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16 December 2025
Justice Department Sues the Virgin Islands Police Department for Unconstitutional Practices Resulting in Effective Denials of Gun PermitsRead the Press Release
Today, the Justice Department filed a complaint against the Virgin Islands Police Department (VIPD) alleging that the territory’s unreasonable delays and conditions on lawful gun owners’ rights create an unconstitutional permitting process in violation of the Second Amendment. Numerous applicants complained that VIPD is unreasonably delaying their gun permit application decisions and added unreasonable conditions, including bolted-in gun safes, prior to issuing gun licenses. Finally, VIPD continues to enforce a proper cause regulation nearly identical to the law that the U.S. Supreme Court previously struck down in another case years ago.
“This Civil Rights Division will protect the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The newly-established Second Amendment Section filed this lawsuit to bring the Virgin Islands Police Department back into legal compliance by ensuring that applicants receive timely decisions without unconstitutional obstruction.”
“The territory’s firearms licensing laws and practices are inconsistent with the Second Amendment,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Sleeper for the District of the U.S. Virgin Islands. “This lawsuit seeks to uphold the rights of law-abiding citizens to bear arms in the U.S. Virgin Islands.”
In 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a regulation it labeled “proper cause,” which New York law enforcement used to deny gun permits if the applicant did not provide “proper cause” reasons for the gun permit. That case, New York State Rifle & Pistol Association Inc. v. Bruen, is the established law of the land, including the territory of the Virgin Islands. Today, the Virgin Islands maintains and enforces a law nearly identical to the overturned law. Additionally, complaints have poured in from residents showing unconstitutional delays and requirements, including police conducting unconstitutionally unreasonable home searches — the very type of requirements the U.S. Supreme Court finds abusive in permitting schemes. The lawsuit is filed in the U.S. District Court of the Virgin Islands.
The Civil Rights Division enforces the Second Amendment, the Police Pattern or Practice Act (34 U.S.C. § 12601), and Executive Order 14206. If you are a current or prospective gun owner and believe your gun permit application is subject to unconstitutional delays or practices, please submit a complaint through justice.gov/crt/second-amendment-section.
Jamestown woman pleads guilty to drug and gun chargesRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Alisha Klinger, 45, Jamestown, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, which carry The charges carry a mandatory minimum penalty of 17 years in prison and a maximum of life.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua A. Violanti, who is handling the case, stated that Klinger conspired with co-defendant Jacob Snow and others to sell heroin, fentanyl, and methamphetamine in the Jamestown area. Conspiracy members utilized acts of violence to collect alleged drug debts. On December 24, 2020, Klinger and an individual identified as D.R. went to the residence of Holly Berenguer, associate of Klinger to collect on an alleged debt. D.R. struck Berenguer in the face with a handgun, causing a facial fracture, orbital fracture, and multiple contusions. The handgun discharged, but the bullet did not strike Berenguer. On January 2, 2021, a vehicle Klinger and Snow were riding in was stopped by Jamestown Police. A search of the vehicle recovered $8,648, a blue crystal-like substance, and cell phones. A search of Klinger’s person recovered approximately 41 grams of fentanyl. On May 24, 2021, Klinger participated in the robbery of Victim 1. Klinger and D.R. took Victim 1 from a residence at gunpoint and drove to a wooded area in Jamestown, where they were joined by co-defendant Snow. Victim 1 was assaulted in retaliation for stealing approximately $10,000 of heroin/fentanyl and methamphetamine from Snow. Victim 1 was made to take off her clothes and walk back to town.
On June 24, 2021, a search warrant was executed at Klinger’s residence, during which methamphetamine, fentanyl, drug paraphernalia, and $29,316 in cash was recovered. On November 19, 2021, Klinger and two others, brandishing weapons, robbed Victim 2, who owed Klinger money for drugs. Victim 2 was hit in the face with a gun and zip tied.
Jacob Snow was previously convicted and is awaiting sentencing.
This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Buffalo comprises agents and officers from Homeland Security Investigations and the Federal bureau of Investigation.
This indictment is a result of an investigation by the Jamestown Police Department, under the direction of Chief Timothy Jackson, the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Frank A. Tarentino III, New York Field Division, and the Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff James Quattrone.
Sentencing is scheduled for February 26, 2026, before Judge Vilardo.
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Jamestown man pleads guilty to selling drugs that caused serious bodily injuryRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that David Sekerak Ledesma, 52, of Jamestown, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr. to distribution of controlled substances causing serious bodily injury, which carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 20 years in prison, a maximum of life, and a fine of $1,000,000.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua A. Violanti and Nicholas A. Testani, who are handling the case, stated that between 2020 and 2023, Ledesma conspired with others to sell narcotics for profit, utilizing social media to conduct his drug trafficking activities. Ledesma and co-defendant Susan Walker also maintained two Lafayette Street residences in Jamestown for their drug trafficking activities. In July 2020, Ledesma sold drugs to an individual identified as A.R., who overdosed and suffered seriously bodily injury.
In April 2021, Ledesma was pulled over by a Pennsylvania State Trooper, who search the vehicle and recovered a bag containing heroin and fentanyl. He was convicted of a felony in Pennsylvania. During the investigation, investigators conducted several controlled purchases from Ledesma. In July 2021, a search warrant was executed at the Lafayette Street residences associated with Ledesma, during which cash, a quantity of heroin and a cell phone was seized. In April 2023, another search warrant was executed at one of the Lafayette Street residences. During that search, drug paraphernalia, cellular phones, and cash were seized.
Charges remain pending against Susan Walker.
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).
The plea is the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Frank Tarentino, III, New York Field Division, the Jamestown Metro Drug Task Force, under the direction of Jamestown Police Chief Timothy Jackson, and the Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff James Quattrone.
Sentencing is scheduled for June 10, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. before Judge Sinatra.
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Irish National Pleads Guilty to Multi-State Home Repair Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – An Irish National who was living unlawfully in the United States has pleaded guilty in federal court in Rhode Island on charges related to his role in a scheme to defraud homeowners in Rhode Island and Massachusetts, said Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom.
John O’Brien, 28, pleaded guilty on December 10,2025, to wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud. O’Brien will be sentenced on March 11, 2026. The sentence imposed will be determined by a federal district judge after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
According to court documents, O’Brien and his co-conspirators induced homeowners to pay for home repairs that were unnecessary and often not completed. O’Brien falsely claimed structural problems, overstated repair needs, and misrepresented the need for the repairs and services, as well as the qualifications of his purported construction companies, including Traditional Masonry & Construction. Investigators estimate that the scheme defrauded homeowners of more than $1.5 million.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Taylor A. Dean and Sandra R. Hebert.
The matter was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Warwick and East Providence Police Departments.
This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Rhode Island comprises agents and officers from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Drug Enforcement Administration, Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, U.S. Marshals Service, ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, Naval Criminal Investigative Service, U.S. Department of Labor-Office of Inspector General, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Intelligence & Analysis, and Rhode Island Police Departments in Warwick, Newport, Providence, East Providence, and Lincoln, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Rhode Island.
Illegal Honduran National Indicted on Drug and Immigration Crimes in Utah after Law Enforcement Allegedly Seized 21,000 Fentanyl PillsRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – An undocumented Honduran national living in the United States illegally, was remanded into federal custody following his initial appearance on drug and immigration crimes.
Norlan Guillermo Andino-Torres, 33, of Honduras, who has been living in West Jordan, Utah, was indicted by a federal grand jury on December 10, 2025, after he allegedly sold law enforcement fentanyl during a controlled buy, and after they seized approximately 21,000 fentanyl pills during the execution of a search warrant.
According to court documents, during the first week of December 2025, FBI agents conducted a controlled purchase of fentanyl from Andino-Torres, which field-tested positive for the presence of fentanyl. Subsequently, on December 4, 2025, his vehicle and residence in West Jordan were searched pursuant to a search warrant. Agents seized 1,131 grams of fentanyl (approximately 11,000 pills) from his vehicle. Agents also seized an additional 1,043 grams of fentanyl (approximately 10,000 pills) from his residence. Andino-Torres was taken into custody. According to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Andino-Torres, has been removed from the United States on six prior occasions dating back to 2012.
Andino-Torres is charged with possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute, and reentry of a previously removed alien. A three-day jury trial is scheduled for February 17, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. in courtroom 3.1. before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.
United States Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the District of Utah made the announcement.
The case is being investigated jointly by FBI Wasatch Metro Drug Task Force, the Utah County Major Crimes Task Force and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Special Assistant United States Attorney Peter Reichman of the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Illegal Alien Sentenced to Federal Prison for Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
On November 25, 2025, Carlos Zamudio-Hernandez, 43, from Mexico, was sentenced to 24 months’ imprisonment. Zamudio-Hernandez pled guilty on September 10, 2025, to illegal re-entry of a previously removed alien, in federal court in Sioux City.
Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings showed that Zamudio-Hernandez is a citizen of Mexico. Zamudio-Hernandez was previously deported from the United States in September 2020, after serving a 10-year term in federal prison for methamphetamine trafficking. Zamudio-Hernandez admitted that he illegally reentered the United States and was later found in the United States in November 2024 in Twin Falls, Idaho, then in June 2025 in California.
Sentencing was held before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Zamudio-Hernandez was sentenced to 24 months’ imprisonment and must serve a three-year term of supervised release following imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. Zamudio-Hernandez remains in custody of the United States Marshal until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-4049. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Huntington Resident Pleads Guilty to Role in Huntington-Area Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Yesterday, Erin Leigh Keeney, 41, of Huntington, pleaded guilty to distribution of carfentanil.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 24, 2025, Keeney sold approximately 1 gram of suspected fentanyl to a confidential informant in Huntington in exchange for $100. As part of her guilty plea, Keeney admitted to conducting the transaction and to telling the confidential informant about a gun for sale.
Keeney, Earl Michael “Mike” Myers, Joe Sidney Cross, and Maurice Kelly Johnson, also known as “Reese,” all from Huntington, were indicted by a federal grand jury on charges alleging they conspired to distribute fentanyl, cocaine base, and methamphetamine in the Huntington area from at least in and around March 2025 to in and around August 2025. The indictment against Cross and Johnson remain pending. Two other individuals were indicted separately as a result of the same investigation including Donovan Dewayne Pauley, 20, of Huntington, who pleaded guilty on October 27, 2025, to possession of a short-barreled shotgun not registered to him in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record. Pauley is scheduled to be sentenced on February 9, 2026.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Keeney is scheduled to be sentenced on March 30, 2026. Keeney faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $1 million.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Huntington Police Department, and the Huntington Violent Crime and Drug Task Force.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie Taylor is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:25-cr-161.
Houston man sentenced to federal prison in ATM crime spreeRead the Press Release
PLANO, Texas – A Houston man has been sentenced to federal prison for a violent crime spree in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Justin Williams, 26, pleaded guilty to bank theft and was sentenced to 57 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Sean D. Jordan on December 15, 2025. Williams was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $112,212.
According to court documents, from June 2020 to June 2024, Williams was involved in a crime spree referred to as “Hook and Chain” burglaries, which involved stealing a truck, attaching hooks and chains to the vehicle, and using it to drag the door off an ATM to retrieve the cash currency from the machine. This crime spree involved several burglaries in the DFW area, including the Texas Bank on South Preston Road in Prosper, the BB&T on Legacy Drive in Frisco, and the First United Bank in Pottsboro. The conspiracy resulted in the theft of approximately $363,000 and damages to ATMs and property of at least $250,000.
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.
This case was investigated by the FBI, Fort Worth Police Department, and Pottsboro Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Johnson.
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Honduran National Sentenced for Illegal Reentry and Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that BRYAN JAVIER PEREZ-ESPINOZA (“PEREZ-ESPINOZA,”), age 33, a native of Honduras, was sentenced on December 3, 2025, to 21 months in federal prison.
According to court documents, PEREZ-ESPINOZA, an illegal alien previously removed to Honduras on September 30, 2022, was found in Orleans Parish on March 23, 2024. He was later charged in a superseding indictment on May 22, 2025, with reentry of a removed alien, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a), and illegal alien in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(5)(A) and 924(a)(8).
