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22 January 2026
Guatemalan National Sentenced for Illegally Reentering U.S.Read the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that MARCOS ISMALEJ IXPANCOC, also known as Marcos Hernandez Lopez and Jose Ernandez, 39, a citizen of Guatemala recently residing in Stamford, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Vernon D. Oliver in Hartford to 30 days of imprisonment for illegally reentering the United States after being deported.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in October 2006, Ixpancoc was apprehended by U.S. Border Patrol in Arizona. He identified himself to U.S. Border Patrol as Marcos Hernandez Lopez, claimed to be a citizen of Mexico, and was issued a voluntary return to Mexico. In August 2012, Ixpancoc was again apprehended by U.S. Border Patrol in Texas. He identified himself as Jose Ernandez and claimed to be a citizen of Guatemala. He was removed to Guatemala in September 2012. In June 2023, Ixpancoc submitted to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) an application for legal permanent residency and work authorization under his true name and listed a home address in Stamford. The fingerprints that USCIS collected in connection with those applications matched those collected when he was apprehended and removed under the names Marcos Hernandez Lopez and Jose Ernandez in 2006 and 2012. These applications, which Ixpancoc signed under penalty of perjury, contained several false statements.
On November 1, 2025, Ixpancoc was arrested by Homeland Security Investigations. He pleaded guilty to illegal reentry on December 4.
Ixpancoc, who has been detained since his arrest, will be removed to Guatemala when he completes his prison term.
This matter was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Neeraj N. Patel.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Guatemalan Citizen and Convicted Felon Guilty of Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – United States Attorney David I. Courcelle announced today that FEDERICO MENDEZ-FRANCISCO a/k/a “JORGE SANTOS ARROYO,” a/k/a “JORGE A. GORDILLO,” a/k/a “FEDERICO MENDEZ,” a/k/a “FREDERICO MENDEZ,” a/k/a “FEDERICO MENDEZ FRANCISCO,” (“MENDEZ-FRANCISCO”), age 40, a native of Guatemala, pled guilty to re-entry of a previously removed alien, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Sections 1326(a) and 1326(b)(1).
According to court documents, on May 15, 2024, MENDEZ-FRANCISCO pled guilty to Domestic Abuse-Child under 13 Present, a felony, in the 24th Judicial District Court Parish of Jefferson. The United States government removed MENDEZ-FRANCISCO from the United States on July 3, 2024. Law enforcement authorities later located MENDEZ-FRANCISCO, an illegal alien, in Jefferson Parish on May 2, 2025. MENDEZ-FRANCISCO had not received permission from the Attorney General of the United States or the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security to reenter the United States.
United States District Judge Brandon S. Long set sentencing for April 14, 2026. At sentencing, MENDEZ-FRANCISCO faces a maximum term of imprisonment of ten (10) years, a fine of up to $250,000, up to three (3) years of supervised release, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee.
U.S. Attorney Courcelle praised the work of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations (“ICE-ERO”) in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Duane A. Evans of the General Crimes Unit is prosecuting the matter.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
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Grand Island Man Sentenced to 5 Years for Attempting Malicious Damage to Federal Property Using Explosive Materials and Destruction of Government PropertyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Eulisis Martin, 35, of Grand Island, Nebraska, was sentenced on January 8, 2026, in federal court in Lincoln, Nebraska, for one count of attempting malicious damage to federal property using explosive materials and one count of destruction of government property over $1,000. United States District Judge Susan M. Bazis sentenced Martin to a total of 60 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Martin’s release from prison, he will begin a three-year term of supervised release. Additionally, Martin will have to pay $1,841.65 in restitution.
On or about June 9, 2025, at approximately 1:15 a.m., Martin spray-painted “KILL ICE” on the front window of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) office located in Grand Island. Martin then proceeded to the rear of the building, where he took a homemade Molotov cocktail, lit it, and threw it at the ICE office building. However, the Molotov cocktail did not fully function. A Molotov cocktail is a homemade explosive device which is used to start fires and/or cause explosions.
On June 14, 2025, at approximately 1:30 a.m., Martin returned to the location of the ICE office and punctured tires on seven different vehicles owned by the United States Department of Agriculture which were parked behind the ICE office. An officer with Grand Island Police Department observed Martin at the location before he fled the scene.
On June 16, 2025, a search warrant for Martin’s residence was executed. In his bedroom, law enforcement found two additional Molotov cocktails that matched the same design as the ones found at the ICE office, notes discussing what items to purchase to make a Molotov cocktail, and notes discussing how to properly use a Molotov cocktail.
On June 17, 2025, a search warrant for Martin’s vehicle was executed. Law enforcement found men’s boots that matched a boot print found at the ICE office, white spray paint, dark clothing, and a knife.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Grand Island Police Department.
Glastonbury Man Sentenced to 9 Years in Federal Prison for Bath Salt Trafficking OffenseRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that HARRISON ELBA, 35, formerly of Glastonbury, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to 108 months of imprisonment, seven years of supervised release, and a $5,000 fine for possessing with intent to distribute dimethylpentylone, commonly known as “bath salts.”
According to court documents and statements made in court, on October 19, 2019, Judge Underhill sentenced Elba to five years of probation for his role in a narcotics distribution conspiracy. In June 2023, Judge Underhill granted Elba’s motion for early termination of his probation, which claimed his rehabilitation was “complete.”
In 2023, an investigation revealed that Elba possessed with intent to distribute bath salts at the John Fitch Distilling Company, a business he operated in South Windsor. On May 2, 2023, investigators seized approximately 10 kilograms of the drug from the business. Elba was arrested on September 14, 2023, and was detained until October 9, 2024, when he was released on bond.
On January 10, 2025, Elba pleaded guilty pursuant to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and admitted additional conduct, including:
- Between April and June 2023, Elba operated a drug manufacturing facility in Bloomfield where he and others manufactured and distributed psilocybin mushrooms and THC products, along with large quantities of bagged marijuana intended for distribution.
- In approximately March 2021, Elba arranged to purchase 200 pounds of marijuana from two individuals in Vermont. Instead of making the purchase, Elba and others travelled to Vermont to rob the two individuals. Elba met the individuals in a hotel room, confirmed their possession of the marijuana, and left as his associates entered the room and took the marijuana by force.
- In approximately November 2022, Elba received and distributed 10 kilograms of cocaine.
- In 2023, Elba picked up approximately six guns belonging to one his associates and delivered them to another person who could store them.
- In December 2024, Elba arranged for the mailing of a book to an inmate at the Wyatt Detention Facility in Rhode Island, knowing that certain pages of the book were laced with synthetic cannabinoids.
The investigation further revealed that while he was released on bond, Elba is alleged to have engaged in a scheme to smuggle drugs, cellular phones, and other contraband into a federal correctional institution (FCI) in Ray Brook, New York using drones. On January 10, 2025, shortly after Elba pleaded guilty and continued to be released on bond, he communicated with an FCI Ray Brook inmate and said “I literally just got out of my guilty plea. I pled guilty. My guidelines were 97 to 121. My judge is like the best judge in Connecticut. He sentenced me five years ago…. I thought I might go back to jail today….” Elba and the inmate also discussed the drone smuggling scheme.
Elba has been detained in state custody since April 23, 2025, on charges related to his operation of the Bloomfield drug factory.
The drone smuggling scheme is currently under investigation by federal authorities.
This matter was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration New Haven Tactical Diversion Squad with the assistance of the South Windsor Police Department, Bloomfield Police Department, Glastonbury Police Department. The DEA New Haven Tactical Diversion Squad is composed of personnel from the DEA, and the Bristol, West Haven, Fairfield, Glastonbury, Seymour, and Torrington Police Departments.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Konstantin Lantsman and Katherine Boyles.
Fort Wayne Man Sentenced to 300 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
FORT WAYNE – Jason L. Pea, 32 years old, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge Holly A. Brady after pleading guilty to Sexual Exploitation of Children and Distributing Child Pornography, announced United States Attorney Adam L. Mildred.
Pea was sentenced to 300 months in prison followed by lifetime supervision and ordered to pay $12,000 restitution. Pea was ordered to pay a special assessment of $5,000 pursuant to the Amy, Vicky, and Andy Child Pornography Victim Assistance Act of 2018.
According to documents in the case, in the fall of 2024, Pea began communicating via social media with a thirteen-year-old female in Missouri. Pea offered to pay the child for sexually explicit photos and videos. After the child complied, Pea threatened to publish the photos and videos if the child did not return the money or provide him the names and contact information for her friends. The child returned a portion of the money; however, Pea distributed a sexually explicit video of the minor to another minor child. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Allen County Sheriff’s Violent Crimes Against Children Task Force executed a search warrant at Pea’s residence in Allen County, Indiana, and found the communication devices that Pea used to commit the offenses. Pea was a registered sex offender, having been convicted of sexual misconduct with a minor in 2016.
“Jason Pea reached out through the internet to inflict devastating abuse on an innocent girl living hundreds of miles away,” said U.S. Attorney Mildred. “He compounded this heinous crime by threatening to distribute the products of that abuse to blackmail the minor victim into providing access to her friends. And as a final twist, he ignored the minor victim’s compliance with that blackmail and distributed the abusive materials to another minor anyway. He did all this despite having already once been convicted and punished for a sexual offense. Thankfully, the excellent work of our law enforcement and prosecutorial teams resulted in a long prison sentence and a lifetime of court-ordered supervision that will stop this repeat sex offender from preying on our children for the rest of his life. I would like to thank each and every one of them for their efforts.”
“Every image and video of child sexual abuse represents a real child who has been harmed and demands a decisive law-enforcement response,” said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Timothy J. O’Malley. “This 300-month sentence reflects the seriousness of the harm caused and sends a clear message that those who prey on children and distribute this material will be aggressively pursued and held fully accountable.”
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the Allen County Sheriff’s Violent Crimes Against Children Task Force. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stacey R. Speith.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Former St. Mary Parish Teacher Indicted for Attempting to Entice One of Her Students to Engage in Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE – A federal grand jury in Lafayette returned an indictment on December 17, 2025, charging Katherine Albarado with attempted enticement of a minor. Albarado faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and up to life in federal prison for the charge.
“Protecting Louisiana’s children from abuse by people in positions of trust lies at the heart of our mission to make our Louisiana communities safe,” said United States Attorney Zachary A. Keller. “The people entrusted with our children discharge one of the most sacred responsibilities that exists in our society, and our Office will continue working with our federal, state, and local partners to investigate and prosecute those who violate that trust.”
According to information presented in court, Albarado was a high school teacher in St. Mary Parish in May 2022 when she began using her personal email account to communicate sexually explicit messages with a sixteen-year-old student whom she taught. Over a month’s time, Albarado continually tried to persuade the minor victim to engage in sexual activity with her. In addition to describing the sexual activity she wanted to do with the minor victim, Albarado also sent a video of herself undressing in an attempt to entice the minor.
U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Keller for the Western District of Louisiana made the announcement.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Morgan City Police Department investigated this case. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren L. Nickel with support from Legal Assistant Christy Angelle.
An indictment is merely an allegation. 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 6:25-cr-00355.
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Former Employee Sentenced to Nine Days in Prison for Violating Security Requirements at Philadelphia International AirportRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Tiriq Henson, 34, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today to nine days’ incarceration, followed by two years of supervised release, by United States District Judge Gail A. Weilheimer for helping another person bypass airport security at the Philadelphia International Airport.
In September of last year, the defendant pleaded guilty to one count of entering an airport area in violation of security requirements.
As detailed in court filings, on March 9, 2024, Henson, then employed as a wheelchair assistant at Philadelphia’s airport, aided and abetted the entry of his associate, David Easley, into a secure airport area, permitting Easley to use the defendant’s security badge and credentials to bypass airport security entirely and gain access to the boarding area reserved for screened passengers.
Easley pleaded guilty to the same offense in July of last year and was also sentenced to a term of imprisonment.
This case was investigated by the FBI, with significant assistance from the Transportation Security Administration and the Philadelphia Police Department, and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Priya De Souza.
Former Des Moines Superintendent Pleads Guilty to Firearm and False Statement ChargesRead the Press Release
DES MOINES, Iowa – The former Des Moines Public Schools Superintendent pleaded guilty today to both charges against him.
Ian Andre Roberts, 55, entered guilty pleas to False Statement for Employment and Illegal Alien in Possession of a Firearm.
According to public court documents, Roberts falsely stated that he was a United States citizen on employment paperwork related to his position at the Des Moines Public Schools in June 2023. Roberts was not and has never been a United States citizen. On September 26, 2025, Roberts knowingly possessed a loaded Glock pistol in his vehicle while knowing that he was unlawfully present in the United States. On the same day, Roberts also possessed three additional firearms at his residence, including a loaded pistol, a loaded rifle, and a shotgun.
