit from a methamphetamine pipe and then blowing the smoke toward his victim.
Law enforcement officers recovered the minor victim after Rubino deposited her at a local hospital, where she underwent immediate surgery for infected drug injection sites on her body. Officers arrested Rubino after executing a search warrant for his room and seized evidence that on more than one occasion while she was under his control, Rubino provided the minor victim to his friends for sex in exchange for money and narcotics. On Aug. 21, 2025, Rubino pleaded guilty.
Rubino’s criminal history includes at least one prior conviction for domestic violence and assault. He is subject to four restraining orders entered for the protection of various women and girls in Solano County.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation with assistance from the Vacaville Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sam Stefanki prosecuted 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 those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc.
Unhoused Woman Faces Federal Charges in Albuquerque Warehouse ArsonRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – An unhoused woman is facing federal charges in connection with the arson of a commercial storage warehouse in Albuquerque.
According to court records, on October 14, 2024, Samantha Lee, 41, allegedly set fire to a storage warehouse used by the Crowne Plaza Hotel and The Querque Hotel on Menaul Blvd NE in Albuquerque.
Lee is charged with one count of arson. She will remain in custody pending trial, which is currently scheduled for February 10, 2026. If convicted of the current charges, Lee faces no less than five and up to 20 years in prison.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Shawn Stallo, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Phoenix Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, made the announcement today.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated this case with assistance from the Albuquerque Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Maria Elena Stiteler is prosecuting the case.
If you have any information relating to this matter or other crimes committed by Lee, please contact the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives at 1-888-ATF-TIPS or [email protected].
View the Indictment (Lee).pdfAn indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
U.S. Attorney’s Office collects more than $8.1 million in civil and criminal actions in Fiscal Year 2025Read the Press Release
FAIRVIEW HEIGHTS, Ill. – The Southern District of Illinois collected $8,125,957.90 in criminal and civil actions in FY 25, announced U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft.
Of this amount, $3,937,603 was collected in criminal actions and $4,188,354.34 was collected in civil actions.
Additionally, the Southern District of Illinois worked with other U.S. Attorney’s Offices and components of the Department of Justice to collect an additional $367,003.26 in jointly pursued cases. Of this amount, $267,714.26 was collected in criminal actions and $87,289 was collected in civil actions.
“Collecting restitution and other debts is a vital component of the Department of Justice’s mission,” said U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft. “Thanks to efforts by Assistant U.S. Attorneys, the Financial Litigation Unit and the asset recovery team in southern Illinois, we have prioritized collections on debts owed to crime victims and the U.S.”
In the largest civil settlement in FY 25, the Southern District of Illinois finalized a deal to recover $3.5 million to resolve allegations from an Alaskan-based transportation company Denali Group, Inc. regarding violations to the False Claims Act.
The U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, along with the department’s litigating divisions, are responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the U.S. and criminal debts owed to federal crime victims. The law requires defendants to pay restitution to victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered a physical injury or financial loss. While restitution is paid to the victim, criminal fines and felony assessments are paid to the Department’s Crime Victims Fund, which distributes the funds collected to federal and state victim compensation and victim assistance programs.
Additionally, the Southern District of Illinois, working with partner agencies and divisions, collected $520,888 in asset forfeiture actions in FY 25. Forfeited assets deposited into the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund are used to restore funds to crime victims and for a variety of law enforcement purposes.
U.S. Attorney's Office Collects $5,293,082.96 in Civil and Criminal Actions in Fiscal Year 2025Read the Press Release
OXFORD, MS – United States Attorney Scott F. Leary announced today that the Northern District of Mississippi collected $5,293,082.96 in criminal and civil actions in Fiscal Year 2025. Of this amount, $3,100,899.34 was collected in criminal actions and $2,192,183.62 was collected in civil actions. Additionally, the Northern District of Mississippi worked with other U.S. Attorney’s Offices and components of the Department of Justice to collect an additional $1,135.59 in criminal actions.
“Two important components of justice concern punishing the offender and making the victim whole,” states U.S. Attorney Leary. “Our restitution laws concern the latter. I want to thank our law enforcement partners who make our restitution program a success. Justice will be served.”
In addition, the Northern District of Mississippi, working with partner agencies and divisions, collected $1,172,013 in asset forfeiture actions in FY 2025. Forfeited assets deposited into the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund are used to restore funds to crime victims and for a variety of law enforcement purposes.
U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones Receives Key to the City of Hialeah on Law Enforcement Appreciation DayRead the Press Release
MIAMI – On Law Enforcement Appreciation Day, the City of Hialeah honored U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones by presenting him with the Key to the City in recognition of his leadership, public service, and sustained commitment to public safety in South Florida.
The recognition ceremony was held at Hialeah City Hall, where city leadership formally bestowed the honor, one of the City’s highest civic distinctions. The presentation coincided with National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day and included certificates of appreciation for Hialeah Police Department officers in recognition of their service and sacrifice.
A proud Miami native and the son of a Cuban political refugee, U.S. Attorney Reding Quiñones has devoted his career to protecting the public and defending the rule of law, serving as a national security official, federal prosecutor, military officer, trial judge, and now as the chief federal law enforcement officer for the Southern District of Florida.
During his tenure as U.S. Attorney, the Southern District of Florida has intensified its focus on violent crime, fentanyl and synthetic drug trafficking, organized criminal networks, and complex fraud schemes. Working closely with state and local partners, the Office has prioritized intelligence-driven enforcement, coordinated prosecutions, and rapid case development to disrupt the individuals and organizations that pose the greatest threat to community safety.
“I am deeply honored to receive the Key to the City of Hialeah on Law Enforcement Appreciation Day,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones. “This recognition belongs as much to the brave men and women in law enforcement as it does to me. Public safety is the foundation of progress, and Hialeah’s continued strength reflects what happens when federal, state, and local officers stand shoulder to shoulder, focused on results, accountability, and protecting our communities.”
City officials emphasized the importance of strong partnerships between federal and local law enforcement in keeping Hialeah safe.
“The City of Hialeah values strong collaboration with our federal partners to combat violent crime, fraud, and organized criminal activity,” said Monica Perez, City of Hialeah Councilwoman. “These efforts send a clear message that crimes impacting our residents will be investigated thoroughly by our City of Hialeah Police Department and prosecuted fully by the U.S. Attorney’s Office. I am proud to recognize these efforts in public safety, which is strongest when federal and local law enforcement work together to create safe cities like ours. The City of Hialeah is proud of our partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and grateful for their commitment to holding violent offenders accountable while protecting our residents. Therefore, we are proud to honor Mr. Reding Quiñones with the Key to the City and to present certificates of appreciation to our police officers on National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day.”