This prosecution was part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide Department of Justice initiative aimed at repelling illegal immigration, dismantling transnational criminal organizations, and protecting communities from violent crime. The operation unites the resources of the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) programs.
Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Department of Homeland Security, as well as their local and federal law enforcement partners, for their handling of this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Spiro G. Latsis of the General Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
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Honduran Man Sentenced to 25 Months in Federal Prison for Aggravated Identity Theft and Related Fraud ChargesRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Mary S. Scriven today sentenced Juan Ariel Molina-Salles (35, Honduras) to two years and one month in federal prison for aggravated identity theft, false representation of a Social Security number, and making a false claim of United States citizenship for employment purposes. The court ordered the sentence to run consecutive to his 12-year state sentence in case no. 22-CF-09348 in the Sixth Judicial Circuit Court in Pinellas County for leaving the scene of a crash involving death. Molina-Salles pleaded guilty on September 15, 2025.
According to court documents, Archer Western-de Moya Group Joint Venture II (Joint Venture) is enrolled in E-Verify, a web-based system through which employers electronically confirm the employment eligibility of their employees. Molina-Salles is an illegal alien from Honduras with no lawful status in the United States. On February 16, 2022, Molina-Salles applied for employment with the Joint Venture in Pinellas County and filled out an I-9 form for use in the E-Verify system. On that form, Molina-Salles falsely identified himself as a United States citizen and used another person’s means of identification to defeat the E-Verify system. Molina-Salles provided no documents or other proof that he was trained or qualified to operate a front-end loader or other heavy construction equipment.
Molina-Salles was working at the Joint Venture’s highway construction site in Pinellas County under the stolen identity on the evening of September 22, 2022. That night, while operating a front-end loader, he struck and killed Deputy Michael Hartwick, a 19-year veteran of the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office. Rather than staying at the scene and attempting to assist Deputy Hartwick, first responders, and investigators, Molina-Salles handed his construction helmet and safety vest to a co-worker, told the co-worker to get rid of those items, and fled. On September 23, 2022, Molina-Salles was arrested in connection with Deputy Hartwick’s death.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Department of Transportation – Office of Inspector General, the Social Security Administration–Office of the Inspector General, the United States Border Patrol, the Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Christopher F. Murray.
Head of Albuquerque Fentanyl Trafficking Organization SentencedRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE - David Mendoza-Enriquez was sentenced to 17 years in federal prison for leading a drug trafficking organization responsible for moving tens of thousands of fentanyl pills from Mexico into Albuquerque, along with alien smuggling and importing illegal wildlife.
According to court records, from at least 2020 through January 2023, Mendoza, 42, a Mexican national illegally present in the United States, was the head of a fentanyl distribution network that transported large quantities of pills from Juarez across the U.S. border and onto Albuquerque streets. Beginning in 2020, law enforcement initiated an undercover investigation that resulted in multiple controlled purchases directly from Mendoza, including a 2022 transaction involving nearly 5,000 fentanyl pills at his restaurant, Taco-H. Mendoza coordinated additional multi-thousand-pill deals and handled drug proceeds.
The investigation intensified in early 2023 following a shooting tied to Mendoza’s associates. During the response to that incident, officers discovered a live tiger cub concealed inside a trailer. The tiger cub, now named “Duke,” was transferred to the ABQ BioPark, and later to the Wild Animal Sanctuary in Keenesburg, Colorado.
Further investigation revealed that Mendoza had also conspired to import other exotic animals for profit and sought to expand his criminal operation into alien smuggling, arranging for his sons and other individuals to be transported from Mexico into the United States. On one occasion, he directed aliens to cross the border alongside an alligator, which had its mouth taped shut.
Alligator with mouth taped shut
Photo of Duke courtesy of the Wild Animal Sanctuary
Photo of Duke courtesy of the Wild Animal SanctuaryMendoza was charged along with 13 co-defendants in a 26-count superseding indictment returned in January 2024, alleging drug and firearms trafficking offenses. Mendoza later plead guilty to eight federal charges, including conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, four counts of distribution of fentanyl, alien in possession of ammunition, conspiracy to smuggle aliens, and conspiracy to violate the Lacey Act for illegal wildlife trafficking.
To date, 14 co-defendants have pled guilty and seven have been sentenced.
Acting U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison, Omar Arellano, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s El Paso Division, Ryan G. McRae, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations - El Paso, and Doug Ault, Assistant Director for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Office of Law Enforcement, made the announcement today.
The Drug Enforcement Administration investigated this case with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations - El Paso, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, New Mexico Department of Game and Fish, the Albuquerque Police Department, the Rio Rancho Police Department, the Pojoaque Pueblo Police Department, the Laguna Police Department, the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office, the Sandoval County Sheriff’s Office, the New Mexico State Police.
Assistant U.S. Attorney David Hirsch prosecuted the case as part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Guatemalan National Sentenced for Illegal Re-Entry ChargeRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Deborah L. Boardman sentenced Cesar Odilo Contreras-Lopez, 27, a Guatemalan national residing in Hyattsville, Maryland, to 63 days in federal prison for re-entry of an illegal alien after a prior removal.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Acting Field Office Director Vernon Liggins, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE-ERO) – Baltimore Field Office.
According to his guilty plea, Contreras-Lopez was illegally in the United States. Contreras-Lopez was previously removed from the U.S. following proceedings before an immigration judge. As part of his removal, Contreras-Lopez was advised that he is permanently excluded from re-entering the U.S.
Following his removal, Contreras-Lopez voluntarily and unlawfully re-entered the U.S. without inspection or permission. He never sought nor obtained the consent of the Attorney General of the United States or the Secretary of Homeland Security to apply for re-admission.
According to a criminal complaint filed in the case, Contreras-Lopez initially unlawfully entered the U.S. at a place other than a designated point of entry on an unknown date and at an unknown location. On November 5, 2016, Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Baltimore assisted the Prince George’s County Police Department with a search warrant. Law enforcement encountered Contreras-Lopez during the search and determined that heentered the U.S. unlawfully. Additionally, Contreras-Lopez confirmed his Guatemalan nationality and his association with La Mara Salvatrucha, commonly referred to as MS-13.
On January 9, 2017, an immigration judge ordered Contreras-Lopez’s removal which occurred on February 2. Then on July 10, USBP encountered Contreras-Lopez again, this time near Carrizo Springs, Texas. He pled guilty and received a 25-day sentence. Following the sentence, Contreras-Lopez was removed from the U.S. back to Guatemala.
Then on an unknown date and at an unknown location, Contreras-Lopez unlawfully re-entered the U.S. again. On September 14, 2023, ERO Baltimore found Contreras-Lopez leaving a Hyattsville, Maryland residence.
Law enforcement arrested Contreras-Lopez without incident, and he was removed to Guatemala on November 2. But Contreras-Lopez then unlawfully re-entered the U.S. again on an unknown date at an unknown location.
In October 2025, USMS and ERO San Antonio officers teamed up on an enforcement operation in Washington, DC in connection with a joint-crime initiative. On October 13, USMS located Contreras-Lopez driving a vehicle. Law enforcement stopped the car, but Contreras-Lopez attempted to flee on foot before authorities apprehend him.
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.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended ICE-ERO for its work in this investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Darren Gardner and William Moomau who prosecuted the federal case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Georgia Woman Sentenced to 100 Months in Prison for Defrauding WidowerRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Matthew T. Schelp on Tuesday sentenced a woman to 100 months in prison for fraudulently taking over the finances of a 74-year-old widower in a nursing home to steal $453,000.
Judge Schelp also ordered Shanita Gray, 52, to repay the money and had her immediately taken into custody.
Judge Schelp compared Gray to a shark that sensed a vulnerable victim and took full advantage “with the relentless desire to fulfill your greed.” He said she continued to lie even after pleading guilty to her crime by falsely claiming that a bogus power of attorney was legitimate. She has also filed complaints and lawsuits against those who tried to stop the fraud. “You’ll say and do whatever it takes to benefit yourself,” he told Gray.
In her August plea agreement, Gray admitted approaching a licensed notary public in Georgia to notarize a document seeking guardianship of the victim and altering it to appear as if the victim was present at the time. She appended that altered page to the first twelve pages of a durable financial power of attorney form to give the appearance that she had the authority to conduct financial transactions on his behalf. She admitted using that counterfeit power of attorney form to access his medical records and cause him “substantial financial hardship.”
In a sentencing memo, Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracy Berry wrote that less than 48 hours after receiving notice of the death of the victim’s eldest son, Gray traveled to St. Louis from Georgia and began pillaging the victim’s home to compile the personal identifying information and account information of the victim and his deceased wife and mother. During the scheme, she used the victim’s assets to pay for first-class travel to the Dominican Republic and Hawaii and made direct transfers of cash to herself and relatives and purchases from Queen’s Jewelry, Louis Vuitton, Gucci, and Versace, the memo says.
The nursing home’s former director testified Tuesday that the victim did not want contact with Gray, did not want her in his home and did not want her to have access to his finances, which he wanted to preserve for his youngest son.
The Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General and the Maryland Heights Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracy Berry prosecuted the case.
Gainesville Man Sentenced to More Than Ten Years for Role in Convenience Store RobberyRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Daniel L. Hovland has sentenced Jhakheem Smith (26, Gainesville) to 10 years and 6 months in federal prison for the armed robbery of a convenience store in Clearwater in November 2023. Earlier this year, Smith pleaded guilty to robbing and conspiring to rob the store. He pleaded not guilty to brandishing a firearm during a violent crime. Smith proceeded to trial on the firearm charge. A federal jury found Smith guilty of the firearm offense in March 2025.
According to testimony and evidence presented at the trial, on November 8, 2023,
Store surveillance video showed Jones and Smith jumping over the counter to confront the victim. The video also showed Smith searching throughout the store for a safe which allegedly contained additional money. The safe was never found. The store surveillance video also showed Smith attempting to damage the store surveillance cameras. Text messages obtained pursuant to a search warrant for Jones’s phone revealed text messages between Jones and Smith planning the robbery.
Jones pleaded guilty to all three charges in the indictment. On February 6, 2025, Jones was sentenced to 12 years and 11 months in federal prison.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Clearwater Police Department, the Largo Police Department, and the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Samantha Newman.
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.
Four Charged with Human Smuggling and Illegal Entry OffensesRead the Press Release
Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that Fabian Ronald Reyes-Lopez, 36, of Ecuador, Kelbys Josefina Velazquez-Guitierrez, 43, of Puerto Ordoz, Venezuela, Solanger Almonte-Lopez, 39, of Cieza, Spain, and David Christopher Burke, 43, of Piltown, Ireland, have been charged by criminal complaint in the United States District Court for the District of Vermont. Reyes-Lopez and Velazquez-Gutierrez have been charged with attempting to transport illegal aliens in furtherance of their entry into the United States, a felony charge. Almonte-Lopez and Burke have been charged with being aliens who illegally entered the United States, a misdemeanor charge.
On December 10, 2025, all the defendants appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle, who ordered that Velazquez-Gutierrez and Almonte-Lopez be detained during the pendency of this matter. Judge Doyle ordered that Reyes-Lopez be released on conditions. Burke plead guilty to the charged offense immediately after his initial appearance.
According to court records, Almonte-Lopez and Burke crossed into the United States from Canada late at night on December 8 near Franklin, Vermont with the assistance of two other unidentified people. Reyes-Lopez and Velazquez-Gutierrez were waiting in a car to pick up Almonte-Lopez and Burke. United States Border Patrol agents detected the crossing and took all the defendants into custody.
The United States Attorney’s Office emphasizes that the complaint contains allegations only and that Reyes-Lopez, Velazquez-Gutierrez, and Almonte-Lopez are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. As mentioned above, Burke plead guilty the same day of his initial appearance, and received a sentence of time served. Reyes-Lopez and Velazquez-Gutierrez face up to 10 years in prison if convicted. Almonte-Lopez faces up to 6 months in prison if convicted. The actual sentence, however, would be determined by the District Court with guidance from the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines and the statutory sentencing factors.
First Assistant United States Attorney Michael P. Drescher commended the investigatory efforts of the United States Border Patrol.
