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Monday 20 October 2025
Brooklyn Man Sentenced to More Than 13 Years’ Imprisonment for Distributing Fentanyl That Caused Overdose DeathRead the Press Release
Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Elijah Morales was sentenced by United States District Judge Brian M. Cogan to 158 months’ imprisonment for distributing fentanyl that caused the death of an individual referred to in the indictment as “John Doe.”
Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York and Ricky J. Patel, Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations, New York (HSI New York), and Jessica S. Tisch, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), announced the sentence.
“Far too many people have died tragically from the scourge of fentanyl and other illicit drugs,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “While nothing can bring back this or the other countless victims, hopefully today’s outcome can send a strong message to would-be fentanyl dealers that can save future lives.”
“The defendant's actions were nothing short of reprehensible — peddling a deadly poison, watching his victim succumb to its effects, and then callously delaying lifesaving aid while attempting to cover up his crime, stated HSI New York Special Agent in Charge Patel. “This case exemplifies the devastating consequences of fentanyl distribution and the calculated cruelty of those who profit from it. Together with our partners from the NYPD and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York, we will not rest until we dismantle these criminal networks and bring justice to the families devastated by their greed and cruelty.”
“Elijah Morales allegedly distributed dangerous fentanyl, prioritized drug profits over people’s safety, and flooded our city with his poison,” stated NYPD Commissioner Tisch. “With a chance to save the life of someone overdosing, Morales chose to save himself, delaying a life-or-death call to 911 to cover up his crimes. I would like to thank our NYPD investigators and partners at HSI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their work in removing this individual off our streets.”
As set forth in court filings, on June 21, 2023, at approximately 4:00 a.m., an anonymous caller to 911 (later determined to be Morales) reported that he had found an unknown individual—John Doe—unconscious in the stairwell of an apartment building in Brooklyn where the defendant’s grandmother resided. Morales claimed on the call that he had gone out to smoke a cigarette when he observed John Doe next to the staircase in the hallway of the dwelling. Shortly thereafter, medics arrived and attempted to revive John Doe but were unsuccessful. John Doe’s cause of death was acute fentanyl intoxication.
The investigation revealed that Morales lied to the 911 operator. In reality, he had distributed narcotics to John Doe at or around 2:20 a.m.—approximately two hours prior to his call to 911 and approximately three hours before John Doe was pronounced dead. Among other evidence, surveillance footage from the second-floor landing of the dwelling showed Morales and John Doe engaging in a drug transaction at 2:20 a.m.
The investigation further showed that while John Doe laid unconscious in the stairwell of the dwelling, Morales delayed calling 911 by at least approximately one hour while he scrubbed the scene of evidence of his drug sale to John Doe. The evidence showed that at around 2:50 a.m., John Doe’s mother began repeatedly calling John Doe after Doe failed to respond to text messages from his mother. Video surveillance footage from the dwelling featured the sound of John Doe’s cellphone ringing as John Doe laid unconscious at the bottom of the staircase. From around 3:15 a.m. through 4:06 a.m., surveillance footage from the second floor of the dwelling depicted the Morales entering and exiting his apartment and picking up various items from the floor of the hallway while John Doe’s cellphone sporadically played in the background. At around 3:54 a.m., the surveillance footage depicted Morales as he exited his apartment, picked up a bag of white powder from the stairwell floor—consistent in appearance with the bag in which he had delivered the fatal drugs to John Doe—held up the bag to observe the remains of its contents, and then re-entered his apartment.
At approximately 4:07 a.m., Morales contacted 911 and falsely claimed that John Doe was an unknown individual asleep in the hallway of his grandmother’s building. Surveillance footage captured from the first-floor landing during the 911 call showed the defendant speaking with a 911 operator while John Doe laid unconscious at the bottom of the stairwell.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Public Integrity Section. Assistant United States Attorney Sean M. Sherman is in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendant:
ELIJAH MORALES
Age: 24
Brooklyn, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 23-CR-526 (BMC)
Baltimore Man Sentenced to Seven Years for Possessing Firearm and Ammunition as a FelonRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett sentenced Nathaniel Ratchford, 40, of Baltimore, Maryland, to seven years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for possessing a firearm and ammunition as a prohibited person while also on federal supervised release.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the indictment with Special Agent in Charge Charles Doerrer, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), and Commissioner Richard Worley, Baltimore Police Department (BPD).
On February 16, 2024, BPD Detectives and other BPD Group Violence Unit members conducted a foot patrol in the 1200 block of West Baltimore Street. While on patrol, officers observed Ratchford sprinting away after he spotted other law enforcement officers.
After running several city blocks, the on-foot detectives observed Ratchford extending his left hand from his waistband and throwing an object before continuing to flee. The on-foot detectives’ body-worn cameras captured a loud “clink” sound, prompting one detective to yell “GUN.” One on-foot detective stayed behind to look for the firearm while the other on-foot detective continued pursuing Ratchford who eventually tripped and fell before law enforcement arrested him.
Police officers searched the area where the detectives witnessed Ratchford discarding a firearm and found a pistol laying on the ground approximately 15 yards from the location law enforcement saw Ratchford running. Detectives retrieved a black Walther PPS 9mm handgun, with one live round in the chamber, and six live rounds in the inserted magazine.
Ratchford was previously convicted of a felony, so he was prohibited from possessing the firearm and ammunition. At the time of the offense, Ratchford was on federal supervised release in connection with a prior federal conviction for possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon.
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 Jared M. Beim, who prosecuted the case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Friday 17 October 2025
United States Reaches $8.9 Million Settlement with Milwaukee Company Accused of Improperly Taking Bulk Mail DiscountsRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Missouri has finalized a civil settlement to resolve allegations that Fiserv Inc. and Fiserv Solutions LLC failed to comply with the United States Postal Service (USPS) Move Update standard and took improper postage discounts.
As part of the settlement, Fiserv will repay the United States $8,994,221, of which $5,032,525 is restitution to the USPS.
Fiserv is a global company, headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin that provides customers with printing and mailing services for items such as invoices, financial statements, health care related documents and credit cards. Fiserv operates a facility in Hazlewood, Missouri. The settlement announced today resolves allegations that Fiserv did not properly comply with the USPS Move Update standard that allows mailers to claim postage discounts on presorted and bulk mail. The Move Update standard is a means for the USPS to reduce the amount of mail that requires forwarding or return by the periodic matching and updating of addresses.
The settlement resolves allegations brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act by Deborah Lynn Getchman, a former employee of Fiserv. Under those provisions, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of the recovery. The qui tam case is captioned United States ex rel. Deborah Lynn Getchman v. Fiserv, Inc. and Fiserv Solutions, LLC, Case No. 4:21-cv-00951 in U.S. District Court in St. Louis. Getchman will receive $1,596,474 of the proceeds from the settlement.
“The United States Postal Service provides discounts to mailers who meet the certain standards of reducing the volume of mail that requires being forwarding or returned,” said Tammy Hull, U.S. Postal Service Inspector General. “Any company falsely claiming these discounts should know that we will pursue this fraud and bring them to justice. This case highlights the important role whistleblowers play in our work. We thank this whistleblower for coming forward and reporting these fraudulent activities.”
“We thank the whistleblower in this case and we encourage others who know of an individual or company defrauding the government to bring their concerns forward,” said U.S. Attorney Thomas C. Albus. “This settlement is an example of our important civil enforcement efforts where we work with whistleblowers to protect government funds.”
This civil settlement was a result of the combined work of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Missouri and the USPS Office of Inspector General Contract Fraud Investigation Division.
This press release was posted November 13, after the end of the federal government shutdown.
Gaza Man Arrested for Alleged Involvement in October 7, 2023 Terrorist AttacksRead the Press Release
Mahmoud Amin Ya’qub Al-Muhtadi, 33, a Gazan native currently residing in Lafayette, Louisiana, was arrested yesterday for his alleged involvement in the Hamas-led terrorist attack against Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.
“After hiding out in the United States, this monster has been found and charged with participating in the atrocities of October 7 — the single deadliest day for Jewish people since the Holocaust,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “While nothing can fully heal the scars left by Hamas’s brutal attack, this Department’s Joint Task Force October 7 is dedicated to finding and prosecuting those responsible for that horrific day, including the murder of dozens of American citizens. We will continue to stand by Jewish Americans and Jewish people around the world against anti-Semitism and terrorism in all its forms.”
“As set forth in documents filed yesterday, on October 7, when Al-Muhtadi learned of the unfolding barbaric attack on Israel and civilians from multiple nations, including the United States, he sprang into action. He armed himself, recruited additional marauders, and then entered Israel, where there is evidence placing him near one of the worst-hit Israeli communities,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “Subsequently, Al-Muhtadi fraudulently obtained a visa to enter the United States where he hoped to remain undetected. This arrest is the first public step in bringing to justice those responsible for harming Americans on that day.”
“October 7 is a day that lives in infamy for so many, Gentile and Jew alike, because of the terrorist attack on Israel that began a wave of antisemitic violence,” said U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Keller for the Western District of Louisiana. “Let this arrest serve as a reminder both that those who perpetrate acts of terrorism cannot evade justice by hiding in our communities and that state, local, and federal law enforcement — here, the FBI, U.S. Customs and Border Patrol, Louisiana State Police, Lafayette Police Department, and Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Office — are working tirelessly to bring these people to justice.”
According to court documents, Al-Muhtadi is an operative for the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine’s (DFLP) military wing, the National Resistance Brigades (NRB, also known as the Martyr Umar al-Qasim Forces), a Gaza-based paramilitary group that participated in the Hamas-led terrorist attack against Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.
As alleged, on the morning of Oct. 7, 2023, Al-Muhtadi learned about the Hamas invasion, armed himself, gathered others, and crossed into Israel with the intention of assisting in Hamas’s terrorist attack. According to the complaint, Al-Muhtadi’s phone utilized a cell tower located near Kibbutz Kfar Aza in Israel – the location of a horrifying massacre by Hamas and its supporters resulting in the deaths of many civilians, including at least four American citizens.
In addition, Al-Muhtadi allegedly provided false information in his U.S. visa application relating to his involvement with a paramilitary organization, connection to Hamas, participation in a terrorist attack, and military training. Al-Muhtadi swore to the accuracy of numerous materially false statements in his visa application with respect to at least his affiliation with DFLP, the NRB, and Hamas, his training, and his involvement in the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks. According to U.S. Department of Homeland Security Customs and Border Protection records, Al-Muhtadi entered the United States on Sept. 12, 2024.
Joint Task Force October 7 (JTF 10-7) and the FBI New Orleans Field Office are investigating the case, with valuable assistance from Israeli authorities, including the State Attorney’s Office of Israel, the Israeli Security Agency, Lahav 433 and the Intelligence and Investigation Department of the Israel National Police, the Israel Defense Forces, and the Israeli National Bureau for Counter Terror Financing, as well as the FBI Law Enforcement Attache Office in Israel. The Louisiana State Police, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Lafayette Police Department and the Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Office also provided significant assistance.
Assistant U.S. Attorney John Nickel for the Western District of Louisiana; Trial Attorneys A.J. Dixon, Andrew Sigler and JTF 10-7 Lead Attorney Alicia Cook of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section; and Assistant U.S. Attorney Zoe Bedell for the Eastern District of Virginia are prosecuting the case. Valuable assistance was also provided by Trial Attorney Mark Aziz with the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs.
