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Thursday 27 August 2026
Naples Felon Sentenced to 16 Years in Federal Prison for Distributing MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – Miguel Lauzado Hernandez (37, Naples) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Kyle C. Dudek to 16 years in federal prison for distribution of methamphetamine. Hernandez pleaded guilty on June 3, 2025. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents, on September 12, 2024, Hernandez sold approximately one pound of methamphetamine to a DEA confidential source in Naples. Hernandez and his co-defendant, Juan Carlos Rodriguez Perez, distributed approximately two pounds of methamphetamine to a DEA confidential source in Naples on February 19, 2025. Perez was previously sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for his role in the offense.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Morgan.
Missoula man sentenced to more than 16 years in prison for distributing child pornographyRead the Press Release
MISSOULA – A Missoula man who admitted distributing Child Sex Abuse Material (CSAM) online was sentenced today to 16 years and eight months in prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release, Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith said.
Johnathan Key Tucker, 39, pleaded guilty in March 2026 to distributing and receiving child pornography.
U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided.
The government alleged in court documents that Tucker collected over 27,000 images of Child Sex Abuse Material and distributed at least three CSAM videos.
Tucker was on probation after having been convicted in 2014 of child sex abuse and surreptitiously watching someone without their knowledge. His parole officer, while meeting with Tucker on Sept. 11, 2023, became suspicious that Tucker was using an unauthorized phone.
The officer went to Tucker’s home and searched his room where he found the phone. A forensic analysis found 27,000 images of children engaged in sexually explicit conduct and screenshots that showed he had been using an online app to find the material. Analysis also showed Tucker had shared at least three videos with another user through the app.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Lowney prosecuted the case. The Missoula Police Department conducted the investigation.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
Milton Man Indicted for Assaulting and Injuring a Federal OfficerRead the Press Release
BURLINGTON – The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that on August 27, 2026, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Jesse Roy, 45, of Milton, Vermont, with assaulting and resisting a federal agent while the agent was engaged in the performance of his official duties, and in so doing, inflicting bodily injury. Roy’s arraignment has not yet been scheduled.
According to court records, on June 30, 2026, a Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent working with a Detective from the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force went to Roy’s residence in Milton to arrest him on unrelated charges. Roy refused to step outside of his residence and, as the officers tried to enter, Roy resisted and impeded their entry by attempting to push closed his front door. The force Roy exerted on the door as the officers attempted to gain entry resulted in impact to the Special Agent’s right hand, resulting in a torn ligament ultimately necessitating surgery with a 6-to-8-week recovery period.
The United States Attorney’s Office emphasizes that an indictment contains allegations only and that Roy is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. Roy faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted. The actual sentence, however, would be determined by the District Court with guidance from the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines and the statutory sentencing factors.
First Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan A. Ophardt commended the investigatory efforts of the FBI.
The prosecutor is Assistant United States Attorney Corinne Smith. Roy has not yet retained nor been appointed counsel.
Michigan man sentenced to 18 months in prison for trafficking fentanyl on Rocky BoyRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS – A Michigan man who trafficked fentanyl onto the Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation was sentenced today to 18 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith said.
Deion Vincent Brown, 32, pleaded guilty in April 2026 to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.
The government alleged in court documents that Brown was part of group based out of Detroit that was bringing fentanyl into Montana and selling it around the Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation.
Following a tip, law enforcement pulled Brown over near the Reservation in October 2020 and found $15,756 in cash and 81 fentanyl pills. They learned Brown and others from his group had been staying at a home on the reservation. Investigators learned the group had used the house as a base of operations to distribute fentanyl onto the reservation.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The FBI conducted the investigation.
Mexican National Sentenced in Federal Court for Illegal Reentry after DeportationRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY – U.S. Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a Mexican man convicted of Illegal Reentry after Deportation. The sentencing took place on August 25, 2026.
Rolando Hernandez-Estrada, 39, was sentenced to time served and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. He will be deported to Mexico.
Hernandez-Estrada was indicted for Illegal Reentry after Deportation by a federal grand jury in March 2026. He pleaded guilty on July 20, 2026.
Hernandez-Estrada is an illegal alien who has been deported from the United States to Mexico on four separate occasions. It is a federal felony to be inside the United States after having been deported. Since being in the United States unlawfully, Hernandez-Estrada has been convicted of domestic abuse, illegal reentry after deportation, and possession of a controlled substance.
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).
This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Schroeder prosecuted the case.
Mexican National Sentenced for Trafficking over 70 FirearmsRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—A Mexican man who was a recipient of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) immigration status was sentenced to federal prison today for trafficking firearms, announced Scott E. Bradford, U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
Vincente Cortes Quiroz, 37, was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison and 3 years’ supervised release.
According to court documents, investigators learned that Quiroz acquired over 120 firearms in Oregon since 2014 from licensed firearms dealers. Quiroz lied by stating he was a United States citizen on many of the firearm purchase forms. Over 70 firearms and hundreds of rounds of ammunition were seized from Quiroz’s residence. Two vehicles Quiroz used in his crime were also seized.
“Getting illegal firearms off the streets is a top priority. Through our collaboration with our law enforcement partners, we removed more than 70 illegal guns, making our community safer,” said Scott E. Bradford.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, the Yamhill County Sheriff’s Office, the Salem Police Department, the WIN HIDTA Taskforce, the Washington County Community Violence Reduction Team (CoVRT), the Drug Enforcement Agency, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and Sheridan Fire District. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Arin C. Heinz, Jessica Keefer, and Julia Jarrett.
The Oregon-Idaho HIDTA program is an Office of National Drug Control Policy sponsored counterdrug grant program that coordinates with and provides funding resources to multi-agency drug enforcement initiatives.
Mexican National Illegally in the United States Makes Initial Appearance for Using a Counterfeit Foreign Passport to Deceive Victims and Launder MoneyRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – As a result of a Homeland Security Task Force investigation, a Mexican national, who is illegally present in the United States, made his initial court appearance Wednesday for allegedly using a counterfeit passport as identification to open a bank account and launder proceeds from online vehicle sales.
"The theft of identities and fabrication of official foreign travel documents strikes at the heart of our financial and border security systems,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada. “This office, alongside our federal law enforcement partners, remains committed to dismantling the complex fraudulent networks used by illegal actors to exploit innocent victims and launder illicit funds within our borders.”
“Fraudsters who use counterfeit passports, fake identities and shell accounts to steal from victims should understand that hiding behind paperwork will not shield them from law enforcement,” said Jonathan Sherwin, Deputy Special Agent in Charge for HSI Las Vegas. “Through the Las Vegas Homeland Security Task Force, HSI Las Vegas and our partners will continue to follow the money, expose these schemes and hold accountable those who exploit online marketplaces to defraud the American public.”
"Each arrest is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our Deputies and Task Force Officers,” said U.S. Marshal Gary Schofield. “Bringing these criminals to court to be held accountable for running a multi-state scheme that defrauded our citizens is exactly why our officers work tirelessly to protect our communities."
According to allegations in the indictment, Jose Carlos Dalli Castro, also known as “Julio Castro Lopez,” “Mario Mejia Rojas,” “Alberto Silva Valdez,” Mike Boris Oganov,” and “Amer Daoud Panou,” used a counterfeit Spanish passport to open a personal checking account with the intention to launder money through the bank account. As alleged, he purported to be the seller of vintage restored vehicles and equipment. As part of the scheme, after a victim would make an online purchase, Dalli Castro would then quickly remove the funds from the bank account. He had no intention of selling a vehicle or equipment.
A federal grand jury returned a 20-count indictment charging Dalli Castro with one count of false use of a passport; seven counts of wire fraud; nine counts of money laundering; and three counts of fraud and misuse of visas, permits, and other documents. A jury trial is scheduled to begin October 20, 2026, before United States District Judge Jennifer A. Dorsey. If convicted, the statutory maximum penalty is 10 years’ imprisonment. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This case was investigated by the Las Vegas Homeland Security Task Force. The case is being prosecuted by the District of Nevada.
This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of U.S. law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. The Las Vegas HSTF comprises agents and officers with the FBI, HSI, DEA, ATF, IRS-CI, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, the United States Marshals Service, and Nevada Gaming Control Board with the prosecution being led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Mexican Fentanyl Manufacturer Pleads Guilty to International Drug Trafficking OffensesRead the Press Release
A Mexican national pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to manufacture and distribute fentanyl for importation into the United States, and conspiracy to distribute listed chemicals for the unlawful importation of a controlled substance.
“For years, Ojeda Elenes manufactured and imported enormous quantities of fentanyl often using precursor chemicals obtained from China, which contributed to the opioid epidemic poisoning our communities,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “This case sends a clear message: no matter where they operate, those who manufacture and then traffic deadly drugs into our country will be relentlessly pursued, prosecuted, and brought to justice. To protect the American people, the Criminal Division will continue to use every available tool to dismantle the transnational criminal organizations responsible for this devastation that has occurred in our country.”
“Ojeda Elenes architected the poisoning of Americans by manufacturing fentanyl on behalf of the Sinaloa Cartel,” said Associate Chief of Operations Brian Clark, of Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Pacific Southwest Region 5. “He obtained precursor chemicals from China, produced fentanyl in a Mexican lab, and fueled addiction from coast to coast, harming our communities. The DEA and HSTF partners will continue to strike at the heart of drug trafficking networks that threaten the safety and wellbeing of the American people.”
“Fentanyl manufacturers like Ojeda Elenes leave death and devastation in communities across the United States,” said Special Agent in Charge Lucia Cabral-DeArmas of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Houston. “This guilty plea sends a clear message to those who manufacture and traffic fentanyl into the United States, HSI and our law enforcement partners will find you and bring you to justice. HSI remains committed to dismantling the transnational criminal organizations responsible for importing this deadly drug into our country.”
According to court documents, Hernan Geovani Ojeda Elenes, 48, of Culiacan, Mexico, manufactured large amounts of fentanyl that he then imported into the United States over a course of several years. The documents allege that from at least 2019 to 2024, Ojeda Elenes, worked with his father and co-defendant, Hernan Domingo Ojeda Lopez, and others, to operate a drug trafficking organization based in Sinaloa, Mexico.
Ojeda Elenes admitted that he procured large amounts of fentanyl precursor chemicals, such as 4-Piperidone and N-Phenylpiperidin-4-amine, by purchasing them from Chinese companies and shipping them to his lab in Mexico. Ojeda Elenes used these chemicals to manufacture fentanyl which he and others subsequently imported into the United States for further distribution and sale. Over the course of the conspiracy, Ojeda Elenes was ultimately responsible for the creation and distribution of several metric tons of fentanyl.
The plea was accepted by District Court Judge Ana C. Reyes. A sentencing date has not yet been set. Ojada Elenes faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
DEA and HSI are investigating the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance to Ojeda Elenes’ January 2026 transfer from Mexico to the United States pursuant to Mexico’s National Security law. The Department of Justice thanks the Government of Mexico for its assistance in securing Ojeda Elenes’ presence in the United States for prosecution.
Trial Attorneys Erik Cervantes and Kirk Handrich of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section are prosecuting the case.
The Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section’s (MNF) mission is to take the profit out of crime, eliminate drug cartels, and protect the U.S. financial system. MNF pursues criminal prosecutions and criminal and civil asset recovery actions involving: financial facilitators who launder profits for criminals; financial institutions and their officers and employees whose actions threaten the U.S. financial system and financial institutions; international money launderers who support transnational organized crime; and the top command and control of international drug trafficking organizations.
MNF’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Unit investigates and prosecutes the top command and control elements of international drug cartels, drug trafficking organizations and related transnational criminal organizations.
This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of U.S. law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.
Methamphetamine Trafficker Sentenced to 30 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
BOISE – Juan Carlos Delfin, 47, of Salem, Oregon, was sentenced to 360 months in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis announced today.
A federal jury convicted Delfin of the crimes following a jury trial in December of 2025. According to evidence presented at trial, Delfin was a leader in a multi-state and international drug trafficking organization with ties to Mexico. Delfin’s son, Cesar Delfin-Cervantes, was also a member of the drug trafficking organization. The organization arranged for large shipments of methamphetamine to be delivered through a network of couriers from Mexico to California and then to Salem, Oregon, where Delfin and his son resided. From there, Delfin and his son organized delivery of the drugs to the Treasure Valley area. Over a span of approximately five months, investigators seized over 215 pounds of methamphetamine from the drug trafficking organization. Over a period of approximately two years, the organization transported and sold hundreds of pounds of methamphetamine.