Hialeah law enforcement leaders highlighted the operational impact of these partnerships.
“The Hialeah Police Department is committed to an intelligence-led approach to public safety, focusing on disrupting fentanyl and crystal meth trafficking networks that pose the greatest risk to our community,” said Chief George Fuente. “Through partnerships such as FDLE’s SAFE program and HIDTA initiatives, our department targets repeat distributors and supplier networks, strengthens intelligence sharing, and works collaboratively with state and federal partners to reduce overdoses and keep our neighborhoods safe.”
The tradition of awarding a Key to the City dates back centuries and symbolizes trust, respect, and the highest confidence of the community. Presented on Law Enforcement Appreciation Day, the honor reflects Hialeah’s recognition of the shared mission between its police officers and federal partners to protect residents, uphold justice, and ensure that South Florida remains a safe place to live, work, and build.
Two sentenced for smuggling over 10 kilograms of cocaineRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas - A 45-year-old U.S. citizen who resided in Mexico has been ordered to federal prison for drug smuggling, after falsely claiming he was traveling to see dying grandmother, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Jimmy Vasquez Gonzalez pleaded guilty Sept. 2, 2025.
U.S. District Judge John A. Kazen has now ordered Gonzalez to serve 120 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release.
On May 3, 2025, Gonzalez entered the United States from Mexico driving a Ford Edge with Walter Diaz Nino in the front passenger seat. He approached the Lincoln Juarez Bridge in Laredo and provided a negative declaration. However, a preliminary examination detected an anomaly in the vehicle.
At secondary inspection, a K-9 alerted, and authorities discovered 15 bundles within the floorboard of the backseat which field tested positive for cocaine.
Gonzalez claimed they were headed to Houston to pick up his sister to take her to see their dying grandmother. The investigation revealed his relative, whom Nino claimed was his girlfriend, was not in Houston and the story was false. They were actually intending to deliver narcotics. Nino expected to be paid $4,500 upon their return to Mexico and promised a portion of the proceeds to Vasquez.
The total weight was 10.17 kilograms with an estimated street value of over $140,000.
Further investigation also revealed this was the pair’s second time smuggling narcotics.
Nino, 41, a Mexican citizen with a visa allowing him to enter the United States, had also pleaded guilty and was previously sentenced to 130 months in federal prison. He is expected to face removal proceedings following his sentence.
Both have been and will remain in custody.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations and Customs and Border Protection conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Manuel A. Cardenas Jr. prosecuted the case.
Two Fort Eustis soldiers sentenced to prison for child sexual abuse materialRead the Press Release
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – Two enlisted Army personnel formerly stationed at Fort Eustis were sentenced to prison for convictions relating child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
According to court documents, from February 2023 through April 2023, Hayden Scott Carpenter, 23, and Isaiah Luke Hood, 21, used social media platforms to engage in sexually graphic conversations with minors. An investigation revealed that Carpenter and Hood requested and received sexually graphic images and videos of the minors and sent sexually graphic images and videos to the minors. Carpenter and Hood victimized dozens of minors.
On May 28, 2025, Hood pled guilty to production of CSAM. On Oct. 1, 2025, Hood was sentenced to 20 years in prison.
On Aug. 6, 2025, Carpenter pled guilty to coercion and enticement of a child. Carpenter was sentenced today to 15 years in prison.
The Washington Field Office of the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division investigated this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Devon Heath prosecuted the cases.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
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 Nos. 4:25-cr-22 (Hood) and 4:25-cr-23 (Carpenter).
Twice-Removed Illegal Alien Sentenced to 18 Months in Prison for Illegal Reentry and Unlawful Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Aviel Gonzalez-Ruiz, 41, of Mexico, was sentenced today to 18 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release after pleading guilty to illegal reentry by an alien and unlawful possession of a firearm by an alien, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
Alicia Jones, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division, Kyle D. Burns, Acting Special Agent in Charge of HSI in North Carolina and South Carolina, and Chief Justin J. Jacobs of the Murphy Police Department, join U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making the announcement.
According to court records and the sentencing hearing, on April 20, 2025, Gonzalez-Ruiz illegally possessed a firearm which he fired twice into the air at a motel parking lot in Murphy. Law enforcement responding to the incident recovered the firearm from Gonzalez-Ruiz’s motel room. Video surveillance from the motel’s video system shows Gonzalez-Ruiz firing the gun out the window of his car, while other people, including at least two children, were nearby. Over the course of the investigation, law enforcement determined that Gonzalez-Ruiz had been deported from the United States to Mexico on two occasions: once on or about March 2, 2010, at or near Nogales, Arizona, and again on or about September 24, 2018, at or near Brownsville, Texas.
In announcing the sentence, Chief U.S. District Judge Martin Reidinger noted Gonzalez-Ruiz’s many previous reentries after deportation, and the recklessness of firing a gun into the air near children.
Gonzalez-Ruiz remains in federal custody and will be ordered to report to the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.
In making the announcement U.S. Attorney Ferguson commended the ATF, HSI, and the Murphy Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Don Gast of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville 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.
Treasurer of Labor Union Pleads Guilty to EmbezzlementRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Leominster man pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Worcester to embezzling from a labor union.
Joe Scott, Jr., 54, pleaded guilty to one count of embezzlement from a labor union. U.S. District Court Judge Margaret R. Guzman scheduled sentencing for May 1, 2026. In August 2024, Scott was indicted by a federal grand jury.Scott was the Treasurer of the International Union of Electrical Workers, Communication Workers of America, Local 81154 (IUE-CWA Local 81154), a labor union chapter based in Gardner, Mass., that represents union members from various employers in Massachusetts. Scott used his position as Treasurer to embezzle approximately $49,000 from IUE-CWA Local 81154, by making debit card expenditures, withdrawing funds and issuing checks from union bank accounts, all for Scott’s personal benefit. Scott used the money to pay for, among other things, storage costs, home internet, electrical and gas services and cell phone services, as well as personal expenses while on vacation.
Scott faces a sentence of up to five years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $10,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on 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 Jonathan Russo, District Director, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Labor-Management Standards made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brendan O’Shea of the Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
Traditions Health Agrees to Pay $34M to Resolve False Claims Act Liability Relating to Home Health Services Following Self DisclosureRead the Press Release
Traditions Health LLC (Traditions) has agreed to pay $34 million to resolve its civil liability under the False Claims Act for billing medically unnecessary home health claims to Medicare and providing financial benefits to physicians in exchange for referrals. Traditions self-disclosed the conduct at issue to the government.
