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Thursday 9 October 2025
New York State Attorney General IndictedRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Lindsey Halligan, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, announced today that a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging New York State Attorney General Letitia James with Bank Fraud under 18 U.S.C. Section 1344 and False Statements to a Financial Institution under 18 U.S.C. Section 1014.
“No one is above the law. The charges as alleged in this case represent intentional, criminal acts and tremendous breaches of the public’s trust,” said U.S. Attorney Halligan. “The facts and the law in this case are clear, and we will continue following them to ensure that justice is served.”
If convicted, Letitia James faces penalties including up to 30 years in prison per count, up to a $1 million fine on each count, and forfeiture. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
An indictment is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
LeFlore County Resident Pleads Guilty to Aggravated Sexual AbuseRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Ronald Craig Summers, age 34, of Spiro, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to a Superseding Indictment of one count of Aggravated Sexual Abuse in Indian Country, punishable by 30 years to life in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.
The Superseding Indictment alleged that between January 2024 and continuing until October 7, 2024, Summers knowingly engaged in a sexual act with a person who had not attained the age of 12 years.
The crime occurred in LeFlore County, within the boundaries of the Choctaw Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Human Services.
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.
Summers will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Morgan Muzljakovich and Nicole Paladino represented the United States.
Houston man sentenced to nearly two decades in prison after committing two armed robberiesRead 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 25-year-old Houston man has been ordered to prison for committing two aggravated robberies with a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Eric Suarez-Maldonado pleaded guilty May 25.
U.S. District Judge George Hanks has now ordered Suarez-Maldonado to serve a total of 231 months in federal prison - 63 months for robberies with a consecutive 168 months for using firearms during the crimes. The sentence will be followed by three years of supervised release. In imposing the sentence, Judge Hanks noted that the victims will be haunted by Suarez-Maldonado’s actions for the rest of their lives, and there must be consequences for those actions.
On or about Oct. 18, 2023, Suarez-Maldonado entered the 7-Eleven located at 12776 East Freeway in Houston with a ski mask. He immediately ran to the clerk and put a firearm in her face, demanding money from the register. He then left in a waiting get-away vehicle.
Approximately 10 minutes later, law enforcement responded to another armed robbery, this time at a Valero located at 7501 Lyons in Houston. The investigation revealed Suarez-Maldonado had entered the store with a firearm and pointed it at the victim clerk while demanding money from the register before fleeing the scene.
Authorities identified him and took him into custody following a short high-speed chase. Suarez-Maldondo was in possession of a firearm that matched the firearm seen on surveillance videos during the robberies.
He has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prison facility to be determined in the near future.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation with the assistance of Houston Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jill Jenkins Stotts prosecuted the case.
Former refugee sentenced to 12 years for providing material support to ISISRead 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 28-year-old former Iraqi refugee and legal permanent resident of Richmond has been sentenced for providing material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Abdulrahman Mohammed Hafedh Alqaysi pleaded guilty March 7.
U.S. District Judge Alfred Bennett has now ordered Alqaysi to serve 144 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. In handing down the sentence, the court noted the gravity of the offense and how Alqaysi’s conduct affected not only Americans, but the entire international community. Alqaysi is also expected to lose his immigration status in the United States.
“The American people generously allowed Alqaysi to live in the United States,” said Ganjei. “Alqaysi betrayed that hospitality by helping ISIS, a terrorist organization that has murdered Americans and countless other innocent people. This sentence sends a clear message: If you help terrorist organizations, the Southern District of Texas will send you to prison for a long, long time.”
Alqaysi admitted to providing material support and resources to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham.
From 2015 to 2020, Alqaysi provided his computer expertise to develop and post logos for a media arm of the ISIS group known as the Kalachnikov team. He further sent hacking videos and instructions to ISIS members in addition to stolen credit card information and fraudulently created identity documents.
He will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The FBI Houston Joint Terrorism Task Force conducted the investigation with the assistance of Immigration Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Winter prosecuted the case along with National Security Division Trial Attorney Michael Dittoe.
Former Centre Police Department Officer Sentenced to Four Years in Prison for Drug-Planting SchemeRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A former Centre Police Department officer has been sentenced for his role in a scheme to falsify drug arrests by planting narcotics on innocent motorists, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona.