“This significant sentence is well-deserved and reflects the danger posed to our communities by importing methamphetamine from Mexico and distributing it in our state” said U.S. Attorney Davis. “I am proud of the cooperative efforts of our federal and state law enforcement agencies. Together we will continue to aggressively target and prosecute illegal drug trafficking in Idaho.”
Chief U.S. District Judge Amanda K. Brailsford also ordered Delfin to serve five years of supervised release following his prison sentence.
Judge Brailsford previously sentenced Delfin-Cervantes to 188 months in prison and five years of supervised release for his involvement in the organization. Delfin’s daughter, Esmeralda Delfin-Cervantes, is also alleged to be a member of the drug trafficking organization and has federal drug trafficking charges pending in the District of Oregon.
U.S. Attorney Davis commended the work of the Drug Enforcement Administration (the Boise and Salem Resident Agencies), the Nampa Police Department Special Investigations Unit, the Ada County Sheriff’s Office, the Boise Police Department, the Meridian Police Department, the Oregon High Desert Drug Task Force, the Salem Police Department, and the Oregon State Police, which led to the charges. Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Morse and Christopher Booker prosecuted this case.
These cases were investigated through the Oregon-Idaho High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) program, which is a multi-jurisdictional narcotics task force that identifies, disrupts, and dismantles local, multi-state, and international drug trafficking organizations using an intelligence-driven, multi-agency, prosecutor-supported approach. HIDTA is an Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) sponsored counterdrug program.
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Members of a Midlands Drug Conspiracy Sentenced to Federal Prison in Homeland Security Task Force InvestigationRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Twelve members of a Midlands drug conspiracy have been sentenced to federal prison. In total, over 15 kilograms of fentanyl, 16 kilograms of cocaine, 1.5 kilograms of crystal meth, 1 kilogram of crack cocaine, and 500 grams of meth were attributed to the conspiracy.
The following individuals have been sentenced to federal prison for their roles in a fentanyl, meth, cocaine, and crack cocaine drug trafficking conspiracy:
- Devin Terell Faulk, 36, of West Columbia, was sentenced to 275 months’ imprisonment to be followed by a five-year term of supervised release.
- Winner Cheerbinson Cherisol, 65, of Columbia, was sentenced to 85 months’ imprisonment to be followed by a five-year term of supervised release.
- Willie Geiger, 35, of Gaston, was sentenced to 120 months’ imprisonment followed by a five-year term of supervised release.
- Bradley Jamal Foster, 31, of Gaston, was sentenced to 57 months’ imprisonment to be followed by a five-year term of supervised release.
- Darryl Pou, 52, of Columbia, was sentenced to 63 months’ imprisonment to be followed by a five-year term of supervised release.
- Dasia Mischell Reed, 24, of Gaston, was sentenced to 40 months’ imprisonment to be followed by a three-year term of supervised release.
- Kevin Jerrod Mungin, 34, of Columbia, was sentenced to 24 months’ imprisonment to be followed by a three-year term of supervised release.
- Wade Jerome Jenkins, 70, of Columbia, was sentenced to 24 months’ imprisonment to be followed by a three-year term of supervised release.
- Allison Way, 53, of Gaston, was sentenced to 21 months’ imprisonment to be followed by a three-year term of supervised release.
- Darryl Lewis Brown, 48, of Columbia, was sentenced to time served and a term of supervised release of three years.
- Shyterria Shianne Shonta Suber, 32, of Columbia, was sentenced to 24 months’ imprisonment to be followed by a three-year term of supervised release.
- Donna L. Parks 49, of West Columbia, was sentenced to one year and one day in federal prison to be followed by a three-year term of supervised release.
Evidence presented to the court revealed that on March 25, 2021, Lexington County Sheriff’s deputies arrested Faulk on an outstanding warrant and booked him into the Lexington County Detention Center. In October of 2023, Faulk was sentenced to prison for assault and battery 1st degree and trafficking cocaine. During his time in the detention center and continuing until August of 2024 after Faulk was transferred to the South Carolina Department of Corrections, he ran a complex and multi-faceted drug operation.
Cherisol was Faulk’s main supplier of fentanyl and cocaine. Cherisol, a Haitian national, had been previously deported for a federal drug trafficking conviction and was living in the United States unlawfully under a false identity, including false passports and driver’s licenses. Faulk would use contraband phones to set up the quantity of drugs to be purchased from Cherisol. Faulk would then contact his sister, Dasia Reed, to meet Cherisol and purchase the drugs. Reed sometimes obtained money for the purchases from codefendants Parks and Suber, who Faulk used to store his drug proceeds. Faulk then coordinated sales with customers and instructed Reed and her boyfriend, Geiger, to deliver the drugs purchased from Cherisol and other suppliers to various customers.
Investigators infiltrated Faulk’s drug trafficking organization and conducted several controlled purchases of large quantities of fentanyl, methamphetamine, and ice, also known as crystal meth, from Reed and Geiger as directed by Faulk while Faulk was incarcerated. Investigators learned Faulk exchanged money and narcotics to a network of drug traffickers including Foster, Way, Mungin and Pou. In addition to supplying Faulk, Cherisol supplied Brown with cocaine and Jenkins with fentanyl. Jenkins acted as a middleman between Cherisol and other drug traffickers.
“Faulk and Cherisol continued to fuel dangerous drugs into our community,” said U.S. Attorney Bryan Stirling for the District of South Carolina. “We will continue to marshal the full force of federal resources with the Homeland Security Task Force to attack drug trafficking at every level.”
“These significant sentences send a clear message to anyone flooding our communities with dangerous drugs,” said FBI Columbia Special Agent in Charge Anish Shukla. “The FBI and our law enforcement partners at every level are committed to dismantling criminal drug networks from top to bottom and bringing those responsible to justice. Together, we are working to make our neighborhoods safer places for everyone.”
“This investigation exposed a complex and multi-faceted drug trafficking organization that operated with no regard for the devastating impact its drugs had on our communities,” said Michael J. Connolly, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division. “The fact that one of the defendants continued to direct this operation from inside a corrections facility demonstrates the lengths these traffickers will go to continue their criminal enterprise. Through the dedication and collaboration of our Homeland Security Task Force partners and our local law enforcement partners, we dismantled this organization and held its members accountable. These sentences are an important step toward protecting our communities from dangerous drugs.”
United States District Judge Sherri A. Lydon presided over the case and sentenced each of the defendants. A final codefendant, Donat Telcy, has not yet been sentenced. There is no parole in the federal system.
This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.
This case was investigated by the FBI Columbia Field Office, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department, and the Richland County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lamar J. Fyall and Mike O’Mara are prosecuting the case.
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Mechanicsburg Man Sentenced to 78 Months’ Imprisonment for Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Connor Waterman, age 25, of Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, was sentenced yesterday by United States District Judge Keli M. Neary to 78 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by a 10-year term of supervised release, for possessing child pornography.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, following the execution of a search warrant at Waterman’s Mechanicsburg residence in February 2023, investigators found numerous videos and pictures of child pornography on Waterman’s smartphone. The images and videos included those showing the sexual assault of infants and toddlers.
Homeland Security Investigations, the Upper Allen Police Department, Cumberland County Criminal Investigation Division, and the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Carlo D. Marchioli 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 individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc.
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Massachusetts Man Sentenced for CockfightingRead the Press Release
Providence — A Massachusetts man was sentenced today in federal court in Rhode Island for his role in a 2022 cockfighting operation, including transporting gaffs from Massachusetts to Rhode Island for use in animal fighting.
Jose Rivera, 70, was sentenced by U.S District Court Judge Melissa R. DuBose to two years of probation, a $200 fine, and a $100 special assessment.
Rivera previously pleaded guilty on April 13 to violating the Animal Welfare Act for his involvement in the 2022 cockfighting operation. As part of his plea, Rivera admitted that he traveled from Massachusetts to Rhode Island to participate in a cockfight and that he transported gaffs and other sharp instruments he had purchased, which were designed or intended to be attached to a rooster’s leg during a fight. Rivera further acknowledged that he knew the cockfights were conducted for sport, wagering, and entertainment.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD) and First Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles C. Calenda for the District of Rhode Island made the announcement.
“This sentence sends a clear message: animal fighting is a cruel and unlawful activity, and those who cross state lines to participate in or support these operations will be held accountable,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles C. Calenda. “We remain committed to working with our federal, state, and local partners to dismantle animal fighting rings and protect the welfare of animals in our communities.”
The matter was prosecuted by Senior Trial Attorney Gary Donner and Assistant Chief Stephen Da Ponte of ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney John McAdams for the District of Rhode Island.
This case was investigated by the Department of Agriculture’s Office of Inspector General, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Food and Drug Administration’s Office of Criminal Investigation, and the Rhode Island Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Office of Law Enforcement, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Rhode Island State Police, Massachusetts State Police, the Animal Rescue League of Boston’s Law Enforcement Division, and the Providence, Woonsocket, and Attleboro Police Departments.
Massachusetts Man Sentenced for CockfightingRead the Press Release
A Massachusetts man was sentenced today in federal court in Rhode Island for his role in a 2022 cockfighting operation in which he brought gaffs from Massachusetts to Rhode Island for animal fighting.
Jose Rivera, 70, was sentenced to two years of probation, a $200 fine, and a $100 special assessment.
Rivera previously pleaded guilty on April 13 to violating the Animal Welfare Act in connection with his role in a 2022 cockfighting operation. As part of his plea, Rivera admitted that he traveled from Massachusetts to Rhode Island to participate in cockfights and that he brought with him gaffs or other sharp instruments that he had purchased and which were designed or intended to be attached to the leg of a rooster in a fight against another rooster. Rivera further admitted that he was aware that the cockfights he traveled to participate in were for sport, wagering, and entertainment.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Energy and Natural Resources Division (ENRD) and First Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles C. Calenda for the District of Rhode Island made the announcement.
This case was investigated by the Department of Agriculture (USDA)’s Office of Inspector General, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Food and Drug Administration’s Office of Criminal Investigation, and the Rhode Island Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Office of Law Enforcement, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Rhode Island State Police, Massachusetts State Police, Animal Rescue League of Boston’s Law Enforcement Division, Providence, Woonsocket, and Attleboro Police Departments.
The matter was prosecuted by Senior Trial Attorney Gary Donner and Assistant Chief Stephen Da Ponte of ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney John McAdams for the District of Rhode Island.
Massachusetts Man Pleads Guilty to Methamphetamine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Massachusetts, man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Portland to one count of conspiring to distribute methamphetamine and three counts of distributing methamphetamine.
According to court records, Danny Sun, 38, was part of a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine between November 2024 and January 2025. In late November 2024, an FBI confidential source met with Sun and a co-conspirator in southern Maine and received approximately 220 grams of methamphetamine pills. On two subsequent dates, the confidential source contacted Sun for the purchase of additional drugs. Sun told the confidential source he would send someone with the drugs. Sun’s co-conspirator provided the FBI source with approximately 361 grams of methamphetamine pills in December 2024 and 419 grams in January 2025.
Sun faces a mandatory minimum prison term of 10 years and up to life imprisonment, up to a $10 million fine, and up to a lifetime of supervised release following any term of imprisonment. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigative report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI investigated the case, with assistance from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the Portland Police Department, and the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency.
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Maryland Man Pleads Guilty to Sex Trafficking OffensesRead the Press Release
MIAMI – A Maryland man pleaded guilty today to two counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion.
According to court documents, Brandon Sartor, 33, of Prince George’s County, Maryland, between December 2024 and April 2025, used physical violence, threats, sexual assault, and the withholding of drugs to compel two women to engage in repeated commercial sex acts in Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and South Carolina. Sartor initially recruited each victim by falsely promising to help them make money. Sartor then compelled each victim to have sex with as many as 10 men each day in exchange for money he seized for his benefit. He also subjected each victim to violent physical beatings, including punching and hitting them, and threatened to harm or kill them or their families. Additionally, Sartor compelled one of the victims by giving and withholding drugs in such a way that caused her to fear experiencing opioid withdrawal sickness if she did not comply with his demands.