Roberts is scheduled to be sentenced on May 29, 2026, and faces a potential sentence of up to 15 years in prison on the firearms charge and up to five years in prison on the false statements charge. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the United States Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney David C. Waterman of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Homeland Security Investigations, investigated this case, with assistance from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations.
roberts_plea_agreement.pdfFormer Bank Employee Pleads Guilty to Laundering Embezzled FundsRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Madelyn Simone Johnson, age 22, of Ardmore, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Engaging in Monetary Transactions in Property Derived from Specified Unlawful Activity, punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The Indictment alleged that on May 2, 2025, Johnson, while a bank employee, knowingly engaged in a monetary transaction involving property of a value greater than $10,000, which she embezzled from the bank.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The Honorable D. Edward Snow, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Johnson will remain out on bond with conditions of release pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jacob R. Parker and Erin Cornell represented the United States.
Florida Nursing Assistant Convicted in $11.4M Health Care Fraud Scheme Targeting Medicare BeneficiariesRead the Press Release
MIAMI – A federal jury in Fort Lauderdale convicted a nursing assistant today for his role in an $11.4 million health care fraud and wire fraud conspiracy in which hundreds of Medicare beneficiaries were sent thousands of orthotic braces they did not need.
“Defendant Chris Cruz blatantly lied to Medicare in order to steal over $11 million from hard-working taxpayers,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Today’s guilty verdict demonstrates that the Criminal Division remains committed to holding criminals accountable who steal from their fellow citizens to fuel their own greed.”
“Healthcare fraud is not a paperwork offense — it is a crime that steals from seniors and undermines confidence in our healthcare system,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “This defendant was a licensed nurse who chose greed over duty, exploiting Medicare beneficiaries through a deliberate $11.4 million fraud scheme. The jury’s verdict makes clear that medical professionals who abuse their positions of trust for personal gain will face serious consequences.”
“Nursing Assistant Chris Cruz devised a scheme to enrich himself by defrauding Medicare to the tune of millions of dollars,” said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Chris Caldwell of the FBI Miami Field Office. “The FBI and our partners will not relent in the pursuit of Medicare fraudsters - including greedy nurses.”
“This brazen scheme stole $11.4 million from Medicare and betrayed taxpayer trust,” said Acting Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Scott J. Lampert of HHS-OIG. “HHS-OIG is steadfastly committed to ensuring that medical decisions are driven by patient need rather than financial gain. We will relentlessly pursue those who put greed over patient care and hold them accountable.”
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Christian “Chris” Cruz, 45, of Pompano Beach, owned and operated a durable medical equipment (DME) supplier based in Florida through which he submitted millions of dollars in false claims to Medicare for medically unnecessary orthotic braces.
Cruz and his co-conspirator paid illegal kickbacks and bribes to obtain signed doctors’ orders. They used these orders to ship orthotic braces to Medicare beneficiaries nationwide and then claim payment from Medicare, including to beneficiaries who neither requested nor required the braces. Cruz lied to Medicare, claiming that he was the sole owner and operator of the company when in fact he shared ownership in the company with his co-conspirator, a convicted felon. Medicare would not have allowed the company to enroll with Medicare if it had known about Cruz’s co-conspirator. The co-conspirator has been charged but remains at large.
Cruz received several hundred thousand dollars to his personal bank account from the fraudulent scheme that he frequently withdrew in cash on consecutive days at different bank branches in South Florida, often in amounts just under the bank reporting threshold of $10,000.
Cruz was convicted of one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud, four counts of health care fraud, one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States and to make false statements relating to health care matters and three counts of structuring. He is scheduled to be sentenced on April 13 and faces a maximum penalty of 125 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI and HHS-OIG are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sterling Paulson of the Southern District of Florida and Trial Attorney Owen Dunn of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case.
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,800 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $30 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with HHS-OIG, 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.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.sdfl.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.sdfl.uscourts.gov, under case number 25-cr-60142.
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Florida Nursing Assistant Convicted in $11.4M Health Care Fraud Scheme Targeting Medicare BeneficiariesRead the Press Release
A federal jury in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, convicted a nursing assistant today for his role in an $11.4 million health care fraud and wire fraud conspiracy in which hundreds of Medicare beneficiaries were sent thousands of orthotic braces they did not need.
“Defendant Chris Cruz blatantly lied to Medicare in order to steal over $11 million from hard-working taxpayers,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Today’s guilty verdict demonstrates that the Criminal Division remains committed to holding criminals accountable who steal from their fellow citizens to fuel their own greed.”
“Nursing Assistant Chris Cruz devised a scheme to enrich himself by defrauding Medicare to the tune of millions of dollars,” said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Chris Caldwell of the FBI Miami Field Office. “The FBI and our partners will not relent in the pursuit of Medicare fraudsters - including greedy nurses.”
“Healthcare fraud is not a paperwork offense—it is a crime that steals from seniors and undermines confidence in our healthcare system,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “This defendant was a licensed nurse who chose greed over duty, exploiting Medicare beneficiaries through a deliberate $11.4 million fraud scheme. The jury’s verdict makes clear that medical professionals who abuse their positions of trust for personal gain will face serious consequences.”
“This brazen scheme stole $11.4 million from Medicare and betrayed taxpayer trust,” said Acting Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Scott J. Lampert of HHS-OIG. “HHS-OIG is steadfastly committed to ensuring that medical decisions are driven by patient need rather than financial gain. We will relentlessly pursue those who put greed over patient care and hold them accountable.”
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Christian “Chris” Cruz, 45, of Pompano Beach, Florida, owned and operated a durable medical equipment (DME) supplier based in Florida through which he submitted millions of dollars in false claims to Medicare for medically unnecessary orthotic braces.
Cruz and his co-conspirator paid illegal kickbacks and bribes to obtain signed doctors’ orders. They used these orders to ship orthotic braces to Medicare beneficiaries nationwide and then claim payment from Medicare, including to beneficiaries who neither requested nor required the braces. Cruz lied to Medicare, claiming that he was the sole owner and operator of the company when in fact he shared ownership in the company with his co-conspirator, a convicted felon. Medicare would not have allowed the company to enroll with Medicare if it had known about Cruz’s co-conspirator. The co-conspirator has been charged but remains at large.
Cruz received several hundred thousand dollars to his personal bank account from the fraudulent scheme that he frequently withdrew in cash on consecutive days at different bank branches in South Florida, often in amounts just under the bank reporting threshold of $10,000.
Cruz was convicted of one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud, four counts of health care fraud, one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States and to make false statements relating to health care matters and three counts of structuring. He is scheduled to be sentenced on April 13 and faces a maximum penalty of 125 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI and HHS-OIG investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Owen Dunn of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Sterling Paulson of the Southern District of Florida prosecuted the case.
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,800 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $30 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with HHS-OIG, 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.
Fifth Defendant in Sports Betting Fraud Ring SentencedRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – The last of five Mid-South men, LaVonte Holmes, who executed a sports betting fraud scheme between 2022 and 2024, was sentenced to prison on January 20, 2026.
According to information presented in Court, the defendants purchased both stolen personal identifying information—including dates of birth and social security numbers—and bank account information off the internet to create and fund fraudulent sports betting accounts on multiple sports betting smartphone applications in order to earn account opening incentives multiple times over.
In addition to conducting the scheme in the Western District of Tennessee, the ring would travel to other states to perpetrate the fraud as well. All five defendants pled guilty to aggravated identity theft in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1028A and unauthorized use of an access device in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1029(a)(2) and were sentenced by Chief United States District Court Judge Sheryl H. Lipman.
- Lucas Gilliam, 25, was sentenced to 36 months.
- LaVonte Holmes, 24, was sentenced to 30 months.
- Lawrence Williams, 22, was sentenced to 15 months.
- Nathan Penaflor, 23, was sentenced to 6 months.
- Joshua Penaflor, 22, was sentenced to 6 months.
There is no parole in the federal system.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, "With new and ever-changing technology, applications, and platforms, criminals are using more creative and disturbing ways to commit fraud against vulnerable victims, including identity theft. For these thieves, their bets did not pay off, and were instead parlayed into prison sentences.”
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation Nashville Field Office-Memphis Resident Agency and the United States Secret Service, Memphis Field Office.
United States Attorney D. Michael Dunavant thanked Assistant United States Attorney William Bateman, who prosecuted this case, as well as the law enforcement partners who investigated the case.
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For more information, please contact the Media Relations Team at [email protected]. Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.
Federal Inmate Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Possession with the Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – Edwin Tollinchi-Rodriguez (40, Indiana) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber to 10 years in federal prison for possession with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Tollinchi pleaded guilty on September 22, 2025.
According to court records, Tollinchi was an inmate at the Coleman Federal Correctional Complex (“FCC Coleman”) in Sumter County. On September 5, 2024, a correctional officer conducted a pat-down search of Tollinchi’s person and discovered a package containing a white substance. A DEA laboratory subsequently analyzed the substance and determined it was methamphetamine hydrochloride with a weight of approximately 236.6 grams. When interviewed, Tollinchi told DEA agents that he was asked to collect some prohibited items from a shower at the prison and provide them to others in exchange for $500. Tollinchi also described how the amount of methamphetamine that ordinarily would fit in the lid of a lip balm container would typically sell for $400 inside the prison.
This case was investigated by the DEA and the Federal Bureau of Prisons. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Hannah Nowalk Watson.
Federal Grand Jury Indicts Charlotte Man with Felony for Assaulting Federal OfficersRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A federal grand jury has returned a criminal indictment charging a Charlotte man with a felony for assaulting federal officers conducting immigration enforcement operations, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
Miguel Angel Garcia Martinez, 24, is charged with a felony offense of assaulting, resisting, opposing, impeding, and interfering with federal officers engaged in their official duties.
According to allegations in filed documents and information shared in court, on November 16, 2025, federal law enforcement officers attempted to make contact with Martinez after his van was observed at two different locations where federal officers were conducting immigration related operations. When the officers approached Martinez’s van, he fled the scene, driving aggressively and at a high rate of speed. Law enforcement used sirens and lights attempting to stop Martinez, but he allegedly continued to evade law enforcement, driving erratically and swerving in and out of traffic, crossing medians and sidewalks, and driving into oncoming traffic down University Boulevard. Ultimately, Martinez’s van struck a government vehicle that had its lights and sirens activated and was occupied by four federal officers. After striking the government vehicle, Martinez continued to flee until he was stopped and taken into custody.
If convicted, Martinez faces a maximum penalty of eight years in prison for the felony offense. A federal district court judge will determine the ultimate sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is joined in making the announcement by U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement, U.S. Border Patrol, Homeland Security Investigations, and the FBI.
The charges against the defendants are merely allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Florida Inmate Indicted for Distribution, Receipt, and Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA – Edward G. Winn, 47, an inmate at Okaloosa Correctional Institution, was indicted by a federal grand jury charging him with one count of distribution of child pornography, one count of receipt of child pornography, and one count of possession of child pornography. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the charges today.
Winn appeared for his arraignment in federal court before United States Magistrate Judge Martin A. Fitzpatrick in Tallahassee, Florida. Jury trial is scheduled for February 24, 2026, before Chief District Judge Allen C. Winsor.
If convicted, Winn faces a mandatory 15 years’ imprisonment and up to 40 years’ imprisonment on the distribution count; a mandatory 15 years’ imprisonment and up to 40 years’ imprisonment on the receipt count; and up to 20 years’ imprisonment on the possession count.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigations and the Florida Department of Corrections-Office of Inspector General. Assistant United States Attorney Justin M. Keen is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice and led by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Divisions Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), it marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access available public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.
El Paso Doctor Enters $200,000 Settlement Following State and Federal Fraud AllegationsRead the Press Release
EL PASO, Texas – Dr. Brian August, located in El Paso, has agreed to pay $200,000 to resolve allegations that he violated the Controlled Substances Act, the False Claims Act, and the Texas Health Care Program Fraud Prevention Act.
The allegations involved the issuance of 255 controlled substance prescriptions to 15 individuals between Dec. 23, 2017, and May 22, 2021. These included various prescriptions for the Schedule II controlled substances morphine, fentanyl, hydrocodone-acetaminophen, hydrocodone, hydromorphone, hydromorphone extended release; oxycodone hydrochloride extended release, tapentadol, oxymorphone; and the Schedule IV controlled substances carisoprodol, zolpidem, clonazepam, alprazolam, and tramadol. The United States alleged Dr. August issued individual and concurrent prescriptions for these controlled substances to 15 individuals without complying with the minimum requirements imposed on Texas physicians in treating patients for pain or chronic pain conditions; documenting a legitimate medical purpose; demonstrating medical necessity for such prescriptions; and demonstrating the prescriptions were issued in the usual course of professional practice.