The prosecutor is Special Assistant United States Attorney Charles W. Kirkham. Reyes-Lopez is represented by Devin T. McKnight, Esq. Velazquez-Gutierrez is represented by Assistant Federal Public Defender Charles N. Curlett, Jr. Almonte-Lopez is represented by Chandler W. Matson, Esq. Burke was represented by Karen R. Shingler, Esq.
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.
Fort Dodge Man Pleads Guilty to Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Melvin Boone, 46, from Fort Dodge, Iowa, pled guilty December 15, 2025, in federal court in Sioux City, to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine within 1,000 feet of a protected location.
At the plea hearing, Boone admitted that between October 2023, and March 2025, he and others conspired to distribute over 5 pounds of methamphetamine in the Fort Dodge area. Evidence also showed that in July 2024, Boone distributed 2 ounces of methamphetamine to an individual cooperating with law enforcement within 1,000 feet of St. Edmond Catholic School in Fort Dodge. Boone admitted to receiving and distributing methamphetamine with a number of individuals in Fort Dodge.
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand [will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Boone remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Boone faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $20,000,000 fine, and at least ten years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, the Webster County Sheriff’s Office, the Fort Dodge Police Department, and the Iowa DCI Criminalistic Laboratory.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-3027. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Former Missouri State Trooper Admits Searching Women’s Phones for Nude ImagesRead the Press Release
CAPE GIRARDEAU – A former Missouri State Highway Patrol trooper on Tuesday admitted unlawfully searching women’s cell phones during traffic stops to find nude pictures.
David McKnight, 40, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Cape Girardeau to nine counts of deprivation of rights under color of law, namely the right to be free from unreasonable search and seizure. He admitted unlawfully searching and seizing photographs from the cell phones of seven women and unlawfully searching the phones of two more women from Sept. 12, 2023, to July 30, 2024, while on duty, in uniform and traveling in a marked Missouri State Highway Patrol (MSHP) vehicle. During separate traffic stops of five of the victims, McKnight took their cell phones away from them and to his patrol car, claiming that he needed to confirm their identification or insurance coverage. He arrested another woman and took possession of her cellular phone incident to her arrest. He encountered another after an accident, one after a breakdown and one when she reported a careless driver. McKnight searched their phones without a warrant or probable cause to find nude images of the victims or their loved ones and then used his own cell phone to take photographs of some of the images he found.
After two victims became suspicious of his actions, they reported him to the MSHP. Forensic analysis revealed that McKnight had searched through their phones going into folders that contained nude photographs of them. Subsequent investigation revealed evidence of the other victims.
McKnight is scheduled to be sentenced on March 24, 2026.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol and the FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine Krug is prosecuting the case.
Former Harvard Morgue Manager and Wife Sentenced for Trafficking Stolen Human RemainsRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Cedric Lodge, age 58, and Denise Lodge, age 65, both of Goffstown, New Hampshire, were sentenced on December 16, 2025, by Chief United States District Judge Matthew W. Brann to interstate transport of stolen human remains. Cedric Lodge was sentenced to 96 months in prison and Denise Lodge received a sentence of 12 months and a day in prison.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, from 2018 through at least March 2020, Cedric Lodge participated in the sale and interstate transport of human remains stolen from Harvard Medical School morgue, located in Boston, Massachusetts. Cedric Lodge, who was then employed as the manager of the Harvard Medical School Morgue, removed human remains, including organs, brains, skin, hands, faces, dissected heads, and other parts, from donated cadavers after they had been used for research and teaching purposes but before they could be disposed of according to the anatomical gift donation agreement between the donor and the school. Cedric Lodge took the remains without the knowledge or permission of his employer, the donor, or the donor’s family, and transported the remains to his home in New Hampshire. After he and his wife Denise Lodge sold the remains, they would ship the remains to the buyers in other states or the buyer would take possession directly and transport the remains themselves. Remains stolen and sold by the Lodges were transported from the morgue in Boston to locations in Salem, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Pennsylvania.
Lodge sold remains to Joshua Taylor and Andrew Ensanian, among others. Many of the remains purchased from Lodge were resold for a profit, including to Jeremy Pauley, who previously entered a guilty plea to conspiracy and interstate transportation of stolen human remains and is scheduled for sentencing on December 22, 2025.
“The trafficking of stolen human remains through the US Mail is a disturbing act that victimizes already grieving families while also creating a potentially hazardous situation for Postal employees and customers,” said Christopher Nielsen, the Inspector in Charge of the Philadelphia Division of the Postal Inspection Service. “I hope our efforts, and these sentencings, bring some amount of closure to those affected by this terrible crime.”
“Today’s sentencing is another step forward in ensuring those who orchestrated and executed this heinous crime are brought to justice” said Wayne A. Jacobs, special agent in charge of FBI’s Philadelphia Field Office. “I want to thank our partners at the Postal Inspection Service and the United States Attorney's Office for their diligent efforts in this case.”
Several other defendants have previously entered guilty pleas in related cases, including Joshua Taylor, Andrew Ensanian, Matthew Lampi, Katrina Maclean and Angelo Pereyra. Lampi was sentenced to 15 months in prison and Pereyra was sentenced to 18 months. Joshua Taylor is awaiting sentencing. Additionally, Candace Chapman-Scott, who stole remains from an Arkansas crematorium where she was employed and sold them to Pauley in Pennsylvania, entered a plea of guilty in Arkansas federal court and was sentenced to 15 years in prison.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and the East Pennsboro Township Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alisan Martin is prosecuting the case.
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Former Border Patrol Agent Sentenced for Possession of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialsRead the Press Release
Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that on December 15, 2025, Joshua Hartness, 45, of Colebrook, New Hampshire, was sentenced by Chief United States District Judge Christina Reiss to a term of 25 months’ imprisonment to be followed by a 10-year term of supervised release. Hartness previously pleaded guilty to possessing child sexual abuse materials (CSAM, also known as child pornography). Hartness has been detained since March 28, 2025, when his conditions of release were revoked after he attempted to take possession of a firearm.
According to court records, on September 11, 2022, Hartness was subjected to an inspection upon his return to the United States from abroad. A review of Hartness’s cellphone revealed suspected CSAM. A forensic review confirmed Hartness possessed a video of a child being sexually assaulted by an adult, and photos of a naked female child in sexual poses. Investigating agents also located on the cellphone multiple online communications between Hartness and minor girls consistent with “grooming,” including complimenting the girls on their beauty and sending the girls nude photographs of himself. The forensic review and subsequent investigation confirmed that Hartness possessed the CSAM on his phone while in the District of Vermont, and that Hartness did so while working as a U.S. Border Patrol Agent.
First Assistant United States Attorney Michael P. Drescher commended the collaborative investigatory efforts of the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Inspector General - Northeast Region, and Homeland Security Investigations.
“Hartness was found to possess images of child exploitation, a heinous crime that was further compounded when he was shown to be in possession of these images while serving in a position of public trust. The conviction of Joshua Hartness reinforces the message that no one is above the law,” said Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Krol for Homeland Security Investigations in New England.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Ophardt. Hartness was represented by Assistant Federal Public Defenders Carmen Brooks and Emily Kenyon.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
Former Adair County Resident Arrested for 1999 Murder in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Timothy Jacob Hollan, age 73, of Miller, Missouri, was arrested in Kansas City, Kansas, yesterday on a federal arrest warrant. The warrant arose from a grand jury indictment charging Hollan with one Count of Murder in Indian Country and one count of Causing the Death of Another Person in the Course of a Violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c). Both charges are punishable by death or a term of up to life in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The Indictment alleges that on a date uncertain to the grand jury, in or about September 1999, within the Eastern District of Oklahoma, in Indian country, Hollan, a non-Indian, willfully, deliberately, maliciously, and with premeditation and malice aforethought, unlawfully killed the victim, an Indian.
The Indictment further alleges that on that date, Hollan did knowingly use, carry, brandish, and discharge a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, that is Murder in Indian Country, and in the course of this violation caused the death of the victim through the use of a firearm.
The crimes allegedly occurred in Adair County within the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The charges arose from investigations by the Bureau of Indian Affairs Missing and Murdered Unit, the Adair County Sheriff’s Department, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, the Cherokee Nation Marshal Service, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
In November 2023, deputies recovered the victim’s body from an abandoned well in rural Adair County. DNA analysis confirmed the victim’s identity earlier this year.
“The Missing and Murdered Unit was established by President Trump during his first term to address the crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous persons, ensuring that unresolved cases receive renewed attention and investigative resources,” said Billy Kirkland, Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs at the Department of the Interior. “This joint investigation exemplifies the BIA Missing and Murdered Unit's efforts to bring justice, accountability, and closure to families impacted by violence in Indian Country. By working closely with tribal communities, federal law enforcement, and local partners, we are honoring victims and strengthening public safety.”
A grand jury Indictment does not constitute evidence of guilt. A grand jury Indictment is a method of bringing formal charges against the defendant. All defendants are presumed innocent of the charges and may not be found guilty unless evidence establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Foreign Fighter Sentenced to Consecutive Life Prison Sentences for 2018 Double Homicide and Armed Robbery of Florida CoupleRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – United States District Judge Sheri Polster Chappell has sentenced Craig Austin Lang (35, Kyiv, Ukraine) to consecutive life sentences in federal prison as a result of his convictions for conspiracy to commit robbery and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, robbery interfering with commerce, discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence which resulted in death, conspiring to kill persons in a foreign country, and a violation of the Neutrality Act. Lang was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $10,886 to the family members of the victims of the offenses.
Lang was indicted on December 4, 2019, and extradited from Ukraine to the United States in 2024. Lang was found guilty by a jury on September 15, 2025.
According to testimony presented at trial, on April 10, 2018, two individuals, S.L., Jr. and D.L., were found dead in Estero, Florida from multiple gunshot wounds to the head and body. Further investigation revealed that the couple had traveled to Estero from Brooksville, Florida to complete the purchase of several firearms from an individual who had listed them for sale on a website known as Armslist. As a result of the investigation, Lang was identified as one of two individuals who was believed to have murdered the couple during an armed robbery of the $3,000 that the couple had intended to use to purchase the firearms.
Lang, who had previously fought in the Ukraine, pursued a plan to fight the Venezuelan government and committed the robbery of S.L., Jr. and D.L. to obtain money to fund his travel to Venezuela. Lang’s co-defendant, Alex Jared Zwiefelhofer, was previously convicted at trial in 2024 and sentenced to two consecutive life sentences.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Lee County Sheriff’s Office. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance in securing Lang’s arrest and extradition from Ukraine. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jesus M. Casas and Benjamin S. Winter.
Florida man sentenced to 13 years for leading a Fairbanks drug trafficking organizationRead the Press Release
FAIRBANKS, Alaska – A Florida man was sentenced last week to 13 years in prison for leading a conspiracy to distribute controlled substances in Fairbanks.
According to court documents, Willie Lewis Wilson Jr., 41, of Madison, Florida, conspired with others to operate a drug trafficking organization in Fairbanks. Wilson was the leader of the organization and set up several residences for his co-conspirators to sell cocaine and methamphetamine.
In April 2025, multiple search warrants were authorized for various locations associated with the organization. Law enforcement discovered a safe maintained by Wilson filled with over 3,000 grams of methamphetamine and cocaine. Wilson used his stockpile to supply other members of the organization.
“Mr. Wilson moved from Florida to Alaska intending to operate a drug trafficking organization and profit at the expense of our communities. That was a mistake. He will now spend over a dozen years behind bars,” said U.S. Attorney Michael J. Heyman for the District of Alaska. “My office will continue to work with our law enforcement partners and exhaust all available resources to stop the flow of dangerous drugs into Alaska.”
“Drug traffickers like Mr. Wilson prey on our communities for money and without regard for the lives they ruin,” said David F. Reames, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Seattle. “This time, the ruined life was his own as he spends the next 13 years paying his debt to society.”
Wilson’s co-defendants in this case are as follows:
Tremain Wilson, 38, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances on Oct. 30, 2025, and is scheduled to be sentenced for their role in the conspiracy on Jan. 30, 2026.
Jarkese Pridgeon, 29, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances on Oct. 30, 2025, and is scheduled to be sentenced for their role in the conspiracy on January 30, 2026.
