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20 January 2026
Sarasota Man Convicted of Producing, Distributing, Receiving, and Accessing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – A federal jury has found Sean Anthony Christie (43, Sarasota) guilty of production, distribution, and receipt of child sex abuse material and access with intent to view child sex abuse material. Christie faces a maximum penalty of 80 years in federal prison. His sentencing hearing has not yet been scheduled. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, Christie used a social media application to solicit, receive, and distribute child sexual abuse material depicting minors under 12 years of age. Christie also used another social media application to meet minor girls, including a 12-year-old victim whom he used to produce child sex abuse material.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Courtney Derry.
It is another 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.justice.gov/psc.
Sarasota Doctor Sentenced to Fifteen Years for Coercion and Enticement of a Minor and Production of Child Sex Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – Pete Supan (36, Bradenton) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge William F. Jung to 15 years in federal prison for coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity and production of child sex abuse material. Supan pleaded guilty on October 7, 2025. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents, Supan used an app to coerce and entice an individual under the age of 18 to engage in sexual activity. Supan misrepresented his age as 19 years old and persuaded, induced, enticed, or coerced the minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of such conduct. Supan admitted to communicating with the victim who he knew was a minor.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Courtney Derry.
It is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 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, rescue, and seek justice for child victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Registered Sex Offender’s U.S. Citizenship Revoked After Fraudulent NaturalizationRead the Press Release
MIAMI – A Peruvian-born registered sex offender has had his U.S. citizenship revoked and his Certificate of Naturalization canceled after he obtained citizenship by fraud.
U.S. District Judge Rodney Smith entered the order against Renzo William Alegre, 25, of Fort Lauderdale, and also sentenced him to 150 days of home detention and one year of probation after he pleaded guilty to unlawful procurement of citizenship or naturalization.
“United States citizenship is a privilege, not a shield for deception,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “This defendant lied to obtain citizenship while actively engaging in crimes that exploit children. When citizenship is procured by fraud, the law requires that it be revoked. Our Office will act decisively to protect children and to preserve the integrity of our immigration and naturalization system.”
According to court records, on March 16, 2019, Alegre applied for U.S. citizenship. The application asked: “Have you EVER committed, assisted in committing, or attempted to commit, a crime or offense for which you were NOT arrested?” Alegre answered “no.” On Oct. 23, 2019, Alegre appeared for an immigration interview with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, where he again stated that he had never committed a crime or offense for which he had not been arrested. On Oct. 31, 2019, Alegre was granted U.S. citizenship.
In September 2020, Alegre was arrested on child pornography charges. He was later convicted of possessing at least 600 images of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and sentenced to 48 months in prison, followed by 20 years of supervised released. In his factual proffer, Alegre admitted that he had been using a computer to receive and download CSAM for approximately one year prior to his arrest—a period that predated his naturalization.
U.S. Attorney Reding Quiñones and Acting Special Agent in Charge José R. Figueroa of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Miami made the announcement.
HSI Fort Lauderdale investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Latoya C. Brown prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case number 25-cr-60161.
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Registered Sex Offender Indicted for Attempted Enticement of a MinorRead the Press Release
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Dawaun Shunard Jackson, 40, of Tallahassee, has been indicted in federal court on one count of attempted enticement of a minor and one count of penalties for registered sex offenders. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the charges.
Jackson appeared in federal court for his arraignment before United States Magistrate Judge Martin J. Fitzpatrick on January 13, 2026, in Tallahassee, Florida. Jury trial is scheduled for March 16, 2026, before District Court Judge Robert L. Hinkle in Tallahassee, Florida.
If convicted of attempted enticement of a minor, Jackson faces between 10 years’ and up to life imprisonment. If convicted of penalties for registered sex offenders, Jackson faces an additional 10 years’ imprisonment consecutive to any other sentence.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Tallahassee Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Justin M. Keen.
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 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.
Providence Resident Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Fentanyl TraffickingRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A Providence man has been sentenced in federal court for trafficking thousands of fentanyl-laced counterfeit pills and more than 400 grams of fentanyl, announced United States Attorney Charles C. Calenda.
Carlos Molina, 35, was sentenced on January 15, 2026, by Chief U.S. District Court Judge John J. McConnell, Jr., to 15 years in federal prison. Molina pleaded guilty in August 2025 to possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.
“Trafficking counterfeit pills containing fentanyl puts lives at risk and fuels a public health crisis affecting communities across the country,” said United States Attorney Charles C. Calenda. “The 15-year sentence imposed in this case holds the defendant accountable for conduct that endangered others and underscores the serious consequences of distributing drugs that pose a lethal threat to our communities.”
According to court documents, law enforcement executed a court-authorized search of Molina’s residence in November 2022, where investigators seized 1,503 fentanyl-laced counterfeit pills weighing a total of 170.6 grams, and a mixture of powder containing fentanyl weighing 411.75 grams.
The investigation further revealed that, while under surveillance by DEA agents and members of the DEA Drug Task Force, Molina made multiple sales of fentanyl-laced counterfeit pills to another individual. A total of 2,416 pills were seized immediately following the transactions.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stacey A. Erickson.
The matter was investigated by the Rhode Island DEA Drug Task Force.
Pensacola Man Pleads Guilty to Threatening to Kill a Pensacola Police DetectiveRead the Press Release
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Tamal W. Jenkins, 19, of Pensacola, Florida, pleaded guilty in federal court for interstate threatening communication with intent to extort. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “My office has zero tolerance for acts of violence and threats directed toward law enforcement. We will continue to back up the brave men and women who keep our streets safe with aggressive prosecutions against anyone who dares to threaten their safety.”
Court documents reveal that in July 2025 the Pensacola Police Department arrested suspects in a homicide investigation. Within days of the arrest, one of the Pensacola Police Detectives involved in the investigation received an electronic message making threats against her life for taking a suspect into custody. Law enforcement traced the threatening messages back to a device belonging to Jenkins.
Jenkins faces up to 20 years’ imprisonment upon sentencing, which is scheduled for April 14, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. at the United States Courthouse in Pensacola before United States District Judge T. Kent Wetherell, II.
The case involved a joint investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives and the Pensacola Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David L. Goldberg.
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, human and drug trafficking.
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.
Nurse Sentenced to 6.5 Years in Federal Prison for Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Brad D. Schimel, United States Attorney of the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on January 13, 2026, Troy Schaden (age: 43), a nurse from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, was sentenced to 78 months in federal prison by United States District Judge Brett H. Ludwig.
According to court records, Schaden was purchasing Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) from an individual in the United Kingdom. After reviewing electronic devices seized during the execution of a search warrant at Schaden’s home, law enforcement discovered that Schaden also distributed images of CSAM to users on an application called Teleguard between February 2025 and March 2025. Some of those images depicted the abuse of infants and toddlers.
At his sentencing hearing, Judge Ludwig described Schaden’s offense as very serious and one that perpetuated the abuse of children. Upon completion of his federal prison sentence, the defendant will spend five years on supervised release. He also will be required to register as a sex offender under state and federal law.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Megan J. Thomas.
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 U.S. Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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For further information contact:
Public Affairs Officer Steve Caballero
(414) 297-1700
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North Reading Man Indicted for Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A North Reading man was indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston for possession of child sexual abuse material.
Ralph Hannan III, 68, a Level 2 sex offender, was indicted on one count of possession of child pornography.
According to the charging documents the defendant allegedly possessed child pornography involving a minor under the age of 12.The charge of possession of child pornography provides for at least 10 years and up to 20 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Zacks of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.North Little Rock Man Sentenced to 27 Years in Federal Prison for Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
LITTLE ROCK—Troy Moseley, III will spend 27 years in federal prison for his production of child pornography. Jonathan D. Ross, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, announced the sentence, which was handed down today by United States District Judge Lee P. Rudofsky.
On November 8, 2023, Moseley, 26, of North Little Rock, was indicted by a federal grand jury on one count of production of child pornography, one count of distribution of child pornography, and one count of possession of child pornography. On July 22, 2025, Moseley pleaded guilty to production of child pornography. Judge Rudofsky also sentenced Moseley to 10 years’ supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
An investigation revealed that on May 31, 2023, Special Agents with the Arkansas Attorney General’s Office obtained a cybertip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children filed by Snapchat on January 28, 2023. The cybertip included information that two videos were uploaded to Snapchat on January 28 and 29, 2023. The videos depicted an adult male engaging in sexual acts with a minor female.
After further investigation, the Special Agents identified Moseley as the individual who uploaded the videos to the social media platform. On September 27, 2023, Special Agents then obtained a search warrant for the residence where Moseley resided. During a search, it was learned that the password to the Wi-Fi at the residence was only available to those who lived in the residence. Officers went to Moseley’s place of employment where he fled out the back door and into the woods. Officers located Moseley later in the day and took him into custody. When he was arrested, Moseley had in his possession a backpack that contained three electronic devices, suspected marijuana, a can of beer, and women’s thongs and panties.
On September 28, 2023, Special Agents obtained a search warrant for the devices found in Moseley’s possession. During the execution of the search warrant on September 29, 2023, Special Agents discovered on one device over 100 images and videos containing child pornography and pictures of women taken in public places. One of the videos depicted Moseley following a woman in a department store, who was not aware of Moseley following her, and in the video, he is observed masturbating. Another video discovered on the device showed a tablet that was resting on a table that showed a photograph of a 3 or 4-year-old girl with Moseley recording himself masturbating while focused on the minor victim’s photograph. Another video discovered by Special Agents, which formed the basis for the production of child pornography count, depicted Moseley with his pants pulled down to his knees and masturbating while next to a sleeping 2-year-old girl who was strapped in a car seat. In this video, Moseley showed his face and is observed placing his penis closely to the minor victim’s face and near her mouth.