Al-Muhtadi’s presence in the U.S. was discovered by JTF 10-7. Established in February 2025 by Attorney General Pamela Bondi, JTF 10-7 was created to spearhead the Justice Department’s ongoing investigations into the perpetrators of the heinous October 7, 2023, terrorist attack on Israel, in which approximately 1,200 people were murdered by Hamas, including 49 U.S. citizens, and approximately 250 additional people were abducted by Hamas, including 8 U.S. citizens. The task force reinforces the Department’s commitment to degrading and dismantling Hamas, holding Hamas supporters accountable, achieving justice for victims, and fighting terrorist-led antisemitism.
Former postal worker sentenced for stealing mailRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Christopher Porter, 37, of Angola, NY, who was convicted of theft of mail by an officer or employee, was sentenced to serve two years’ probation and 100 hours of community service by U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Franz M. Wright, who handled the case, stated that between 2021 and May 2022, Porter was employed by the United States Postal Service (USPS) as a City Carrier, assigned to the West Seneca Post Office. In October 2021, Porter stole an envelope containing a Wegmans gift card and a Target gift card, which he gave to his wife. In addition, on various dates in March 2022, Porter opened envelopes and mail and rifled through the mail items, delaying their delivery.
The sentencing is a result of an investigation by the United States Postal Service, Office of Inspector General, Northeast Area Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Modafferi.
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Former Ada Resident Pleads Guilty to Involuntary ManslaughterRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Heather Lynn Harjo, age 39, formerly of Ada, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to an Information of one count of Involuntary Manslaughter in Indian Country, punishable by up to eight years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The Information alleged that on April 28, 2025, Harjo unlawfully killed the victim while committing a lawful act which might produce death in an unlawful manner.
The crime occurred in Pontotoc County, within the boundaries of the Chickasaw Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Ada Police Department, the Chickasaw Lighthorse Police Department, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, and the U.S. Marshals Service.
The Honorable D. Edward Snow, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Harjo will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lewis M. Reagan represented the United States.
Baltimore County Man Pleads Guilty to Overtime Fraud Scheme and Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Lawrence Earl Smith, Jr., 51, of Perry Hall, Maryland, pled guilty to federal wire fraud and tax evasion charges. While serving as a Baltimore City School Police Officer and Dunbar High School football coach, Smith created and executed a scheme to submit fraudulent overtime slips. Smith received overtime payments, totaling more than $200,000, for time that he never worked. He also evaded paying more than $60,000 in federal income taxes for 2017, 2019, and 2020.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty plea with Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge Kareem Carter, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Washington D.C. Field Office.
According to the guilty plea, Smith acknowledged that from May 2005 until August 2022, he was employed as a Baltimore City School Police Officer. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Smith was authorized to receive overtime pay to provide security for COVID-19 testing and food sites and he acted as a liaison with the Baltimore Police Department (BPD). He was also authorized to assist BPD in its investigations and to receive overtime pay if he received a BPD request outside of his regular hours for “emergencies” and situations that required an immediate response.
Beginning in January 2019 until August 2022, Smith claimed more than 3,330 hours of fraudulent overtime, totaling at least $200,000 in additional earnings, for hours that he never worked. In several of these instances, Smith was nowhere near the COVID-19 testing or food sites nor assisting BPD. Instead, Smith was at his Baltimore County residence, on his boat in or near the Baltimore Inner Harbor, or out of town on trips, including to Las Vegas, Florida, and the Caribbean. Smith also falsely claimed tax exempt status while failing to file state and federal income tax returns. Additionally, Smith fraudulently caused his employer to abstain from withholding payroll taxes while his income remained unreported. Smith’s employer never withheld or paid his federal income taxes, due to Smith’s false Forms W-4. Since he never filed tax returns to report income, Smith evaded taxes for 2017, 2019, and 2020, causing him to owe the IRS $61,233.40.
Smith faces a maximum of 20 years in federal prison, followed by up to three years of supervised release. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. District Judge Stephanie A. Gallagher scheduled sentencing for April 15, 2026, at 2 p.m.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI and IRS-CI for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adeyemi Adenrele and Jared Beim who are prosecuting the federal case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Thursday 16 October 2025
Voting Machine Company Charged in Philippine Bribery and Money Laundering SchemeRead the Press Release
MIAMI – A federal grand jury in Miami returned a superseding indictment today charging a multinational company that provides voting machine and election services for participating in a scheme to pay and launder more than $1 million in bribes to a Philippine government official in connection with contracts related to the 2016 Philippine national elections.
The superseding indictment charges SGO Corporation Limited—which, together with the entities within its corporate structure, is commonly known as “Smartmatic” or the “Smartmatic Group”—as well as three of its executives and the former Chairman of the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) of the Republic of the Philippines. The four individuals were initially indicted in August 2024.
According to the superseding indictment, between 2015 and 2018, Roger Alejandro Piñate Martinez, 50, a Venezuelan citizen residing in Boca Raton, and Jorge Miguel Vasquez, 64, of Davie, together with others, caused at least $1 million in bribes to be paid to Juan Andres Donato Bautista, 61, the former Chairman of COMELEC. The bribes were allegedly paid to obtain and retain business from COMELEC, including the release of favorable value added tax (VAT) reimbursements and other contractual payments for the benefit of SGO Corporation Limited and its affiliates.
To finance the bribes, the co-conspirators allegedly created a slush fund by over-invoicing the cost per voting machine supplied for the 2016 Philippine elections. To conceal the corrupt payments, they used coded language, created fraudulent contracts and sham loan agreements, and routed transactions through bank accounts in Asia, Europe, and the U.S., including within the Southern District of Florida.
SGO Corporation Limited, Piñate, and Vasquez are charged with one count of conspiracy to violate the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA). Piñate and Vasquez are charged with one count of violating the FCPA. Additionally, SGO Corporation Limited, Bautista, Piñate, Vasquez, and Elie Moreno, 45, a dual citizen of Venezuela and Israel, are charged with one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering and three counts of international laundering of monetary instruments. If convicted, Bautista, Piñate, Vasquez, and Moreno each face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for each count of international laundering of monetary instruments and conspiracy to commit money laundering. Piñate and Vasquez face a maximum penalty of five years in prison for each of the FCPA and conspiracy to violate the FCPA counts. Bautista and Moreno are fugitives and remain at large.
U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida, Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Acting Special Agent in Charge José R. Figueroa of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Miami, and Special Agent in Charge Emmanuel Gomez of IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Miami made the announcement.
HSI’s El Dorado Task Force Miami is investigating the case, with assistance from IRS-CI Miami.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert J. Emery for the Southern District of Florida and Trial Attorneys Connor Mullin and Jil Simon of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Paster is handling asset forfeiture. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and the Philippine Department of Justice and Office of the Ombudsman provided assistance.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number case no. 24-cr-20343.
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Two Honduran men arrested, charged with illegal reentryRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.–U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Arlen Saul Castillo, 29, and Jonathan Esteban Osario Lopez, 32, both citizens and nationals of Honduras, were arrested and charged in separate criminal complaints with illegal reentry, which carries a maximum penalty of two years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Smith, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaints, on October 8, 2025, a Lancaster police officer conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle on Central Avenue. the vehicle did not have a license or identification with him. Castillo and Osario Lopez, passengers in the vehicle, were arrested after admitting that they were illegally present in the United States without any valid immigration documents that would allow them to remain. Subsequent investigation determined that Castillo was physically removed from the United States in December 2011, and Osario Lopez was physically removed from the United States in August 2013, and December 2013.
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.
Castillo and Osario Lopez made an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge H. Kenneth Schroeder, Jr. and were detained.
The complaints are the result of an investigation by U.S. Border Patrol, under the direction of Patrol Agent-in-Charge David Banks.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Saudi Arabian National Living in Tulsa Sentenced for Possessing and Attempting to Receive Child PornographyRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – A Saudi Arabian national living in Tulsa was sentenced today for Possession of Child Pornography in Indian Country and Attempted Receipt and Distribution of Child Pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
U.S. Circuit Judge Gustavo A. Gelpi, Jr., sentenced Mohamad Asaad Alhashem, 31, to 90 months imprisonment, followed by 15 years of supervised release. Upon his release, Alhashem will also be required to register as a sex offender and ordered to pay $60,500 in restitution.
According to court documents, in October 2023, Alhashem began communicating with an undercover officer on social media, whom he believed was 14 years old. Over several weeks, Alhashem asked the 14-year-old about their sexual experiences and described the sexual acts he wanted to have with the minor. He also sent sexual videos of himself and requested photos from
the minor.After a search warrant was executed on Alhashem’s home, law enforcement found 195 images and 19 videos that contained the sexual abuse of children, infants, and toddlers. Law enforcement further found messages where Alhashem was attempting to purchase child sexual abuse material.
Alhashem will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.
Homeland Security Investigations and the Pryor Creek Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nathan Michel prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
Repeat felon going back to prison on drug and gun chargesRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Angel Ruiz, 47, of Buffalo, NY, who was convicted of possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, was sentenced to serve 15 years in prison by U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy C. Lynch, who handled the case, stated that in early 2024, law enforcement began targeting the use of the U.S. Postal Service by drug trafficking organizations to ship narcotics into the greater Buffalo area. During the week of October 20, 2024, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service identified two parcels being shipped from California, one destined for a Plymouth Avenue address, the other a Military Road address, both in Buffalo. Investigators determined that the parcels were likely intended for or related to Ruiz, who investigators had previously observed at the Plymouth Avenue address. After both parcels were delivered on October 24, 2024, investigators attempted a traffic stop of Ruiz’s vehicle, but he refused to yield. Investigators subsequently located the vehicle parked near Ruiz’s Ross Avenue residence. Ruiz was taken into custody as he exited his residence.
During a search of the residence, law enforcement found quantities of cocaine and fentanyl pills, and drug paraphernalia. In addition, a handgun with 15 rounds of ammunition was found inside a safe. In the backyard of the Ross Avenue residence, law enforcement located the two parcels that had been mailed to the Plymouth Avenue and Military Road addresses. One of the parcels contained approximately one kilogram of fentanyl and the other contained approximately one kilogram of heroin. Two cell phones were also recovered, which contained a video message sent to Ruiz stating that the parcels had arrived.
Ruiz was convicted of felony crimes in Erie County Court in June 1996, April 2004, February 2008, and June 2022. In addition, he was convicted of a felony crime in United States District Court for the Western District of New York in May 2017. As a result, Ruiz is legally prohibited from possessing a firearm and ammunition.
The sentencing is of the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Frank Tarentino, New York Field Division, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, under the direction of Inspector-in-Charge Ketty Larco-Ward, Boston Division.
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Philadelphia Men Charged in Connection with Armored Truck RobberiesRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Dante Shackleford, 26, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was arrested and charged by indictment in connection with three armored truck robberies and attempted robberies that occurred in July and August of this year, as well as an additional attempted armored truck robbery in October. Mujahid Davis, 24, of Philadelphia, was also arrested and charged in the October attempted armored truck robbery.
Shackleford has been in federal custody since his arrest on a criminal complaint and warrant on October 3.