The DEA Anchorage District Office investigated the case, with assistance from the North Pole Police Department, Fairbanks Police Department, High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Fairbanks Areawide Narcotics Team (FANT) and Anchorage Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Carly Vosacek prosecuted the case.
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Florida Man Pleads Guilty to Bank Fraud, Identity TheftRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Florida man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Portland to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and aggravated identity theft.
According to court records, Richard Harris, 23, and a coconspirator, Paul Logugune, broke into unattended vehicles to steal purses and wallets to obtain driver’s licenses and checkbooks. Harris and Logugune forged checks using the stolen checkbooks and made the checks payable to the names on the stolen licenses. They then recruited others to cash the forged checks at credit unions throughout Cumberland County using the stolen IDs to impersonate the ID theft victims.
Logugune pleaded guilty to his role in the offense and has been sentenced to two and a half years in prison.
Harris faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 30 years, a maximum fine of $250,000, and a maximum term of supervised release of five years. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigative report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI investigated the case.
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Federal Jury Convicts Fugitive in 2018 Kidnapping and Carjacking After Seven Years on the RunRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A federal jury convicted Jose Ramirez for his role in the brutal 2018 kidnapping and carjacking of his former employer in Placitas, New Mexico, following a five-day trial and approximately three hours of deliberation. The conviction comes after Ramirez evaded capture for seven years before being apprehended by law enforcement in California.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Jose Ramirez, 37, orchestrated the violent attack on July 26, 2018. A day before the incident, Ramirez met with his co-defendants in Albuquerque to recruit them for what he described as a job to “get back at his boss for firing him” and “take his boss for all he had.” At the time of the crime, Ramirez was under court supervision and wearing a GPS ankle monitoring bracelet. Hours before the kidnapping, Ramirez cut off his ankle monitor.
In the early morning hours of July 26, 2018, Ramirez and his co-defendant ambushed the victim as he left his Placitas residence. Ramirez placed the victim in a headlock with a knife to his throat while his co-defendant pistol-whipped him multiple times in the face. The victim was bound, placed in the bed of his own Ford Ranger truck, and driven to a remote compound on Pajarito Mesa. There, Ramirez held the victim captive in a shed for approximately 15 hours while attempting to extort ransom money from the victim’s family and force wire transfers to Mexico.
Late that evening, the victim was dropped off in southwest Albuquerque. He walked to a nearby gas station and asked the clerk to call 911. Following the crime, Ramirez fled and evaded capture for seven years before being arrested by law enforcement in California for drug possession.
Ramirez was convicted of conspiracy to kidnap, kidnapping, conspiracy to carjack, carjacking, using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, and extortion. Following the verdict, the Court ordered that Ramirez remain in custody pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled. At sentencing, Ramirez faces no less than five years and up to life in prison.
Acting U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Valencia County Sheriff’s Office, Albuquerque Police Department and New Mexico Corrections Department Probation and Parole. Assistant United States Attorneys Jack E. Burkhead and Sarah Mease are prosecuting the case.
Federal Jury Convicts Chicago Street Gang Leader of Participating in Racketeering Conspiracy Involving Multiple MurdersRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A federal jury in Chicago has convicted a leader of the Four Corner Hustlers street gang of participating in a criminal organization that terrorized the West Side of Chicago for two decades by committing murders, robberies, extortions, witness tampering, and drug dealing.
After a six-week trial in U.S. District Court in Chicago, the jury on Monday convicted LABAR SPANN on all four counts against him, including racketeering conspiracy, two murders in aid of racketeering, and extortion. The jury found that Spann committed a total of four murders in a premediated manner as part of the racketeering conspiracy, including the killings of Willie Woods on April 17, 2003; Rudy Rangel on June 4, 2003; George King on April 8, 2003; and Maximillion McDaniel on July 25, 2000.
Spann, 47, of Chicago, faces a mandatory sentence of life in federal prison. U.S. District Judge Thomas M. Durkin set sentencing for April 20, 2026.
The verdicts were announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI, Christopher Amon, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and Larry Snelling, Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Illinois Secretary of State Police Department, Illinois Department of Corrections, Illinois State Police, Cook County Sheriff’s Office, and Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Meghan C. Morrissey, Michelle J. Parthum, and Emily C.R. Vermylen.
The Four Corner Hustlers operated primarily in the Chicago neighborhoods of West Garfield Park and North Lawndale on the city’s West Side, as well as in the former LeClaire Courts public housing development on the city’s Southwest Side. According to evidence presented at trial, the gang dealt drugs and robbed and extorted rival dealers, while using violence and intimidation to prevent victims and witnesses from cooperating with law enforcement. The gang engaged in numerous acts of violence, including multiple murders and armed robberies. During the trial, the jury heard testimony from other members of the Four Corner Hustlers, eyewitnesses to numerous crimes, law enforcement officers who responded to crime scenes, and expert witnesses who analyzed forensic and other evidence.
Spann was indicted in 2017 along with eight other members of the Four Corner Hustlers and two additional defendants. All the defendants have now been convicted.
Federal Judge Sentences Raleigh Drug Kingpin Who Convinced Former Youth Football Coach to Transport over 13 Pounds of Cocaine to 50 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Duplin County Sheriff's Office 8/22/2022RALEIGH, N.C. – On December 11, 2025, a federal judge sentenced a Raleigh man to 600 months, which is 50 years, in federal prison for leading a large-scale drug trafficking organization responsible for distributing cocaine, crack cocaine, fentanyl, and other narcotics throughout the Raleigh area. Earlier this year a federal jury convicted Akeem Netron Holder Evans, age 36, of multiple counts of conspiracy, possession, and intent to distribute illegal drugs.
“This dealer ran a large-scale drug operation, exploited people he trusted, and pumped deadly drugs into our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle. “This sentence, spending the next 50 years in federal prison, makes it crystal clear: if you sell drugs here, we will find you, we will convict you, and you will spend decades behind bars. This Big Shark Bad Boy won’t hurt our families and children for a long time.”
“For years, Akeem Evans peddled poison to his own community without a second thought. He’ll have the next 50 years in federal prison to reflect on his actions. This case is a direct result of the FBI's relentless determination to partner with state and local departments to rid our neighborhoods of drug-fueled gang violence," said James C. Barnacle Jr., the FBI Special Agent in Charge in North Carolina.
"The sentencing of Akeem Evans brings closure to a deeply disturbing case. We are pleased that justice has been served and that those who distribute deadly substances into our community are being held accountable. This outcome reflects the strong collaborative efforts between the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Raleigh Police Department. We are sincerely grateful for this partnership, as well as for the continued support and dedication of our local, state, and federal partners whose work was instrumental in this case," said Raleigh Police Chief Rico Boyce.
According to court documents and other information presented in court, Evans operated a long-running drug trafficking organization out of multiple residences in Raleigh and the surrounding areas. Investigators determined that Evans’ organization distributed at least 11 kilograms of cocaine, more than 4.8 kilograms of crack cocaine (35 pounds combined), fentanyl, oxycodone, and marijuana, and that Evans orchestrated others in storing, transporting, cooking, and selling drugs.
As part of the operation, Evans exploited personal relationships to help sell drugs. He even convinced his former childhood football coach to transport kilogram quantities of cocaine into the Raleigh area for distribution, demonstrating the depths he would sink to insulate himself and expand the tentacles of his gang.
The investigation revealed that Evans and his co-conspirators used stash houses, encrypted communications, and counter measures in a vain attempt to evade law enforcement. Investigators also identified Evans as coordinating drug deals with multiple customers and directing them where to purchase drugs.
In March 2022, during the execution of a search warrant, officers recovered several kilograms of cocaine, hundreds of grams of crack cocaine, fentanyl pills, marijuana, drug paraphernalia, and firearms from multiple locations connected to Evans and his dirty gang of drug peddlers.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ashley H. Foxx, Toby Lathan, and Robert Dodson prosecuted the case. The Federal Bureau of Investigations and the Raleigh Police Department investigated the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:22-CR-140-D-1.
Fayette County Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Paul Jeremiah Buckner, 37, of Oak Hill, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on October 7, 2024, a law enforcement officer in Glade Creek conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle in which Buckner was a passenger. The officer found that Buckner possessed a Taurus TPC .380-caliber pistol during the traffic stop.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. As part of his guilty plea, Buckner admitted that he knew he was prohibited from possession the firearm because of his prior felony conviction for delivery of a controlled substance in Fayette County Circuit Court on January 14, 2014.
Buckner is scheduled to be sentenced on April 24,2026, and faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, at up three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the National Park Service.
United States Magistrate Judge Omar J. Aboulhosn presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Brian D. Parsons is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:25-cr-58.
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Fayette County Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Paul Jeremiah Buckner, 37, of Oak Hill, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on October 7, 2024, a law enforcement officer in Glade Creek conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle in which Buckner was a passenger. The officer found that Buckner possessed a Taurus TPC .380-caliber pistol during the traffic stop.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. As part of his guilty plea, Buckner admitted that he knew he was prohibited from possession the firearm because of his prior felony conviction for delivery of a controlled substance in Fayette County Circuit Court on January 14, 2014.
Buckner is scheduled to be sentenced on April 24,2026, and faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, at up three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the National Park Service.
United States Magistrate Judge Omar J. Aboulhosn presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Brian D. Parsons is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:25-cr-58.
FCI-Greenville inmate sentenced to additional prison time for possessing contrabandRead the Press Release
EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – A district judge added 24 additional months to an FCI-Greenville inmate’s sentence for possessing a makeshift weapon.
Raekwon M. Patton, 27, pleaded guilty to one count of possession of contraband in prison.
“For the inmates who didn’t learn the first time, let us be clear—additional crime means additional time,” said U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft. “Inmates in possession of weapons put correctional officers, prison staff, other inmates and themselves at risk, and this criminal conduct will lead to additional prison time.”
On June 29, 2024, a correctional officer at FCI-Greenville conducted a pat search on Patton and discovered a makeshift weapon in his waistband. The weapon was a sharp, pointed piece of metal, approximately 7.5 inches in length and affixed to a wooden handle wrapped in a black cord.
"Contraband possession presents an unacceptable risk to everyone in a prison facility,” said FBI Springfield Special Agent in Charge Christopher J.S. Johnson. “We commend the hard work of the correctional officers whose diligence led to the discovery of the makeshift weapon. This outcome clearly demonstrates that further criminal activity will only result in further incarceration."
In June 2024, Patton was serving a 300-month sentence at FCI-Greenville in Greenville, Illinois.
FBI Springfield led the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorney David Dean prosecuted the case.
East Peoria Man Charged with Wire Fraud and Identity TheftRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – A grand jury today returned an indictment charging Stephen H. Keith, 35, of East Peoria, Illinois, for allegedly perpetrating a wire fraud and identity theft scheme starting as early as August 2020 and continuing to August 2024.
The indictment alleges that Keith claimed to run a company called DeviceLyfe that was never registered with the State of Illinois. According to the indictment, Keith used that purported company to gain access to individuals’ homes and electronic devices, facilitating the theft of personal information. Keith also allegedly downloaded others’ personal and financial information via the internet, collecting and storing information for tens of millions of individuals.
Keith is alleged to have use this information to create and attempt to create false identification documents, to access his victims’ accounts, to steal funds, and to impersonate his victims.
The indictment charges Keith with wire fraud (Counts One through Four), obtaining information by computer from a financial institution (Count Five), possession of a means of identification (Counts Six through Eight), aggravated identity theft (Counts Nine through Ten), and making a false statement (Count Eleven).
Keith was initially charged by federal criminal complaint in December 2025. He was detained and remains in federal custody.
If convicted, the maximum statutory penalties for the alleged crimes charged are up to 20 years’ imprisonment for each count of wire fraud and up to five years’ imprisonment on each of the counts of obtaining information by computer from a financial institution, possession of a means of identification, and making a false statement. Keith also faces a mandatory sentence of two consecutive years’ imprisonment on each of the aggravated identity theft counts. Additional penalties, including fines and forfeiture of assets, may be imposed.
Agencies participating in the investigation include the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office. Assistant United States Attorney Douglas F. McMeyer is representing the government in the prosecution.
