Latest Records
Newest first across public DOJ and U.S. Attorney press releases.
17 September 2026
Ohio Man Sentenced to 35 Years in Federal Prison for Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Gainesville, Florida –Ronald Pate Newman, III, 27, of Youngstown, Ohio, was sentenced to 35 years in federal prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release for two counts of the production of child pornography. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “This case highlights the growing threats our children face online from sexual predators, like this defendant, who seek to sexually exploit and victimize them. This substantial prison sentence is righteous punishment for the disgusting crimes this defendant committed in robbing the child victim of their innocence. My office will continue to aggressively prosecute predators, like this defendant, and seek maximum punishments to ensure they can never again victimize another child.”
Court documents reflect that in April 2025, law enforcement became aware that a previously convicted sex offender used an 11-year-old child from Florida to produce images of the child engaging in sexually explicit conduct. The defendant met the victim on a “safe for work” account, meaning all posts must be publicly appropriate, but he soon convinced the child to message him privately where he began grooming and then directing the child to create explicit photographs, which he posted in other accounts. The defendant was arrested in Ohio, and a subsequent forensic analysis of seized devices identified over 500 images of child pornography.
Due to his prior convictions, Newman was sentenced to a mandatory minimum of thirty-five years’ imprisonment in federal prison. When released, he will be supervised for the remainder of his life, which includes registering again as a sex offender.
The case involved a joint investigation by the Levy County Sheriff’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Christie S. Utt.
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.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.
North Texas man receives federal prison sentence for threatening to kill ICE agentsRead the Press Release
DALLAS — United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould announced that a North Texas man was sentenced Sept. 16 to 17 months in federal prison for threatening to shoot and kill ICE agents.
Robert Wilson King, 36, pleaded guilty June 16 to transmitting an interstate threat in connection with a post he made on a social media platform, stating, “If I see ICE agents in my neighborhood I’m opening fire. It’s time to stop being p****** and put the second amendment to work. ICE are not real cops, they are a secret police force with no real legal authority. Kill them.”
“There is no place for political violence in this country, and that includes hiding behind a keyboard to threaten the lives of the men and women who serve in federal law enforcement,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould. “Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents perform critical duties for our nation, and they should never have to fear for their own lives or the safety of their families simply for doing their jobs. Those who attempt to intimidate, harass or threaten federal officials will be tracked down and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
“The FBI takes all threats of violence seriously. Online threats directed at federal law enforcement officers is a federal crime and carries serious consequences,” said FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock. “We would like to thank our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners that contributed to the outcome of this investigation. Law enforcement’s collaborative effort ensured this offender was held accountable for his actions.”
“Threats of violence against federal law enforcement officers are not protected speech; it is a criminal act that will be taken seriously and investigated thoroughly,” said HSI Dallas Deputy Special Agent in Charge Antwoine Jones. “This sentence sends a clear message that those who threaten officers or attempt to intimidate them from performing their lawful responsibilities will be held accountable.”
“This sentence sends a strong message that political violence will not be tolerated and those who threaten members of law enforcement will be held accountable,” said U.S. Secret Service Dallas Field Office Special Agent in Charge Christina Foley. “Through strong partnerships with our federal, state and local counterparts—and by leveraging our unique technical and investigative capabilities—we remain committed to bringing to justice those who threaten the safety and lives of others.”
According to court documents, this was one of several politically themed violent threats King posted on social media.
U.S. District Judge Brantley Starr sentenced King to 17 months in federal prison, followed by two years of supervised release.
The FBI, Homeland Security Investigations and the U.S. Secret Service conducted the investigation with assistance from the Texas Department of Public Safety, the Kaufman County Sheriff’s Office and the McKinney Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas Brasher prosecuted the case.
###
Norfolk predator sentenced to over 18 years in prison for attempting to sexually exploit childrenRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A former Navy Petty Officer was sentenced today to 18 years and four months in prison for attempted sexual exploitation of children.
According to court documents, over a period of at least three years, Tucker Lee Martin, 32, engaged in various forms of online child exploitation, including sending sexual messages to minors through social media, requesting sexual images from minors, sending sexual pictures to minors, and possessing and distributing child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
As the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) investigated Martin’s Tumblr account, which he had used to receive CSAM, investigators identified a photo Martin took of himself performing or simulating the performance of a sexual act while seated next to the three-year-old son of his then fiancée. Investigators also found a message from Martin expressing his desire to sexually abuse “a little 8-year-old.”
Martin used his snapchat account to ask an adult to take a sexually explicit picture of her six-year-old niece and send it to him, and then asked if he could touch the niece. On Feb. 20, 2022, Martin used Snapchat to send a sexually explicit photo of himself to a 14-year-old girl and requested that she send him nude images of herself.
In another Snapchat exchange, on Feb. 16, 2022, Martin asked a girl he believed to be 13 years old to send him a sexually explicit photo of herself. Martin expressed his interest in having sex with the girl, but she explained that she lived in another state. Martin then encouraged her to engage in bestiality and provided her with instructions for how to do so.
On Martin’s cellphones, investigators identified a total of 217 CSAM or suspected CSAM files. A search of Martin’s Kik account revealed 172 files containing CSAM or suspected CSAM. Martin also used Kik to communicate to another user that one of his goals included repeatedly raping that user’s five-year-old daughter.
Theophani K. Stamos, First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Steven DiGiantommaso, Special Agent in Charge of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) Norfolk Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Mark S. Davis.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys Hannah E. Wirt and Nikolas Nelson 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 U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
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. 2:26-cr-32.
Newport News man sentenced to 10 years in prison for child sexual abuse materialRead the Press Release
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Newport News man was sentenced today to 10 years in prison for receipt of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
According to court documents, William Thomas Alley, 41, used Kik and Telegram applications to chat with other users about CSAM and solicited CSAM online.
In December 2025, the FBI searched Alley’s place of employment, where he was living at the time, and seized seven electronic devices. On those devices, Alley possessed 398 images of CSAM, including images of toddlers, bestiality, and bondage, and 58 video files of CSAM.
Theophani K. Stamos, First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Dominique Evans, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office; and Steve R. Drew, Chief of Newport News Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Jamar K. Walker. The Southern Virginia Internet Crimes Against Children (SOVA ICAC) Task Force at Bedford County Sheriff’s Office assisted in the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter G. Osyf 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 U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
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. 4:26-cr-14.
New Orleans Man Sentenced in Homeland Security Task Force Investigation for Violations of the Federal Controlled Substances and Gun Control ActsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS –DARREN HULBERT, SR., age 54, of New Orleans, Louisiana, was sentenced on September 10, 2026, by United States Judge Carl Barbier, to 120 months in prison to be followed by four years of supervised release, after he previously pled guilty to violations of the Federal Controlled Substances Act and the Federal Gun Control Act, announced United States Attorney David I. Courcelle.
HULBERT previously pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute at least 40 grams of fentanyl, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(B), and 846. HULBERT also pled guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine, cocaine base, and fentanyl, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(C) and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime in violation of Title 18, U.S.C. § 924(c)(1)(A)(i).
The Court also imposed a mandatory $100 special assessment fee per count.
According to court documents, HULBERT conspired with others to distribute at least 40 grams of fentanyl in the Eastern District of Louisiana. On May 4, 2023, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) searched HULBERT’S residence and seized approximately 82.4 grams of cocaine base, 69.9 grams of cocaine, 7.89 grams of fentanyl, 7.36 grams of methamphetamine, and marijuana. Law enforcement also seized three firearms, including: a Smith and Wesson Model 6906 9mm pistol, a Springfield XD-S, .45 caliber handgun, and a Century Arms AK Style Rifle.
United States Attorney David I. Courcelle praised the work of the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Louisiana State Police. Assistant United States Attorneys Rachal Cassagne and André Jones are in charge of the prosecution.
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. HSTF New Orleans comprises agents and officers from the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Bureau of Investigations, Drug Enforcement Administration and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana.
* * *
Milwaukee Man Sentenced to 18 Years for Commercial Child Sexual ExploitationRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Chadwick M. Elgersma, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, together with Brad Schimel, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that Stelio Kalkounos, 53, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, was sentenced last week by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson, to 18 years in federal prison for receiving child sex abuse material (CSAM). Kalkounos pleaded guilty to this charge on May 13, 2026.
In 2022, Kalkounos met a 16-year-old girl online. In 2022 and 2023, Kalkounos met the girl at hotels in Racine County, in the Eastern District, and paid her to engage in sexual activity. In 2023, Kalkounos again went online and met another 16-year-old girl. Although the girl disclosed that she was a minor almost immediately after meeting him online, Kalkounos went on to solicit and pay for sexually explicit images and videos from her. Kalkounos progressed to meeting her at hotels in Madison, in the Western District, for commercial sex. This lasted for at least five months.
Calling Kalkounos’s crime “very disturbing,” Judge Peterson found Kalkounos pressured the survivors to perform sex acts they did not want to do and treated them cruelly. This had a devastating effect on the survivors, who were “not prepared” for the man they met on the internet, according to Judge Peterson.
In assessing Kalkounos’s danger to the community, Judge Peterson noted Kalkounos’s criminal history. In 2006, Kalkounos was convicted in the Eastern District of traveling across state lines for sex with what he believed was a 14-year-old girl but was actually an undercover officer. After serving a federal prison term for that offense, Kalkounos had a successful career in the restaurant industry and owned Five O’clock Steakhouse at the time of the offense. Without confidence that Kalkounos could be prevented from returning to similar crimes in the future, Judge Peterson found the lengthy term of imprisonment was warranted.
The charge against Kalkounos was the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI. The case was handled by Western District Assistant U.S. Attorneys Megan Stelljes and Julie Pfluger and Eastern District Assistant U.S. Attorney Abbey Marzick.
This investigation was a part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Metairie Man Indicted for Receipt of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – JOSHUA STEPHEN JOHNSON (“JOHNSON”), age 32, of Metairie, Louisiana, was indicted on September 17, 2026, for receipt of child pornography, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 2252(a)(2) and (b)(1), announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle.
If convicted, JOHNSON faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five (5) years and a maximum sentence of twenty (20) years imprisonment, and/or a fine of up to $250,000.00. In addition, JOHNSON faces a term of supervised release of no less than five (5) years and up to life and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee. JOHNSON may also be required to register as a sex offender.
According to court documents, allegedly, beginning at a time unknown, and continuing until on or about June 26, 2026, JOHNSON, did knowingly receive, and attempt to receive, digital images, computer images, and digital video files that involved a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct.
U.S. Attorney Courcelle reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
U.S. Attorney Courcelle praised the work of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations; the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office; and the Louisiana Bureau of Investigation in investigating this matter. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Anne Flippo, of the Public Integrity Unit and Human Trafficking Child Exploitation Task Force.
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.
* * *
Massachusetts Man Sentenced to Prison for Conspiring to Violate the Anti-Kickback StatuteRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Massachusetts man was sentenced on Sept. 10, 2026 for conspiring to violate the Anti-Kickback Statute.
Deane Gilmore, 36, of Walpole, Mass., was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Brian E. Murphy to 13 months in prison, to be followed by 18 months of supervised release with the first year to be served on home confinement. Gilmore was also ordered to pay restitution and forfeiture of $2.3 million. In January 2026, Gilmore pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to pay and receive kickbacks after Gilmore was charged in December 2025.
From approximately March 2020 through April 2022, Gilmore owned and managed two durable medical equipment (DME) companies, Jupiter Medical Associates Inc. and Granite Medical Associates Inc. Gilmore. Through these companies, Gilmore illegally paid telemarketers who obtained medical information from Medicare beneficiaries to prepare orders for DME, such as back, knee, wrist, or ankle braces. The orders provided by the telemarketers made it appear that medical practitioners were legitimately prescribing DME to these beneficiaries, when, in fact, the orders were frequently medically unnecessary and based on false documentation. By paying these telemarketers on a per-order basis, Gilmore violated the Anti-Kickback Statute.
Over the course of his scheme, Gilmore submitted or caused to be submitted a total of approximately $6.5 million in kickback-tainted claims to Medicare. Medicare ultimately paid out approximately $2.3 million for these kickback-tainted claims.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Roberto Coviello, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services’ Office of the Inspector General; Justin Page, Acting Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; and Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher R. Looney of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case.
On March 26, 2026, United States Attorney Leah B. Foley announced the creation of the Benefit & Voter Fraud Team, a district-wide initiative established in response to the rampant fraud being uncovered across Massachusetts.
Members of the public are encouraged to report suspected benefit fraud in Massachusetts by calling 1-855-SCAM-MA-1 (855-722-6621).
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.
Maryland Nurse Pleads Guilty to Health Care Fraud Conspiracy for Role in $14 Million D.C. Medicaid SchemeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Vera Nyiawung, 34, a registered nurse from Bowie, Maryland, pleaded guilty today in connection with a $14 million health care fraud scheme that billed D.C. Medicaid for mental health services that were never provided or were grossly inflated, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
“Padding call lengths, recycling notes, and billing Medicaid for care that never happened isn’t healthcare—it’s organized theft,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “Vera Nyiawung was trusted to oversee care for vulnerable youth but instead used her position to validate fake records and facilitate a multi-million-dollar fraud scheme. My office will relentlessly prosecute those who exploit public healthcare programs for personal gain.”