The indictment alleges that on July 15, 2025, in Philadelphia, and July 22, 2025, in Elkins Park, Pa., Shackleford attempted to rob a Brinks driver of U.S. currency. The indictment further alleges that on August 12, 2025, Shackleford successfully robbed a Brinks driver outside of an H-Mart in Elkins Park. Finally, the indictment alleges that on October 3, 2025, Shackleford and Davis attempted to rob another Brinks driver in Philadelphia.
This investigation is being conducted jointly by the FBI Philadelphia Violent Crimes Task Force and the Philadelphia Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Robert Eckert and Kwambina Coker.
The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
Note: the posting of this press release was delayed, due to the federal government shutdown from October 1, 2025, to November 12, 2025.
Philadelphia Man Sentenced to 40 Years in Prison for Child Sexual ExploitationRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Eric Mooney, 42, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today to 40 years in prison, 10 years of supervised release, $9,000 in restitution, and $1,200 in assessments by United States District Judge Gerald J. Pappert for child sexual exploitation offenses.
Mooney was charged by indictment in February 2024 with one count each of production and attempted production of child pornography, receipt of child pornography, and possession of child pornography. He pleaded guilty to all charges against him in February of this year.
As detailed in the court filings, the defendant met the 14-year-old victim online in February 2023 and communicated with her over a messaging app for approximately two weeks, during which he coerced her into engaging in sexually explicit conduct at his direction during live video feeds.
Within weeks of meeting the child, Mooney traveled to Kentucky, convinced her to leave her home in the middle of the night, and brought her back to his home in Philadelphia where he engaged in sexual intercourse. Police later found sexually explicit images and video of this child on the defendant’s electronic devices, as well a copy of the flyer that had been posted when the child disappeared from her home in Kentucky.
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 United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to 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 projectsafechildhood.gov
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Priya De Souza.
Note: the posting of this press release was delayed, due to the federal government shutdown from October 1, 2025, to November 12, 2025.
Philadelphia Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for His Role in Violent Armed CarjackingRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Emmanuel Sia, 22, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today to 120 months in prison, three years’ supervised release, and $42,909 in restitution by United States District Judge Paul S. Diamond for taking part in a violent armed carjacking.
The defendant was charged by indictment in August 2023 with one count of carjacking and one count of using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. He pleaded guilty to both charges in May of this year.
As detailed in court filings and admitted to by the defendant, in the early morning hours of July 11, 2023, Sia and two others carjacked a 26-year-old man who had just parked his car near his Northeast Philadelphia home, with the defendant and others pointing their semiautomatic pistols directly at the victim, at very close range. The carjackers then pistol-whipped the man, took his cell phone, and drove off in his Dodge Charger.
Philadelphia police officers soon located and followed the stolen vehicle. As Sia and his co-defendants were trying to flee police in the Charger, they collided with another vehicle and crashed into a pole on Castor Avenue, where the stolen car caught fire and was destroyed. Police quickly apprehended all three carjackers after the crash.
Sia’s co-defendants, Leevah Mills and Kysime Brown, also pleaded guilty to the charges against them. In September, Mills was sentenced to more than 11 years in prison, and earlier this month, Brown was sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment.
This case was investigated by the Philadelphia Police Department and the FBI and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Thomas M. Zaleski.
Note: the posting of this press release was delayed, due to the federal government shutdown from October 1, 2025, to November 12, 2025.
Philadelphia Man Convicted at Trial of Armed Robbery of Area Credit UnionRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Charles Thomas Clark, 30, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was convicted today at trial of aiding and abetting armed bank robbery, and aiding and abetting using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
The defendant was charged with those offenses by indictment in April 2024, arising from the gunpoint robbery of a Montgomery County credit union.
As detailed in court filings and proven at trial, on January 9, 2024, just before 3:30 p.m., Clark and co-defendant Emmanuel Glass entered the American Heritage Credit Union branch located on the 1300 block of Old York Road in Abington, Pa. At gunpoint, they demanded money from credit union employees, putting the cash in a paper McDonald’s bag. They also took deposited checks.
Throughout the encounter, employees heard Clark say, “It’s not worth it, this is all insured”; “…it’s not worth your life,” in reference to pushing alarm buttons, and warning employees not to move or they would get shot.
After exiting the credit union with the stolen cash, the robbers fled in a gold 2014 Chevrolet Cruze. The bank manager then called 911 to report the robbery.
Police spotted the Chevrolet Cruze a few miles away from the credit union and began to follow the vehicle. Clark, who was driving, struck multiple vehicles as he fled from police at a high rate of speed, then crashed into a marked Abington Police vehicle. Both robbers took off on foot and were apprehended shortly thereafter by police.
Clark’s co-defendant Glass, who pleaded guilty in July, is scheduled to be sentenced on November 5. Clark is scheduled to be sentenced on February 5, 2026.
The case was investigated by the Abington Township Police Department and FBI Philadelphia’s Fort Washington Resident Agency and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Catherine Dos Santos and Special Assistant United States Attorney Meghan Farley.
Note: the posting of this press release was delayed, due to the federal government shutdown from October 1, 2025, to November 12, 2025.
Pennsylvania Man Pleads Guilty to Sexual Exploitation of a ChildRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – David Donnell Fulton, 32, of York, Pennsylvania, pled guilty to one count of Sexual Exploitation of a Child.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty plea with Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office; Francis Chardo, District Attorney for Dauphin County; Chief County Detective Corey Dickerson, Dauphin County; and Chief Garth W. Waner, Derry Township Police Department.
According to the guilty plea, during Memorial Day Weekend 2024, Fulton traveled with friends and family to Great Wolf Lodge in Elkton, Maryland. While a 7-year-old minor victim slept, Fulton used his iPhone to capture an image of her genitals. A few days later, during a search of Fulton’s home, law enforcement seized several devices and found Fulton with an image of the 7-year-old victim, as well as multiple images of commercially available child sex abuse material.
Fulton faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 15 years in prison and a maximum of 30 years in prison, followed by up to a lifetime of supervised release, for the Sexual Exploitation of a Child. U.S. District Judge Ellen L. Hollander scheduled sentencing for Tuesday December 16, at 11 a.m.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit justice.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit justice.gov/psc and click on the “Resources” tab on the left of the page.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI, District Attorney’s Office for Dauphin County, Criminal Investigations Division for Dauphin County, and the Derry Township Police Department for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen Elizabeth McGuinn who is prosecuting the federal case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Ohio Man Faces Federal Charges for Shooting Deputy U.S. Marshal in Barricade IncidentRead the Press Release
An Ohio man was taken into custody and charged with assaulting a federal officer who was engaged in the performance of official duties.
According to the criminal complaint, on Oct. 15, Larry Leon Dwight Wiley, 55, of Cleveland, barricaded himself in his apartment for several hours after members of the Cleveland U.S. Marshals Service arrived to execute an arrest warrant for a previous federal law violation. Wiley took aim at the federal officers and began firing as they entered the unit. One deputy U.S. Marshal was struck in the arm with a .380 caliber round and was transported to a nearby hospital to receive treatment for his injuries. Wiley made his initial appearance Oct. 16 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jennifer Dowdell Armstrong. He was ordered to remain in custody while the matter is pending, following a motion made in court by U.S. Attorney David M. Toepfer for the Northern District of Ohio.
“Law enforcement officers risk everything to protect us, and this case is a stark reminder of the dangers they face in the line of duty,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “I am grateful that our deputy U.S. Marshal will make a full recovery and I will ensure that this heinous crime is prosecuted and punished to the fullest extent of the law. Any attack on law enforcement is an attack on our society itself.”
“An assault on federal law enforcement is an assault against society. We will aggressively prosecute anyone who harms a federal law enforcement officer who is pursuing the mission of protecting the public,” said U.S. Attorney Toepfer. “I would like to thank the Cleveland Police Department, FBI, and ATF for their rapid response to this situation. I also commend the officers on scene who quickly rendered first aid to their wounded colleague.”
“The swift and decisive actions by the United States Marshal’s Service, Cleveland Division of Police, ATF, and the Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Office to prevent additional harm to the people in the community underscores the collaboration and partnership among our local, state, and federal agencies,” said FBI Cleveland Special Agent in Charge Greg Nelsen. “We are united in our resolve to take the most dangerous criminals and repeat offenders off the streets and keep our neighborhoods safe places to live and work. The FBI will conduct a thorough investigation into the assault of a federal officer and ensure justice is served.”
Wiley is charged with assault on a federal officer with a deadly or dangerous weapon and faces up to 20 years in prison. If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after a review of factors unique to the case, including prior criminal record, role in the offense, and characteristics of the violation.
This case is being investigated by the FBI Cleveland Division, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), and the Cleveland Division of Police. The Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Office also provided valuable assistance. The prosecution is being led by Assistant United States Attorneys Margaret A. Sweeney, Scott Zarzycki, and James P. Lewis for the Northern District of Ohio.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Ohio Man Faces Federal Charges for Shooting Deputy U.S. Marshal in Barricade IncidentRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – An Ohio man was taken into custody and charged with assaulting a federal officer who was engaged in the performance of official duties.
According to the criminal complaint, on Oct. 15, Larry Leon Dwight Wiley, 55, of Cleveland, barricaded himself in his apartment for several hours after members of the Cleveland U.S. Marshals Service arrived to execute an arrest warrant for a previous federal law violation. Wiley took aim at the federal officers and began firing as they entered the unit. One deputy U.S. Marshal was struck in the arm with a .380 caliber round and was transported to a nearby hospital to receive treatment for his injuries. Wiley made his initial appearance Oct. 16 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jennifer Dowdell Armstrong. He was ordered to remain in custody while the matter is pending, following a motion made in court by United States Attorney David M. Toepfer for the Northern District of Ohio.
“Law enforcement officers risk everything to protect us, and this case is a stark reminder of the dangers they face in the line of duty,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “I am grateful that our deputy U.S. Marshal will make a full recovery and I will ensure that this heinous crime is prosecuted and punished to the fullest extent of the law. Any attack on law enforcement is an attack on our society itself.”
“An assault on federal law enforcement is an assault against society. We will aggressively prosecute anyone who harms a federal law enforcement officer who is pursuing the mission of protecting the public,” said U.S. Attorney Toepfer. “I would like to thank the Cleveland Police Department, FBI, and ATF for their rapid response to this situation. I also commend the officers on scene who quickly rendered first aid to their wounded colleague.”
“The swift and decisive actions by the United States Marshals Service, Cleveland Division of Police, ATF, and the Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Office to prevent additional harm to the people in the community underscores the collaboration and partnership among our local, state, and federal agencies,” said FBI Cleveland Special Agent in Charge Greg Nelsen. “We are united in our resolve to take the most dangerous criminals and repeat offenders off the streets and keep our neighborhoods safe places to live and work. The FBI will conduct a thorough investigation into the assault of a federal officer and ensure justice is served.”
Wiley is charged with assault on a federal officer with a deadly or dangerous weapon and faces up to 20 years in prison. If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after a review of factors unique to the case, including prior criminal record, role in the offense, and characteristics of the violation.