The United States and Texas further contended August violated the False Claims Act and the Texas Health Care Fraud Prevention Act as the 15 individuals referenced above were beneficiaries of the Medicare Part D and/or Texas Medicaid programs. As these prescriptions were not issued for a legitimate medical purpose, they were not eligible for reimbursement by either program. The $200,000 being paid by August includes $994.22 in restitution to the Texas Medicaid Program and $44,380.55 in restitution to the Medicare Part D program. The remainder constitutes civil damages under the FCA, the THCFPA, and civil penalties under the CSA.
August previously surrendered his DEA registration and will not seek a new registration. Further, August has affirmatively surrendered his license to practice medicine in the State of Texas as a condition of settlement; his license was previously suspended by the Texas Medical Board during the pendency of this matter.
The resolutions obtained in this matter were the result of a coordinated effort between the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the FBI, and the Texas Office of the Attorney General.
U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas made the announcement.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Eduardo Castillo investigated the matter, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Van De Walle settling it.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
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Edwardsville man facing a federal arson charge for igniting an Alton businessRead the Press Release
EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – An Edwardsville man is facing a federal arson charge for allegedly setting fire to an insurance office building in Alton.
A federal grand jury charged Jason Dawson, 38, with one count of arson.
According to charging documents, Dawson is accused of setting fire to an insurance office building on East Delmar Avenue in Alton on Nov. 22, 2025. The complaint alleges Dawson was upset about the amount for a life insurance policy cashout after a meeting with employees on Nov. 21 and returned to the office the following day to set the building on fire.
“The ATF has a responsibility to protect our communities. We also have a responsibility to hold those accountable who endanger lives and property through acts of arson. Our partnership with the Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshal and the U.S. Attorney’s Office of Southern District of Illinois did just that. This indictment is a result of diligent investigative work and close collaborations among the ATF, the Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshal and the U.S. Attorney’s Office; and we will continue to work together to pursue justice for other cases like this,” said ATF Chicago Field Division Special Agent in Charge Christopher Amon.
An indictment is merely an allegation. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Arson convictions are punishable by up to 20 years’ imprisonment and fines up to $250,000.
ATF is leading the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Hudson is prosecuting the case.
Dow City Man Pleads Guilty to Child Exploitation and Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
Bryce White, 42, from Dow City, Iowa, pled guilty January 21, 2026, in federal court in Sioux City, to one count of sexual exploitation of a child and one count of receipt of child pornography.
At the plea hearing, White admitted that between August 1, 2023, and August 2024, he coerced minor females into sending him depictions of themselves engaged in sexually explicit conduct. White used Snapchat to pose as a minor and solicited and received nude images and videos of minor females from across the United States and overseas. In September 2023, a Midland, Michigan, law enforcement agency began investigating White based on a complaint from a minor female’s parents. The parents discovered inappropriate messages on Snapchat between their daughter and White. Law enforcement traced the Snapchat account back to White in Dow City. Agents in Iowa obtained and executed search warrants for White’s electronics. Forensic examination revealed 14 videos, 180 images of child sexual abuse material, and over 20,000 images of child erotica in White’s possession. The images and videos involved material that portrayed sadistic or masochistic conduct as well as prepubescent children and toddlers.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. White remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. White faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of 50 years’ imprisonment, a $500,000 fine, and at least five years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case was investigated by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, Midland County Michigan Sheriff’s Office, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kraig R. Hamit.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-4079. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Denver Man Sentenced to 144 Months After Denver Crime SpreeRead the Press Release
DENVER – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Jason Cisneros, 34, Denver, was sentenced to 144 months in federal prison and five years of supervised release after pleading guilty to one count of using a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, and one count of brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence after a crime spree in Denver in March 2025.
According to the plea agreement, on the afternoon of March 1, 2025, Cisneros stole a case of beer from a Denver area convenience store. When the store manager confronted him outside of the store, Cisneros showed the manager a 9mm firearm in his waistband and sped away from the scene. A short time later, Cisneros’ car broke down. The defendant got out of his stalled car and carjacked a vehicle from a woman who was loading her grandchildren into the car at the time. Cisneros took the car and sped away from that scene, but a short time later ran a red light and hit another car that contained two adults and three children. The defendant fled that scene on foot. He then approached a parked vehicle with his firearm brandished and opened a third victim’s driver door, pulled her out by her hair, and fled in that vehicle. Officers pursued Cisneros into downtown Denver until they were able to apprehend him near 14th and Blake. Inside the last stolen car, police found the loaded 9mm handgun with a live round in the chamber.
“This man went on a rampage across Denver and left a trail of victims in his wake,” said United States Attorney for the District of Colorado Peter McNeilly. “I am grateful to our law enforcement partners and the federal prosecutor who stopped his crime spree and made sure he no longer poses a danger to the community.”
“When you threaten people with guns, carjack more than one individual and lead police on a chase, you get the attention of the FBI Rocky Mountain Safe Streets Task Force,” said Marvin Massey, Acting Special Agent In Charge, FBI Denver. “This individual didn’t learn from a prior state prison sentence, and now he will serve federal time. “
United States District Judge Regina M. Rodriguez presided over the sentencing.
The investigation was handled by the FBI Safe Streets Task Force and the Denver Police Department
The prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Brian Dunn.
Case Number: 1:25-cr-00093-RMR
Defendant Sentenced for His Role in International Human and Drug Smuggling ConspiracyRead the Press Release
A defendant convicted in a scheme to illegally smuggle Honduran nationals and cocaine into the United States was sentenced today to 47 months in prison.
According to court documents, Josue Alexander Flores Villeda (Villeda), 38, of Honduras, conspired with at least six others to bring Honduran nationals and cocaine from Honduras to the United States. Over the course of approximately three years, Villeda and his co-conspirators smuggled at least 15 migrants into the United States on each voyage. In February 2022, Villeda and others attempted to illegally bring more than 20 Honduran nationals and approximately 24 kilograms of cocaine from Utila, Honduras, to Cocodrie, Louisiana, aboard the M/V Pop, a sportfishing vessel co-owned by co-conspirator Carl Allison. Many of the aliens paid up to $20,000 to Villeda or his co-conspirators to be smuggled into the United States. At some point during the voyage in February 2022, the M/V Pop developed engine trouble. Villeda and others chartered a boat to bring fuel to the disabled vessel so that it could complete its journey to the United States. Before the chartered boat reached the disabled vessel, the U.S. Coast Guard interdicted the vessel off the coast of Louisiana and towed it to shore.
Villeda pleaded guilty to conspiracy to unlawfully bring aliens to the United States for financial gain and conspiracy to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine hydrochloride.
Three additional co-conspirators have also pleaded guilty and were sentenced for their roles in the scheme. Lead defendant Carl Allison of Pittsburgh and Darrel Martinez of Honduras pleaded guilty to the same charges as Villeda. Lenord Cooper, also of Honduras, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to aid and assist aliens to enter the United States unlawfully and attempting to bring aliens to the U.S. for commercial advantage and private financial gain. Two other co-conspirators, Hennessy Devon Cooper Zelaya and Rudy Jackson Hernandez, both from Honduras, were convicted after trial of conspiracy to unlawfully bring aliens to the United States for commercial advantage and private financial gain and attempting to bring aliens to the United States for commercial advantage and private financial gain. A sixth man, Honduran national Olvin Javier Velasquez Maldonado, was extradited from Honduras in April 2025 and is charged with one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine. Maldonado’s trial is scheduled for February 2026.
Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle for the Eastern District of Louisiana and Acting Special Agent in Charge Matthew Wright of the Immigrations and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New Orleans Field Office made the announcement.
The investigation and charges are supported and prosecuted by Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA), the Department’s lead effort in combating high-impact human smuggling and trafficking committed by cartels and Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs). A highly successful partnership between the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), JTFA investigates and prosecutes human smuggling and trafficking and related immigration crimes that impact public safety and border security. JTFA’s mission is to target the leaders and organizers of Cartels and TCOs involved in human smuggling and trafficking throughout the Americas. The Attorney General has elevated and expanded JTFA to target the most prolific and dangerous human smuggling and trafficking groups operating not only in Mexico and the Northern Triangle countries of Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras, but also in Canada, the Caribbean and the maritime border, and elsewhere. Led by the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and supported by the Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section, the Office of International Affairs, and the Office of Enforcement Operations, among others, JTFA has dedicated Assistant United States Attorney-detailees from the Southern District of California; District of Arizona; District of New Mexico; Western and Southern Districts of Texas; Southern District of Florida; Northern District of New York; and District of Vermont. JTFA also partners with other USAOs throughout the country and supports high-priority cases in any district. All JTFA cases rely on substantial law enforcement resources from DHS, including ICE/ HSI and CBP/BP and OFO, as well as FBI and other law enforcement agencies. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 435 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of alien smuggling and/or trafficking; more than 385 U.S. convictions; more than 330 significant jail sentences imposed, and forfeitures of substantial assets.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.
The HSI Houma, Louisiana Field Office investigated the case, with assistance from the HSI Pittsburgh Field Office, HSI Atlanta Field Office and Louisiana Bureau of Investigation. The HSI Human Smuggling Unit in Washington, D.C., U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s National Targeting Center International Interdiction Task Force, U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service, U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Air and Marine Operations, Louisiana State Police, Pennsylvania State Police, North Huntington Township Police and Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office also provided valuable assistance including securing the arrest and extradition from Honduras of Olvin Javier Velasquez Maldonado. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided substantial assistance. The Criminal Division’s Office of Overseas Prosecutorial Development, Assistance and Training in Honduras also provided assistance.
Deputy Chief Rami Badawy of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Carter Guice for the Eastern District of Louisiana are prosecuting the case.
Dangerous, repeat sex offender sentenced to 23 years for sexually extorting minors in exchange for vape pensRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – A 24-year-old Weslaco resident has been ordered to federal prison for coercion and enticement of a minor, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Walter Wilkins pleaded guilty Dec. 20, 2024.
Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane has now sentenced Wilkins to a total of 276 months in prison. The court enhanced the sentence, finding Wilkins produced child sexual abuse material with a minor victim under 16 years of age and also found him to be a repeat and dangerous offender against minors. The court also heard testimony from the victims’ families who spoke of the lasting and devastating impact to their children.
In handing down the prison terms, the court further ordered Wilkins to pay $13,564 in restitution and serve the rest of his life on supervised release following completion of his prison term. During that time, he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet. Wilkins will also be ordered to register as a sex offender.
“Wilkins sexually preyed upon minors, inflicting mental scars on his victims that will likely haunt them for the rest of their lives. His conduct is even more shocking considering he was already on bond for state charges of child sex abuse when he committed this offense,” said Ganjei. “Wilkins is not the type of person that should be walking our streets, nor communicating online with minors. Fortunately, he will now spend the next 23 years in federal prison, unable to victimize anyone else.”
“Wilkins’ actions represent the worst kind of predatory behavior, targeting and exploiting vulnerable children in our community,” said acting Special Agent in Charge John A. Pasciucco, Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations, San Antonio. “HSI, together with our law enforcement partners, worked tirelessly to uncover the full scope of Wilkins’ crimes and ensure he faces justice. HSI will not tolerate those who use technology to coerce, abuse, and traumatize minors. Our agents remain steadfast in their resolve to pursue child predators and protect our children from those who seek to do them harm.”
The investigation began after the mother of a 13-year-old female
reported the sexual assault of her daughter.
Wilkins had picked up the minor and sexually exploited her in exchange for vape pens. Authorities discovered Wilkins had created child sexual abuse material and then threatened to release the files to the victim’s classmates if they ceased to participate in the sexual relationship. At the time, Wilkins was out on bond for two other state cases involving the sexual abuse of children.
Authorities further determined Wilkins exploited three additional minor victims. He advertised the sale of vape pens on social media and then coerced the children into sexual acts instead of financial payment.
Wilkins has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
HSI conducted the investigation with assistance of Weslaco Police Department and Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Devin V. Walker 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.
Criminal Division’s Fraud Section Announces Historic Year of AccomplishmentsRead the Press Release
The Fraud Section today released its 2025 Year in Review (YIR) detailing the Section’s record-setting accomplishments, cutting-edge initiatives, and successes in priority areas.
“The outstanding results reflected in this year’s Year in Review are a testament to the extraordinary skill, dedication, hard work, and professionalism of our prosectors and staff in the Fraud Section,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The importance of this work cannot be overstated. The cases brought by this Section secured punishment for criminals who swindled from businesses, exploited and abused government-funded programs, engaged in corrupt conduct, put the health and safety of Americans at risk, evaded tariffs, and preyed on private citizens – often robbing some of our most vulnerable of their life savings. Equally important, the tireless efforts of these dedicated public servants secured justice and restitution for victims and, ultimately, returned significant funds to the tax-paying public. As we start 2026, the achievements of the past year motivate us to continue the Section’s long and storied history of investigating and prosecuting the most sophisticated and most harmful economic crimes.”