Nyiawung pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Emmet G. Sullivan to one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud. Nyiawung faces up to 10 years in prison a $250,000 fine and restitution.
According to court documents, Nyiawung was employed as a nurse at a D.C. Medicaid provider authorized to deliver mental health rehabilitative services to youth and adolescents, beginning in January 2023. In addition to her nursing duties, Nyiawung performed Community Support Worker (CSW) duties, supervised other staff, and reviewed encounter notes for approval.
Nyiawung conspired with company employees and other community support workers to siphon millions from D.C. Medicaid through thousands of fraudulent claims for reimbursement. Company employees directed Nyiawung and other workers to bill the maximum allowable time per consumer regardless of medical necessity or actual service.
To execute the scheme, workers, like Nyiawung, billed a full hour for telephonic encounters even if the calls only lasted a few minutes. Workers were trained to evade false claims detection by randomly selecting times a few minutes below the 60-minute maximum call length. Workers were directed to bill three hours, and later one hour, for diagnostic assessments regardless of how much time was spent with the consumer. Community support workers were told to recycle information from a single telehealth session to generate multiple fabricated encounter notes. This resulted in bills to D.C. Medicaid for several days of services that were based on only one actual conversation with the consumer.
Investigators determined that Nyiawung’s participation in the conspiracy resulted in a loss to Medicaid of over $550,000.
Joining in the announcement was Matthew Wilcoxson, Interim Inspector General for the District of Columbia.
This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office, the D.C. Office of the Inspector General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, and the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General. The District Department of Health Care Finance’s Division of Program Integrity referred this matter and provided assistance during the investigation.
The matter was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Facci of the Fraud, Public Corruption, and Civil Rights Section.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (“Fraud Division”). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
The Department of Justice’s Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in federal districts across the country, has charged more than 6,200 defendants who collectively billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $45 billion since 2007. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
26cr175
Maryland Long Term Care Pharmacy Pays $5.3M to Settle Allegations of Billing for Drugs Without Valid PrescriptionsRead the Press Release
Remedi SeniorCare Holding Corporation (Remedi), headquartered in Towson, Maryland, has agreed to pay over $5.3 million to the United States to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act (FCA) by billing the Medicare and Medicaid programs for prescription drugs despite lacking valid prescriptions. The settlement is based on Remedi’s ability to pay and will be paid over time.
The United States alleged that, from Jan. 1, 2015 through March 31, 2021, Remedi submitted false claims to the Medicare and Medicaid programs for prescription drugs that lacked valid prescriptions and were dispensed to residents of assisted living facilities in various states.
“When pharmacies dispense drugs without valid prescriptions, they undermine both patient safety and the integrity of vital federal healthcare programs,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Today’s resolution demonstrates the Department’s commitment to protecting vulnerable populations and holding accountable pharmacies that fail to comply with their obligations under the False Claims Act.”
“Billing Medicare and Medicaid for prescription drugs without a valid prescription is unlawful and can present serious risks,” said U.S. Attorney Dominick S. Gerace II for the Southern District of Ohio. “As evidenced by this settlement, my Office will enforce the FCA to hold responsible those who improperly bill federal programs.”
“Billing Medicare and Medicaid for drugs dispensed without valid prescriptions puts residents of assisted living facilities at risk and undermines essential safeguards designed to protect patient health and federal health care programs,” said Acting Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Miranda L. Bennett of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS OIG, working closely with our law enforcement partners, will continue to hold accountable those who disregard requirements meant to ensure the safety of patients and the integrity of taxpayer funded programs.”
The settlement includes the resolution of claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act by Maureen Gearhart and Laura Griffieth, former employees of Remedi. Under those provisions, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. The qui tam case is captioned United States ex rel. Gearhart & Griffieth v. Remedi SeniorCare Holding Corp., et al., No. 1:20cv970 (S.D. Ohio). The settlement provides for the whistleblowers to receive a share of the settlement payments made over time.
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Ohio, with assistance from HHS-OIG and the Attorney General’s Office for the State of Ohio.
The matter was handled by Fraud Section Senior Litigation Counsel Laurie A. Oberembt of the Justice Department’s Civil Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandi Stewart for the Southern District of Ohio.
The investigation and resolution of this matter illustrate the government’s emphasis on combating healthcare fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement, can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).
This year the Administration launched the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud and the National Fraud Enforcement Division to enhance the Administration’s war on fraud, waste, and abuse in federal programs. When unscrupulous actors exploit these programs for their own financial gain, they defraud the government, harm the people these programs are designed to aid and protect, and undermine American businesses that play by the rules. The Civil Division’s FCA enforcement plays a critical role in combatting such fraudulent schemes, recovering billions of dollars for the American taxpayers, and holding wrongdoers accountable. FCA matters will continue to be on the forefront of the battle against fraud, and the Civil Division’s FCA work will support and advance the mission of the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud and the National Fraud Enforcement Division.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
Note: This release was updated from a previous version
Marion Woman Sentenced to Prison for Defrauding FEMA After Hurricane HeleneRead the Press Release
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Today, Chief U.S. District Judge Martin Reidinger sentenced Peggy Lee Cantrell, 41, of Marion, North Carolina, to three years in prison followed by four years of supervised release for defrauding the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) following Hurricane Helene, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Cantrell was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $30,631.59 to FEMA.
“In the wake of Hurricane Helene, disaster relief was essential for rebuilding our community. Every dollar of that money should have gone to those that needed it. Instead, Cantrell stole that taxpayer money —and committed her fraud while she was in jail,” said U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson. “We will continue to root out fraud and prosecute those who exploit federal programs, because every dollar taken through fraud is a dollar that cannot help our communities recover.”
According to court records, on or about February 22, 2025, Cantrell filed an application for disaster assistance with FEMA for a dwelling she claimed was located at 193 Beaver Creek Road in Marion, and that she falsely claimed was destroyed by Hurricane Helene in September 2024. In the application, Cantrell asserted that she rented the property and that the damaged dwelling was her primary residence. On or about February 27, 2025, Cantrell falsely amended her FEMA application’s residential status from renter to owner of the damaged dwelling. Then, on February 28, 2025, Cantrell falsely represented to a FEMA inspector that she owned the residential trailer that was destroyed, but not the land where the trailer was placed. Contrary to her claims, Cantrell never lived at, rented, or owned a residence or structure at that location, and no dwelling existed at that location at the time the storm struck the area. At the time Hurricane Helene hit Western North Carolina, Cantrell was an inmate with the North Carolina Department of Adult Corrections and outside the effects of the storm.
Court records show that, in March 2025, Cantrell submitted a handwritten letter to FEMA attesting that the information she had provided was “true and correct,” falsely claiming that she had purchased the dwelling for $8,500 and that she had lived there for 25 years. She also falsely attested that all of her important personal documents “got washed away by Hurricane Helene.” The same month, FEMA paid Cantrell’s false claim and wired her $30,631.59
In October 2025, Cantrell pleaded guilty to fraud in connection with a major disaster or emergency benefits. She is currently in federal custody after her bond was revoked for drug use. She will be transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.
U.S. Attorney Ferguson commended the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Office of the Inspector General, and FEMA’s Fraud Investigations and Inspections Division for their investigation of the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Don Gast of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville prosecuted the case.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (Fraud Division). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
Milwaukee Man Sentenced to 18 Years for Commercial Child Sexual ExploitationRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Chadwick M. Elgersma, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, together with Brad Schimel, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that Stelio Kalkounos, 53, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, was sentenced last week by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson, to 18 years in federal prison for receiving child sex abuse material (CSAM). Kalkounos pleaded guilty to this charge on May 13, 2026.
In 2022, Kalkounos met a 16-year-old girl online. In 2022 and 2023, Kalkounos met the girl at hotels in Racine County, in the Eastern District, and paid her to engage in sexual activity. In 2023, Kalkounos again went online and met another 16-year-old girl. Although the girl disclosed that she was a minor almost immediately after meeting him online, Kalkounos went on to solicit and pay for sexually explicit images and videos from her. Kalkounos progressed to meeting her at hotels in Madison, in the Western District, for commercial sex. This lasted for at least five months.
Calling Kalkounos’s crime “very disturbing,” Judge Peterson found Kalkounos pressured the survivors to perform sex acts they did not want to do and treated them cruelly. This had a devastating effect on the survivors, who were “not prepared” for the man they met on the internet, according to Judge Peterson.
In assessing Kalkounos’s danger to the community, Judge Peterson noted Kalkounos’s criminal history. In 2006, Kalkounos was convicted in the Eastern District of traveling across state lines for sex with what he believed was a 14-year-old girl but was actually an undercover officer. After serving a federal prison term for that offense, Kalkounos had a successful career in the restaurant industry and owned Five O’clock Steakhouse at the time of the offense. Without confidence that Kalkounos could be prevented from returning to similar crimes in the future, Judge Peterson found the lengthy term of imprisonment was warranted.
The charge against Kalkounos was the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI. The case was handled by Western District Assistant U.S. Attorneys Megan Stelljes and Julie Pfluger and Eastern District Assistant U.S. Attorney Abbey Marzick.
This investigation was a part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
####
Kansas man indicted for having a machine gunRead the Press Release
TOPEKA, KAN. – A federal grand jury in Topeka returned an indictment charging a Kansas man with a firearms offense.
According to court documents, Robert Brandon Jackson, Jr., 20, of Kansas City, Kansas, was indicted on one count of possession of a machine gun.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Taylor Hines is prosecuting the case.
OTHER INDICTMENTS
Martin Efrain Monreal-Gallegos, 26, an illegal alien from Mexico, was indicted on one count of reentry after deportation. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is investigating the case.
Aaron Ramses Matuz-Dominguez, 39, an illegal alien from Mexico, was indicted on one count of reentry after deportation. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is investigating the case.
Joshue Eugenio Parrequin-Soriano, 39, an illegal alien from Mexico, was indicted on one count of reentry after deportation. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is investigating the case.
Gregorio Santiago-Gutierrez, 47, an illegal alien from Guatemala, was indicted on one count of reentry after deportation. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is investigating the case.
Robertoni Suchiapa-Gutu, 47, an illegal alien from Mexico, was indicted on one count of reentry of a removed alien. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is investigating the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
###
Jury Finds D.C. Man Guilty of Manslaughter for Stabbing Co-Worker at Audi FieldRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Wali Shabazz, 51, of Washington, D.C., was found guilty yesterday, by a Superior Court jury, for a stabbing incident that took place on the sidewalk of Audi Field, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Shabazz was found guilty of one count of voluntary manslaughter while armed and one count of carrying a dangerous weapon on September 16, 2026. The Honorable Judge Danya Dayson scheduled sentencing for November 13, 2026.
According to the government’s evidence, on the early evening of April 27, 2024, just prior to a D.C. United soccer game, Shabazz and the victim, Martin Gross Jr., were scheduled to work at the bike valet service provided at the T and 2nd Street SW corner of Audi Field. The two men barely knew each other. When Mr. Gross arrived very late to his shift and tried to apologize to the other valets, everyone but the defendant acknowledged Mr. Gross’s efforts. The victim, feeling disrespect by Shabazz, began to confront Shabazz by calling him names and getting in his face. When the bike valet owner dismissed Mr. Gross from his shift for this disruption, Mr. Gross gathered his bookbag to leave and again confronted Shabazz. After Mr. Gross got in Shabazz’s face once again and jabbed at him with just his fists, Shabazz pulled out a sharp item, likely a knife, and stabbed Mr. Gross such that Mr. Gross fell to the ground. As Mr. Gross laid face up on the ground, Shabazz stabbed him in the chest and then around the torso area a total of 12 times, ultimately killing him. Shabazz was arrested on scene.
Joining in the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
This case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jin Park.
2024 CF1 004113
Indian National Illegally in U.S. Convicted at Trial of Drug and Gun CrimesRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Gurlal Singh, 31, an Indian national who has been residing in the U.S. illegally, has been convicted at trial of drug and gun offenses.
The defendant was charged by superseding indictment in September of last year and found guilty by a federal jury of possession with intent to distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine and possession of a firearm by an alien illegally and unlawfully in the U.S.
As detailed in court filings and proven at trial, on August 28, 2024, at approximately 1:17 a.m., Pennsylvania State Police troopers from Hamburg Barracks and Bethel Township Police Department officers responded to the defendant’s Bethel Township, Berks County residence for a report of a shooting incident related to a home invasion. Troopers secured the location, conducted a safety sweep, and located an AK-47 style rifle near the front door, as well as a fired cartridge casing and projectile on the first floor.
The same day, investigators obtained and executed a state search and seizure warrant for the residence. A search of the premises revealed a quantity of cocaine, kilogram size wrapping materials, and a black digital scale.
Law enforcement learned that between April 2024 and August 28, 2024, Singh and another person, charged elsewhere, possessed with the intent to distribute 28 kilograms of cocaine. The cocaine was initially stored at Singh’s Bethel residence, which is in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, and subsequently moved by the defendant and the other person to an area storage facility located in the Middle District of Pennsylvania.
In addition to the AK-47 style rifle that he possessed and discharged in his home, Singh was found to have two shotguns, a pistol, and hundreds of rounds of ammunition, which, as an illegal alien and prohibited person, he was not lawfully permitted to possess.