“Brandon Sartor used violence and fear to compel the two victims to have sex with dozens of men for his monetary gain,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “His use of violence and threats to terrorize and control vulnerable victims speaks to the depravity of his conduct and the need to hold him accountable for trafficking them. The Criminal Division will continue to stand up for these and other victims of human trafficking.”
“This defendant treated human beings as commodities — brutalizing and exploiting vulnerable women for his own profit,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “That conduct is reprehensible. Those who traffic and profit from the suffering of others will be pursued relentlessly and held accountable.”
“The defendant forced these two women into sex trafficking through repeated violence and sexual abuse that no one deserves to be victimized with,” said Assistant Director Heith Janke of the FBI’s Criminal Division. “The dedicated work of the FBI, the Anne Arundel County Police Department and DOJ prosecutors ensured Sartor pled guilty and was brought to justice.”
Sartor is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 17 and faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison, with a maximum penalty of life in prison. He also faces a maximum penalty of lifetime supervised release and mandatory restitution to be paid to the victims. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
FBI Miami and the Anne Arundel County Police Department in Maryland are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Dwayne Williams for the Southern District of Florida and Trial Attorney Elizabeth Hutson of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section are prosecuting the case.
Anyone who has information about human trafficking should report that information to the National Human Trafficking Hotline toll-free at 1-888-373-7888, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more information about human trafficking, please visit www.humantraffickinghotline.org. Information on the Justice Department’s efforts to combat human trafficking can be found at 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 numbers 26-cr-20188.
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Maryland Man Pleads Guilty to Sex Trafficking OffensesRead the Press Release
A Maryland man pleaded guilty today to two counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion.According to court documents, Brandon Sartor, 33, of Prince George’s County, Maryland, between December 2024 and April 2025, used physical violence, threats, sexual assault, and the withholding of drugs to compel two women to engage in repeated commercial sex acts in Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and South Carolina. Sartor initially recruited each victim by falsely promising to help them make money. Sartor then compelled each victim to have sex with as many as 10 men each day in exchange for money he seized for his benefit. He also subjected each victim to violent physical beatings, including punching and hitting them, and threatened to harm or kill them or their families. Additionally, Sartor compelled one of the victims by giving and withholding drugs in such a way that caused her to fear experiencing opioid withdrawal sickness if she did not comply with his demands.
“Brandon Sartor used violence and fear to compel the two victims to have sex with dozens of men for his monetary gain,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “His use of violence and threats to terrorize and control vulnerable victims speaks to the depravity of his conduct and the need to hold him accountable for trafficking them. The Criminal Division will continue to stand up for these and other victims of human trafficking.”
“This defendant treated human beings as commodities — brutalizing and exploiting vulnerable women for his own profit,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “That conduct is reprehensible. Those who traffic and profit from the suffering of others will be pursued relentlessly and held accountable.”
“The defendant forced these two women into sex trafficking through repeated violence and sexual abuse that no one deserves to be victimized with,” said Assistant Director Heith Janke of the FBI’s Criminal Division. “The dedicated work of the FBI, the Anne Arundel County Police Department and DOJ prosecutors ensured Sartor pled guilty and was brought to justice.”
Sartor is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 17 and faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison, with a maximum penalty of life in prison. He also faces a maximum penalty of lifetime supervised release and mandatory restitution to be paid to the victims. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
FBI Miami and the Anne Arundel County Police Department in Maryland are investigating the case.
Trial Attorney Elizabeth Hutson of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Dwayne Williams for the Southern District of Florida are prosecuting the case.
Anyone who has information about human trafficking should report that information to the National Human Trafficking Hotline toll-free at 1-888-373-7888, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more information about human trafficking, please visit www.humantraffickinghotline.org. Information on the Justice Department’s efforts to combat human trafficking can be found at www.justice.gov/humantrafficking.
Man Pleads Guilty to Selling and Stealing $4 Million in Embezzled Products from Employer in MinnesotaRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL – United States Attorney Daniel N. Rosen announced that Paul Joseph Kroes, 42, of Shorewood, Minnesota, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud.
His initial appearance and change of plea hearing were before U.S. District Judge Paul A. Magnuson on August 27, 2026. Sentencing will be scheduled at a later date.
From approximately November 2019 to March 2025, Kroes engaged in a scheme to embezzle approximately $4 million from his employer, Victim Company, a retailer of transport temperature control systems for refrigerated trucks and containers. Since 2007, Kroes held several different roles and a variety of responsibilities at the Victim Company, and his last role was as a Product Manager.
Kroes abused his positions and sold Victim Company products to third-party buyers and misappropriated the proceeds for his own personal benefit. Kroes would pull the products himself, or directed another employee to do so, and disguised the missing items from Victim Company’s inventory. Kroes had no authority to sell the products and concealed the payments he received through selling the embezzled products.
“The defendant exploited his access and authority to cause significant financial harm to his employer. Today’s guilty plea is one step closer to holding Kroes accountable for his actions,” said United States Attorney Daniel N. Rosen.
“Paul Kroes abused his position over multiple years to systematically siphon millions of dollars from his employer. White collar criminals may think they can hide behind clever accounting and their knowledge of internal systems, but financial fraud always leaves a trail,” said FBI Minneapolis Field Office Special Agent in Charge Christopher D. Dotson. “The FBI will continue to work shoulder to shoulder with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and law enforcement partners to detect and disrupt fraud.”
This case was the result of an investigation by the FBI.
Assistant United States Attorney Austin L. Bowyer and Rebecca E. Kline are prosecuting the case.
Local cell phone store employee pleads guilty to child pornography crimesRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A Grove City man pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court today to receiving and possessing child pornography.
Neil R. Brown, 41, worked at multiple cell phone stores in Columbus and, in addition to receiving child pornography files, Brown admitted that he also captured nude photos and videos from customers’ phones.
A cyber tipline report received in January 2025 led investigators to search Brown’s digital accounts and devices.
Investigators discovered more than 75 images and videos of child pornography on Brown’s cell phone, including child sexual abuse material of prepubescent minors approximately 7 to 9 years old. Brown paid virtual currency on an app to receive videos of child sexual abuse material.
According to court documents, Brown was employed by Cellular Sales and would take the phones of female customers and search through them for sexual or illicit content. Brown then captured the content on his own phone.
Agents also recovered 59 sexual images and videos of Cellular Sales customers that Brown had captured on his phone.
Brown was charged federally in December 2025.
Receipt of child pornography is a federal crime punishable by five to 20 years in prison and possessing child pornography carries a potential penalty of up to 20 years in prison.
Dominick S. Gerace II, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Jason Cromartie, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; Franklin County Sheriff Dallas Baldwin and other members of the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force announced the guilty plea entered today before U.S. District Judge Edmund A. Sargus, Jr. Assistant United States Attorney Emily Czerniejewski is representing the United States in this case.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by 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.
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Leader of Dominican-Based Drug Trafficking Organization Extradited from Colombia to United States to Face Charges as Part of Homeland Security Task Force InitiativeRead the Press Release
The leader of a Dominican Republic-based international cocaine trafficking and money laundering organization was extradited from Colombia to the United States yesterday to face drug trafficking charges filed in two separate indictments in the Districts of Puerto Rico and New Jersey as well as money laundering charges in the District of New Jersey. The prosecutions are part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative.
Erick Randhiel Mosquea Polanco, also known as “Ramon” and “E,” 45, made his initial appearance in Puerto Rico today. He will make an initial appearance in New Jersey at a later date. Mosquea Polanco was identified by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) as a Regional Priority Organizational Target (RPOT).
Photo of Mosquea Polanco (left of center) surrounded by law enforcement after being extradited from Colombia to the United States.“During the Homeland Security Task Force investigation against this leader of a Dominican based drug trafficking organization extradited from Colombia, law enforcement seized millions of dollars worth of cocaine and narcotics proceeds from his drug trafficking organization,” said Attorney General Todd Blanche. “Numerous other members of the organization have already been convicted. Under this administration, federal law enforcement has the tools to find these high-profile drug lords and dismantle their organizations anywhere in the world, because we have President Trump as a leader who unified a permanent interagency task force across all 52 U.S. states and territories.”
“The defendant is alleged to have been the leader of an international drug trafficking organization based in the Dominican Republic that distributed thousands of kilograms of cocaine in the United States and laundered millions of dollars of narcotics proceeds,” said U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer for the District of New Jersey. “After the defendant fled the Dominican Republic using false documents, we and our domestic and international law enforcement partners did not rest until he was located in Colombia and extradited to face charges in New Jersey and Puerto Rico. As this prosecution shows, my Office will continue to take the fight to drug cartels, both here and abroad.”
“This extradition is another important step in our fight against drug trafficking and transnational organized crime. This prosecution demonstrates the commitment of the Department of Justice, and our law enforcement partners, and the cooperation of international authorities to work together to bring drug traffickers to justice,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Héctor Ramírez Carbó for the District of Puerto Rico. “We will continue to maximize our multi-agency efforts to disrupt and dismantle international drug cartels that smuggle drugs into Puerto Rico and the continental United States.”
“Mosquea Polanco ran a cocaine trafficking network that stretched across Colombia, Venezuela, the Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico. Now he will answer for his alleged crimes in the United States,” said DEA Administrator Terry Cole. “This extradition underscores the reach of our partnerships and our resolve to bring drug traffickers to U.S courts, no matter where they operate.”
Photo of Mosquea Polanco (center) surrounded by law enforcement after being extradited from Colombia to the United States.Charges in Puerto Rico
Mosquea Polanco was arrested in Colombia on December 2024 at the request of the United States and extradited to Puerto Rico on Aug. 26. According to the indictment filed in Puerto Rico in October 2016, Mosquea Polanco and other coconspirators began no later than January 2013 to import and attempt to import cocaine into the United States. Mosquea Polanco also is charged with three counts of conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute cocaine. In a separate indictment filed in Puerto Rico June 2022, Mosquea Polanco is charged with four counts of conspiracy to distribute for purpose of unlawful importation of cocaine from places outside of the United States, including the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, and Colombia, and importation of cocaine.
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) is leading the investigation on the 2016 charges and the DEA’s Caribbean Division is leading the investigation of the 2022 charges.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Camille García for the District of Puerto Rico is prosecuting the cases in Puerto Rico.
Charges in New Jersey
In a three-count superseding indictment in the District of New Jersey, Mosquea Polanco is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine, possession with intent to distribute five kilograms of more of cocaine, and conspiracy to launder monetary instruments.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court, Mosquea-Polanco was the leader of a Dominican Republic-based international drug trafficking organization that distributed more than a thousand kilograms of cocaine in New Jersey, New York, and elsewhere from January 2020 through September 2023. In addition, Mosquea-Polanco coordinated the laundering of millions of dollars of cocaine proceeds to the Dominican Republic and elsewhere. During the investigation, law enforcement seized dozens of kilograms of cocaine and more than $6 million in narcotics proceeds from Mosquea’s drug trafficking organization. Numerous other members of the drug trafficking organization have already been convicted, including the recent conviction at trial of Samuel Alectus, also known as “Capet,” 37, on July 16.
The DEA — including the Newark Field Office as well as in Colombia, the Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico — led the investigation with assistance from the FBI.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Marko Pesce and Christopher Fell for the District of New Jersey are prosecuting the case in New Jersey.
If convicted of the drug trafficking counts, Mosquea Polanco faces, for each count, a minimum penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison, as well as a maximum fine of $10 million. The money laundering conspiracy charge carries a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a statutory maximum fine of up to $500,000 or twice the value of the property involved in the transaction, whichever is greater. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The U.S. Marshals Service, Justice Department’s Judicial Attaché in Bogotá, and the Office of International Affairs provided substantial assistance in securing the arrest of Mosquea-Polanco and his extradition to the United States. Colombian officials and the Colombian National Police also provided assistance.
These prosecutions are part of the HSTF initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Las Cruces Brothers Sentenced for Drug Trafficking and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Two Las Cruces brothers were sentenced in federal court for drug trafficking and firearms offenses after law enforcement seized fentanyl, cocaine, methamphetamine and multiple firearms during searches of their residence and vehicle.