This case is being investigated by the FBI Cleveland Division, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), and the Cleveland Division of Police. The Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Office also provided valuable assistance. The prosecution is being led by Assistant United States Attorneys Margaret A. Sweeney, Scott Zarzycki, and James P. Lewis for the Northern District of Ohio.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
New Jersey Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Fraudulently Obtaining Bank Loans Guaranteed by the Small Business AdministrationRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Deborah K. Chasanow sentenced Mehul Ramesh Khatiwala, 43, aka “Mike Khatiwala,” of Voorhees, New Jersey, to seven years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, in connection with his role supervising a multi-million-dollar bank fraud conspiracy. Khatiwala and his co-conspirators schemed to fraudulently obtain more than $35 million in Small Business Administration (SBA) loans from financial institutions that they used in a hotel flipping scheme involving the purchase and sale of hotels. Judge Chasanow also ordered Khatiwala to forfeit $6,000,000, pay restitution of $6,010,655.72, and pay a $100,000 fine.
This is Khatiwala’s second federal conviction and sentencing for bank fraud charges. In April 2019, Khatiwala pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and three counts of bank fraud involving criminal conduct dating back to about 2011 through about 2014. In April 2021, Judge Chasanow sentenced Khatiwala to multiple years of incarceration, ordered forfeiture and restitution, and a term of supervised release in connection with his criminal conduct from 2011 to 2014.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge Robert Manchak, Federal Housing Finance Agency Office of Inspector General (FHFA-OIG), and Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey D. Pittano, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General (FDIC-OIG) – Mid-Atlantic Region.
According to the factual stipulations in his guilty plea, Khatiwala was the owner and managing member of Delaware Hotel Group LLC (DHG), and an operator of GMK Consulting LLC (GMK) and KPG Hotel Mgmt. LLC (KPG). These LLCs were hotel management and loan brokerage companies located in Mount Laurel, New Jersey. Co-defendant Rajendra G. Parikh, 64, of Monroe, New Jersey, was also an owner of KPG. Co-defendant Jennifer Watkins, 48, of Marlton, New Jersey, served as a project coordinator for DHG and managing member of Forza Consulting LLC (Forza), a hotel consulting and loan brokerage company located in Marlton, New Jersey. Co-defendant Rebecca Marie Cohn, 38, aka Rebecca Marie Stanton, was a settlement and title processor for Residential Title & Escrow Company, a real estate title company located in Owings Mills, Maryland, that offered escrow and loan-settlement services.
From August 2018 through February 2020, Khatiwala, Parikh, and Watkins conspired to obtain loan proceeds to buy and sell hotels in connection with a hotel-flipping scheme. “Flipping” is a real estate investment strategy that involves purchasing property to hold for a short period before selling it to make a quick profit. During the SBA-loan application process, the co-conspirators made and caused others to make material misrepresentations and omissions to financial institutions regarding the sellers’ identity, familial relationships between parties, and the nature and amount of the equity injected by the borrowers. The defendants sought loans through the SBA’s Section 7(a) Program, which guaranteed and insured approximately 75-85 percent of these loans, and required that the small business owner/borrower invest a certain amount of their own money into the business to qualify for the loan.
Khatiwala, Parikh, and Watkins admitted that they created shell companies using co-conspirators as straw owners of the entities. These straw owners had no actual ownership interest in the entities as Khatiwala and Parikh were the true owners. The straw owners signed purchase contracts, operating agreements, and related documents to buy hotel properties in the name of the shell companies.
The co-conspirators, supervised in part by Khatiwala, then created a second company to purchase the hotels from the shell companies at substantially higher prices. After the co-conspirators formed the companies to control both sides of the flip transaction, they solicited banks for small-business loans to finance the buying company’s purchase of the hotel from the straw companies. The co-conspirators helped the buying companies qualify for the loans by falsely representing investors’ equity injections to the banks, among other materially false statements, misrepresentations, and omissions. The financial institutions extending the loans relied on the false statements and misrepresentations.
In July 2025, Judge Chasanow sentenced co-defendant Jennifer Watkins, 48, of Marlton, New Jersey, to 36 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, in connection with her role in the bank fraud conspiracy. Co-defendant Rajendra G. Parikh is awaiting a sentencing date.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FHFA-OIG, FDIC-OIG, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Harry M. Gruber and Ari D. Evans, who are prosecuting the federal case, and recognized Paralegal Specialist Joanna B.N. Huber, who provided legal support for the case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Multimillion-dollar unlicensed money transmitter sent to prisonRead the Press Release
Editor's Note:
This matter occurred on date indicated, but not published at that time due to government shutdown. Press release posted and made available following the return to normal operations.HOUSTON – A 56-year-old Iraqi citizen who resided in Richmond has been sentenced following his conviction of unlicensed money remitting, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
A federal jury deliberated for approximately two hours before convicting Sameer Sami Rasheed Al Salman April 23 following a two-day trial.
U.S. District Judge Sim Lake has now ordered Salman to serve 54 months in federal prison. Not a U.S. citizen, he is expected to face removal proceedings following his imprisonment. At the hearing, the court heard how Salman provided money services to criminal organizations in the tens of thousands of dollars and that he refused to tell FBI where $300,000 cash was located when they searched his house.
During trial, the jury heard evidence about Salman’s money transmitting business, which he operated at his residence in Richmond. Since 2020, Salman transferred and wired millions of dollars from U.S. bank accounts to ones all over the world, including in China, Indonesia and India.
Additional testimony revealed that Salman offered his services locally and conducted informal hawala transactions-a method of transferring money without using the banking system. He carried out these transfers, often amounting to thousands of dollars, from his driveway and required individuals to show their identification. Many transfers originated from Iraq with some up to $40,000.
Authorities identified Salman’s illegal money transmitting operation after extensive surveillance and conducted a search of his residence. At that time, they discovered over $282,000 in cash stored within the house, which Salman will forfeit.
At the time of the trial, the defense attempted to convince the jury Salman had lawful authority to operate a money transfer business in Iraq. The jury did not believe those claims and found him guilty as charged.
Salman remains in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Heather Winter and Steven Schammel prosecuted the case.
Massachusetts Woman Charged with Threatening to Kill Federal AgentsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Malden, Mass. woman has been arrested and charged for threatening to kill federal agents who were engaging in lawful immigration enforcement.
Bethany Abigail Terrill, 37, was charged with threatening a United States official. Terrill will make an initial appearance in federal court in Boston at 1:30 pm, today.
According to the charging documents, federal agents were supporting Immigration Enforcement and Removal Operations in effecting the administrative immigration arrest of individuals in the area of Malden District Court. It is alleged that the agents encountered Terrill outside of Malden Court for reasons unrelated to the agents’ activities.It is alleged that Terrill physically interjected herself into the middle of agents while they were effecting an arrest. Terrill was allegedly verbally abusive, attempted to physically interfere with the arrest and ultimately made threatening statements to kill the federal officers on scene.
Specifically, Terrill allegedly approached the agents, screaming at and pushing through the agents to capture a video recording on her mobile telephone. It is further alleged that Terrill began screaming, “ICE is here, ICE is here,” “You guys are monsters, this is insane,” “Sir, what’s your name, what’s your name,” “I can try to help you,” and “I am an American civilian, I have a right to be here” as she continuously pushed into agents all while filming them.Agents, who were identifiable by their badges, agency placards and clothing, told Terrill to “back up” several times. It is alleged that Terrill repeatedly attempted to push past the agents and failed to comply with any commands. Agents notified Terrill that she could be arrested if she continued to fail to comply with their requests to give them space to safely effect the arrest.
Terrill allegedly yelled, “Charlie Kirk died, and we love it… We’re coming for you, gonna kill you.” The incident was captured on agents’ body worn cameras and allegedly on Terrill’s mobile telephone.
terrill_-_complaint_affidavit.pdf
The charge of threatening a United States official provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luke A. Goldworm of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.Madras Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Attempted Coercion and Enticement of a MinorRead the Press Release
EUGENE, Ore.— A Madras, Oregon, man, who is a registered sex offender, was sentenced to federal prison today for attempting to persuade a purported child to meet him for sex and to send him sexually explicit material.
Ernesto Torres, 45, was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison and a 20-year term of supervised release.
According to court documents, starting in July of 2024, Torres used Facebook Messenger to chat with an apparent 15-year-old girl. The “child” was an undercover deputy with the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office. In the ensuing months, Torres requested sexual images, discussed sexual acts he wished to perform, and tried to set up a meeting with the decoy child. On December 1, 2024, Torres drove from Madras to Redmond to meet with the child. In the chat records, Torres expressed a desire to take the child to a cabin roughly 50 miles away.
On December 19, 2024, a federal grand jury in Eugene returned an indictment charging Torres with attempted coercion and enticement of a minor and attempting to use a minor to produce a visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct. Torres was located and arrested by agents with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) pursuant to a federal warrant on January 10, 2025. On July 15, 2025, he pleaded guilty to attempted coercion and enticement of a minor.
This case was investigated by HSI and the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Matthew Nelson, Special Assistant United States Attorney for the District of Oregon, and William M. McLaren, Assistant United States Attorney for the District of Oregon.
Anyone who has information about the physical or online exploitation of children are encouraged to contact HSI at (866) 347-2423 or submit a tip online at report.cybertip.org.
Federal law defines child pornography as any visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct involving a minor. It is important to remember child sexual abuse material depicts actual crimes being committed against children. Not only do these images and videos document the victims’ exploitation and abuse, but when shared across the internet, re-victimize and re-traumatize the child victims each time their abuse is viewed. To learn more, please visit the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children at www.missingkids.org.
This case was brought in collaboration with Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Justice Department Statements Regarding Indictment of Former National Security Advisor John BoltonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON — A federal grand jury returned an indictment today charging former National Security Advisor John Bolton, 76, of Bethesda, Maryland, with serious crimes related to the mishandling of classified information. The indictment charges Bolton with eight counts of transmission of national defense information (NDI) and 10 counts of unlawful retention of NDI.
“There is one tier of justice for all Americans,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Anyone who abuses a position of power and jeopardizes our national security will be held accountable. No one is above the law.”
“The FBI’s investigation revealed that John Bolton allegedly transmitted top secret information using personal online accounts and retained said documents in his house in direct violation of federal law,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “The case was based on meticulous work from dedicated career professionals at the FBI who followed the facts without fear or favor. Weaponization of justice will not be tolerated, and this FBI will stop at nothing to bring to justice anyone who threatens our national security.”
“Keeping Americans safe always has been, and always will be, the top priority for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland,” said U.S. Attorney Kelly O. Hayes for the District of Maryland. “If anyone endangers our national security, we’re committed to holding them accountable.”
“The FBI is committed to protecting classified information to keep Americans safe. Anyone entrusted with this knowledge takes an oath and has a duty to safeguard it. The charges alleged in this indictment demonstrate there will be consequences for those who violate this responsibility,” said Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno of the FBI Baltimore Field Office.
The indictment alleges that Bolton illegally transmitted NDI by using personal email and messaging application accounts to send sensitive documents classified as high as Top Secret. These documents revealed intelligence about future attacks, foreign adversaries, and foreign-policy relations.
The indictment also alleges that Bolton illegally retained NDI documents within his home. These documents included intelligence on an adversary’s leaders as well as information revealing sources and collections used to obtain statements on a foreign adversary.
If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for each count of unlawful retention of NDI and a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for each count of transmission of NDI. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI Baltimore Field Office is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas Sullivan and Robert Goldaris for the District of Maryland, Trial Attorneys Adam P. Barry and S. Derek Shugert of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section, and Trial Attorney Tanner Kroeger of the National Security Division’s NatSec Cyber Section are 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.