Chief U.S. District Judge R. David Proctor sentenced Michael Kilgore, 40, of Centre, Alabama, to 48 months in prison. In November 2024, Kilgore pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, specifically methamphetamine.
According to the information and plea agreement, Kilgore’s scheme began in January 2023, when he stopped a car and found various drugs. Kilgore offered the driver the chance to avoid drug charges by working for Kilgore. The driver accepted and became a co-conspirator in Kilgore’s drug-planting scheme.
Kilgore and his co-conspirator then arranged for a package containing methamphetamine, oxycodone, and marijuana to be attached to the undercarriage of a certain vehicle. On January 31, 2023, Kilgore performed a fraudulent traffic stop of that vehicle and “discovered” the drug package where he knew it had been planted. The vehicle’s driver and passenger were detained for drug possession.
Kilgore and his co-conspirator planned to repeat the scheme on another vehicle. But, after buying the drugs to be planted, Kilgore’s co-conspirator discarded the drugs and reported the scheme to law enforcement.
The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brett A. Janich prosecuted the case.
Former Casino Accounts Payable Manager Sentenced for Embezzlement and Tax FraudRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Michael Anthony Houser, age 36, formerly of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 70 months in prison for one count of Theft Concerning Programs Receiving Federal Funds and 36 months in prison for one count of Tax Fraud. The counts are set to be served concurrently. Houser was also ordered to pay $17,337,949.50 in restitution to the Muscogee (Creek) Nation and $8,205,834.00 in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service.
The charges arose from an investigation by the U.S. Secret Service and the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation.
On February 20, 2025, Houser pleaded guilty to the charges. According to investigators, between July 2016 and February 2024, while serving as a manager for the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Gaming Operations Authority Board (later known as the Muscogee Nation Gaming Enterprises, LLC), Houser embezzled and obtained by fraud property owned by the Muscogee (Creek) Nation. Through this scheme, Houser embezzled $24,907,436.07, which represented funds owned by and under the care, custody, and control of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation and its agencies, all programs receiving federal funds.
In addition to this theft, Houser failed to disclose the stolen proceeds as income for purposes of filing federal income taxes throughout the course of the ongoing criminal scheme. During the tax years 2016 through 2022, Houser knowingly and intentionally underreported his Adjusted Gross income to the Internal Revenue Service. In Tax Year 2022, Houser failed to report $7,851,027,28 in income. In total, Houser’s false and fraudulent tax filings deprived the U.S. Treasury of $8,205,834.00 in payments Houser owed as a result of the embezzled proceeds.
“I am proud of the work conducted by our special agents in this case to ensure that justice was brought to the Muscogee (Creek) Nation. The U.S. Secret Service at its origin was created to identify, monitor and bring to justice those who seek to defraud,” said Special Agent in Charge Kyle Smith, Oklahoma Field Office. “Protecting our communities here in Oklahoma is a mission we take very seriously, and I am grateful for the strong partnership we share with the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation as we work together to bring fraudsters to justice.”
“Stealing from the community you are entrusted to serve is a serious betrayal,” said Christopher J. Altemus Jr., Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation Dallas Field Office. “Mr. Houser’s crimes harmed the Muscogee (Creek) Nation and undermined trust in public and tribal institutions. By stealing from the Muscogee (Creek) Nation and falsifying his tax return, Mr. Houser not only defrauded his employer but also the American public. The women and men of IRS-CI are proud to have worked alongside the U.S. Secret Service and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma to uncover this fraud and hold Mr. Houser accountable for his crimes.”
“The United States Attorney’s Office is committed to pursuing and prosecuting those who defraud Tribal nations in the Eastern District of Oklahoma,” said United States Attorney Christopher J. Wilson. “In this case, we were honored to join together with our partners in the Muscogee (Creek) Nation and federal law enforcement to promote the mutual protection of Tribal assets and resources.”
The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Houser will self-report on November 10, 2025, to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kara Traster, T. Cameron McEwen, and Clay Compton represented the United States.
Checotah Resident Pleads Guilty to Distributing MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Jason Duane Henrichs, age 47, of Checotah, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to an Information of one count of Distribution of Methamphetamine, punishable by 5 to 40 years in prison and a $5,000,000 fine.