The YIR provides a comprehensive overview of the Section and its units’ roles in combatting new and emerging threats and re-affirms its position as the leader in the fight against white-collar crime. As detailed in the YIR, the Fraud Section had a record-setting 2025, including the largest ever Health Care Fraud Takedown in Department of Justice history, charging defendants with a record amount of intended loss of more than $14.6 billion. The Section also continued to lead the Department’s corporate enforcement efforts with 15 corporate enforcement actions, including indictments against three companies, marking the Section’s first corporate indictments in over 15 years and the most corporate indictments in a single year.
Furthermore, through its innovative and proactive use of data analytics, the Section secured key achievements in priority areas, such as fraud associated with foreign issuers listed on U.S. exchanges, including variable interest entities and trade and tariff fraud. The Section prosecuted impactful Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) cases against companies and individuals, consistent with the Deputy Attorney General’s June 2025 Guidelines for Investigations and Enforcement of the FCPA. In total, the Section charged over 260 defendants for various economic crime schemes, conducted 25 trials, and had 15 corporate enforcement actions — including four involving health care fraud, a record — with a total global monetary amount of over $1 billion.
The YIR also highlights the Fraud Section’s historic expansion through the integration of the Consumer Protection Branch. Now, with more than 200 attorneys, the Section has strengthened its capacity to prosecute serious, sophisticated white-collar offenses across multiple priority areas, including those impacting health and safety.
The Fraud Section remains laser-focused on its ongoing efforts to prosecute fraud in every form, from customs and tariff fraud, bribery and corruption, health care fraud, procurement fraud, and other crimes impacting the interests of the United States. Seventy years after the Fraud Section’s creation, the YIR illustrates the many ways in which the Section continues to meet the challenges of the moment and innovate to successfully investigate and prosecute the ever-changing landscape of white-collar crime.
The YIR can be accessed here: https://www.justice.gov/criminal/media/1425226/dl.
Corporate Executives Sentenced for Sprawling Racketeering Conspiracy Aimed at Violating Immigration LawsRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Eleven defendants, including the chief executive officer, president, chief financial officer, and controller of a Joplin, Mo., corporation, have been sentenced in federal court for their role in a racketeering conspiracy to hire, harbor, and transport undocumented workers in several Midwestern states.
“Immigration issues in the country and in this district are not limited to those who illegally enter the United States. Businesses and entities who skirt the law and provide an environment that encourages and assists undocumented individuals to enter and remain in the United States unlawfully will be held accountable. My office is committed to prosecuting both individuals who illegally enter the United States as well as businesses and entities that profit off their labor,” said R. Matthew Price, United States Attorney, Western District of Missouri. “I would like to thank our law enforcement partners at HSI Kansas City for their work on this important matter.”
“The sentencing handed down today sends an unmistakable message. If you build your business on illegal labor and criminal racketeering, you will pay a steep price,” said Mark Zito, HSI Kansas City Special Agent in Charge. “This criminal enterprise was a calculated attack on our laws, our economy, and the most vulnerable among us. HSI Kansas City will not tolerate those who exploit workers and cheat honest business owners for profit. Today’s sentence proves that anyone who thinks they can get away with this kind of lawlessness will be hunted down, prosecuted, and held to the highest account.”
Jose Luis Bravo, 55, of Claremore, Ok.; Jose Guadalupe Razo, 44, of Carl Junction, Mo.; Anthony Edward Doll, 47, and Miguel Tarin-Martinez, 47, both of Joplin, Mo.; Antonio Martinez-Munoz, 48, of Collinsville, Ok.; Rodrigo Manrique Razo, 43, of Great Bend, Ks.; Juan Carlos Palma-Cedeno, 41, a citizen of Mexico; Jose Luis Lopez-Valadez, 45, of West Plains, Mo.; Jaime Ramirez-Ceja, 47, a citizen of Mexico; Jose Luis Rodriguez-Valerio, 61, of Tulsa, Ok.; and Veronica Razo de Lara, 51, of Great Bend, Ks., have been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann A. Ketchmark.
Each defendant previously admitted to taking part in a RICO (racketeer influenced and corrupt organizations) conspiracy from Jan. 2018, to Aug. 2021, that transported and employed Mexican, Guatemalan, and El Salvadoran nationals who were not authorized to live or work in the United States. Conspirators also harbored and encouraged the unauthorized workers to remain and reside in the United States by providing them with housing and, in certain circumstances, fraudulent identification documentation.
Specialty Foods Distribution (SFD) is a Missouri corporation, based in Joplin, specializing in wholesale Mexican food products and restaurant supply products. During the racketeering conspiracy, SFD’s executive staff included Jose Bravo as chief executive officer; Jose Razo as president; Anthony Doll as chief financial officer; Miguel Tarin-Martinez as controller.
Bravo, J. Razo, Doll, and Tarin-Martinez created, maintained, and/or otherwise oversaw a network of enterprise-affiliated restaurants in Missouri, Arkansas, Kansas, and Oklahoma that were serviced by SFD. The enterprise-affiliated restaurants were managed and/or staffed by coconspirators, including defendants Martinez-Munoz, R. Razo, Palma-Cedeno, Lopez-Valadez, Ramirez-Ceja, Rodriguez-Valerio, and Razo de Lara. Together, the defendants conspired to staff the restaurants with unauthorized workers—a workforce not available to law-abiding business owners—thereby gaining an unfair and illegal competitive business advantage.
As part of the conspiracy, the defendants utilized evasive and fraudulent tactics. Specifically, to keep the enterprise-affiliated restaurants staffed and profitable, the defendants kept certain unauthorized workers off official payroll records; required certain unauthorized workers to work at times when federal officials were unlikely to conduct inspections; failed to collect or maintain complete and accurate Form I-9 documentation; falsely attested to the accuracy of Form I-9 documentation; submitted inaccurate wage and hour reports to state officials; and facilitated fraudulent identification documentation being produced, transported, and provided to unauthorized workers.
To date, the Court has imposed an aggregate 164 months of imprisonment and ordered forfeiture in an amount over $6,400,000.00. As to each defendant, the Court imposed the below-listed sentences.
- Bravo, who was the leader and organizer of the racketeering conspiracy, was sentenced to a 36-month term of imprisonment, a three-year term of supervised release, and was ordered to pay or otherwise provide approximately $5,764.537.47 representing the proceeds he obtained from the racketeering enterprise, property he acquired or maintained as part of the racketeering enterprise, and/or property that afforded a source of influence over the racketeering enterprise. Specifically, the forfeiture amount includes funds from five bank accounts; payment for his share of 12 real properties, including one personal residence and 11 commercial buildings; and payment for his share of over 20 business entities, including a portion of SFD.
- J. Razo, who was a supervisor and manager of the racketeering conspiracy, was sentenced to a 30-month term of imprisonment, a three-year term of supervised release, and was ordered to pay or otherwise provide $130,700.04 representing the proceeds he obtained from the racketeering enterprise.
- Doll, who was a supervisor and manager of the racketeering conspiracy, was sentenced to a 10-month term of home detention as a condition of probation and was ordered to pay or otherwise provide $132,303.09 representing the proceeds he obtained from the racketeering enterprise.
- Tarin-Martinez was sentenced to a 24-month term of imprisonment, three-year term of supervised release, and was ordered to pay or otherwise provide $23,094.97 representing the proceeds he obtained from the racketeering enterprise.
- Martinez-Munoz, who worked as a manager at Bravo’s Mexican Grill in Overland Park, Ks., was sentenced to a 15-month term of imprisonment and a three-year term of supervised release.
- R. Razo, who served as the manager of Playa Azul Mexican Restaurant in Great Bend, Ks., was sentenced to a 13-month term of imprisonment, a three-year term of supervised release, and was ordered to pay or otherwise provide $81,933.28 representing the proceeds he obtained from the racketeering enterprise.
- Palma-Cedeno, who worked as an employee at El Banquete Mexican Restaurant in Claremore, Ok., was sentenced to a 10-month term of imprisonment and a three-year term of supervised release.
- Lopez-Valadez, who served as the manager of two El Charro Mexican Restaurant locations in West Plains, Mo., was sentenced to an eight-month term of home detention as a condition of probation and was ordered to pay or otherwise provide $345,791.86 representing the proceeds he obtained from the racketeering enterprise.
- Ramirez-Ceja, who served as the manager of El Charro Mexican Restaurant in Lebanon, Mo., was sentenced to an 11-month term of imprisonment and a one-year term of supervised release.
- Rodriguez-Valerio, who served as a manager at Bravo’s Mexican Grill in Overland Park, Ks., was sentenced to a 13-month term of imprisonment and a three-year term of supervised release.
- Razo de Lara, who served as the manager of Maria’s Mexican Grill, in Great Bend, Ks., was sentenced to a 12-month-and-one-day term of imprisonment and a three-year term of supervised release.
Defendants Eusebio Ramirez-Ceja, 55; Alejandro Castillo-Ramirez, 44; and Lorenzo Castro-Manzanarez, 43, all three citizens of Mexico, have pled guilty and are awaiting sentencing.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rudolph R. Rhodes IV, Nicholas Heberle, David Wagner, and Leigh Farmakidis. It was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations with assistance from the United States Postal Inspection Service; Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General; Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigations; Kansas Bureau of Investigation; Kansas Department of Labor; Kansas Department of Revenue; Kansas Highway Patrol; Missouri State Highway Patrol; and Butler, Mo., Police Department.
Operation Take Back America
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Conspirator in Carjacking Spree Sentenced to 84 MonthsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Elmer Bonilla, 23, of the District of Columbia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 84 months in federal prison in connection with his role in a 2024 violent carjacking conspiracy which operated in the District and Maryland and continued even after several members were arrested, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Bonilla pleaded guilty on May 30, 2025, before Judge Rudolph Contreras to one count of using a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence and aiding and abetting.
According to court documents, on Jan. 24, 2024, Bonilla and two co-conspirators were driving an SUV in Northwest when they stopped and blocked a Dodge Challenger. Two of the armed and masked men approached the driver, ordered him to get out, punched him in the face, then stole the car.
On Jan. 25, 2024, Bonilla and his co-conspirators were driving in a white Kia Sportage when they pulled into the parking lot of a pharmacy in Hyattsville, Maryland. The Kia pulled behind a black BMW and blocked it from leaving. Two armed men in ski masks approached the BMW’s driver, opened the driver’s side door, pointed a gun at the driver’s torso and demanded the car. The gunmen took the BMW, drove it away, and the Kia Sportage followed.
On Jan. 26, 2024, after the arrest of Bonilla’s, co-defendant, Gregory Giron, Bonilla and two other co-conspirators drove to Giron’s house in a tan SUV. One co-conspirator used a key to enter the Giron’s residence. A few minutes later, the same individual exited the rear of the residence carrying a white trash bag. The co-conspirator got back into the SUV and law enforcement stopped the SUV as it began to drive away.
The front seat passenger, Dylan Giron, was the same individual who had entered and exited the house, carrying a white trash bag. The driver of the vehicle was Dylan Giron’s girlfriend. Sitting in the backseat were Bonilla and Christian Rodriguez. When Dylan Giron was inside the residence, Bonilla and Rodriguez were directing Dylan Giron to remove evidence via text message.
Months later, on Aug. 6, 2024, Bonilla and others stole a 2021 Infinity Q50 in Silver Spring, Maryland. At the time it was stolen, the car contained the owner’s ID and bank cards, which were found in a later search of Rodriguez’s residence.
On Aug. 7, 2024, Bonilla broke into another vehicle in Silver Spring and took a wallet, which was also later found in Rodriguez’s residence. The same day, Bonilla and co-conspirators stole a Corvette in Alexandria, Virginia using an Autel device. The device was later recovered in Bonilla’s car. On Aug. 9, 2024, pursuant to a search warrant, law enforcement searched Bonilla’s residence and recovered a Glock magazine hidden in a crawl space, a 1911-style BB gun, $3,920 in cash, a baggie of white, rock-like substance, and a programmable key fob.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department, Prince George’s County Police, Baltimore County Police, Alexandria City Police Department and the FBI Washington Field Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Caelainn Carney with assistance provided by former Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Martin.
The firearm police recovered from Bonilla’s residence.
A baggie of white, rock-like substance that police recovered from Bonilla’s residence.
A programmable key fob recovered from Bonilla’s residence.
24cr113
Columbus man charged with threatening to kill federal agentsRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A Columbus man has been charged federally for allegedly threatening on social media to kill federal immigration agents.
Justin Mesael Novoa, 21, is charged with making threatening interstate communications, including threats to assault or murder a federal law enforcement officer.