The settlement resolves allegations that, from 2021 to 2024, Traditions submitted claims to Medicare from its McAlester, Oklahoma, location for home health services that were not medically necessary. It also resolves claims that, between 2019 and 2024, Traditions paid remuneration to physician-medical directors in Oklahoma and Texas who referred Medicare beneficiaries to Traditions for home health services and that this remuneration potentially violated the Anti-Kickback Statute and the Physician Self-Referral Law.
The Anti-Kickback Statute prohibits the provision of remuneration to induce referrals of government health care program business. The Physician Self-Referral Law, commonly known as the Stark Law, prohibits physicians from making referrals for the furnishing of certain designated health services, including home health, payable by Medicare to an entity where the physician has a “financial relationship,” unless the arrangement meets the requirements of a statutory or regulatory exception. Federal law prohibits payment by federal health care programs of medical claims that result from arrangements that violate the Anti-Kickback Statute or the Stark Law.
In connection with its self-disclosure, Traditions took a number of significant steps entitling it to credit for cooperating with the government. Following its independent investigation, Traditions provided detailed and thorough written disclosures to the government and cooperated with the government throughout the investigation. Traditions also promptly took remedial actions including removing individuals identified as responsible for the misconduct, improving its compliance program, and providing additional training to its employees.
“Home health care is critical to Medicare patients who are unable to leave their homes for treatment,” said Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brenna E. Jenny of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “As today’s settlement reflects, when health care providers fail to uphold the rules of the Medicare program, they can mitigate the consequences by making timely self-disclosures, cooperating with the government’s investigation, and promptly taking appropriate remedial measures.”
“Billing and receiving payments from Medicare for unnecessary and inappropriate medical care is a practice which cannot and will not be tolerated,” said U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Wilson for the Eastern District of Oklahoma. “The disclosure and settlement agreed to by Traditions Health LLC in this case demonstrates that early mitigation goes a long way towards addressing fraud and mitigating the loss of taxpayer dollars.”
“Preying on vulnerable patients for financial gain is unacceptable,” said Acting Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Scott J. Lampert at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “Providers who engage in kickbacks and false claims will be held accountable. This resolution reinforces OIG’s commitment to protecting patients, preserving program integrity, and safeguarding taxpayer dollars.”
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, and HHS-OIG.
The investigation and resolution of this matter illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating health care fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse and mismanagement can be reported to HHS at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).
Fraud Section Trial Attorney Jonathan Hoerner and Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Mitts for the Eastern District of Oklahoma handled this matter.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
Three-Time Sex Offender Sentenced to More Than 20 Years for Transporting Child PornographyRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Chadwick M. Elgersma, Interim United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Stephen Hans Jenkins, a.k.a. BMO, 40, Trempealeau, Wisconsin, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 246 months in federal prison for transporting child pornography. The prison term will be followed by a lifetime-period of supervised release. Jenkins pleaded guilty to this offense on October 28, 2025.
Jenkins was a long-time family friend of Minors A, B, and C. Eventually, Jenkins began sexually assaulting Minor A. One-night, Minor A was looking at Jenkins’s iPad and found explicit images of Minor B and Minor C. Minor A then reached out to family members for help. Agents ultimately executed a search warrant at Jenkins’s home in Trempealeau County and an analyst found hundreds of sexually explicit images of minors.
At sentencing, Judge Conley noted that the defendant was in a position of trust for all his victims and used the position to “groom” and exploit them. Judge Conley called the defendant a serial predator who was calculated, manipulative, and a danger to minors.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, it is common for producers of child pornography to groom victims or cultivate a relationship with a child and gradually sexualize the contact over time. The grooming process fosters a false sense of trust and authority over a child to desensitize or break down a child´s resistance to sexual abuse.
“Jenkins is a repeat child sex offender who represents a profound ongoing danger to children,” said Interim U.S. Attorney Elgersma. “Our office is dedicated to prosecuting anyone who creates and circulate depictions of child sexual exploitation and violence.”
Prior to assaulting Minors A, B, and C, Jenkins was convicted of groping a 10-year-old boy and convicted of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old boy.
In announcing the sentence, Interim U.S. Attorney Elgersma commended the outstanding efforts and coordination of the FBI, Trempealeau Police Department, Trempealeau County Sheriff’s Office, Wisconsin Department of Corrections, and the Ogden, Utah, Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Altman prosecuted this case.
This investigation was a part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
TD Bank Insider Pleads Guilty to Facilitating Colombian ATM Money Laundering SchemeRead the Press Release
NEWARK – A former New Jersey-based employee of TD Bank, N.A., Oscar Marcel Nunez-Flores (“Nunez”), pleaded guilty today to accepting bribes in return for facilitating a money laundering network’s movement of over $26 million to Colombia through TD Bank accounts.
Nunez, 34, of North Plainfield, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before the Honorable Esther Salas to a two-count Information charging him with conspiring to launder monetary instruments and for receipt of bribes by a bank employee. He is scheduled to be sentenced on May 27.
“This case shows how complex money laundering schemes often depend on insiders who are willing to bend—or break—basic safeguards. Our office will continue to identify, investigate, and prosecute those who turn financial institutions into vehicles for large-scale criminal activity.”
- Senior Counsel Philip Lamparello
“Mr. Nunez afforded his co-conspirators unfettered access to TD Bank, while lining his own pockets in the process, and has been held to account, as will be others who abuse the financial system,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva. “The Criminal Division is committed to protecting the security of our financial system and the Bank Integrity Unit is at the vanguard of that critical mission.”
According to court filings and statements in court, beginning in March 2021 and continuing until his arrest in October 2023, Nunez, then a TD Bank employee in Scotch Plains, New Jersey, accepted bribes and leveraged his position to facilitate a money laundering network’s expatriation of over $26 million from the United States to Colombia. Through the course of his scheme, Nunez opened dozens of accounts in the names shell companies with nominee owners. Nunez knew that the purported owners were not actually controlling the accounts and, in fact, often opened the accounts without any customer present whatsoever. The accounts Nunez opened in furtherance of the scheme were collectively issued over 600 debit cards, primarily by Nunez himself. These debit cards were then used to make over 120,000 withdrawals at ATMs throughout Colombia.
Nunez also participated in the conspiracy in other ways. For example, after issuing debit cards to a fraudulent account, he shipped them directly to a co-conspirator in Colombia. Additionally, Nunez registered shell companies in New Jersey and then opened accounts in their names at TD Bank in furtherance of the money laundering scheme. Nunez opened these accounts in exchange for a fee ranging from approximately $500 to $2,500, which was typically paid either in cash or through a peer-to-peer digital payment network.