The Information alleged that on November 22, 2022, Henrichs knowingly and intentionally distributed 5 grams or more of methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics.
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.
Henrichs will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jordan W. Howanitz represented the United States.
Buffalo man going to prison for receipt of child pornographyRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Odilio A. Gonzalez, 30, of Kenmore, NY, who was convicted of receipt of child pornography, was sentenced to serve 20 years in prison, 10 years supervised release, and ordered to pay $6,000 in restitution to the victims, by U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron J. Mango, who handled the case, stated that between July 8 and August 2020, Gonzalez engaged in sexual communications with an 11-year-old minor female (Victim) using Instagram. During these communications, Gonzalez persuaded the Victim to create sexually explicit images and videos of herself and send them to him. Gonzalez also received child pornography using the internet, which he saved on his cellular telephone, and in social media accounts. In total, 30 images and 89 videos of child pornography were recovered. Some of the images and videos contained depictions of violence against children.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Philip Tejera and the Tonawanda Police Department, under the direction of Chief James Stauffiger.
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Bryan County Resident Sentenced for Federal Drug ChargeRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Sean Paul Duer, age 58, of Durant, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 75 months in prison for one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Durant Police Department.
On May 8, 2025, Duer pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on May 15, 2024, law enforcement executing a search warrant on Duer’s impounded vehicle discovered a plastic baggie containing approximately 33 grams of white crystalline methamphetamine hidden by Duer inside the door panel.
The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Duer will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard J. Lorenz represented the United States.
Bryan County Resident Sentenced for False Statement During Purchase of A FirearmRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Jonathon Mark Brinlee, age 40, of Calera, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 12 months and one day in prison for one count of False Statement During Purchase of a Firearm.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Choctaw Nation Lighthorse Police.
On April 3, 2025, Brinlee pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on November 11, 2024, while attempting to redeem a pistol from a Durant pawn broker, Brinlee checked “No” to Question 22i on Form 4473 asking whether the applicant was under any protective order. Brinlee had been served in person just two days earlier with a protective order from the Choctaw Nation Tribal Court.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Brinlee will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated prison facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan E. Soverly represented the United States.
Amory Man Sentenced for Sex Trafficking of MinorsRead the Press Release
OXFORD, MS – An Amory, Mississippi man was sentenced today to 15 years in prison for sex trafficking of minors.
According to court documents, Steven Gaston Colburn, 70 years old, was convicted of recruiting, enticing, maintaining, providing, and soliciting minors under the age of 14 years old to engage in sexual acts for money or drugs. Colburn is accused of picking minor females who had difficult or unstable upbringings and paying them to commit sexual acts. Colburn paid the girls to attend church with him as well as engaging in sex acts.
Eight victims came forward during the investigation to bravely tell their stories. The victims sent in impact statements which were considered by the Court. Senior Judge Michael P. Mills sentenced Colburn to 180 months in prison followed by 5 years of supervised release. Judge Mills noted the bravery and courage of each of the victims.
“By incarcerating this defendant for what is functionally a life sentence, Judge Mills has ensured that no other minor will have to endure victimization at his hands,” stated U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner. “I would like to personally commend the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, the FBI, the Mississippi Attorney General’s Office and our partners with District Attorney Jason Herring’s Office for an investigation that looks like it will result in Colburn never breathing free air again.”
“This individual has victimized children in our county for generations,” said Monroe County Sheriff Kevin Crook. “He manipulated and abused young women until they reached their twenties and then went after their children. He has left in his wake a number of victims who now struggle with substance abuse disorder resulting from his abuse. From the time we made the arrest, our District Attorney’s Office and the U.S. Attorney’s Office Northern District worked with us to ensure Colburn was not able to get out of jail and hurt anyone else. I am grateful for the countless hours that our Investigators put into this case and to know this man’s reign of victimization is over in Monroe County.”