Justice Department Statements Regarding Indictment of Former National Security Advisor John BoltonRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury returned an indictment today charging former National Security Advisor John Bolton, 76, of Bethesda, Maryland, with serious crimes related to the mishandling of classified information. The indictment charges Bolton with eight counts of transmission of national defense information (NDI) and 10 counts of unlawful retention of NDI.
“There is one tier of justice for all Americans,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Anyone who abuses a position of power and jeopardizes our national security will be held accountable. No one is above the law.”
“The FBI’s investigation revealed that John Bolton allegedly transmitted top secret information using personal online accounts and retained said documents in his house in direct violation of federal law,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “The case was based on meticulous work from dedicated career professionals at the FBI who followed the facts without fear or favor. Weaponization of justice will not be tolerated, and this FBI will stop at nothing to bring to justice anyone who threatens our national security.”
“Keeping Americans safe always has been, and always will be, the top priority for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland,” said U.S. Attorney Kelly O. Hayes for the District of Maryland. “If anyone endangers our national security, we’re committed to holding them accountable.”
“The FBI is committed to protecting classified information to keep Americans safe. Anyone entrusted with this knowledge takes an oath and has a duty to safeguard it. The charges alleged in this indictment demonstrate there will be consequences for those who violate this responsibility,” said Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno of the FBI Baltimore Field Office.
The indictment alleges that Bolton illegally transmitted NDI by using personal email and messaging application accounts to send sensitive documents classified as high as Top Secret. These documents revealed intelligence about future attacks, foreign adversaries, and foreign-policy relations.
The indictment also alleges that Bolton illegally retained NDI documents within his home. These documents included intelligence on an adversary’s leaders as well as information revealing sources and collections used to obtain statements on a foreign adversary.
If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for each count of unlawful retention of NDI and a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for each count of transmission of NDI. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI Baltimore Field Office is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas Sullivan and Robert Goldaris for the District of Maryland, Trial Attorneys S. Derek Shugert of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section andTanner Kroeger of the National Security Division’s National Security Cyber Section are 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.
Italian National Unlawfully Residing in Oregon Sentenced to Federal Prison for Conspiracy to Defraud the United StatesRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—An Italian man unlawfully residing in Oregon was sentenced to federal prison yesterday for his role in a large multi-state criminal conspiracy that stole more than $2.4 million dollars of benefits from hundreds of low-income and food insecure individuals and families.
Giovanni Spirea, 29, was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison and three years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $61,874.32 in restitution.
According to court documents, from August 2023 to October 2024, Spirea and his co-conspirators used electronic skimming devices to steal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, encoded the stolen data on cloned Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards, and illegally purchased items with the stolen benefits. Spirea shared stolen account information with other members of the organization, who, along with him, used the stolen benefits to purchase large quantities of infant formula, energy drinks, and other SNAP-eligible nonperishable food items from grocery stores in Oregon, Washington, and California, and through websites associated with grocery stores offering curb-side pickup.
Over the course of the conspiracy, the group purchased more than 120,000 pounds of goods and stored them at residential properties and storage units in Oregon and Washington until they were packaged and transported to California in private vehicles or via commercial carriers. The fraudulent goods, with an estimated value of more than $2.4 million, were then sold on the black market.
“Protecting government funded programs, like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program isn’t just about preserving funds – it’s about safeguarding trust in a vital lifeline that millions of families depend on to put food on the table,” said U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon Scott E. Bradford. “Today’s sentencing should deter perpetrators from defrauding American families and the federal government for personal gain.”
“The USDA OIG is dedicated to upholding the integrity of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. We will work relentlessly with our law enforcement partners to pursue justice and hold conspirators accountable for stealing SNAP benefits from American families. We thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon, Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Marshals Service, Portland Police Bureau, Oregon Department of Justice, Vancouver Police Department, and all our partner agencies on this joint investigation,” said U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General (USDA OIG) Special Agent-in-Charge Shawn Dionida.
“The theft of benefits intended for families in need is a serious crime,” said Portland Police Chief Bob Day. “We remain committed to holding accountable those who exploit public resources for personal gain.”
“By siphoning millions of dollars in government funds intended for food-insecure households, this illegal criminal alien proved to be one of the worst of the worst,” said Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Seattle acting Special Agent in Charge April Miller. “Through the strength of our law enforcement partnerships, HSI remains steadfast in protecting the integrity of our nation’s treasury and pursuing the criminals engaged in financial crimes that defraud our nation’s assistance programs.”
On October 9, 2024, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a 16-count indictment charging Spirea and sixteen co-conspirators. Spirea was charged with Conspiracy to Defraud the United States and Unauthorized Use of Access Devices.
On July 30, 2025, Spirea pleaded guilty to Count One of the Indictment charging Conspiracy to Defraud the United States.
The case was investigated by the USDA OIG, HSI, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Portland Police Bureau, the Oregon Department of Justice, the Orange County District Attorney’s Office, the Vancouver Police Department, the San Bernardino Sheriff’s Office, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, the Gresham Police Department, and the Redmond, Washington Police Department Financial Fraud and Identification Theft Task Force. It is being prosecuted by Geoffrey A. Barrow and Nicholas D. Meyers, Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Oregon, with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Western District of Washington and Central District of California.
Illegal Alien Arrested for TikTok Post Soliciting Others to Murder ICE AgentsRead the Press Release
An illegal alien from Mexico was arrested Tuesday for soliciting others to kill ICE agents in a TikTok post on October 9, 2025, announced Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Nancy E. Larson.
According to court records, Eduardo Aguilar, 23, residing in Dallas, Texas, was charged by federal complaint for transmitting in interstate or foreign commerce a communication containing a threat, resulting from his October 9 post on TikTok in Spanish, as pictured below:
Court records reflect that the translation of the black and white text states, “I need 10 dudes in Dallas with determination (guts) who aren’t afraid to [two skull emojis].” The emojiis are known to represent the word, “die.” The second phrase, in red and white text, states, “10K for each ICE agent.”
“Threats against our law enforcement officers are completely unacceptable,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Nancy E. Larson. “All threats against our agents and officers will be investigated thoroughly, and anyone who threatens or puts a bounty on agents will be arrested and prosecuted to the fullest extent possible.”
“The FBI takes threats of violence to our law enforcement partners seriously and will thoroughly investigate anyone that commits these types of offenses,” said FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock.
Aguilar made his initial appearance yesterday afternoon in front of a United States Magistrate Judge in Dallas, who ordered that he remain detained in federal custody. If convicted, Aguilar faces a maximum of five years in federal prison.
Criminal Complaint - Aguilar
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, not evidence. Like all defendants, Aguilar is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The Federal Bureau of Investigation – Dallas conducted the investigation of this case with the assistance of the Dallas Police Department, the Texas Department of Public Safety, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Federal Protective Service, Homeland Security Investigations, Immigration and Customs Enforcement – ERO, the Garland Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives – Dallas Field Division.
Four Individuals Indicted for Firearms Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A federal grand jury indicted Luis Melendez Serrano, 19; Kevin Melendez Serrano, 23; Alex Pena Martinez, 19; and William Rivera Nolasco, 19, charging them with conspiring to traffic firearms. According to the indictment, Luis Melendez Serrano and Martinez are illegal aliens who unlawfully possessed a firearm. Additionally, Luis Melendez Serrano, Martinez, and Nolasco are charged with possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the indictment with Evan Campanella, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) – Baltimore; Charles Doerrer, Special Agent in Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) – Baltimore; and Chief Robert McCullough, Baltimore County Police Department (BCPD).
According to the indictment, from at least January 28, 2025, through October 16, 2025, the co-conspirators conspired to traffic firearms to other individuals they knew, or had reason to believe, would constitute a felony. These illegal firearm transfers occurred on January 28, February 21, March 13, May 29, and August 28. During the March 13 firearm transfer, Luis Melendez Serrano, Martinez, and Nolasco possessed methamphetamine with the intent to distribute it.
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 Baltimore comprises agents and officers from various federal, state, and local agencies with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland.
Additionally, this case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the HSI, ATF, and BCPD for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney James G. O’Donohue III, who is prosecuting the case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Former drilling technology company employees charged with embezzlementRead the Press Release
Editor's Note:
This matter occurred on date indicated, but not published at that time due to government shutdown. Press release posted and made available following the return to normal operations.HOUSTON – Two Houston residents have been indicted on charges of embezzling over $1 million from their former employer, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Authorities have now taken Kendra Blake aka Kendra Walker, 37, New Caney, into custody. She made her initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Bryan at 10 a.m. Also charged is James Tillotson, 37, Baytown, who has already made his appearance in federal court.
According to the now fully unsealed indictment, both are charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud and conducting monetary transactions in criminally derived property. Tillotson is also charged with making a false statement on a mortgage application.
The charges allege Blake and Tillotson abused their positions at a local drilling technology company between December 2022 and June 2024. They allegedly changed bank account information in the company’s payment system and diverted funds to accounts they controlled.
As part of the scheme, Blake allegedly added her own company, LL2L Trucking, as a vendor in the company’s system. She then directed fraudulent payments to that company and to other accounts she and Tillotson controlled, according to the charges.
If convicted, both face up to 20 years in prison and a maximum $250,000 fine. Tillotson could also face another maximum 30 years upon conviction of making false statements in a mortgage application.
The FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Shirin Hakimzadeh is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Former Gow school administrator going to for prison production of child pornographyRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Matthew Fisher, 52, of South Wales, NY, who was convicted of production of child pornography, was sentenced to serve to 26 years in prison and 10 years supervised release by U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara. Fisher was also ordered to pay $22,500 in restitution.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron J. Mango, who handled the case, stated that between June 2022, and November 2023, Fisher was employed as the Associate Director of Enrollment and Management at the Gow School, a private boarding school in South Wales, NY. Fisher resided on the Gow School campus. He utilized hidden cameras to create and attempt to create videos of at least five minor males engaged in sexually explicit conduct. During the investigation, several of Fisher’s electronic devices were seized and found to contain child pornography depicting the five victims and several yet to be identified minor individuals.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Child Exploitation Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Philip Tejera, the Town of Tonawanda Police Department, under the direction of Chief James Stauffiger, the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority Transit Police Department, under the direction of Chief Brian Patterson, and the East Aurora Police
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COVID scammer sentenced for defrauding investors with fake products and false documentsRead the Press Release
Editor's Note:
This matter occurred on date indicated, but not published at that time due to government shutdown. Press release posted and made available following the return to normal operations.HOUSTON – A 31-year-old Houston resident has been sentenced for wire fraud in a $12.5 million scam that victimized investors in the Southern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Robert Maxwell pleaded guilty April 10.
U.S. District Judge Alfred H. Bennett has now ordered Maxwell to serve 90 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release and full restitution to the victims. At the hearing, the court heard testimony that Maxwell was currently engaged in another possible fraudulent scheme by managing and attempting to sell a company in the medical clinic trial space called “ClinConnect.” Additionally, the court heard evidence that shortly before sentencing, Maxwell forged a letter from the managers at his former luxury apartment complex in Los Angeles and submitted it to the Probation Department in an attempt to provide an alibi for his whereabouts while on bond.