The charge of money laundering conspiracy carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of $500,000 or twice the amount involved in the offense, whichever is greater. The charge of receipt of bribes by a bank employee carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a fine of $1,000,000 or three times the amount involved in the offense, whichever is greater.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), IRS-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General (FDIC-OIG) investigated the case. The Department also thanks the Morristown Police Department, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington for their assistance with the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Marko Pesce, Chief of the Bank Integrity, Money Laundering, and Recovery Unit for the District of New Jersey and Trial Attorneys D. Zachary Adams and Chelsea Rooney of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section 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.
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Defense counsel: Peter Katz, Esq.
nunez.information.pdfTallahassee Man Pleads Guilty to Transporting Child PornographyRead the Press Release
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Charles Eric Love, 56, of Tallahassee, Florida, pleaded guilty in federal court to transporting child pornography using a means or facility of interstate commerce. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “I deeply appreciate the excellent investigative work of our state and federal law enforcement partners who tracked down this disgusting criminal so my office could bring him to justice on behalf of the innocent children who were exploited and sexually abused in the thousand of image and videos of child sexual abuse material that he possessed. These crimes are truly abhorrent and my office will continue to prosecute the predators like this defendant to the fullest extent of the law.”
Court documents reflect that on March 19, 2025, detectives with the Tallahassee Police Department received seven cyber tips by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. On March 28, 2025, law enforcement obtained a search warrant for the defendant’s Dropbox account, and on April 4, 2025, search warrants were executed at Love’s apartment, house, and office. Multiple electronic devices were seized. A subsequent forensic analysis of the seized devices and online accounts identified over 1,000 of images and video files containing child pornography.
Love faces a mandatory minimum of five years’ imprisonment and up to twenty years’ imprisonment and a lifetime of supervision upon release.
The case involved a joint investigation by Tallahassee Police Department and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Eric W. Welch
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 and led by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Divisions Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), it marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.
Stromsburg Man Sentenced for Attempted Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Clinton Epp, 34, of Stromsburg, Nebraska, was sentenced on January 22, 2026, in federal court in Lincoln, Nebraska, for two counts of attempted production of child pornography. United States District Judge Susan M. Bazis sentenced Epp to 210 months’ imprisonment on both counts, to be run concurrently. There is no parole in the federal system. After Epp’s release from prison, he will begin an 8-year term of supervised release.
Cybertips were reported to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that described a user who had been uploading child pornography to a Google account. The investigation revealed the person responsible was Clinton Epp. A search warrant was executed at Epp’s residence, and 13 electronic devices were seized. Along with locating both images and videos of child pornography, investigators also located videos created by Epp on a Canon Camera and on his Samsung cell phone of two minor children in various stages of undress.
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 United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
This case was investigated by the Nebraska State Patrol.
Stamford Man Who Stole More Than $28 Million from Mars, Inc. Sentenced to 63 Months in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
PAUL R. STEED, 59, of Stamford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to 63 months of imprisonment and three years of supervised release for fraud and tax offenses stemming from his theft of more than $28 million from his former employer Mars, Inc.
The announcement was made by David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut; P.J. O’Brien, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Thomas Demeo, Acting Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation in New England; and U.S. Department of Agriculture Inspector General John Walk.
According to court documents and statements made in court, between approximately 2011 and 2023, Steed was employed by Mars Wrigley, a subsidiary of Mars. Inc. (“Mars”), working remotely from his home in Stamford. Steed served in several positions at the company and last served as Global Price Risk Manager for Mars Wrigley’s Global Cocoa Enterprise. As part of his employment, Steed was responsible for managing Mars Wrigley’s participation in the U.S. Department of Agriculture (“USDA”) Sugar-Containing Products Re-Export Program. In approximately 2016, Steed created a company, MCNA LLC, to mimic an actual Mars entity, Mars Chocolate North America. He then diverted more than $15 million in Mars assets to a bank account he set up in MCNA’s name mainly by directing sugar refineries purchasing Mars’s re-export credits, obtained through the USDA program, to pay MCNA LLC as if it were a legitimate Mars entity.
Mars had an ownership interest in Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. (“ICE”), a financial services company that operated financial exchanges and clearing houses, and received quarterly dividends in connection with that ownership. In 2017, Steed directed Computershare Limited (“Computershare”), a company that ICE utilized for stock-related services, to pay MCNA LLC for Mars’s dividends from its ownership shares in ICE. As a result, more than $700,000 in dividend payments were diverted to the MCNA LLC account. In 2023, after Steed had used a fraudulent letter purportedly from the Mars Treasurer authorizing him to trade ICE shares, Steed directed Computershare to sell Mars’s ICE shares entirely. Computershare issued a check in the amount of more than $11.3 million, which Steed deposited into the MCNA LLC account.
In addition, from 2013 through 2020, Steed used a company he owned called Ibera LLC to invoice Mars for services Mars did not receive. Mars paid Ibera LLC more than $700,000 through this scheme.
Steed failed to report and pay taxes on his stolen income on his 2014 through 2023 federal tax returns.
Judge Dooley ordered Steed to pay restitution of $28,410,489 to Mars, Inc., and $10,310,680 in back taxes to the IRS.
The government has seized, and Steed has agreed to forfeit, more than $18 million from bank accounts controlled by Steed, and the government is seeking to forfeit, or alternatively liquidate for restitution, a Greenwich home that Steed purchased with nearly $2.3 million in stolen funds. Steed also sent approximately $2 million to Argentina, where he is a dual citizen, has family ties, and has a family ranch.
“Justice is served by the imposition of this sentence,” said U.S. Attorney Sullivan. “Thanks to the thorough investigative efforts by FBI, IRS-CI, and USDA-OIG special agents, Mr. Steed’s criminal conduct was quickly exposed. These agents not only identified the money that he stole, they successfully seized millions of dollars that will be returned to the victim company.”
“Today’s sentencing is a great example of what happens when the FBI, and our partners at the IRS, USDA-OIG, and the USAO combine to bring our investigative resources to bear on a complex, multi-faceted fraud scheme involving tens of millions of dollars,” said FBI New Haven Special Agent in Charge P.J. O’Brien. “Utilizing forfeiture statutes, expert forensic accounting techniques and court authorized search warrants, investigators recovered millions in embezzled funds and ensured that over nine years of back taxes, totaling millions of dollars, would be paid. The FBI remains committed to working closely with our private sector and government partners to prevent and address waste, fraud, and abuse.”