According to charging documents, HSI received information in December 2025 regarding threats to ICE employees on the social media platform X. Investigation revealed that, in June 2025, Novoa allegedly posted: “they should blast every ice agent they find.”
Later, in November 2025, Novoa allegedly posted “can’t wait to shoot these p***y ice agents and r******d maga maggots.”
Federal agents executed a search warrant at Novoa’s residence in December 2025 and seized multiple firearms, including two rifles, two shotguns and one handgun, as well as ammunition. Novoa also possessed two helmets and body armor.
Threatening to kill a federal officer is a crime punishable by up to 10 years in prison. Making threatening interstate communications carries a potential penalty of up to five years in prison.
Dominick S. Gerace II, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Jared Murphey, Acting Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Detroit. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy D. Prichard is representing the United States in this case.
A criminal complaint merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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Columbia Felon Sentenced to Federal Prison for Bringing Gun to Plasma Donation CenterRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Donovan Jackson, 32, of Columbia, has been sentenced to more than two years in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that on May 18, 2023, employees of a plasma donation center on Decker Blvd. called 911 because Jackson arrived to donate plasma with a firearm inside the front pocket of his sweatshirt. Deputies with the Richland County Sheriff’s Department responded to the center, detained Jackson, and seized the firearm from his clothing.
Jackson has a prior conviction for furnishing contraband to an inmate which prevents him from possessing a firearm under federal law. He was on probation for this offense at the time of the incident. Jackson also participated in the May 2022 Ceasefire program hosted by the City of Columbia Police Department. The Ceasefire program identifies prior offenders who are at risk of future firearms offenses and introduces them to community resources such as substance abuse treatment and employment services. During participation in the program, law enforcement emphasizes the likelihood of future state and federal prosecution if participants, like Jackson, reoffend.
United States District Judge Sherri A. Lydon sentenced Jackson to 33 total months imprisonment, to be followed by a two-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Richland County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lamar J. Fyall prosecuted the case.
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Cleveland Man Sentenced to Nearly 16 Years in Prison After Feds Seized Fentanyl and Cocaine in His “Nana’s” BasementRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – A 34-year-old man has been sentenced to prison for his role in a fentanyl and cocaine drug trafficking ring which he helped operate out of his grandmother’s basement.
Darnell Kief Beckham Bell, of Cleveland, was sentenced to 190 months (15 years, 8 months) in prison by U.S. District Judge John R. Adams after a jury convicted him in September of Possession with Intent to Distribute Controlled Substances. He was also sentenced to five years of supervised release.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, law enforcement began to probe suspected narcotics trafficking—specifically fentanyl— in Northeast Ohio in 2024. On a number of occasions during the investigation, several individuals were observed coming and going from a house on West 137th Street. During a federal search warrant executed at the residence, Bell was taken into custody after agents found evidence of suspected drug activities in the basement of the home, which belonged to his grandmother. Among the items seized were:
- Two digital scales with fentanyl, fluorofentanyl, and cocaine residue
- A loaded HK .45 caliber pistol with magazine and ammunition (firearm was later found to be stolen)
- A Smith & Wesson .40 caliber magazine with ammunition
- 16 bags of narcotics that contained a total of 403.25 grams of cocaine base, “crack”
- Two plastic bags that contained 139.31 grams of fentanyl
- 124.29 grams of a mixture of Xylazine, fentanyl, and para-fluorofentanyl
- 81.76 grams of fentanyl
- 2.14 grams of cocaine
- Two credit cards with white powder residue
During the trial, evidence presented to the jury included a comment Bell made in jail in which he stated that “no one knew about Nana’s basement.”
Two co-conspirators also charged in the superseding indictment—Loundon Hardy, 30, and Kobe Bell- Beckham, 27, both of Cleveland—previously pleaded guilty to related drug conspiracy, distribution and possession charges and are currently awaiting sentencing.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the FBI Cleveland Division, with assistance from the Cleveland Division of Police.
The prosecution was led by Assistant United States Attorneys Marc D. Bullard and Scott Zarzycki for the Northern District of Ohio.
Chicago Man Sentenced to 19 Years’ Imprisonment for Two Armed Carjackings and an Armed RobberyRead the Press Release
Brad D. Schimel, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on January 21, 2026, Donte Patterson (age 33) was sentenced to 19 years in federal prison for his role in armed carjackings in Chicago and Milwaukee and an armed robbery in West Milwaukee.
According to court records, Patterson committed an armed carjacking in Chicago on August 20, 2025, and then traveled to Milwaukee where, on the following day, Patterson committed a second armed carjacking and then an armed robbery in West Milwaukee. During each of the carjackings and the armed robbery, Patterson brandished a firearm.
At his sentencing hearing, Chief District Judge Pamela Pepper focused on the serious nature of the offenses, noting that Patterson’s crimes imposed “psychological torture” on his victims. Chief Judge Pepper also noted the need to protect the public.
“Donte Patterson is an extremely dangerous offender who has spent nearly all of his adult life in prison and committed this violent crime spree only 6 months after release from his prior prison sentence,” said U.S. Attorney Schimel. “There is clearly only one way for society to be safe from Patterson: lock him up. Thanks to the hard work of the law enforcement and prosecution team, our communities will get a much-needed break from his violent behavior.”
"One of the FBI’s top priorities is crushing violent crime. The significant sentence for Donte Patterson reflects the seriousness of his criminal offenses and his status as a repeat offender,” said FBI Milwaukee Special Agent in Charge Alan Karr. “The FBI is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to identify criminals who prey upon our communities and bring them to justice."The matter was investigated by FBI’s Milwaukee Area Violent Crime Task Force, including the Milwaukee Police Department, as well as the West Milwaukee Police Department, and the Chicago Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Julie F. Stewart.
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For further information contact:
Public Affairs Officer Steve Caballero
(414) 297-1700
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Charlotte Man Sentenced for Civil Rights ViolationRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A Charlotte man was sentenced today to 40 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for a federal civil rights violation after he threatened eight individuals with force because of their race, color, religion and national origin, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Maurice Hopkins, 32, pleaded guilty to one count of interference with federally protected activities on August 19, 2025.
Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and Special Agent in Charge James C. Barnacle, Jr. of the FBI Charlotte Field Office join U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making the announcement.
According to filed court documents and the sentencing hearing, on June 8, 2024, Hopkins threatened eight individuals with a firearm inside a pizza restaurant in Charlotte. When Hopkins first encountered the victims, who were a group of friends getting pizza at the time, he asked if they were American. Hopkins then proceeded to harass the victims calling them terrorists, demanding they speak English, telling them to go back to their country, and making other statements because of the victims’ race, color, religion, and national origin. Court records show that Hopkins made multiple threats, telling the victims, “If you say one more thing I’m going to punch you in the face,” and threatened to “Shoot the place up,” and “kill all of them.” Hopkins then left the restaurant and returned minutes later, walking through the doorway with a loaded AR-15 style rifle. The victims immediately fled through the door in the rear of the restaurant.
With his guilty plea, Hopkins admitted that he threatened the eight individuals with force because of their race, color, religion and national origin and because they were enjoying the goods, services and facilities of the restaurant.
“This defendant targeted people enjoying a simple night out and threatened them with violence because of their race and national origin,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This was an outrageous act motivated by nothing other than racial bigotry. Today’s sentence makes clear: if you threaten people with violence because of who they are — or where they come from — you will be met with the full force of federal law.”
“You ought to be able to get pizza with your friends without being harassed due to your race or national origin and certainly without being threatened with an AR-15,” said U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson. “Incidents like this should never happen, but when they do, my office will act swiftly to bring justice.”
Hopkins remains in federal custody and will be transferred to the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.
The FBI Charlotte Field Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Nick J. Miller for the Western District of North Carolina and Trial Attorney Chloe Neely of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section prosecuted the case.
Charleston Man Sentenced to More than 13 Years in Prison for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Justin Saunders, 28, of Charleston, was sentenced on Wednesday, January 21, 2026, to 13 years and nine months in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release, for distribution of 50 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on February 3, 2024, Saunders sold approximately 896 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential source. Saunders admitted to the transaction and that it occurred at his residence on the 1400 block of Quarrier Street in Charleston.
On February 4, 2024, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Saunders’ residence and additionally seized over 14 pounds of methamphetamine, a kilogram of substances containing fentanyl, two pistols, and $35,258.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), which is composed of the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the Nitro Police Department, the St. Albans Police Department and the South Charleston Police Department.
United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney JC MacCallum and former Assistant United States Attorney Samuel D. Marsh prosecuted the case.
Co-defendant Jardan Donaldson, 37, of Mount Clemens, Michigan, was sentenced on December 9, 2025, to 10 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine and possession with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-70.
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California man sentenced to more than 20 years in prison for leading 90-kilogram methamphetamine ring that shipped drugs to central OhioRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Troy Patterson, 55, of Beverly Hills, California, was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to 250 months in prison for shipping more than 90 kilograms of methamphetamine from southern California to Columbus for redistribution.
In February 2025, a jury trial commenced in the case against Patterson. Shortly after the jury was selected, Patterson pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine.
Court documents detail that he was responsible for nearly 14 kilograms of methamphetamine and more than 77 kilograms of narcotics mixtures containing methamphetamine. Between December 2020 and April 2023, Patterson shipped or instructed others to ship at least 150 parcels containing kilogram quantities of narcotics to central Ohio.
Patterson is a repeat federal and local offender who has several convictions for violent crimes, including domestic violence and aggravated burglary. He was released from state prison just five months before this instant drug conspiracy began. Patterson has two prior federal drug trafficking convictions in 1991 and 2005 for which he served 168 months and 21 months in prison.
Four co-defendants were also convicted and received prison sentences ranging from approximately three years to approximately 16 years in prison.
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.
Dominick S. Gerace II, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Lesley Allison, Inspector in Charge, U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Pittsburgh Division; and officials with the Ohio HIDTA (High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area); announced the sentence imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Michael H. Watson. Assistant United States Attorneys Nicole Pakiz and Jennifer Rausch are representing the United States in this case.
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Chipley-Based Physical Therapy Practice Pays over $750,000 to Resolve False Claims Act LitigationRead the Press Release
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Absolute Physical & Aquatic Therapy, LLC; Chipley Physical Therapy, LLC; Ruben Laurel; and Lorrie Laurel have agreed to pay $754,722.88 to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act (“FCA”) by knowingly causing the submission of false claims for physical therapy services allegedly performed by Lorrie Laurel, a physical therapist, while she was outside the United States, announced U.S. Attorney John P. Heekin.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said, “I am incredibly proud of the great work by my office to recover these U.S. taxpayer monies that were improperly paid out for false claims submitted by this physical therapy practice. President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi have made the elimination of fraud, waste, and abuse in federal programs a top priority, and my office will continue to zealously pursue any person or business who tries to rip off the U.S. Government and steal from the U.S. taxpayer.”
Defendant Chipley Physical Therapy, LLC provides outpatient physical and aquatic therapy services in Chipley, Marianna, and Bonifay, and is owned and operated by Defendants Ruben and Lorrie Laurel. Defendant Absolute Physical & Aquatic Therapy is a physical/occupational therapy group in private practice owned and operated in part by Defendant Ruben Laurel.
The United States alleged that Defendants knowingly submitted false claims for payment in violation of the False Claims Act by billing the government for services while Defendant Lorrie Laurel was out of the country and on cruises in Mexico, Jamaica, Aruba, and the Bahamas between July 2019 and March 2024. Specifically, Defendants submitted 503 claims for payment to the United States for services Defendant Lorrie Laurel allegedly performed while she was abroad. The FCA provides for the award of treble damages and civil penalties for, among other things, knowingly presenting or causing the presentment of false or fraudulent claims to the United States for payment or approval. 31 U.S.C. § 3729(a)(1)(A).
To resolve the pending litigation, Defendants agreed to pay treble damages and penalties, in the amount of $754,722.88, of which $19,988.34 is restitution. As part of the resolution, Defendants also agreed to: (1) appoint and maintain an external Compliance Officer for a period of three years who will submit periodic reports to the United States; (2) develop and implement policies and procedures regarding appropriate billing and medical record documentation for compliance with Federal health care program requirements; (3) require quarterly training for all employees on Federal health care program billing, coding and claim submission, and medical record documentation requirements; and (4) the imposition of additional stipulated penalties for failure to comply with any of the aforementioned non-monetary terms.
“Submitting claims for services that could not have been performed is a blatant abuse of federal health care programs and undermines the trust patients place in the system,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Ricardo M. Carcas of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General. “Today’s resolution reflects our commitment to working with our law enforcement partners to safeguard taxpayer funds and ensure accountability for those who knowingly submit false claims.”