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. Parents are encouraged to always monitor your children’s online activity.
The investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations with assistance from the Arkansas Attorney General’s Office and the North Little Rock Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kristin Bryant.
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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
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New Jersey Woman Sentenced to Prison for COVID-19 Bank Fraud and Money Laundering SchemeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Kisha Sutton, 45, of Jersey City, New Jersey, was sentenced on January 15, 2026, to two years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $184,014.04 in restitution for aiding and abetting bank fraud and aiding and abetting money laundering.
After a two-day trial, a federal jury found Sutton guilty of both counts on July 15, 2025. Evidence at trial proved that Sutton and co-defendant Shamiese Wright aided and abetted one another to obtain a fraudulent $15,625 Paycheck Protection Plan (PPP) loan on behalf of Wright, guaranteed by the Small Business Administration (SBA) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act). Sutton received $3,000 in fraudulent PPP loan proceeds from Wright as part of their scheme.
On April 19, 2021, Sutton submitted the PPP loan application on Wright’s behalf, listing Wright as a self-employed individual who received $75,000 in gross income in 2020. The application was filed with an Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Form 1040, Schedule C Profit or Loss from Business, reflecting that Wright had earned $75,000 in 2020. Evidence at trial showed that Wright was not self-employed, had never earned $75,000 in any year, had received unemployment benefits in 2020, and that the IRS Form 1040 submitted with Wright’s application was fraudulent and created solely to obtain the PPP loan.
A PPP lender in Florida approved Wright’s loan application, and $15,625 in fraudulent loan proceeds were electronically deposited in Wright’s personal bank account in Charleston on or about May 7, 2021. Wright transferred the $3,000 to Sutton from the fraudulent PPP loan proceeds using a digital wallet application between May 7 and May 21, 2021. Wright staggered her payments to Sutton and provided misleading transfer descriptions for them to conceal and disguise the nature and the source of the money.
The CARES Act made forgivable PPP loans available to qualifying sole proprietors, independent contractors and self-employed individuals adversely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, to replace their normal income and for certain other eligible expenses. Applicants were required to certify that they were in operation on February 15, 2020, and provide documentation showing their prior gross income from either 2019 or 2020.
Sutton and Wright and are among several individuals indicted by a federal grand jury on charges alleging Sutton led a conspiracy to obtain fraudulent PPP loans totaling $140,625. Wright, 32, of Charleston, and three other defendants pleaded guilty in the case and were ordered to pay a total of $65,611.73 in restitution.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the West Virginia State Police – Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI), and the West Virginia State Auditor’s Office (WVSAO) Public Integrity and Fraud Unit (PIFU).
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Jonathan T. Storage and Jennifer D. Gordon and former Assistant United States Attorney Holly Wilson prosecuted the case.
Individuals with information about allegations of fraud involving COVID-19 are encouraged to report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721, or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
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-192.
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Muskogee County Resident Sentenced for Stealing Firearms from A Federally Licensed DealerRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Jorden James Thierry, age 22, of Boynton, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 18 months in prison for one count of Stealing a Firearm from a Federal Licensed Dealer.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Checotah Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
On June 9, 2025, Thierry pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, in the early hours of April 17, 2025, Thierry broke into the Checotah storefront of a federally licensed firearms dealer and stole two 9mm semi-automatic handguns, leaving behind a trail of blood. When agents detained Thierry, they observed a deep cut on Thierry’s right hand and recovered one of the stolen firearms from Thierry’s backpack; the second firearm was later recovered from a residence in Checotah.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Thierry will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan E. Soverly represented the United States.
Missouri Man Admits Being Caught Again with Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
CAPE GIRARDEAU – A man from Butler County, Missouri faces at least 10 years in prison after being caught with child sexual abuse material at a halfway house.
Leslie Bryan Clark, 59, pleaded guilty Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Cape Girardeau to one count of possession of child pornography. He admitted being caught with child sexual abuse material (CSAM) on June 13, 2025, the day he was to be released from a halfway house in Butler County. A Cybertip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children had alerted investigators that Clark had uploaded CSAM via the Kik app. When confronted by a probation officer, Clark handed over his phone, which contained video clips of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct.
In 2017, Clark pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Cape Girardeau to one count of possession of child pornography. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison followed by 15 years of supervised release.
Clark is scheduled to be sentenced on April 20. The charge carries a penalty of at least 10 years in prison, due to his prior conviction, with a maximum of 20 years. Clark also admitted violating his supervised release in the prior case and faces sentencing for that.
The U.S. Probation Office of the Eastern District of Missouri and the FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jack Koester is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Milwaukee Man Pleads Guilty to Aiding in Preparation of False Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
Brad D. Schimel, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on January 6, 2026, U.S. District Judge Brett Ludwig accepted the guilty plea of Cameron Summers to two counts of aiding and assisting in the preparation of false tax returns, in violation of 26 U.S.C. § 7206(2).
According to the information and plea agreement, Summers worked at a tax preparation business in Milwaukee beginning in 2018. From 2020 through 2022, he filed with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) over 400 individual income tax returns (Forms 1040) for clients, using his name, preparer tax identification number, and business name. Summers repeatedly used false items on clients’ tax returns to inflate refund amounts, including false business expenses, Sick and Family Leave Credits, Fuel Credits, and Educational Tax Credits. Summers made notations stating that he had “boosted” the refund amount on some returns, and told the IRS, Criminal Investigation Division, in an interview that he did everything he could to get a big refund, such as using whatever numbers were available and maximizing credits on the returns. The loss to the IRS totaled over $1.1 million.
Sentencing is scheduled for May 5, 2026, at 9:00 a.m., before Judge Ludwig. At sentencing, Summers faces up to three years in prison and up to a $250,000 fine on each count, as well as a term of supervised release after completing any period of imprisonment.
The IRS, Criminal Investigation Division, investigated the case, which Assistant U.S. Attorney John P. Scully is prosecuting.
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Public Affairs Officer Steve Caballero
(414) 297-1700
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Mexican National Sentenced for Illegally Reentering the United StatesRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Mexican National illegally residing in Kansas City, Missouri, was sentenced in federal court today for Illegal Re-entry by an Alien.
Gilberto Javana-Zuniga, 41, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Steven Bough to one year and one day imprisonment in federal prison without parole followed by one year of supervised release.
On July 8, 2025, North Kansas City Police Department officers saw the defendant rummaging through trash bins in a business area. Upon contacting the defendant, Officers determined he was driving a van which had been reported stolen. Javana-Zuniga gave officers a false name. Department of Homeland Security Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents identified Javana-Zuniga was illegally in the United States after having been removed three times before – once in 2011 and twice in 2013.
Javana-Zuniga had been convicted of misdemeanor battery in 2011 and had six pending cases for theft, driving under the influence, driving without a license, and displaying license plates of another.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathleen Mahoney. It was investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations.
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.
Meridian Man Sentenced to 25 Years for Drug Manufacturing and Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
Jackson, MS – A Meridian, Mississippi man was sentenced today to 300 months in prison for drug manufacturing and drug trafficking.
According to court documents, law enforcement recovered over 87 pounds of methamphetamine, 45 pounds of fentanyl, and 35 pounds of cocaine, 2 different pill press machines, 13 firearms, and 1 suppressor from a residence occupied by Jabreon Deshon Mosley, 35. From at least October of 2023 until January of 2024, Mosley was utilizing an illegal automatic pill press machine to manufacture thousands of counterfeit pharmaceutical pills containing methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine. These counterfeit pills were then distributed to the streets of Meridian, Mississippi and parts of Alabama.
U.S. Attorney J.E. Baxter Kruger of the Southern District of Mississippi; DEA Assistant Special Agent in Charge Anessa Daniels-McCaw; and Mississippi Department of Public Safety Commissioner Sean Tindell made the announcement.
The Drug Enforcement Administration Jackson and Birmingham District Offices, the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics, and the East Mississippi Drug Task Force investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adam T. Stuart and Kabah S. Ealy prosecuted the case. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Alabama also provided assistance during the investigation.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Maryland Cousins Indicted on Tax Return and Cares Act Unemployment Insurance Fraud ChargesRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland unsealed a superseding indictment today, charging three cousins in connection with a tax-fraud scheme.
Daiwor “Mark Brown” Woah-Tee, 52, of Belcamp, Maryland; Dekwii Woah-Tee, 47, of Baltimore, Maryland; and Laiworpaye Woah-Tee, 49, of Nottingham, Maryland, are charged with conspiracy to submit false, fictitious, and fraudulent claims. The superseding indictment also charged Daiwor Woah-Tee and Dekwii Woah-Tee with wire fraud conspiracy, wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft stemming from a scheme to fraudulently obtain unemployment insurance (UI) benefits during the COVID-19 Pandemic.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the indictment with Special Agent in Charge Kareem Carter, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Washington D.C. Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Troy W. Springer, National Capital Region, U.S. Department of Labor-Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG); and Joseph V. Cuffari Ph.D., Inspector General, Department of Homeland Security (DHS-OIG).