“Today’s sentencing sends a strong message to all those who think that corporate embezzlement is a victimless crime: We will find you and we will prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law,” said IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge Thomas Demeo. “Steed utilized his position of trust and authority within the Mars corporation to siphon off millions of dollars for his own personal gain and self-enrichment. Not only did he steal from the Mars Corporation, but he also stole from every American family when he chose to conceal his ill-gotten gains from the IRS resulting in less tax revenue that could be used to enhance public welfare.”
“Mr. Steed exploited an important USDA program intended to support American exporters to market U.S. agricultural products in international commerce for personal fraudulent gain,” said Inspector General John Walk. “The USDA Office of Inspector General is pleased to support the work of our law enforcement partners including the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations Division, U.S. Marshals Service, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office to help deliver justice and protect taxpayer dollars. I commend USDA OIG Special Agent-in-Charge Charmeka Parker and all our special agents and employees who supported the investigative effort.”
Steed was arrested on March 26, 2025. On September 11, 2025, he pleaded guilty to two counts of wire fraud.
Steed, who is released on a $5 million bond, is required to report to prison on March 5.
This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture – Office of Inspector General, with the assistance of the U.S. Marshals Service. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David E. Novick.
Springfield Man Sentenced on Federal Firearm ChargeRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Springfield, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for illegally possessing firearms.
Aaron Wayne Williams, 34, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to 104 months in federal prison without parole, to be followed by an additional three years of supervised release.
Williams pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm on May 27, 2025. Williams has previous felony convictions for domestic assault in the third degree, attempted burglary in the first degree, property damage motivated by discrimination in the second degree, possession of a controlled substance, unlawful possession of a firearm, and unlawful use of a weapon.
On Jan. 8, 2025, Springfield, Mo., Police Department officers contacted Williams after observing Williams sleeping in his running vehicle in the parking lot of the Kum & Go located at 2963 East Division Street. Officers observed a Ruger, Mini 14, semiautomatic rifle beside Williams as he slept. Officers woke Williams up and removed him from the vehicle. After a search of the vehicle, officers found three additional firearms on Williams and in the vehicle: a Taurus, G2S, 9mm pistol; an HS Produkt, XD, .40 caliber pistol; and a Star, 9mm pistol. Officers also located suspected methamphetamine, marijuana, drug paraphernalia, loose ammunition, and additional firearm magazines in the vehicle. When law enforcement interviewed Williams, he admitted that he was under the influence of controlled substances when he was contacted by the Springfield Police Department officers.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie L. Wan. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Springfield, Mo., Police Department.
Operation Take Back America
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Spokane man sentenced to more than 16 years in prison for drug and gun chargesRead the Press Release
MISSOULA – A Spokane man who trafficked dangerous drugs while possessing firearms was sentenced yesterday to 200 months in prison to be followed by 5 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Thomas Anthony Biesiadecki, 30, pleaded guilty in September 2025 to one count of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided.
The government alleged in court documents that several sources identified Biesiadecki as their major supplier of fentanyl. Sources stated they purchased thousands of fentanyl pills from him and one source said Biesiadecki would travel to Missoula from Spokane daily from January 2024 through the middle of summer 2024 to deliver fentanyl pills and powder. Another source stated they purchased fentanyl pills and methamphetamine from Biesiadecki in 2024. One source reported Biesiadecki traveled to Missoula and then Butte to trade drugs for firearms.
On May 16, 2025, Biesiadecki’s vehicle was searched in Spokane, Washington. Law enforcement officers located two firearms, fentanyl, methamphetamine, cocaine, and cash. Biesiadecki was interviewed and admitted to distributing drugs and trading drugs for firearms in the vehicle.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The FBI's Montana Regional Violent Crime Task Force conducted the investigation.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
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Southwest Georgia Man Sentenced to 25 Years for Meth DistributionRead the Press Release
ALBANY, Ga. – A Lee County man, a major methamphetamine distributor connected to two federal drug investigations in Southwest Georgia and a Georgia prison, was sentenced to 25 years in federal prison.
Luis Jose Vanga, 49, of Leesburg, Georgia, was sentenced to serve 300 months in prison to be followed by six years of supervised release by Chief U.S. District Judge Leslie Gardner on Aug. 5, 2025. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Luis Vanga and his associates have been key figures in distributing methamphetamine in Leesburg. With his conviction, a major drug network that fueled addiction and caused death has been dismantled,” said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes. “Armed drug traffickers in Southwest Georgia and throughout the Middle District of Georgia should be aware that local, state and federal law enforcement are working to find you and ensure you are held accountable for crimes that harm our communities.”
“This 25-year sentence reflects the seriousness of methamphetamine trafficking tied to armed criminal activity,” said Jae W. Chung, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division. “When individuals choose to flood our communities with dangerous drugs and use violence to protect their profits, they will be held fully accountable. DEA remains committed to dismantling these networks and removing those who pose a direct threat to public safety.”
“This sentence sends a clear message that methamphetamine trafficking and the violence that results will not be tolerated in Georgia,” said GBI Director Chris Hosey. “The GBI remains committed to working alongside our local, state and federal law enforcement partners to dismantle drug networks that endanger our communities. We will hold those responsible fully accountable, whether they operate on the streets or attempt to continue their crimes from behind prison walls.”
“This sentencing marks the conclusion of multiple investigations into the bulk distribution of controlled substances by several individuals operating throughout the greater Lee County area, which have resulted in lengthy federal prison sentences for every defendant involved,” said Lee County Sheriff Reggie Rachals. “Let these sentences serve as a warning to anyone foolish enough to consider following in their footsteps. We encourage anyone engaged in criminal activity to stay out of, or get out of, Lee County.”
According to court documents and statements referenced in court, Vanga was taken into custody for distributing methamphetamine by the GBI on May 19, 2022, as part of a multi-agency investigation into armed drug trafficking in Lee County, which resulted in the conviction of Shaun Anthony Akins, of Leesburg, who is currently serving a 12-year federal sentence for distributing methamphetamine. For more information about Akins’ federal case, please visit: https://www.justice.gov/usao-mdga/pr/lee-county-man-sentenced-12-years-prison-distributing-meth.
Vanga was convicted of distributing illegal drugs at the state level. While Vanga was incarcerated in a Georgia prison, law enforcement learned that he continued to distribute kilogram quantities of methamphetamine in coordination with Larry Roger Sparks, Jr., of Albany. As a result of this investigation in this prison-based drug distribution network, Sparks, Jr. was convicted and sentenced to serve 40 years in prison. For more information about Sparks, Jr.’s federal case, please visit: https://www.justice.gov/usao-mdga/pr/georgia-man-sentenced-40-years-prison-armed-fentanyl-trafficking.