The civil settlement includes the resolution of claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act by Ariel Bowen, a former employee. 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 United States ex rel. Ariel Bowen v. Absolute Physical & Aquatic Therapy, LLC, et al., Case No. 5:21-cv-236-TKW-MJF (N.D. Fla.). Ms. Bowen will receive $150,944.58 in connection with the settlement.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services provided substantial assistance in the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mary Ann Couch and Marie Moyle represented the United States in this matter.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.
Bozeman woman pleads guilty to fraud chargesRead the Press Release
MISSOULA - A Bozeman woman accused of obtaining relief funds through fraud admitted to charges yesterday U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
The defendant, Alaina Marie Garcia, 41, pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud and one count of money laundering. She faces up to 30 years in prison for the bank fraud, a maximum fine of $1,000,000, and five years of supervised release. For money laundering, she faces up to 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen L. DeSoto presided. U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for May 20, 2026. Garcia was released with conditions pending further proceedings.
The government alleged in court documents that on May 5, 2020, Garcia, as an authorized representative of Bluebird Property Rentals LLC, an entity she controlled, applied for and was approved for a Payroll Protection Program (PPP) loan through Celtic Bank, in the amount of $613,000.00. In the PPP application, Garcia falsely stated that Bluebird Property Rentals LLC had paid payroll taxes and had 32 employees with an average monthly payroll expense of $245,533.00. None of these statements were true. Garcia and Bluebird Property Rentals LLC had no employees and had never paid payroll tax. Both of these fraudulent statements were material as they effected Garcia’s eligibility to receive the loan and the amount she received. Without these fraudulent statements, the loan would not have been issued.
In the loan application, Garcia also agreed that the funds “will be used to retain workers and maintain payroll or make mortgage interest payments, lease payments, and utility payments, as specified under the Paycheck Protection Program Rule.” Garcia did not use the proceeds in this manner and instead spent the funds on personal expenses for her private benefit. Most of the funds were expended purchasing a large piece of property in the Bozeman area. On May 11, 2020, Garcia transferred $548,000.00 of the loan proceeds to Axilon Law Group as a part of this real estate transaction.
On July 25, 2020, Garcia applied for and was granted forgiveness of the loan. To obtain forgiveness, Garcia falsely claimed to have used the funds for qualified expenses including payroll and business mortgage interest payments. None of these statements were true.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Colin Rubich prosecuted the case. The Internal Revenue Service and Small Business Administration conducted the investigation.
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Bookkeeper Sentenced to Federal Prison for Embezzlment SchemeRead the Press Release
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – A former bookkeeper from Topton, N.C., was sentenced today to 57 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for orchestrating an embezzlement scheme that stole $1 million from three businesses, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Jeraldine Agnes Geldner, 73, was also ordered to pay $1,131,293.94 in restitution. She previously pleaded guilty to wire fraud and filing a false tax return.
Donald “Trey” Eakins, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation, Charlotte Field Office (IRS-CI), and Sheriff Chuck Owenby of the Transylvania County Sheriff’s Office join U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making the announcement.
According to court records and the sentencing hearing, Geldner worked as a contracted bookkeeper for three small businesses. As part of her duties, Geldner was responsible for handling the businesses’ accounts payable, payroll, and filing of tax returns. From 2019 through 2024, Geldner engaged in a scheme to defraud and embezzle from the businesses, by making unauthorized wire transfers from the companies’ bank accounts to her own personal bank accounts. To conceal the fraud, Geldner created phony vendors and falsified accounting entries in the victim companies’ ledgers. The scheme resulted in a total loss of $975,670.94. Geldner used much of the stolen money to gamble at casinos.
According to filed court documents in addition to the embezzlement scheme, Geldner filed false tax returns for tax years 2019 through 2022, that grossly underrepresented the income she received from the embezzlement scheme. The total estimated tax due and owing relative to the unreported income was approximately $155,623.
Geldner will be ordered to report to the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.
The IRS-CI and the Transylvania County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case with the assistance of the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville handled the prosecution.
Bank Fraud Lands Edmond Man in Federal Prison after Stealing More Than $600,000 from Customer AccountsRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – JOSEPH NICANOR ISEZAKI SAN NICOLAS, 34, of Edmond, has been sentenced to serve 46 months in federal prison for bank fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
“This defendant exploited his access to sensitive financial information to steal hundreds of thousands of dollars from unsuspecting customers,” said U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester. “Today’s sentence sends a clear message that those who abuse the financial system for personal gain will be held accountable and face serious consequences.”
“Mr. San Nicolas abused his position of trust within the financial system to enrich himself at the expense of those he was responsible for protecting,” said Christopher J. Altemus, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation’s Dallas Field Office. “This conduct represents a grave violation of the law, and Mr. San Nicolas now faces the serious consequences of those actions. This investigation and the resulting sentence demonstrate the commitment of the women and men of IRS-CI to safeguarding the financial system and holding those who abuse it accountable.”
According to public record, from January 2022 through May 2024, San Nicolas used his position at an Oklahoma-based credit union and later at a banking software provider to access and view private account data for customers. San Nicolas then used customers’ private banking information to make unauthorized withdrawals and payments from multiple victim accounts. In all, San Nicolas stole more than $600,000 from victims at three financial institutions and used the money for personal use, including the purchase of two vehicles.
On August 20, 2025, a federal grand jury charged San Nicolas with bank fraud. San Nicolas pleaded guilty on October 14, 2025, and admitted he knowingly executed a scheme to steal money from victim accounts at the three financial institutions without permission or authorization.
At the sentencing hearing on January 20, 2026, U.S. District Judge Joe Heaton sentenced San Nicolas to serve 46 months in federal prison, followed by two years of supervised release, and ordered him to pay restitution in the amount of $242,385.98, the amount of unrecouped losses. In announcing his sentence, Judge Heaton noted the seriousness of the offense and the need to deter others working in the financial system from abusing a position of trust to steal customer money.
This case is the result of an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jackson D. Eldridge is prosecuting the case.
Reference is made to public filings for additional information.
Atlanta heroin kingpin sentenced to federal prison after record-setting seizuresRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - Antonio DaShawn Daniels, a/k/a “Freckleface Shawn,” a/k/a “Pecas,” who was convicted at trial in June of 2025, has been sentenced to 40 years in federal prison for trafficking heroin, fentanyl, and cocaine, and for possessing 40 firearms in his Atlanta stash house.
“Supplied by the Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG), Daniels’s drug trafficking organization devastated hundred, if not thousands, of lives through its large-scale distribution of heroin, fentanyl, and cocaine,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “Daniels was one of the largest heroin and fentanyl distributors to ever operate in Georgia, and his conviction and sentencing are the direct result of the tireless efforts of skilled prosecutors, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and our local law enforcement partners.”
“This investigation tore apart a drug trafficking network responsible for dealing drugs in communities across the region,” said FBI Atlanta Special Agent in Charge Paul Brown. “This operation shows what can be accomplished when there is collaboration between federal and local law enforcement agencies.”
“This drug trafficking organization is part of a ruthless criminal network that profits from drugs, guns, and bloodshed,” said Jae W. Chung, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division.
According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: Daniels was the leader of a large-scale drug trafficking organization that operated from at least August of 2018 until Daniels’s arrest on July 27, 2020. The investigation began in 2019, when federal agents discovered a drug ledger that showed that Daniels had received over 1,000 kilograms of cocaine in an 18-month span, and that Daniels paid over $31 million for it. Agents secured several court-approved wiretaps on Daniels’s phones, enabling them to identify key members of the Daniels organization and discern its large-scale reach.
The investigation culminated in a July 27, 2020 takedown that resulted in record-setting drug seizures. Specifically, agents seized approximately 28 kilograms of heroin (17 of which were mixed with fentanyl), six kilograms of cocaine, eight kilograms of marijuana, and more than $2.1 million in cash inside the apartment in Atlanta where Daniels was arrested. Forty firearms were stashed throughout the apartment, along with kilo-presses, scales, strainers with white powder residue, and a money counter.
Agents also searched a residence in Atlanta that served as another stash location for the organization. Inside that home, agents seized over 142 kilograms of heroin, nearly all of which was mixed with fentanyl. At the time of the takedown, this was the largest seizure of heroin in Georgia’s history.
Several members of Daniels’s organization have already been sentenced to federal prison. They are as follows:
- Darryl McCrary, Jr., 52, was sentenced to 25 years of imprisonment on August 27, 2025. After a trial by jury, McCrary was convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances.
- William Daniels, 41, was sentenced to 15 years of imprisonment on June 6, 2024. After pleading guilty, Daniels was convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
- Quinton Oliver, 46, was sentenced to ten years and one month of imprisonment on December 4, 2023. After pleading guilty, Oliver was convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances.
- Michael Peeker, 57, was sentenced to a year and a half of imprisonment on October 24, 2023. After pleading guilty, Peeker was convicted of conspiracy to commit money laundering.
- Lorene Reeves, 53, was sentenced to four years and nine months of imprisonment on March 16, 2023. After pleading guilty, Reeves was convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances.
- Niteria Patterson, 37, was sentenced to ten years of imprisonment on October 4, 2022. After pleading guilty, Patterson was convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances.
Yesterday, U.S. District Judge Thomas W. Thrash, Jr. sentenced Antonio DaShawn Daniels, a/k/a “Freckleface Shawn,” a/k/a “Pecas,” 51, of Atlanta, Georgia, to 40 years in prison, to be followed by 10 years of supervised release. On June 13, 2025, a jury convicted Daniels of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute heroin, fentanyl, and cocaine; possession with intent to distribute heroin, fentanyl, and cocaine; possession of a firearm by a convicted felon; and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Federal Bureau of Investigation with valuable assistance provided by the Doraville Police Department and the DeKalb County Police Department.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Eric White, Sandy Strippoli, and Laurel Milam, as well as former Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nicholas Hartigan and Alison Prout.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
These prosecutions are also part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. The Atlanta Wilhelm HSTF comprises agents and officers from ATF, CGIS, DEA, FBI, ICE-HSI, IRS-CI, DOL-OIG, DSS, USMS, USPIS, and USSS, as well as numerous state and local agencies, with the prosecution being led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Armed Fentanyl Dealer Sentenced to 14 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – Thomas Edgar Hall (36, Jacksonville) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Harvey E. Schlesinger to 14 years in federal prison for multiple counts of distribution of fentanyl and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Hall pleaded guilty on July 8, 2025. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents, an undercover detective purchased fentanyl and/or crack cocaine from Hall six times in less than four months. Hall had a firearm either on his lap or within reach for most of the drug transactions. During the last transaction, Hall sold the undercover detective a pistol as well as fentanyl. Approximately one week later, law enforcement executed a search warrant at the residence where Hall was selling drugs from. In that residence, law enforcement located a safe which contained a shotgun, a rifle, three pistols—one with an extended magazine—and assorted ammunition. The firearms in the safe matched those Hall had possessed during the drug transactions. Law enforcement also located additional sums of fentanyl and items commonly used for selling drugs.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kelli Swaney.
Angelina County felon sentenced to federal prison for drug trafficking and firearms violationsRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas– A Lufkin convicted felon has been sentenced to federal prison for drug trafficking and firearms violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Jacob Robinson, 29, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and possession of a firearm by a felon and was sentenced to 136 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone on January 22, 2026
According to information presented in court, on August 18, 2024, Robinson was stopped for a traffic violation in Angelina County. During the stop, the odor of marijuana was detected coming from the vehicle and a search was conducted resulting in the discovery of over 50 grams of methamphetamine. Again, on October 29, 2024, Robinson was stopped for a traffic violation resulting in the discovery of cocaine, methamphetamine, marijuana, and prescription pills. Robinson was also in possession of a pistol, a magazine and ammunition. Robinson was previously convicted of the felony offense of burglary of a habitation and is prohibited by federal law from owning or possessing firearms or ammunition.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
This case was investigated by the Angelina County Sheriff’s Office; Homeland Security Investigations; Texas Department of Public Safety; and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Donald S. Carter.
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Amtrak Employees Admit Participating in $11 Million Health Care Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – Four Amtrak employees admitted participating in a health care fraud scheme to defraud Amtrak, Senior Counsel Philip Lamparello announced.
Yesterday, Timothy Bogen, 60, of Hamden, Connecticut, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Madeline Cox Arleo in Newark federal court to an Indictment charging him with conspiracy to commit health care fraud. Between June 2025 and October 2025, Quinton Johnson, 54, of Irvington, New Jersey; Gregory Richardson, 36, of Roosevelt, New York; and Dion Jacob, 51, of Brooklyn, New York also pleaded guilty before Judge Arleo in Newark federal court to the same Indictment.
