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7 January 2026
Tribal Police Officer Charged with Sexually Abusing Three Victims While on Duty: FBI Seeks Additional Potential VictimsRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – A White Mountain Apache Tribal Police officer was arrested Wednesday in Canyon Day on the Fort Apache Indian Reservation, after being charged in a federal indictment with sexual abuse and kidnapping.
Karl Eugene Leslie, 42, of Whiteriver, Arizona, is charged in a 15-count indictment, returned Dec. 23, 2025, with Aggravated Sexual Abuse, Kidnapping (including one count of Kidnapping-Victim Under 18), Sexual Abuse through Fear, Sexual Abuse through Coercion, and Deprivation of Rights Under Color of Law.
Leslie was an active law enforcement officer with the White Mountain Apache Tribal Police Department on the Fort Apache Indian Reservation from April 2007 through June 2024. The indictment alleges that while working as an on-duty law enforcement officer, Leslie sexually abused three victims on dates ranging from Dec. 1, 2020, through Sept. 25, 2023. The indictment alleges that Leslie forcibly raped and kidnapped two of the three victims, one of whom was a minor, and that Leslie twice engaged in sexual acts with a third victim by threatening her and placing her in fear. Each victim is a member of the White Mountain Apache Tribe on the Fort Apache Indian Reservation.
The FBI’s Phoenix Field Office believes there could be additional victims and is asking anyone with information and/or any potential victims to call the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or submit the information via this seeking victim page: https://www.fbi.gov/how-we-can-help-you/victim-services/seeking-victim-information/seeking-victim-information-in-karl-leslie-investigation.
A conviction for Aggravated Sexual Abuse, Kidnapping, Sexual Abuse through Fear, Sexual Abuse through Coercion, and Deprivation of Rights Under Color of Law all carry a maximum sentence of up to life imprisonment and up to a $250,000 fine. A conviction for Kidnapping-Victim Under 18 carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years.
The FBI Phoenix Pinetop-Lakeside office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dimitra H. Sampson (Flagstaff) and Lindsay L. Short (Phoenix), District of Arizona, are handling the prosecution.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
CASE NUMBER: CR-2025-08232-PCT-DGC
RELEASE NUMBER: 2026-003_Leslie
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.
Tomball man sentenced for possession of sexually explicit videos and images of childrenRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 53-year-old Houston-area resident has been ordered to federal prison for possession of child sexual abuse material, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Sean M. Doran pleaded guilty April 24, 2025.
U.S. District Judge Kenneth Hoyt sentenced Doran to 60 months in federal prison Jan. 6. At the hearing, the court heard additional information detailing how Doran possessed over 500 images on seven devices. Some of the images portrayed sadomasochistic conduct and bestiality with minors younger than the age of three.
In handing down the sentence, the court noted Doran’s conduct contributed to trauma the victims suffered. Doran was further ordered to pay $55,000 in restitution to the victims and will serve 10 years on supervised release following the completion of his prison term. During that time, he will have to comply with numerous conditions designed to restrict his access to both children and the internet. Doran will also be ordered to register as a sex offender for the remainder of his life.
On July 29, 2020, law enforcement discovered an online user, later identified as Doran, sharing multiple files containing CSAM in a public Kik chat room. The videos and images depicted children under the age of 12 in various sexual acts with adults, animals and other victims.
Authorities obtained a search warrant for Doran’s residence and seized his electronic devices. Forensic analysis resulted in the discovery of 62 images and seven videos of CSAM.
Doran will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ekua Assabill prosecuted the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources tab on that page.
Tampa Man Pleads Guilty to Interstate Threat to Kill A Member of the United States House of RepresentativesRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Myles M. McQuade (30, Tampa) has pleaded guilty to interstate transmission of a threat to injure a Member of the United States House of Representatives. McQuade faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to court documents, on September 12, 2025, McQuade transmitted social media posts containing gruesome and threatening messages to harm a U.S. Congresswoman as well as members of her immediate family.
This case was investigated by the United States Capitol Police. It is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Joseph Wheeler III.
Stabbing of a Tourist in November 2024 Yields Prison Term for D.C. ManRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Maurice Felder, 54, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced to 54 months in prison for charges related to stabbing a man who was visiting D.C. on November 10, 2024, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Felder was found guilty by a Superior Court jury on October 15th, on one count each of assault with significant bodily injury while armed, assault with a dangerous weapon, and possession of a prohibited weapon. On January 6, 2026, the Honorable Todd Edelman sentenced Felder to a combined total of 54 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, at about 1:00 a.m., on November 10, 2024, as the victim and his friends were walking near the intersection of 7th Street N.W. and T Street N.W. , while visiting Washington, D.C. for a weekend from Pennsylvania, Felder followed the group down the sidewalk and began arguing with them. The victim got in between Felder and other members of his friend group, telling the defendant to leave. The defendant then asked the victim, “do you want to die,” pulled out a knife and stabbed the victim in his chest, leaving him with a stab wound two centimeters from his heart, which required urgent medical care.
Felder was arrested the same day, within a block from the location of incident, and has been in custody since his arrest.
Joining in the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Pirro and Interim Chief Carroll commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also acknowledged the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Valerie Tsesarenko and Randle Wilson, who prosecuted the case.
St. Louis County Man Sentenced to 151 Months in Prison on Child Sex-Related ChargesRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Sarah E. Pitlyk on Tuesday sentenced a former paramedic / firefighter from St. Louis County to 151 months in prison on child sex-related charges.
Judge Pitlyk also ordered David S. Becker, 70, to pay $17,000 to victims who have appeared in child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and ordered him to be placed on supervised release for life after his release from prison.
In August, jurors in U.S. District Court in St. Louis found Becker guilty of one count of attempted coercion and enticement of a minor and one count of possession of child pornography. Trial evidence and testimony showed that Becker began corresponding with a person on a nudist website. That person claimed to be the mother of an 11-year-old girl in France. Becker and the person discussed having sex with each other and the child. He also sent her an image of child sexual abuse material in October of 2022. Becker bought plane tickets for France and obtained an extended-stay visa, planning to travel there in June of 2023, evidence and testimony showed.At the time, investigators were already working on a cyber tipline report to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children about someone uploading child sexual abuse material (CSAM). On May 22, 2023, investigators conducted a court-approved search of Becker’s home. Becker admitted planning the trip to France to meet the mother and her daughter. Investigators found CSAM on Becker’s electronic devices, as well as years of communications about Becker’s plans to sexually abuse the child, evidence and testimony showed.
After the trial, additional electronic devices were discovered that showed Becker corresponding with someone else who claimed to be the mother of a young girl, according to court testimony.
Judge Pitlyk told Becker near the end of Tuesday’s hearing that the evidence at trial showed both that he “fully intended” to sexually abuse a child in France and the danger he poses to the community.
The St. Louis County Police Dept. Special Investigations Unit, the FBI and the Maryland Heights Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jillian Anderson and Michael Hayes are 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.
Sports Agent Indicted for Embezzling Hundreds of Thousands of Dollars from ClientsRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the unsealing of an indictment charging Lucas Mirtl (42, Prosper, TX) with four counts of wire fraud. If convicted, Mirtl faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison for each count. The indictment also notifies Mirtl that the United States intends to forfeit at least $351,797, which is alleged to represent proceeds obtained from the offenses.
According to the indictment, Mirtl worked as a sports agent for a sports marketing and talent management company based in Los Angeles, California. Between August 2023 and January 2025, Mirtl perpetrated a scheme to defraud two clients of hundreds of thousands of dollars. As part of the scheme, Mirtl gained access to bank accounts that contained funds generated by his clients’ professional activities. Mirtl, without authorization, withdrew funds in small increments from those accounts for his personal use over the course of approximately 18 months, including transactions sent directly to his personal bank account. To conceal the unauthorized transactions, Mirtl entered false and fraudulent memo lines that identified payments as being for goods and services that Mirtl never provided.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ross Roberts.
IndictmentSouthern Utah Man Sentenced for Damaging ICE Transit VanRead the Press Release
ST. GEORGE, Utah – Ryan Michael Gaines, 32, of Santa Clara, Utah, was sentenced today to 36 months’ probation for damaging an ICE Transit Van in April 2025. He was also ordered to pay $2,883.20 in restitution to the United States Department of Homeland Security, which was ordered due at the time of sentencing.
The sentence, imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Ann Marie McIff Alle, comes after Gaines admitted on October 9, 2025, to willfully damaging government property, a federal felony.
According to court documents and admissions made at Gaines’s change of plea and sentencing hearings, Gaines, who was also captured on surveillance video on April 18, 2025, approached and damaged an ICE Transit Van at the U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO) Office in St. George. Gaines ripped pieces from the passenger and driver’s side mirrors. See prior release: Southern Utah Man Arrested and Charged after Allegedly Damaging an ICE Transit Van.
“Gaines’ conduct is yet another example of an attempt to threaten and obstruct our federal officers tasked with the difficult and multi-faceted duty of enforcing our Nation’s immigration laws,” said U.S. Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the District of Utah. “Any threat made on any law enforcement will be taken seriously and prosecuted to the full extent of the law.”
"The defendant's actions were intentional and calculated," said Special Agent in Charge Robert Bohls of the Salt Lake City FBI. "No officer or public servant should have to fear for their safety simply for doing their job. Intimidation and violence aimed at those who serve our communities will be aggressively investigated and prosecuted."
The case was investigated jointly by St. George Police Department and the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office, St. George Resident Agency.
Assistant United States Attorney Brady Wilson of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case.
South Carolina Laboratory Pleads Guilty and Agrees to Pay at Least $6.8M to Settle Allegations of Kickbacks to DoctorsRead the Press Release
Clinical laboratory LTD Holding LLC, formerly known as Labtech Diagnostics LLC (Labtech), of Anderson, South Carolina, and its founder and CEO Joseph Labash, of the United Arab Emirates, have agreed to pay at least $6.8 million to the United States to resolve False Claims Act allegations involving illegal kickbacks to doctors. With this settlement, the Department of Justice has secured over $11.5 million in civil False Claims Act settlements relating to Labtech, including recoveries from nine doctors.
In addition to the civil settlement, Labtech has agreed to plead guilty to five counts of offering and paying health care kickbacks in violation of the Anti-Kickback Statute, Title 42, United States Code, Sections 1320a-7b(b)(2)(A) and (B). Pursuant to the terms of the plea agreement in the criminal matter, Labtech will pay $103,551.90 in restitution, in addition to the civil recoveries above.