On May 21, 2025, the DEA and Lee County Sheriff’s Office executed a federal court-authorized search warrant at Vanga’s Leesburg residence. In plain view throughout the home, law enforcement saw methamphetamine, multiple boxes of flip and fold bags used for drug distribution, digital scales and a loaded semiautomatic pistol. Vanga has a lengthy criminal history with prior convictions for possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, possession of methamphetamine, possession of cocaine and possession of hydrocodone.
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 Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the GBI and the Lee County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.
Criminal Chief Leah McEwen prosecuted the case for the Government.
Sioux Falls Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Failing to Register as Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, has sentenced a man from Sioux Falls, South Dakota, convicted of Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. The sentencing took place on January 20, 2026.
Louis Leroy Butcher, 58, was sentenced to one year and six months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Butcher was indicted for Failure to Register as a Sex Offender by a federal grand jury in September 2025. He pleaded guilty on October 14, 2025.
Butcher was previously convicted of a federal sex offense. Because of his prior conviction, he is required to register as a sex offender. Butcher was aware of his obligation to register and to keep his registration current with officials within the county in which he resided. Nonetheless, from late July through August 2025, Butcher knowingly failed to register and update his registration.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service. Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Connie Larson prosecuted the case.
Butcher was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service to serve his federal sentence.
This case was brought as a 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. Attorney’s Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Unit, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Shippensburg Man Charged with Drug DistributionRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG -The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Clayton Wilson, age 25, of Shippensburg, Pennsylvania, was indicted yesterday by a federal grand jury on six counts of drug trafficking.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, the indictment alleges that Wilson distributed crack cocaine in Franklin County on August 27, 2025, September 10, 2025, October 2, 2025 and October 21, 2025. It further alleges that he possessed with the intent to distribute crack cocaine, cocaine hydrochloride, and methamphetamine on October 23, 2025. It also alleged that in a separate incident on October 23, 2025, he possessed methamphetamine with the intent to distribute it.
FBI and the Pennsylvania State Police investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Scott Ford 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.
The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is life 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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Sheriff Martin Cuellar indicted for misappropriating fundsRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – The current Webb County sheriff and his assistant chief have appeared in federal court for their alleged involvement in a scheme to defraud the Webb County Sheriff’s Office during the COVID-19 pandemic, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Laredo residents Martin Cuellar Jr., 67, and Alejandro Gutierrez, 47, have turned themselves in to authorities and have now made their initial appearances before U.S. Magistrate Judge Christina Bryan in Houston.
A federal grand jury returned the now unsealed five-count indictment Nov. 19, 2025. It alleges that between 2020 and 2022, Cuellar and Gutierrez conspired with others to misappropriate WCSO funds.
According to the indictment, Cuellar, Gutierrez and former assistant chief Ricardo Rodriguez used WCSO staff and resources to run a for-profit disinfecting business during the COVID-19 pandemic. They allegedly opened Disinfect Pro Master in April 2020 and entered into service agreements with local businesses and restaurants despite having no employees or supplies of their own. The indictment alleges WCSO employees handled the company’s day-to-day operations from the sheriff’s office where they picked up schedules and equipment to conduct disinfecting services both on and off the clock with the county.
The charges also allege Disinfect Pro Master secured a $500,000 contract to clean United Independent School District schools in Laredo and completed the work using WCSO staff and resources. For more than two years, the business allegedly operated almost entirely with county employees and supplies, incurring minimal overhead.
Cuellar, Gutierrez and Rodriguez each received approximately $175,000 – one third of the profits, according to the charges. Cuellar allegedly used part of his proceeds to purchase property in Laredo.
If convicted, Cuellar and Gutierrez both face up to 10 years in federal prison, as well as a possible $250,000 maximum fine. Cuellar is additionally charged with money laundering, which carries an additional 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the amount of property involved in the real estate transaction.
Rodriguez, 65, Laredo, previously pleaded guilty and is set for sentencing March 16. He is currently on bond pending that hearing.
FBI - San Antonio and Department of Homeland Security - Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation as part of the Laredo Border Corruption Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Heather Winter and Robert Johnson are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Sex Tourist Sentenced to Life in Federal Prison for Traveling to Colombia to Sexually Exploit MinorsRead the Press Release
MIAMI – A sex tourist has been sentenced to life in federal prison for sexually exploiting minors he met while traveling to Colombia.
U.S. District Judge Jacqueline Becerra imposed the sentence on Manuel Poceiro, 69, of Miami, after pleading guilty to attempted coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity, attempted production of child pornography, and possession of visual depictions involving the sexual exploitation of minors.
“This defendant traveled overseas to prey on children, recorded their abuse, and tried to hide his crimes behind borders and money transfers,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “A life sentence reflects the gravity of that evil and ensures he will never again have the opportunity to harm a child. Let this sentence send a clear message: those who sexually exploit children, anywhere in the world, will be hunted down, prosecuted, and removed permanently from society.”
According to court records, on Feb. 6, 2024, Poceiro met with an individual he believed would assist him in transporting and laundering money related to narcotics trafficking. During that meeting, Poceiro showed the individual numerous photographs and videos depicting multiple minor victims with whom he had engaged in sexual acts while in Colombia. Some of the images and videos had been recorded by Poceiro himself.
On Feb. 2, 2025, Poceiro arrived at Miami International Airport on a flight from the Dominican Republic. During a secondary inspection, law enforcement officers conducted a cursory search of Poceiro’s cellphone, which revealed dozens of images and videos of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
Law enforcement later conducted a forensic review of Poceiro’s devices, which identified CSAM involving at least five minor victims.
Court records further show that Poceiro engaged in sexually explicit chat message conversations with a minor victim between the ages of 14 and 16 through a messaging application and solicited explicit material. Records from a money exchange service reflect that Poceiro made several payments to individuals in Colombia on behalf of minor victims because they could not receive the payments directly due to their age.
U.S. Attorney Reding Quiñones and Acting Special Agent in Charge José R. Figueroa of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Miami made the announcement.
HSI Miami investigated the case. HSI Colombia’s Transnational Criminal Investigative Unit including agents from Colombian National Police’s Directorate of Protection (DIPRO) provided invaluable assistance.
Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Audrey Pence Tomanelli prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
To report suspected human trafficking or to obtain resources for victims, please call 1-888-373-7888; text “BeFree” (233733), or live chat at HumanTraffickingHotline.org. The toll-free phone, SMS text lines, and online chat function are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Help is available in English, Spanish, Creole, or in more than 200 additional languages. The National Hotline is not managed by law enforcement, immigration, or an investigative agency. Correspondence with the National Hotline is confidential, and you may request assistance or report a tip anonymously.