The defendant is scheduled to be sentenced on January 7 and faces a maximum possible term of life imprisonment.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Drug Enforcement Administration, and Pennsylvania State Police, with assistance from the Bethel Township Police Department and the Berks County District Attorney’s Office, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Rosalynda M. Michetti and Josh Davison.
Illegal Alien from Mexico and Utah Restaurant Owner Indicted for Drug Trafficking and Immigration CrimesRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A federal grand jury in Salt Lake City returned an indictment charging a previously removed illegal alien from Mexico with drug trafficking and immigration crimes after he allegedly trafficked narcotics out of his residence and restaurant.
Jose Gilardo Soto-Moya, 58, residing illegally in West Jordan, Utah, was initially charged by complaint on September 9, 2026.
According to court documents, the Department of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Utah County Major Crimes Task Force (UCMC) initiated a criminal investigation on Soto-Moya and co-conspirators, associated with a drug trafficking organization believed to be distributing large quantities of heroin and other narcotics in the District of Utah. As alleged, in August 2026, agents conducted a controlled purchase of heroin from Soto-Moya at his restaurant in South Salt Lake City, Utah. As a result, detectives obtained a search warrant for Soto-Moya’s residence in West Jordan and his restaurant. On September 8, 2026, agents executed the search warrant and Soto-Moya was located at his residence where agents recovered approximately $180,630 in cash packaged in cellophane and coffee grounds. During the search of his restaurant, detectives found approximately 1,027 grams of field-tested positive heroin, and 4,047 grams of field-tested positive cocaine. Some of the drugs were also covered in coffee grounds similar to the cash found at the residence.
Soto-Moya was previously removed from the United States in 2015.
Soto-Moya is charged with possession of heroin with intent to distribute, possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, and reentry of a previously removed alien. A three-day jury trial is scheduled for November 23, 2026 at the Orrin G. Hatch United States Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.
United States Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the District of Utah made the announcement.
The case is being investigated jointly by Department of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Utah County Major Crimes Task Force (UCMC). Valuable assistance was provided by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Special Assistant United States Attorney Peter Reichman is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Illegal Alien Residing in Leesville Indicted for Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
LAKE CHARLES – On September 16, 2026, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Fernando Mejia, 36, of Mexico, residing in Leesville, with Possession of a Firearm by an Alien. Mejia faces up to 15 years in federal prison if convicted.
“Firearm possession by illegal aliens poses an unnecessary, unacceptable, and preventable danger, and this case presents the tragic consequences that can result,” said U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Keller. “Louisiana’s state, local, and federal law enforcement partners are actively investigating these matters when they arise, and this Office will continue to work with those law enforcement partners to vigorously enforce federal gun laws to protect our children and our communities.”
According to court documents, this investigation began when a child was accidentally shot inside a residence in Leesville on June 8, 2025. When law enforcement arrived on scene, their investigation found that Mejia had illegally acquired the weapon and was storing it in his residence when a child accessed the firearm and discharged it, striking another child. Subsequent investigation confirmed that Mejia is unlawfully present in the United States and prohibited from possessing firearms.
U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Keller for the Western District of Louisiana made the announcement.
The Vernon Parish Sheriff’s Office, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, United States Border Patrol, and the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division investigated this case. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney LaDonte A. Murphy with assistance from Legal Assistant Christy Angelle.
An indictment and criminal complaint are merely allegations. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), 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.
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.
You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Louisiana at www.justice.gov/usao-wdla.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Western District of Louisiana at www.lawd.uscourts.gov or at https://www.lawd.uscourts.gov/cmecf-pacer. The case number for this matter is currently pending assignment.
###
CONTACT: Public Affairs: [email protected]
United States Attorney’s Office: www.justice.gov/usao-wdla
X: @USAO_WDLA
Facebook: USAO_WDLA
(337) 262-6704Illegal Alien Charged with Possession of Child Pornography; Faces up to 20 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE – On September 15, 2026, a federal criminal complaint was filed charging Josue Perez, 18, who had resided in Lafayette, with Possession of Child Pornography. Perez, a Panamanian national and illegal alien, is currently in federal custody. He faces up to 20 years in federal prison.
According to court documents, the investigation began on November 25, 2025, when the Louisiana Bureau of Investigation (LBI) Cyber Crime Unit initiated an investigation based on a cybertip received from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). The cybertip was regarding the possession and distribution of child sexual abuse materials on an electronic communications platform. Subsequent police investigative work led to a search warrant at a residence occupied by Perez. A forensic analysis of these devices confirmed they contained child sexual abuse material. Some of the images and videos allegedly depict very young children and even infants.
U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Keller for the Western District of Louisiana made the announcement.
This case was investigated by the LBI Cyber Crime Unit, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jessica D. Cassidy and E. Ashley Hammons, with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Denise Duhon and Legal Assistant Tanya Broussard.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. Learn more at https://www.justice.gov/psc/about-project-safe-childhood.
This case is also 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.
An indictment and criminal complaint are merely allegations. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Louisiana at www.justice.gov/usao-wdla.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Western District of Louisiana at www.lawd.uscourts.gov or at https://www.lawd.uscourts.gov/cmecf-pacer, under Case Number 26-mj-231.
###CONTACT: Public Affairs: [email protected]
United States Attorney’s Office: www.justice.gov/usao-wdla
X: @USAO_WDLA
Facebook: USAO_WDLA
(337) 262-6704Idaho Man Sentenced to over Six Years in Prison for Assaulting Two United States Park Rangers in Southern UtahRead the Press Release
ST. GEORGE, Utah – An Idaho man was sentenced to 75 months’ imprisonment after he assaulted two on-duty United States Park Rangers by ramming his pickup truck into their vehicle in May 2025.
The sentence, imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Ann Marie McIff Allen, comes after Gegory Aaron Farley, 52, of Hazelton, Idaho, pleaded guilty on December 1, 2025, to assault on an employee of the United States with a deadly weapon. In addition to his term of imprisonment, he was sentenced to three years of supervised release.
According to court documents and statements made at Farley’s change of plea and sentencing hearings, on May 3, 2025, while in the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area in Southern Utah, Farley used his GMC Sierra Denali pickup truck to assault two on-duty United States Park Rangers who conducted a traffic stop on Farley. During the traffic stop, Farley, the driver and sole occupant of the vehicle, fled the scene while one of the rangers was speaking to him, nearly hitting one of the rangers. A vehicle pursuit ensued, and at one point, Farley turned his vehicle around and rammed his truck into the driver’s side of the rangers’ vehicle, pushing them into the shoulder of the road, causing their vehicle’s air bags to deploy and rendering the driver’s side door inoperable. See prior press release: Idaho Man Indicted after Allegedly Assaulting U.S. Park Rangers in Southern Utah.
“This case underscores the dangers our park rangers and other law enforcement officers face as they work to keep our national parks and communities safe,” said U.S. Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the District of Utah. “My office, in alignment with this administration, has zero tolerance for violence against law enforcement. Together with our partners, we will thoroughly investigate and prosecute offenders who commit such acts.”
The case was investigated by the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office’s St. George Resident Agency, the National Park Service, Kane County Sheriff’s Office, Utah Highway Patrol, Page Police Department, Coconino County Sheriff’s Office, and the Arizona Department of Public Safety.
Assistant United States Attorney Joseph M. Hood of The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case.
Houston-area man receives over 11 years for enticing teenage girl to commit sex actsRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 53-year-old Spring resident has been sentenced for the sex trafficking of a minor.
John Alberth pleaded guilty Nov. 18, 2025.
U.S. District Judge George P. Hanks has ordered Alberth to serve 135 months in federal prison. Alberth was further ordered to serve five years on supervised release following his prison term. During that time, he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet. Alberth was also ordered to register as a sex offender.
From Aug. 26 through Oct. 5, 2023, Alberth exchanged messages with a 16-year-old girl, and offered money in exchange for sexual activity and explicit photos.
As part of his plea, Alberth admitted paying the minor through CashApp and asking her to send him photos of herself that constituted child sexual abuse material.
Law enforcement discovered text messages confirming Alberth knew the victim was a minor.
He has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of Houston Police Department and Sheriff’s Offices in Harris and Galveston Counties.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jay Hileman prosecuted the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources tab on that page.
Houston resident sentenced for Halloween robberyRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 24-year-old man has been ordered to federal prison for aiding and abetting a robbery and unlawful possession of firearm.
Felipe Ortuno pleaded guilty March 31.
U.S. District Judge George C. Hanks Jr. has now handed Ortuno a 240-month term of imprisonment for the robbery and an additional 120 months for the firearm charge. The court ordered the sentences to run consecutively, resulting in a total 360-month prison term to be immediately followed by two years of supervised release.
On Oct. 31, 2019, Ortuno and others robbed a Houston-area stash house and held two women at gunpoint, forcing them to lie face down.
The owner of the stash house returned during the robbery, and the group attacked him. He sustained a gunshot wound during the altercation and later died from his injuries.
Surveillance showed Ortuno and his accomplices committing the robbery.
Ortuno will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anh-Khoa Tran and Anthony Franklyn prosecuted the case.
Project Safe Neighborhoods 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.
Honduran National Charged with Illegally Reentering U.S.Read the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that NELSON ROMERO-MARTINEZ, also known as “Nelson Dario Martinez,” “Nelson Martinez,” “Jose Del Arca,” and “Jose Delarca,” 48, a citizen of Honduras, has been charged by federal criminal complaint with unlawful reentry of a removed alien.
The criminal complaint alleges that Romero-Martinez unlawfully entered the United States in approximately 1999. In 2005, Romero-Martinez was arrested by East Hartford Police for assault offenses related to his stabbing two individuals at a child’s birthday party. In 2006, Romero-Martinez was arrested by Manchester Police for unlawful restraint arising from a domestic physical altercation. In January 2007, Romero-Martinez was convicted and sentenced in state court to five years of imprisonment for these offenses. After he was released from prison, he was removed to Honduras in January 2010.
The complaint further alleges that Romero-Martinez subsequently tried to reenter the U.S. through Texas in 2012 and again in 2013. He was charged each time in the Southern District of Texas with immigration offenses, sentenced, and removed to Honduras. Romero-Martinez again unlawfully reentered the U.S. and, in March 2016, was arrested by Norwich Police for a traffic violation. He was removed to Honduras in April 2016.
The complaint further alleges that Romero-Martinez unlawfully reentered the U.S. and, on August 5, 2023, was arrested by Bridgeport Police in connection with an incident in which he stabbed a man in the chest. In October 2023, Romero-Martinez was charged in the District of Connecticut with illegal reentry and, in March 2024, he was released on bond in his federal case. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) took custody of Romero-Martinez pursuant to an immigration detainer and, in April 2024, he was removed to Honduras.
The complaint further alleges that Romero-Martinez again unlawfully reentered the U.S. On August 5, 2025, Romero-Martinez was arrested by New Haven Police and charged with offenses related to an incident in which Romero-Martinez pointed a gun at a family member during a domestic dispute in the presence of several children. In February 2026, Romero-Martinez was convicted in Connecticut Superior Court of a threatening offense and sentenced to 11 months of imprisonment, execution suspended. Earlier this year, he also pleaded guilty to assault in the first degree related to the Bridgeport stabbing in 2023, and had been detained while awaiting sentencing in that case.
Romero-Martinez was transferred into federal custody and he appeared today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert M. Spector in New Haven. If convicted of the charge of unlawful reentry, Romero-Martinez faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years.
U.S. Attorney Sullivan stressed that a complaint is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This matter is being investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Enforcement and Removal Operations. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Angel M. Krull.
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.
High-Ranking Sinaloa Cartel Member Pleads Guilty to Importing Thousands of Kilograms of Cocaine, Laundering Millions of Dollars for Cartel in Homeland Security Task Force InvestigationRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Gerardo Julio Rueda Torres pleaded guilty in federal court today following a Homeland Security Task Force investigation to charges of conspiring to import and distribute multiple tons of cocaine and launder millions of dollars of drug proceeds for the Sinaloa Cartel.
According to the plea agreement, Rueda Torres was one of the leaders of the Los Rusos faction of the Sinaloa Cartel. In that role, he oversaw the importation of approximately 50 kilograms of cocaine per week into the United States from Mexico for over a decade. Rueda’s underlings imported the cocaine into the United States in passenger cars crossing from Mexicali, Mexico into Imperial County, California, before transporting it to Arizona, Los Angeles, and elsewhere.
Rueda also admitted in his plea agreement that he maintained an armed security force to protect him and other Los Rusos leaders from violent attacks by members of the rival Los Chapitos faction of the Sinaloa Cartel.
Rueda also pleaded guilty to his nearly 20-year involvement in laundering money for drug cartels. According to the plea agreement, this started with personally driving $30,000 to Mexico. Over the years, his operations evolved into a “network of load drivers” under his command who moved $500,000 at a time back to the Sinaloa Cartel.
The defendant is scheduled to be sentenced on December 4, 2026, at 9:00am before U.S. District Judge Robert S. Huie.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Benjamin. Former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Lauricella also assisted in the investigation and prosecution.
DEFENDANTS Case Number 24-cr-2617-RSH
Gerardo Julio Rueda Torres Age: 49 Mexicali, Mexico
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Conspiracy to Import Cocaine – Title 21, U.S.C., Sections 952, 960, and 963
Maximum penalty: Mandatory minimum 10 years to life in prisonConspiracy to Launder Money – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1956(h)
Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prisonINVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Homeland Security Investigations
Drug Enforcement Administration
United States Customs and Border ProtectionThis investigation 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 San Diego comprises agents and officers from FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, DEA, ATF, U.S. Marshals, Department of Defense, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Naval Criminal Investigative Service, IRS Criminal Investigation, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Interpol, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California.