Beginning in January 2018, and continuing until December 2024, Daiwor Woah-Tee, Dekwii Woah-Tee, and Laiworpaye Woah-Tee knowingly and willfully conspired to defraud the United States and the Department of the Treasury by filing fraudulent Form 1040s seeking tax refunds from the IRS through fictitious claims based on fraudulent material representations. The co-conspirators identified and recruited individuals willing to become customers of their tax return business and obtained tax documentation and personal identifiable information from those individuals seeking tax return preparation assistance.
Daiwor Woah-Tee used the information obtained from individuals to prepare tax filings with the IRS. Then the co-conspirators filed or caused the filing of false tax returns, which contained fabricated information regarding the taxpayer’s dependents, income, education expenses, and eligibility for the Earned Income Tax Credit.
The co-conspirators caused the IRS to deposit funds into bank accounts that they controlled and then caused the IRS to deliver treasury checks to addresses they controlled. As a result, the co-conspirators obtained tax refunds they were not entitled to in connection with submitting tax returns in which they illegally sought at least $3.5 million in refunds.
Dekwii Woah-Tee and Daiwor Woah-Tee were also charged with wire fraud, wire fraud conspiracy, and aggravated identity theft arising out of their scheme to unlawfully obtain UI benefits during the COVID-19 Pandemic. The co-conspirators submitted UI applications to the Maryland Department of Labor on behalf of victims, often without the victim’s knowledge, falsely stating that the applicant was entitled to UI benefits. As a result, the co-conspirators caused the Maryland Department of Labor to deposit UI benefits into bank accounts that they controlled, allowing them to withdraw the funds for their own personal use. The co-conspirators sought UI benefits in excess of $550,000.
Charges in the superseding indictment are allegations, not a finding of guilt. Individuals charged by indictment are presumed innocent until proven guilty at a later criminal proceeding.
The District of Maryland Strike Force is one of five strike forces established throughout the United States by the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute COVID-19 fraud, including fraud relating to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act. The CARES Act was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The strike forces focus on large-scale, multi-state pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors. The strike forces are interagency law enforcement efforts, using prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams designed to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds.
For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the IRS-CI, DOL-OIG, and DHS-OIG for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys John D’Amico and Matthew Phelps who are prosecuting this federal case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Manufacturing Company Settles Paycheck Protection Program Loan Fraud Allegations for $2.9 MillionRead the Press Release
NEWARK, NJ – A Delaware corporation with a place of business in Fairfield, New Jersey entered into a settlement agreement with the United States resolving allegations that the company violated the False Claims Act by applying for and receiving a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan for which the company was not eligible, Senior Counsel Philip Lamparello announced.
According to the contentions of the United States in the settlement agreement:
Protech Powder Coatings, Inc. (“Protech Powder”) is a Delaware corporation with a place of business in Fairfield, New Jersey. Protech Powder is a subsidiary of the Protech Group, a Canadian company that manufactures and distributes paints, powder coatings, and specialty materials. During the period of March 12, 2021 to January 14, 2022, Protech Powder applied for and received PPP loan and loan forgiveness totaling $2,016,888 (including interest).
The United States contends that Protech Powder falsely certified eligibility to receive this second-draw PPP loan and loan forgiveness totaling $2,016,888 (including interest). The United States contends that Protech Powder knowingly made false statements, or caused false statements to be made, when it certified in its PPP loan application that it was eligible for a loan. At the time of its loan application, the United States contends that Protech Powder was not eligible to participate in the PPP because, inclusive of affiliates’ employees, Protech Powder exceeded applicable size standards. In addition, because of Protech Powder’s false statements on its loan application, the United States paid $60,000 in lender processing fees associated with the second-draw loan for which Protech Powder was ineligible.
In accordance with the terms of the settlement agreement, Protech Powder paid the United States $2,907,643. The settlement resolves a lawsuit filed under the whistleblower provision of the False Claims Act, which permits private parties, called relators, to file suit on behalf of the United States for false claims and share in a portion of the government’s recovery. In this matter, the relator is receiving $290,764 as the share in the recovery.
Congress created the PPP in March 2020 to provide emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering from the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Under the PPP, eligible businesses could receive forgivable loans guaranteed by the Small Business Administration (SBA). Regulations provide various eligibility requirements for the PPP, including limitations on the number of employees and revenue size limits. In their loan applications, borrowers were required to certify that they were eligible for the PPP and that the information they provided was accurate.
Senior Counsel Lamparello credited the SBA’s Office of General Counsel for their assistance in this matter.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Susan J. Pappy of the Health Care Fraud and Opioids Enforcement Unit in Newark represents the government.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
The qui tam case is captioned US ex rel. GNGH2, Inc. v Protech Powder Coatings, Inc., 24-cv-08805 (D.N.J.).
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
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Counsel for Protech Powder Coatings, Inc.: Mark A. Rush, K&L Gates LLP
Relator’s counsel: David Abrams, Esq.
protech.agreement.pdfMan arrested with weapons near airport now faces federal chargesRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A man arrested on Jan. 9 who allegedly had multiple loaded guns near the John Glenn Columbus International Airport has now been charged with a federal firearms crime as well.
William T. Griffith III, 40, of Delaware, Ohio, is charged by federal criminal complaint with illegally possessing ammunition as a convicted felon.
According to charging documents, on Jan. 9, local law enforcement responded to a 911 call at approximately 4am regarding Griffith trespassing in a construction area at the airport. Law enforcement officers located four firearms, including an AK-style rifle, shortened shotgun and two handguns, as well as several rounds of ammunition.
At the time of Griffith’s arrest, he was dressed in military-style fatigue trousers. Body armor with ceramic plates and a ballistic helmet with night vision were also located nearby.
In 2011, Griffith was convicted of kidnapping. As such, he is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition.
Griffith appeared in federal court in Columbus today and his case was unsealed at that time.
Dominick S. Gerace II, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; and Jason Cromartie, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, and members of the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force announced the charges. Assistant United States Attorney Damoun Delaviz 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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Luxury home builders and owners to pay $2.65 million to resolve loan fraud allegationsRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – Four companies and their three owners have agreed to pay millions to resolve allegations they allegedly submitted false claims for federally funded loans under the Paycheck Protection Program, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Carnegie Homes & Construction LLC and Signature Collection Inc. (also operating as Fifty Seventh & 7TH Luxury Homes) design and build high-end residential luxury homes. Ram Gupta and Arpan Gupta own Carnegie and Signature, respectively. The Everstone Group provides consulting and construction services. Sapna Patel is the director and sole member of Everstone and also owns The Mosaic Group LLC.
The civil settlement resolves claims brought under the False Claims Act following a whistleblower lawsuit a Houston-area realtor filed in October 2021.
According to the allegations, the Guptas and Patel applied for and received PPP loans by falsely reporting payroll costs, misrepresenting the number of employees they employed and falsifying the purpose of the loans. This resulted in the submission of alleged ineligible and improper claims for payment to the United States. In addition, they allegedly submitted false information to justify loan forgiveness.
“Those who misuse federal programs to falsely obtain public funds are stealing from the American people,” said Ganjei. “This settlement reflects our commitment to recovering ill-gotten gains and vindicating the interests of the taxpayer.”
“The Small Business Administration’s pandemic relief programs were created to help legitimate small businesses keep employees on the payroll during an unprecedented crisis, not to be exploited through false claims,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Michelle Blank of SBA-Office of Inspector General. “This $2.65 million settlement underscores that misuse of PPP funds will be pursued, and SBA-OIG will continue working with the Department of Justice and our law enforcement partners to protect taxpayer dollars and safeguard the integrity of SBA programs.”
Under the False Claims Act, a private party (relator) can file a complaint on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of the recovery.
SBA-OIG conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jill O. Venezia handled the matter.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
Lockport man going to prison for more than 10 years on fentanyl charge involving death of a toddlerRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Javonte Holloway, 24, of Lockport, NY, who was convicted of possession with intent to distribute, and to distribute, acetyl fentanyl and fentanyl, was sentenced to serve 128 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua A. Violanti, who handled the case, stated that Holloway sold large quantities of heroin, fentanyl and acetyl fentanyl in the Lockport area. Typically, Holloway sold these substances in the form of counterfeit hydrocodone pills known as “percs” or “M-30s.” Between July and December 2022, Holloway regularly sold counterfeit pills to a Lockport couple, who had a small child. In the early morning hours of December 2, 2022, Lockport Police responded to an apartment, where they found the couple’s young child unresponsive. The child was taken to Eastern Niagara Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Law enforcement seized several straws with residue and four blue pills with markings “M” and “30,” from a bedroom where the small child was found unresponsive. Testing determined that the straws and pills contained fentanyl and acetyl fentanyl. On February 1, 2023, law enforcement seized 27 round blue pills marked “M-30,” from Holloway’s residence, which were tested and confirmed to contain fentanyl.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Frank A. Tarentino, III, New York Field Division, the Niagara County Sheriff’s Office, and the Niagara County Drug Task Force, under the direction of Sheriff Michael Filicetti, and the Lockport Police Department, under the direction of Chief Steven Abbott.
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Kentucky man sentenced to 15 years in federal prison for drug and gun crimes in Massac CountyRead the Press Release
BENTON, Ill. – A southern Illinois district judge sentenced a Kentucky man to 15 years in federal prison for possessing more than 150 grams of meth and a firearm as a felon.
James W. Towery, 45, of Salem, Kentucky, pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute meth and one count of felon in possession of a firearm.
“Armed drug dealers belong in federal prison,” said U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft. “Southern Illinois communities are safer with this defendant locked up.”