In handing down the sentence, the court noted the complex and relentless nature of the Maxwell’s scheme and stated that Maxwell preying upon people’s fears during the early years of the COVID-19 pandemic was “despicable.”
When the pandemic emerged, Maxwell falsely represented to investors that he had procured a manufacturing contract with a Chinese company for personal protective equipment such as masks and gloves. He also purported to have a domestic agreement to sell the PPE.
He used fabricated bank records, agreements and other documents to solicit millions in investments to aid in this purported venture. He then pocketed the investment funds, while the PPE never existed.
At the same time, Maxwell agreed to help produce an at-home aerosol product intended to kill coronavirus. While again taking in millions from investors, Maxwell claimed he was working with a manufacturing plant in Texas and an out-of-state distributor to produce and deliver the product to major retailers.
Maxwell told victims that retailers were selling out of the product and ordering millions of additional units in a bid to obtain additional investor funds. However, the entire arrangement was a fraud. No one had even manufactured the product, retailers had never heard of it nor of Maxwell, and he had fabricated all the documents he showed to investors to bolster the scheme.
Maxwell admitted to stealing more than $12.5 million from victims in the course of his fraudulent scheme.
Previously released on bond, Maxwell was taken into custody immediately following the sentencing where he will remain pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The FBI conducted the investigation with the assistance of Houston Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christian Latham and Thomas Carter prosecuted the case.
Buffalo man pleads guilty to new child pornography chargeRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Oscar F. Hernandez III, 23, of Buffalo, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr. to possession of child pornography involving a prepubescent minor following a prior conviction under New York law relating to possession of child pornography. The charge carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum of 20 years, and a fine of $250,000.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas A.C. Penrose, who is handling the case, stated that in December 2022, Hernandez was convicted of Attempted Possessing a Sexual Performance by a Child in New York State Court and sentenced to serve six years of probation. On June 18, 2024, Hernandez used Instagram to share two child pornography videos with another Instagram user, who he believed to be a minor. Hernandez used a cellular telephone to upload the videos to Instagram and share them with the other user. On May 14, 2025, a search warrant was executed at Hernandez’s residence, during which law enforcement seized a number of electronic devices, including a cellular telephone, which contained 15 images of child pornography.
The plea of the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Erin Keegan and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
Sentencing is scheduled for February 20, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. before Judge Sinatra.
Buffalo man arrested on cocaine chargeRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Luis Rodriguez, 47, of Buffalo, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with possession with intent to distribute cocaine, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and $1,000,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy C. Lynch, who handled the case, stated that on October 16, 2025, investigators executed search warrants at Rodriguez’s Grant Street residence, a suspected stash house on Dewitt Street owned by Rodriguez, and on his vehicle. During the searches, law enforcement seized two firearms, approximately 546 grams of suspected cocaine, and a digital scale.
Rodriguez made an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge H. Kenneth Schroeder, Jr. and was released on conditions.
The complaint is of the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Philip Tejera and the Erie County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff John Garcia.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Bucks County Home Care Company and Its Owners and Managers Charged in Alleged Health Care Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Favorite Home Care, LLC, Marina Sakson, 59, and Larry Sakson, 61, both of Marlton, New Jersey, and Olena Radionovsky, 49, and Michael Radionovsky, 54, both of Holland, Pennsylvania, were each charged by indictment with one count of conspiring to commit health care fraud and 20 counts of health care fraud.
Larry Sakson and Olena Radionovsky are the co-owners of defendant Favorite Home Care, and Marina Sakson and Michael Radionovsky are employees and managers of the company.
The indictment alleges that Favorite Home Care, LLC, and the Saksons and Radionovskys conspired with each other to commit health care fraud by billing Medicaid and a Medicaid Managed Care Organization for home health services that were not rendered.
As alleged, each defendant personally completed electronic visit verification calls, attesting that he or she was providing home care services, despite not being present with the client purportedly needing services. Favorite Home Care, LLC then submitted claims and received payments for the care that was not rendered.
This case was investigated by the FBI and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Elizabeth Abrams.
The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
Note: the posting of this press release was delayed, due to the federal government shutdown from October 1, 2025, to November 12, 2025.
Beverly Hills Man Arrested, Brentwood Man Charged in Separate Criminal Cases Linked to Fraud in Public Homelessness FundsRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – Federal law enforcement today announced the arrest of the former chief financial officer at a downtown Los Angeles-based developer of affordable housing and criminal charges against a Brentwood man who defrauded lenders to aid his property-flipping business, including a Cheviot Hills home that he sold to a homeless housing developer for more than double his original purchase price.
“Accountability for the misuse of billions of tax dollars intended to combat homeless starts today,” said Acting United States Attorney Bill Essayli, “The two criminal cases announced is only the tip of the iceberg and we intend to aggressively pursue all leads and hold anyone who broke any federal laws criminally liable.”
“In both of these cases, defendants took advantage of funds allocated to assist the homeless, some of the most vulnerable people in society and many of whom may be suffering from myriad conditions, including addiction,” said Akil Davis, the Assistant Director of the FBI's Los Angeles Field Office. “The FBI is committed to the Homelessness Fraud & Corruption Task Force to find perpetrators of this insidious fraud and build cases to hold the offenders accountable in court. It is my hope that the charges we’re announcing today send a message to others who may be contemplating similar criminal behavior.”
“IRS-CI is proud to be an inaugural member of the Homelessness Fraud and Corruption Task Force, which was formed to ensure that funds which were committed to aiding California’s homeless population were spent as intended,” said Special Agent in Charge Tyler Hatcher of IRS Criminal Investigation’s Los Angeles Field Office. “Today’s actions show our commitment to ensuring the public that we will investigate missing funds that were intended to benefit some of the most vulnerable Californians.”
“The Federal Housing Finance Agency Office of Inspector General (FHFA-OIG) thoroughly investigates allegations of fraud, waste, and abuse, said Special Agent in Charge Herminia Neblina of FHFA-OIG Western Region. "We will continue to hold those accountable who engage in fraud against the entities that FHFA regulates. This investigation reflects our commitment to coordinating investigations with our law enforcement partners.”
United States v. Holmes
Cody Holmes, 31, of Beverly Hills, was arrested this morning on a federal criminal complaint charging him with mail fraud, a felony offense that carries a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison.
Holmes is expected to make his initial appearance this afternoon in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles. No plea will be taken today.
According to an affidavit filed with the complaint, in October 2022, the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD), a state agency, paid approximately $25.9 million in grant money – for a state homelessness project called “Homekey” – to Shangri-La Industries LLC, a downtown Los Angeles-based developer of affordable housing. The grant funds were sent with the provision that the money be used to purchase, construct, and operate homeless housing in Thousand Oaks.
These payments followed many millions of dollars HCD had already paid to Shangri-La to buy, build, and operate housing for the homeless in Redlands (in San Bernardino County) and King City (in Monterey County), among other California cities.
Holmes – as Shangri-La’s CFO – knowingly submitted fake bank records to HCD that purportedly showed approximately $160 million supposedly controlled by Shangri-La and its affiliates to prove that Shangri-La had the capacity to fulfill the homeless housing projects for which it had coapplied for grants from HCD, including the Thousand Oaks project. In fact, the bank accounts Shangri-La and Holmes said contained these funds did not exist.
Holmes and Shangri-La also submitted to HCD balance sheets falsely representing that Shangri-La-affiliated entities held millions of dollars in cash that these entities did not actually have on deposit in the known accounts for those entities. Holmes and Shangri-La submitted these fake bank statements and false balance sheets with the intent that HCD should rely on them and release grant money to Shangri-La.
After these documents were submitted to HCD, HCD paid millions of dollars more in grant money to Shangri-La, including for the Thousand Oaks project.
Some of the Homekey money paid to Shangri-La for homeless housing was used to pay credit card bills for American Express accounts associated with Holmes. In November and December of 2022, more than $2.2 million was transferred from a Shangri-La account to a Holmes-controlled account. Afterwards, from November 2022 to May 2023, more than $2 million was paid towards American Express cards. The charges on those credit card accounts included purchases at well-known luxury retailers. Law enforcement believes these payments were made at least in part for Holmes’s benefit.
United States v. Taylor
Steven Taylor, 44, of Brentwood, is charged with seven counts of bank fraud, one count of aggravated identity theft, and one count of money laundering.
Taylor, who is free on a $3.6 million bond, is expected to be arraigned on the superseding indictment in the coming weeks in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles.
According to the indictment, from August 2019 to July 2025, Taylor used fake bank statements and false cash representations to obtain loans and lines of credit to operate his real estate business. Among other uses for the fraud proceeds, Taylor acquired or refinanced properties in the Los Angeles neighborhoods of Silver Lake, Los Feliz, Westlake, Del Rey, Pico-Union, and Cheviot Hills.
Taylor also is charged with lying to lenders about his intended use of the properties, including lying to the lender funding his purchase of the Cheviot Hills property, misleadingly telling the lender he intended to renovate and use the property himself. In fact, Taylor already had contracted to sell the property, which he originally acquired for $11.2 million (obtained with a loan via fake bank statements) to a homeless housing developer purchasing it with public funds from the City of Los Angeles and the State of California for $27.3 million in a double-escrow transaction hidden from the victim lender and others.
Taylor likewise obtained and kept open lines of credit using fake bank statements and false representations concerning cash deposits, including an unsecured line of credit of approximately $3 million from one victim lender – identified in court documents as “Lender B” – and an additional unsecured line of credit of approximately $1 million from another victim lender – identified in court documents as “Lender C.”
He is further alleged to have lied to Lender B in opening the $3 million credit line with Lender B, falsely telling Lender B that he had closed his $1 million unsecured line of credit with Lender C. He lied by fabricating and sending a document that purported to be an email from an employee of Lender C falsely confirming that the Lender C credit line was closed. In fact, Taylor continued to keep open and draw down on his line of credit with Lender C, even after he opened his $3 million line of credit with Lender B, and the email from Lender C was forged.
The fake bank statements, false cash representations, and misrepresentations regarding liabilities were material to lenders in deciding whether to approve and to keep open the loans and lines of credit Taylor sought and maintained. Taylor used the fraudulently obtained lines of credit to make down payments on real estate that he also obtained with the fraudulent loans.
If convicted, Taylor would face a statutory maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison for each bank fraud count, up to 10 years in federal prison for the money laundering count, and a mandatory consecutive two-year prison sentence for the aggravated identity theft count.
Complaints and indictments contain allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in court.
The FBI and IRS Criminal Investigation are investigating Holmes.
The FBI, IRS Criminal Investigation, and the Federal Housing Finance Agency Office of Inspector General are investigating Taylor.
Assistant United States Attorneys Monica E. Tait and Nisha Chandran of the Major Frauds Section and Sarah E. Spielberger of the Asset Forfeiture and Recovery Section are prosecuting Holmes. Assistant United States Attorneys Kerry L. Quinn of the Major Frauds Section, Juan M. Rodriguez of the Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section, and Sarah E. Spielberger of the Asset Forfeiture and Recovery Section are prosecuting Taylor.
Aloha Man Charged with Aiming a Laser at a Customs and Border Protection Helicopter and Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.— Brian Keith Kapileo Nepaial, 38, of Aloha, has been charged by criminal complaint with pointing a laser at a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Helicopter and possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute.