“Patients trust doctors to exercise their unbiased medical judgment in ordering clinical testing,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Companies and executives who pay illegal kickbacks to referring doctors corrupt those doctors’ independence, leaving patients vulnerable to expensive and unnecessary testing.”
“Every dollar spent, and every decision made in health care must prioritize the patient’s wellbeing and care,” said U.S. Attorney Bryan Stirling for the District of South Carolina. “We will continue to work with our partners to pursue those engaged in illegal kickback schemes and hold them accountable.”
“This settlement reaffirms the FBI’s unwavering commitment to investigating fraud and holding accountable anyone who seeks to undermine our healthcare system,” said Special Agent in Charge Kevin Moore of the FBI Columbia Field Office. “The public deserves complete confidence in the integrity of medical practices, and the FBI — alongside our law enforcement partners—will continue to ensure fairness and integrity of healthcare for all citizens.”
“When medical decisions are bought and sold, patients suffer and public trust erodes,” said Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Christian J. Schrank of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “Kickback schemes like this violate the core of federal healthcare programs, and HHS-OIG will continue to relentlessly pursue anyone who exploits these programs and hold them fully accountable for their actions.”
“When corrupt companies entice health care providers with kickbacks, it threatens patient care and degrades federal health care programs, such as TRICARE,” said Special Agent in Charge Christopher Dillard, Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), Mid-Atlantic Field Office. “In coordination with our law enforcement partners, DCIS is committed to bringing to justice companies and individuals that engage in collusive financial relationships that defraud taxpayers and jeopardize the wellbeing of America’s warfighters.”
The Anti-Kickback Statute prohibits offering, paying, soliciting, or receiving remuneration to induce referrals of items or services covered by Medicare, Medicaid, and other federally funded healthcare programs. It is intended to ensure that medical providers’ judgments are not compromised by improper financial incentives and are instead based on the best interests of their patients. Claims that are knowingly submitted in violation of the Anti-Kickback Statute are ineligible for payment and can violate the False Claims Act.
Under the settlement with the United States, Labtech and Labash have agreed to pay $6.8 million, plus up to an additional $3,271,536 if a financial contingency occurs. The settlement resolves allegations that Labtech and Labash knowingly and willfully paid five types of kickbacks to induce laboratory testing referrals. From August 2018 to November 2021, Labtech and Labash allegedly paid doctors kickbacks disguised in three ways — as purported office space rental, phlebotomy, and toxicology payments — to induce the doctors to order Labtech’s laboratory tests. In an attempt to cover up the kickbacks, Labtech and Labash allegedly hand-delivered money orders for some such payments; entered into contracts that falsely described the payments as being made for office space rental or phlebotomy or toxicology services; and falsified square footage and hours in “fraud and abuse” certification forms. In addition, the settlement resolves allegations that, from September to December 2016, Labtech and Labash arranged to pay a physician practice in Charlotte, North Carolina an inflated amount for used laboratory equipment to induce the healthcare provider to order Labtech’s testing. Lastly, from March 2018 to November 2021, Labtech and Labash allegedly provided a pain management practice in Landis, North Carolina with free services and supplies in connection with drug screen testing, in return for the practice referring its lucrative drug confirmation testing to Labtech.
The settlement resolves certain allegations in a lawsuit originally filed by relator Mahmod Altwam under the whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act, which permit private parties to sue on behalf of the government when they believe that a defendant has submitted false claims for government funds and receive a share of any recovery. Relator will receive $1.36 million of the proceeds from the settlement. The qui tam case is captioned United States ex rel. Altwam v. Labtech Diagnostics LLC, et al., No. 8:21-cv-2844 (D.S.C.).
The civil settlement announced today was the result of a coordinated effort between the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina, with assistance from HHS-OIG, DCIS, and the FBI. The civil matter was handled by Senior Trial Counsel Christopher Terranova in the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Beth C. Warren for the District of South Carolina. The United States previously resolved allegations that healthcare providers in South Carolina, North Carolina, Texas, and Illinois received kickbacks to induce their laboratory referrals to Labtech.
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).
Except to the extent that Labtech’s admissions are part of its criminal resolution, the claims resolved by the civil settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
Seven Defendants Sentenced to Prison for Their Participation in Transnational Telemarketing Scheme that Defrauded Victims of More Than $12 MillionRead the Press Release
Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Yveler Marcellus, Felix Marcial, Asheem Henry, George Mims, Rahmel Thompson, Daquan Mitchell and Tatiana Williams were sentenced by United States District Judge Carol Bagley Amon in connection with their roles in a scheme to launder money fraudulently obtained from victims of a transnational telemarketing scheme, many of whom were elderly. The proceeds of the scheme were shared between the defendants and co-conspirators located abroad.
Marcellus, who was convicted of money laundering conspiracy and mail and wire fraud conspiracy at trial in September 2025, was sentenced to 70 months’ imprisonment. The remaining defendants pleaded guilty to mail and wire fraud conspiracy pursuant to plea agreements with the government. Marcial was sentenced to 66 months’ imprisonment. Henry was sentenced to 55 months’ imprisonment. Mims was sentenced to 42 months’ imprisonment. Thompson was sentenced to 42 months’ imprisonment. Mitchell was sentenced to 30 months’ imprisonment. Williams was sentenced to a year and a days’ imprisonment.
As part of the sentences imposed, the defendants were ordered to pay, in total, $12,488,884.33 in restitution. Additionally, the Court ordered the defendants to forfeit their ill-gotten gains as follows: Marcellus was ordered to pay $185,000; Marcial was ordered to pay $700,000; Henry was ordered to pay $240,000; Mims was ordered to pay $170,000; Thompson was ordered to pay $160,000; and Williams was ordered to forfeit a bank account valued at $229,274.02 and pay an additional $60,000.
Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York and Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge, United States Postal Inspection Service, New York (USPIS), announced the sentences.
“Today’s punishment was certainly warranted for the defendants who caused tremendous harm to the victims, many of whom were elderly or otherwise vulnerable,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “Through their callous scheme, the defendants profited by moving millions of dollars of victims’ hard-earned funds through their accounts and other accounts that they controlled and transferring a share of those proceeds to co-conspirators abroad who coordinated the telemarketing scheme. Those who participate in fraudulent conspiracies and work with individuals who prey on the vulnerable will be held accountable for their crimes.”
“These criminals selfishly preyed on vulnerable victims to enrich their lifestyles; but they underestimated the resolve of the United States Postal Inspection Service to continue to investigate this case until every complicit person was held accountable,” stated USPIS Inspector in Charge Ketty Larco-Ward. “Postal Inspectors will work tirelessly to shut down schemes like this and any fraudster who seeks to take advantage of others. Too many seniors fall for these financial schemes, it’s crucial to protect them and their hard-earned money, and that’s what was done in this case.”
From approximately January 2022 through December 2023, the defendants and their co-conspirators participated in a scheme in which India-based co-conspirators contacted victims by phone and convinced those victims to send checks and money orders, addressed to the defendants and other U.S-based co-conspirators, to various addresses in the Eastern District of New York. The India-based co-conspirators fraudulently induced the victims, many of whom were elderly, to send checks to the defendants under false pretenses, including that the victims’ money was at risk of being stolen from their bank accounts. After receiving the victims’ checks, the defendants and their U.S.-based co-conspirators laundered the check proceeds through their own bank accounts and other bank accounts that they controlled, shared the proceeds amongst themselves, and sent the remainder of the laundered proceeds to the Indian-based co-conspirators. The scheme is estimated to have netted over $12 million from victims across the United States.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Organized Crime and Gangs and General Crimes Sections. Assistant United States Attorneys Elias Laris, Molly Delaney, and David Berman are in charge of the prosecution. Assistant United States Attorney Tanisha Payne of the Office’s Asset Forfeiture Section is handling forfeiture matters.
The Sentenced Defendants:
YVELER MARCELLUS
Age: 32
Brooklyn, New YorkFELIX MARCIAL
Age: 32
Brooklyn, New YorkTATIANA WILLIAMS
Age: 28
Miramar, FloridaASHEEM HENRY
Age: 34
New York, New YorkGEORGE MIMS
Age: 38
New York, New YorkRAHMEL THOMPSON
Age: 26
Queens, New YorkDAQUAN MITCHELL
Age: 34
New York, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 24-CR-9 / 24-CR-9 (S-1) (CBA)
Defendant Yet to Be Sentenced:
DANIEL VERNON
Age: 29
Queens, New YorkRegistered Sex Offender Sentenced to 30 Years for Transporting and Possessing Child Sexual Abuse Material and AI-Generated Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge William F. Jung has sentenced James Matthew Oxley (53, Polk City) to 30 years in federal prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release, for transporting child sexual abuse material. Oxley was also sentenced to 20 years, to run concurrently with the 30-year sentence, for possession of child sexual abuse material and possession of obscene visual depictions of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct. The court also ordered Oxley to forfeit a cellphone used in the commission of the offense, pay $18,000 in restitution to victims, and register as a sex offender. Oxley pleaded guilty in September 2025.
According to court documents, on December 17, 2024, Oxley left the Tampa seaport onboard a cruise ship. The ship traveled to two destinations in Mexico before returning to Tampa. On December 22, 2024, upon disembarking in Tampa, all individuals aboard the ship went through U.S. Customs. Oxley was referred for a secondary inspection. During the secondary inspection, agents from U.S. Customs and Border Protection discovered suspected child sex abuse material on Oxley’s cellphone. The agents observed images and videos involving the sexual abuse of minors, including children under 12 years of age. Oxley also possessed AI-generated images that appeared to depict minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Oxley is a registered sex offender who was previously convicted in 2012 of three counts of possessing images showing the sexual performance by a child, in violation of Florida state laws.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), 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.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and U.S. Customs and Border Protection. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ilyssa M. Spergel.
Rapid City Man Sentenced to Nearly 2 Years in Federal Prison for Failing to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a man from Rapid City, South Dakota, convicted of Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. The sentencing took place on January 5, 2026.
Jose Eduardo Rodriguez, age 50, was sentenced to one year and nine months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Rodriguez was indicted by a federal grand jury in May 2025. He pleaded guilty on October 1, 2025.
Rodriguez was convicted of Fourth Degree Rape in Butte County, South Dakota, in 1998. Consequently, he is required to register as a sex offender and update his registration within three business days of relocation or changing employment or student status. In October 2023, Rodriguez began a period of supervised release residing in Rapid City, and he appropriately updated his sex offender registration. Rodriguez moved from South Dakota to Texas in February 2024, but did not update his sex offender registration. An arrest warrant was subsequently issued, and on April 29, 2025, Rodriguez was arrested in Rapid City.