Guatemalan national sentenced to over a year in prison for illegally reentering the U.S.Read the Press Release
BILLINGS – A Guatemalan man who illegally reentered the United States was sentenced Wednesday to 18 months in prison, Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith said.
Raul Pelico-Puac, 40, pleaded guilty in May 2026 to illegal reentry into the United States.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.
The government alleged in court documents that Pelico-Puac was arrested in Yellowstone County in September 2024 on suspicion of robbery. During the investigation, law enforcement learned Pelico-Puac was a Guatemalan citizen and was in the country without legal status; he had been removed previously for illegal reentry in 2009 and 2020.
Pelico-Puac was ultimately sentenced in Montana District Court to five years in prison with three years suspended for robbery. He began his parole on March 9, 2026. Once he was released from state custody he was taken into custody by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and charged with the offense of illegal reentry.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement conducted the investigation.
Gray Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl and Cocaine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Gray man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Portland to conspiring to distribute cocaine base (“crack”), fentanyl and cocaine.
According to court records, Anthony Jones, aka “Black,” 39, was part of a fentanyl and cocaine conspiracy that operated in southern Maine from October 2025 through February 2026. The drug ring was identified via controlled buys, surveillance, and interviews with people familiar with Jones and his role. During the investigation, investigators seized a safe from a Gray residence where Jones was known to reside. The safe contained identifying documents that belonged to Jones, a handgun, ammunition, and a significant quantity of fentanyl and cocaine. Jones has a 2021 conviction in the United States District Court for the District of Maine for possession of controlled substances with intent to distribute.
Jones faces a mandatory minimum term of 10 years and up to life imprisonment; up to an $8 million fine; and up to eight years of supervised release. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigative report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district 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 and the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency.
Operation Take Back America: This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
###
Four Deuce Oakland Crip gang member sentenced to 90 months for armed carjacking in Deep EllumRead the Press Release
DALLAS — United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould announced that a Four Deuce Oakland Crip gang member was sentenced Sept. 16 to 90 months in federal prison for his role in an armed carjacking committed in Dallas’s Deep Ellum entertainment district.
Travion Williams, 23, pleaded guilty to carjacking and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence on June 3, 2025.
“Armed gang members who hijack public spaces and terrorize citizens in North Texas will face federal consequences—period,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould. This defendant chose violence and fear and today, he is facing the consequences of that decision. We will not allow criminal organizations like the Four Deuce Oakland Crips to operate with impunity in this District.”
“This sentence sends a clear message to violent gang members: if you choose to use firearms to terrorize our communities and commit violent crimes, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and our law enforcement partners will come after you,” said ATF Dallas Special Agent in Charge Brian Garner. “Through Operation Blue Laces, ATF and our partners will continue dismantling violent gang activity and holding those who threaten our communities accountable.”
According to court documents, Williams, an identified member of the Four Deuce Oakland Crips, participated in an armed carjacking on Dec. 6, 2023. The victim and a companion were returning to their 2020 Chevrolet Corvette parked near Elm Street in Dallas when Williams and two co‑conspirators approached. All three gang members were masked, and Williams brandished a Glock 19 pistol. They forcibly stole the victim’s keys, wallet, phone and other belongings before fleeing in the Corvette.
Dallas police attempted to stop the stolen vehicle, but Williams evaded officers at high speed before abandoning the Corvette under a bridge. Williams fled on foot into an industrial area but, he was ultimately apprehended by Dallas Police Officers.
Williams’ sentencing is part of Operation Blue Laces, an ATF-led initiative launched in January 2024 to identify and disrupt gang members operating along the Malcolm X Boulevard corridor in South Dallas. Residents had reported that Four Deuce Oakland Crip members created an atmosphere of fear and lawlessness, using storefronts to stash firearms and distribute drugs, while also maintaining an open-air drug market on the 2800 block of Casey Street—known to the community as “the Dead End.”
Members and associates of the Four-Deuce Oakland Crips wear jewelry and clothing that depicted the number “42” to show their allegiance to the gangU.S. District Judge Brantley Starr imposed the 90-month sentence yesterday morning.
To date, twelve defendants associated with the Four Deuce Oakland Crips have been convicted of federal offenses including drug conspiracy, firearms violations and carjacking.
ATF Dallas and the Dallas Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Rick Calvert, Major Crimes Section Chief, prosecuted the case.
###
Former USCIS Contractor Faces Charge for Theft of Government PropertyRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced, today, that a Maryland man made his initial appearance in federal court in connection with a felony theft charge.
Bankole Olaniyi Akinfe, 49, of Laurel, is charged by criminal complaint with theft of government property. This prosecution is part of the Trump Administration’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the criminal complaint with Inspector General Joseph V. Cuffari Ph.D., Department of Homeland Security – Office of Inspector General (DHS-OIG).
According to the criminal complaint, beginning in December 2025, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services headquarters employed Akinfe as a contractor in its Information Technology Customer Support Center. On August 27, 2026, Akinfe was observed removing at least 10 Random-Access Memory (RAM) modules from USCIS laptops without authorization. Akinfe was further observed putting the RAM modules in his pocket and taking them off the premises.
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, Akinfe faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison since the total value of the stolen government property exceeds $1,000.
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.
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.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended DHS-OIG for its work on this case. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle A. Li, who is prosecuting the federal case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, please visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/report-fraud.
# # #
Former Syrian Prison Official Sentenced for Torture and Immigration FraudRead the Press Release
Samir Ousman Alsheikh, 74, a former Syrian prison warden and provincial governor, was sentenced today to 60 years in prison for torturing prisoners and lying to U.S. immigration officials to gain entry to the United States.
A jury found Alsheikh guilty in March 2026 of one count of conspiracy to commit torture, three counts of torture, one count of visa fraud, and one count of attempted naturalization fraud. Evidence presented during the trial showed that Alsheikh ordered and participated in the torture of prisoners while he was the head of Adra Prison, also known as Damascus Central Prison, outside of Damascus, Syria, from approximately 2005 to 2008. He committed human rights atrocities in Syria, including to silence political dissent, and he lied about his past to gain entry to the United States in 2020.
“Samir Alsheikh is the highest-ranking former member of the Assad regime to be tried and convicted in person outside of Syria,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “He now answers to the United States justice system. The message is clear: human rights violators who come to the United States will receive no safe harbor here. We will find them, and they will be prosecuted and punished for their heinous crimes. The conviction in this case is a testament to the courage of his victims; the tenacity of our prosecutors, agents, and historians; and to the extraordinary cooperation and professionalism of Germany’s Federal Criminal Police Office in arranging for us to meet with many witnesses in Germany.”
“Criminals who inflict the type of savage brutality that this defendant did on his victims must never be granted refuge in our country,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli for the Central District of California. “We hope today’s sentence gives some semblance of healing and closure to this defendant’s victims.”
“This conviction stands as a powerful reminder that Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) will relentlessly pursue those who believe they can escape the consequences of their atrocities by hiding within our borders,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Erin Burke of the HSI Los Angeles Field Office. “While the defendant may have thought his actions in Syria’s Adra Prison were forgotten by time, our agents and partners ensured they were not. Through the tireless work of HSI’s Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Center and our collaborative efforts with the FBI and international partners, we have ensured that justice was served. The United States will never be a safe haven for human rights abusers, and we will continue to hold them accountable, no matter how much time has passed.”
“If you engage in torture and come to the United States, the FBI and its partners are going to ensure that you face the consequences for your illegal disregard for human rights,” said Assistant Director Heith Janke of the FBI Criminal Division. “The acts Alsheikh ordered and directly participated in are gruesome and disturbing. We would like to offer our gratitude to the brave victims who testified leading to today’s sentencing. We hope that they are able to find some solace in the fact that it will now be their former prison warden who is incarcerated.”
Depiction of hinged wooden device known as “the Flying Carpet”Three of Alsheikh’s victims testified at trial about being tortured themselves and seeing and hearing the torture of other prisoners. The victims were fastened to a device, known as the “Flying Carpet,” that forcibly folded their bodies in half at the waist, manacled to the ceiling and suspended for days or hours, savagely beaten while immobilized inside tires, and packed into tiny, filthy, cold, wet cells that were infested with insects and other vermin.
According to evidence presented at trial, when two prisoners refused Alsheikh’s orders to harm political prisoners who were also housed at Adra Prison, and after a third prisoner’s letter of support to a political prisoner was intercepted by prison guards, Alsheikh ordered the prisoners to be sent to an underground section of the prison known as Wing 13, where they were held in tiny cells and tortured.
Evidence presented during the trial also established that Alsheikh lied to U.S. immigration authorities about his background to obtain a green card and on an application to naturalize as a U.S. citizen. Alsheikh entered the United States in 2020 and has been in custody since his arrest in July 2024.
Trial Attorney Patrick Jasperse of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua O. Mausner for the Central District of California prosecuted the case, with assistance from HRSP Historian/Analyst Philip Hoffman and the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs.
In addition to HSI Los Angeles and FBI Chicago, HSI’s Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Center (HRVWCC) also significantly supported the case, along with the FBI’s International Human Rights Unit (IHRU). Established in 2009, the HRVWCC furthers the government’s efforts to identify, locate, and prosecute human rights abusers in the United States, including those who are known or suspected to have participated in persecution, war crimes, genocide, torture, extrajudicial killings, female genital mutilation, and the use or recruitment of child soldiers.
Members of the public who have information about former human rights violators in the United States are urged to contact U.S. law enforcement through the HSI tip line at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE (1-866-347-2423) or internationally at 001-1802-872-6199. They can also email [email protected] or complete its online tip form at www.ice.gov/exec/forms/hsi-tips/tips.asp.
Former Syrian Prison Chief Sentenced to 60 Years in Federal Prison for Torturing Inmates and Lying to U.S. Immigration OfficialsRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A former Syrian government official who was the head of one of that nation’s major prisons was sentenced today to 60 years in federal prison for torturing inmates, then later lying about it to United States immigration officials to fraudulently obtain a green card and attempt to naturalize as a U.S. citizen.
Samir Ousman Alsheikh, 74, formerly of Lexington, South Carolina, was sentenced by United States District Judge Hernán D. Vera, who will schedule a victim restitution hearing at a later date.
A federal jury convicted Alsheikh on March 16 of one count of conspiracy to commit torture, three counts of torture, one count of fraud in possession and use of an immigration document, and one count of attempted naturalization fraud. Alsheikh has been in federal custody since July 2024.
“Criminals who inflict the type of savage brutality that this defendant did on his victims must never be granted refuge in our country,” said First Assistant United States Attorney Bill Essayli. “We hope today’s sentence gives some semblance of healing and closure to this defendant’s victims.”
“Samir Alsheikh is the highest-ranking former member of the Assad regime to be tried and convicted in person outside of Syria,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “He now answers to the United States justice system. The message is clear: human rights violators who come to the United States will receive no safe harbor here. We will find them, and they will be prosecuted and punished for their heinous crimes. The conviction in this case is a testament to the courage of his victims; the tenacity of our prosecutors, agents, and historians; and to the extraordinary cooperation and professionalism of Germany’s Federal Criminal Police Office in arranging for us to meet with many witnesses in Germany.”
“This conviction stands as a powerful reminder that Homeland Security Investigations will relentlessly pursue those who believe they can escape the consequences of their atrocities by hiding within our borders,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Erin Burke of the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Los Angeles Field Office. “While the defendant may have thought his actions in Syria’s Adra Prison were forgotten by time, our agents and partners ensured they were not. Through the tireless work of HSI’s Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Center and our collaborative efforts with the FBI and international partners, we have ensured that justice was served. The United States will never be a safe haven for human rights abusers, and we will continue to hold them accountable, no matter how much time has passed.”
“If you engage in torture and come to the United States, the FBI and its partners are going to ensure that you face the consequences for your illegal disregard for human rights,” said Assistant Director Heith Janke of the FBI Criminal Division. “The acts Alsheikh ordered and directly participated in are gruesome and disturbing. We would like to offer our gratitude to the brave victims who testified leading to today’s sentencing. We hope that they are able to find some solace in the fact that it will now be their former prison warden who is incarcerated.”
According to evidence presented at a two‑week trial, Alsheikh was a brigadier general in charge of Damascus Central Prison, commonly known as Adra Prison, from approximately 2005 through 2008, under the regime of then-Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Alsheikh inflicted and ordered subordinates to inflict severe physical and mental pain and suffering on prisoners.
Alsheikh ordered certain prisoners to be sent to a section of the prison known as Wing 13, where they were held in tiny isolation cells and tortured. Victims who refused to harm or kill political dissidents imprisoned with them or who otherwise showed support for those dissidents testified at trial that they witnessed and suffered various forms of torture.
For example, guards used manacles to suspend prisoners by their wrists from pipes on the ceiling for extended periods of time and beat them with fists or cables. One victim testified that he felt like his limbs would be torn from his body when they suspended him for days.