According to court documents, on October 3, 2025, a CBP helicopter was struck by a green laser, causing it to abort its planned landing. The flight crew observed an individual walking near a residence and disappearing. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) identified the residence and, on October 10, 2025, executed a federal search warrant at the residence. FBI special agents seized a laser from the bedroom of Kapileo Nepaial and found over 100 grams of methamphetamine and evidence of drug trafficking.
Since June 13, 2025, the United States Attorney’s Office has charged 34 defendants with federal crimes for offenses committed in connection with the ICE building, including assaulting federal officers, failure to comply, and depredation of government property.
“Laser strikes are a serious matter with potentially deadly repercussions. They put the lives of the pilots and the public at risk. Aiming or pointing a laser at an aircraft is a federal crime and will be prosecuted,” said Scott E. Bradford, U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
Kapileo Nepaial is currently in Washington County custody on a parole violation.
Aiming a laser pointer is punishable by up to five years in federal prison. Possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute is punishable by up to 40 years in federal prison.
The case is being investigated by the FBI and is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon.
A criminal complaint is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Alabama Chiropractor Sentenced to More than Six Years in Prison for Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – An Alabama chiropractor has been sentenced on charges of tax evasion and interfering with the administration of the internal revenue laws, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona
U.S. District Court Judge Anna M. Manasco sentenced Gary Forrest Edwards, 65, of Maylene, Alabama, to 78 months in prison. Edwards pleaded guilty during his trial in Birmingham after the United States presented two witnesses and several exhibits.
According to court documents and evidence admitted during trial, from 2015 to 2023, Edwards attempted to evade payment of more than $2.5 million in income taxes and obstructed the IRS’s efforts to collect those taxes.
Edwards owned and operated the chiropractic practice Hoover Health & Wellness Center. In 2015, he agreed to and did file delinquent income tax returns with the IRS for tax years 2009 through 2013. He later filed an income tax return for 2017. Despite filing the returns and reporting millions of dollars in taxable income, Edwards never paid the more than $2.5 million in taxes he admitted he owed—or the near $1.9 million in penalties and interested assessed by the IRS.
Court documents also reflected Edwards’s admission to several of the ways by which he evaded payment of his taxes and obstructed collection of them: concealing financial accounts he owned from the IRS, transferring funds from accounts he owned to accounts in only his spouse’s name, filing false court documents to terminate federal tax liens against his property, lying to IRS criminal investigators, and more.
IRS-Criminal Investigation investigated the case. Tax Division Trial Attorney Isaiah Boyd and Assistant United States Attorney Allison Garnett prosecuted the case.
Afton Man Sentenced After Trying to Meet a 13-Year-Old to Engage in SexRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – An Afton man was sentenced today for Attempted Coercion and Enticement of a Minor, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell sentenced Clint Allen Hubble, 46, to 120 months imprisonment, followed by 10 years of supervised release. Upon his release, Hubble will also be required to register as a sex offender.
In October 2024, Hubble sent a social media friend request and message to an undercover officer, posing as a 13-year-old. Hubble asked, “what is a cutie like you doing in Owasso,” and disclosed that he was 45 years old. Court documents show that Hubble engaged in sexual conversations for several days. He talked with the 13-year-old about hormones, sex, and sent photos of his erect penis. Hubble offered to provide the minor with a phone to take sexually explicit photos and requested to meet the minor to engage in sexual intercourse.
Hubble was arrested at the location where he planned to meet the minor. He will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.
The Owasso Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kate Brandon prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
Adam Sleeper Takes Oath of Office as United States Attorney for the District of the Virgin IslandsRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, USVI – Adam Sleeper was sworn in today to become United States Attorney for the District of the Virgin Islands. President Donald Trump announced Sleeper’s nomination on May 6, 2025, and the United States Senate confirmed him on October 7, 2025. Chief District Court Judge Robert Molloy administered the oath of office to United States Attorney Sleeper in a private ceremony.
Prior to taking office as United States Attorney, Sleeper was an Assistant United States Attorney for the District of the Virgin Islands. In that capacity, he served in numerous roles, to include line prosecutor, Appellate Chief, First Assistant United States Attorney, and Acting United States Attorney. Before joining the United States Attorney’s Office, he clerked for Judge Curtis Gómez of the District Court of the Virgin Islands and Judge Joel Carson III of the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit. He also worked as an associate in the Boston, Massachusetts office of an international law firm.
Sleeper received his J.D. cum laude from Cornell Law School and his B.A. cum laude from Connecticut College.
Wednesday 15 October 2025
U.S. Attorney’s Office and U.S. Marshals Service Announce Crackdown on Non-Compliant Sex OffendersRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, in partnership with the United States Marshals Service, has launched a city-wide operation to ensure that sex offenders who live in the District remain compliant with the law, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro and Director Gadyaces S. Serralta of the United States Marshals Service (USMS).
Federal agents have conducted compliance checks on 883 sex offenders and identified, arrested, and prosecuted 25 sex offenders for failing to register. Nine of the 25 are “Class A” offenders who were convicted of either extremely serious sexual assaults or having victimized multiple individuals.
“This effort is an essential part of ensuring public safety in D.C.,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “The sex offender registry is a vital tool that protects communities, ensures accountability and prevents further victimization. Once convicted, sex offenders who fail to register or fail to update their information, put vulnerable populations at risk. My office, along with the U.S. Marshals Service, will continue to root out, arrest, and prosecute all sex offenders who fail to register in the District.”
The Supreme Court recognized decades ago that the “risk of recidivism posed by sex offenders is frightening and high.” Smith v. Doe, 538 U.S. 84, 103 (2003).
The United States Marshals Service and The Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency (CSOSA) have been aggressively pursuing non-compliant offenders since August 24. The offenders are now being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Sex Offense and Domestic Violence and the Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Sections.
The operation identifies the sex offenders in the District who are required to register with CSOSA, uncovers and investigates offenders who are out of compliance, and arrests and aggressively prosecutes absconders.
The operation is a high-priority project. The U.S. Attorney’s Office has devoted substantial prosecutorial resources to the operation, USMS has committed 28 Deputy U.S. Marshals from across the country, and CSOSA has likewise participated fully.
As of October 15, the operation has:
- Obtained 30 Superior Court Sex Offender Registration Act (SORA) arrest warrants (27 misdemeanor warrants and 3 felony warrants)
- Arrested and charged 24 sex offenders for SORA violations (22 on misdemeanor charges and 2 on felony charges)
- Indicted one sex offender for a felony violation of Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA)
- Conducted compliance checks on 883 D.C. sex offenders
- Brought on 28 Deputy U.S. Marshals from across the nation to support the compliance check operation and subsequent investigations
- Forged a collaboration with CSOSA and the USMS on compliance check efforts and committed 16 Community Supervision Officers and 2 Sex Offender Registry Specialists to the effort; and
- Dedicated two supervisors from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, a senior warrant reviewer, and numerous Superior Court and Criminal Division Assistant U.S. Attorney’s to power this operation.
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Two Guatemalan men arrested for illegal re-entryRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. – U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Hugo Lopez Morales, 48, and Martin Lopez Morales, 30, both a citizen and national of Guatemala, were arrested and charged in separate criminal complaints with illegal re-entry, which carries a maximum penalty of two years in prison and a $250,000 fine. In addition, Hugo Lopez Morales is charged with illegal re-entry of a previously deported alien following a felony conviction, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Smith, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaints, on the afternoon of August 16, 2025, Hugo Lopez Morales was driving a vehicle at the Lewiston Bridge Port of Entry in Lewiston, NY. There were five passengers in the vehicle, including Martin Lopez Morales. Neither defendant had valid U.S. entry documents. The occupants of the vehicle were escorted to secondary inspection. Subsequent investigation determined that Hugo Lopez Morales was physically removed from the United States to Guatemala in November 2016. Also, he was previously convicted of illegal reentry in June 2023 and was again deported in August 2023. In addition, he previously voluntarily returned from the United States to Mexico in July 1998, and December 2004. Martin Lopez Morales was physically deported to Guatemala in October 2020. He was also given a voluntary return from the United States to Mexico in April 2001 and twice in May 2021.
The defendants made initial appearances before U.S. Magistrate Judge H. Kenneth Schroder, Jr. and were detained.
The complaint is a result of an investigation by Customs and Border Protection, under the direction of Director of Field Operations Rose Brophy.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Three convicted in large-scale bail bond fraud conspiracyRead the Press Release
Editor's Note:
This matter occurred on date indicated, but not published at that time due to government shutdown. Press release posted and made available following the return to normal operations.HOUSTON – A federal judge has found three Houstonians guilty of conspiring to secure the release of Harris County inmates on fraudulent bail bonds, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
U.S. District Judge Lee H. Rosenthal determined Kamaiga Gholar, 31, James Bateson, 46, and Katherine O’Brien, 26, were each guilty of conspiracy and committing wire fraud following a week-long trial.
“This fraudulent scheme attacked the integrity of the bail bond system,” said Ganjei. “These defendants also endangered the public by helping to obtain pretrial release for accused criminals who should have been kept in jail. The Southern District of Texas will not tolerate attempts to undermine public confidence in our system of justice.”
The court heard how these three knowingly submitted falsified documents to manipulate the bail bond system in Harris County to secure the release of repeat and violent criminals. From approximately September 2020 to January 2022, Gholar, Bateson and O’Brien falsified paycheck stubs so inmates would qualify for bonds that AABLE Bail Bonds had facilitated.
During trial, Judge Rosenthal heard numerous jail calls discussing the scheme. She also considered testimony from people around the country, some of whom were company representatives who explained that bond co-signers were not employees of their companies despite claiming to be so.
The inmates receiving the bonds had various charges including aggravated assault, firearms, drug trafficking, promoting prostitution and more.
At trial, the court heard evidence that Gholar admitted to knowingly passing falsified paystubs in support of one inmate’s bond paperwork. Gholar inflated income amounts and emailed falsified paystubs to AABLE Bail Bonds.
Bateson aided an inmate who testified that although Bateson had co-signed his bond, he only knew him as a friend’s roommate. The employer listed on his bond application was false.
The court also heard calls in which O’Brian commented that it was difficult to find co-signers with enough income and that she knew how to make false paystubs. In one instance, five co-signer applications for a single inmate had been completed in O’Brien’s handwriting. One had been submitted in the name of O’Brien’s own relative who testified at trial that she never agreed to co-sign and that her paystub had been falsified. O’Brien attempted to blame AABLE Bail Bonds employees for the inaccurate paperwork.
Overall, the defense claimed there was no wire fraud because Gholar, Bateson and O’Brien were not trying to get money or property, but simply trying to get their friends and loved ones released from jail. The defense also claimed that because no one actually forfeited a bond, there was no harm; therefore, no loss and no crime. The court was not convinced and found all three guilty as charged.
Judge Rosenthal will impose sentencing Dec. 31. At that time, each faces up to 20 years in prison per count and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
All were permitted to remain on bond pending that hearing.
A total of 53 people have been charged in the case. To date, 26 have now been convicted through pleas or trial.
The FBI, Houston Police Department and Harris County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation with the assistance of Texas Department of Public Safety and U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Day, Stephanie Bauman, Anthony Franklin and Jay Hileman are prosecuting the case.