Members of the public are reminded that an indictment is merely an accusation; the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
Denver Man Indicted on 21 Counts Including Robbery of United States Postal Service Worker, Bank FraudRead the Press Release
DENVER – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Avian Mayo, 25, of Denver, was indicted by a federal grand on jury on 21 counts including postal robbery, brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, bank fraud, and aggravated identity theft.
According to the indictment, on March 4, 2024, Mayo—along with Brisa Sierra-Silva and Christopher Johnson, who are charged in a separate federal indictment—attempted to rob a postal carrier and then, later that same day, robbed a second postal carrier.
Sierra-Silva and Johnson were indicted and made court appearances in the spring of 2025.
The charges contained in the indictments are allegations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The case is being investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service and the FBI Denver Field Office. Assistant United States Attorney Albert Buchman is handling the prosecution.
Case Numbers: 25-cr-00313-RMR (Mayo); 25-cr-00132-CNS (Sierra-Silva and Johnson)
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Agrees to Pay $15M to Settle Fraud Allegations Related to Scientific Research GrantsRead the Press Release
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Inc. (Dana-Farber) has agreed to pay $15,000,000 to resolve allegations that, between 2014 and 2024, it violated the False Claims Act by making materially false statements and certifications related to National Institutes of Health (NIH) research grants.
Dana-Farber is a cancer treatment and research center headquartered in Boston, with locations across Massachusetts and New Hampshire. Dana-Farber receives research grant funding from federal government agencies, including NIH.
“NIH has limited resources to support important research being conducted at institutions across the country,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Today’s settlement demonstrates that the Department of Justice will pursue grantees that undermine the integrity of federal funding decisions by failing to use research funds appropriately or by failing to abide by grant awards’ terms and conditions.”
“There is no place in scientific research, particularly cancer research, for fraud, waste and abuse, and my office will continue to investigate institutions, no matter how prestigious, to ensure that research data is not tainted and that taxpayer funds are used appropriately,” said U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley for the District of Massachusetts. “Patients, and the medical community, rely on the important research conducted by institutions like Dana-Farber. It is critical, to say the least, that all research findings are accurately reported,”
“The alleged falsification of research data and improper use of federal funds represents a serious breach of public trust and threatens the rigorous standards that uphold the credibility of the scientific process,” 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). “Individuals who violate federal grant-making rules not only risk legal consequences but also compromise the stewardship of taxpayer resources. HHS-OIG remains firmly committed to ensuring accountability and safeguarding the integrity of Department programs.”
As part of the settlement, Dana-Farber admitted that its researchers used funds from six NIH grants to conduct research that resulted in 14 publications in scientific journals containing misrepresented and/or duplicated images and data. The publications reused images to represent different experimental conditions; duplicated images to represent different testing conditions, mice, and/or timepoints; or rotated, magnified, or stretched images. Further, Dana-Farber admitted that a supervising researcher failed to exercise sufficient oversight over these researchers, and that Dana-Farber spent funds from those six NIH grants that were unallowable. As part of the settlement, Dana-Farber also admitted that another researcher received four NIH grants after submitting grant applications that discussed a journal article authored by the researcher but did not disclose that certain images and data in that article were misrepresented and/or duplicated. The United States contends that Dana-Farber caused the submission of false claims to NIH by falsely certifying compliance with grant terms and conditions, spending grant funds on unallowable expenses, and obtaining grants through false and misleading statements.
Dana-Farber cooperated with the government in this matter and received credit under the Department’s guidelines for taking disclosure, cooperation, and remediation into account in False Claims Act cases. Among other actions, Dana-Farber summarized voluminous materials relevant to the government’s investigation, voluntarily disclosed additional allegations of research misconduct relevant to the government’s investigation, voluntarily produced materials without a subpoena, sought to resolve this matter expeditiously, accepted responsibility for its conduct, and implemented remedial measures.
The civil settlement includes the resolution of claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act by Sholto David. Under those provisions, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. David will receive $2,625,000 under today’s settlement. The qui tam case is captioned U.S. ex rel. Sholto David v. Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Inc., No. 2:24-cv-11059-WGY (D. Mass.).
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts, with assistance from the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General.
The investigation and resolution of this matter illustrate the government’s emphasis on combating healthcare fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement, can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).
The matter was handled by Trial Attorney Megan Engel of the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch (Fraud Section) and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Olivia Benjamin and Brian LaMacchia for the District of Massachusetts.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Agrees to Pay $15 Million to Settle Fraud Allegations Related to Scientific Research GrantsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Inc. (Dana-Farber) has agreed to pay $15 million to resolve allegations that, between 2014 and 2024, it made materially false statements and certifications related to National Institutes of Health (NIH) research grants. Specifically, Dana-Farber admitted that its researchers mispresented data and images that resulted in misinformation about research being published in 14 scientific journal articles.
As part of the settlement, Dana-Farber admitted that publications reused images to represent different experimental conditions; duplicated images to represent different testing conditions, mice, and/or timepoints; or rotated, magnified, or stretched images. Further, Dana-Farber admitted that a supervising researcher failed to exercise sufficient oversight over the researchers responsible for these publications, and that Dana-Farber spent funds from six NIH grants for these publications that were unallowable. As part of the settlement, Dana-Farber also admitted that another researcher received four NIH grants after submitting grant applications that discussed a journal article authored by the researcher, but did not disclose that certain images and data in that article were misrepresented and/or duplicated. The United States contends that Dana-Farber caused the submission of false claims to NIH by falsely certifying compliance with grant terms and conditions, spending grants funds on unallowable expenses, and obtaining grants through false and misleading statements.
“There is no place in scientific research, particularly cancer research, for fraud, waste and abuse, and my office will continue to investigate institutions, no matter how prestigious, to ensure that research data is not tainted and that taxpayer funds are used appropriately. Patients, and the medical community, rely on the important research conducted by institutions like Dana-Farber. It is critical, to say the least, that all research findings are accurately reported,” said United States Attorney Leah B. Foley.
“NIH has limited resources to support important research being conducted at institutions across the country,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Today’s settlement demonstrates that the Department of Justice will pursue grantees that undermine the integrity of federal funding decisions by failing to use research funds appropriately or by failing to abide by grant awards’ terms and conditions.”
“The alleged falsification of research data and improper use of federal funds represents a serious breach of public trust and threatens the rigorous standards that uphold the credibility of the scientific process,” 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). “Individuals who violate federal grant-making rules not only risk legal consequences but also compromise the stewardship of taxpayer resources. HHS-OIG remains firmly committed to ensuring accountability and safeguarding the integrity of Department programs.”
Dana-Farber is a cancer treatment and research center headquartered in Boston, with locations across Massachusetts and New Hampshire. Dana-Farber receives research grant funding from federal government agencies, including NIH. Dana-Farber cooperated with the government in this matter and received credit under the Department’s guidelines for taking disclosure, cooperation, and remediation into account in False Claims Act cases.
The civil settlement includes the resolution of claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act. Under those provisions, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. The relator will receive $2,625,000 under today’s settlement. The qui tam case is captioned U.S. ex rel. Sholto David v. Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Inc., No. 2:24-cv-11059-WGY (D. Mass.).
U.S. Attorney Foley; AAG Shumate; and AIG Globerman made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Olivia Benjamin and Brian LaMacchia, Chief of the Affirmative Litigation Unit, handled the matter, along with Trial Attorney Megan Engel of the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch (Fraud Section).
Dallas man sentenced to federal prison in ATM crime spreeRead the Press Release
PLANO, Texas – A Dallas man has been sentenced to federal prison in connection with a crime spree in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Dominique Marquis Childress, 29, pleaded guilty to Hobbs Act robbery and was sentenced to 57 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Sean D. Jordan on December 15, 2025.
According to court documents, Childress was involved in a crime spree aimed at forcibly removing ATMs from convenience stores in the DFW area. From May 16 to June 1, 2023, the defendants participated in a conspiracy that involved smashing the glass from a convenience storefront with a sledgehammer before using a stolen truck or SUV to drag an ATM from the store. Once the ATM was removed from the store, the defendants would load the machine into the vehicle and leave the scene. The ATM and vehicle would later be found abandoned after the money was removed and divided among the participants.
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.
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Frisco Office, Plano Police Department, Irving Police Department, Dallas Police Department, Mesquite Police Department, Carrolton Police Department, and Grapevine Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Johnson.
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Coordinated Federal-Local Law Enforcement Efforts Lead Surge in Arrests, Drug Seizures, and Federal Drug Trafficking Charges in San FranciscoRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – The U.S. Attorney’s Office and federal law enforcement partners announced today the results of a surge in federal drug enforcement measures in San Francisco over the past two months. Coordinated federal and local law enforcement efforts resulted in the seizure of over 1.04 kilograms of fentanyl—alone enough to kill nearly half a million people—over 623 grams of methamphetamine, over 140 grams of powder cocaine, over 277 grams of cocaine base, and over 250 grams of heroin and approximately 55 arrests from early October to early December 2025.
Over the same period, the U.S. Attorney’s Office brought federal criminal charges against 22 defendants for drug trafficking in San Francisco.
“San Francisco is fast becoming a model for what can be accomplished when federal law enforcement works together with our local partners to serve the public. The days of open-air drug markets on every corner and rampant overdose deaths are over. Anyone who thinks about coming to San Francisco to sell drugs must understand this: if you deal drugs, you will be arrested and prosecuted, and you will face serious consequences. We will continue to work tirelessly alongside our federal and local law enforcement partners to take fentanyl, methamphetamine, and other deadly drugs off the street and to protect the residents of this great city,” said United States Attorney Craig H. Missakian.
“Thanks to increased enforcement and intensified efforts, our strategic partnerships with local law enforcement plays a critical role in eradicating this poison from our communities. With continued urgency, we will disrupt the fentanyl supply chain, reducing its availability along with other drugs. We remain committed to protecting and saving American lives,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Bob P. Beris.
“Since early October, the FBI has coordinated with SFPD and our other local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to intensify our efforts targeting narcotics activity in and around San Francisco’s Tenderloin District. These collaborative efforts have resulted in a significant number of arrests and major seizures of illegal drugs,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Sanjay Virmani. “San Francisco residents deserve safe streets, free from deadly drugs. We are united, we are persistent, and we are committed to keeping our neighborhoods safe.”
“The San Francisco Police Department is committed to working collaboratively to combat the drug crisis on our streets,” said Interim SFPD Chief Paul Yep. “Anyone dealing or using drugs in our city will be held accountable. I want to thank our hard-working officers as well as our local state and federal partners for their assistance in this effort.”
These efforts expand upon the U.S. Attorney’s Office-led “All Hands on Deck” law enforcement initiative to address endemic drug dealing in the Tenderloin District of San Francisco, in particular of fentanyl. Since its inception, the initiative has resulted in approximately 191 federal drug prosecutions and 158 convictions.
Among the defendants prosecuted in connection with the All Hands on Deck initiative was Gustavo Erazo, who was sentenced on December 10, 2025, to 60 months of imprisonment for conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 846, 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(A)-(B). The case arose out of a larger investigation into individuals traveling from the East Bay into the Tenderloin neighborhood of San Francisco to deal drugs. Law enforcement seized 15 pounds of fentanyl as a result, along with two firearms and over $50,000 in U.S. currency. Erazo was extradited in December 2024 from Honduras to face charges.
The recent increased operations involved coordination among the U.S. Attorney’s Office, DEA, FBI, ATF, IRS Criminal Investigations, the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office, the San Francisco Police Department, and California Highway Patrol. Additional operations are planned in the coming months.
Many of the recently charged federal cases involve large quantities of drugs and carry potential mandatory minimum sentences for the offenders under federal drug statutes. Examples include:
- Rodrigo Parra-Lara was indicted by a federal grand jury on November 12, 2025, on charges of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(B). Law enforcement seized around 2.4 kilograms of methamphetamine, two firearms and ammunition, along with over $14,000 in U.S. currency. The case stemmed from a larger investigation, with arrests in San Francisco and Oakland, of a Bay Area drug-trafficking organization with connections to the Sinaloa Cartel.