The Indictment also charged six other co-conspirators who previously pleaded guilty to the Indictment between January 2025 and May 2025: Kevin Frink, 54, of Willingboro, New Jersey; Michael Toal, 35, of Hazlet, New Jersey; David McBrien, 37, of Levittown, Pennsylvania; Damany Walker, 42, of Irvington, New Jersey; David Lonergan, 65, of Rockaway Park, New York; and Rodolfo Rivera, 42, of Clayton, Delaware. McBrien, Walker, Frink, and Richardson have each been sentenced to two years’ federal probation, all others are pending sentencing.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From January 2019 through June 2022, Bogen, Johnson, Richardson, Jacob, and their co-conspirators—who were also Amtrak employees—engaged in a scheme to obtain cash kickbacks from health care providers in return for their agreement to allow their health insurance plan to be billed for services that were never provided and were not medically necessary. In total, as a result of the conspiracy, the Amtrak health care plan paid over $11 million in fraudulent claims associated with providers connected to the scheme.
Each defendant received thousands of dollars in cash kickbacks from health care providers in return for their participation in the scheme, including from Punson Figueroa, an acupuncturist, and Michael DeNicola, a podiatrist. Figueroa previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit health care fraud and was sentenced on September 24, 2024 to 34 months in prison. DeNicola previously pleaded guilty on June 29, 2022 to conspiracy to commit health care fraud, among other offenses. His sentencing remains pending.
The health care fraud conspiracy charge carries a maximum potential penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Bogen’s sentencing is scheduled for June 25, 2026, Jacob’s sentencing is scheduled for February 18, 2026, and Johnson’s sentencing is scheduled for March 24, 2026.
Senior Counsel Lamparello credited special agents of the Amtrak Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Waters, the Amtrak Police Department, under the direction of Chief of Police Sam Dotson, and special agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Frank A. Tarentino III in New York, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine M. Romano, Chief of the General Crimes Unit, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica R. Ecker, of the Health Care Fraud and Opioids Enforcement Unit.
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Defense counsel: Michael Rubas, Esq. (for Timothy Bogen)
John McMahon, Esq. (for Quinton Johnson)
Julian Wilsey, Esq. (for Dion Jacob)
Christopher Adams, Esq. (for Gregory Richardson)
bogenetal.indictment.pdfAlleged Bank Robber Facing Federal Charges in UtahRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A West Jordan, Utah, resident was indicted by a federal grand jury and charged with a violent crime after he allegedly walked into a bank, threatened the teller with a note, and left with cash.
Michael Grant Robinson, 36, of West Jordan, Utah, was charged by complaint on January 13, 2026.
According to the allegations in court documents, and surveillance video, on January 12, 2026, a suspect with a distinctive face tattoo, later identified as Robinson, entered a bank in West Jordan and handed the bank teller a threatening note that read “I gotta weapon need $1000.” The bank teller complied and gave Robinson $140.00, in $20 bills. Robinson took the money and left the bank. Within 30 minutes, law enforcement identified Robinson walking on the sidewalk a half mile from the bank wearing the same clothing and having the same distinctive face tattoo as depicted in the surveillance video from the robbery. Law enforcement recovered the money at a nearby restaurant after Robinson ordered a meal and left a $120 tip.
Robinson is charged with bank robbery. His initial appearance on the indictment is scheduled for January 22, 2026, at 2:30 p.m. in courtroom 8.4 before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.
United States Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the District of Utah made the announcement.
The case is being investigated by the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office.
Assistant United States Attorney Carlos A. Esqueda of the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah 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.
Albany Man Pleads Guilty to Receipt of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Gregory Conrad Puzio, a/k/a “Tony G.,” age 40, of Albany, New York, pled guilty today to receiving child pornography. Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III; Erin Keegan, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); and New York State Police (NYSP) Superintendent Steven G. James made the announcement.
As part of his guilty plea, Puzio admitted that in February 2025, he used a messaging application to receive child sexual abuse material (CSAM), including a video where the child victim was sexually abused and beaten. In late June 2025, Puzio was charged by local authorities with use of a child in a sexual performance and possessing a sexual performance by a child based on this conduct but was subsequently released on bond. After a federal complaint was filed on July 8, 2025, federal agents arrested Puzio and he did not contest federal detention.
Acting United States Attorney Sarcone stated: “Puzio’s disgraceful crimes were somehow not enough for detention in state court. But our partners at HSI and the NYSP quickly brought this case to my office so that this dangerous individual is now off the street and far from any children. My Office and our state and federal law enforcement partners will never hesitate to bring viable federal charges when we believe a defendant who has been released by a state court should be detained for the protection of the community.”
HSI Special Agent in Charge Keegan stated: "Gregory Puzio's guilty plea reflects the depravity of the defendant's crimes against children and underscores the urgent need for aggressive investigation and prosecution in such heinous offenses. Together with our law enforcement counterparts, HSI will stop at nothing to ensure that predators face the full force of justice and that our communities are safeguarded from such egregious harm. I commend HSI Albany and our vital partners for their relentless investigative efforts and exceptional collaboration in protecting our children."
NYSP Superintendent James said: “The exploitation and abuse of children is among the most serious crimes we confront, and the New York State Police remain committed to working side by side with our federal and local partners to identify offenders and protect the most vulnerable members of our communities. This guilty plea reflects the strength of that collaboration and sends a clear message that those who prey on children will be held accountable.”
At his sentencing on May 26, 2026, Puzio faces a term of imprisonment of at least 5 years and up to 20 years in prison. Puzio also faces a fine of up to $250,000 and a term of supervised release of at least 5 years and up to life. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statutes the defendant is convicted of violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors. He will also be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison.
This case was investigated by HSI and the NYSP, with assistance from the United States Postal Service’s Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua R. Rosenthal is prosecuting this case as part of Project Safe Childhood.
Project Safe Childhood is a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. 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. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Akris Inc. Agrees to Pay over $1.8 Million to Resolve Allegations of PPP Loan FraudRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Akris Inc. has agreed to pay over $1.8 million to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by obtaining a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan for which it was not eligible.
As detailed in the settlement agreement, Akris admitted that, in March 2021, it applied for a second draw PPP loan and certified that it was eligible to receive the loan under the PPP rules. When it applied, Akris, together with its foreign affiliate, had over 300 employees. On Jan. 8, 2021, the Small Business Association (SBA) announced the availability of a second round of PPP loans, known as the “second draw” PPP loans. Businesses with more than 300 employees were not eligible for second draw loans.
The settlement credits Akris for cooperation under the Department of Justice’s Guidelines for Taking Voluntary Disclosure, Cooperation and Remediation into Account in False Claims Act Matters.
The claims resolved in today’s settlement include claims that were brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act. Under those provisions, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. As part of today’s resolution, the whistleblower will receive approximately $183,000.
Congress enacted the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and the Economic Security Act (CARES Act) on March 29, 2020, to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans who were suffering the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The CARES Act authorized forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain approved expenses through the PPP. On May 5, 2020, the Small Business Administration (SBA) issued guidance that explained that, for purposes of meeting size eligibility requirements (i.e. whether the applicant is a “small business concern” or otherwise falls below the cap on employee headcount) an applicant must count all its employees and the employees of its U.S. and foreign affiliates, absent a waiver of, or an exception to, the affiliation rules. SBA’s guidance also made clear that it would only enforce this rule prospectively, i.e., for applications made on or after May 5, 2020. On Jan. 8, 2021, SBA announced the availability of a second round of PPP loans, known as the “second draw” PPP loans. Businesses with more than 300 employees were not eligible for second draw loans.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and the U.S. Small Business Administration made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Sharobem of the Affirmative Civil Enforcement Unit handled the matter.
18 Defendants Sentenced to Serve 278 Years Collectively in Federal Prison in Drug-Trafficking Conspiracy that Moved $64-Million in Methamphetamine from Mexico into the United StatesRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – A total of 18 defendants have now been sentenced in the culmination of a four-year-long investigation into a drug-trafficking organization (DTO) that specialized in transporting liquid methamphetamine by semi-truck from Mexico, through Texas, to Oklahoma City and elsewhere. According to law enforcement, this DTO moved more than 35,000 pounds of methamphetamine into the U.S. from Mexico at an estimated street value of $64,000,000. In all, the 18 defendants, including eight Mexican nationals, have been sentenced to serve more than 278 years in federal prison collectively. Robert J. Troester, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Oklahoma, made the announcement.
“The architects of this international drug-trafficking organization, who peddled more than 17 tons of deadly poison from Mexico into the United States, have now been held accountable,” said U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester. “Coordinated law enforcement efforts led to the dismantling of this large-scale criminal enterprise and have protected Oklahomans from the death and destruction caused by these drugs. I commend the investigators and prosecutors for their tireless work on this case.”
“Collaboration between the FBI and our law enforcement partners is key to disrupting the criminal organizations that pollute our communities with dangerous drugs,” said FBI Oklahoma City Special Agent in Charge Doug Goodwater. “By sending 18 associates of this high-volume drug-trafficking operation to prison, there is no question this joint effort has made Oklahoma neighborhoods and citizens much safer.”
The four-year operation came to a head on December 17, 2024, when JUAN HERNANDEZ FLORES, 50, of Oklahoma City, was charged along with six others, including JESSICA GUADALUPE MUNIZ, 33, of Oklahoma City; CESAR AZAMAR AGUILAR, 53, of Mexico; and DENIS LEAL GUTIERREZ, 59, and ADRIAN NARVAEZ CRUZ, 58, of Texas, for their roles in the DTO. Gutierrez, Azamar, and Narvaez were charged with a drug conspiracy, while Hernandez and Muniz were charged with a money laundering conspiracy, as well as both domestic and international money laundering. All five went to trial together.
On April 18, 2025, following a nine-day trial, a federal jury convicted the defendants on all counts.
According to evidence presented at trial, since at least February 2021, members of this Mexico-based DTO were importing liquid methamphetamine into the U.S. hidden in the gas tanks of semi-trucks. Gutierrez ran two trucking companies—DGC Express Co. and Dare Express Co.—that were responsible for transporting shipments of liquid methamphetamine to Oklahoma. Gutierrez was aided in his drug distribution by Azamar, who facilitated the transfer of the liquid methamphetamine between trucks, and Narvaez, who instructed the drivers on where to deliver the liquid methamphetamine.
During the investigation, law enforcement seized significant amounts of methamphetamine associated with this DTO, including:
• 907 kilograms on March 3, 2021, in Tecumseh, Oklahoma;
• 92 kilograms on September 6, 2023, in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma;
• 615 kilograms on December 8, 2023, in Wellston, Oklahoma;
• 42 kilograms on April 1, 2024, in Tecumseh, Oklahoma; and
• 86 kilograms on April 2, 2024, in Newalla, Oklahoma.
Law enforcement also seized a 2015 Freightliner Cascadia Semi-Truck, multiple firearms, tens of thousands of dollars in U.S. Currency, and real estate located in Wellston, Oklahoma and Edinburg, Texas.
Evidence at trial also established that the DTO engaged in extensive money laundering activities. A high-ranking, Mexico-based member of this DTO directed family members in Oklahoma, including his brother Hernandez and his niece Muniz, to launder drug proceeds on his behalf. Testimony and other evidence, including CashApp records, international wire remitter service records, and records from the Federal Bureau of Prisons and Oklahoma Department of Corrections, also established that this DTO supplied methamphetamine to Oklahoma prison gangs, including the Irish Mob Gang, the Universal Aryan Brotherhood, and the Sureños. These gang members or their associates sent payments for methamphetamine disguised as CashApp payments to Hernandez and Muniz, who then wired the money to close associates of the DTO’s head in Mexico.