To report online child sexual exploitation visit https://report.cybertip.org/ or call 1-800-843-5678. The Cyber Tip Line is operated by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) in partnership with HSI and other law enforcement agencies.
To learn more about the National Resource Hotline, visit http://www.humantraffickinghotline.org. To learn more about the U.S. Department of Justice’s efforts to combat human trafficking, visit www.justice.gov/humantrafficking.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 25-cr-20068.
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School Consultant Pleads Guilty to Kickback Conspiracy Connected to Covid-Era Programs Designed to Help Schoolchildren Access the InternetRead the Press Release
Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, school consultant Richard Bernstein pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud the United States in connection with his agreement with others to steer federal funds to school vendors in exchange for a share of the vendors’ profits. The proceeding was held before United States District Judge Ramon E. Reyes, Jr. When sentenced, Bernstein faces up to five years’ imprisonment.
Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and Fara Damelin, Inspector General, Federal Communications Commission (FCC), announced the guilty plea.
“Bernstein’s scheme enriched himself and his co-conspirators at the expense of schools and schoolchildren,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “Kickback schemes that illegally syphon public funds into private pockets are an insidious form of corruption, and our Office is committed to disrupting and prosecuting such conduct.”
“This case demonstrates the continuing pattern of procurement fraud and kickbacks between consultants and vendors that threaten the integrity of FCC’s ECF and E-Rate programs. The defendant, an active consultant in this industry, used his status to defraud these programs, stated FCC Inspector General Damelin. “We will continue to identify and vigorously investigate bad actors who exploit FCC programs for personal gain to the detriment of students that these programs are meant to serve. I am proud of the outstanding work of our investigative and analytics teams as well as our law enforcement partners at the U.S. Attorney’s Office-EDNY, Office of Inspector General, Homeland Security Investigations, NASA, and the New York City Police Department.
As set forth in the complaint, criminal information, and as discussed in court proceedings, Bernstein was the founder and Chief Executive Officer of E-Rate Consulting, LLC and the president of E-Rate Management Solutions Inc. (together, EMS), both of which are located in Woodmere, New York. EMS offered services to schools in New York and elsewhere related to the E-Rate and Emergency Connectivity Fund (“ECF”) programs.
Both the E-Rate and the ECF programs are operated by the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC), with oversight from the FCC. The E-Rate program provides discounts to help eligible schools and libraries in the United States obtain affordable telecommunications and internet access. The ECF program provided funding to schools and libraries to assist them in supporting remote learning for students, staff, and library community members during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Bernstein acted as an agent for schools seeking access to resources under both the E-Rate and ECF programs. Bernstein agreed with vendors to steer the schools he served to work with those vendors; he simultaneously entered into secret side agreements with the vendors to share as much as half of their profits with him. For example, Bernstein provided consulting services to a school located in Nassau County (School #1) in 2021 and 2022. Bernstein connected that school with a vendor (Vendor #1), and School #1 agreed to receive equipment from Vendor #1. Vendor #1 purchased 130 Lenovo Chromebooks and 40 Lenovo laptops for School #1, and sought reimbursement for these purchases from USAC. USAC ultimately paid $68,000 to Vendor #1 on January 28, 2022. A few days later, EMS submitted an invoice to Vendor #1 for $11,500, representing 50% of Vendor #1’s profits for the equipment provided to School #1. Vendor #1 paid EMS $11,5000 on or about February 8, 2022.
In total, EMS received more than $100,000 in kickbacks from vendors funded through the E-Rate and ECF programs. Bernstein has agreed to forfeit $137,576.64. This amount corresponds to the illicit proceeds he received from the scheme.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Public Integrity Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Laura Zuckerwise and Eric Silverberg are in charge of the prosecution with assistance from Special Agent Anthony Cunder and paralegal specialist Daniel Arakawa.
The Defendants:
RICHARD BERNSTEIN
Age: 71
IsraelE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 26-CR-9 (RER)
Repeat Felon Sentenced for Sexually Abusing a Child Under 12Read the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – A repeat felon was sentenced today for Abusive Sexual Contact with a Minor Under 12 in Indian Country, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
U.S. District Judge John D. Russell sentenced Blake Alan Miller, 42, of Muscogee to 360 months imprisonment, followed by lifetime supervised release. Upon his release, Miller will also be required to register as a sex offender.
Court dockets show that Miller has a lengthy criminal history that spans more than 20 years. In 2016, Miller was arrested and charged in state court on drug-related charges. Shortly after, Miller was indicted and detained in the Eastern District of Oklahoma on federal charges of Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute, among other charges. He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 180 months of imprisonment in 2018. Once he was imprisoned, a minor victim disclosed that Miller sexually abused them from 2011 through 2016, until his arrest. Court records show that Miller sexually abused the child victim and introduced that prepubescent child to pornography. The child told a case worker that they felt safe coming forward once Miller was in prison.
Miller is a citizen of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation and will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.
The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kate Brandon prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC
- Protecting the citizens in the EDNC - Human Trafficking Prevention Training
Previously Convicted Drug Trafficker Sentenced to Nearly Six Years for Illegally Possessing a Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
Previously Convicted Drug Trafficker Sentenced to Nearly Six Years for Illegally
Possessing a Firearm and Ammunition
CONCORD – A Manchester man and previously convicted felon was sentenced today in federal court for illegally possessing a firearm and ammunition, U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan announces.
Ignacio Hernandez, age 48, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Joseph N. Laplante to 70 months in federal prison and three years of supervised release. In April 2025, Hernandez pleaded guilty to one count of possession of ammunition by a prohibited person.
“Despite being a convicted felon who cannot legally possess a firearm and despite being on federal supervision for drug trafficking and illegally possessing a firearm, the defendant chose to arm himself with a gun and a loaded high-capacity magazine” said U.S. Attorney Creegan. “The public must be protected from repeat offenders who try to get their hands on dangerous weapons.”
“Ignacio Hernandez persisted in criminal activity despite receiving a prior federal prison sentence,” said ATF Special Agent-in-Charge Thomas A. Greco. “Returning him to federal custody protects the community and interrupts his habitual criminality. This case also serves as an excellent illustration of the partnerships ATF enjoys with our local police department counterparts. The Manchester Police Department’s outstanding work was further enhanced by using ATF’s resources to secure a federal prosecution.”