This case was brought as a part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity 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.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service. Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Albertson prosecuted the case.
Rodriguez was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Prior felon pleads guilty to new child pornography chargeRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Cameron Gelsomino, 23, of Burt, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr. possession of child pornography after a prior conviction, which carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison a maximum penalty of 20 years, and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles M. Kruly, who is handling the case, stated that in August 2023, Gelsomino was convicted of Possessing Obscene Sexual Performance by a Child in Niagara County Court and sentenced to serve 30 days’ incarceration and 10 years’ probation. In May 2024, he possessed a cell phone, which contained approximately 56 images and two videos of child pornography.
The plea is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Erin Keegan and the Niagara County Probation Department, under the direction of Director Deborah M LaRock.
Sentencing is scheduled for May 6, 2026, before Judge Sinatra.
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Possession of Child Pornography Lands Warr Acres Man in Federal Prison for a DecadeRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – BRENDON SHEA COOPER, 38, of Warr Acres, has been sentenced to serve 120 months in federal prison for possession of and access with intent to view material containing child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
During the summer of 2024, public records reflect the FBI investigated an Internet Protocol (IP) address suspected of making available child sexual abuse material (CSAM) to others through a file-sharing website. Investigators traced the IP address to a Warr Acres residence and ultimately to a cellular phone owned by Cooper, on which law enforcement located files depicting CSAM.
On October 15, 2024, a federal grand jury charged Cooper with possession of and access with intent to view material containing child pornography. Cooper pleaded guilty on June 12, 2025, and admitted that he possessed CSAM, including images depicting prepubescent children, on his cellular phone.
At a sentencing hearing on January 6, 2026, U.S. District Judge Charles Goodwin sentenced Cooper to serve 10 years in federal prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release. In announcing the sentence, Judge Goodwin noted the seriousness of the offense and the need to deter Cooper from future crimes.
This case is the result of an investigation by the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office with assistance from the Warr Acres Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany Edgmon prosecuted the case.
Reference is made to public filings for additional information.
Pittsburgh Investment Manager Pleads Guilty to $3.7 Million Wire FraudRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of wire fraud, First Assistant United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
Thomas Pipich Jr., 74, pleaded guilty to one count before United States District Judge Marilyn J. Horan.
In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, between May of 2017 and August of 2023, Pipich transferred more than $3.7 million from the bank account of a fund for which he managed investments to another client’s account in order to backfill investment losses. Pipich told the victim fund’s members a series of lies about the transfers, including that the funds were part of a secured loan when in fact there was no collateralized loan. Pipich paid himself and his wife more than $800,000 from the funds.
Judge Horan scheduled sentencing for May 12, 2026. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000 or twice Pipich’s gain from the offense, whichever is greater, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney William Guappone is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Pipich.
Previously Deported Alien Indicted for Illegal Entry and Assault of an Immigration OfficerRead the Press Release
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Edwin Antonio Rodriguez-Gonzalez, 31, of El Salvador, was indicted by a federal grand jury charging him with illegal entry by a deported alien and assault of a government official. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the charges today.
Rodriguez-Gonzalez appeared for his arraignment in federal court before United States Magistrate Judge Martin A. Fitzpatrick, in Tallahassee, Florida. Jury trial is scheduled for February 3, 2026, at 8:30 am, before Chief District Court Judge Allen C. Winsor.
If convicted, Rodriguez-Gonzalez faces up to three years’ imprisonment.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations and the Florida Highway Patrol. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney James A. McCain.
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 is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access available public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Orange County Judge Agrees to Plead Guilty to Knowingly Paying Convicted Doctor to Work on Workers’ Comp Cases Despite SuspensionRead the Press Release
SANTA ANA, California – An Orange County Superior Court judge was federally charged today with defrauding California’s workers’ compensation program.
Israel Claustro, 50, was charged via information with one count of mail fraud, a crime that carries a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison.
Claustro signed a plea agreement – also filed in court today – in which he agreed to plead guilty to the felony charge. Claustro is expected to make his initial appearance on January 12 in United States District Court in Santa Ana.
Claustro has agreed to resign from his position as a judge.
“Judge Claustro violated the law for his personal financial benefit,” said First Assistant United States Attorney Bill Essayli. “We will not hesitate to prosecute anyone – judges included – who defraud public benefits intended to help those in need.”
According to the plea agreement, Claustro – who was an Orange County prosecutor at the time of the fraud – operated Liberty Medical Group Inc., a Rancho Cucamonga-based medical corporation, despite being neither a physician nor a medical professional as required under California law.
One of Liberty’s employees was Dr. Kevin Tien Do, 60, of Pasadena, a physician who had served a one-year federal prison sentence after being convicted in 2003 of felony health care fraud. Because of this conviction, in October 2018, Do was suspended from participating in the California’s workers’ compensation program. Claustro was aware of Do’s prior criminal conviction and suspension from California’s workers’ compensation program.
According to the plea agreement, Claustro admitted that he defrauded California’s Subsequent Injuries Benefits Trust Fund (SIBTF), a special fund administered by California’s workers’ compensation program to provide additional compensation to injured workers who already had a disability or impairment at the time of a subsequent injury.
Specifically, Claustro paid Do more than $300,000 for preparing medical evaluations, medical record reviews, and med-legal reports after Do’s suspension. Claustro caused Liberty to mail these reports to California’s SIBTF, concealing that they were prepared by Do by listing other doctors’ names on the billing forms and reports. Based on these fraudulent submitted reports, Liberty received hundreds of thousands of dollars from SIBTF.
The loss amount from Claustro’s participation in this scheme is approximately $38,670 – the amount SIBTF paid to Liberty based on reports Claustro knew Do had drafted after his suspension from SIBTF.
In connection with this scheme, Do pleaded guilty in January 2025 to one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and one count of subscribing to a false tax return. Do is expected to be sentenced in the coming months.
The FBI, IRS Criminal Investigation, and the California Department of Insurance are investigating this matter.
Former Special Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie Orrick of the Orange County Office prosecuted this case.
Oklahoma City Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Illegal Firearm Possession Following ShootingRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – KEANO DENZELL THREATS, 26, of Oklahoma City, has been sentenced to serve 57 months in federal prison for possession of a firearm after a previous felony conviction, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
According to public record, on March 29, 2023, Oklahoma City Police Department (OCPD) officers responded to an apartment on a reported assault. At the residence, OCPD spoke with a victim who reported that Threats had pointed a firearm at him, threatened him, and fired the weapon near his head. Threats was taken into custody, and officers recovered a firearm from the apartment.
On May 3, 2023, a federal grand jury charged Threats with being a felon in possession of a firearm. Threats pleaded guilty on July 15, 2025, and admitted that he possessed a firearm despite his felony conviction. Federal law prohibits felons from possessing firearms or ammunition.
At a sentencing hearing on January 6, 2026, U.S. District Judge Patrick R. Wyrick sentenced Threats to serve 57 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. In announcing the sentence, the Court noted the need to protect the public from further crimes of Threats and his history and characteristics.
Public record reflects that Threats has previous felony convictions in Oklahoma County District Court, including convictions for assault and battery on a juvenile affairs officer in case number CF-2017-3225, and domestic abuse by strangulation and domestic abuse in the presence of a child in case number CF-2019-4220.
This case is the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and OCPD. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary E. Walters prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation 922 and Operation Shots Fired, the Western District of Oklahoma’s implementation of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Operation 922 prioritizes prosecution of federal firearms violations connected to domestic violence. Operation Shots Fired targets cases involving individuals who discharge firearms as part of their criminal activity, including drive-by shootings or shots fired during robberies, domestic disputes, or other incidents. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, visit justice.gov/psn.
Reference is made to public filings for additional information.
North Carolina man sentenced to 5 years in prison for trafficking fentanyl on college campusRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS – A North Carolina man who distributed fentanyl at MSU Northern was sentenced today to 60 months in prison to be followed by 5 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Joel Hadley, III, 23, pleaded guilty in September 2025 to one count of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.
The government alleged in court documents that in the summer of 2022, law enforcement received information that Joel Hadley III, a football player, was trafficking fentanyl from student housing on the campus of Montana State University - Northern (MSU-N) in Havre. Reporting indicated Hadley was selling large amounts of fentanyl to Native Americans from the Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation and Fort Belknap Indian Reservation.
Several controlled purchases of fentanyl pills were conducted using a confidential source. In each instance, the source communicated with Hadley to set up a purchase. Law enforcement equipped the source with a controlled monitoring device and prerecorded funds.
A federal search warrant for Hadley’s residence was granted and executed in September 2023. Law enforcement seized a firearm and loaded magazine, a plastic bag containing fentanyl, and $861 in U.S. currency.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda Myers prosecuted the case. The FBI, DEA, U.S. Border Patrol and Tri-Agency Task Force conducted the investigation.
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New Jersey Man Sentenced for Promoting Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
CAMDEN — A New Jersey man was sentenced yesterday to 14 years in prison and 15 years of supervised release for promoting child sexual abuse material on the dark web.
According to court documents, between Oct. 18, 2020, and Jan. 20, 2023, Declan Golden, 39, of Middletown Township, New Jersey, accessed and engaged with a website on the Tor network known to encourage its users to post and trade child sexual abuse material. While on this website, Golden created numerous posts related to voyeurism and the sexual exploitation of children while encouraging other users to share images with him. Golden also posted links for users to access images of children engaging in sexually explicit conduct and statements about using a spycam on girls in the shower and on the toilet. A search of his devices revealed many videos and image files of child sexual abuse material, including depictions of prepubescent children engaged in sexual acts. In an interview with law enforcement, Golden admitted to viewing child sexual abuse material beginning in 2014.
Golden pleaded guilty in May 2025 to the charge of promoting material containing child pornography involving a prepubescent minor in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey.
Senior Counsel Philip Lamparello for the Criminal and Special Prosecutions Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, and Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy of the FBI Newark Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force made the announcement.
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Child Exploitation Operational Unit (CEOU). The Department also thanks the Middletown Police Department for its assistance with the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Fell for the District of New Jersey and Trial Attorney Anglica Carrasco of the Justice Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section are 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 CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.justice.gov/psc.
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New Jersey Man Sentenced for Promoting Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
A New Jersey man was sentenced yesterday to 14 years in prison and 15 years of supervised release for promoting child sexual abuse material on the dark web.