According to court documents, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop of Towery’s vehicle on March 11, 2024, in Massac County. He was found in possession of 150.4 grams of actual meth and a .38 caliber handgun.
Towery had multiple prior felony convictions and therefore unable to legally possess a firearm.
The Illinois State Police, Kentucky State Police, DEA, HSI, ATF and local law enforcement contributed to the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Sanders prosecuted the case.
Kansas Resident Who Assaulted Flight Attendant is SentencedRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JULIUS JORDAN PRIESTER, 25, of Wichita, Kansas, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to one year of probation and ordered to pay a $500 fine for assaulting a crew member on a flight from Bradley International Airport last year.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on May 27, 2025, Priester was a passenger on American Airlines Flight 3359 that departed from Bradley International Airport in Windsor Locks, Connecticut, at approximately 9:30 p.m. bound for Chicago. Thirty minutes to an hour into the flight, Priester stood up, began to take off his shirt, then ran to the back of the plane yelling “Help me.” He then grabbed a flight attendant (“the victim”), who was seated, shouted “you’re coming with me,” and forcefully brought the victim to the ground. Priester then attempted to drag the victim up the aisle. With the assistance of another flight attendant, Priester was returned to his seat where he continued to act erratically and made incoherent statements. The captain declared an emergency and the flight was diverted back to Bradley Airport. After the plane landed safely at Bradley, Priester was removed by Connecticut State Police and taken by ambulance to a local hospital for evaluation.
Priester was detained in federal custody until July 8, 2025, when he was released on bond. On October 1, 2025, he pleaded guilty to interference with flight crew members and attendants.
This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with the assistance of the Connecticut State Police. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Lembo and Neeraj Patel.
Kansas City Man Pleads Guilty to Dealing Firearms without a LicenseRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man pleaded guilty to willfully dealing firearms without a license.
Delron Montrez Pickens, 29, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Judge Stephen R. Bough to one count of engaging in the business of firearms sales despite not having a federal firearms license. According to the plea agreement, Pickens admitted that he purchased or attempted to purchase 23 firearms from federal firearms licensees to obtain firearms that he would later sell to other persons for profit. Pickens admitted that he made false statements on the required ATF Form 4473 documents that he was required to complete at the time he purchased the firearms. On these forms, Pickens intentionally provided an incorrect address for his residence and falsely claimed he was purchasing the firearm for himself. In his plea agreement, Pickens admitted that he was purchasing the firearms for third parties. Pickens acknowledged that on several occasions he was serving as a “straw purchaser” of firearms – Pickens was buying the firearms for persons whom he knew were legally prohibited from possessing them. Pickens engaged in this business for profit despite not having a valid federal license to sell firearms.
Under federal statutes, Pickens is subject to a sentence of up to five years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Trey Alford. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
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.
Jury Convicts Florida Fuel Supplier of 34 Felonies at Trial in Multimillion-Dollar Scheme to Defraud U.S. Department of War and Other Federal AgenciesRead the Press Release
MIAMI – A federal jury in West Palm Beach found Jasen Butler, 37, of Jupiter, guilty of 34 felonies, including wire fraud, money laundering, and forgery for orchestrating a scheme to defraud the U.S. Department of War and other federal agencies out of over $4.5 million. After the verdict, U.S. District Judge Donald M. Middlebrooks immediately remanded Butler into custody at the United States’ request.
As charged in the indictment, Butler submitted altered and fake invoices to U.S. Navy and Coast Guard ships through the SEA Card Program, which allows U.S. vessels to purchase critical fuel to conduct military operations around the world.
According to the evidence at trial, Butler, the owner of Independent Marine Oil Services LLC, submitted dozens of falsified documents such as wire transfer memos and invoices to multiple U.S. warships, including the USS Patriot, between August 2022 and January 2024. These ships were attempting to purchase fuel in international ports such as Saudi Arabia, Singapore, and Croatia to defend strategic American interests around the globe. Butler received over $4.5 million dollars in payments for phony expenses that Butler had not incurred.
After Butler came under scrutiny by Navy officials, he continued his scheme by concealing his identity from government officials. Butler adopted a false name and feigned employment by a fictitious fuel division of a different company. Butler used the millions in fraud proceeds to personally enrich himself and purchase multiple multi-million dollar properties in Florida and Colorado.
“This defendant brazenly defrauded the U.S. Military out of millions of dollars and put critical fuel resources at risk, all to fund his cushy and fictitious lifestyle,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “The Department of Justice will continue to uncover these schemes and bring perpetrators to justice to protect the American people and their tax dollars.”
“The defendant — a convicted felon — defrauded his own country in order to unjustly line his own pockets,” said Deputy Assistant Attorney General Omeed A. Assefi of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “He deprived the United States Armed Forces of the resources they need to help keep our country safe. Despite his fake identity, fake job, and fake invoices, a jury of his peers saw through it and found him guilty of 34 felonies. We salute our wonderful trial team and applaud Judge Middlebrooks’s decision to imprison the defendant for his crimes pending sentencing.”
“This defendant didn’t just commit fraud, he betrayed the trust placed in those who support our nation’s warfighters,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “By falsifying invoices and siphoning millions from a program designed to keep U.S. military vessels operational around the world, he put critical missions and taxpayer dollars at risk. Today’s verdict makes clear that schemes targeting our military supply chain will be met with swift accountability and severe consequences.”
“The Coast Guard Investigative Service is pleased with the jury’s verdict in this case, which sends a strong message that fraud against our military and the American taxpayer will not be tolerated,” said Acting Assistant Director Josh Packer of the Coast Guard Investigative Service. “We are grateful to our law enforcement partners and prosecutors for their outstanding collaboration and dedication throughout this investigation. CGIS remains committed to protecting the integrity of federal procurement and ensuring that those who seek to exploit government resources are brought to justice.”
“The guilty verdict in this case is a direct result of our commitment to safeguarding the Department of Defense's critical supply chain,” said Special Agent in Charge Jason J. Sargenski of the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General’s Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), Southeast Field Office. “This scheme stole millions from the American taxpayer and threatened to undermine a program essential for our global military operations. DCIS, working alongside our law enforcement partners, will relentlessly pursue and hold accountable those who seek to defraud our military and exploit systems designed to support our nation's warfighters.”
“Those who profit from illicit schemes that defraud the American people and place our warfighters and national security at risk will be held accountable,” said Special Agent in Charge Greg Gross of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) Economic Crimes Field Office. “Mr. Butler exploited the integrity of the SEA Card Program — a vital logistical capability that enables the U.S. Navy to conduct rapid, global refueling operations and sustain mission readiness. NCIS and our law enforcement partners remain committed to rooting out criminal activity that undermines public trust in the integrity of the Department of the Navy’s procurement process.”
Sentencing is set for April 8, 2026. Butler faces maximum penalties of 20 years in prison for each count of wire fraud, up to 10 years for each count of forgery, and up to 10 years for each count of money laundering. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The case was investigated by the Coast Guard Investigative Service, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, and Naval Criminal Investigative Service, as a part of the Department’s Procurement Collusion Strike Force.
Trial Attorneys Jonathan Pomeranz, Ebonie Branch, and Haley Pennington of the Antitrust Division’s Washington Criminal Section, and Deputy Chief Elizabeth Young of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida, tried the case.
In November 2019, the Justice Department created the Procurement Collusion Strike Force (PCSF), a joint law enforcement effort to combat antitrust crimes and related fraudulent schemes that impact government procurement, grant and program funding at all levels of government — federal, state and local. To learn more about the PCSF, or to report information on bid rigging, price fixing, market allocation and other anticompetitive conduct related to government spending, go to www.justice.gov/procurement-collusion-strike-force. Anyone with information in connection with this investigation can contact the PCSF at the link listed above. Whistleblowers who voluntarily report original information about antitrust and related offenses that result in criminal fines or other recoveries of at least $1 million may be eligible to receive a whistleblower reward. For more information on the Antitrust Whistleblower Rewards Program, visit www.justice.gov/atr/whistleblower-rewards.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case number 25-cr-80093.
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Jury Convicts Bellair Man for COVID Loan Fraud Scheme Using Deceased Former Business Partner’s IdentityRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – A federal jury has found Stephen L. Gurba (69, Belleair) guilty of wire fraud, making a false statement to a financial institution, and aggravated identity theft. Gurba faces a maximum penalty of 20 years’ imprisonment on each wire fraud count (2 counts), up to 30 years in prison on the false statement charge (one count), and a 2-year mandatory minimum term of imprisonment on each of the aggravated identity theft counts (2 counts). U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, between March and June 2020, Gurba submitted false and fraudulent Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) applications and supporting documentation on behalf of Big Red Express Trucking, LLC and Zenith Express, LLC. To obtain approval and funding for the Big Red and Zenith EIDL loans, Gurba fraudulently assumed the identity of his former business partner who passed away in 2019, listed his former business partner’s name, signature, and other means of identification on the EIDL loan applications certifying under criminal penalty that the applications were true and correct. Gurba also used his deceased business partner’s name and forged his signature on the EIDL loan authorization agreements and loan notes he submitted to the Small Business Administration (SBA). During post-loan related communications with the SBA, Gurba continued to impersonate his deceased business partner. As a result of his fraudulent scheme, Gurba induced the SBA to approve and fund the Big Red and Zenith EIDL loans.