Witnesses also testified that they were placed on a torture device known as the “Flying Carpet” or “Magic Carpet,” which consisted of two large wooden panels with hinges in the middle. Guards strapped the victims to the device on their backs, positioning their waists at the hinges, and then forcing the lower panel together with the upper, folding the upper and lower halves of the victims’ bodies together and causing excruciating pain and serious injury.
One victim recalled that Alsheikh himself stomped on the Flying Carpet with his foot while the victim was restrained in the device. One victim testified that as part of his punishment for writing a letter of support to a political prisoner, he was subjected to the Flying Carpet and then forced to wear a red jumpsuit solely assigned to those designated for execution. He testified that he thought he was going to die. Witnesses also testified to being folded into a car tire, restrained, and beaten by guards.
Alsheikh personally ordered these and other horrific acts of torture and brutality against the three named victims in the indictment. Following his time at Adra Prison, Alsheikh was appointed governor of the Syrian province of Deir Ez-Zour in 2011. In 2018, he applied for a visa to enter the U.S. and became a Lawful Permanent Resident. While completing his visa application, he concealed the acts of torture and violence he committed at Adra prison. Alsheikh entered the United States in 2020 and continued to lie about and conceal his past conduct in his 2023 application to become a United States citizen.
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Los Angeles and FBI Chicago investigated this matter with assistance from HSI and FBI legal attachés in Germany, the HSI-led Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Center, and the FBI’s International Human Rights Unit. The Federal Criminal Police Office of Germany also provided substantial support.
Assistant United States Attorney Joshua O. Mausner of the National Security Division and Department of Justice Trial Attorney Patrick Jasperse of the Human Rights and Special Prosecutions (HRSP) Section prosecuted the case, with significant assistance from HRSP Historian/Analyst Philip Hoffman and HRSP Trial Attorney Alexandra Skinnion. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided critical support.
Members of the public who have information about former human rights violators in the United States are urged to contact U.S. law enforcement through the HSI tip line at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE (1-866-347-2423) or internationally at 001-1802-872-6199. They can also email [email protected] or complete its online tip form at https://www.ice.gov/webform/ice-tip-form.
Former Medical Case Management Coordinator Sentenced to 18 Months after Pleading Guilty to Tampering with Prescription MedicationsRead the Press Release
DENVER – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Shelbi Wolken, 35, of Wheat Ridge, Colorado, was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to one count of tampering with a consumer product.
According to the plea agreement and the sentencing hearing, while working as a case management coordinator for Intermountain Health, Wolken abused her position and accessed electronic medical records and patients’ personal identifying information. In July 2024, officials at Intermountain Health discovered that the Wolken had used a patient’s information to pick up a prescription for oxycodone at the in-house pharmacy at Saint Joseph’s Hospital in Denver. Wolken replaced the stolen medication with loratadine, an allergy medication. During further investigation, Wolken admitted to being addicted to opiates, and investigators found she had picked up approximately 139 prescriptions for approximately 127 patients between December 2023 and July 2024. Wolken replaced the stolen medications with a variety of ibuprofen, aspirin, acetaminophen, and loratadine. Several patients whose prescriptions were tampered with reported significant pain and post-surgical complications because they were unknowingly ingesting the wrong medication.
“This kind of conduct violates federal law, causes patient suffering, and puts people who are already facing medical challenges at risk,” said United States Attorney for the District of Colorado Peter McNeilly. “I hope this sentence sends a message to others who consider feeding their addictions by stealing prescribed medications from patients.”
“Patients rely on receiving the proper FDA-approved medications from those entrusted with their medical care,” said Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Lamb, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations, Kansas City Field Office. “We must hold medical personnel accountable when they take advantage of their unique position and tamper with medications their patients need.”
“The opioid epidemic can impact those in the medical profession. At DEA, our investigators strive to hold healthcare providers to the highest of ethical standards and practices,” said DEA Rocky Mountain Field Division Special Agent in Charge Mark Putnam. “We appreciate our partners at the U.S. Attorney’s Office in District of Colorado for its work on this important case.”
United States District Judge Nina Y. Wang presided over the sentencing.
The investigation was handled by Food and Drug Administration’s Office of Criminal Investigation and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Assistant United States Attorney Bryan Fields handled the prosecution.
Case Number: 26-cr-00023-NYW
Former Junction City police officer indicted for soliciting sexual favors from informantRead the Press Release
TOPEKA, KAN. – A federal grand jury in Topeka returned an indictment charging a former police officer demanding sexual favors from a victim.
According to court documents, Troy Dwayne Watson, 55, of High Point, North Carolina, was indicted on one count of bribery.
Watson formerly served as a police officer with the Junction City Police Department. Between October 2021 and April 2022, Watson is accused of soliciting sexual favors from a confidential informant under the guise that he would in turn provide the victim with favorable resolutions with the government on then-pending criminal matters.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sara Walton is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
###
Former Investment Adviser Pleads Guilty to Cherry-Picking SchemeRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jamie McDonald, and Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), James C. Barnacle, Jr., announced today that WILLIAM CARLTON has been charged and pled guilty to securities fraud for his role in a scheme to defraud his investment advisory clients by “cherry picking,” systematically allocating profitable trades to himself and allocating unprofitable trades to his clients. Through this conduct, CARLTON gained millions of dollars at the expense of his clients. CARLTON pled guilty today before Magistrate Judge Ona T. Wang and is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Richard M. Berman on January 27, 2027.
“Investment advisers are required to act with integrity and put their clients’ interests ahead of their own,” said U.S. Attorney Jamie McDonald. “William Carlton instead admitted to systematically steering profitable trades to himself while leaving losing trades for his clients. Today’s guilty plea holds him accountable for abusing that trust for personal gain.”
“William Carlton initially denied wrongdoing but later pled guilty to cherry‑picking profitable trades for himself and dumping poor‑performing trades on his clients,” said FBI Assistant Director in Charge James C. Barnacle, Jr. “Those clients trusted him to act in their best interest, and the FBI worked diligently to uncover his scheme and prevent further harm. The FBI remains committed to exposing financial-sector misconduct and upholding trust and integrity in the markets.”
According to the Information:
CARLTON served as an investment adviser to more than 50 clients every year. As an adviser, CARLTON managed his clients’ trading accounts and had the authority to buy and sell securities for those managed accounts. CARLTON owed his clients a fiduciary duty, including the duty to act in their best interests and to refrain from disadvantaging his clients in favor of his own personal trading.
From at least in or about January 2015, up to and including at least in or about August 2022, CARLTON engaged in cherry-picking, systematically assigning profitable trades to himself and unprofitable trades to his clients. CARLTON would purchase securities in his personal trading account and observe price movements during the trading day. When the price of a stock increased over the course of the day, CARLTON typically sold the stock the same day and kept the profits for himself. By contrast, when the price of a stock decreased over the course of the day, CARLTON typically assigned the stock to his clients’ accounts. As a result of CARLTON’s scheme, approximately 70% of the trades CARLTON assigned to his own accounts experienced same-day gains. At the same time, only approximately 16% of the trades CARLTON assigned to his clients’ accounts experienced same-day gains. Conversely, as a result of CARLTON’s scheme, only approximately 30% of the trades CARLTON assigned to his own accounts experienced same-day losses. At the same time, approximately 84% of the trades CARLTON assigned to his clients’ accounts experienced same-day losses. Through his cherry-picking scheme, CARLTON realized ill-gotten gains of approximately $6 million, while imposing losses on many of his clients.
When confronted by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission about his conduct, CARLTON falsely denied that he had ever made trades in his personal account and later reassigned them to his clients’ accounts, claiming instead that he placed all client trades individually and directly in each client’s account. That statement was false and misleading.
* * *
CARLTON, 66, of Seattle, Washington, pled guilty to securities fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. CARLTON will also be subject to forfeiture and restitution at the time of sentencing.
The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.
Mr. McDonald thanked the FBI for its outstanding work. Mr. McDonald also expressed appreciation for the assistance of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Marguerite B. Colson, Peter Davis, and Daniel G. Nessim are in charge of the prosecution.
Former Correctional Officer sentenced to four years in prisonRead the Press Release
BRUNSWICK, Georgia: Multiple defendants, one of whom was a Bureau of Prisons correctional officer, have been sentenced to prison for their roles in a scheme to introduce contraband into Federal Correctional Institute – Jesup (FCI-Jesup).
The sentences were imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Lisa Godbey Wood and announced by Margaret E. “Meg” Heap, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia.
Ashley Brown, a/k/a “Honey Honey,” a/k/a “Bonnie Bonnie,” a/k/a “Clyde Clyde,” 37, of Hinesville, Georgia, was sentenced to 48 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release after pleading guilty to 24 counts of a Public Official Accepting a Bribe and 16 counts of Money Laundering.
According to court documents and testimony, from May 2022 and continuing through September 2022, Brown was employed as a correctional officer and later as a material handler supervisor at FCI-Jesup, when investigators initiated an investigation into a report of U.S. currency being sent to Brown from inmates inside FCI-Jesup.
Investigators determined that inmates sent money to Brown using Cash App in exchange for Brown to smuggle contraband, including methamphetamine, cell phones, K2, and marijuana, into the prison, before providing it to the codefendants, who would distribute it to other inmates through the commissary system. Brown received more than $80,000 for her role in the scheme.
All additional defendants associated with this case have also been sentenced, they include:
- Adrian Sims, a/k/a “Abe,” 53, an inmate at the FCI-Jesup, was sentenced to 78 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release after pleading guilty to Possessing Contraband in Prison.
- Navarus Bryant, a/k/a “Tez,” 48, an inmate at the FCI-Jesup, was sentenced to 57 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release after pleading guilty to 24 counts of Paying a Bribe to a Public Official and 24 counts of Money Laundering.
There is no parole in the federal system.
“Public officials within a prison are entrusted with maintaining the safety and integrity of our penal institutions, and those who trade that public trust for personal profit compromise the security of everyone inside,” said U.S. Attorney Heap. “Our office, alongside our law enforcement partners, will continue to relentlessly prosecute those who exploit their position to undermine the justice system.”
The case was investigated by the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General.
“Introducing drugs and cell phones into a prison puts the whole facility at risk and violates the basic principles of what it means to be a correctional officer," stated Special Agent in Charge Eric Fehlman of the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General's Southeast Region. "The DOJ OIG will continue working with its law enforcement partners to bring to justice anyone who violates their oath and engages in this type of conduct."
This case was prosecuted for the United States by Southern District of Georgia Assistant U.S. Attorney Bradley R. Thompson and former Southern District of Georgia Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan E. Bondura.
Former Bank Employee Who Targeted Elderly Victims in Identity Theft and Fraud Scheme Sentenced to a Decade in PrisonRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – A Chinese national has been sentenced to prison for using his role as a bank employee to access confidential client information to target elderly customers and create a scheme to steal their money.
Yue Cao, 36, was sentenced to 120 months (10 years) in prison by J. Philip Calabrese after a federal jury convicted him in February of 10 counts of Bank Fraud, four counts of Aggravated Identity Theft, and one count of Money Laundering. He was also ordered to serve five years of supervised release after imprisonment.
According to evidence presented before the jury, Cao was a quant analytics manager at an Ohio-based bank who was hired to help protect customers from fraud. He instead used his access to steal the identities and money of elderly customers who had not enrolled in the bank’s online services. He used an offshore service to create email addresses in the names of more than 100 victims. Then, he used these emails to enroll the victims in online banking—all without their knowledge or authorization. Additionally, Cao directed the victims’ bank statements and other notifications to the email addresses he created. Because he controlled their online banking, he transferred the victims’ money directly to his personal bank and credit card accounts.
He also used the victims’ identities to open bank accounts in their names without their knowledge and transferred their money into them. Some of these were brokerage accounts, where he then engaged in options trading using their money.
The victims targeted by Cao’s scheme resided in the states of New York, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Washington, and Ohio (Canton in Stark County ) and ranged in age from 90-103 years old at the time that Cao secretly enrolled them in online banking. In total, he conducted approximately $2 million in unauthorized transfers using his control of the victims’ accounts.
This case was investigated by the FBI Cleveland Division.
Assistant United States Attorneys Edward D. Brydle and Michael L. Collyer led the prosecution for the Northern District of Ohio.
Five-Time Deported Illegal Alien Convicted of Illegal Reentry into the United States Following Multiple Prior DeportationsRead the Press Release
Tallahassee, Florida – Zeno Higgs, 51, of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, has been found guilty by a federal jury in Tallahassee following a single day jury trial for illegal re-entry into the United States following prior deportation. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the guilty verdict.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Our nation’s immigration laws are not mere suggestions that this criminal illegal alien could disregard, but that is exactly how he viewed them as evidenced by his five prior deportations and his illegal reentry into our country yet again. Thanks to this aggressive prosecution by my office that delivered a swift guilty verdict by a jury, we will hold this criminal illegal alien accountable for his brazen criminality before kicking him out of our country once and for all.”
Court records and trial testimony revealed that on September 11, 2024, officers of the Tallahassee Police Department responded to a theft and assault of a wheelchair-bound individual at a local convenience store. Officers contacted the suspect, who was identified as an illegal alien who had been previously deported from the United States on five prior occasions. Upon the defendant’s arrest, officers of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations examined the defendant’s immigration history which documented his prior deportations on July 9, 2014; November 6, 2015; June 14, 2016; February 15, 2018; and April 18, 2024. Further testimony revealed that the defendant was previously convicted in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida in 2017 of Bringing Aliens into the United States and 2022 for Illegal Re-entry into the United States. The defendant was also convicted in the Circuit Court for Broward County of Felony Battery on a Law Enforcement Officer in 2023.