According to court documents, between Oct. 18, 2020, and Jan. 20, 2023, Declan Golden, 39, of Middletown Township, New Jersey, accessed and engaged with a website on the Tor network known to encourage its users to post and trade child sexual abuse material. While on this website, Golden created numerous posts related to voyeurism and the sexual exploitation of children while encouraging other users to share images with him. Golden also posted links for users to access images of children engaging in sexually explicit conduct and statements about using a spycam on girls in the shower and on the toilet. A search of his devices revealed many videos and image files of child sexual abuse material, including depictions of prepubescent children engaged in sexual acts. In an interview with law enforcement, Golden admitted to viewing child sexual abuse material beginning in 2014.
Golden pleaded guilty in May 2025 to the charge of promoting material containing child pornography involving a prepubescent minor in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey.
Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Senior Counsel Philip Lamparello for the Criminal and Special Prosecutions Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, and Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy of the FBI Newark Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force made the announcement.
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Child Exploitation Operational Unit (CEOU). The Department also thanks the Middletown Police Department for its assistance with the investigation.
Trial Attorney Anglica Carrasco of the Justice Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Fell for the District of New Jersey are 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 CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.justice.gov/psc.
New Jersey Doctor Charged in 58-Count Indictment with Distributing Opioids in Exchange for Sexual Favors and Defrauding New Jersey MedicaidRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A New Jersey doctor was charged in a 58-count indictment with distributing opioids without a legitimate medical purpose, maintaining a drug-involved premises, and defrauding New Jersey Medicaid by billing for visits that never happened, Senior Counsel Philip Lamparello announced today.
Ritesh Kalra, 52, of Secaucus, New Jersey, was previously charged by criminal complaint in July 2025, and now stands charged by indictment with additional offenses, including 36 counts of distributing opioids outside the usual course of professional practice and not for a legitimate medical purpose, one count of maintaining a drug-involved premises, and 21 counts of health care fraud. Kalra appeared for an arraignment and initial appearance on the indictment today before U.S. District Judge Michael E. Farbiarz in Newark federal.
“The additional charges against Dr. Kalra demonstrate that our Office will continue to pursue justice for victims of the opioid epidemic in New Jersey by prosecuting doctors who, as alleged, use their positions of trust to fuel addiction and exploit vulnerable patients. Physicians who defraud New Jersey’s Medicaid Program for their own personal gain will be held accountable.”
- Senior Counsel Philip Lamparello
“Doctors know the devastation opioid addiction can wreak when left unchecked. Allegedly, Dr. Kalra used his position of power for financial gain, fabricating fake appointments, and in some cases, demanding sexual favors in return for prescriptions. The FBI and its partners work tirelessly against such abuses of power, to ensure the abuser is no longer able to victimize patients. This indictment serves as a warning to others that a prescription pad is not a license to destroy lives,” stated FBI-Newark Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy.
According to documents filed in the case and statements made in court:
Dr. Kalra, an internist in Fair Lawn, New Jersey, allegedly operated a pill mill out of his medical office, where he routinely prescribed high-dose opioids—including oxycodone and promethazine with codeine—to patients without a legitimate medical purpose. Between January 2019 and February 2025, Kalra issued more than 31,000 prescriptions for oxycodone, including days when he wrote upwards of 50 prescriptions. Several of Kalra’s former employees reported that female patients complained that Kalra touched them sexually and demanded sexual favors of them in exchange for opioids. One patient described being sexually assaulted by Kalra on multiple occasions, including forced anal sex during clinical appointments. Another patient continued to receive opioid prescriptions from Kalra when the patient was incarcerated at Essex County Correctional Facility and had no contact with Dr. Kalra.
Kalra also allegedly billed for in-person office visits that never occurred. As part of the health care fraud scheme, Kalra’s electronic medical records allegedly contained false progress notes listing fabricated dates of service, and included examination notes that were generally identical from visit to visit and did not record vital signs.
Each of the 36 distribution counts carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine. The charge of maintaining a drug-involved premises carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $500,000 fine. Each of the 21 health care fraud counts is punishable by a maximum potential penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gross profit or loss caused by the offense, whichever is greatest.
Individuals who believe they may be victims of Dr. Kalra or have information about this case may contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324) or by email at [email protected].
Senior Counsel Philip Lamparello credited the following law enforcement organizations with the investigation leading to today’s charges: the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy; the Drug Enforcement Administration, New Jersey Field Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Towanda Thorne-James; the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Naomi Gruchacz; the Internal Revenue Service—Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jenifer Piovesan; the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Amy Connelly; the New Jersey Office of the Attorney General Division of Criminal Justice; and the Fair Lawn Police Department.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine M. Romano, Chief of the General Crimes Unit, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica R. Ecker of the Health Care Fraud and Opioids Enforcement Unit in Newark.
The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Defense counsel: Michael Baldassare, Esq., and Jennifer Mara, Esq.
kalra.indictment.pdfNew Castle Man Sentenced for Role in Interstate Drug Trafficking OperationRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of New Castle, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court on his conviction of violating federal narcotics laws, First Assistant United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
Edward Dietrich, 60, was sentenced by United States District Judge Robert J. Colville to time served of six days in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for conspiring to distribute fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine.
Prior to sentencing, Judge Colville was informed that the conspiracy in which Dietrich participated was responsible for the distribution of large quantities of controlled substances in New Castle as well as in Detroit, Michigan, and that Dietrich suffers from multiple serious medical and physical conditions. According to information presented to the Court, Dietrich primarily participated in the conspiracy by allowing fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine to be stored inside and distributed from his New Castle residence for months between August 2023 and August 2024, with the defendant having received controlled substances as compensation for the use of his residence for that purpose.
Assistant United States Attorney Craig W. Haller prosecuted this case on behalf of the United States.
First Assistant United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Drug Enforcement Administration, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, Lawrence County Drug Task Force, New Castle Police Department, Michigan State Police, Pennsylvania State Police, Mercer County Drug Task Force, United States Postal Inspection Service, Department of Homeland Security, and Douglas County (Nebraska) Sheriff’s Office for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Dietrich.
This prosecution was part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement toward identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations that have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.
Nelson County Woman Sentenced to 20 Years in Federal Prison for Sexual Exploitation of ChildrenRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – A Nelson County woman was sentenced on January 5, 2026, for two counts of sexual exploitation of a child and one count of distribution of child pornography.
U.S. Attorney Kyle G. Bumgarner of the Western District of Kentucky and Special Agent in Charge Rana Saoud of the Homeland Security Investigations Nashville made the announcement.
Kathlen Flener, 27, was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison, followed by a term of 30 years of supervised release, for two counts of sexual exploitation of a child and one count of distribution of child pornography. The Court ordered Flener to pay $6,000 in restitution, $3,000 to each victim.
Flener used an online social media application to distribute two sexually explicit images of the minor victims to an adult male living in Australia.
There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was investigated by HSI with assistance from the Kentucky State Police.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Danielle Yannelli prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
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Nebraska Man Indicted by Federal Grand Jury for Possessing with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – A federal grand jury in Louisville returned an Indictment on January 7, 2026, charging a Nebraska man with a federal narcotics offense.
U.S. Attorney Kyle G. Bumgarner of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Jim Scott of the DEA Louisville Field Division, Chief Richard Sanders of the Jeffersontown Police Department, and Commissioner Phillip Burnett, Jr. of the Kentucky State Police made the announcement.
According to the Indictment, Jacob Talamantes, 23, of Nebraska, was charged with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine in Jefferson County on or about December 22, 2025. On December 27, 2025, a criminal complaint and supporting affidavit were filed that allege that on December 22, 2025, law enforcement received information that a narcotics shipment was coming to the Jeffersontown, Kentucky area. Law enforcement conducted surveillance and soon spotted the vehicle they expected would contain the narcotics. Officers did a takedown on the vehicle as it pulled into a parking spot on a business lot located in Jeffersontown, Kentucky. A Kentucky State Police canine was deployed and alerted to the positive presence of narcotics odor emanating from the vehicle. Upon search of the vehicle, investigators recovered a large quantity of suspected methamphetamine in various containers that were wrapped in gift wrap and disguised to look like Christmas presents. Talamantes was the driver of the vehicle.
The Indictment also alleges that Talamantes had a previous conviction on May 25, 2022, for conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute in the United States District Court for the District of Nebraska. If convicted, the previous conviction increases his potential mandatory minimum sentence from 10 years to 15 years imprisonment under 21 U.S.C. § 851. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
The defendant remains in state custody and will make an initial appearance at a later date before a U.S. Magistrate Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky.
There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is being investigated by the DEA, Jeffersontown Police Department, and the Kentucky State Police.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alicia P. Gomez is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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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Muskogee Resident Sentenced for Illegally Possessing AmmunitionRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that DaQurius Razjoune Johnson, a/k/a Daquarius Razjoune Johnson, age 33, of Muskogee, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 29 months in prison for one count of Felon in Possession of Ammunition.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Lighthorse Tribal Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
On June 5, 2025, Johnson pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on July 24, 2024, law enforcement dispatched to a Muskogee County residence discovered Johnson in possession of 35 rounds of ammunition. At the time of the incident, Johnson had been previously convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year imprisonment.
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. Johnson 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 Jacob R. Parker and Edith A. Singer represented the United States.
Michigan Man Sentenced in Multi-State Retail Crime Theft SchemeRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A Michigan man has been sentenced in U.S. District Court in Rhode Island for his role in a multi-state wire fraud conspiracy that defrauded a Rhode Island-based retailer of approximately $140,000, announced Interim United States Attorney Charles Calenda.
Mattek Scott, 27, of Flint, MI, was sentenced on January 7, 2026, by U.S. District Court Judge Mary S. McElroy to time served and three years of supervised release.
From at least June 2022 through April 3, 2024, Scott and co-conspirators used fraudulent debit and credit cards at retail outlets in at least 11 states, including Rhode Island, to obtain merchandise and pre-paid gift cards. When fraudulent cards were declined, they directed the cashier to complete the transaction by pushing the “cash tendered” button; however, no cash was tendered. As a result of this scheme, the gift cards were loaded with U.S. Currency, ranging from $199 to $500.
The fraudulently obtained gift cards were used to purchase additional gift cards and to pay for goods and services, including lodging, meals, groceries, car repairs, utilities, gas, and convenience store items.
The Rhode Island-based retailer suffered losses totaling approximately $140,000.
Arianna Asberry, of Flint, MI, one of Scott’s co-conspirators, pleaded guilty on November 20, 2024, to a charge of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. She was sentenced to time served, three years federal supervised release, and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $138,633.01.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Christine D. Lowell and Julianne Klein.