Stilwell 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 Jimmy Joe Johnson, age 30, of Stilwell, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Felon in Possession of Ammunition, punishable by up to fifteen years in prison and a $250,000.00 fine.
The Indictment charged Johnson with knowingly possessing eighteen rounds of ammunition on March 14, 2025, after having been previously convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year imprisonment.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Adair County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
The Honorable Jason A. Robertson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Johnson will remain the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lewis M. Reagan and Jacob R. Parker represented the United States.
Puerto Rico Woman Who Flew to Philadelphia with Nearly 15 Pounds of Cocaine in Checked Bag Pleads Guilty to Drug Trafficking OffenseRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Karelys Colon Sevilla, 29, of Bayamon, Puerto Rico, entered a plea of guilty today before United States District Judge Kelley Brisbon Hodge on one count of possession with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine.
The defendant was charged with that offense by indictment in May 2024, following her arrest on a criminal complaint and warrant in February of that year.
As detailed in court filings, on February 13, 2024, Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”) received information that Colon was flying commercially from Puerto Rico, via Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina, to the Philadelphia International Airport (“PHL”) and possibly concealing narcotics in her checked luggage. After HSI confirmed that Colon was indeed a ticketed passenger set to arrive at PHL, investigators sought and received from the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas an anticipatory search warrant for the defendant’s luggage, contingent on an alert from a Police K-9 on the luggage.
Following the arrival of Colon’s plane to PHL, Pennsylvania State Police K-9 Ivan was instructed by his handler to examine every piece of checked luggage from that flight. K-9 Ivan only alerted to the presence of narcotics on one piece of luggage, a blue-gray soft-sided bag bearing a tag with the defendant’s name and flight information.
Pursuant to the search warrant and the K-9’s alert, investigators then opened the bag and recovered approximately 6.8 kilograms of a white substance, which testing later showed was cocaine.
The defendant is scheduled to be sentenced on February 3 and faces a maximum possible sentence of lifetime imprisonment, at least five years of supervised release, and a $10 million fine.
This case was investigated by HSI, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Philadelphia Police Department, the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General Bureau of Narcotics Investigation, and the Pennsylvania State Police. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Eileen Castilla Geiger.
Note: the posting of this press release was delayed, due to the federal government shutdown from October 1, 2025, to November 12, 2025.
Portland Woman Charged with Assaulting Federal Law Enforcement Officer Near Local ICE OfficeRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—A Portland woman made her first appearance in federal court today after assaulting a federal officer near a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) office in South Portland.
Oriana Korol, 38, has been charged by criminal complaint with the felony offense of assaulting a federal officer.
According to court documents, on the evening of October 12, 2025, federal officers detained Korol after she interfered with an arrest of another subject. Korol kicked and bit a federal officer as she was being detained. Officers then arrested her for assaulting a federal officer.
Since June 13, 2025, the United States Attorney’s Office has charged 34 defendants with federal crimes for offenses committed at the ICE building, including assaulting federal officers, failure to comply, and depredation of government property.
Korol made her first appearance in federal court today before a U.S. Magistrate Judge. She was released on conditions pending further court proceedings.
Felony assault of a federal officer is punishable by up to eight years in federal prison.
A criminal complaint is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Pittsburg County Resident Pleads Guilty to Illegally Possessing Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Russell Jeremy Doctor, age 37, of Longtown, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Felon in Possession of Firearm and Ammunition, punishable by up to fifteen years in prison and a $250,000.00 fine.
The Indictment charged Doctor with knowingly possessing a semi-automatic rifle and eight rounds of ammunition on May 4, 2025, after having been previously convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year imprisonment.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Choctaw Nation Lighthorse Police, the Pittsburg County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
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.
Doctor was released on bond with conditions of release pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Morgan Muzljakovich represented the United States.
Mexican National to Face Sixth Removal from the United StatesRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – A Mexican national who has been removed from the United States five times previously was sentenced today for unlawfully remaining in the country, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
U.S. Circuit Judge Gustavo A. Gelpi, Jr., sentenced Jose Juan Salas-Esparza, 48, for Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Salas-Esparza was ordered to serve 18 months imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release.
In March 2025, Salas-Esparza was arrested for aggravated driving under the influence of alcohol, driving without a license, and other traffic violations. A records check indicated that Salas-Esparza was deported from the United States five times. Salas-Esparza’s most recent removal was in December 2024, after being convicted in the Western District of Texas for Conspiracy to Transport Illegal Aliens and two counts of Illegal Alien Transportation.
The other four removals occurred after Salas-Esparza was driving under the influence and arrested.
Salas-Esparza will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons and is expected to face removal proceedings following the sentence.
Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Augustus Forster prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Manchester Woman Sentenced to 30 Months in Federal Prison for Defrauding Dozens of Victims of More Than $3 MillionRead the Press Release
Manchester Woman Sentenced to 30 Months in Federal Prison for Defrauding Dozens of Victims of More Than $3 Million
CONCORD – A Manchester woman was sentenced on October 15, 2025 federal court in Concord for operating a fraudulent real estate investment scheme that defrauded investors out of more than $3 million, United States Attorney Erin Creegan announces.
Robynne Alexander, age 63, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Samantha D. Elliott to 30 months in prison, 3 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $2,873,000 in restitution. Alexander pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud on July 16, 2025.
“Robynne Alexander exploited the trust of her clients and stole millions of dollars to fund her own lifestyle and conceal her fraud,” said U.S. Attorney Creegan. “Financial crimes like this devastate victims and undermine confidence in legitimate investment opportunities. This sentence holds her accountable for her deception and demonstrates our commitment to protecting the public from those who abuse positions of trust for personal gain.”
“Robynne Alexander actively led clients to believe they were investing responsibly, when in reality she pocketed their money to pay off her personal debts and legal bills from other investors,” said Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Boston Division. “As her lies continued and the losses mounted, she engaged in a cover-up, trying to conceal the staggering fraud. Schemes like this can be simply devastating for victim investors. That’s why the FBI is committed to bringing financial fraud to light and perpetrators like Ms. Alexander to justice. We’d like to thank the Securities and Exchange Commission and the New Hampshire Bureau of Securities Regulation for their partnership on this case.”
Beginning in 2018, Alexander, previously a real estate investment coach, began raising funds from her coaching clients for a New England real estate venture, Raxx‑LeMay, LLC. Despite promising to acquire and renovate two commercial properties in Manchester, NH, she raised only $700K of the $2M minimum required by the May 2018 deadline. Nevertheless, she completed the purchase in July 2018 using expensive hard‑money loans and improperly diverted investor funds—initially intended to be held until the $2M threshold was met—to other entities she controlled, to repay outside investors, and to fund additional projects.
Over the next few years, Alexander used investor capital across multiple projects without proper authority or disclosure. She transferred the Raxx‑LeMay properties to a new entity she controlled in early 2022, despite lacking investor approval, leaving Raxx‑LeMay with no assets and investors with total losses of about $850,000. In a separate project, Elm and Baker, LLC, Alexander solicited $750,000 to convert a Manchester property to apartments but diverted more than half to repay unrelated investors and personal loans, culminating in foreclosure in 2023. Similarly, in late 2022 she solicited funds for a large‑scale resort project in Laconia, NH, receiving $250,000 toward the purchase before misappropriating at least $75,000 and ultimately failing to close, causing the project to dissolve. Across at least eight ventures, the defendant defrauded at least 24 investors of more than $3 million.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation led the investigation. The Securities and Exchange Commission and the New Hampshire Bureau of Securities Regulation provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S Attorney John J. Kennedy prosecuted the case.
Man from Ecuador pleads guilty to visa fraudRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. – U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Pablo Marlon Frias Teran, 40, a citizen and national of Ecuador, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara to Visa fraud, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Smith, who is handling the case, stated that on August 26, 2025, Frias Teran was encountered by Customs and Border Protection officers in possession of a counterfeit United States Permanent Resident Card, which alleged his legal status in the United States. Frias Teran admitted that the document was not legitimate. Further investigation determined that Frias Teran was never granted a lawful Permanent Residence Card for the United States.
The plea is a result of an investigation by Customs and Border Protection, under the direction of Director of Field Operations Rose Brophy.
Sentencing is scheduled for December 23, 2025, at 12:30 p.m. before Judge Arcara.
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Leader of alien smuggling organization sentenced to 51 months in prisonRead the Press Release
Editor's Note:
This matter occurred on date indicated, but not published at that time due to government shutdown. Press release posted and made available following the return to normal operations.HOUSTON – A 22-year-old New Orleans resident has been ordered to federal prison for his role in transporting illegal aliens, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
The jury deliberated for less than an hour before finding Mailon Almendares-Martinez guilty following a three-day trial April 30.
U.S. District Judge Kenneth P. Hoyt has now ordered Almendares-Martinez to serve 51 months in federal prison. Not a U.S. citizen, he is expected to face removal proceedings following his imprisonment. In handing down the sentence, the court noted that Almendares-Martinez maintained a role as an organizer and leader within the conspiracy.
From Oct. 30 to Nov. 2, 2022, Almendares-Martinez conspired with others to transport illegal aliens from the South Texas border to Houston. He recruited friends and conspirators from New Orleans, Louisiana, offering to pay $1,000 to $2,000 per person and directed the operation through WhatsApp messages and phone calls.
During one trip, rival smugglers shot at them en route to Houston, wounding two aliens in the arm and leg. After the shooting, Almendares-Martinez told the drivers to return to Houston and not seek medical attention.
On Nov. 1, 2022, the aliens were brought to a motel in Houston, where they escaped the next day. Authorities arrived at the motel and took Jonathan Melendez-Merino, Oscar Melendez-Sosa, Cristian Mencias-Padilla and Cesar Monge-Milla into custody.
Almendares-Martinez will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Seven others, all from New Orleans, previously pleaded guilty - Melendez-Merino, 22, Melendez-Sosa, 22, Mencias-Padilla, 22, and Monge-Milla, 25, along with Yunior Sorto-Ramirez, 23, Bayron Pineda-Alvarado, 23, and Alan Galvez-Baquedano, 22.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of Houston Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Day and Anthony Franklyn prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.
Hillsboro Resident Charged with Assaulting Federal Law Enforcement Officer Near Local ICE OfficeRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—A Hillsboro resident made her first appearance in federal court today after assaulting a federal officer near a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) office in South Portland.
Samuel A. Westcott, 19, has been charged by criminal complaint with the felony offense of assaulting a federal officer.
According to court documents, on the evening of October 12, 2025, federal officers detained Westcott after she physically resisted officers’ attempts to clear a path for vehicles exiting the ICE facility. Westcott physically engaged with the officers trying to detain her and kicked a federal officer several times as she was being detained. Officers then arrested her for assaulting a federal officer.
“We will not tolerate violence against federal law enforcement officers. Any assault on those who serve and protect our communities is an assault on the rule of law,” said Scott E. Bradford, U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
Since June 13, 2025, the United States Attorney’s Office has charged 33 defendants with federal crimes for offenses committed at the ICE building, including assaulting federal officers, failure to comply, and depredation of government property.
Westcott made her first appearance in federal court today before a U.S. Magistrate Judge. She was released on conditions pending further court proceedings.
Felony assault of a federal officer is punishable by up to eight years in federal prison.
A criminal complaint is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.