Additionally, Gurba applied for a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan on behalf of Big Red from an SBA authorized financial institution. Gurba certified and signed under criminal penalty that all the PPP loan proceeds would be spent on payroll, mortgages, rent, or other SBA authorized expenses. In reality, Gurba used PPP proceeds at a casino, to enrich himself and family members, payoff unrelated business debts, and other impermissible expenses. As a result of Gurba’s false statement, the financial institution approved and funded a $955,448.75 PPP loan to Big Red.
This case was investigated by the Federal Housing Finance Agency – Office of Inspector General and the Small Business Administration – Office of Inspector General. It is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Chris Poor.
Jefferson County Man Sentenced to Three Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A Jefferson County man has been sentenced for drug trafficking, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona.
United States District Judge R. David Proctor sentenced Tyreses Katino Bosha, 25, of Birmingham, Alabama, to 37 months in prison for distribution of methamphetamine.
According to the plea agreement, in October 2023, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency and Homeland Security Investigations were investing narcotics trafficking involving Bosha. On October 12, 2023, as part of the investigation, a confidential source (CS) met Bosha at a restaurant to purchase a half pound of methamphetamine for $1400. The CS waited several minutes in the parking lot before Bosha called the CS and instructed them to drive around to the back of the restaurant. The CS complied, and Bosha drove up next to the CS—driver door to driver door. The CS then provided the money to Bosha in exchange for the agreed amount of methamphetamine.
Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case along with the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan Kirk prosecuted the case.
Jacksonville 16-Time Convicted Felon Sentenced to 11 Years in Prison for Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – Malcolm Jewell Williams (39, Jacksonville) has been sentenced by Chief U.S. District Judge Marcia Morales Howard to 11 years and 3 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm after he was convicted of a felony and a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence, and for possessing cocaine. The court also ordered Williams to forfeit the firearm used in the offense. Williams was found guilty after a jury trial on July 25, 2025. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents, Williams was previously convicted of 16 felonies and 2 misdemeanor crimes of domestic violence, each of which prohibited him from possessing firearms under federal law. On January 23, 2024, a detective from the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office (JSO) was posing as a drug user and encountered Williams in a gas station parking lot where Williams agreed to sell “molly” to the detective. After the sale, Williams fled from JSO officers on foot across a four-lane divided highway before being tackled in an alleyway next to a palm tree. In the base of the tree was a loaded firearm. Williams also had in his possession cocaine and a drug scale with residue.
After Williams was transported to the Duval County Jail, he broke free from his flex cuffs and fled once again through downtown Jacksonville before being apprehended by JSO a second time. Four months prior, Williams had been arrested by the Camden County (Georgia) Sheriff’s Office for possessing a half pound of methamphetamine, for which he was on bond at the time he committed this offense.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Camden County (Georgia) Sheriff’s Office, and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Laura Cofer Taylor and Kelli Swaney.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Illegal Alien, Previously Deported Three Times, Charged in Arranging Sexual Contact with a Child and Re-Entry to U.S.Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Felipe Contreras-Varillas, 31, a Mexican citizen who has been previously deported three times, was charged in a complaint unsealed today in U.S. District Court with unlawful re-entry after removal from the United States, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Contreras-Varillas was arrested Jan. 12, 2026, on a felony charge out of the Superior Court for the District of Columbia of arranging for a sexual contact with a real or fictious child by the United States Attorney’s Office Investigations Unit and the Metropolitan Police Department. When he was processed by law enforcement later that day, his fingerprints matched those on file with the FBI and Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
The fingerprints confirmed that Contreras-Virallas was a citizen of Mexico, had been deported on three separate occassions from the United States, and had not obtained permission to re-enter the United States from either the Attorney General or the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security.
“Here is yet another case of an illegal immigrant, coming to the United States, after being deported three times with nothing more than a slap on the wrist, with the purpose of preying on our children,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “Now, this criminal is finally being held accountable and will be enjoying his latest illegal stay in America from the confines of his prison cell.”
According to court documents, law enforcement arrested Contreras-Virallas at a hotel on the 1700 block of Euclid Street, NW, where Contreras-Varillas allegedly had intended to meet an individual he believed to be a 14-year-old boy.
At the time of his arrest, Contreras-Viralles was in possession of both his Mexican passport and his birth certificate. He was previously removed from the United States by ICE on three separate occasions, with the most recent removal occurring at Laredo, Texas, in 2017.
This case is being handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office Investigations Unit and the MPD. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amanda Swanson, Josh Satter, and David Liss.
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Illegal Alien Sentenced to Almost Three Years for Returning to North CarolinaRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, N.C. – A federal judge sentenced a Mexican Illegal alien to nearly 3 years in prison for illegally reentering the United States after a felony conviction. On January 23, 2025, Adelfo Bahena-Rojel pleaded guilty to the crimes.
According to court documents and other information presented in court, Bahena-Rojel entered the United States illegally from Mexico in the late 1990s. Over the past twenty-five years, Bahena-Rojel has amassed a long history of run-ins with local law enforcement ICE which deported him three times.
“This Mexican illegal alien rapes young girls and repeatedly sneaks back into North Carolina. We don’t need illegal alien child rapists in North Carolina. He better stay this time. Thank you to the law enforcement officers who found him, arrested him, and will deport him as soon as his prison term ends.” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle.
In 2023, after Bahena-Rojel illegally entered the United States for a fourth time, he engaged in sexual acts with a child under 13 years old, and state prosecutors in Harnett County convicted him for these crimes. Based on that conviction, the United States Attorney’s Office prosecuted Bahena-Rojel for Illegal Reentry of a Previously Removed Alien. After he served his prison sentences, ICE removed Bahena-Rojel to Mexico again in August 2024. By November 2024, law enforcement determined Bahena-Rojel had returned to North Carolina for a fifth time. They arrested him.
Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II. The Harnett County Sheriff’s Office, United States Marshals Service, and ICE investigated the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Logan Liles prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on our website. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:25-CR-31-M-RJ.
Illegal Alien Pleads Guilty to Unlawful ReentryRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Cesar Briseno Mauricio, age 26, a Mexican national unlawfully present in Love County, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty to one count of Unlawful Reentry of Removed Alien, punishable by a term of imprisonment of not more than two years, and a fine of not more than $250,000.00.
The charge arose from an investigation by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement Division and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol.
The Indictment alleged that on November 17, 2025, Mauricio, an alien, was found in the United States without obtaining the express consent of the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States after having been previously removed on March 18, 2020.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The Honorable Jason A. Robertson, 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.
Mauricio will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan E. Soverly and Nicole Paladino represented the United States.
Huntington Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Kristopher D. Osborne, 48, of Huntington, was sentenced today to three years and six months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on February 27, 2025, a law enforcement officer encountered Osborne riding a bicycle in the area of Third Street in Huntington. As part of his guilty plea, Osborne admitted that he tried to flee when the officer attempted to make contact with him and wrecked the bicycle. Osborne further admitted that he told officers who approached him after the wreck that he had a firearm and that he was a felon. Officers seized a loaded Hi-Point model C9 9mm pistol from Osborne’s waistband.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Osborne knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony convictions for grand larceny, attempted possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine, breaking and entering, and conspiracy to commit a felony in Raleigh County Circuit Court on August 30, 2022.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Huntington Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Lesley C. Shamblin prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
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. 3:25-cr-43.
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Hugo Resident Sentenced for Possessing Unregistered Firearms and Child Sexual Exploitation MaterialRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Chayse Anthony Beard, age 24, of Hugo, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 57 months in prison for one count of Possession of an Unregistered Firearm, and 57 months in prison for one count of Possession of Certain Material Involving the Sexual Exploitation of a Minor. The court ordered the terms to be served concurrently.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Durant Police Department.
On March 20, 2025, Beard pleaded guilty to the charges. According to investigators, on July 17, 2024, law enforcement discovered Beard in possession of two short-barreled firearms, neither of which were registered to him in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record. Beard also possessed over 400 visual depictions of prepubescent minors and minors under the age of 12 engaged in sexually explicit conduct on his cell phone.
The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Beard will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Josh Satter and Emily Wittlinger represented the United States.
Houston Man Indicted in Fayetteville for Selling Designer Drugs Around the WorldRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – A federal grand jury indicted Miqual Antwan Dysheen Spivey for the crimes of selling the designer drug MDMB-4en-PINACA, conspiring with others to possess and sell the drug, and money laundering.
According to the indictment, Spivey, 27, owned and operated Bummy Legion, a Texas company that sells liquids intended for use in electronic vaporizers (often called “vape juices”). The indictment alleges that Spivey sold Bummy Legion’s vape juices through the company’s website and shipped them from post offices in Fayetteville, North Carolina. Although Bummy Legion’s website marketed the vape juices as derived from “organic blue lotus and valerian root,” the indictment alleges that the true active ingredient was the synthetic cannabinoid MDMB-4en-PINACA. PINACA is a dangerous Schedule I controlled substance which, according to the DEA, “has been associated with numerous reports of emergency [room visits], severe intoxication, and death.”
The indictment also charges Spivey with ten separate violations of the money-laundering statutes, each representing a separate transaction of over $10,000 with the proceeds of his allegedly illicit sales. As alleged in the indictment, those transactions ranged in value from $11,324.75 to $233,779.84. Other information presented in court indicates that Spivey made nearly $5 million through online sales of Bummy Legion vape juices in the two years since PINACA was placed on Schedule I.
“This defendant took dangerous and unregulated vaping products and falsely marketed them as safe to use, putting children and unknowing vape users at risk of severe intoxication and death,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “The distribution of illicit vaping products is a national security and public health issue that this Department of Justice will continue to prioritize, combat, and eradicate.”