The matter was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations.
Mexican National Charged with Reentry of Deported AlienRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA –United States Attorney David I. Courcelle announced that JOSE CABRERA-MOLINA (“CABRERA-MOLINA”), age 33, a native of Mexico, was charged via bill of information on December 23, 2025, with reentry of removed alien, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a).
According to court documents, CABRERA-MOLINA, an illegal alien, was found in Orleans Parish on December 12, 2025. Immigration records indicate that he was previously removed from the United States on December 16, 2013. These records confirm he has no legal authorization to remain in the United States and that he returned to the country without first obtaining prior approval from United States authorities.
If convicted, CABRERA-MOLINA faces up to two years of imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, up to one year of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
U.S. Attorney Courcelle reiterated that a bill of information is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
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).
U.S. Attorney Courcelle praised the work of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Spiro G. Latsis of the General Crimes Unit oversees the prosecution.
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McCurtain County Resident Sentenced for Illegally Possessing A FirearmRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Kendall James Hopper, age 62, of Smithville, Oklahoma, was sentenced to time served for one count of Felon in Possession of Firearm.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Choctaw Nation Lighthorse Police, and the LeFlore County Sheriff’s Office.
On June 9, 2025, Hopper pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on January 2, 2024, law enforcement dispatched to a Smithville, Oklahoma residence discovered Hopper in possession of one lever-action .30-.30 caliber rifle. At the time of the incident, Hopper had been previously convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year imprisonment.
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.
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.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan E. Soverly represented the United States.
McCreery Aviation finance director sentenced in $1.2 million mail fraud schemeRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – A 57-year-old Mission resident has been ordered to federal prison after diverting company funds to pay for her personal expenses, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas Ganjei.
Elizabeth Batten pleaded guilty July 9, 2025.
U.S. District Judge Drew B. Tipton has now ordered Batten to serve 25 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. She was also ordered to pay $1.2 million in restitution. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence that Batten used company funds to pay her personal debt. In handing down the sentence, the court noted Batten abused a position of trust for her own benefit.
Batten was the director of financing at McCreery Aviation in the Rio Grande Valley from 2019 to 2023. Batten worked for the company for 16 years. As part of the plea, she admitted that during her tenure, she diverted company funds to pay for her personal expenses. Batten used signed blank company checks intended for legitimate business purposes to settle her personal credit card accounts.
She also used the U.S. Postal Service to conceal her behavior and actions by mailing her fraudulent payments to multiple credit card companies in different states.
The investigation began after a McCreery Aviation employee noticed irregularities in the handling of company checks in late 2023.
Ultimately, it revealed Batten had fraudulently diverted a total of $1.2 million as part of her scheme.
She was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jose A. Garcia prosecuted the case.
Massachusetts Man Pleads Guilty to Wildlife TraffickingRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Reading, Mass. man has pleaded guilty in federal court in Boston to trafficking in wildlife parts from endangered and protected species.
Adam Bied, 40, has pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy to smuggle goods into the United States, specifically, illegally imported wildlife parts, and two counts of violating the Lacey Act, which prohibits trafficking in wildlife. The wildlife that Bied unlawfully imported and conspired to import was protected by the Endangered Species Act (ESA) as well as the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). U.S. Senior District Court Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV scheduled sentencing for April 2, 2026. Bied was charged by an Information in June 2024.
Beginning in least January 2018 and continuing until at least June 2021, Bied bought, sold and traded in wildlife parts and products from threatened and endangered species knowing that many of the transactions violated U.S. laws and regulations, including the ESA and the Lacey Act. Bied also knowingly failed to declare the wildlife to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) upon importation into the United States.
Specifically, Bied placed orders with individuals in Cameroon and Indonesia who were in the businesses of killing and acquiring wildlife, including endangered and protected species. Bied purchased the wildlife parts from two individuals, received the parts in the United States unlawfully, and then resold or traded the wildlife to customers in the United States. Bied neither sought nor obtained the necessary USFWS import/export licenses or CITES permits before importing these items, nor did he declare the wildlife to the USFWS upon import as required. Instead, Bied and his co-conspirators took steps to conceal the wildlife parts from U.S. authorities by falsely labeling them as “decorative masks” and “rodents,” among other things. Bied unlawfully imported skulls from the following wildlife species, among others: baboon, chimpanzee, pangolin, orangutan and leopard.
Bied also consented to the civil forfeiture of over 100 wildlife parts from endangered, threatened, or protected species seized by the USFWS in July 2021 from Bied’s residence, storage unit and vehicle.
The wildlife parts identified in the civil forfeiture complaint include:
- Orangutan skulls
- Tiger skulls
- Leopard skin, skulls and a claw
- Jaguar skin and skull
- African lion skulls
- Polar bear skull
- Narwhal tusk
- Otter skeleton
- Harp seal skull
- Pangolin skull
- South American fur seal skull
- Elephant seal skull
- Babirusa skulls
- Mandrillus skulls
- Wallaby skull
- Jackal skull
Federal wildlife statutes and regulations prohibit international and illegal trade in vulnerable wildlife species. The ESA, the Lacey Act and CITES, as well as the accompanying regulations, prohibit the import, export, possession, transport, purchase and sale of protected species. The restrictions apply to live and dead wildlife specimens, as well as the skins, parts and products made in whole or in part from listed species. Additional documents are also required for wildlife protected by the CITES treaty, which regulates trade in endangered or threatened species through permit requirements.
The lawful importation of vulnerable wildlife species requires a CITES permit. The lawful importation of any foreign species requires a USFWS wildlife declaration. Individuals are also required to have a USFWS import/export license to import wildlife for commercial purposes.
The charges of conspiracy as well as the charges under the Lacey Act each provide for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years 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 Preston Fant, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Office of Law Enforcement made the announcement. This case was worked jointly with the United States Marshals Service and the Department of Justice’s Environment and Natural Resources Division’s Environmental Crimes Section. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jason Casey and Carol E. Head are prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carol E. Head, Chief of the Asset Recovery Unit is prosecuting the civil forfeiture case.
Marrero Resident Indicted for Federal Firearm Violations, Aggravated Identity Theft, and Theft of MailRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – United States Attorney David I. Courcelle announced that TREMAINE MYLES (“MYLES”), age 34, a resident of Marrero, was charged in a four-count indictment on December 18, 2025, with violations of the Federal Gun Control Act, Aggravated Identity Theft, and Theft of Mail.
In Count 1, MYLES was charged with making false statements to a firearms dealer, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(a)(6). In Count 2, he was charged with aggravated identify theft, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1028A(a)(1). In Count 3, MYLES was charged with felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g)(1). In Count 4, he was charged with theft of mail, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1708.
For Count 1, MYLES faces a maximum of 10 years imprisonment, up to 3 years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. For Count 2, he faces a maximum of 2 years imprisonment (mandatory consecutive), up to 1year of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. For Count 3, he faces a maximum of 15 years imprisonment (under 18 U.S.C. § 924(a)(8)), up to 3 years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. For Count 4, MYLES faces a maximum of 5 years imprisonment, up to 3 years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. A mandatory special assessment fee of $100 shall be imposed as to each count.
U.S. Attorney Courcelle reiterated that an indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
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 (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).
U.S. Attorney Courcelle praised the work of the United States Postal Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Spiro G. Latsis of the General Crimes Unit oversees the prosecution.
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Man Pleads Guilty to Destroying Rockford Restaurant by ArsonRead the Press Release
ROCKFORD — A Rockford man has pleaded guilty to maliciously destroying - by means of fire and explosive materials – the former "15th and Chris" restaurant in Rockford.
JAMES PURIFOY, 51, admitted in plea agreement on Tuesday that he intentionally started a fire inside of his restaurant. Purifoy was still inside the restaurant when he started the fire and suffered burn injuries. To hide his involvement from the police, Purifoy left the premises before police and fire personnel arrived to put out the fire. Purifoy admitted to making false statements to the police during a traffic stop after the fire and to making false statements when he was interviewed at the hospital by investigating agents. Additionally, Purifoy admitted to filing a fraudulent insurance claim, from which he received $305,400.
Purifoy faces a minimum sentence of five years in federal prison and a maximum sentence of 20 years. The sentence will be determined by the U.S. District Court in Rockford, guided by U.S. Sentencing Guidelines. Sentencing is set for April 13, 2026, at 1:30 p.m.
The guilty plea was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Christopher Amon, Special Agent-in-Charge for ATF’s Chicago Field Division, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. The Rockford Fire Department and the Rockford Police Department assisted in this investigation. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica S. Maveus.
Mexican National Charged with Assaulting Federal OfficersRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Kurt L. Wall announced that a federal grand jury recently returned a one-count indictment charging Evodio Merida-Tavera, age 42, a Mexican national who is present in the United States without authorization, with assaulting federal officers.
According to the indictment, Merida-Tavera used a motor vehicle as a dangerous weapon to assault, resist, oppose, impede, intimidate, or interfere with two United States Border Patrol officers while they were engaged in the performance of their duties.
If convicted of the assault charges, Merida-Tavera faces up to twenty years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release. Merida-Tavera is also subject to removal or deportation from the United States upon completing any sentence imposed.
This matter is being investigated by the United States Border Patrol, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy S. Johnson.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
An indictment is an accusation by a grand jury. The defendant is presumed innocent until and unless adjudicated guilty at trial or through a guilty plea.
Lynn Man Sentenced for Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Lynn man has been sentenced in federal court in Boston in connection with an investigation into drug conspiracy.
Meliek Bennett, 29, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Brian E. Murphy to three years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. In August 2025, Meliek Bennett pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. He was arrested and charged in May 2025 along with his brother Maurice Bennett.
Maurice Bennett was identified as a member of the Bloods street gang in Lynn with prior convictions for carrying firearms and other violent crimes. During the investigation, numerous text messages between Maurice and his brother Meliek were intercepted, wherein they coordinated the distribution of drugs including cocaine, prescription medication, counterfeit pills and marijuana. The brothers discussed sharing drug customers, sharing drug supplies, paying Meliek Bennett’s drug debts and making a trip to New Hampshire to sell controlled substances together.
In September 2024, during a recorded conversation, Meliek Bennett described intending to use a silenced pistol to shoot up the residence of a drug supplier and potentially murdering the drug supplier to whom he owed a drug debt – after the supplier had beaten up Meliek Bennett. Shortly thereafter, a search warrant was executed at Meliek Bennett’s residence in Lynn, where fentanyl tablets, oxycodone, gabapentin and marijuana, as well as a .22 caliber pistol with a threaded barrel and ammunition were discovered.