- Javier Velasquez Antunes was indicted by a federal grand jury on November 12, 2025, on charges of distribution and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(C) and for being a felon in possession of a firearm in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g). Antunes, along with two other individuals, allegedly trafficked drugs out of a vehicle while in possession of firearms and ammunition in the Mission neighborhood of San Francisco.
- Duc Pham was indicted by a federal grand jury on December 2, 2025, on charges of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(A)-(C). The case involved multi-ounce purchases over a six-month period in the Tenderloin neighborhood of San Francisco.
A criminal complaint or indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Colombian National Extradited to U.S. Following 9-Defendant Cocaine Trafficking IndictmentRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO – A Colombian national made his initial appearance in a federal court in El Paso Monday after he was extradited to the United States on Friday.
According to court documents, Luis Guillermo Peralta Pacheco, is allegedly a member of a Colombian drug trafficking organization identified as a major supplier of cocaine to the Caribbean and the United States. Through a joint investigation beginning in March 2018, agents seized an alleged 24 kilograms of cocaine and identified nine alleged members of the network.
On March 16, 2022, Peralta Pacheco and eight alleged co-conspirators—Alvaro Luis Deluque Pallares, Angello Caicedo Atehortua, Juan Camilo Valderrama Taborda, Carlos Alfredo Becerra Castro, Lina Gisseth Barrera Sarmiento, Angel Julio Arroyo Calderon, Pedro Emilio Gallardo Hincapie, and Charle Salcedo Portilla—were indicted in the Western District of Texas on conspiracy charges to import and distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine, with provisional arrest warrants approved in 2023. All nine defendants have now been successfully extradited to the U.S.
U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas made the announcement.
The FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration, and Homeland Security Investigations are investigating the case, with assistance from the FBI’s Legal Attaché in Bogotá, Colombia. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and Judicial Attaché Office in Bogotá worked with the Government of Colombia to secure the arrest and extradition from Colombia of all nine defendants.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Adrian Rosales is prosecuting the case.
This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF San Antonio comprises agents and officers from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Justice, the Department of Treasury, the Department of State, the Department of War, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, and the Department of Labor. with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas. Participating agencies include the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Diplomatic Security Service; the Drug Enforcement Administration; U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services; U.S. Customs and Border Protection; U.S. Marshals Service; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; and the U.S. Secret Service; along with state and local law enforcement.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Carter County Resident Pleads Guilty to Illegally Possessing AmmunitionRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Lacey Marie Robinson, age 33, of Autry, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Felon in Possession of Ammunition, punishable by up to 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The Indictment alleged that on August 15, 2025, having been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year, and knowing of such conviction, Robinson knowingly possessed two rounds of .22 caliber ammunition and one .22 caliber lead bullet.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Carter County Sheriff’s Office.
The Honorable Gerald L. Jackson, 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.
Robinson will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lewis M. Reagan represented the United States.
California man, who operated call centers that falsely claimed to help distressed homeowners, sentenced to ten years in prisonRead the Press Release
Seattle – The operator of a web of boiler-room-type call centers was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to ten years in prison for defrauding nearly 1,000 distressed homeowners facing foreclosure, announced U.S. Attorney Charles Neil Floyd. Mohammed Zafaranchi, 43, aka ‘Mike’ was convicted following a week-long trial of all twelve federal charges he faced: conspiracy to commit wire fraud, five counts of wire fraud, five counts of money laundering, and obstruction of justice. At the sentencing hearing, U.S. District Judge John C. Coughenour ordered Zafaranchi to begin serving his sentence immediately, saying the sentence was based “on the evidence the court heard at trial and the substantial number of victims and the severe hardship the victims suffered.”
“This defendant lined his pockets with some $2.6 million while preying on vulnerable homeowners,” said U.S. Attorney Neil Floyd. “Of more than 900 victims, many lost their homes to foreclosure, and all were in worse financial shape due to the ‘help’ his company never provided. This is a significant sentence for a fraud case, and one that is deserved by the trail of financial hardship this defendant left in his wake.”
“Like many fraudsters, Mr. Zafaranchi took advantage of a vulnerable population: in this case, homeowners facing foreclosure,” said W. Mike Herrington, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Seattle field office. “He then tailored a scheme to prey on their financial difficulties by offering them false hope in return for a hefty fee to supposedly reduce their debt and interest rate. As consequence for his actions, Mr. Zafaranchi now has a decade in prison to consider the harm he’s done and, hopefully, resolve to change his ways.”
Zafaranchi’s fraud scheme involved purchasing data that identified homeowners who were behind on their mortgages and at risk of losing their homes. Each week, Zafaranchi sent thousands of solicitation mailers falsely telling the distressed homeowners they were eligible for government programs that would reduce their mortgage debt by 30% and reduce their interest rate to 2%. The mailers told homeowners to call a phone number before a made-up deadline to get the mortgage modification.
When homeowners called the call centers, operators followed a series of scripts telling homeowners that lawyers and underwriters had vetted their case and negotiated a modification with their lender. The scripts instructed operators to place callers on hold for a pre-determined amount of time to build suspense and make it appear a review was underway. The operator would then return to the line and tell each victim he or she was one of the very select few who qualified for the program—but only if the homeowner paid the call center a $3,000 legal fee to “finalize” the modification.
In fact, Zafaranchi’s businesses had no legal or underwriting staff. Instead, untrained workers simply scanned the homeowners’ financial records, completed a basic application form, and sent the documents to the banks. The homeowners did not receive the modifications promised in the mailers, and some lost their homes.
After taking the victims’ money, Zafaranchi laundered the funds through shell bank accounts and withdrew the proceeds in cash. He was convicted of money laundering for this conduct.
On March 29, 2018, the FBI served a search warrant on the call center in Everett Washington. After learning of this search, Zafaranchi told his California employees to remove the computers and other evidence from his California offices. That night, Zafaranchi destroyed all records associated with three email accounts he used to operate the businesses. For that conduct, Zafaranchi was convicted of obstruction of justice.
In asking for a 12-year sentence prosecutors wrote to the court, “Although the theft of nearly $3 million is horrific no matter the circumstances, the money that Zafaranchi stole was taken from people who desperately needed it. Stealing $3,000 from families, retirees, or other vulnerable individuals who are desperately fighting to keep their homes is appalling. And Zafaranchi did that day, after day, after day, to more than 900 people until he was finally caught—an average of nearly a victim a day for three years. Indeed, given that Zafaranchi exploited more than 900 victims, a sentence of 144 months would amount to less than 1 week of incarceration for each of his victims.”
Today, Judge Coughenour ordered Zafaranchi to turn himself in to the U.S. Marshal Office at the federal courthouse to being serving his ten-year sentence immediately. Zafaranchi will be on three years of supervised release following prison. The amount of restitution Zafaranchi must pay to his victims will be determined at a future hearing.
Zafaranchi’s two coconspirators, Mark Lezama and Josh Herrera both pleaded guilty and will be sentenced in early 2026.
The case was investigated by the FBI. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Seth Wilkinson, Lauren Watts Staniar, and Dane A. Westermeyer. The Federal Housing Finance Agency Office of Inspector General provided support in the case.
Brooklyn Church Pastor Pleads Guilty to Tax Evasion SchemeRead the Press Release
Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, New York, Paul Mitchell, the lead pastor of a church and president of a daycare pleaded guilty to a criminal information charging him with one count of tax evasion.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr. for the Eastern District of New York and Special Agent in Charge Harry T. Chavis Jr. of IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) New York announced the guilty plea.
According to court filings, Mitchell was the founder of a church and an educational daycare, both located in Brooklyn, where he served as the lead pastor at the church and the president of the daycare. Between 2015 and 2022, Mitchell used the organizations’ credit cards to pay for his personal expenses, including men’s clothing, thousands of dollars in jewelry, luxury watches, and life insurance premiums. He also wrote checks from the church’s bank accounts to pay his own credit card bills and personal income taxes.
As part of the scheme, Mitchell frequently withdrew large amounts of cash from bank accounts for the church and the daycare and transferred funds from those accounts into his own bank accounts. He failed to report his use of the stolen funds as income on his personal income tax returns, which significantly reduced his tax burden and allowed him to evade the payment of personal income taxes. As a result of his conduct, Mitchell caused a tax loss of approximately $2,906,072 to the IRS and approximately $316,699 to New York State between 2015 and 2022.
Mitchell faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, restitution, and fines of up to $250,000. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The government’s case is being handled by the Public Integrity Section. Assistant U.S. Attorney Miranda Gonzalez for the Eastern District of New York and Trial Attorney Catriona M. Coppler of the Justice Department’s Tax Section of the Criminal Division are prosecuting this case.
Brooklyn Church Pastor Pleads Guilty to Tax Evasion SchemeRead the Press Release
Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Paul Mitchell, the lead pastor of a church and president of a daycare, pleaded guilty to a criminal information charging him with tax evasion. The proceeding was held before United States Chief Magistrate Judge Vera M. Scanlon. When sentenced, Mitchell faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison as well as restitution and monetary penalties.
Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Matthew R. Galeotti, Acting Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, and Harry T. Chavis, Jr., Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, New York (IRS-CI), announced the guilty plea.
“The defendant treated his organizations’ accounts as his own personal piggy bank, stealing millions of dollars and betraying the trust of his congregation and those dependent on the services provided to the community,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “Our Office will always be vigilant in protecting houses of worship from criminality that threatens the important work they do.”
“Paul Mitchell was trusted by his parishioners to use their donations for good, not to fatten his wallet. His deceit was at many levels, as he also evaded paying millions in tax revenue that benefits the good of all Americans. With today's plea, Mitchell decided to take a step forward to right his wrongs, and will face justice for his actions,” stated IRS-CI New York Special Agent in Charge Chavis.
As alleged in court filings, Mitchell was the founder of a church (Organization‑1), and an educational daycare (Organization‑2), both located in Brooklyn, New York. Mitchell served as the lead pastor at Organization‑1 and the president of Organization‑2. Between 2015 and 2022, Mitchell using credit cards for Organization-1 and Organization-2 to pay for his personal expenses, including men’s clothing, jewelry, luxury accessories, and life insurance premiums. He also wrote checks from Organization‑1’s bank accounts to pay his own credit card bills; frequently withdrew large amounts of cash from bank accounts for Organization‑1 and Organization‑2; and transferred funds from those accounts into his own bank accounts. Mitchell failed to report his use of funds stolen from Organization‑1 and Organization‑2 as income on his personal income tax returns, thereby reducing his tax burden and evading the payment of personal income taxes. As a result of his conduct, Mitchell caused a tax loss of approximately $2,906,072 to the IRS and of approximately $316,699 to New York State between 2015 and 2022.
The government’s case is being handled by Office’s Public Integrity Section. Assistant United States Attorney Miranda Gonzalez and Trial Attorney Catriona M. Coppler of the Justice Department’s Tax Section of the Criminal Division are in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendant:
PAUL MITCHELL
Age: 60
West Hempstead, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 25-CR-374 (NRM)
Bronx Street Gang Leader and Rapper Kevin Perez, A/K/A “Kay Flock,” Sentenced to 30 Years for Gang-Related ShootingsRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, announced that KEVIN PEREZ, a/k/a “Kay Flock,” was sentenced today to 30 years in prison for committing violent crimes as the leader of a Bronx-based gang, known as “Sev Side/DOA.” In March 2025, a jury convicted PEREZ of racketeering conspiracy, attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon in aid of racketeering, and a firearm discharge offense following a two-week trial before U.S. District Judge Lewis J. Liman, who imposed today’s sentence.
“Kevin Perez used violence and fame to fuel fear and intimidation across the Bronx,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “Perez and his gang members carried out a string of shootings that struck both rival gang members and innocent bystanders. Perez also used his platform as a prominent rapper to celebrate his violence: threatening his rivals, bragging about his shootings, and taunting his victims. His brazen actions unleashed a series of back-and-forth retaliatory shootings that killed and injured far too many people in the Bronx. Thanks to the hard work of the women and men of this Office and our law enforcement partners, today’s sentence brings New Yorkers what they want: violent, gun-toting gang leaders off our streets.”