“Families need to know that a vape product is not safe just because strangers sell it online or in a store front,” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle. “These products can effectively rot your lungs from the inside out. Unregulated manufacturers can sell dangerous vape products with zero quality control or regulation. Our office will continue to focus on preventing children from using dangerous products.”
According to information presented at Spivey’s detention hearing, law enforcement executed five search warrants on January 13, 2026, three in Houston, Texas, and two in in Fayetteville, North Carolina. These search warrants resulted in the seizure of four guns, 715 gallons of suspected liquid PINACA, and approximately $40,000 US currency.
“Illegal vape products frequently target young and vulnerable consumers through online sales and misleading marketing,” said Jae W. Chung, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division. “As part of DEA Fentanyl Free America Initiative, this indictment reflects our commitment to protecting our communities and preventing unlawful products from reaching our communities.”
The federal grand jury charged Spivey with conspiracy to sell and possess with intent to distribute a Schedule I controlled substance, seven counts of selling a Schedule I controlled substance, and ten counts of engaging in monetary transactions of a value over $10,000 with the proceeds of a specified unlawful activity. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for each drug offense and a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for each money-laundering offense.
W. Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement. The DEA, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Homeland Security Investigations, Department of the Army, Criminal Investigation Division, Fayetteville Police Department, and Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office are investigating the case. Executive Assistant U.S. Attorney Tyler Lemons supervised the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Cogburn is prosecuting the case.
This is an ongoing investigation. If you have information regarding purchases from Bummy Legion, possible adverse side effects, or other useful information, please contact the DEA at https://www.dea.gov/submit-tip or Army CID at www.cid.army.mil/tips.
A copy of this press release is located on our website.
An indictment is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Honduran National Sentenced for Illegally Reentering the United StatesRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Honduran National illegally residing the Springfield, Missouri, area, was sentenced in federal court today for Illegal Re-entry by an Alien after subsequently being convicted of a prior felony crime.
Rubin Arturo Pinot-Banegas, 38, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Douglas Harpool to 10 months imprisonment without parole followed by one year of supervised release.
On June 27, 2025, Nixa Police Department officers responded to a traffic accident involving a two-car collision. Officers contacted five Honduran nationals, who had been involved in the traffic collision. The defendant, Pinot-Banegas, provided local officers with his name. Identity documents were then obtained by law enforcement, and it was determined that Pinot-Banegas had a Honduran passport, but did not have documents showing that he was legally within the United States. Department of Homeland Security – Immigration Customs Enforcement (HSI-ICE) Agents responded and determined that Pinot-Banegas was illegally in the United States after having been removed four time before – once in 2007, once in 2009, once in 2015, and once in 2017.
Pinot-Banegas had been convicted of domestic battery, as well as a misdemeanor conviction for illegally entering the United States in 2015, and a felony conviction for illegally entering the United States after being previously deported in 2017.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Carney. It was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security-Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations, and the Nixa, Missouri, 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.
Honduran Citizen Residing Illegally in Greenbrier County Pleads Guilty to Immigration CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Jorge Elpidio Erazo-Jimenez, 35, a Honduran citizen living illegally in Lewisburg, pleaded guilty today to reentry of a removed alien. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has an immigration detainer on Erazo-Jimenez and he will be transferred to ICE administrative custody for removal proceedings at the conclusion of any sentence.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on June 30, 2025, law enforcement officers filed an ICE detainer for Erazo-Jimenez following his incarceration at the Southern Regional Jail in Beaver on state-level criminal charges. Erazo-Jimenez later pleaded guilty to domestic battery in Greenbrier County Circuit Court. ICE agents confirmed that Erazo-Jimenez is a citizen of Honduras in the United States illegally and that he had previously been deported from the United States twice, on December 19, 2011, after he was found near Sarita, Texas, and on December 9, 2016, after he was found near Roma, Texas.
Erazo-Jimenez had no identification documents permitting him legal status in the United States. Erazo-Jimenez never obtained the express consent of the Secretary of U.S. Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States for either of the prior removals, nor did he seek to reenter the United States through other legal means.
Erazo-Jimenez is scheduled to be sentenced on May 29, 2026, and faces a maximum penalty of two years in prison and up to one year of supervised release. Erazo-Jimenez will be subject to deportation proceedings at the conclusion of any sentence.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement-Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE-ERO) and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
United States Magistrate Judge Omar J. Aboulhosn presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan T. Storage is prosecuting the case, as part of a special unit within the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia focused on the immigration enforcement objectives of Operation Take Back America.
Operation Take Back America is 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.
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. 5:25-cr-180.
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Hickory Man Sentenced to More Than Eight Years for Armed CarjackingRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A Hickory man was sentenced today in federal court after pleading guilty to carjacking and aiding and abetting, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. U.S. District Judge Matthew E. Orso ordered Marcus Mayfield, 32, to serve 100 months in prison followed by two years of supervised release.
Alicia Jones, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division, and Chief Estella Patterson of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department join U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making today’s announcement.
According to filed documents and court proceedings, on January 11, 2023, Mayfield and his co-conspirator, Kaionta Dabney, were driving together when they began to follow a Dodge Hellcat driven by R.P., who owned the vehicle. When R.P. parked and exited his vehicle, Dabney and Mayfield approached the victim on foot. Mayfield brandished a firearm and held R.P. at gunpoint, while Dabney took the victim’s car key. While Mayfield continued to hold R.P. at gunpoint, Dabney got in the vehicle’s driver’s seat. Mayfield then got into the passenger seat and the two drove away. Court records show that Mayfield later recorded videos of himself posing with the stolen vehicle.
At the sentencing hearing, Judge Orso ordered Mayfield’s federal sentence to be served in addition to a 14-year state term of imprisonment for Robbery with a Dangerous Weapon.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson credited the ATF and CMPD for the investigation of the case.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte handled the prosecution.
Health Care Executive Pleads Guilty to Kickback Scheme in VermontRead the Press Release
A Florida businesswoman pleaded guilty today to an information in the District of Vermont for participating in a conspiracy to pay health care kickbacks.
According to court documents, Evelyn Herrera, 62, of Loxahatchee, Florida, owned a durable medical equipment company called Merida Medical Supplies Inc. (Merida). After obtaining the identities of individuals residing in Vermont, across New England, and elsewhere in the United States, Herrera, using Merida, submitted fraudulent claims to Medicare for wrist, knee, and back braces that were never requested or received by patients. In total, Merida fraudulently billed Medicare approximately $6.5 million, and Medicare paid Merida approximately $2.8 million based on those claims.
As part of the scheme, Herrera tried to hide the source of the funds generated fraudulently by Merida. For example, she transferred more than $300,000 in fraud proceeds to a cryptocurrency exchange and sent another $125,000 of illicit funds via international wire transactions for the purchase of a property in Tulum, Mexico. After the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services issued a payment suspension letter to Merida for suspected fraud, Herrera withdrew large amounts of cash from a bank and transferred some of the funds to benefit herself and members of her family.
Herrera is scheduled to be sentenced on May 11, and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison.
Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Special Agent in Charge Roberto Coviello of the Department of Health and Human Services, Officer of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), and Special Agent in Charge Ted E. Docks of the FBI made the announcement.
HHS-OIG and FBI are investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Sarah Rocha, Thomas Campbell, and Tiffany Wynn of the Justice Department’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 the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
Guatemalan National Sentenced to 30 Years in Federal Prison for Family Hostage Taking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
DEL RIO, Texas – A Guatemalan national was sentenced in a federal court in Del Rio to 360 months in prison for alien smuggling and hostage taking.
According to court documents, Edwin Alfredo Barrientos-Mateo aka “Waches,” 23, was arrested, along with co-conspirator Nelson Abilio Castro-Zelaya, at an apartment in Austin where nine illegal aliens had been held as part of a human smuggling scheme. Three of the illegal aliens being held were a family consisting of a man, pregnant woman, and their seven-year-old child. The day prior to their discovery in Austin, the Eagle Pass Police Department received a report that the family was being held involuntarily and that an alien smuggling organization was demanding a $21,000 payment for the family’s release.
Barrientos-Mateo was named in a six-count indictment on April 24, 2024, and was arrested on May 15, 2024. He pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit hostage taking on Nov. 4, 2024.
Castro-Zelaya was sentenced in November 2025 to 180 months in federal prison. All other co-defendants have pleaded guilty and are pending sentencing. Chief U.S. District Judge Alia Moses presides over the case.
“Alien smuggling organizations care nothing about the hopes and dreams of those they smuggle,” said U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas. “When they look at an illegal alien, all they see is a dollar sign. Do not trust them with your life because the only life they really care about is their own.”
Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Border Patrol, and the Texas Department of Public Safety investigated the case with assistance from the Eagle Pass Police Department, Austin Police Department, Houston Police Department and the Comal County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brett Miner 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.
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Georgetown Man Arrested for Threatening to “Shoot up” S.C. Airports, Lying to Federal AgentsRead the Press Release
FLORENCE, S.C. — According to an arrest warrant unsealed today, Ahmad Z’yiem Guilford, 21, of Georgetown, has been charged with making threats toward numerous aviation-related businesses across South Carolina, and with lying to federal agents about making the threats.