On Nov. 3, 2025, Maurice Bennett was sentenced to two years in prison after pleading guilty in August 2025.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Boston made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Lynn Police and Massachusetts Department of Corrections. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Philip A. Mallard and David Cutshall of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit prosecuted the case.
Leader of Washington Highlands Fentanyl Conspiracy Sentenced to More than 13 Years on Narcotics, Weapons CountsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Kahlil G. Felder, 41, of the District of Columbia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 157 months in prison for operating a fentanyl distribution network based in the Washington Highlands neighborhood in Southeast, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Felder, aka “Kahlil Hewitt,” pleaded guilty on Feb. 25, 2025, to conspiracy to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and to possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. In his plea, Felder acknowledged that he distributed at least 1.2 kilos, but less than 4 kilos, of fentanyl.
In addition to the 157-month prison term, Judge Carl J. Nichols ordered Felder to serve five years of supervised release.
Joining U.S. Attorney Pirro in the announcement were HSI Special Agent in Charge Christopher Heck of Homeland Security Investigations - Washington Field Office, Inspector in Charge Damon E. Wood U.S. Postal Inspection Service Washington Division, and Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
"This was a high-volume dealer responsible for distributing a significant amount of poison from his base in Southeast Washington,’ said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “When he was arrested, agents discovered three kilos of fentanyl inside one suitcase at his apartment – enough to potentially amount to millions of lethal doses. Even 157 months is not enough to pay for the hurt and damage he caused to this city when he was dealing during the height of the opioid epidemic.”
Felder’s arrest came after a yearlong multiagency investigation that identified him as a leader of a narcotics distribution network operating at Oxon Run Park, located at 1200 Mississippi Avenue SE, and the 100 block of Yuma Street SE, both in the Washington Highlands neighborhood. Both areas – including one within 1,000 feet of the Paramount Child Development Prep School -- functioned as an open-air drug market with narcotics dealers serving walk-up clients.
According to court documents, Felder sold fentanyl in “purple lady bags” branded with a female figure and the words “Heavy D,” which he also supplied to others for redistribution. The financial investigation identified over $1 million in suspected cash drug proceeds deposited by Felder between January 2021 and his arrest in December 2023.
During a search of Felder’s residence on Dec. 13, 2023, law enforcement recovered two loaded semiautomatic pistols and more than three kilograms of suspected fentanyl, including fentanyl pre-packaged in thousands of baggies or “zips.” Investigators also found tools and materials for packaging fentanyl, including a scale, test kits, gloves, a respirator, a sifter, and a money counter.
This case was investigated by the Homeland Security Investigations Washington Field Office, U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Washington Division, and MPD’s Violent Crime Suppression Division.
It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrea Duvall of the Violent Crime and Narcotics Trafficking Section for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
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Laredo felon gets maximum sentence for cartel-linked conspiracy to smuggle over 1900 aliensRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – A 35-year-old Laredo man has been ordered to prison for a multi-year conspiracy to smuggle illegal aliens for financial gain, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Danny Nunez pleaded guilty Feb. 6, 2025.
U.S. District Judge Marina Garcia Marmolejo has now imposed a 120-month-term of imprisonment to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. The court also ordered Nunez to serve 12 months for a supervised release violation following a prior federal felony conviction to be served consecutively for a total sentence of 132 months.
At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence as to the prolific scope of Nunez’s leadership of a large-scale human smuggling organization that served as a “one-stop shop” for all the necessary actions to harbor and smuggle illegal aliens on the United States side of the border. Nunez worked directly with Cartel del Noreste to smuggle over 1,900 aliens which resulted in a substantial amount of illicit profits for both the CDN and Nunez.
In handing down the sentence, the court noted the sophistication of the operation, commenting that this was the largest number of aliens smuggled and the most prolific smuggler she had seen.
The investigation tied Nunez to multiple smuggling events since March 2023, including one the following December when authorities observed several people being loaded into a white trailer at a warehouse.
A subsequent search uncovered 101 aliens, including 12 unaccompanied minors locked inside the trailer. Several of them reported having difficulty breathing and feared for their lives due to the trailer’s conditions.
At the time of Nunez’s arrest, authorities searched his home and found cellphones, ledgers documenting smuggling activity, more than $36,000 in proceeds and two illegal aliens on the premises.
He has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations, FBI, Texas Department of Public Safety and Border Patrol conducted the investigation with the assistance of Customs and Border Protection, Laredo Police Department, Drug Enforcement Administration and Webb County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon Scott Bowling prosecuted the case.
Key Bank Agrees to Pay $7.7 Million to Resolve Branch Manager’s FraudRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – KeyBank National Association (“Key Bank), headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, has entered into a settlement agreement with the United States resolving allegations that the bank violated the False Claims Act by submitting for forgiveness fraudulent loans from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), which one of its branch managers had fraudulently conspired to obtain, Senior Counsel Philip Lamparello announced today.
“The Paycheck Protection Program was designed to support small businesses during the pandemic, not to enrich insiders. This resolution holds KeyBank accountable for submitting forgiveness claims it had compelling evidence were fraudulent, makes taxpayers whole, and reinforces our Office’s commitment to holding both individuals and institutions responsible for fraud.”
- Senior Counsel Philip Lamparello
According to the contentions of the United States contained in the settlement agreement:
Congress created the PPP in March 2020, as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, to provide emergency financial support to the millions of Americans suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The CARES Act authorized billions of dollars in forgivable loans to small businesses struggling to pay employees and other business expenses.
Tommy Hawkins was a bank manager at the Conshohocken Branch of Key Bank. In 2020 and early 2021, he worked with his co-conspirators to recruit individuals who owned companies with little or no actual operations to open bank accounts and apply for PPP loans at the bank branch that Hawkins managed. Hawkins helped the recruited individuals submit PPP loan applications that contained materially false representations about the companies’ number of employees and payroll expenses. The applications also included false documentation, including tax forms. Hawkins facilitated approximately four dozen applications, for which the Small Business Association (“SBA”) paid nearly $6 million. Before Key Bank became aware of the scheme, Hawkins received incentive compensation through the bank related to opening new business bank accounts for the companies that received fraudulent PPP loans. In doing so, he violated Key Bank’s policies.
In spring 2021, Key Bank detected suspicious patterns in Hawkins’ origination of new business accounts. After an internal investigation, Key Bank disclosed to the SBA its concerns with eighteen loans Key identified as potentially fraudulent. Over the ensuing months, Key Bank’s investigations identified approximately a dozen additional loans that were likely fraudulent, and it disclosed those to the SBA. Key Bank did not investigate or otherwise detect fraud in the remaining seventeen loans to Fraudulent PPP Borrowers that Hawkins facilitated during that time. Notwithstanding its concerns with the loans, Key Bank submitted forgiveness applications or guaranty purchase forms to the SBA for all forty-eight loans. Because each individual loan was below $150,000, SBA granted that forgiveness on an expedited basis.
Key Bank cooperated in the investigation of Hawkins’ misconduct, and the settlement reflects that cooperation. Key Bank has agreed to pay $7,770,595.25 to resolve claims under the civil False Claims Act and CARES Act.
“Today’s settlement of $7.7 million holds Key Bank accountable for violating the False Claims Act. This settlement resolves allegations that the bank submitted fraudulent loan applications for forgiveness under the Paycheck Protection Program. The bank did so, despite having concerns about the origination of many of the loans,” said Special Agent in Charge Patricia Tarasca, of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General (FDIC OIG), New York Region. “The FDIC OIG remains committed to working with our law enforcement partners to investigate fraud that occurred in the Paycheck Protection Program, and other instances of fraud that threaten to undermine the integrity of our Nation’s financial institutions.”
In addition to civil settlement, the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division previously charged seven individuals as part of the criminal conspiracy. On May 28, 2024, Tommy Hawkins pleaded guilty to an Information charging him with one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud. In October 2024, Hawkins was sentenced to 65 months’ imprisonment.
On July 5, 2023, William Ingram pleaded guilty to an Information charging him with conspiracy to commit bank fraud. He has not yet been sentenced.
On July 10, 2023, Yasha Barjona pleaded guilty to an Information charging him with conspiracy to commit bank fraud. He has not yet been sentenced.
On July 17, 2024, Lisa Smith pleaded guilty to an Information charging her with conspiracy to commit bank fraud. She has not yet been sentenced.
On May 23, 2024, Sieff Robert Sargeant pleaded guilty to an Information charging him with money laundering by transacting in criminal proceeds. On October 3, 2024, he was sentenced to 6 months’ imprisonment and 6 months of home detention with location monitoring.
On April 17, 2024, Eric Rivera was indicted on one count of bank fraud conspiracy, three counts of bank fraud, one count of wire fraud conspiracy, two counts of wire fraud, one count of money laundering conspiracy, and eight counts of money laundering.
Also on April 17, 2024, James Wessels was indicted on with one count of bank fraud conspiracy, three counts of bank fraud, and one count of money laundering conspiracy.
The charges and allegations contained in the Indictment against Eric Rivera and James Wessels are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Senior Counsel Lamparello credited with the investigation special agents of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation – Office of the Inspector General, New York Region, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Patricia Tarasca; special agents of the FBI’s South Jersey Resident Agency, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Wayne A. Jacobs in Philadelphia; special agents of the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General, Boston-New York Field Division, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Corwin Rattler; and special agents and attorneys of the Small Business Administration, Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Supervisory Criminal Investigator Angelo Palmeri in New York.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul W. Kaufman of the Health Care Fraud and Opioid Enforcement Unit. The government is represented in the parallel criminal investigation by former Assistant United States Attorney Daniel A. Friedman and Attorney-in-Charge Jason M. Richardson of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Criminal Division in Camden.
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.
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Counsel for Key Bank: Justin Herdman, Adam Hollingsworth, and Brittany Wilhelm, Jones Day, Cleveland, OH
keybank.agreement.pdfJustice Department Sues California Cities over Natural Gas BansRead the Press Release
Note, the press release has been updated to include a quote from ENRD.
The Justice Department has filed a lawsuit against two California cities over their ordinances banning natural gas infrastructure and appliances in new construction.
As detailed in the complaint, filed Monday in the Northern District of California, the City of Morgan Hill’s and the City of Petaluma’s natural gas bans drive up energy costs for consumers and weaken American energy dominance. These policies reflect a radical effort to outlaw federally regulated gas stoves, furnaces, water heaters, dryers, and other appliances that American families rely on every day to cook their meals and heat and run their homes.