The defendants charged above and in other related cases have been sentenced as follows:
- JUAN HERNANDEZ FLORES, of Oklahoma City, was sentenced to serve 144 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for money laundering conspiracy, three counts of domestic money laundering, and three counts of international money laundering;
- JESSICA GUADALUPE MUNIZ, of Oklahoma City, was sentenced to serve 24 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for money laundering conspiracy, domestic money laundering, and international money laundering;
- DENIS LEAL GUTIERREZ, of Texas, was sentenced to serve 420 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for drug conspiracy;
- CESAR AZAMAR AGUILAR, of Mexico, was sentenced to serve 97 months in federal prison for two counts of drug conspiracy;
- ADRIAN NARVAEZ CRUZ, of Texas, was sentenced to serve 372 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for drug conspiracy;
- EVER ALONSO PANDO, 48, of Oklahoma City, was sentenced to serve 96 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for two counts of maintaining a drug-involved premises;
- HECTOR QUINONEZ REYES, 44, of Oklahoma City, was sentenced to serve 90 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute;
- ADAN GARCIA MIRANDA, 30, of Texas, was sentenced to serve 156 months in federal prison, followed by four years of supervised release, for drug conspiracy;
- JORGE RAUL VEGA GARCIA, 31, of Mexico, was sentenced to serve 180 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute;
- LUIS ALBERTO ROJAS PRECIADO, 28, of Illinois, was sentenced to serve 168 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for drug conspiracy;
- JOSE ALFREDO EQUIHUA, 40, of Mexico, was sentenced to serve 228 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for conspiring to possess methamphetamine with intent to distribute;
- EDGAR RODRIGUEZ ONTIVEROS, 33, of Mexico, was sentenced to serve 168 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for drug conspiracy;
- ADRIAN PEREZ, 40, of Oklahoma City, was sentenced to serve 228 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for drug conspiracy and being a felon in possession of a firearm. Public record shows that Perez has previous felony convictions that include being a felon in possession of a firearm in Oklahoma County District Court case number CF-2022-4831 and using a vehicle to facilitate the intentional discharge of a firearm in Oklahoma County District Court case number CF-2003-1656;
- PHILLIP RAY HOWARD, 54, of Newalla, Oklahoma, was sentenced to serve 84 months in federal prison, followed by four years of supervised release, for drug conspiracy and being a felon in possession of a firearm. Public record shows that Howard has previous felony convictions that include possession of cocaine with intent to distribute in Oklahoma County District Court case number CF-2005-878;
- RAY DAVID LARA, JR., 45, of Oklahoma City, was sentenced to serve 300 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute;
- HERIBERTO DONAN OCHOA, 34, of Mexico, was sentenced to serve 228 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute;
- BRAULIO PADILLA, 51, of Oklahoma City, was sentenced to serve 264 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for drug conspiracy and being a felon in possession of a firearm. Public record reflects that Padilla has several felony convictions, including for possession of a controlled dangerous substance in the presence of a child under 12 and possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute in Oklahoma County District Court case numbers CF-2010-4880 and CF-2019-155, respectively; and
- MICHAEL J. ESTRADA, 37, of Chicago, was sentenced to serve 72 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in conjunction with the Oklahoma City Police Department and the Oklahoma Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) as part of Operation Take Back America. HSTFs, which were established by President Trump in Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion, are joint operations led by the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security. Operation Take Back America is a nationwide federal initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Snyder prosecuted the case.
Reference is made to public filings for additional information.
21 January 2026
Warwick Man Sentenced for Trafficking Fentanyl-Laced PillsRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A Warwick man has been sentenced in federal court in Rhode Island for selling fentanyl-laced pills disguised as Percocet, announced United States Attorney Charles C. Calenda
Preston Quintanilha, 23, was sentenced on January 20, 2026, by U.S. District Court Judge Mary S. McElroy to 36 months of incarceration to be followed by four years of supervised release. Quintanilha pleaded guilty on June 25, 2025, to charges of possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and attempt to possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl. Quintanilha has been detained in federal custody since his arrest on May 28, 2024.
According to court documents, in August 2023, during a joint federal and local law enforcement investigation into the defendant’s drug trafficking activities, the DEA made two controlled purchases of fentanyl-laced pills from Quintanilha.
On September 28, 2023, law enforcement executed multiple court-authorized search warrants and seized 999 fentanyl-laced pills (107.5 grams), a bag of suspected crack cocaine, and $5,830 in cash from his residence; 1,003 fentanyl-laced pills (109.9 grams) from a Pawtucket apartment which Quintanilha used to store narcotic drugs; and $4,232 in cash from his person, proceeds Quintanilha admitted were from his drug trafficking activities.
Additionally, on April 16, 2024, United States Postal Service employees intercepted a package addressed to Quintanilha to be delivered to a relative’s residence. A certified K-9 dog positively alerted for the presence of a narcotic odor. A court-authorized search of the package revealed 9,998 fentanyl-laced pills (1,085.8 grams). Quintanilha admitted that he had the package shipped to a relative’s house under the guise of it being a gift for his girlfriend.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Julie M. White.
The matter was investigated by the DEA, Warwick, Pawtucket, and Newport Police Departments, and the United States Postal Inspection Service.
Violent Sex Offender from Blytheville Sentenced to 20 Years in Federal Prison for Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
JONESBORO—A Blytheville man involved in drugs, guns, and child pornography will spend the next 20 years in federal prison. Jeremy Barnett was sentenced to 240 months’ incarceration today after being convicted for illegally possessing firearms and production of child pornography. Jonathan D. Ross, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, announced the sentence, which was handed down by United States District Judge D.P. Marshall, Jr.
On October 5, 2023, Barnett, 36, of Blytheville, was indicted by a federal grand jury in a three-count Indictment with being a felon in possession of firearms, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. On March 6, 2025, a two-count Superseding Information was filed charging Barnett with being a felon in possession of firearms and production of child pornography. On that same day, Barnett pleaded guilty to the counts in the Superseding Information.
Judge Marshall sentenced Barnett to 20 years in federal prison for his conviction for production of child pornography. Barnett’s also received a 10-year sentence for being a felon in possession of firearms, with the two sentences to be served concurrently. Judge Marshall sentenced Barnett to five years’ supervised release, which includes three years’ supervised release for being a felon in possession of firearms. There is no parole in the federal system.
An investigation revealed that Barnett was trafficking methamphetamine and other controlled substances. Law enforcement officers obtained a search warrant for Barnett’s residence and during the search, recovered multiple firearms, marijuana, 94 methamphetamine pills, suspected oxycodone, suspected alprazolam, and other pills. At the time of the search, Barnett had previous convictions for violent offenses, including battery in the third degree and domestic battery in the second degree.
While awaiting trial on the original Indictment, officers obtained information that Barnett had recorded himself engaging in various sex acts with a minor on multiple occasions. Officers obtained a search warrant for Barnett’s phone and recovered videos of Barnett engaging in sexually explicit conduct with the minor victim.
Barnett’s criminal history includes convictions for criminal trespass, possession of marijuana, carrying a weapon, battery in the third degree and criminal mischief, and domestic battery in the second degree.
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 Little Rock comprises agents and officers from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Mississippi County Sheriff’s Office, and the Second Judicial District Drug Task Force with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Arkansas.
The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the Mississippi County Sheriff’s Office and the Second Judicial District Drug Task Force.
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Additional information about the office of the
United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at
https://www.justice.gov/edar
X (formerly known as Twitter):
@USAO_EDAR
Venezuelan Nationals Convicted in ATM Jackpotting Scheme to Be DeportedRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Luz Granados, 34, and Johan Gonzalez-Jimenez, 40, both illegal aliens residing in the United States are set to be deported after being convicted of conspiracy and computer crimes in an ATM Jackpotting scheme.
Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that that Jimenez and Granados targeted older model Automated Teller Machines (ATM) throughout the southeastern United States to steal money after business hours. The defendants would approach an ATM at nighttime and remove the outer casing of the machine and then connect a laptop computer to install malware which overcame the ATM’s security protocols. Once installed, the ATMs dispersed cash to the perpetrators until the ATM’s funds are exhausted. The dispersed funds were not tethered to any specific customer accounts but rather taken from the bank that owned the ATM. Targets included banks in Rock Hill and Columbia, as well as Georgia, North Carolina, and Virginia.
The District of South Carolina also provided information from this case to the District of Nebraska which aided in their indictment of 54 people in a similar ATM jackpotting scheme.
United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis sentenced Granados to time served and she remains in custody awaiting deportation. She was also ordered to pay $126,340 in restitution. Gonzalez-Jimenez was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison and was ordered to pay $285,100 in restitution. He will be deported once his sentence is complete.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Secret Service, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division's Computer Crime Center, the Rock Hill Police Department, and the West Columbia Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Matthews prosecuted the case.
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USPS Employee Admits Stealing $250K in Postal Money OrdersRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Matthew Modafferi, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Postal Service, Office of Inspector General, Northeast Area Field Office, announced that MIGUEL CRUZ QUILES, 34, of East Hartford, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to an offense stemming from his theft of more than $250,000 from the U.S. Postal Service.
According to court documents and statements made in court, beginning in 2012, Cruz Quiles was employed in various positions by the U.S. Postal Service, including as a window clerk providing customer service and as a USPS human resources safety clerk. In 2024, Cruz Quiles issued himself more than 250 fraudulent money orders from the service counters at the Blue Hills Post Office in Hartford and the Bishops Corner Post Office in West Hartford. Most of the fraudulent money orders were issued in the amount of $1,000. To execute this scheme, Cruz Quiles used the authorization credentials of another USPS employee to access the USPS computer system at the service counter and fraudulently coded the transactions to conceal his theft. Some of the transactions occurred when the post office service counter was closed to the public. He then cashed the money orders or deposited them into his personal bank accounts.
On December 9, 2024, Cruz Quiles issued to himself 30 fraudulent money orders each in the amount of $1,000.
Cruz Quiles pleaded guilty to one count of theft of government property, admitting that he unlawfully cashed or deposited at least $250,320 in government funds.
Judge Underhill scheduled sentencing for April 15, at which time Cruz Quiles faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years. Cruz Quiles is released on a $50,000 bond pending sentencing.
This investigation has been conducted by the U.S. Postal Service, Office of Inspector General. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Hal Chen.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Collects over $3M for Taxpayers and Victims in 2025Read the Press Release
Memphis, TN – U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant announced today that the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Tennessee collected $3,169,425.23 in criminal and civil actions in Fiscal Year 2025. Of that amount, $2,967,893.83 was collected in criminal actions and $201,531.40 was collected in civil actions.
Additionally, the Western District of Tennessee worked with other U.S. Attorney’s Offices and components of the Department of Justice to collect an additional $30,090.26 in cases pursued jointly by these offices.
“Collecting restitution and other criminal and civil debts is a vital part of our mission,” said U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant. “We will continue to prioritize collections in order to hold criminals accountable, collect debts owed to the government, protect the U.S. Treasury, and recover compensation for victims of crime.”
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Western District of Tennessee, working with partner agencies and divisions, also collected $628,023 in asset forfeiture actions in Fiscal Year 2025. Forfeited assets deposited into the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund are used to restore funds to crime victims and for a variety of law enforcement purposes.
Among the collections this year were proceeds from the sale of a property belonging to Christopher Crawford. Mr. Crawford was convicted of wire fraud and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $1,812,226.08. In 2025, a writ of execution on his residence in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida was granted by the Court and enforced. The property was sold and proceeds in the amount $603,624.83 was applied towards the restitution balance.
The U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, along with the Department’s litigating divisions, are responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the U.S. and criminal debts owed to federal crime victims. The law requires defendants to pay restitution to victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered a physical injury or financial loss. While restitution is paid to the victim, criminal fines and felony assessments are paid to the Department’s Crime Victims Fund, which distributes the funds collected to federal and state victim compensation and victim assistance programs.
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For more information, please contact the Media Relations Team at [email protected]. Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Collects $5,236,030.66 in Civil and Criminal Actions for Fiscal Year 2025Read the Press Release
Springfield, Ill - Acting U.S. Attorney Gregory M. Gilmore announced today that the Central District of Illinois collected $5,236,030.66 in criminal and civil actions in Fiscal Year 2025. Of this amount, $4,016,049.76 was collected in criminal actions and $1,219,980.90 collected in civil actions.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office, Central District of Illinois worked with other U.S. Attorney’s Offices and components of the Department of Justice to collect an additional $391,543.94 in cases pursued jointly by these offices. Of this amount,$22,712.78 was collected in criminal actions and $368,831.16 was collected in civil actions.
“Our office is unwavering in the fight to protect individuals and the government from financial crimes,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Gregory M. Gilmore. “We will continue to diligently prosecute offenders, collect debts, and seek restitution for victims harmed by life altering financial losses.”
The U.S. Attorney’s Office, Central District of Illinois, working with partner agencies and divisions, collected $9,326,268.00 in asset forfeiture actions in FY 2025. Forfeited assets deposited into the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund are used to restore funds to crime victims and for a variety of law enforcement purposes.
For example, in February, the Central District of Illinois recovered $1,620,641.18 towards the judgment in the Aaron J. Rossi case. Rossi was sentenced in July 2024 after pleading guilty to committing mail fraud and making and subscribing a false tax return. He was ordered to pay a total of $3,120,641.48 in assessments, fines, and restitution.
And in March, the Central District of Illinois recovered $308,163.71 towards the outstanding judgment in the Lori Zeitler case. Zeitler pled guilty to five counts of wire fraud and was sentenced to pay a $500 special assessment and $600,000.00 in restitution to her victims.
The U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, along with the Department’s litigating divisions, are responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the U.S. and criminal debts owed to federal crime victims. The law requires defendants to pay restitution to victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered a physical injury or financial loss. While restitution is paid to the victim, criminal fines and felony assessments are paid to the department’s Crime Victims Fund, which distributes the funds collected to federal and state victim compensation and victim assistance programs.