According to the indictment, public court filings, and the evidence presented at PEREZ’s trial:
Since at least 2020, PEREZ was the leader of a gang based on East 187th Street in the Bronx, known as Sev Side/DOA, which is short for “Dumping on” (shooting) “Anything” or “Dead on Arrival.” Members of the gang committed violence against gang rivals to protect their territory, enhance the reputation and wealth of Sev Side/DOA, and increase their status within the gang. The gang primarily supported itself through bank and wire fraud, which in turn funded PEREZ’s music career.
Throughout 2020 and until his arrest in late 2021, PEREZ and his co-conspirators carried out a string of shootings. The violence included a June 20, 2020, shooting in which a gang rival was struck in the jaw and several other victims were hit. Days after the shooting, PEREZ and his co-conspirators put out a music video that bragged about the shooting. PEREZ was also held responsible for attempted murders on June 26, 2020; August 10, 2020; and November 10, 2021, which collectively resulted in multiple people being shot. The evidence also showed that, while committing this violence, PEREZ used his status as a recognized “drill rap” artist to celebrate his gang’s crimes. PEREZ put out songs—several of which received millions of views—that glorified his violence, threatened more of it, and taunted rival gang members who had been murdered.
In imposing today’s sentence, Judge Liman remarked that the defendant “taunted, celebrated, and created a culture of violence” and that the harm the defendant caused “was immense.”
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In addition to his prison term, PEREZ, 22, of the Bronx, New York, was sentenced to five years of supervised release.
Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding investigative work of the New York City Police Department and Department of Homeland Security – Homeland Security Investigations, and also thanked the New York County District Attorney’s Office for its assistance.
The case is being handled by the Office’s Violent Organizations and Crime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ni Qian, Michael R. Herman, Patrick R. Moroney, Elizabeth A. Espinosa, and Jim Ligtenberg are in charge of the prosecution, with the assistance of Paralegal Specialists Ananya Sankar and David Naguib.
Bomber Who Targeted Banks, Store, and a Supermarket Sentenced to Five Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Cahlyl Rollins, 25, of the District of Columbia. was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 60 months in prison for his role in a spree of four bombings in which he detonated explosive devices during the early morning hours outside four separate businesses in Maryland and the District causing thousands of dollars in damage, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Rollins and his co-defendant W Garrett Bragg, 36, pleaded guilty on Sept. 25, 2024, to four counts of malicious use of explosive materials. In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Tanya S. Chutkan ordered Rollins to serve three years of supervised release. Bragg was sentenced on May 20, 2025, to 84 months in federal prison.
Joining in the announcement were ATF Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives - Washington Division, FBI Assistant Director in Charge Darren B. Cox of the Washington Field Office, and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department.
According to court documents, at each of the four locations Rollins was the trigger man. He carried the explosive to the detonation site, lit the device, and then planted it. Bragg and Rollins appeared to be beta-testing a method for robbing ATMs and other stores. Surveillance video, license-plate readers, and cell site location data reflect that Bragg and Rollins traveled between the four locations in a metallic Acura sedan with Maryland license plates.
On July 2, 2023, Bragg and Rollins targeted an ATM at 3:53 a.m. at the Bank of America on the 5400 block of Silver Hill Road in District Heights, Maryland. The blast destroyed the vestibule and the structure surrounding the teller machine. About a half-hour later, the men struck again, and detonated an explosive device at the Truist Bank branch on the 2300 block of Washington Place NE. The blast destroyed the vestibule, the structure around multiple teller machines, and caused a total of $35,933 in damages.
The spree of bombings continued six minutes later when they exploded another device at the Nike Store on the 700 block of H Street, NE. The bomb destroyed the Nike Store’s front vestibule and caused more than $10,300 in damage. At 4:44 a.m., the conspirators set off a device at the Safeway supermarket on the 300 block of N. 40th St. NE, as employees inside the store cleaned and prepared for the store to open. The blast destroyed parts of the entry way and caused $9,900 in damage.
The Acura sedan used in the bombing bore Maryland license plate 17971CK. That license plate was provided by the state of Maryland to a private company that is authorized to sell titling papers and license plates but has never been registered to a vehicle. Despite concerted law enforcement efforts to locate the vehicle, it has not been seen since the morning of July 2, 2023. Since the offense, this license plate has been placed on other cars, including a gray Dodge Durango that was used to rob an ATM from a 7-Eleven in Crofton, Maryland.
On Sept. 29, 2023, law enforcement executed a search warrant at a residence on the 1600 block of U Street, SE. Officers recovered a firearm on the porch, an extended magazine in the home, a bag of key fobs, a device that can be used to copy fobs to steal vehicles, and a backpack of burglary tools including headlamps, handheld radios, and hand tools.
Officers found a vehicle outside registered to Rollins. The vehicle was fitted with a device that could extend a cover over the license plate to obscure it with the touch of a button. While Rollins waited outside during the search warrant, an officer offered to provide him with shoes. Rollins indicated that he had a bunch of shoes in the living room. Among the shoes in the living room was a pair of black Crocs consistent with those Rollins had been videotaped wearing during the bombings.
Officers searched a storage unit which Rollins had accessed before and after the bombings. Inside the unit, officers recovered 38 license plates, thousands of rounds of assorted ammunition (weighing more than 200 pounds), and additional burglary tools. Of the 38 license plates, many had been involved in other crimes in the area.
Robbins was arrested Oct. 30, 2023, in Washington D.C. U.S. Marshals arrested Bragg on Jan. 1, 2024, in Washington D.C.
This case was investigated by the ATF, the FBI, and the Metropolitan Police Department. The matter was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Helfand and former Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cameron Tepfer and Alexander Schneider for the District of Columbia.
On July 2, 2023, Bragg and Rollins targeted an ATM at 3:53 a.m. at the Bank of America in District Heights. The blast destroyed the vestibule and the structure around the teller machine.
At the Truist Bank branch on the 2300 block of Washington Place NE, the blast destroyed the vestibule, the structure around multiple teller machines, and caused a total $35,933 in damages.
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Beaumont felon sentenced for federal firearms violationRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – A Beaumont man has been sentenced to federal prison for a firearms violation in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Cydney James Dorsey, 23, pleaded guilty to possession of ammunition by a prohibited person and was sentenced to 58 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Michael J. Truncale on December 16, 2025.
According to information presented in court, on September 8, 2024, at approximately 3:30 a.m., law enforcement officers responded to the parking lot of SNS grocery store on Concord Avenue in Beaumont as a large crowd had gathered and refused to leave. As police attempted to dispel the crowd, Dorsey ran from them, and in the process, discarded a firearm. Dorsey was apprehended carrying a bag that had a magazine with ammunition. Further investigation revealed Dorsey had a previous felony conviction which prohibited him from owning or possessing firearms or ammunition under federal 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.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Beaumont Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Russell James.
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Baltimore Felon Sentenced to Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing a Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Adam B. Abelson sentenced Jermaine Porter, 35, of Baltimore, Maryland, today, to six years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. At the time of this conviction, Porter was on federal supervised release for a 2018 conviction for possessing a firearm as a prohibited person. On October 7, 2025, Chief U.S. District Judge George L. Russell, III, sentenced Porter to two years in federal prison for his violation of federal supervised release as a result of this conviction, which will be served consecutive to today’s sentence, for a total of eight years in prison.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge Charles Doerrer, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) – Baltimore Field Division, and Commissioner Richard Worley, Baltimore Police Department (BPD).
According to evidence presented at trial, on March 3, 2023, BPD’s Northeast District Action Team conducted a traffic stop in the 3900 block of Loch Raven Blvd. Prior to the traffic stop, officers observed Porter moving in his seat, which led them to believe he was hiding something. Officers stopped Porter and removed him from the vehicle. In the vehicle, they found a light blue SCCY CPX-1 9mm handgun loaded with eight rounds of 9mm ammunition on the seat directly underneath Porter’s legs. This is Porter’s second federal felony conviction. Due to prior felony convictions, Porter is prohibited from possessing a firearm and/or ammunition.
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.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the ATF and BPD for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney LaRai Everett and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Keelan Diana who are prosecuting the case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Arkansas woman sentenced to federal prison for East Texas drug trafficking violationRead the Press Release
TEXARKANA, Texas –A Texarkana, Arkansas woman has been sentenced to federal prison for drug trafficking violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Terri Lynn Cooley, 55, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and was sentenced to 108 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Robert W. Schroeder, III on December 16, 2025.
According to information presented in court, on October 11, 2023, Cooley was stopped in Texarkana, Texas for driving at night without headlights. During the stop, it was discovered she had an active warrant and was arrested. A search of the vehicle following Cooley’s arrest led to the discovery of 109.85 grams of methamphetamine.
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.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; the Texas Department of Public Safety; and the Texarkana, Texas, Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lucas Machicek.