“These natural gas bans hurt American families and are outright illegal” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Alongside the Department of Energy, the Department of Justice is working around the clock to end radical environmentalist policies, restore common sense, and unleash American energy.”
“Especially during winter, Americans deserve reliable, affordable energy,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate. “Radical local efforts to undermine American energy dominance must be stopped.”
“President Donald J. Trump’s executive orders to unleash and protect American energy reaffirm the laws Congress has passed to ensure that all Americans have reliable access to affordable energy,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “When states and cities pick winners and losers, consumers pay the price. Our complaint seeks to restore consumer choice so that people and businesses can build in a way that fits their needs best.”
The complaint asks the court to declare that the cities’ natural gas bans are preempted by federal law and enter a permanent injunction against their enforcement. And it is the latest action from the Justice Department fighting back against state and local overreach. Earlier this year, the Department filed in support of a challenge to New York City’s similar natural gas ban.
Read the full complaint here.
Justice Department Announces Largest Distribution of over $2.8 Billion to Compensate Victims of State-Sponsored TerrorismRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that the United States Victims of State Sponsored Terrorism Fund (the Fund) will provide its largest-ever distribution of compensation to victims in 2026. The Fund’s Special Master, Mary Patrice Brown, authorized distribution of $2.825 billion, which will provide compensation to nearly 22,000 victims of state‑sponsored terrorism.
“The distribution announced today brings the total compensation provided by the United States Victims of State Sponsored Terrorism Fund to over $10 billion,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The Criminal Division is honored to serve this victim community by administering the Fund. No amount of money can ever make the victims of these terrible acts whole, but this distribution aims to provide some measure of justice.”
“The department’s dedicated Fund team and I applaud the courage and perseverance of victims of state‑sponsored terrorism and their families,” said Special Master Brown. “This will be the largest distribution in the Fund’s history, as we continue to ensure that all available funds reach victims and their families.”
The Fund, established by Congress, and under the leadership of the department, serves thousands of victims of heinous acts of international state‑sponsored terrorism. The Fund previously authorized more than $7 billion for thousands of victims of state-sponsored terrorism and their families in five rounds of general distributions and two rounds of lump-sum catch-up payments. The Special Master’s authorization this year brings the amounts authorized for distribution to over $10 billion. Apart from an initial appropriation of approximately $1 billion from Congress and additional congressional appropriations for lump-sum catch-up payments, funds available for distributions result from certain Justice Department prosecutions and cases and other U.S. government enforcement actions. The amounts available for this distribution came from qualifying federal enforcement actions and the termination of the Beirut barracks and Khobar Towers reserve fund.
Since last year’s fifth distribution, more than 1,300 new claimants qualified to join the Fund, bringing the total number of eligible claimants to nearly 22,000. Claims are anticipated to grow in the coming years as more victims of state‑sponsored terrorism apply to the Fund. Although the amount of funds available is not sufficient to compensate the victims’ claims in full, this compensation provides some measure of justice for victims of state-sponsored terrorism.
More information about the Fund’s compensation to victims of state‑sponsored terrorism is available on the Fund website at www.usvsst.com, including application materials, frequently asked questions and publications.
January Federal Grand Jury 2025-A Indictments AnnouncedRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Clint Johnson today announced the results of the January Federal Grand Jury 2025-A Indictments.
The following individuals have been charged with violations of United States law in indictments returned by the Grand Jury. The return of an indictment is a method of informing a defendant of alleged violations of federal law, which must be proven in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt to overcome a defendant’s presumption of innocence.
Gelvin Garcia-Alvarado. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Garcia-Alvarado, 43, a Guatemalan national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in April 2008, October 2014, February 2017, and March 2019. Homeland Security Investigations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mallory Richard is prosecuting the case. 26-CR-010
Ruben Manuel Barraza Reyes. Receipt and Distribution of Child Pornography; Possession of Child Pornography. Barraza Reyes, 26, a Mexican national, is charged with knowingly receiving and distributing visual images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of children. Additionally, Barraza Reyes is charged with possessing visual images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of children under 12 years old. The FBI Oklahoma City and Anchorage Divisions, the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division, and the Homeland Security Investigations are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tara Heign is prosecuting the case.
26-CR-007Jacob Robin Gilmartin. Child Abuse in Indian Country. Gilmartin, 32, of Skiatook and a member of the Cherokee Nation, is charged with maliciously injuring, torturing, and maiming a minor child by throwing a knife at him and striking him. The FBI and the Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kate Brandon is prosecuting the case.
26-CR-008Austin Wayne Haley. Abusive Sexual Contact in Indian Country (Counts 1 through 7) Haley, 30, of Bixby and a member of the Cherokee Nation, is charged with engaging in unwanted sexual contact with the intent to degrade the victims for his own sexual gratification. The FBI and the Bixby Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stacey Todd is prosecuting the case. 26-CR-009
Erik Antonio Ortiz-Mora. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Ortiz-Mora, 36, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in Nov. 2012. Homeland Security Investigations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alicia Hockenbury is prosecuting the case. 26-CR-003
Sasha Jamece Phillips. Eluding a Law Enforcement Officer While Endangering Others in Indian Country. Phillips, 28, of Tulsa and a member of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, is charged with operating a motor vehicle and eluding law enforcement while endangering others. The FBI and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kate Brandon is prosecuting the case. 26-CR-004
Ramiro Rincon-Castro. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Rincon-Castro, 38, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in June 2014. Homeland Security Investigations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Flynn is prosecuting the case. 26-CR-002
Andrew Mark Southey. Sexual Exploitation of a Child; Receipt of Child Pornography. Southey, 57, of the Dominican Republic, with dual citizenship in New Zealand, is charged with coercing a minor child to produce images and videos of sexually explicit conduct. Further, Southey is charged with receiving images and videos of a minor child engaging in sexually explicit conduct. The FBI is the investigative agency. The U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the FBI LEGAT office in the Dominican Republic assisted in the arrest. Assistant U.S. Attorney Valeria Luster is prosecuting the case. 26-CR-005
Lajon Anthony Walker. Possession of Fentanyl with Intent to Distribute; Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises. Walker, 41, of Tulsa, is charged with knowingly possessing fentanyl with intent to distribute. He is additionally charged with maintaining a residence to distribute drugs. The Drug Enforcement Administration Tulsa Resident Office, the Tulsa Police Department, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Niko Boulieris is prosecuting the case.
26-CR-006Illinois Man Charged in Snapchat Hacking InvestigationRead the Press Release
BOSTON – An Illinois man has been charged in federal court in Boston with phishing the Snapchat access codes of nearly 600 women in an effort to hack their Snapchat accounts and steal nude photos, which he kept, sold, or traded on the internet.
Kyle Svara, 26, of Oswego, Ill., is charged with aggravated identity theft, wire fraud, computer fraud, conspiracy to commit computer fraud and false statements related to child pornography. The defendant will make an initial appearance in federal court in Boston on Feb. 4, 2026.
According to the charging documents, from at least May 2020 to February 2021, Svara used social engineering and other resources to collect victim emails, phone numbers and/or Snapchat usernames. He allegedly used those means of identification to access victim Snapchat accounts, which prompted Snap Inc. to send account security codes to victims. Using anonymized phone numbers, Svara allegedly posed as a representative of Snap Inc. and texted more than 4,500 victims requesting those Snapchat access codes. When approximately 570 women provided those codes, it is alleged that Svara accessed the Snapchat accounts of at least 59 women without permission and downloaded their nude or semi-nude images. It is alleged that once he had the stolen images, Svara sold or traded on them on internet forums or in transactions with others who had hired him to hack the Snapchat accounts. Svara allegedly advertised on internet forums like Reddit that he could “get into girls snap accounts” for others and provide content “for you or trade.”
As further detailed in the charging documents, one of Svara’s co-conspirators was Steve Waithe, a former Track and Field Coach at Northeastern University who allegedly hired and paid Svara to hack the Snapchat accounts of women Waithe coached or had other relationships with. In November 2023, Waithe was convicted in federal court in Boston of 12 counts of wire fraud; one count of cyberstalking; one count of conspiracy to commit computer fraud; and one count of computer fraud, aiding and abetting. In March 2024, Waithe was sentenced to five years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release.
In addition to the women Waithe and others allegedly hired Svara to hack, it is alleged that Svara also targeted women who resided in or around the area of Plainfield, Ill. or who were students at Colby College in Waterville, Maine.
Members of the public who believe they may be a victim of this case or have any relevant information related to this case are requested to please fill out the attached form to be contacted by a member of law enforcement: https://forms.fbi.gov/victims/snaphackvictims
The charge of aggravated identity theft provides for a sentence of no less than two years in prison, one year of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gross gain/loss from the offense. The charges of computer fraud and conspiracy to commit computer fraud provide for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of false statements provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years 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 Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Boston made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Chicago and the Oswego Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan Cleary of the Criminal Division is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.
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 Pedro Ramirez Covarrubias, age 53, a Mexican national, unlawfully residing in Adair County, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty to one count of Unlawful Reentry of Removed Alien, punishable by a term of imprisonment of not more than twenty 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.
The Indictment alleged that on December 3, 2025, Covarrubias, 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 from the United States on October 14, 2021. Covarrubias was convicted of First-Degree Murder on May 6, 2015, in Harris County, Texas.
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 D. Edward Snow, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Covarrubias will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Wittlinger represented the United States.
Honduran National Sentenced for Illegal Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
ROANOKE, Va. – A citizen of Honduras, living illegally in the United States after having been previously removed from the country on at least two occasions, was sentenced yesterday to time served, or approximately six months in prison for once again illegally reentering the country without authorization and for illegally possessing a firearm as an alien illegally in the United States
Brayan Sanchez-Varela, pled guilty in December 2025 to one count of possessing a firearm as an alien illegally and unlawfully present in the United States and one count of reentering the United States after having been previously deported.
According to court documents, in July 2025, Sanchez-Varela was arrested by officials in Radford, Virginia after he was observed shooting a firearm into the New River. At the time, Sanchez-Varela, and others, were illegally spearfishing.
Radford officials contacted immigration authorities who determined Sanchez-Varela was first encountered by immigration authorities in May 2011. At that time, he was ordered removed from the United States. That removal took place in June 2011.
However, Sanchez-Varela returned to the U.S. at an unknown time and immigration officials again encountered him in September 2016. He was once against ordered removed to Honduras via airplane. The second removal took place in September 2016.