“This case demonstrates the power of creating a statewide network of law enforcement trained in cyber forensics and dedicated to the safety of our children online,” said Attorney General Lynn Fitch. “We are proud to partner with law enforcement agencies across Mississippi, including the Monroe County Sheriff’s Department, through our Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force. I am grateful for the work of the U.S. Attorney's Office to secure this federal sentence. The collaboration with our ICAC Task Force is precisely the kind of partnership that is necessary to protect children from abuse.”
“Safeguarding our society’s future begins with protecting underage youth in our communities from vile individuals like, Steven Colburn,” stated Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Jackson Field Office Robert Eikhoff. “Those who commit these heinous crimes against our youth, deteriorating the safety of our society, will be sought after and brought to justice. The FBI has great resolve to pursue justice for the predators who seek to exploit the youth of our communities and stands firm with the USAO and the Monroe County Sheriff's Department in protecting our most vulnerable population - our children."
The Monroe County Sheriff’s Department and the FBI investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Parker S. King prosecuted the case.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Wednesday 8 October 2025
“K pack” sales earn Houston area man federal prison sentenceRead 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 35-year-old Cypress resident has been ordered to prison following his conviction for possession of methamphetamine, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Jessie King pleaded guilty Nov. 20, 2023.
U.S. District Judge George C. Hanks Jr. ordered King to serve 60 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. In handing down the sentence, the court noted the amount of methamphetamine and the fact that King hurt people through his trafficking.
The investigation began Nov. 17, 2020, after authorities discovered a phone call between Jessie King and Billy Ray Ashley about obtaining “whites.” Later that day, King arrived at the location where Ashley was staying, went inside briefly, then left.
Law enforcement followed King and saw him conduct a suspected drug transaction. They were able to recover two “K packs” (packages containing 1,000 pills each) weighing over 700 grams which tested positive for methamphetamine.
King will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Billy Ray Ashley previously pleaded guilty Feb. 7 and was sentenced to 120 months.
The FBI conducted the investigation with assistance from Houston Police Department and Texas Department of Public Safety.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Lewis and John Ganz prosecuted the case.
Turner Man Sentenced to More than 17 Years in Federal Prison for Drug Trafficking in Central OregonRead the Press Release
EUGENE, Ore.— A Turner, Oregon, man was sentenced to more than 17 years in federal prison today for drug trafficking following a multi-agency investigation led by the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office (DCSO).
Ryan Gossett, 39, was sentenced to 210 months in federal prison and five years of supervised release.
According to court documents, on April 26, 2024, Gossett was apprehended in Bend, Oregon after fleeing prosecution in Marion County, Oregon for armed robbery. When apprehended, Gossett was in possession of a handgun and small amounts of methamphetamine and fentanyl. Two days later, investigators with the DCSO Criminal Detectives Division executed a search warrant on Gossett’s vehicle, locating over 900 grams of methamphetamine, 330 grams of fentanyl, and firearm magazines.
Gossett has multiple prior convictions for delivery of a controlled substance.
Gossett was indicted on June 20, 2024, and pled guilty on July 9, 2025, to a single count of Possession with Intent to Distribute more than 500 grams of Methamphetamine.
The case was investigated by the DCSO with assistance from the Central Oregon Drug Enforcement Team, and the United States Marshals Service. It was prosecuted by Andrew R. Doyle, Special Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
Suspected Tren de Aragua Member Pleads Guilty to Illegal Firearms PossessionRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Venezuelan national and suspected member of a transnational criminal organization has pleaded guilty to illegally possessing firearms and conspiring to destroy evidence after posting photos and videos of himself with weapons on social media.
According to court documents, Cristhian Ortega-Lopez, 23, a Venezuelan national, illegally entered the United States on December 15, 2023, and was released pending removal proceedings. In January 2025, Homeland Security Investigations received an anonymous tip that Ortega-Lopez, a suspected member of the Tren de Aragua transnational criminal organization and U.S.-designated Foreign Terrorist Organization, was living in Las Cruces and in possession of firearms.
Ortega-Lopez posted numerous photos and videos to his Facebook and TikTok accounts showing him handling, displaying, and shooting various firearms at a Las Cruces shooting range and other locations. On December 24, 2024, Ortega-Lopez posted photos and videos of himself at the residence of April Cano, a social media influencer and gun enthusiast, holding a rifle with tactical equipment while wearing a ballistic helmet with night vision goggles. In the videos, Ortega-Lopez referred to April Cano's parents, Nancy and Jose Cano, as "Patron" and "Patrona," and told an informant he had received a firearm as a Christmas gift from the Cano family.