According to court documents and statements made in court, in October 2024, the Manchester Police Department received a tip that a man known as “Cali” was on “federal parole” and kept a firearm in the back of his car. The Manchester Police identified “Cali” as Ignacio Hernandez. Hernandez was on supervised release after serving a federal prison sentence for two federal felonies: possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and felon in possession of a firearm. After obtaining a search warrant, the Manchester Police Department stopped Hernandez while he was driving and searched his car. In the trunk, they found a small black satchel that contained a semiautomatic Sig Sauer .40 caliber pistol and an extended magazine loaded with twenty-three .40 caliber rounds of ammunition. As a felon, federal law prohibits the defendant from owning or possessing ammunition or firearms.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. The U.S. Probation Office and the Manchester Police Department provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew T. Hunter prosecuted the case.
Pray man pleads guilty to possession of explosivesRead the Press Release
BILLINGS - A Pray man accused of possessing explosives admitted to charges yesterday, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
The defendant, Kadin Hawkeye Lewis, 24, pleaded guilty to one count of possession of unregistered destructive devices. Lewis faces a term of imprisonment of 10 years, a $250,000 fine, and 3 years of supervised release.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided and will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for May 20, 2026. Lewis was detained pending further proceedings.
The government alleged in court documents that on September 19, 2022, law enforcement officers were called to investigate reports of a dead body in a travel trailer near Pray, an unincorporated community in Park County, Montana. Law enforcement arrived at the scene and observed a deceased man in a trailer in which Lewis lived, and it appeared the man had died from a gunshot wound to the top of the head. During an authorized search of the trailer, officers located eight Molotov cocktails, complete with bottles, fuel, and wicks, located in a cabinet. Elsewhere throughout the trailer, law enforcement recovered dozens of empty bottles and rags that could be used to assemble additional Molotov cocktails, as well as several journals and other writings belonging to Lewis. In some of the writings, Lewis discussed a plan to make Molotov cocktails and use them as destructive devices.
The Molotov cocktail evidence was ultimately collected and submitted to the FBI Laboratory. Explosives experts determined the fuel inside the bottles was an ignitable liquid, and when ignited, the assembled bottles, rags, and fuel would function as improvised incendiary devices, commonly known as homemade firebombs or Molotov cocktails. A search of the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record found Lewis has never applied for or received permission to possess a destructive device.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeff Starnes and Benjamin Hargrove prosecuted the case. The FBI and Park County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation.
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Plano man and woman convicted in Collin County sex trafficking conspiracyRead the Press Release
PLANO, Texas – A Plano man and woman have been convicted of federal sex trafficking violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
William McKinnley Garland, 43, of Plano, was found guilty by a jury of coercion and enticement and conspiracy to commit sex trafficking.
Anastasiya Claire Lyons, 34, of Plano, was found guilty of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking.
The verdicts were reached on January 22, 2026, following a seven-day trial before U.S. District Judge Sean D. Jordan.
“William Garland and Anastasiya Lyons preyed on vulnerable young women to lure them into their web. Through horrific physical abuse and psychological manipulation, they exploited women into selling their bodies for the benefit of Garland, Lyons, and the other co-conspirators,” said United States Attorney Jay R. Combs. “I urge the public to report known or suspected human trafficking by calling 1-888-373-7888 or texting 233733. I commend the brave victims who stepped forward in this case to report what was happening to them. Only by working together can we end this scourge.”
“William Garland and Anastasia Lyons conviction is the result of years of dedicated work by our detectives, the FBI, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office and it sends a clear message that our community will not tolerate the exploitation of vulnerable individuals,” said Plano Police Chief Ed Drain. “From high‑risk operations to reviewing massive amounts of evidence, this team’s commitment brought justice to survivors and stopped dangerous offenders. This case was long, complex, and emotionally difficult, but it stopped dangerous offenders and gave survivors a chance to reclaim their lives. The courage of the victims, many of whom had been living in fear for years, is something we will never forget. I am incredibly proud of the men and women of this department and honored to stand alongside professionals who pour their time, skill, and heart into protecting our community.”
“Human trafficking is a heinous crime that often operates in plain sight and may go undetected for months or years. The victims in this case were deceived by false promises of well-paying jobs. Instead, they were physically abused and forced into becoming commercial sex workers,” said FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock. “We will continue to work with our partners to assist victims and hold their traffickers accountable.”
According to evidence introduced at trial, Garland and Lyons ran a sex trafficking operation between 2020 and December 2023 in Plano. A recruiter sought out young women on various social media platforms for the organization. Multiple victims testified that they believed that the role involved modeling or escorting and that they would be eligible to make large sums of money doing so. In fact, the women were recruited to engage in prostitution at various hotels in the Collin County area. Evidence demonstrated that the women were compelled to engage in commercial sex by means of force, including beatings, tasers, shock collars, frigid showers, unwanted tattoos, and acts of humiliation. The women also testified to being afraid of Garland, given his threats of violence toward the women and their family members. Three co-defendants pleaded guilty to federal sex trafficking charges in 2025 and are awaiting sentencing dates.
Robberta Marie Khan, 29, of Euless, pleaded guilty on May 21, 2025, to coercion and enticement and faces up to 20 years in federal prison at sentencing.
Jalen Alexander Bobo, 26, of Dallas, pleaded guilty on May 27, 2025, to conspiracy to commit sex trafficking and faces up to life in federal prison at sentencing.
Selena Rose McCombs, 25, of North Carolina, pleaded guilty on December 10, 2025, to conspiracy to commit sex trafficking and is awaiting sentencing and faces up to life in federal prison as sentencing.
Garland and Lyons face up to life in federal prison at sentencing. The maximum statutory sentence prescribed by Congress is provided here for information purposes, as the sentencing will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office.
This case was investigated by the Plano Police Department and the FBI’s Dallas Division and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Marisa Miller and Chalana Oliver.
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Philadelphia Man Sentenced to Eight and a Half Years in Prison for Violent Center City CarjackingRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Damon Bell, 32, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today to 102 months in prison, three years of supervised release, and $14,711.27 in restitution by United States District Judge Mia Roberts Perez for carrying out a carjacking in April 2024.
Bell was charged by indictment with one count of carjacking in October 2024 and pleaded guilty in July of last year.
As detailed in the indictment and other public filings, on April 15, 2024, at approximately 3:20 a.m., the victim was sitting in his car in a surface parking lot at 13th and Vine streets in Center City Philadelphia. The defendant and three other individuals approached the victim, displayed guns, and demanded his keys. The victim tried to drive away, but the offenders’ vehicle blocked him into a spot.
When the victim then heeded the carjackers’ demands and got out of his car, they pistol-whipped him repeatedly in the head. At that point, the victim managed to escape the area on foot. Bell and his co-conspirators split up among the two vehicles, leaving the scene in the victim’s car and the one they had arrived in.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Philadelphia Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert E. Eckert and Special Assistant United States Attorney David Osborne.