There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court documents, on March 7, 2024, agents with the FBI and Las Cruces/Dona Ana County Metro Narcotics executed a search warrant at a residence in Las Cruces, New Mexico, where brothers Eddie Linarez, 32, and Nathan Quintana, 28, lived. Before executing the warrant, agents observed Linarez leave the residence in a truck and return shortly afterward. Agents detained Linarez in the driveway and searched his vehicle and the residence.
During the search of Linarez’s vehicle, agents found a backpack containing 58 net grams of pure methamphetamine, 88.6 net grams of fentanyl, 31.5 net grams of cocaine, a loaded firearm and approximately $7,000 in cash.
Bag containing scattered cash and a small black handgun.During the search of the residence, agents found five firearms in Quintana’s bedroom, including two rifles and two handguns under the bed and a handgun on the windowsill near a bag containing fentanyl. Three of the firearms were loaded. In the closet, agents found 120 net grams of fentanyl and 735.9 net grams of cocaine. Agents also found additional fentanyl and methamphetamine, a digital scale with narcotics residue and approximately $2,000 in cash in common areas of the residence.
Bags of white substances, blue pills, and a handgun Stacks of paper currency spread across a wooden table A black handgun with its detached magazine sits on a wooden table alongside several small plastic bags containing white substances and blue billsOn March 6, 2025, FBI and Metro Narcotics agents executed a second search warrant at the residence. Linarez was observed approaching the residence as agents were executing the warrant. When agents attempted to stop him, Linarez fled in a vehicle at a high rate of speed. During the pursuit, he drove around a stopped school bus with its stop sign extended and lights activated, entering oncoming traffic. Agents later lost sight of Linarez and ended the pursuit. Linarez remained a fugitive for six days before surrendering to law enforcement.
During the March 6, 2025, search, agents found approximately 120 grams of fentanyl, 89.6 grams of cocaine, approximately $3,841 in suspected drug proceeds and a loaded handgun in the residence.
Linarez pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, two counts of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute cocaine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. He was sentenced to 168 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release.
Quintana pled guilty to two counts of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute cocaine, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. He was sentenced to 147 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Special Agent in Charge Justin A. Garris of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office made the announcement today.
The Las Cruces Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Las Cruces/Dona Ana County Metro Narcotics. Assistant U.S. Attorney Devon Aragon Martinez prosecuted the cases.
Lame Deer man sentenced to more than 3 years in prison for involuntary manslaughterRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – A Lame Deer man who ran over an acquaintance after a night of drinking was sentenced today to three years and six months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith said.
Kristopher Aiden Blackwolf, 36, pleaded guilty in April 2026 to involuntary manslaughter.
U.S. District Judge William W. Mercer presided.
The government alleged in court documents that Blackwolf spent a night drinking with friends and, while still intoxicated, ran over and killed one of his companions.
Law enforcement first responded after hearing reports the next morning of a man lying unresponsive in a driveway. Blackwolf had called the victim’s nephew earlier that morning, saying he’d just come from the victim’s house where he saw him lying on the ground outside. Blackwolf told the nephew he didn’t know if the victim was alive. A medical examiner later ruled that the man had died from multiple blunt force traumas.
Officers contacted Blackwolf later that day after his mother called authorities. They found Blackwolf sitting in the driver’s seat of his minivan, still intoxicated, and crying. After a medical evaluation, officers interviewed Blackwolf and learned that he had gone out the night before with the victim and another friend, all sharing a gallon of vodka they’d purchased in Colstrip. Blackwolf told officers he had returned home around 6:30 a.m. and, after eating, he fell asleep. At some point later in the morning, Blackwolf realized that he had reversed his van into the victim and run him over.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacob Yerger prosecuted the case. The FBI and the BIA conducted the investigation.
Kentucky Medical Biller Indicted for Healthcare Fraud and Money Laundering ChargesRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, KY- A Kentucky medical biller and owner of AA’s Medical Coding and Billing Services, LLC., Jacqueline Sanders, age 60, from Louisville, Ky., was indicted for one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud, 25 counts of health care fraud, and four counts of money laundering.
According to the indictment, Sanders recruited individuals unfamiliar with Medicaid requirements to open behavioral health service entities, handled their credentialing and enrollment with Kentucky Medicaid, and then directed the submission of fraudulent Medicaid claims across ten behavioral health providers. Sanders allegedly billed for services that were never provided—including claims submitted for incarcerated, hospitalized, or deceased Medicaid members.
The indictment further alleges Sanders used National Provider Identifiers (NPIs) of licensed professionals without authorization to submit thousands of fraudulent claims, fabricated assessments and treatment plans, and billed Medicaid for excessive hours of treatment regardless of medical need or documentation. Between 2020 and 2026, Sanders and her co‑conspirators allegedly caused Medicaid to pay tens of millions of dollars in fraudulent reimbursements.
The indictment alleges Sanders personally received more than $3.6 million in payments from the fraudulent billing operations and used the proceeds to purchase luxury goods, vehicles, jewelry, travel, plastic surgery, and real estate.
“The indictment alleges an astonishing level of fraud: fabricated assessments, nonexistent treatment, unauthorized use of licensed providers’ identities, causing millions of dollars in false claims to be submitted for services that were never performed,” Jason Parman, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky. “Medicaid exists to support Kentucky’s most vulnerable residents, and this scheme exploited that mission at every turn. Our office will continue to hold accountable anyone who abuses taxpayer‑funded programs for personal gain.”
"The charges should send a clear message to anyone looking to enrich themselves at the expense of our most vulnerable citizens: don't,” said Olivia Olson, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Louisville Field Office. “Public resources exist for the public good, and the FBI will do everything in its power to ensure those resources go to those legally entitled to them."
“This criminal defrauded a system intended to care for some of the most vulnerable Kentuckians,” said Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman. “Those who steal from the program will face consequences, and we will continue working with our partners like U.S. Attorney Parman to protect Medicaid for those it serves.”
Jason Parman, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Olivia Olson, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office; and Russell Coleman, Kentucky Attorney General, jointly announced the indictment.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI and the Kentucky Attorney General’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kate K. Smith and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Linsey Hogg are prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
Sanders appeared for her initial appearance on August 26.
Any indictment is an accusation only. A defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which government must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Kearneysville Man Sentenced After Traffic Stop Uncovers Large Quantities of Dangerous Drugs and FirearmRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – A Kearneysville, West Virginia man was sentenced to 150 months in federal prison for possessing large quantities of controlled substances and a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew L. Harvey.
Bradley Allen Wilt, 45, was caught transporting large quantities of narcotics. A traffic stop of Wilt’s vehicle in Martinsburg, West Virginia, resulted in the seizure of 63 grams of cocaine, 169 grams of cocaine base, 282 grams of fentanyl, and 12 grams of methamphetamine hydrochloride. Officers also recovered a .45 caliber handgun from the vehicle.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the West Virginia State Police investigated.
Fentanyl has been designated by President Donald Trump as a weapon of mass destruction due to its extreme lethality which poses a grave threat to public safety, even in trace amounts. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime, and repel the invasion of illegal immigration.
U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided.
Kansas Chiropractor Pleads Guilty to Health Care FraudRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas chiropractor has pleaded guilty to federal health care fraud charges.
Kenya Laser, 35, of Overland Park, Kan., pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge W. Brian Gaddy to health care fraud. This plea is one of many federal fraud cases pursued under the leadership of President Donald Trump and through the establishment of the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud.According to information presented in court, Laser was enrolled as a provider with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City (Blue KC) and was otherwise authorized to submit claims for reimbursements to Blue KC for chiropractic and related services. Beginning around March 2022 and continuing until around March 2025, Laser carried out a scheme to receive payments from Blue KC for health care services that were not provided as billed. Laser submitted insurance claims to Blue KC seeking payment for services that were purportedly rendered to patients on dates for which Laser knew the patients had not visited Laser Chiropractic and received no medical treatment.
As part of the scheme, Laser used the information of an individual to bill for services between October 2024 and March 2025, knowing that individual had never utilized Laser for treatment. Under federal statutes, Laser is subject to a sentence of up to 10 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rudolph R. Rhodes IV. It was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
National Fraud Enforcement Division
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (“Fraud Division”). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
Kalispell man pleads guilty to child pornography chargesRead the Press Release
MISSOULA – A Kalispell man who coerced an 11-year-old girl into sending him Child Sex Abuse Materials (CSAM) over Snapchat admitted to charges Wednesday, Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith said.
Cameron Lee Powell, 24, pleaded guilty to one count of producing child pornography and one count of distributing child pornography. Powell faces up to 30 years in prison on the first count, a $250,000 fine, and over $70,000 in special assessments. On the second count he faces up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and over $50,000 in special assessments.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen L. DeSoto presided and sentencing was set for Jan. 13, 2027. U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen will determine a sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Powell remained in custody pending further proceedings.
The government alleged in court documents Powell used Snapchat to solicit explicit CSAM photos from an 11-year-old girl in May 2022. Once she sent the photos, Powell then threatened to share the images publicly if she didn’t provide more. The girl told her parents, who then called police.
Law enforcement searched the girl’s phone and found a history of her chat with Powell, who was pretending to be a sixth-grade girl. Using that information, law enforcement obtained a warrant and searched Powell’s Kalispell residence in August 2022, where they found electronics with visual depictions of CSAM.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Lowney is prosecuting the case. Homeland Security Investigations and the Flathead County Sheriff’s Office helped conduct the investigation.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
Justice Department Finds George Washington University Medical School Discriminates Based on Race in AdmissionsRead the Press Release
The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division announced today its finding that the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Services (GW Med) intentionally discriminated based on race in granting and denying admission to its 2024 and 2025 incoming classes. GW Med’s discriminatory conduct violated Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, and the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2023 decision in Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard (SFFA), which banned race discrimination in higher education.
“GW Med’s admissions practices reveal an intent to prioritize racial diversity over merit, which is unlawful and poses legitimate public health consequences for the patients its future doctors will serve,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The law is simple — admissions officers can no longer discriminate based on race in the name of diversity.”
The Department’s investigation found that after SFFA, George Washington University issued university-wide admissions guidance stating that no preference or favorable assessment could be given based on racial or ethnic identity “that is self-reported and collected on the check-box data sections” of application forms. Under this direction, GW Med used other sources to discover an applicant’s race. GW Med’s application included essay questions that were designed to elicit information about an applicant’s race or ethnicity. And admissions officers used this information to select applicants for interviews. As a result of GW Med’s admissions practices, black applicants had a significantly higher probability of being selected for an interview, and received disproportionately higher interview scores, than comparable Asian applicants.
With respect to standardized test scores, GW Med’s admitted black students scored significantly lower on the MCAT than white or Asian applicants in 2024 and 2025. GW Med regularly denied admission to white and Asian applicants in favor of lower credentialed black and Hispanic applicants.
Medical schools receive substantial federal financial assistance and are subject to federal non-discrimination laws. The Department will continue to investigate their compliance with Title VI and SFFA’s prohibition on race-conscious admissions. Where a violation has been found, the Department is engaging in settlement negotiations to ensure the school’s admissions practices are brought into compliance. If those efforts fail, the Department will file suit.
Johnson, Vermont Man Sentenced to 100 Months for Possessing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialsRead the Press Release
RUTLAND – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that on August 27, 2026, Joshua Burbank, 40, of Johnson, Vermont, was sentenced by United States District Judge Mary Kay Lanthier to a term of 100 months’ imprisonment to be followed by a 10-year term of supervised release. Burbank previously pleaded guilty to possessing child sexual abuse materials involving prepubescent minors.
According to court records, in 2021, law enforcement was provided a laptop by Burbank’s family member after the family member discovered child sexual abuse materials on the laptop. A search of the laptop confirmed it contained files that depicted child sexual abuse, including a video of a man sexually assaulting a toddler. In 2024, Burbank was served with a Relief from Abuse Order and arrested on new criminal charges. At the time of this 2024 arrest, Burbank possessed a cellphone (in violation of his state conditions of release). This cellphone was searched and also found to contain child sexual abuse material.
First Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan A. Ophardt commended the collaborative investigatory efforts of the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, the Newport, Vermont Police Department, and the Vermont State Police. “The collection of heinous depictions of child sexual abuse causes significant and continuing harm to the victims depicted in those images. Those who seek out such imagery also pose a significant risk of danger to children. I am extremely grateful to the law enforcement officers whose work enabled us to hold Burbank accountable for his conduct.”