Ortega-Lopez worked for the Cano family and received housing in return. Additionally, the Cano family took Ortega-Lopez to the shooting range to fire weapons and allowed him access to firearms.
On February 28, 2025, agents executed search warrants and seized four firearms from April Cano's residence. During a post-Miranda interview, Ortega-Lopez admitted he recognized all four firearms and knew it was illegal for him to possess them. On April 20, 2025, Ortega-Lopez conspired with another person to destroy his Facebook account to avoid the contents being used against him at trial.
Nancy and Jose Cano were indicted this week on charges related to tampering with evidence. Nancy Cano faces charges of conspiracy to tamper with evidence, while Jose Cano is charged with both conspiracy to tamper with evidence and tampering with evidence. Both remain on conditions of release pending trial, which has not been scheduled.
Ortega-Lopez pleaded guilty to alien in possession of a firearm and ammunition and conspiracy to tamper with evidence. At sentencing, Ortega-Lopez faces up to 20 years in prison.
Acting U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Jason T. Stevens, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) El Paso, made the announcement today.
Homeland Security Investigations investigated this case with assistance from the FBI, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Senior Litigation Counsel Maria Y. Armijo, Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Randy Castellano and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Tonkin are prosecuting the case 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. [use if applicable] Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).
Portland Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Armed Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore. – A Portland, Oregon man was sentenced to federal prison today after robbing a KeyBank branch with a loaded gun.
James Michael Wallace, 55, is a career offender and was sentenced to 151 months in federal prison and five years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $6,437 for losses associated with this and other robberies.
According to court documents, on February 28, 2025, Wallace entered the KeyBank branch located on Woodstock Avenue in Portland. Wallace approached a teller and pressed a loaded gun to the teller’s torso demanding the teller open the cash drawer. Wallace left the bank with $856 in cash, leaving behind his gun. At the time of the robbery, Wallace was on federal supervision for a prior federal bank robbery conviction.
On August 27, 2025, Wallace pleaded guilty to a one-count information charging him with Armed Bank Robbery.
This case was investigated by the Portland Police Bureau and the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine A. Rykken.
Pittsburg County Resident Pleads Guilty to Failure to Register as Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Sammy Monroe Ebarb, Jr., age 40, of Longtown, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Failure to Register as Sex Offender, punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000.00 fine.
The Indictment alleged that Ebarb was convicted of First Degree Rape in the District Court of Latimer County, Oklahoma, on May 20, 2003, and was required to register as a sex offender, and that from November 2024 to February 2025, Ebarb failed to register and update his registration despite entering, leaving, or residing in Indian country, within the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The charge arose from an investigation by the U.S. Marshals Violent Crimes Fugitive Task Force and the Pittsburg County Sheriff’s Office.
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.
Ebarb will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Morgan Muzljakovich represented the United States.
McCurtain County Resident Sentenced for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Anna Marie Scoles, age 38, of Valliant, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 60 months in prison for one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol.
On April 2, 2025, Scoles pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on August 4, 2024, a trooper conducting a traffic stop on Old Golden Highway in Broken Bow, Oklahoma, discovered Scoles in possession of a large bag of white crystalline substance. In total, Scoles possessed over 76 grams of methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance, which she intended to distribute.
The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Scoles will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard J. Lorenz represented the United States.
Man Admits Making Threats to St. Louis Office of the NAACPRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A Warrenton, Missouri man on Wednesday admitted making threats directed at the St. Louis office of the NAACP.
Darryl Jaspering, 62, of Warrenton, Missouri, pleaded guilty to one count of interference with federally protected activities. Jaspering admitted writing a racist, profane and threatening message on the NAACP’s online contact page, including threats to “blow your… head off” and “bust you… with a… Hatchet and make you bleed….”
Jaspering is scheduled to be sentenced on February 5.