At an unknown point following his second removal, and prior to his December 2025 arrest, Sanchez-Varela returned to the United States, illegally and without authorization.
The case was investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations, Virginia’s Department of Wildlife Resources’ Law Enforcement Division, and the Radford Police Department.
Acting United States Attorney Robert N. Tracci and Anthony A. Spotswood, Special Agent in Charge of the Washington Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives made the announcement.
Assistant U.S. Attorney M. Coleman Adams, and Special Assistant United States Attorney John Beamer, an Assistant Attorney General with the Virginia Attorney General’s Office, prosecuted the case for the United States.
Henryetta Resident Sentenced for Illegally Possessing FirearmsRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Joshua Devn Page, age 30, of Henryetta, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 15 months in prison for one count of Felon in Possession of Firearm.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Henryetta Police Department, and the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Lighthorse Tribal Police Department.
On June 5, 2025, Page pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on December 18, 2024, Page attempted to secure a personal loan at an Okmulgee pawn shop using two firearms as collateral. At the time of the exchange, Page had been previously convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year imprisonment.
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. Page will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan E. Soverly represented the United States.
Helena man sentenced to 15 years in prison for illegal firearm possessionRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS – A Helena man who possessed a firearm illegally was sentenced today to 180 months in prison to be followed by 5 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Chaz Dean Cox, 29, pleaded guilty in September 2025 to one count of prohibited person in possession of a firearm.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.
The government alleged in court documents that in April 2019, Chaz Dean Cox was convicted of multiple felony counts of burglary and drug possession in Lewis and Clark County. Because of his convictions, the defendant was prohibited from owning, possessing, transferring or controlling any firearm or ammunition.
On March 31, 2024, law enforcement officers were on patrol in Helena and saw Cox and his co-defendant accessing the interior of a vehicle. Cox was taken into custody based on active arrest warrants. Officers seized the involved vehicle based on plain view observations related to suspected drug possession.
On April 1, 2024, law enforcement obtained and executed a search warrant on the vehicle. Items seized from the vehicle included a loaded 7.62x25mm caliber pistol.
In a law enforcement interview, Cox denied possessing the firearm. His co-defendant was interviewed and admitted concocting a lie with Cox about who possessed the gun to prevent Cox from getting into trouble. The co-defendant was not responsible for getting the gun, and it belonged to Cox. The first time the co-defendant saw the gun was the night before Cox was arrested and Cox was worried about getting caught with the gun.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The ATF, Lewis and Clark County Sheriff’s Office, Helena Police Department, and State of Montana Probation and Parole conducted the investigation.
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Honduran Man Sentenced for Possession of Child Pornography and Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Marco Tulio Gonzalez-Oliva, 25, of Honduras, was sentenced to 51 months in prison after previously pleading guilty to illegal reentry and possession of child pornography. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “The possession of child sexual abuse material is a disgusting offense that perpetuates a cycle of victimization for the innocent children who have been exploited and abused, and my office remains committed to aggressively prosecuting offenders like this defendant to put an end to that. Thanks to the excellent investigative work of the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations, this criminal illegal alien will spend years in federal prison before being deported. My office remains committed to fulfilling the mandate of Operation Take Back America by keeping our communities safe and our border secure.”
According to court records, the defendant was encountered in Okaloosa County, Florida, during the execution of a search warrant at a residence. During a search of the defendant’s cell phone, law enforcement located photographs and videos of child pornography. Investigators also determined the defendant was an illegal alien present in the United States after being previously deported in 2023.
“Protecting children from online exploitation is not just a duty—it's a moral responsibility,” said Homeland Security Investigations Tallahassee Assistant Special Agent in Charge Nicholas Ingegno. “Every image and video of child sexual abuse shared on the dark web perpetuates victimization. We will relentlessly pursue those who prey on the innocent, preventing these predators from using the internet as a safe haven.”
“No child should ever be victimized by a predator and we're happy our efforts and partnership helped lead to this sentencing,” said Sheriff Eric Aden, Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office. “It sends a clear message that possessing child pornography or illegally reentering our country to commit crimes will reap consequences through the results of an united ongoing mission to protect our children.”
The conviction and sentence were the result of a joint investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney 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.
The case was also 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 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 http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Guatemalan National with Negligent Homicide Conviction Sentenced for Illegally Reentering U.S., Attempting to Engage in Sex with MinorRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that RAFAEL VINCENTE VINCENTE, also known as “Rafael Vicente Vicente,” “Vincente Carlos Vincente,” “Carlos Vincente,” “Carlos Vicente,” “Rafael A Vincente,” and “Rafael A Vicente,” 41, a citizen of Guatemala last residing in New London, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Sarala V. Nagala in Hartford to 78 months of imprisonment for illegally reentering the U.S. after being deported, and attempting to engage in sex with a minor.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in October 2004, Vincente, who has never held legal immigration status in the U.S., was convicted in Connecticut Superior Court of negligent homicide and evading responsibility for a motor vehicle accident resulting in death, and was sentenced to a 10-year term of incarceration, suspended after 13 months. In July 2005, he was deported to Guatemala.
Vincente subsequently reentered the U.S. and, on June 7, 2024, was arrested by Groton Town Police after he was caught in an undercover law enforcement operation in which he responded to an advertisement on Skip the Games, a website commonly used to advertise commercial sexual activity, and traveled to a hotel in Groton to meet a 15-year-old girl for sex.
Vincente has been detained since his federal arrest on November 21, 2024. On September 4, 2025, he pleaded guilty to illegal reentry, and admitted that he attempted to entice, patronize, or solicit a minor in violation of federal law.
This matter was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Enforcement and Removal Operations, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Gordon.
U.S. Attorney Sullivan thanked the State’s Attorney’s Office for the Judicial District of New London for its cooperation in the prosecution of this case.
Guatemalan National Indicted for Illegal Reentry into the United StatesRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Guatemalan man was indicted by federal grand jury today for illegally reentering the United States after he was previously deported.
Edras Leonel Alcides Ramirez-Peralta, 35, was charged in a one-count indictment with illegal reentry.
On December 17, 2025, Ramirez-Peralta was arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Criminal Alien Program (ICE CAP) Agents for being unlawfully present in the United States. Agents determined that Ramirez-Peralta had recently been deported to Guatemala on November 15, 2024.
The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rudolph R. Rhodes IV. It was investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO).
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.
Georgia man sentenced to 70 months in federal prison for leading $90,000+ bank fraud, identity theft scheme in downstate IllinoisRead the Press Release
EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – A district judge sentenced a Georgia man to 70 months in federal prison after he admitted to leading a check cashing conspiracy that involved stealing the identities and checks belonging to local business owners and defrauding financial institutions across central and southern Illinois.
Traveon H. Reese, 31, of Atlanta, Georgia, pleaded guilty in August 2025 to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, one count of bank fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft. Reese will serve the 70-month term of federal imprisonment following a 20-year term on similar state charges in Iowa.
“This conspiracy victimized numerous hardworking people across central and southern Illinois by trying to cash bogus checks belonging to legitimate businesses at local financial institutions, leaving the banks on the hook and causing them financial harm when successful,” said U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft. “This case required an extensive investigation, and I commend the work by the local police departments, the Illinois State Police and the FBI to bring the offenders to justice.”
According to court documents, the conspiracy occurred on several occasions in southern Illinois from March through May 2023. Conspirators stole business checks from the mail, copied the account information and printed fraudulent checks using forged signatures of the local business owners.
"Identity theft and bank fraud can financially decimate a business owner's life," said ISP Director Brendan F. Kelly. "ISP special agents will continue to work with our local and federal law enforcement partners to fully investigate these cases to help bring the perpetrators to justice."
Reese and his conspirators then recruited individuals, often from local homeless shelters or bus terminals, to cash the fraudulent checks on their behalf. In total, members of the conspiracy attempted to cash 26 checks for an intended loss of at least $93,413.19. The actual loss suffered by the financial institutions was an estimated $46,842.47.
The conspiracy targeted financial institutions across central and southern Illinois in Arthur, Champaign, Charleston, Collinsville, Effingham, Greenup, Marion, Marshall, Oblong, Olney, Royalton, Sigel, Teutopolis and Waterloo.
Co-defendants charged in the conspiracy include:
- Brandon R. Cooperwood, 25, of Rex, Georgia, pleaded guilty in November 2024 to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, one count of bank fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft and was sentenced to 42 months’ imprisonment.
- DeMarcos M. Miller, 22, of Atlanta, Georgia, pleaded guilty in March 2025 to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, one count of bank fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft and was sentenced to 36 months’ imprisonment.
- T’ziah T. Thomas, 25, of Villa Rica, Georgia, pleaded guilty in July 2025 to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, one count of bank fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft and was sentenced to 36 months’ imprisonment.
- Joshua C. Pruitt, 25, of Rex, Georgia, pleaded guilty in August 2025 to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, one count of bank fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft and is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 26 at the federal courthouse in East St. Louis.
The Illinois State Police led the investigation with support from the FBI Springfield Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Zoe Gross is prosecuting the case.
Georgia Man Sentenced to 200 Months in Prison for Crimes Involving Missouri TeenRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Matthew T. Schelp on Wednesday sentenced a Georgia man who committed sex crimes with a 15-year-old Missouri girl to 200 months in prison.
Carlan Travis Penney Jr., now 46, pleaded guilty in October to coercion and enticement of a minor and transportation of a minor across state lines with the intent to engage in illegal sexual activity. He admitted meeting the 15-year-old online and exchanging nude photos with her. Penney then rented a car, drove to Missouri and picked the girl up. Penney tried to destroy her laptop and phone to conceal his crime and brought the victim to Georgia, where he engaged in sexual activity with her.
The teen’s family alerted the local sheriff’s office when she went missing, and the sheriff’s office enlisted the assistance of the FBI. FBI special agents learned that the teen had been in contact with Penney, and investigators rescued her from a home belonging to Penney’s family.
After his release from prison, Penney will be on supervised release for life.
“Carlan Penney Jr. attempted to conceal his identity and cover his tracks, including destroying and discarding the victim’s mobile devices. Still, the FBI found the victim’s location in Georgia within 24 hours,” said Special Agent in Charge Chris Crocker of the FBI St. Louis Division. “We want to thank again the Worth County and Crisp County Sheriff’s Offices for recovering the girl safely after Penney refused to comply with orders for more than half an hour.”
The FBI’s St. Louis Division, FBI Atlanta’s Albany Resident Agency, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the Worth County (Georgia) Sheriff’s Office and the Crisp County (Georgia) Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Hayes 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.