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle Arra. Burbank was represented by Assistant Federal Public Defender Emily Kenyon.
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.
Jacksonville Man Pleads Guilty to Defrauding Restaurant InvestorsRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – George Joshua Floyd (45, Jacksonville) has pleaded guilty to wire fraud. He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. Floyd has agreed to forfeit $1,159,596.26, the proceeds of the scheme to defraud that he personally obtained. He also agreed to make full restitution to the victims of his offense conduct. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to the plea agreement, beginning in April 2022, Floyd raised approximately $1.44 million from investors for a new restaurant he planned to open in Jacksonville, making various representations as to how the money would be used and how he would manage the restaurant. After the restaurant opened in November 2022 and generated significant cash flow, Floyd maintained control of the business’s bank account. He began embezzling funds by withdrawing large amounts of cash, wiring money to his personal account, using a business credit card for personal expenses, and causing the restaurant to enter into unauthorized merchant cash advance loans—the proceeds of which he transferred to himself or used to cover deficits that he had already created—which also led the restaurant to owe interest and fees. Further, in 2024, Floyd began soliciting individuals to invest money into a second restaurant concept to be opened in Clay County, raising approximately $570,000. Floyd stole those investors’ funds by using them to pay for personal expenses, trade in cryptocurrency, and repay losses he had caused at the first restaurant. The total fraud loss caused by Floyd through his scheme was approximately $1,397,500.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David B. Mesrobian. The forfeiture is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Clint J. Locke.
Jackson, Mississippi Man Charged with Unlawfully Possessing a Firearm near Derby, VermontRead the Press Release
BURLINGTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that Cruz Gary, 39, of Jackson, Mississippi, has been charged by criminal complaint with unlawfully possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.
On August 24, 2026, Gary had his initial appearance before United States Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle. A detention hearing was held on August 25, 2026, during which Gary was ordered detained during the pendency of the case.
According to court records, on August 21, 2026, U.S. Border Patrol Agents were patrolling the international border near Derby Line, Vermont. During those patrols, an agent noticed a car with a Mississippi license plate traveling from near the international border onto a rural road. The car continued into an area that has been frequently used for alien smuggling, and slowed to half the speed limit, which the agent inferred was an attempt to locate people who may have illegally entered the United States. During a traffic stop, the driver of the car was identified as Gary. The agent learned from the occupants of the car that a firearm was inside the vehicle. A record check revealed Gary to have an extensive criminal history in Mississippi, including felony convictions. The firearm, a SCCY 9-millimeter pistol, was recovered from a bag removed from the driver’s area of the car. Inside the same bag, agents located a Social Security card and a health insurance card both bearing Gary’s name.
The United States Attorney’s Office emphasizes that the complaint contains allegations only and that Gary is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. Gary faces up to 15 years of imprisonment if convicted. The actual sentence, however, would be determined by the District Court with guidance from the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines and the statutory sentencing factors.
First Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan A. Ophardt commended the investigatory efforts of the United States Border Patrol and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
The prosecutor is Assistant United States Attorney David Golubock. Gary is represented by the Office of the Federal Public Defender.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.
Inmate Charged with Threatening Federal OfficersRead the Press Release
WILLIAMSPORT – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Robert Foust, age 42, an inmate at United State Penitentiary (USP), Allenwood, Pennsylvania, was indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of threatening federal officers.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, the indictment alleges that August 5, 2025 and November 6, 2025, at USP Allenwood, Foust threatened to assault and murder multiple employees of the federal Bureau of Prisons, including a corrections officer, a corrections counselor, and a prison physician, all of whom were engaged in the performance of their official duties.
This case was investigated by the FBI and the Federal Bureau of Prisons. Assistant United States Attorney Geoffrey W. MacArthur is prosecuting the case.
The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 40 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following the finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Illegal immigrant from Honduras with multiple previous felony convictions sentenced to over two years in prison years in prisonRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – An illegal immigrant from Honduras was sentenced today to two years and nine months in prison for illegally reentering the United States subsequent to the commission of an aggravated felony.
According to court documents, Catalino Vigil Diaz, 44, was removed from the United States pursuant to a final order of removal in 2003. He was removed again in 2004, in 2008 following a conviction for domestic abuse in Louisiana, and in 2015 following a conviction of felony aggravated assault and unlawful restraint.
In 2014, Vigil Diaz was arrested and charged with attempted kidnapping, false imprisonment, unlawful restraint, simple assault, harassment, and aggravated assault. According to a police report from Indiana, Pennsylvania, Vigil Diaz grabbed a stranger by the neck, pulled her towards his waiting car, and attempted to shove her into his car. He pled guilty to unlawful restraint and aggravated assault and in 2015 was removed from the United States pursuant to the previous order of removal.
Vigil Diaz then unlawfully reentered the United States. On May 23, 2024, he was arrested for assault and battery of a family member in Fairfax County.
According to a police report from Goshen, Indiana, in 2025, Vigil Diaz entered his girlfriend’s residence, grabbed her by the throat, held her against a wall, and punched her in the face with a closed fist. Before leaving the residence, he took $300 from her. When law enforcement attempted a traffic stop following the assault, Vigil Diaz fled, first in his vehicle and then on foot. Vigil Diaz was charged with and convicted of felony intimidation, domestic battery, and resisting law enforcement.
Vigil Diaz also has two pending arrests warrants for his arrest for alleged assault and battery—one out of Virginia based on conduct that took place in 2024, and another out of Tennessee based on conduct that took place in 2025.
Theophani K. Stamos, First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Robert Guadian, Field Office Director for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Washington, D.C., made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Patricia Tolliver Giles.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Amber N. Rieff prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:26-cr-48.
Illegal alien from Mexico released after 2025 arrest for DUI, is arrested in 2026 for escape, theft, and rapeRead the Press Release
Seattle – A 44-year-old citizen of Mexico, illegally present in the U.S., appeared in U.S. District Court in Seattle late yesterday charged with returning to the U.S. following removal, announced First Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Neil Floyd. Between 2007 and 2013, Isidro Ocampo-Cayetano was arrested and removed from the United States five times. Most of the removals were triggered by local arrests for crimes related to DUI. Isidro Ocampo-Cayetano returned to the U.S. at an unknown time following the 2013 removal.
In January 2025, Ocampo-Cayetano was arrested in King County based on a Kitsap County warrant for failing to appear on charges of DUI, driving with license suspended, and an ignition interlock violation. Ocampo-Cayetano was not turned over to immigration authorities. On November 2, 2025, Ocampo-Cayetano was arrested by Federal Way Police for Rape in the second degree. Six months later, in April 2026, he was arrested a second time and booked into the King County Jail for escape, theft, and a warrant for rape. Federal prosecutors got a judicial warrant to get Ocampo-Cayetano into federal custody, and he made his initial appearance on that warrant on Wednesday August 26, 2026.
“Even with his extensive criminal and immigration history, local jails released this criminal alien rather than turning him over to immigration authorities, which allowed him to allegedly commit rape,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Neil Floyd. “Sanctuary policies have a consequence, and this is it. Fortunately, we were able to intervene this time and prevent this criminal alien from being released – again.”
Magistrate Judge Michelle L. Peterson ordered Ocampo-Cayetano detained pending future hearings.
Return after removal is punishable by up to two years in prison.
The charges contained in the criminal complaint are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations – U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (HSI-ICE).
The case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine Cáceres. SAUSA Cáceres is an attorney with Homeland Security Investigations specially designated to prosecute immigration matters in federal court.
Idaho man sentenced for drug traffickingRead the Press Release
TOPEKA, KAN. – An Idaho man was sentenced to 70 months in prison after being caught with packages of fentanyl that he was transporting cross-country.
According to court documents, Brian Hilario Delgado Mayorga, 24, of Burley, Idaho, pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
In May 2024, a Geary County Sheriff’s deputy stopped Mayorga on Interstate 70 after observing him make an unsafe driving maneuver. When the deputy asked Mayorga questions about his route, Mayorga said he was coming from Idaho and was on his way to visit his grandparents in Missouri. The deputy became suspicious partly because Mayorga didn’t know his grandparents’ address and because license plate readers placed him in California and Nevada on the previous day, not Idaho. Mayorga refused to allow the deputy to search his vehicle, and a K9 unit was dispatched to the scene. After the K9 detected the odor of narcotics coming from Mayorga’s vehicle, deputies had probable cause to search. Inside the vehicle, officers found several heat-sealed packages of narcotics that laboratory results later determined to be approximately 4,000 grams of fentanyl.
Mayorga was arrested and admitted he picked up the narcotics in the Los Angeles area. The defendant stated it was his second trip and that he was paid $8000.00 on the first trip. Officers also found a firearm and $1,419 in cash in the vehicle.
“The Midwest is often used as a corridor for drug traffickers transporting their products from one region of the country to another,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser. “The Department of Justice is grateful to the Geary County Sheriff’s Office for its vigilance and attention to detail. Local law enforcement agencies are on the front line when it comes to foiling the plans of criminals on these road trips and seizing illegal narcotics. We are happy to stand beside them and prosecute these cases federally when warranted.”
“At the time of his arrest, Mayorga was traveling across the country with roughly 390,000 deadly doses of fentanyl,” DEA St. Louis Field Division Special Agent in Charge Steven Hofer said. “The sentencing is due in part to the astute work of the Geary County Sheriff’s Office and collaboration of federal and local resources. It’s because of partnerships like this that drug traffickers are dealt blow-after-blow in their attempt to turn profits in the Midwest.”
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Geary County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Greg Hough prosecuted the case.
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Illegal Alien Pleads Guilty in Federal Court to Attempted Coercion and Enticement of a MinorRead the Press Release
Francisco Javier Villanueva Castro, age 29, of Mexico, who is present in the United States without authorization, pleaded guilty before United States Chief Judge Shelly D. Dick to attempted coercion and enticement of a minor, announced U.S. Attorney Kurt L. Wall.
According to admissions made during his plea, in February 2025, Castro used online phone messaging applications to convince someone he believed was a 14-year-old male to have an illegal sexual relationship with him. He traveled to Denham Springs, Louisiana, to meet the supposed 14-year-old male and engage in sexual acts. An undercover law enforcement officer posed as the 14-year-old male, and officers arrested Castro when he arrived at the agreed-upon location.
U.S. Attorney Kurt L. Wall praised the work of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, U.S. Department of Homeland Security – Homeland Security Investigations, and Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Allen L. Ross leads the prosecution.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
Homeland Security Task Force investigation results in 25-year prison sentence for three-time felon gang memberRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 30-year-old Corpus Christi resident has been ordered to federal prison for conspiring to possess to distribute meth smuggled into the United States from Mexico.
Tommie Lee Gutierrez pleaded guilty Jan. 29.
U.S. District Judge David S. Morales has now ordered Gutierrez to serve 300 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. At the hearing Aug. 26, the court heard additional evidence that Gutierrez is a member of the Tango Corpitos street gang and a three-time convicted felon. Judge Morales also heard that Gutierrez had made a call planning his return to participate in this drug trafficking organization while in custody on another unrelated felony.
The organization received meth in the Coastal Bend area in multi-kilogram quantities secreted in vehicles and loads of consumer goods such as cabinetry that had passed across the border into the United States from Mexico. Gutierrez was responsible for receiving vehicle loads, removing the bundles of meth from various natural voids in the vehicles, and repacking the same vehicles with cash proceeds from prior sales. Co-conspirators then drove vehicles back into Mexico to pay the suppliers.
On at least one occasion, Gutierrez wrecked an abandoned meth-laden vehicle on a public street in Corpus Christi before it had been completely unloaded. This left kilograms of meth in the drivers-side door which were later discovered at the city impound lot.
He has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brittany Jensen and Amanda Gould prosecuted the case.
This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of U.S. law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF South Texas comprises agents and officers from Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations; FBI; Drug Enforcement Administration; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; U.S. Marshals Service; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; Department of Transportation; IRS Criminal Investigation; Interpol/Department of State; and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas leading the prosecution.
Former U.S. government employee pleads guilty to attempting to provide classified information to a foreign governmentRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Nathan Vilas Laatsch, 29, of Alexandria, a former IT specialist for the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), pled guilty yesterday to transmission of national defense information.