The case was jointly investigated by the Tallahassee Police Department and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jason R. Coody.
Sentencing is scheduled for December 10, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. in the United States Courthouse in Tallahassee before Senior United States District Judge Robert L. Hinkle.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.
Five Sentenced to Prison for Large-Scale Interstate Drug Trafficking OperationRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – Five individuals will now face prison time for their roles in a drug trafficking conspiracy that trafficked illegal drugs from California to Ohio.
U.S. District Judge Donald C. Nugent imposed the following sentences:
Terrance Gainer, 29, of Akron, was sentenced to 240 months (20 years) in prison and five years of supervised released after pleading guilty to:
- Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Controlled Substances
- Distribution of Methamphetamine (3 counts)
- Interstate Travel in Aid of Racketeering
Darquan Dixon, 27, of Akron, was sentenced to 200 months (16.6 years) in prison and five years of supervised release after pleading guilty to:
- Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Controlled Substances
Allura Ward, 25, of Mansfield, was sentenced to 165 months (13.75 years) in prison and five years of supervised release after pleading guilty to:
- Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Controlled Substances
- Distribution of Methamphetamine (2 counts)
- Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine
Genaro Villa, 39, of San Diego, California, was sentenced to 136 months (11.33 years) in prison and five years of supervised release after pleading guilty to:
- Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Controlled Substances
Najiyah Martin, 47, of Los Angeles, California, was sentenced to 24 months (2 years) in prison after pleading guilty to:
- Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Controlled Substances
Anthony Clark, 31, of Akron, also charged in this case, is scheduled to be sentenced Oct. 14 before Judge Charles Esque Fleming after pleading guilty to:
- Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Controlled Substances
- Distribution of Methamphetamine (3 counts)
In August 2025, a 59-page indictment was unsealed charging the six defendants for operating an interstate drug conspiracy that smuggled large quantities of methamphetamine, cocaine, and other controlled substances from California to Ohio.
According to court documents, from about February 2023 to April 2024, Villa supplied large quantities of drugs from California to Gainer, Clark, Dixon, and Ward. Martin facilitated kilogram-quantity drug deals involving Villa, Clark, and Gainer.
During the investigation, federal agents discovered that methamphetamine and cocaine were routinely mailed from locations in Los Angeles and San Diego and shipped to several cities in Ohio. Co-conspirators also smuggled drugs in suitcases on commercial flights and then drove to an apartment Gainer maintained in Columbus to drop off the drug shipments. Gainer also recruited additional couriers to help smuggle drugs and cash between California and Ohio.
Once the drugs were transported to Ohio, Gainer, Clark, Dixon, and Ward sold them to customers throughout the state. Additionally, Ward purchased a pill press machine and more than 55 pounds of pill-binding powder, had them shipped to her home in Mansfield, and then used them to press illicit pills.
In total, federal investigators seized more than 33 pounds (15 kilograms) of methamphetamine and more than two pounds of (1 kilogram) of cocaine that were smuggled from California to Ohio in mail parcels or on airline flights. Investigators also seized multiple firearms that were connected to the drug operation.
The investigation was conducted by the DEA Detroit Division’s Cleveland Field Office, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Cleveland Office, with assistance from the Cleveland MetroParks Police, the Summit County Sheriff’s Office, the Wayne County MEDWAY Drug Enforcement Agency, the Cleveland Heights Police Department, the Columbus Division of Police, and the Ohio State Highway Patrol.
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 toward 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 Cleveland comprises agents and officers from federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies.
Assistant United States Attorney James P. Lewis leads the prosecution for the Northern District of Ohio.
Felon in Possession of an Illegal Firearm Sentenced to Nine Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Grant Cole Harden, 29, was sentenced to nine years in prison yesterday followed by two years of supervised release for possession of a firearm by a felon, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
According to court documents, Harden has prior felony convictions, including Robbery with a Dangerous Weapon, and is thus prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition. On December 22, 2024, Harden entered an arcade in Charlotte. Upon entering the location, Harden brandished a firearm and disarmed a security guard. Harden then engaged in a shootout with another individual in the arcade and was struck by gunfire. He exited the arcade and was arrested by law enforcement. Law enforcement recovered a Glock 22 Gen 5, .40 caliber pistol that Harden illegally possessed and used at the arcade.
In making the announcement, U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson said, “One convicted felon. One illegal firearm. That’s all it takes to put multiple lives at risk. That’s why my office continues to identify dangerous criminals that threaten our communities and take their cases federal to get them off the streets.”
“Harden’s sentence demonstrates the FBI’s continued commitment to working with our law‑enforcement partners to confront violent offenders and remove illegally possessed firearms from our communities,” said Reid Davis, the FBI Charlotte Special Agent in Charge. “When individuals choose to endanger the public through armed violence, we will take decisive action to hold them accountable.”
Harden is in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation to a federal facility.
This investigation was led by the FBI and the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimlani Ford of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.
Felon Sentenced for Illegal Gun Possession After Fleeing PoliceRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Daveion Antonio Ervin, 28, a previously convicted felon residing in the District, was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court to 27-months in prison in connection with his illegal possession of a loaded Springfield Armory pistol discovered after he was stopped by police for smoking marijuana on a public street, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Ervin pleaded guilty on June 1 before U.S. District Court Judge Carl J. Nichols to one count of felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. In addition to the 27-month prison term, Judge Nichols ordered Ervin to serve three years of supervised release. Federal prosecutors had requested a 33-month prison sentence.
According to court documents, on Feb. 18, 2026, at about 8:55 p.m., U.S. Park Police officers were patrolling in the area of Dix Street at 63rd Street NE. Officers were driving west when they spotted Ervin holding a hand-rolled cigarette and exhaling a large cloud of white smoke.
Moments later, the officers made a U-turn toward Ervin. The officers exited their cruiser, approached Ervin, and detected the strong odor of marijuana. Ervin attempted to flee the scene when officers ordered Ervin to stop. Ervin discarded the hand-rolled cigarette and continued running. After a brief foot pursuit, Ervin tripped and fell. Officers caught up with Ervin and told him to remain on the ground. When the officers asked Ervin why he ran, Ervin told the officers that he was in possession of a firearm and did not have a license to carry.
Officers recovered a Springfield Armory XDS-9 9mm pistol from Ervin’s front waistband. It was loaded with one round in the chamber and five rounds in the magazine. Officers also recovered the remainder of Ervin’s marijuana cigarette along his flight path.
Joining in the announcement was Chief Scott Brecht of the U.S. Park Police.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Park Police.
The matter was prosecuted under the Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful initiative by Assistant U.S. Attorney Emory V. Cole.
Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful supports President Trump's Executive Order that cracks down on gun violence, prioritizes federal firearms violations, pursues tougher penalties, and seeks detention for federal firearms violators.
The firearm in the defendant’s waist prior to its recovery
Image of the Springfield Armory 9mm XDS-9 pistol, ammunition, and partially smoked suspected marijuana cigarette.
26cr38
Federal Jury in Chicago Convicts U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officer on Civil Rights Charges for Sexually Assaulting and Robbing WomenRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A federal jury in Chicago today convicted a United States Customs and Border Protection officer on civil rights charges for sexually assaulting and robbing multiple women in the Chicago suburbs.
LUIS URIBE, who performed customs and immigration duties for CBP in the Chicago area, acted under color of law when he sexually assaulted and robbed two women in 2022. Uribe brandished a firearm in at least one of the assaults. He also robbed and attempted to sexually assault two other women. The robberies, sexual assaults, and attempted sexual assaults occurred in Schaumburg, Ill., and Naperville, Ill.
After a nearly two-week trial in federal court in Chicago, the jury today convicted Uribe, 45, of Pingree Grove, Ill., on all counts, specifically, ten counts of deprivation of civil rights under color of law and one count of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. The convictions carry a mandatory minimum sentence of seven years in federal prison and a maximum of life. U.S. District Judge Jorge L. Alonso set sentencing for Jan. 21, 2027.
The convictions were announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Ryan Whalen, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI, and Erin Silk, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Midwest Region of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspector General. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan L. Shih and Richard Rothblatt.
Federal Jury Finds North Kingstown Man Guilty of Attempted Sex Trafficking of a ChildRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE — A federal jury has found Justin Duffer, 36, guilty of attempted sex trafficking of a child, following a multi-day trial in U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island.
According to evidence presented at trial, Duffer responded to an online advertisement and communicated with an undercover law enforcement officer posing as an intermediary. During these communications, Duffer agreed to pay for a commercial sex act involving a person he believed to be under the age of 14 and traveled to a meeting location, where he paid an undercover officer $120 in cash before being arrested.
“There is no acceptable circumstance in which a child becomes something to be bought, sold, or sexually exploited,” said First Assistant United States Attorney Charles C. Calenda. “Justin Duffer believed he was paying for sexual access to a child and took concrete steps to make that happen. Protecting children from those who seek to exploit them is among the most serious responsibilities we have, and we will continue to pursue those who fuel the demand for child sex trafficking.”
“Duffer arrived at a hotel with cash in hand, fully prepared to pay to sexually abuse an innocent child. Fortunately, instead of a child, special agents and police detectives were waiting for him. Now, a jury has found him guilty and he’s off the streets and facing serious prison time,” said Homeland Security Investigations New England Acting Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey Grimming. “Our work relies on the expertise of our law enforcement partners like the Warwick Police Department, whose local knowledge and skill helps bring cases like this to fruition. Together, we’re working to keep children safe and bring predators to justice.”
Duffer is scheduled to be sentenced on January 6, 2027. He was permitted to remain on release pending sentencing. The charge carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and a maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, a term of supervised release, and applicable mandatory special assessments. The sentence will be determined by the court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Taylor Dean and Lee H. Vilker.
The matter was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Warwick Police Department, and the Rhode Island State Police ICAC Task Force.
Dumfries woman sentenced to over 10 years in prison for facilitating narcotics trafficking in her motelRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – The operator of the Red Carpet Inn in Dumfries was sentenced today to 10 years and 10 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and managing a drug involved premises after she turned the hotel’s third floor into a protected marketplace for narcotics distribution and commercial sex and profited from it.
According to court documents, Kosha Sharma, 53, and her husband and co-defendant Tarun Sharma, 55, operated the Red Carpet Inn from May 2023 until their arrests in January 2026. The couple, who lived in a manager’s apartment within the motel, were regularly present on the premises. Under their management, the Red Carpet Inn was known in the area as a place where narcotics and commercial sex could be purchased.
Rather than removing guests engaged in criminal activity, Sharma and her husband channeled the illegal activity to the third floor and restricted who could access that floor, shielding the illegal activity from the view of law enforcement and the public.
Sharma profited directly from the arrangement. She and her husband charged more for third-floor rooms than for rooms on the first and second floors, and third-floor patrons understood the premium to be a fee for being permitted to conduct narcotics transactions and commercial sexual encounters there. Sharma personally collected payment door to door on the third floor each morning, at times pounding on doors and demanding money.
Sharma knew that narcotics, including fentanyl, were regularly used on the third floor, and knew that many third-floor guests were addicted to fentanyl. On multiple occasions during the conspiracy, guests overdosed at the hotel. At least two of those overdoses in 2025 were fatal, and Sharma found both victims’ bodies in third-floor rooms.
Between March 2025 and January 2026, the FBI and the Prince William County Police Department conducted a series of undercover operations at the hotel, including at least fourteen apparent prostitution encounters in third-floor rooms and sixteen controlled purchases.
Twelve of the controlled purchases involved fentanyl that was distributed by co-defendant Margo Waldon Pierce, aka Marko, 51, who distributed approximately 280.69 grams of fentanyl to undercover officers.
Waldon pled guilty on May 13 to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and was sentenced on Sept. 10 to four years in prison.
Tarun pled guilty on June 3 to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and managing a drug involved premises. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 6 and faces up to 40 years in prison.
Theophani K. Stamos, First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Jeffrey L. Tyler, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office's Criminal Division; and Col. Peter Newsham, Chief of Prince William County Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Patricia Tolliver Giles.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Megan Braun and Catherine Rosenberg 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-30.
Dominican Republic Man Illegally in United States Pleads Guilty to Role in Large Grandparent Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A Dominican Republic resident illegally living in Perth Amboy, New Jersey, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of money laundering conspiracy in connection with a grandparent fraud scheme, United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
Elvys Nicanor Nunez Valerio, 33, pleaded guilty to one count before Senior United States District Judge Nora Barry Fischer on September 14, 2026.
In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that Valerio was a participant in a sophisticated grandparent fraud scheme operating out of the Dominican Republic in which an organized crime group impersonating a grandchild—or other close relative—in a crisis contacted elderly victims and asked for immediate financial assistance. The scammers arranged for a rideshare driver to pick up cash from the elderly relative and deliver the money to a member of the criminal group. From there, portions of the money were deposited into bank accounts or sent back to the Dominican Republic via money transfer services. Specifically, Valerio’s role in the conspiracy was to receive the fraud proceeds from the rideshare drivers, to further launder the money, and ultimately to transfer the money to the Dominican Republic.