According to the criminal complaint, beginning around November 2025 several local law enforcement authorities began receiving complaints from flight schools and aviation businesses located at airports in Charleston, Georgetown, and Florence. The complainants stated that a caller was utilizing different phone numbers to make violent and graphic threats to both the airports and to the individuals who answered the phone calls. The complainants provided authorities with several recorded calls which demonstrate the threats being made. For example, on or about Nov. 14, 2025, the caller stated that he was going to rape a female employee of a Charleston area flight school who answered his phone call, threatened to “shoot up” the Charleston and Georgetown airports, and taunted authorities stating, “you can’t find me!” Additionally, on or about Dec. 18, 2025, the same individual called a business at the Florence airport and stated that he was going to “shoot that *** up.” He stated that “y’all can’t find me … because I’m making different numbers…” He further stated, “I’m never going to stop doing that ***. I’m going to flood y’alls ***. Watch.”
The FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force became involved and determined that the threats to all three of the airports were coming from one individual that they identified as Guilford. Investigators learned that he was using websites to generate fictitious cell phone numbers that were used when making the threatening phone calls.
On Dec. 23, 2025, agents went to Guilford’s house, which was located near the Georgetown airport, to interview him. According to the complaint, Guilford admitted to having an issue with the noise created by airplanes flying over his residence and stated that he travelled to the Georgetown airport and revved his engine in retaliation for the noise, but he denied making the threatening phone calls. Agents recognized, however, that his voice and speech patterns appeared to match the recorded calls, and he admitted that it sounded like his voice on the phone.
Guilford is currently charged with making interstate threats and making false statements to a federal agent. He made an initial appearance in federal court in Florence on Jan. 20 and is currently detained pending further proceedings in this matter. A detention hearing has been set for Jan. 23 at 10:30 a.m. He faces up to five years in federal prison as to each violation if he is convicted.
The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force with support from Georgetown Country Sheriff’s Office, Georgetown Police Department, North Charleston Police Department, Florence Regional Airport Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Everett McMillian is prosecuting the case.
All charges in the complaint are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Gas Pipeline Operator Settles Federal Allegations of Regulatory Violations Leading to Employee Death for $1.4 MillionRead the Press Release
A gas pipeline operator has agreed to pay the United States $1.425 million to resolve allegations that its violations of federal pipeline safety regulations resulted in the death of a company employee, announced United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould.
In April 2025, the United States filed a civil complaint seeking injunctive relief and civil penalties under the Pipeline Safety Act against Panhandle Eastern Pipe Line Co., LP (“PEPL”), a wholly owned subsidiary of Texas-based Energy Transfer, LP. In its complaint, the United States alleged that PEPL violated pipeline safety regulations requiring it to follow its manual of written procedures for conducting operations and maintenance activities in four areas in connection with a fatal incident at the company’s Borchers Station near Meade, Kansas in March 2020. As alleged in the complaint, PEPL’s violations caused a pipeline cleaning pig to be ejected from a partially-pressurized receiver barrel during maintenance activities at the station, which struck and ultimately killed a PEPL employee. A pipeline cleaning pig is an industry term for a cylindrical object that travels through the pipeline, removing deposits and contaminants like scale or rust.
“This settlement reflects our commitment to impose accountability in regulatory matters,” said United States Attorney Ryan Raybould. “The outcome here illustrates the importance and necessity of compliance and appropriate enforcement actions to prevent and address tragic circumstances such as those alleged in this case.”“Safety and enforcement go hand in hand,” said PHMSA Administrator Paul Roberti. “The complaint alleged that the company’s failure to follow the rules led to an employee’s death. We will not let operators escape accountability in cases like this one and will continue to take whatever steps are necessary to ensure our nation’s energy infrastructure is safe.”
Per the terms of a civil settlement executed with the Department of Justice on December 31, 2025, PEPL agreed to pay the United States $1.425 million to resolve the allegations in the complaint. The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only. There has been no determination or admission of liability.This pipeline safety enforcement case was investigated and handled by the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration before it was referred to the Department of Justice for resolution. Assistant U.S. Attorney Saurabh Sharad of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas handled this matter on behalf of the Department of Justice.
Four Hudson County Pharmacies Pay $4.3 Million to Resolve False Claims Act Allegations of Billing for Drugs Not DispensedRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – Four pharmacies located in West New York, Bayonne, Union City, and Jersey City have agreed to pay $4,325,000 to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act by knowingly billing federal health care programs for medications never dispensed, Senior Counsel Philip Lamparello announced today.
According to the contentions of the United States in the settlement agreements, inventory records showed that the below pharmacies did not purchase enough medications from wholesalers to fill the prescriptions billed to the federal health care programs.
- Pan American Inc. agreed to pay $3,100,000 to resolve allegations that from January 2, 2015 through January 25, 2022, it caused the submission of claims for reimbursement to the Medicare Part D Program and the New Jersey Medicaid Program for drugs Pan American never dispensed to beneficiaries.
- St. Mina and St. Moses Pharmacy d/b/a Well Care Pharmacy agreed to pay $490,000 to resolve allegations that from May 31, 2016 through March 1, 2022, it caused the submission of claims for reimbursement to the Medicare Part D Program for drugs the pharmacies never dispensed to beneficiaries.
- Farmacia Latina Corp. agreed to pay $375,000 to resolve allegations that from January 2, 2015 through January 24, 2022, it caused the submission of claims for reimbursement to the Medicare Part D Program for drugs Farmacia Latina never dispensed to beneficiaries.
- Perfect Care Pharmacy LLC agreed to pay $360,000 to resolve allegations that from January 2, 2015 through January 25, 2022, it caused the submission of claims for reimbursement to the Medicare Part D Program for drugs Perfect Care never dispensed to beneficiaries.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kruti Dharia and Robert Toll of the Health Care Fraud & Opioids Enforcement Unit.
The government’s pursuit of these matters illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating healthcare fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services, at 1-800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
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farmacialatina.agreement.pdf panamerican.agreement.pdf perfectcare.agreement.pdf wellcare.agreement.pdfFormer Wisconsin Prison Employee Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Commit BriberyRead the Press Release
Brad D. Schimel, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on January 15, 2026, Luz Naranjo (age: 46) of Beaver Dam, Wisconsin, pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit federal programs bribery, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 371 and 666(a)(1)(B).
According to court documents, Naranjo, a former correctional officer at Waupun Correctional Institution (WCI), received two bribe payments of $3,000 for smuggling contraband—including tobacco, cellular phones, and controlled substances—into WCI for an inmate.
Naranjo is scheduled to be sentenced on April 15, 2026, and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case.
Assistant United States Attorneys Zachary J. Corey and Kevin C. Knight for the Eastern District of Wisconsin are prosecuting the case. Trial Attorney Aaron L. Jennen, of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section, substantially contributed to the investigation.
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For further information contact:
Public Affairs Officer Steve Caballero
(414) 297-1700
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Former State Employee Sentenced for Providing K2-Laced Papers to a Federal Prison InmateRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Bridgewater, Mass. woman was sentenced on Jan. 16, 2026 in federal court in Worcester for providing a controlled substance in the form of a synthetic cannabinoid, also known as “K2,” to an inmate at the federal prison FMC Devens. The inmate was granted clemency on Jan. 17, 2025, reducing his 2022 federal prison sentence for drug distribution.
Tasha Hammock, 44, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Margaret R. Guzman to three years of probation. The government recommended a sentence of 12 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. In November 2025, Hammock pleaded guilty to providing contraband to a federal prison inmate, Raymond Gaines. In March 2025, Hammock and Gaines were charged by criminal complaint. Gaines, an inmate at FMC Devens, was indicted by a federal grand jury with possessing contraband by a prison inmate.
In February 2022, Gaines was sentenced to more than seven years in prison after pleading guilty in federal court in Boston to possession with intent to distribute cocaine and possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. At the time Gaines committed the alleged offenses charged, he was on federal supervised release after serving a prison sentence resulting from a 2017 conviction for distributing cocaine base within 1,000 feet of a school. In both prior cases Gaines was alleged to be an associate of the Orchard Park Trailblazers, a street gang in Boston.
On Jan. 17, 2025, Gaines received an Executive Grant of Clemency, reducing his federal sentence to five years in prison.
Hammock admitted that on Aug. 18, 2024, while visiting Gaines in prison, she surreptitiously passed K2-laced papers to Gaines, which he allegedly pocketed. At the time, Hammock was employed with the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection.
As described in court documents, K2 presents a health problem at FMC Devens, where inmates have become sick from smoking paper believed to contain K2, as well as prison staff who have been exposed to the secondary smoke.United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston; and Ryan Geach, Special Agent in Charge of the Northeast Regional Office of DOJ-OIG, made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Special Investigative Services Unit at FMC Devens. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brendan O’Shea of the Worcester Branch Office prosecuted the case.
Former Madera County Welfare Benefits Employee Pleads Guilty to Stealing Identities and Benefits in Years-Long SchemeRead the Press Release
Former Madera County benefits eligibility worker Leticia Mariscal, 55, of Madera, pleaded guilty today to aggravated identity theft for stealing identities and fraudulently obtaining CalFresh benefits in their names, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced today.
CalFresh, formerly known as a “food stamp” program, provides qualifying California residents with monetary benefits to help them purchase food. The benefits are funded by the federal government, while the administrative costs for running the program are shared among federal, state, and local governments.
According to court records, between July 2022 and June 2025, Mariscal improperly used county databases to which she had access through her job to obtain identifying information for individuals who either were not United States citizens, were elderly, or were deceased. She then secretly approved these individuals to receive or continue receiving CalFresh benefits, printed EBT cards in their names with the benefits deposited thereon and spent the money on herself and her family members.