“U.S. government employees entrusted with our nation’s secrets must always protect our nation’s security, not cavalierly toss aside this responsibility out of disagreement, selfishness or greed,” said Attorney General Todd Blanche. “Laatsch faces serious consequences for violating his position of trust. This case shows that if you unlawfully disclose national defense information, we will find you and hold you accountable to the fullest extent the law allows.”
“Political disagreement is not a justification for jeopardizing the security of the United States and the lives of those who protect it,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Theophani K. Stamos for the Eastern District of Virginia. “No one is entitled to break the law or violate the public trust, no matter their motivations, and this office will aggressively prosecute those who recklessly and illegally compromise national security.”
“Laatsch’s animus toward the U.S. government gave him no license to betray the oath he took to the Constitution of the United States nor the duty he had to the men and women who put their lives on the line every day to protect our Nation,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “Unlawfully disclosing national defense information to a foreign government is a serious crime, not a form of principled dissent.”
“By his own admission, Laatsch betrayed his oath by offering classified information to a foreign government, the very thing he was supposed to prevent as an employee of DIA’s Insider Threat Division,” said Assistant Director Roman Rozhavsky of the FBI’s Counterintelligence and Espionage Division. “Those entrusted with our nation’s most sensitive information must not exploit their access for personal gain - in this case offering to sell American secrets to buy foreign citizenship. The FBI and our partners will continue to hold accountable all those who betray the trust of the American people.”
“As an employee of the DIA Insider Threat Office, the American people relied on Nathan Laatsch to detect spies and other insider threats within our midst,” said Darren B. Cox, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office. “Laatsch betrayed that trust and instead became the very threat he was sworn to defend against. Fortunately, the swift action of the FBI and our partner agencies prevented even greater harm and brought him to justice. This case underscores a fundamental truth: The strength of our national security depends not only on our capabilities, but also on the integrity of those entrusted to safeguard it. When that trust is violated, the consequences can be profound.”
According to court documents, Laatsch became a civilian employee of the DIA in 2019, where he worked with the Insider Threat Division and held a Top Secret security clearance. In March 2025, the FBI learned that Laatsch offered to provide classified information to a friendly foreign government. Soon thereafter, Laatsch began communicating with an individual he thought was affiliated with that foreign government but was actually an FBI agent.
In late April 2025, Laatsch began transcribing classified information to a notepad at his desk and, over the course of approximately three days, repeatedly took the information from his workspace. After those three days, Laatsch deposited the classified information on a thumb drive at a public park in northern Virginia for the foreign government to retrieve. The FBI retrieved the drive, which contained multiple typed documents, each containing information up to the Secret or Top Secret level. It also contained a message from Laatsch, in which he indicated that he had chosen to include “a decent sample size” of classified information to “decently demonstrate the range of types of products” to which he had access.
After receiving confirmation that the drive had been received, Laatsch communicated that he was interested in “citizenship” to the foreign country. Laatsch also stated that, though he was “not opposed to other compensation,” from a financial standpoint, he did not need “material compensation.”
A week later, in mid-May 2025, the FBI agent advised Laatsch that the agent was prepared to receive additional classified information. Between May 15 and May 27, 2025, Laatsch again repeatedly transcribed multiple pages of notes while logged into his classified workstation and took the classified information away from his workstation hidden in his clothing.
On May 29, 2025, Laatsch arrived at a prearranged location in northern Virginia, where he again transmitted multiple classified documents. Laatsch was arrested upon the FBI’s receipt of the documents.
Laatsch is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 27, 2027. He faces up to life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI Washington Field Office investigated the case, with valuable assistance provided by the FBI’s Global Counterespionage Unit and the U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations and with thanks to the Defense Intelligence Agency for its cooperation.
Trial Attorney Mark Murphy of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Gordon Kromberg for the Eastern District of Virginia are prosecuting the case.
Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:25-cr-156.
Former U.S. Government Employee Pleads Guilty to Attempting to Provide Classified Information to Foreign GovernmentRead the Press Release
Nathan Vilas Laatsch, 29, of Alexandria, Virginia, a former IT specialist for the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), pleaded guilty yesterday to transmission of national defense information to a foreign government.
“U.S. government employees entrusted with our nation’s secrets must always protect our nation’s security, not cavalierly toss aside this responsibility out of disagreement, selfishness or greed,” said Attorney General Todd Blanche. “Laatsch faces serious consequences for violating his position of trust. This case shows that if you unlawfully disclose national defense information, we will find you and hold you accountable to the fullest extent the law allows.”
“Laatsch’s animus toward the U.S. government gave him no license to betray the oath he took to the Constitution of the United States nor the duty he had to the men and women who put their lives on the line every day to protect our Nation,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “Unlawfully disclosing national defense information to a foreign government is a serious crime, not a form of principled dissent.”
“Political disagreement is not a justification for jeopardizing the security of the United States and the lives of those who protect it,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Theophani K. Stamos for the Eastern District of Virginia. “No one is entitled to break the law or violate the public trust, no matter their motivations, and this office will aggressively prosecute those who recklessly and illegally compromise national security.”
“By his own admission, Laatsch betrayed his oath by offering classified information to a foreign government, the very thing he was supposed to prevent as an employee of DIA’s Insider Threat Division,” said Assistant Director Roman Rozhavsky of the FBI’s Counterintelligence and Espionage Division. “Those entrusted with our nation’s most sensitive information must not exploit their access for personal gain - in this case offering to sell American secrets to buy foreign citizenship. The FBI and our partners will continue to hold accountable all those who betray the trust of the American people.”
According to court documents, Laatsch became a civilian employee of the DIA in 2019, where he worked with the Insider Threat Division and held a Top Secret security clearance. In March 2025, the FBI learned that Laatsch offered to provide classified information to a friendly foreign government. Soon thereafter, Laatsch began communicating with an individual who he thought was affiliated with that foreign government but was actually an FBI agent.
In late April 2025, Laatsch began transcribing classified information to a notepad at his desk and, over the course of approximately three days, repeatedly took the information from his workspace. After those three days, Laatsch deposited the classified information on a thumb drive at a public park in northern Virginia for the foreign government to retrieve. The FBI retrieved the drive, which contained multiple typed documents, each containing information up to the Secret or Top Secret level. It also contained a message from Laatsch, in which he indicated that he had chosen to include “a decent sample size” of classified information to “decently demonstrate the range of types of products” to which he had access.
After receiving confirmation that the drive had been received, Laatsch communicated that he was interested in “citizenship” to the foreign country. Laatsch also stated that, though he was “not opposed to other compensation,” from a financial standpoint, he did not need “material compensation.”
A week later, in mid-May 2025, the FBI agent advised Laatsch that the agent was prepared to receive additional classified information. Between May 15 and May 27, 2025, Laatsch again repeatedly transcribed multiple pages of notes while logged into his classified workstation and took the classified information away from his workstation hidden in his clothing.
On May 29, 2025, Laatsch arrived at a prearranged location in northern Virginia, where he again transmitted multiple classified documents. Laatsch was arrested upon the FBI’s receipt of the documents.
Laatsch is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 27, 2027. He faces a maximum penalty of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI Washington Field Office is investigating the case, with valuable assistance provided by the FBI’s Global Counterespionage Unit and U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations and with thanks to the Defense Intelligence Agency for its cooperation.
Trial Attorney Mark Murphy of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Gordon Kromberg for the Eastern District of Virginia are prosecuting the case.
Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:25-cr-156.
Former Iowa Nonprofit Program Director Sentenced to 18 Months in Federal Prison for Theft from a Federal Funds RecipientRead the Press Release
DES MOINES, DAVENPORT, COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – A Colfax woman was sentenced on August 25, 2026, to 18 months in federal prison for stealing over $426,000 from Children and Families of Iowa over nearly a seven-year period.
According to public court documents and information presented at sentencing, Jodi Dyan Spargur-Tate, 55, was employed by Children and Families of Iowa (CFI) between 2015 and 2022 as a Program Director overseeing CFI’s youth, adult, and dislocated worker programs. During her time as Program Director, Spargur-Tate submitted hundreds of false and fraudulent reimbursement requests, including falsified invoices and receipts. She also diverted over one hundred payments from CFI to herself and her family members to pay their cell phone bills and housing costs, among other things.
In addition to the 18-month term of imprisonment, Spargur-Tate was ordered to pay $426,837.11 in restitution. After completing her prison term, Spargur-Tate will serve a three-year term of supervised release.
“Spargur-Tate stole Department of Labor funds intended to help Americans secure meaningful employment, instead using the money for personal gain,” said Anthony P. D’Esposito, Inspector General, U.S. Department of Labor (DOL). “Spargur-Tate’s selfish actions undermined the integrity of federally funded programs designed to support individuals facing significant barriers to work. This sentencing is a reminder to those who believe DOL grants are opportunities for personal enrichment. My office will continue partnering with our law enforcement colleagues to relentlessly pursue and hold accountable anyone who attempts to siphon money from programs meant to serve Americans in need.”
United States Attorney David C. Waterman of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The United States Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General and the Des Moines Police Department investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph Lubben prosecuted the case.
On April 7, 2026, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The Fraud Division is investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
Former Head of Tribal Telecom Company Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for Half-Million Embezzlement from Yurok TribeRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – Jessica Engle was sentenced today to two years in federal prison for embezzling more than $550,000 in funds of an Indian Tribal Organization. U.S. District Judge Maxine M. Chesney handed down the sentence.
Engle, 43, of Oregon, was indicted by a federal grand jury on September 25, 2024. Engle pleaded guilty on September 3, 2025, to Embezzlement from an Indian Tribal Organization in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1163. In her plea, Engle admitted to stealing nearly all of the funds held in the account of Yurok Telecommunications Company (“YTC”), a company created at the direction and largely funded by the Yurok Tribe, based in Humboldt and Del Norte Counties. Specifically, Engle admitted to stealing over $550,000 from the YTC bank account between September 2021 and May 2022.
“The tribes deliver critical services—like schools, healthcare, and the basic necessities of life—that their communities need and on which they have come to depend. This theft of tribal funds and the betrayal of trust it represents makes it far more difficult for tribal governments to serve those communities,” said United States Attorney Craig H. Missakian. “The United States made a promise to the many sovereign tribal nations that call the Northern District of California home that we will do all we can to keep them safe and we are committed to working with the tribes to make good on that promise.”
“Embezzling funds meant to support the Yurok Tribe and its essential services is a serious breach of trust,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Scott Schelble. “The FBI remains committed to working closely with our tribal partners to protect their resources and ensure those who exploit their positions of authority are held accountable. Today’s sentence reflects that commitment and reinforces our ongoing efforts to safeguard tribal communities.”
In handing down the sentence, Judge Chesney stated that the embezzlement was a “calculated risk on [Engle’s] part” and that “[t]his wasn’t a one-time thing.” In addition to the prison term, Judge Chesney also sentenced Engle to a 3-year period of supervised release and ordered restitution of over $590,000. Engle will begin serving the sentence on December 1, 2026.
United States Attorney Craig Missakian and Special Agent in Charge Scott Schelble made the announcement.
The prosecution was handled by the National Security, Cyber & Special Prosecutions and General Crimes Sections of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California. Assistant U.S. Attorney Colin Sampson and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Sophie Cooper prosecuted the case with the assistance of Laurie Worthen. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI, with the assistance of the Yurok Tribal Police.
Florida Man Charged with Conspiracy to Commit Wire FraudRead the Press Release
WILLIAMSPORT – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Kevin Gan, age 24, of Wellington, Florida, was charged by a federal grand jury with conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, the indictment alleges that between June of 2026 and July 16, 2026, Gan was part of a group that executed a scheme to defraud victims in the State College, PA area of money and property. It is alleged that members of the conspiracy would transmit electronic communication to the victims. The communication, often in the form of a home computer screen “pop-up,” was purportedly from “Microsoft” or a government agency and informed the victim that the victim’s computer had been “hacked,” and that financial account security was compromised. The “pop-up” or caller provided a phone number for the victim to call. It is further alleged that upon calling the phone number, the victim would be connected to a member of the conspiracy, who provided the victim with disinformation and falsely informed the victim that there was a problem with the victim’s bank account, that the victim’s bank account was not secure, or that there was illegal activity on their computer, and that the victim needed to transfer money from the account to keep the money secure. It is alleged that the member of the conspiracy directed the victim to withdraw cash from the victim’s bank account or convert cash into gold bars or coins and meet them at locations or “couriers” were used to retrieve the money.