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Activity in the U.S. Attorney's OfficeRead the Press Release
Assault
Jimmy Joe Black, 58, from Clinton, Oklahoma, was sentenced to time served, which at the time of sentencing was three months and 24 days, for assault of a dating partner resulting in substantial bodily injury. The defendant also received two years of supervised release. According to court documents, in April 2023 the victim sought medical attention for an injury to her wrist; however, she did not report it as abuse until September of 2023. The victim indicated that the defendant was always with her, and she felt unsafe. She provided investigators photo evidence of the assault along with text messages of the defendant apologizing. She claimed the assault has led to years of pain in her hand and wrist. The FBI investigated the crime and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Elmore prosecuted the case. Black was indicted on July 18, 2024, and pleaded guilty on Dec. 2, 2025. After the plea hearing, U.S. District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson imposed the sentence. Case No. 24-CR-00125
Firearm Offenses
Eddie Lee Shells, 27 of Riverton, Wyoming, was sentenced to time served with two years of supervised release to follow for possession of a firearm by a person convicted of domestic violence. At the time of his sentencing, Shells had served 142 days in prison. According to court documents, the defendant was responsible for an assault on his live-in girlfriend. After the assault, the Fremont County Sheriff’s Department requested help from DCI to locate the defendant. On Oct. 23, 2024, the defendant was located in Campbell County. Wyoming Highway Patrol attempted to pull him over for speeding when he fled. After a brief pursuit, the defendant stopped his truck and attempted to flee on foot but was apprehended. Troopers conducted a search of his truck and located two firearms. The defendant was convicted of domestic assault in February 2021, prohibiting him from possessing a firearm. DCI, Fremont County Sheriff’s Office and Wyoming Highway Patrol investigated the crime. Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy W. Gist prosecuted the case. Shell was indicted on Jan. 15 and pleaded guilty on Sept. 17. U.S. District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson imposed the sentence on Dec. 8 in Cheyenne. Case No. 25-CR-00020
Drug Trafficking
Danel Akio Moriyama, 44, of Cheyenne, Wyoming was sentenced to 120 months’ imprisonment with five years of supervised release to follow for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number. According to court documents, in July 2024, the Cheyenne Police Department investigated Danel Moriyama for selling methamphetamine and fentanyl from his home. Surveillance uncovered frequent visitors and vehicle activity consistent with drug sales occurring in the house. Subsequent coordination with the Northern Colorado Drug Task Force (NCDTF) revealed his connection to multiple drug distributors in both Wyoming and Colorado. On September 18, following the defendant’s trip to Colorado to acquire drugs, officers conducted a traffic stop and found 447 grams of methamphetamine and 194 fentanyl pills in his pickup truck. A subsequent search of his residence yielded handguns, additional methamphetamine, an AR-style rifle, and drug distribution materials. The Cheyenne Police Department and NCDTF investigated the crime. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paige Hammer prosecuted the case. Moriyama was indicted on Nov. 29, 2024, and pleaded guilty on Sept. 19, 2025. U.S. District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson imposed the sentence on Dec. 9 in Cheyenne. Case No. 25-CR-00173
Micah Edwards Maas, 37, of Worland, Wyoming was sentenced to 120 months’ imprisonment with five years of supervised release to follow for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and aiding and abetting in the use of a communication facility to facilitate a felony drug offense. According to court documents, in July 2024, the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) received information that Micah Maas was a distributor of fentanyl and methamphetamine in the Worland, Wyoming area. As the investigation continued, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) learned of a suspected methamphetamine source of supply in San Francisco who was shipping packages to Worland through the U.S. Postal Service. USPIS investigators began monitoring the packages and intercepted multiple packages containing methamphetamine and others containing thousands of fentanyl pills. DCI and USPIS investigated the crime. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paige Hammer prosecuted the case. Maas was indicted on May 21 and pleaded guilty on Sept. 16. U.S. District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson imposed the sentence on Dec. 11 in Cheyenne. Case No. 25-CR-00094
Sarah Louise Hutchinson, 42, from Gillette, Wyoming, was sentenced to 90 months’ imprisonment with four years of supervised release to follow for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. According to court documents, between September 2023 and December 2024, DCI agents were investigating drug trafficking in Campbell County. Sarah and her partner John Roberts were identified as distributors of methamphetamine and fentanyl. Throughout the investigation, agents made a controlled purchase from her codefendant. On Dec. 5, 2024, the Campbell County Sheriff’s Office conducted a traffic stop on Roberts and Hutchinson. Officers seized approximately 379 grams of methamphetamine. DCI and the Campbell County Sheriff’s Office investigated the crime. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mackenzie R. Morrison and Z. Seth Griswold prosecuted the case. Hutchinson was indicted on July 16 and pleaded guilty on Sept. 16. U.S. District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl imposed the sentence and ordered $500 in community restitution on Dec. 4 in Casper. Case No. 25-CR-00076
Pauline Michelle Lane, 37, of Lakewood, Colorado, was sentenced to 120 months’ imprisonment with five years of supervised release to follow for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. According to court documents, in January of 2024, the Sheridan Police Department along with the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation began investigating a drug trafficking organization. Officers seized a phone from one of the distributors and identified Lane as the source of supply. The defendant acknowledged selling methamphetamine, cocaine and fentanyl to a friend, who was then redistributing the controlled substances in Wyoming. Lane admitted the drug transactions occurred between August 9, 2023, and May 5, 2024. She acknowledged the amount of methamphetamine was more than 500 grams. The Sheridan Police Department and DCI investigated the crime. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mackenzie R. Morrison prosecuted the case. Lane was indicted on Jan. 15 and pleaded guilty on Sept. 9. U.S. District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl imposed the sentence and ordered $500 in community restitution on Dec. 5 in Casper. Case No. 25-CR-00017
Illegal Re-Entry of a Previously Deported Alien
Leobardo Rangel-Ventura, 33, of Jalisco, Mexico, was sentenced to time served plus 10 days to allow for deportation proceedings for illegal re-entry of a previously deported alien into the U.S. According to court documents, on June 19, ICE located the defendant at the Sublette County Jail in Pinedale. The defendant was arrested by the Sublette County Sheriff’s Department for the offense of failure to appear on an underlying case for driving under the influence of alcohol. Based on the defendant’s fingerprints, ICE determined he had previously been removed from the U.S. and had not applied for permission to reenter after being formally removed in November 2018. ICE investigated the crime and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Elmore prosecuted the case. Chief U.S. District Court Judge Kelly H. Rankin imposed the sentence on Dec. 5 in Cheyenne. Case No. 25-CR-00153About the United States Attorney’s Office
The United States Attorney’s Office is responsible for representing the federal government in virtually all litigation involving the United States in the District of Wyoming, including all criminal prosecutions for violations of federal law, civil lawsuits brought by or against the government, and actions to collect judgments and restitution on behalf of victims and taxpayers. The Office is involved in several programs designed to make our communities safer. They include:
Project Safe Childhood
Project Safe Childhood (PSC) is a DOJ initiative that combats the proliferation of technology-facilitated sexual exploitation crimes against children. The threat of sexual predators soliciting children for sexual contact is well-known and serious.
Operation Take Back America
Operation Take Back America is a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. It also streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Victim Witness Program
The Victim Witness Coordinator for the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Wyoming is dedicated to ensuring victims of federal crimes and their family members are treated with compassion, fairness, and respect.To report a federal crime, go to: https://www.justice.gov/actioncenter/report-crime
Acoma Man Charged with Sexual Abusing MinorsRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – An Acoma man has been indicted on federal charges for sexually abusing two minors.
According to court documents, in December 2024 and January 2025, Bryan Gachupin, 21, an enrolled member of the Acoma Pueblo, engaged in sexual acts with two different minors in separate incidents.
Gachupin is charged with two counts of sexual abuse of a minor and will remain on conditions of release pending trial, which has not yet been scheduled. If convicted, Gachupin faces up to fifteen years in prison.
Acting U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison made the announcement today.
The Bureau of Indian Affairs investigated this case with assistance from the Acoma Police Department and the Regional Computer Forensics Laboratory (RCFL). Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas Marshall 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.
15 December 2025
Woodbridge Man Sentenced to 32 Months in Federal Prison for $2.3 Million Pandemic Relief Program SchemeRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that YASIR G. HAMED, 60, of Woodbridge, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to 32 months of imprisonment and three years of supervised release for defrauding a COVID-19 pandemic relief program of more than $2.3 million.
According to court documents and statements made in court, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act provided emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. One source of relief provided by the CARES Act was the authorization of forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses through the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”). The PPP was overseen by the U.S. Small Business Administration (“SBA”), and individual PPP loans were issued by private lenders, which received and processed PPP applications and supporting documentation, and then made loans using the lenders’ own funds, which were guaranteed by the SBA.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Hamed, an accountant, had an ownership interest or representative relationship with several New Haven-based businesses, including Access Consulting and Professional Services Inc.; Connecticut Medical Transportation Inc.; Arabic Language Learning Program Inc.; Institute for Global Educational Exchange Inc.; Access Medical Transport Inc.; Ikea Car & Limo Inc.; Center of the World Tours, North America LLC.; and Sudanese American Friendship Association Inc. Between June 2020 and September 2021, Hamed submitted fraudulent PPP loan applications on behalf of these companies, overstating employee numbers and average monthly payroll, and making other fraudulent representations. As part of the applications, he submitted false tax filings that had never been filed with the IRS.
Hamed also submitted PPP loan applications on behalf of companies owned by his clients. In at least one instance, Hamed convinced the owner of a business, which he knew was not active and had no employees, to seek PPP funding. Hamed prepared the paperwork for the PPP application and then took a significant portion of the loan proceeds.
Through this scheme, Hamed obtained than $2.3 million in PPP loans for his businesses and for his clients, receiving more than $1 million in loan proceeds for himself and his family, and significant kickbacks from his clients. Hamed used the funds for personal expenses, including education expenses for a family member, and for a down payment on a $880,000 house in Woodbridge that he purchased in October 2020.
Judge Underhill ordered Hamed to pay $2,384,772 in restitution.
Hamed was arrested on November 13, 2024. On May 9, 2025, he pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud and one count of engaging in illegal monetary transactions
Hamed, who is released on a $500,000 bond, is required to report to prison on January 28.
This investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher W. Schmeisser.
Individuals with information about allegations of fraud involving COVID-19 are encouraged to report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721, or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Westmoor Country Club Agrees to Pay $1.25 Million to Resolve Claim It Wrongfully Obtained Paycheck Protection Program LoanRead the Press Release
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Wisconsin has announced a settlement agreement with Westmoor Country Club, whereby the club will pay $1,250,000.00 to settle claims that it improperly obtained a loan through the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) administered by the United States Small Business Administration (“SBA”).
The PPP loan program, enacted in March 2020, provided emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering from the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The program allowed eligible small businesses and non-profits to receive loans guaranteed by the federal government and, if the borrower spent the funds on qualified expenses, the federal government would repay the loan on the borrower’s behalf.
Congress directed the SBA to guarantee PPP loans “under the same terms, conditions, and processes” as ordinary small business loans administered by the agency. 15 U.S.C. § 636(a)(36)(B). With respect to loan eligibility, Congress expressly endorsed the SBA’s regulation explaining what entities would be ineligible for loans. 15 U.S.C. § 636(a)(37)(A)(iv)(III)(aa). For decades, this regulation has explained that “[p]rivate clubs and businesses which limit the number of memberships for reasons other than capacity” are not eligible for loans through the SBA. 13 C.F.R. § 120.110(i).
Westmoor Country Club operates a private country club, which is open only to its members. According to the government, at the time Westmoor Country Club applied for a PPP loan and for loan forgiveness, the club limited its membership for reasons other than capacity and, therefore, was ineligible to participate in the PPP.
“The favorable settlement in this case is the product of enhanced efforts by federal agencies such as the Small Business Administration working with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and other federal law enforcement agencies to recover the product of this fraud as well as penalties,” said SBA General Counsel Wendell Davis.
Assistant United States Attorney Aaron R. Wegrzyn represented the government in connection with this matter, in coordination with Kandace Zelaya in the SBA’s Office of Litigation and Office of General Counsel. While the settlement resolves the government’s allegations against Westmoor Country Club with respect to its PPP loan, the club does not admit liability and no court has made any determination as to liability.
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For further information contact:Public Affairs Officer Steve Caballero
(414) 297-1700
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Washington Township Man Sentenced to 49 Months’ Imprisonment for Tax Fraud Scheme and Theft from Elderly VictimRead the Press Release
NEWARK N.J. – A Washington Township man was sentenced to 49 months’ imprisonment for fraudulently seeking more than $1.4 million from the IRS by filing false tax returns claiming COVID-19-related employment tax credits, for laundering the proceeds from that scheme, and for stealing more than $180,000 from an elderly customer at the car dealership where he worked, Senior Counsel Philip Lamparello announced.
James J. Mastrogiovanni, 45, of Washington Township, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge William J. Martini in Newark federal court on May 20, 2025, to an information charging him with one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States, one count of mail fraud, one count of money laundering, and one count of access device fraud. U.S. District Judge William J. Martini imposed the sentence on December 4, 2025, in Newark federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
During the pandemic, Mastrogiovanni engaged in a scheme with Leon Haynes, a tax preparer, to exploit COVID-19 relief programs to line his own pockets. From in or around March 2021 through in or around December 2022, Mastrogiovanni and Haynes prepared and filed with the IRS false and fraudulent Forms 941 on behalf of Mastrogiovanni, his family members, and others, claiming tax refunds intended to help struggling small businesses. All of the Forms 941 prepared in furtherance of the scheme were false and fraudulent because they listed employees and wages that, in fact, did not actually exist. Neither Mastrogiovanni nor any of his family members owned or operated a business, let alone had paid employees. Mastrogiovanni claimed at least $1,443,409 in tax credits, and as a result of the scheme, the U.S. Treasury disbursed at least $545,692 to Mastrogiovanni and his family members.
Haynes was found guilty by a jury on November 10, 2025 of 15 counts of aiding and assisting in the preparation and presentation of false tax returns, one count of mail fraud, and two counts of tax evasion for his scheme seeking more than $170 million in fraudulent tax refunds from the IRS by causing more than 1,900 false tax returns to be filed on behalf of himself and his clients. Haynes’s sentencing is scheduled for March 12, 2026.
In addition to the tax fraud scheme, from on or about June 19, 2023 through on or about December 7, 2023, Mastrogiovanni engaged in a separate scheme to steal more than $180,000 from an 85-year old victim. The victim presented a check to Mastrogiovanni to purchase a vehicle at the car dealership where Mastrogiovanni worked. Mastrogiovanni later used the routing and checking account numbers on the check to make unauthorized personal transactions from the account until the account was empty.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Martini sentenced Mastrogiovanni to three years of supervised release following Mastrogiovanni’s term of imprisonment and ordered restitution in the amount of $726,862.
Senior Counsel Lamparello credited special agents the IRS – Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jenifer L. Piovesan; special agents of the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Amy Connelly; postal inspectors from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, under the direction of Inspector in Charge Christopher Nielsen, Philadelphia Division; and officers of the Mahwah Police Department, under the direction of Chief Timothy O’Hara, with the investigation.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew Stark and Fatime Meka Cano of the Economic Crimes Unit in Newark.
The District of New Jersey COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Strike Force is one of five strike forces established throughout the United States by the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute COVID-19 fraud. The strike forces focus on large-scale, multi-state pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors. The strike forces are interagency law enforcement efforts, using prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams designed to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds.
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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Defense Counsel for Mastrogiovanni: Frank Agostino, Esq.