On July 12, 2025, an elderly resident of the Western District of Pennsylvania was contacted as part of the grandparent scheme and was deceived into providing $10,000 to a rideshare driver who came to his home to pick up the funds. Subsequently, the victim's family learned of the fraud and contacted the Pennsylvania State Police. The victim was still in contact with the scammer, who instructed the victim to pay another $12,000 so that his daughter could be released from prison. A driver picked up the second package, which did not contain any fraud proceeds. The Pennsylvania State Police initiated a traffic stop on the rideshare driver, who was an unknowing participant in the fraud. Authorities then allowed the driver to deliver the package to its destination address in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. The driver provided the second package to Valerio, who was stopped by the Pennsylvania State Police before he was able to drive away.
A search of the vehicle resulted in the recovery of the second package as well as fraud proceeds associated with the first package. Further investigation revealed that Valerio was involved in the larger conspiracy, and had traveled around the country participating in the fraud. Activity in a bank account in Valerio’s name was determined to be consistent with involvement in the scheme, including, between January and July 2025, more than 40 cash deposits totaling more than $65,000. The financial records also showed payments to and from other members of the conspiracy and transfers of the fraud proceeds to the Dominican Republic.
Judge Fischer scheduled sentencing for December 1, 2026. The law provides for a total sentence of up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $500,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Two of Valerio’s co-conspirators, Luis Alfonso Bisono Rodriguez and Engels Guillermo Almengot Valerio, both also of the Dominican Republic and illegally residing in the U.S., each were sentenced by Judge Fischer earlier this month to two years of prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, on their convictions for money laundering conspiracy in relation to the grandparent fraud scheme.
Assistant United States Attorney Brendan T. Conway is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Pennsylvania State Police, in conjunction with numerous other police departments throughout the United States, conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Valerio.
District of Massachusetts Joins DOJ Fraud Division, SBA and SBA-OIG in Nationwide COVID-Era Fraud Enforcement SurgeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts announced recent charges, convictions and sentencings in five cases involving fraud against COVID-19 pandemic relief programs as part of a nationwide enforcement surge led by the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and the SBA Office of Inspector General.
From June 12 through Sept. 1, 2026, federal prosecutors across the country facilitated fraud enforcement actions involving more than 160 criminal defendants, including approximately 80 newly charged defendants and approximately $245 million in intended losses to American taxpayers.
The District of Massachusetts participated in the coordinated effort through prosecutions involving alleged identity theft to obtain pandemic benefits, fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) applications, and the diversion of taxpayer-funded relief money for personal expenses.
“Pandemic relief programs were created to keep businesses afloat and help Americans weather an unprecedented crisis – not to finance homes, luxury vehicles or other personal expenses,” said United States Attorney Leah B. Foley. “Years after these programs ended, we are still identifying and prosecuting those who allegedly exploited them. The message should be clear: the passage of time will not shield fraudsters from accountability, and we will continue to protect taxpayer dollars and pursue those who stole from programs designed to help people in genuine need.”
Among the District of Massachusetts’ recent pandemic-relief fraud enforcement actions:
David Breen, 54, of Mount Pleasant, S.C., was sentenced in July 2026 to three years probation, with one year to be served on home detention and restitution in the amount of $1,148,368 after previously pleading guilty in March 2026 to theft of government property for misappropriating more than $1.2 million in EIDL funds for personal use. Breen obtained approximately $1.5 million in EIDL funds on behalf of “Fun Zone,” an entity through which he operated “Pinz,” a bowling alley and entertainment venue in Milford, Mass. Although Breen agreed to use the loan proceeds as working capital for the business, he instead used more than $1.1 million to build a home for himself in South Carolina and to make a down payment on a $111,000 truck.
Tanya Pierre, 29, of Miami, Fla. pleaded guilty in August 2026 to conspiracy to commit wire fraud in connection with a multi-state PPP fraud scheme, as well as a separate conspiracy to commit wire and bank fraud involving fraudulent mortgage and luxury apartment applications. In the PPP scheme, Pierre conspired with others to submit fraudulent loan applications on behalf of borrowers and created fake tax forms to support applications falsely claiming that borrowers operated qualifying businesses. According to court records, Pierre is responsible for approximately $4.8 million in losses resulting from the PPP scheme. Pierre is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 19, 2026.
Wilfredo Payano Batista, 39, a Dominican national residing in Worcester, was arrested and charged in July 2026 and subsequently indicted by a federal grand jury in August 2026 in connection with an alleged scheme to use the identity of a U.S. citizen to obtain government benefits, including PPP and Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) funds. Batista allegedly obtained a $20,832 PPP loan and more than $48,000 in PUA benefits using the victim’s identity. According to the charging documents, Batista collected approximately $17,682 of the PUA benefits for 21 weeks during which he was incarcerated in Massachusetts for drug-dealing convictions. He allegedly later told the Massachusetts Department of Unemployment Assistance, while posing as the victim, that he had already spent the money and could not repay it.
Patrick Nerese, 48, of Randolph, Mass. was indicted by a federal grand jury in July 2026 on bank fraud, money laundering and wire fraud charges in connection with alleged bank fraud and pandemic-relief fraud schemes. Prosecutors allege that Nerese submitted fraudulent EIDL and PPP applications between 2020 and 2022 by falsely representing his business’s gross income and, in connection with a PPP application, submitting a fake tax form to substantiate the claimed revenue. While the alleged fraudulent EIDL application was denied, the alleged PPP fraud resulted in approximately $20,833 in actual losses. Nerese is also alleged to have deposited or attempted to deposit approximately 17 stolen and altered checks totaling more than $3.2 million at Massachusetts banks.
Earlier this month, Wens Mathurin, 29, of Brockton, Mass. was sentenced to one day in prison (deemed served), three years of supervised release and $312,000 in restitution after previously pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to engage in unlawful monetary transactions. Mathurin participated in a broader multi-state PPP fraud scheme in which fraudulent loan applications were submitted using fabricated employee and payroll information and false supporting documents. A fraudulent application submitted on behalf of Mathurin’s purported warehouse and cargo delivery business resulted in a $313,852 PPP loan. Mathurin subsequently made kickback payments in connection with the fraud.
On March 26, 2026, United States Attorney Leah B. Foley announced the creation of the Benefit & Voter Fraud Team, a district-wide initiative established in response to the rampant fraud being uncovered across Massachusetts. Members of the public are encouraged to report suspected benefit fraud in Massachusetts by calling 1-855-SCAM-MA-1 (855-722-6621).
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.
The Massachusetts cases described above were investigated by various federal and state law enforcement partners, including the Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General; Homeland Security Investigations; the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation; the U.S. Secret Service; the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General; the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General; and the Department of Health & Human Services, Office of Inspector General.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The charged defendants are presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.
Department of Justice Returns Approximately $29.7M in Proceeds of Fraud, Money Laundering and Tax Evasion Scheme to the Government of CuraçaoRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice announced today that it is transferring $29.7 million to Curaçao in three installments. The funds represent the proceeds of an eight-year fraud and money laundering scheme against the government of Curaçao involving the operation of an unlicensed lottery and failure to pay taxes on the income from the lottery and other sources.
According to court documents, Robertico A. Dos Santos orchestrated the scheme and was prosecuted in Curaçao. At Curaçao’s request, the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering, Narcotics, and Forfeiture Section (MNF) obtained an order from the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia enforcing a pre-trial restraining order issued by a Curaçao court against the illegal proceeds. Those proceeds were deposited in investment accounts in a Miami bank opened by Dos Santos in the names of companies he controlled. After Dos Santos was convicted and sentenced in Curaçao, at Curaçao’s request, MNF obtained an order from the U.S. court enforcing the final forfeiture order issued by the Curaçao court against the restrained funds.
According to the transfer document, the forfeited funds are being returned in recognition of Curaçao’s losses and its valuable assistance to the United States, which substantially facilitated the successful forfeiture of the illicit proceeds through the enforcement of Curaçao’s court orders. The return of the funds is also intended to strengthen cooperation between the two countries in the investigation and prosecution of transnational financial crime, money laundering, corruption, human trafficking and other crimes, as well as the forfeiture of criminal proceeds.
Minister of Justice of Curaçao Shalten Hato, Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau and Deputy Assistant Attorney General Jennifer Hodge of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division at signing ceremony in Washington, DC.The recovered funds transferred to Curacao will be used over a period of time for various law enforcement purposes. The disposition of the transferred funds will be audited regularly by a non-profit accounting firm in Curaçao and annually by an external auditor. None of the funds may be disbursed to the defendant, Robertico Dos Santos, or his family and any businesses he controls. The transfer terms and the audit reports will be posted on public websites in Curaçao and provided to Curaçao’s Minister of Justice and the United States.
This case was handled by Senior Trial Attorney Teresa Turner-Jones of MNF. Substantial assistance was provided by the government of Curaçao, the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, and the U.S. Department of State.
Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Department’s Criminal Division made the announcement.
MNF’s mission is to take the profit out of crime, eliminate drug cartels, and protect the U.S. financial system. MNF pursues criminal prosecutions and criminal and civil asset recovery actions involving: financial facilitators who launder profits for criminals; financial institutions and their officers and employees whose actions threaten the U.S. financial system and financial institutions; international money launderers who support transnational organized crime; and the top command and control of international drug trafficking organizations.
MNF’s International Unit investigates and prosecutes cross-border money laundering schemes involving transnational criminal organizations, cartels, foreign official corruption and related money laundering affecting the U.S. financial system and prosecutes criminal cases and civil forfeiture matters to recover the proceeds of those crimes.
Defuniak Springs Man Found Guilty of Attempted Enticement of a MinorRead the Press Release
Tallahassee, Florida – Michael R. Foster, 49, of DeFuniak Springs, Florida, was found guilty by a federal jury of attempted enticement of a minor. The conviction was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “We are fortunate to have excellent law enforcement partners – like the Bay County Sheriff’s Office, HSI, and the FBI – who work tirelessly to keep our kids safe, both online and in our communities, by targeting, investigating, and arresting predators, like this defendant, who seek to sexually exploit and victimize children. Aggressively prosecuting these sexual predators is one of the top priorities of my office to ensure we keep them locked away behind bars and away from our kids.”
Court records and evidence at trial demonstrated that in November 2025, the Bay County Sheriff’s Office, along with other law enforcement partners, conducted an undercover operation, directed at finding people who were soliciting minors online for sex. On November 8, 2025, the defendant began talking with an undercover law enforcement officer who the defendant believed was a fifteen-year-old child. The defendant told the purported child the sexual act he wanted the child to perform, was told a price for those sexual acts, and he arranged a meeting location. When the defendant traveled to meet the purported child at the agreed upon location, he was arrested by law enforcement. Electronic evidence seized pursuant to a search warrant confirmed the defendant had, in fact, talked to the person he believed was a child and traveled to meet them.
This conviction was the result of an investigation by the Bay County Sheriff’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Eric W. Welch.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. 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.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.
DOJ Sues Georgia Lab Executives for Defrauding Medicare by Targeting Faith-Based Communities and SeniorsRead the Press Release
Today, the United States filed a complaint under the False Claims Act against laboratory executives Jay Johnson and Austin Whiles, alleging that they used their roles at Capstone Diagnostics, an Atlanta-based clinical laboratory, to orchestrate two testing schemes — one targeting faith-based communities and the other senior citizens — that caused Medicare to pay millions of dollars for testing generated through unlawful kickbacks and without individualized treating-provider judgment. The complaint also seeks recovery under federal common-law theories against Johnson’s now-former wife, Sarah Haslock, and several affiliated entities that received funds allegedly derived from the conduct.
“Today’s complaint reflects the Justice Department’s steadfast commitment to combatting fraud in federal health care programs,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Laboratory testing must be driven by patient needs, not financial incentives. We will continue to use the False Claims Act to hold accountable those who exploit Medicare for personal gain.”
“Johnson and Whiles allegedly took advantage of individuals at religious events and senior living facilities to line their pockets and drain millions of dollars from the Medicare trust fund,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg for the Northern District of Georgia. “This lawsuit reflects our commitment to recovering unlawfully diverted public money from anyone who defrauds the government and taxpayers.”
In the first alleged scheme, Johnson and Whiles used church-sponsored health fairs and religious conferences to generate genetic testing through unlawful kickbacks and without individualized treating-provider judgment. The complaint alleges that they directed Capstone personnel to swab attendees at mass events and then, without permission, used physician names, signatures, standing orders, and other paperwork to make the testing appear properly ordered and medically necessary. In the second, Johnson and Whiles allegedly exploited senior living communities’ demand for COVID-19 testing to generate larger reimbursing respiratory pathogen panels through community- and chain-wide standing orders, copied or altered physician signatures, standardized diagnosis codes, and order entry by sales personnel rather than treating providers.
The complaint further alleges that Whiles secretly captured millions of dollars in volume-based commissions generated by independent marketers by routing the money to himself through Whitson Medical, a company he owned and controlled. The complaint separately alleges that Johnson transferred millions of dollars derived from the schemes to his now-former wife, Sarah Haslock.
The United States previously reached settlements with Capstone and its owner, Drew Maloney, for $14.3 million and with Capstone’s billing company, VitalAxis, Inc. for $300,479 to resolve their potential civil liability under the False Claims Act arising from the alleged scheme. In addition, on Dec. 10, 2025, Jay Johnson was indicted in the Northern District of Georgia for conspiracy to commit health care fraud charges for his role in the church health fairs genetic testing scheme; his prosecution is currently pending.
The Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia are handling the matter with assistance from the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General.
The lawsuit was originally filed under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the FCA. Under the FCA, private parties can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of the recovery. The FCA permits the United States to intervene in and take over the action, as it has done here. If a defendant is found liable for violating the FCA, the United States may recover three times the amount of its losses plus applicable penalties. The qui tam action is captioned United States et al. ex rel. Jesse Allen v. Capstone Diagnostics, LLC d/b/a Capstone Healthcare, No. 1:19-CV-5598-SEG.
One of the most powerful tools in the effort to combat health care fraud is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement, can be reported to HHS at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).
This year, the Trump Administration launched the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud and the National Fraud Enforcement Division to enhance the Administration’s war on fraud, waste, and abuse in federal programs. When unscrupulous actors exploit these programs for their own financial gain, they defraud the government, harm the people these programs are designed to aid and protect, and undermine American businesses that play by the rules. The Civil Division’s False Claims Act enforcement plays a critical role in combatting such fraudulent schemes, recovering billions of dollars for the American taxpayers, and holding wrongdoers accountable. False Claims Act matters will continue to be on the forefront of the battle against fraud, and the Civil Division’s False Claims work will support and advance the mission of the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud and the National Fraud Enforcement Division.
Associate Deputy Attorney General Paul Perkins, Fraud Section Trial Attorney Asha Natarajan, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Neeli Ben-David for the Northern District of Georgia are handling this matter.
The claims asserted in the complaint are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability.
DOJ Sues Former Georgia Lab Execs for Defrauding Medicare by Targeting Faith-Based Communities and SeniorsRead the Press Release
ATLANTA – The United States has filed a complaint under the False Claims Act against Jay Johnson, the former Chief Operating Officer and Chief Executive Officer of the Atlanta-based clinical laboratory Capstone Diagnostics, LLC (“Capstone”); Austin Whiles, Capstone’s former Chief Sales Officer and Vice President of Business Development; and associated entities. The complaint alleges that the defendants caused Medicare to pay approximately $13.7 million for genetic and respiratory pathogen panel testing that was not medically necessary. Johnson also faces criminal health care and wire fraud charges arising from the scheme, which allegedly exploited church health fairs, religious conferences, and senior living communities to generate testing volume, including by paying kickbacks to conference organizers and independent marketers.
“Johnson and Whiles allegedly took advantage of individuals at religious events and senior living facilities to line their pockets and drain millions of dollars from the Medicare trust fund,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “This lawsuit reflects our commitment to recovering unlawfully diverted public money from anyone who defrauds the government and taxpayers.”
“Today’s complaint reflects the Justice Department’s steadfast commitment to combating fraud in federal health care programs,” said Brett A. Shumate, Assistant Attorney General of the Civil Division. “Laboratory testing must be driven by patient needs, not financial incentives. We will continue to use the False Claims Act to hold accountable those who exploit Medicare for personal gain.”
“The conduct alleged in this complaint reflects a blatant disregard for patient welfare and an abuse of trust,” said Acting Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Miranda L. Bennett of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG remains committed to working with our federal partners to safeguard Medicare and ensure that those who exploit the program and the vulnerable communities it serves are held accountable.”
“Laboratory companies have a responsibility to perform the specific testing requested by physicians,” said Marlo Graham, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “Schemes like this raise healthcare costs for everyone. The FBI is committed to safeguarding the integrity of our federal health care programs.”
According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the complaint, and other information presented in court: Between 2019 and 2021, Johnson and Whiles allegedly engaged in two schemes to defraud Medicare. First, Johnson and Whiles allegedly targeted church-sponsored health fairs and religious conferences to perform and claim reimbursement for massive amounts of genetic testing not requested by physicians. Johnson allegedly directed Capstone personnel to swab attendees at mass events and then, without permission, used physicians’ names, signatures, standing orders, and other paperwork to make the testing appear properly ordered and medically necessary.
Second, Johnson and Whiles allegedly added medically unnecessary respiratory pathogen panels to COVID-19 tests sought by senior living communities, which inflated the Medicare reimbursements paid to Capstone. They allegedly did so by improperly using community- and chain-wide standing orders, copying physician signatures, standardizing diagnosis codes, having sales personnel enter orders rather than treating providers, and paying unlawful remuneration in violation of the Anti-Kickback Statute.
In total, the defendants allegedly caused Medicare to pay approximately $13.7 million for laboratory tests generated through the two schemes from 2019 through 2021. Johnson allegedly transferred millions of dollars derived from the schemes to his now-former wife, Sarah Haslock, and Whiles secretly routed to himself approximately $4.75 million in volume-based commissions from independent marketers.
Relatedly, the United States reached settlements with Capstone and its owner, Andrew Maloney, for $14.3 million and with Capstone’s billing company, VitalAxis, Inc. for $300,479 to resolve their potential civil liability under the False Claims Act.
On September 4, 2026, the United States intervened in a lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act, United States ex rel. Allen v. Capstone Diagnostics, LLC, et al., Civil Action No. 1:19-CV-5598-SEG. Under the False Claims Act, private citizens may bring suit for false claims on behalf of the United States and share in any recovery obtained by the government. Jesse Allen, the former laboratory manager for Capstone, is the whistleblower who filed the initial lawsuit.
On December 10, 2025, a federal grand jury indicted Johnson for conspiracy to commit health care and wire fraud, health care fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to receive and pay kickbacks, and payment of kickbacks in connection with a federal health care program. Those charges are currently pending.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Neeli Ben-David and Associate Deputy Attorney General Paul Perkins, Fraud Section Trial Attorney Asha Natarajan, and Healthcare Fraud Investigative Analyst Alena Evans of the Justice Department’s Civil Division are handling the civil False Claims Act matter, with substantial assistance from the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Angela Adams and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jim Mooney are handling the criminal matter.
One of the most powerful tools in the effort to combat healthcare fraud is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement, can be reported to HHS at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).
This year, the Trump Administration launched the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud and the National Fraud Enforcement Division to enhance the Administration’s war on fraud, waste, and abuse in federal programs. When unscrupulous actors exploit these programs for their own financial gain, they defraud the government, harm the people these programs are designed to aid and protect, and undermine American businesses that play by the rules. The Civil Division’s False Claims Act enforcement plays a critical role in combatting such fraudulent schemes, recovering billions of dollars for the American taxpayers, and holding wrongdoers accountable. False Claims Act matters will continue to be on the forefront of the battle against fraud, and the Civil Division’s False Claims work will support and advance the mission of the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud and the National Fraud Enforcement Division.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6185. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
D.C. Man Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison for Murdering Same Woman He Was Previously Convicted of AssaultingRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Michael Garrett, 70, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced on September 11, 2026, to 25 years in prison, in D.C. Superior Court in connection with the December 3, 2021, murder of Sylvia Matthews, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Garrett pleaded guilty on March 19, 2026, before D.C. Superior Court Judge Neal Kravitz to one count of second-degree murder while armed. Garrett attempted to withdraw his guilty plea, but that request was denied by Judge Kravitz. In addition to the 25-year prison sentence, Judge Kravitz ordered Garrett to serve five years of supervised release.
“Ms. Matthews deserved safety, dignity, and peace—rights that Michael Garrett repeatedly stole from her," said U.S. Attorney Pirro. "Especially given the fact that a prior judge gave Garrett compassionate release from prison on another assault charge against her, which allowed him the opportunity to come out and kill Sylvia. Nothing will bring back Sylvia, but today’s sentence delivers a measure of justice and ensures the defendant will no longer pose a threat to anyone in our community.”
According to court documents, on December 3, 2021, Ms. Matthews contacted 911 after Garrett broke windows in her home and her car window after trying to enter her home. MPD officers responded twice and Garrett was no longer on scene. At approximately 11:20 am, a 911 call was received for Ms. Matthews’ address for a burglary in progress. Officers were dispatched to the scene for a third time. After speaking with a witness who told them Ms. Matthews was being held hostage, MPD officers entered the residence through a rear door. Once inside, officers located Ms. Matthews at the bottom of the basement stairs with severe head trauma. First responding officers located Garrett in the basement, after seeing a blood trail from the victim. He was taken into custody at that time.
Ms. Matthews was taken to the hospital where she died from her injuries. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner determined that Ms. Matthews died from blunt force injuries and ruled her death a homicide.
Garrett has a long history of assaultive and threatening behavior toward Ms. Matthews. Garrett was released in March 2021 following a Compassionate Release motion after serving a 20+ year sentence in a case where he assaulted Ms. Matthews and broke into her same home. The government opposed the release citing the defendant’s previous abuse of the victim.
Joining in the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
The investigation was conducted by the Metropolitan Police Department. The matter was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Natalie Hynum and Emma McArthur.
2021 CF1 006899
D.C. Dentist Sentenced to 24 Months in Prison for Scheme to Defraud D.C. Medicaid of $3.4 MillionRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Today, Steven A. Price, 70, of the District of Columbia, was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 24 months in prison for conspiring to defraud D.C. Medicaid of $3.4 million, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
“Fraud against taxpayer‑funded programs will not be ignored, excused, or allowed to persist in the dark," said U.S. Attorney Pirro. "Mr. Price is going to prison and is ordered to pay $3.4 million in restitution. The days when individuals could hide behind complex billing schemes to steal from the American taxpayer are over. My office, alongside our law enforcement partners, will continue to pursue those who abuse the public’s trust and ensure they are held fully accountable.”
In March 2026, after a 6-week trial overseen by District Judge Amit P. Mehta, a federal jury found Price guilty of 21 counts including charges of conspiracy. health care fraud, false statements, and wire fraud. In addition to Price’s prison sentence of 24 months followed by 36 months of supervised release, the Court ordered Price to pay restitution of $3.4 million to D.C. Medicaid and entered a criminal forfeiture money judgment. The government requested a 108-month prison term. Moore is scheduled to be sentenced by the Court on October 23, 2026.
Price is a dentist who operated the Washington Smile Center in Northwest Washington. His codefendant, Keidi Moore, 40, was employed at the Washington Smile Center as a dental hygienist and was also found guilty by the jury.
According to court papers, Price and Moore treated many elderly and disabled patients. Beginning in January 2017 and continuing through March 2022, Price and Moore conspired to defraud D.C. Medicaid by filing fraudulent claims for clinical crown lengthening and space maintainers, when in fact the patients had not received the procedures or devices. Price and Moore included the false claims alongside procedures during actual patient visits. D.C. Medicaid paid out more than $3.4 million for the fraudulent claims. In some instances, patients were alleged to have been provided more than 30 clinical crown lengthening procedures and more than 20 space maintainers during the relevant period. As soon as D.C. Medicaid put in a pre-authorization requirement for the clinical crown lengthening procedure the false billing for both types of claims stopped.
“Today’s sentencing underscores our unwavering commitment to serving the American people, safeguarding taxpayer money, and preserving the integrity of the federal health care programs that support them,” said Special Agent in Charge Maureen R. Dixon of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS‑OIG). “Such schemes waste public funds and undermine trust in the Medicaid program. HHS-OIG, in close collaboration with our law enforcement partners, will continue efforts to identify and hold accountable individuals who exploit federally funded health care programs for personal benefit.”
Joining in the announcement was FBI Assistant Director in Charge Darren B. Cox of the Washington Field Office, Special Agent in Charge Maureen R. Dixon of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General and Matthew Wilcoxson, Interim Inspector General for the District of Columbia.
The case was investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General, and the District of Columbia Office of Inspector General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit. The District Department of Health Care Finance’s Division of Program Integrity referred this matter and provided assistance during the investigation.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Diane Lucas and Sarah Ranney.
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.
23cr122
Convicted Felon Sentenced to More Than Thirteen Years in Federal Prison for Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – Jaloni McGhee (42) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roy B. Dalton to 13 years and 4 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. McGhee was found guilty on June 8, 2026, following a bench trial. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents, on October 11, 2025, officers from the Orlando Police Department conducted a traffic stop near Raleigh Street and Lenox Boulevard based on an alleged traffic violation. Upon approaching the SUV, the officers smelled the distinct odor of burnt cannabis emitting from the vehicle. McGhee was in the front passenger seat.
Upon learning that neither McGhee nor the driver had a medical marijuana card, the officers ordered both occupants out of the vehicle. The driver exited without issue. McGhee claimed that he had been shot in his upper right leg and stabbed in his left leg the week before in Jacksonville, and that due to his injuries he had difficulty moving his legs. Officers attempted to escort McGhee out of the vehicle for approximately five minutes. During this time, McGhee scooted across the seat and retrieved a firearm from under his buttocks and hunched his body forward. Officers gave McGhee several commands to drop the firearm. It took several officers to get McGhee to the ground and recover the firearm. The firearm was loaded, with one round in the chamber.
At the time of the offense, McGhee had multiple prior felony convictions. In May 2004, he was convicted of attempted robbery and sentenced to six months in jail followed by a term of probation. In July 2014, McGhee was convicted of aggravated assault and sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment. In December 2022, McGhee was convicted of sale or delivery of fentanyl and sentenced to 22 months in the Florida Department of Corrections. As a convicted felon, McGhee was prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Orlando Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kaley Austin-Aronson.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), 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.