It is further alleged that on July 16, 2026, Gan traveled from New York to State College to collect $30,000 in cash from a victim of the conspiracy.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the State College Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Geoffrey W. MacArthur is prosecuting the case.
The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 20 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following the finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Firearms Trafficker and Sicario Leader Sentenced to 130 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Jorge Adan Garcia Martinez, 21, of Roll, Arizona, was sentenced on Aug. 25, 2026, by United States District Judge Diane J. Humetewa to 130 months in prison. Garcia Martinez previously pleaded guilty to Aiding and Abetting the Receipt of Firearms for Use in a Drug Trafficking Crime.
Between April 2023 and November 4, 2024, Juan Carlos Yanez Molina, 27, of Somerton, Arizona, Jonathan Daniel Hernandez Noriega, 25, of San Luis, Arizona, Jose Guadalupe Cota Garcia, 25, of Mexico, and Roani Hernandez Jr., 27, of Bullhead City, Arizona, straw purchased firearms from federal firearms licensees in the Yuma area for Garcia Martinez.
On June 21, 2024, Garcia Martinez coordinated the delivery of five pistols and magazines to Carlos Eduardo Diaz-Barba, 21, of San Luis, Arizona. Diaz-Barba then tried to smuggle the pistols and magazines into Mexico at the port of entry in San Luis, Arizona on Garcia Martinez’s behalf. The investigation revealed that the firearms were destined for Los Salazares, a faction of the Sinaloa Cartel.
Electronic evidence showed that Garcia Martinez was also the leader of Fuerzas Especiales Jackson, a group of sicarios operating in San Luis, Sonora, Mexico. The group carried out kidnappings, torture, and murders. Garcia Martinez was arrested on Oct. 7, 2024, after law enforcement discovered his plan to retaliate against a rival group for an attack in San Luis, Sonora, that killed and injured members of his group. Garcia Martinez’s arrest disrupted a firearms trafficking cell operating in the Yuma area, and dismantled a group of sicarios operating in San Luis, Sonora.
Yanez Molina, Hernandez Noriega, Cota Garcia, and Hernandez Jr. were all previously convicted of Material False Statements During the Acquisition of Firearms. Yanez Molina was sentenced to 18 months in prison, Hernandez Noriega was sentenced to 36 months in prison, Cota Garcia was sentenced to 10 months in prison, and Hernandez was sentenced to 8 months in prison.
Diaz-Barba pleaded guilty to Aiding and Abetting the Receipt of Firearms for Use in a Drug Trafficking Crime. His sentencing is scheduled for Aug. 31, 2026, before United States District Judge Diane J. Humetewa.
Homeland Security Investigations Yuma led the investigation, in collaboration with the El Centro Field office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, with assistance from the FBI Phoenix Division’s Yuma office, U.S. Customs and Border Protection - San Luis Port of Entry, U.S. Department of Commerce’s Phoenix Field Office, and U.S. Border Patrol Yuma Sector. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Maria R. Gutierrez, Brandon M. Brown, and Benjamin S. Goldberg, handled this prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: 24-CR-01820-01-PHX -DJH
RELEASE NUMBER: 2026-146_Garcia Martinez# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Federal prosecutors in North Texas move swiftly, charge nearly 200 criminal alien repeat offenders for illegal reentryRead the Press Release
DALLAS — United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould announced that federal prosecutors have charged 184 defendants with illegal reentry after removal since June 1, marking one of the District’s most significant recent efforts to confront illegal aliens with egregious criminal history who have reentered the United States in violation of federal law.
By swiftly bringing these cases forward in coordination with federal law enforcement partners, the Department of Justice is reinforcing its commitment to safeguarding our communities. These prosecutions help ensure that individuals with prior removals who continue to engage in unlawful activity are promptly identified, charged and ultimately removed from the United States.
“Those who repeatedly break our immigration laws, especially individuals with serious criminal histories, should understand that they are not welcome in the United States,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould. “Illegal reentry is a federal felony, and we are moving swiftly to charge and remove criminal offenders who endanger our communities. North Texas will not serve as a refuge for those who persist in violating federal law.”
“ERO Dallas remains focused on arresting and removing individuals who unlawfully return to the United States after removal, especially those with serious criminal histories,” said Miguel Vergara, ERO Dallas Field Office Director. “This initiative strengthens coordination with our partners and supports safer communities.”
“HSI Dallas works closely with our federal partners to identify and investigate individuals who illegally reenter the United States after removal, particularly those with serious criminal histories,” said Antwoine Jones, HSI Dallas Deputy Special Agent in Charge. “These cases reflect the value of strong law enforcement coordination and our shared commitment to protecting public safety and upholding federal law.”
Illegal reentry carries statutory penalties that may increase based on prior criminal history. Previous criminal convictions of defendants presently charged for illegal reentry include:
- Aggravated sexual assault of a child
- Indecency with a child
- Hit & run causing fatality
- Aggravated robbery
- Aggravated assault with a deadly weapon
- Assault on a public servant
ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations and Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigations. This initiative is being led by the Assistant U.S. Attorney Rick Calvert, Major Crimes Section Chief, and the cases are being prosecuted by the following Assistant U.S. Attorneys: Myria Boehm, John Boyle, Alexander Fryer, Katy Garner, Ashley Koos, Michael Murtha, Eli Sterbcow, David Thomas and Patrick Vickery, as well as Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys: Eric Bales, Paul Lichlyter, Marbel Munoz, and Sarah Stefaniak.
An indictment is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, not evidence. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Federal Grand Jury Indicts Five for Fraud and Money Laundering Related to Deed Theft and Vehicle Title FraudRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – A federal grand jury in Louisville returned an indictment on August 19, 2026, charging three men and a woman for their roles in a deed theft conspiracy to steal vacant houses in Louisville. Three of those coconspirators, along with a fourth man, were also charged in a related scheme to obtain fraudulent vehicle titles, to give the appearance of clear title to vehicles that were stolen or abandoned.
U.S. Attorney Kyle G. Bumgarner of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Olivia Olson of the FBI Louisville Field Office, and Acting Special Agent in Charge Bobby Kuszynski of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Detroit Field Office made the announcement.
According to court documents, Donnie Russell, 58, Lisa Cunningham, 55, Jerry Wagers, 46, all of Louisville, and Steven Jamesray Cates, 47, of Mount Washington in Bullitt County, were charged with wire fraud conspiracy related to a deed theft scheme. Specifically, the indictment alleges that between April 2024 and June 2026, the defendants conspired together to create and file fraudulent deeds and illegally took over houses in Louisville, often stealing property after the true owner died without a will. Donnie Russell was also charged with two counts of aggravated identity theft for using the signatures of deceased homeowners on fraudulent deeds as part of the deed theft scheme. Donnie Russell, Lisa Cunningham, and Steven Jamesray Cates were further charged with money laundering conspiracy for using false identities to conceal their connection to the wire fraud conspiracy.
Donnie Russell, Lisa Cunningham, Steven Jamesray Cates, and Claude Oscar Cunningham III, 36, of Indiana, were charged in an additional mail fraud conspiracy related to vehicle title fraud. Specifically, the indictment alleges that between January 2024 and July 2025, they conspired together to obtain fraudulent Indiana vehicle titles using forged documents to allow the coconspirators and others to keep or sell vehicles they did not rightfully own.
On August 21, 2026, all five defendants had their initial appearances before a U.S. Magistrate Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. If convicted, each defendant could face a maximum of up to 20 years in prison per count on the fraud of money laundering charges, in addition to owing fines and victim restitution. Donnie Russell, if convicted for aggravated identity theft, could be ordered to serve an additional two-year prison sentence per count to run concurrent with any other sentence imposed. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
There is no parole in the federal system.
United States Attorney Kyle Bumgarner stated, “Allegations of defrauding families of their deceased loved one’s property is heart wrenching. I’m very proud of the work leading to this indictment.”
"No one should have to live in fear that their home will be stolen out from under them, especially those grieving from loss,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Olivia Olson.
This case is being investigated by the FBI and IRS-CI with assistance from USPIS and LMPD.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Corinne E. Keel is prosecuting the case.
The FBI’s Louisville Field Office is seeking information related to this investigation. The indictment alleges that between April 2024 and June 2026, the defendants conspired together to create and file fraudulent deeds and illegally took over houses in Louisville, often stealing property after the true owner died without a will. If you believe you were victimized by these individuals or have information relevant to this investigation, please email the FBI at [email protected] or [email protected].
This case was investigated and prosecuted as part of the National Elder Justice Task Force and the Kentucky Elder Justice Task Force. The Department of Justice’s mission of its Elder Justice Initiative is to support and coordinate the Department’s enforcement and programmatic efforts to combat elder abuse, neglect and financial fraud and scams that target our nation’s older adults. Kentucky’s task force is comprised of investigators, prosecutors, and others at the local, state, and federal level with a common objective of protecting seniors across Kentucky.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Father and Son Charged in Fentanyl Trafficking Conspiracy HSTF CaseRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced, today, that authorities arrested and charged a Maryland father and son with illegally distributing more than a kilogram of fentanyl.
Rashad Deondre Hicks, 36, of Largo, is charged by complaint with distribution of 400 grams or more of fentanyl. Lawrence Alonzo Hicks, 62, of District Heights, is also charged with possession with intent to distribute more than 400 grams of fentanyl. The charges are in connection with a months-long investigation involving multiple sales of fentanyl.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the arrests with Special Agent in Charge Christopher C. Goumenis, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) – Washington Division; Assistant Director in Charge Darren B. Cox, FBI Washington Field Office; Clinton J. Fuchs, U.S. Marshal for the District of Maryland (USMS); Interim Chief of Police Jeffery W. Carroll, Metropolitan Police Department; Chief George Nader, Prince George’s County Police Department (PGPD); and Sheriff Troy D. Berry, Charles County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO).
According to court documents, beginning in January 2026, the DEA, FBI, and CCSO began investigating Rashad Hicks, who authorities believed was selling large quantities of fentanyl that was provided to him by Lawrence Hicks. During the investigation, law enforcement utilized an undercover officer to make eight controlled purchases of fentanyl from Rashad Hicks. The controlled purchases totaled more than 1,300 grams of fentanyl with a street value of more than $100,000.
Additionally, at the time of the arrests, law enforcement executed several search warrants. Law enforcement recovered from Rashad Hicks’s residence approximately 230 grams of suspected fentanyl, 1018 grams of suspected cocaine base, two loaded firearms, and approximately $5,000 in U.S. currency. Law enforcement recovered from Lawrence Hicks’s residence approximately 9.51 kilograms of suspected cocaine, 2.6 kilograms of suspected cocaine base, 4.4 kilograms of suspected fentanyl, and approximately $10,000 in U.S. currency. The street value of the recovered illegal narcotics is approximately $1,700,000.
A criminal complaint is not a finding of guilt. Individuals charged by criminal complaint are presumed innocent until proven guilty at a later criminal proceeding.
If convicted, Rashad and Lawrence Hicks face a mandatory minimum of 10 years and a maximum of up to life in federal prison for distributing 400 grams or more of fentanyl.
Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This prosecution is part of the HSTF initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Baltimore is comprised of agents and officers from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); the United States Attorney’s Office (USAO) for the District of Maryland; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI); the United States Marshals Service (USMS); the Washington/Baltimore HIDTA (W/B HIDTA); the Maryland State Police (MSP); the Baltimore Police Department (BPD); and the Baltimore County Police Department (BCPD) with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the DEA, FBI, USMS, MPD, PGPD, and CCSO for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anthony Scarpelli and William Moomau who are prosecuting this federal case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md.
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Elementary School Teacher Arrested on Child Pornography ChargeRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Eric Sanville, 39, of Norwood, Pennsylvania, was arrested today and charged by criminal complaint with manufacture and attempted manufacture of child pornography. Sanville is an elementary school teacher in the North Penn School District.
The defendant made his initial appearance in federal court this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Elizabeth L. Toplin and will be detained in federal custody pending indictment and trial.
The criminal complaint alleges that Sanville used a messaging app to entice two minors, both eight-year-old girls, to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing visual depictions of those acts.
If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of 30 years in prison, with a mandatory minimum term of 15 years’ imprisonment.
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 Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit projectsafechildhood.gov.