For example, for the individuals who were not United States citizens, Mariscal would obtain their identifying information, contact them, and falsely inform them that they had to provide the county with certain immigration records to continue receiving benefits. She took these steps so that these individuals would fear suffering immigration consequences if they tried to continue receiving benefits and would stop using them. She would then take the benefits for herself.
Altogether, Mariscal stole more than $40,000 from more than 15 people.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation with assistance from the Madera County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph Barton and Arelis Clemente are prosecuting the case.
Mariscal is scheduled to be sentenced on April 13, 2026, by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston. Mariscal faces a statutorily required sentence of two years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
Former Executive of Defunct Satellite Start-Up Pleads Guilty in $250 Million Fraud CaseRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Joseph Fargnoli, 61, of Rochester, New York, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in connection with his role in a multi-year scheme to defraud investors and lenders out of approximately $250 million, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Fargnoli is one of five former principals of the now-defunct Theia Group, a DC-based aerospace start-up company. He pleaded guilty today to one count of wire fraud before Judge Royce C. Lamberth.
Fargnoli, who served as Theia Group’s Chief Technology Officer, is the first defendant to plead guilty in the case. The four additional Theia Group defendants include executives Erlend Olson, John Gallagher, Stephen Buscher, and Jamil Swati, who each face similar charges. Olson is additionally charged with evading more than $3.9 million in personal federal income taxes.
According to court documents, Theia planned to launch 112 satellites starting in 2022 at a cost of $10 billion to $15 billion. Theia’s principals originally planned to raise the requisite funds from various nation-states by promising perpetual data and analytics for an upfront cost of $2 billion. However, from Theia’s founding in 2015 through its placement into receivership in 2021, Theia was unsuccessful in obtaining any funding from nation-states. Instead, Theia obtained approximately $250 million in loans and investments that Theia’s principals induced by fraud.
The fraud scheme allegedly included materially false statements about revenue from non-existent government contracts, provision of multiple false financial statements, including a fake $6 billion escrow account statement, and false representations about Theia’s technical capabilities.
This case is being investigated by the Justice Department’s Tax Division, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) Office of Inspector General, and the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Washington D.C. Office.
The matter is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rebecca G. Ross and Jolie F. Zimmerman and Trial Attorney Alexis Hughes of the Tax Division.
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Former Church Intern Sentenced for Sharing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – A Sand Springs man was sentenced for Receipt and Distribution of Child Pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
U.S. District Judge Terence Kern sentenced Austin Ryder Sewell, 25, to 174 months imprisonment, followed by a lifetime of supervised release. Upon his release, Sewell will also be required to register as a sex offender. Judge Kern further ordered
Sewell to pay $15,500 in restitution. That money goes directly to the victims identified in the child sexual abuse material that Sewell possessed.Court records show that between March and July 2025, the social media application, Kik, submitted more than 10 cyber tips to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). The reports indicated that Sewell was sharing videos that contained the sexual abuse of children. The investigation showed that Sewell had multiple Kik accounts and had been encouraging others to join chat groups focused on exchanging child pornography. During the investigation, law enforcement found that Sewell’s Facebook profile identified him as an intern at a church in Tulsa.
Law enforcement found several chats on Kik where Sewell discussed sexual interest in children with other users.
Among those chats, they found more than 98 videos and 24 images showing children, infants, and toddlers being sexually abused. The child sexual abuse material found was sent to NCMEC’s Child Victim Identification Program. They helped identify at least five known victims.Sewell will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.
Homeland Security Investigations and the Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley Robert prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
Federal Jury Convicts St. Croix Man of Maintaining A Drug-Involved PremiseRead the Press Release
St. Croix, VI – United States Attorney Adam F. Sleeper announced today that on January 14, 2026, a federal jury convicted Mikey Luke, 52, of St. Croix, of maintaining a drug-involved premise.
At trial, federal and local law enforcement officers testified that, on September 28, 2021, officers with the Virgin Islands Police Department were dispatched to Anna’s Hope, Christiansted, U.S. Virgin Islands. While responding to the call, officers observed marijuana plants outside of the residence. A subsequent search of the residence revealed marijuana plants throughout a studio apartment. The studio was outfitted with multiple fans, air conditioning vents, strings, and lights to aid in the cultivation of the plants. Additional marijuana plants were located throughout the property. Plants were observed at various stages of growth, from seedlings to mature plants. The residence was also equipped with pots, soil, and gardening equipment. A total of 138 plants were seized.
During an interview with law enforcement officers, Luke admitted that he owned the residence and that the marijuana plants belonged to him. Luke also admitted that he had been growing marijuana plants for over 10 years.
The offense of maintaining a drug-involved premise carries a maximum penalty of up to 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The investigation was conducted by the Virgin Islands Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area program. Assistant U.S. Attorney Natasha Baker prosecuted the case.Fifteen-Year Sentence for Marianna Man in Methamphetamine Distribution and Prison Contraband ConvictionsRead the Press Release
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Bertram Jerrell Williams, 50, of Marianna, Florida, was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison after previously pleading guilty to distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine on April 16, 2025, and pleading guilty to possession of contraband by a federal prisoner on November 13, 2025. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “I commend the outstanding work by our federal law enforcement partners to stop this offender from flooding our communities with deadly poison, and his subsequent attempt to smuggle drugs into federal prison. President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi have made a promise through Operation Take Back America to deploy the full power of the Department of Justice to incapacitate the drug traffickers flooding our streets with poison, and my office will continue to deliver successful prosecutions like this to fulfill that promise.”
According to court records, on March 7, 2024, the defendant sold over 80 grams of methamphetamine during an undercover law enforcement operation. The defendant was taken into federal custody for that offense in July 2024. While he was held at the Federal Detention Center in Tallahassee, Florida, the defendant was caught attempting to smuggle drug contraband into the facility after a visitation session he had on April 13, 2025. Bureau of Prison (BOP) staff searched the defendant’s left boot, where they discovered two, cylinder shaped plastic tubes that were found to contain marijuana and synthetic marijuana.
“Not only does methamphetamine destroy an individual’s health, it destroys families and communities,” said DEA Miami Field Division Acting Special Agent in Charge Kevin Bobbitt. “We’ve made numerous seizures of this poison—particularly in the Pan Handle region of Florida. We will not stop until these criminals are brought to justice.”
The convictions and sentence were the result of a joint investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Prisons, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office. The cases were prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Eric Welch and Jessica Etherton.
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, human and drug trafficking.
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 theU.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.
Duquesne Felon Sentenced to Prison for Possession of Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Duquesne, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to two years of imprisonment following his conviction for possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon, First Assistant United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
Senior United States District Judge Joy Flowers Conti imposed the sentence on Gerald Ford III, 25, on January 15, 2026.
According to information presented to the Court, officers from the Munhall Police Department encountered Ford in a convenience store on July 19, 2024, at which time, Ford was the subject of an active arrest warrant on charges related to trafficking fentanyl. When officers took Ford into custody pursuant to that warrant, the officers discovered a Glock 27 .40 caliber handgun with an extended magazine tucked into the waistband of Ford’s pants.
Ford has previously been convicted of several felonies, including having pleaded guilty to possessing with the intent to distribute heroin in September of 2019, for which he was sentenced in the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas to a term of probation. He also unlawfully possessed a firearm in that case. Additionally, on the same date, Ford pleaded guilty in a separate case to possessing heroin, fentanyl, and tramadol (an opioid analgesic), and similarly received a sentence of probation in that matter. Federal law prohibits possession of a firearm or ammunition by a convicted felon.
During Ford’s sentencing hearing, the Court also was informed that the firearm that Ford unlawfully possessed on July 19, 2024, was test-fired by the Allegheny County Crime Lab and that ballistic examination established that the weapon had been used in a homicide that occurred on May 17, 2024. The Court also received evidence establishing that the defendant had been involved in a shooting on June 3, 2024, in which Ford again illegally possessed a gun and fired it while walking near Maple Street and 18th Avenue in Munhall.
Assistant United States Attorney Barbara K. Doolittle prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
First Assistant United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office, and the Munhall Police Department for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Ford.
District of Arizona Charges 136 Individuals for Immigration-Related Criminal Conduct this WeekRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – During the week of enforcement operations from Jan.10 through Jan. 16, 2026, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona brought immigration-related criminal charges against 136 individuals. Specifically, the United States filed 76 cases in which aliens illegally re-entered the United States, and the United States also charged 39 aliens for illegally entering the United States. In its ongoing effort to deter unlawful immigration, the United States filed 19 cases against 21 individuals responsible for smuggling illegal aliens into and within the District of Arizona.
These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Recent matters of interest include:
United States v. Elias Alfonso Diaz-Martinez. Diaz-Martinez was charged by complaint with Transportation of an Illegal Alien, Jan. 12, 2026. A deputy with the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office observed a car traveling 85 mph in a 75-mph speed zone westbound on I-10 and initiated a traffic stop for speeding, failure to maintain a lane, and an unsecured license plate. The deputy requested identification from the driver, later identified as Diaz-Martinez, and the front seat passenger. The deputy noticed dirt and grass covered the passenger’s floorboard, indicating a potential human smuggling event. Immigration checks confirmed that Diaz-Martinez is a citizen of Venezuela, and the passenger is a citizen of Mexico, both unlawfully present in the United States. 26-8001MJ – Phoenix.
A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
RELEASE NUMBER: 2026-005_January 20 Immigration Enforcement
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
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