The case was investigated by FBI Philadelphia’s Newtown Square Resident Agency, with assistance from the Delaware County District Attorney's Office Criminal Investigation Division, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kelly Harrell and Angela Monaco.
The charges and allegations contained in the criminal complaint are merely accusations. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
Dominican Republic Cocaine Kingpin Extradited to United States on Narcotics Trafficking and Money Laundering Charges as Part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF)Read the Press Release
NEWARK, NJ. – The leader of a Dominican Republic-based international cocaine trafficking and money laundering organization was extradited from Colombia to the United States today, U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer announced.
Erick Randhiel Mosquea-Polanco, a/k/a “Ramon,” a/k/a “E,” 45, is charged in a three-count Superseding Indictment in the District of New Jersey with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine, possession with intent to distribute 5 kilograms of more of cocaine, and conspiracy to launder monetary instruments. Mosquea-Polanco was arrested in Colombia at the request of the United States in December 2024, and extradited today to Puerto Rico, where he also faces federal charges. Mosquea-Polanco had his Rule 5 initial appearance today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Marcos E. López in Puerto Rico federal court and was detained. He will have an initial appearance in the District of New Jersey at a future date.
“During the Homeland Security Task Force investigation against this leader of a Dominican based drug trafficking organization extradited from Colombia, law enforcement seized millions of dollars worth of cocaine and narcotics proceeds from his drug trafficking organization,” said Attorney General Todd Blanche. “Numerous other members of the organization have already been convicted. Under this administration, federal law enforcement has the tools to find these high-profile drug lords and dismantle their organizations anywhere in the world, because we have President Trump as a leader who unified a permanent interagency task force across all 52 U.S. states and territories.”
“The defendant is alleged to have been the leader of an international drug trafficking organization based in the Dominican Republic that distributed thousands of kilograms of cocaine in the United States and laundered millions of dollars of narcotics proceeds. After the defendant fled the Dominican Republic using false documents, we and our domestic and international law enforcement partners did not rest until he was located in Colombia and extradited to face charges in New Jersey and Puerto Rico. As this prosecution shows, my Office will continue to take the fight to drug cartels, both here and abroad.”
- U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer
“Mosquea Polanco ran a cocaine trafficking network that stretched across Colombia, Venezuela, the Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico. Now he will answer for his alleged crimes in the United States,” said DEA Administrator Terry Cole. “This extradition underscores the reach of our partnerships and our resolve to bring drug traffickers to U.S courts, no matter where they operate.”
“Today’s extradition represents another significant step in dismantling an international cocaine trafficking and money laundering organization that operated across borders and brought thousands of kilograms of cocaine into our communities,” said DEA New Jersey Field Division Special Agent in Charge Towanda R. Thorne-James. “This investigation demonstrates the commitment of the men and women of DEA to pursuing drug trafficking organizations wherever they operate and holding their leaders accountable for the harm they cause. We will continue to work closely with our domestic and international law enforcement partners to disrupt the flow of dangerous drugs, seize illicit proceeds, and bring those responsible to justice.”
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Mosquea-Polanco, identified by the DEA as a Regional Priority Organizational Target (RPOT), was the leader of a Dominican Republic-based international drug trafficking organization that distributed more than a thousand kilograms of cocaine in New Jersey, New York, and elsewhere from January 2020 through September 2023. In addition, Mosquea-Polanco coordinated the laundering of millions of dollars of cocaine proceeds to the Dominican Republic and elsewhere. During the investigation, law enforcement seized dozens of kilograms of cocaine and more than $6 million in narcotics proceeds from Mosquea’s drug trafficking organization. Numerous other members of the drug trafficking organization have already been convicted, including the recent conviction at trial of Samuel Alectus, a/k/a “Capet,” 37, on July 16, 2026.
The charges of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine and possession with intent to distribute cocaine each carry a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment, a statutory maximum sentence of life in prison, and a statutory maximum fine of $10 million. The money laundering conspiracy charge carries a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment and a statutory maximum fine of up to $500,000 or twice the value of the property involved in the transaction, whichever is greater.
U.S. Attorney Frazer credited special agents and task force officers of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, New Jersey Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Towanda R. Thorne-James. He also thanked the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy in Newark, New Jersey; the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration in Bogota, Colombia; the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration in the Dominican Republic; the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration in Puerto Rico; and the United States Marshals Service in Bogota, Colombia. The Justice Department’s Judicial Attaché in Bogotá and Office of International Affairs provided substantial assistance in securing the arrest of Mosquea-Polanco and his extradition to the United States. U.S. Attorney Frazer also thanked officials in Colombia and the Colombian National Police for their assistance in the investigation.
This extradition is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Newark comprises agents and officers from FBI, HSI, DEA, IRS, ATF, USMS, HIDTA, CBP, ERO, DSS and local law enforcement with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Marko Pesce, Deputy Chief of the Criminal Division, and Christopher Fell, of the Economic Crimes Unit in Newark.
The charges and allegations contained in the Superseding Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Defense counsel: Silvia Pinera-Vazquez, Miami, Florida
Dominican National Charged with Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG -The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Daniel Frias Rodriguez, age 50, a citizen of the Dominican Republic, was indicted on August 26, 2026, by a federal grand jury on the charge of illegally reentering the United States after having previously been removed.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, the indictment alleges that Frias Rodriguez illegally reentered the United States without proper authorization and was found in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, on August 14, 2026. Frias Rodriguez was previously removed from the United States through New Orleans, Louisiana, on July 16, 2013, after a conviction for an aggravated felony.
The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Francis P. Sempa is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF York comprises agents and officers from the Department of Homeland Security with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania.
The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 20 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following the 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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Corinth Man Sentenced for Trafficking Child Exploitation Materials from the Dark WebRead the Press Release
OXFORD, Miss. – A Corinth, Mississippi man was sentenced today by Senior District Judge Michael P. Mills, to 10 years in prison for transporting images and videos of children under 12 and engaging in sexually explicit conduct from the dark web to an online cloud storage.
According to court documents, Zachary “Zach” Alan Little, 36, was found with almost 4,000 child sexual abuse files. Many of the images and videos portrayed children between 7 and 10 years old.
In addition to his prison term, Little was sentenced to five years of supervised release and must register as a sex offender where he lives, where he works, and where he is a student.
U.S. Attorney Scott Leary of the Northern District of Mississippi, FBI SAC Robert Eikhoff, and Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch made the announcement. The FBI and the Mississippi Attorney General’s Office were involved in the investigation of the case.
U.S. Attorney Leary said, “I am honored to work with such dedicated law enforcement officers, while at the same time angered that we continually face such crimes. Understanding that we have small children being victimized in this case, society must respond. These child exploitation cases are heartbreaking. It takes extremely dedicated and professional agents to work these investigations, and that is what we have in Mississippi. Child exploitation cases are growing in complexity and proliferation. Thank goodness we have officers and prosecutors that can carry the load. Excellent job FBI and Mississippi Attorney General’s office, perhaps one day these type cases will be outliers rather than common.”
Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Jackson Field Office Robert Eikhoff stated, “There is absolutely no place in our communities for individuals who prey on children. Little’s exploitation of our youth is a profoundly egregious crime, and it will not be tolerated under any circumstance. The FBI, together with our federal and state law enforcement partners, is unwavering in its commitment to identify and bring to justice anyone who seeks to rob our minors of their innocence.”
“Predators who exploit children will be held accountable for their crimes,” said Attorney General Lynn Fitch. “The young children depicted in the thousands of images recovered in this case are revictimized every time one of those images is shared or viewed. I am grateful to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the partnership that secured this sentence. Together, we are making Mississippi a safer place for all children."
Assistant U.S. Attorney Parker S. King prosecuted the case as part of Project Safe Childhood.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
Colorado Man Charged with Attempting to Murder Five Deputy US Marshals in Vero BeachRead the Press Release
MIAMI – A grand jury in the Southern District of Florida has returned an indictment charging a Colorado man with attempting to murder five Deputy U.S. Marshals who were trying to arrest him in Vero Beach.
According to court records, Thomas Earl Steffens, 72, of Grand Junction, Colorado, was wanted on an arrest warrant in Colorado when he traveled by bus to Vero Beach. Members of the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force tracked Steffens to Vero Beach on March 2. As the Deputy U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force moved to arrest him, Steffens allegedly opened fire, striking one deputy in the chest and leg. The deputies returned fire, and Steffens was taken into custody.
Steffens is charged with five counts of attempted murder of a federal officer, five counts of aggravated assault of a federal officer, and one count of discharging a firearm during a crime of violence. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of life in federal prison.
U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida and Special Agent in Charge Brett Skiles of the FBI, Miami Field Office, made the announcement.
FBI Miami is investigating the case, with assistance from the Indian River County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin Hoover and William C. Long are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.sdfl.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.sdfl.uscourts.gov, under case number 26-cr-14054.
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Charlotte Woman Sentenced for Defrauding the North Carolina Medicaid ProgramRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Crystal Sherrell Jackson, 40, of Charlotte, was sentenced today to 48 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for submitting fraudulent bills to the North Carolina Medicaid Program (NC Medicaid) for psychotherapy services and urine drug testing that were never provided, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Jackson was also ordered to pay $1,623,983.08 in restitution.
“Medicaid fraud is a crime on all of us – it steals taxpayer money, makes healthcare more expensive, and compromises the integrity of our entire healthcare system,” said U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson. “In addition, it is a nightmare for those whose identities are stolen. We are grateful for the teamwork essential to combatting this widespread fraud.”
“The only acceptable level of Medicaid fraud is zero, and we’re going to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute fraud at every instance,” said North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson. “I’m grateful to U.S. Attorney Freguson and his team for their partnership in prosecuting this fraudster and winning back Medicaid dollars for taxpayers.”
According to court documents and court proceedings, Jackson was a North Carolina-licensed clinical addiction specialist-associate and NC Medicaid enrolled provider who owned and operated a company called Jackson Consulting and Services, LLC (JCS). JCS held itself out as a mental health agency, clinical laboratory, and consulting business. Jackson also enrolled JCS with NC Medicaid so that both she and the company could bill NC Medicaid for those services they purportedly provided to eligible NC Medicaid recipients. However, between 2020 and 2024, Jackson and JCS submitted over $1.9 million in sham claims for payment to NC Medicaid for drug testing and psychotherapy services that were either never performed at all or for which they were already paid.
To carry out the scheme, Jackson obtained licensure under the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA), which enabled Jackson to bill NC Medicaid for the highest allowable reimbursement rates for drug testing, by submitting false documents. Jackson then
filed fraudulent claims for expensive urine drug testing, and psychotherapy services, using the personal information of NC Medicaid recipients, including their names, addresses, dates of birth, and unique NC Medicaid recipient numbers. Jackson obtained the personally identifiable information of these Medicaid recipients in a variety of ways, including from having a prior or unrelated treatment relationship, and from associates. In most cases, the NC Medicaid recipients did not know their information was used by Jackson and JCS to submit fraudulent claims for reimbursement, did not authorize the filing of fraudulent claims on their behalf, and never received the services for which Jackson and JCS billed the NC Medicaid Program. Jackson targeted a vulnerable Medicaid population, and her victims included more than a dozen children, incarcerated individuals, and even submitted bogus bills for services she claimed she performed for Medicaid recipients who were deceased at the time the services were purportedly rendered.
As Jackson previously admitted in court, she also engaged in transactional money laundering by spending the proceeds of her unlawful scheme.
In announcing Jackson’s sentence, U.S. District Judge Kenneth D. Bell said, it is “an assault on society for benefits programs to be defrauded,” and stressed the importance of general deterrence.
Jackson pleaded guilty in March 2026 to healthcare fraud and transactional money laundering. She is currently in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson thanked the FBI in Charlotte, the North Carolina Attorney General’s Medicaid Investigations Division, and IRS-Criminal Investigation for their investigative work in this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine Armstrong, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristina Fleisch, with the North Carolina Medicaid Division, prosecuted the case.
If you suspect Medicare or Medicaid fraud, please report it by phone at 1-800-HHS-TIPS (1-800-447-8477), or via email at [email protected].
To report Medicaid fraud in North Carolina, call the North Carolina Medicaid Investigations Division at 919-881-2320 or fill out an online complaint form.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (Fraud Division). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.