"Darryl Jaspering’s guilty plea should send a clear message that the FBI is serious about investigating hate crimes. Threats and acts of violence against any group, especially those based on race, religion, or any other characteristic, will not be tolerated," warned Special Agent in Charge Chris Crocker. "We are committed to ensuring all members of our community can live and work without fear of being targeted for who they are. FBI St. Louis stands as a strong partner in protecting the rights and safety of everyone in our region."
The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine Krug is prosecuting the case.
This press release was posted November 19, after the end of the federal government shutdown.
Illegal Alien Pleads Guilty to Unlawful ReentryRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Jaime Yair Arellano-Perez, age 37, a Mexican national unlawfully present in Sequoyah County, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty to a one count Felony Information of Unlawful Reentry of Removed Alien, punishable by a term of imprisonment of not more than ten years, and a fine of not more than $250,000.00.
The charge arose from an investigation by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement Division and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol.
The Information alleged that on October 1, 2025, an alien, was found in the United States without obtaining the express consent of the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States after having been previously removed on June 25, 2012, October 16, 2014, and August 26, 2015.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The 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.
Arellano-Perez will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Dak T. Cohen represented the United States.
Hinsdale Man Indicted for Stealing Approximately $345,000 from His EmployerRead the Press Release
Hinsdale Man Indicted for Stealing Approximately $345,000 From His Employer
CONCORD – A Hinsdale man was indicted for embezzling almost $345,000 from his employer, U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan announces.
Michael Darcy, 48, was charged with five counts of Bank Fraud.
According to the indictment, Darcy was the Operations Manager for his employer. As Operations Manager, Darcy oversaw the day-to-day work of the company and had access to the company checkbook. Beginning in December 2019, and continuing through December 2024, Darcy forged the owner’s signature to draft dozens of unauthorized checks on the company’s checking account. Darcy concealed the purpose of the payments by entering them under false headings in accounting records. He sometimes also listed false entries in the memo line on the checks. For example, on December 7, 2023, Darcy drafted a $5,722 check payable to himself for “Stamps.” Overall, Darcy is alleged to have embezzled $344,874.47 from his employer.
The charging statute provides a sentence of up to 30 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $1 million. 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.
The Hinsdale Police Department, FBI, and IRS Criminal Investigations led the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander S. Chen is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Garvin County Resident Pleads Guilty to Theft of Government PropertyRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Walter James Morris, age 38, of Stratford, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty to a one-count Information of Misdemeanor Theft of Government Property, punishable by up to 12 months in prison, and up to a $100,000.00 fine.
The Information alleged that on July 10, 2025, within the Eastern District of Oklahoma, Morris knowingly stole a Personal Identity Verification card belonging to the United States Department of Justice with a value not exceeding $1,000.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
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.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacob R. Parker represented the United States.
Gang members receive additional sentences for assaulting federal officersRead 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.McALLEN, Texas – Three additional Pasia gang members have been sentenced for their roles in the assault of two federal correctional officers, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Mexican national Oscar Ambrocio Hernandez, 25, pleaded guilty in April, while Ruben Gonzalez-Balderas, 29, also of Mexico, and Roger Emmanuel Lemus, 42, Guatemala, entered their pleas in July.
U.S. District Judge Drew B. Tipton has now imposed a 137-month term of imprisonment for Gonzalez-Balderas, while Lemus and Hernandez received 126 and 57 months, respectively. Not U.S. citizens, all are expected to face removal proceedings following their imprisonment. In handing down the sentences, the court noted surveillance footage of the assault as well as photos displaying each inmate assaulting the officers. At the hearing, the court heard about a drug trafficking conviction for Lemus as well as Gonzalez’s extensive criminal history which includes a conviction for burglary and alien smuggling.
“Federal correctional officers are essential to protecting the public,” said Ganjei. “They perform the critical and difficult task of ensuring that those in custody remain behind bars. The Southern District of Texas will seek severe punishment for criminals or detainees who do them harm.”
In January, 12 inmates at the East Hidalgo Detention Center assaulted two federal correctional officers. The inmates, who were already in custody pending federal immigration charges, outnumbered the officers and repeatedly punched and kicked them. They were housed in a gang-designated unit within the facility. One inmate wielded a sock with a bar of soap as a weapon during the assault. One correctional officer sustained injuries that resulted in multiple staples in his forehead.
Bryan Hernandez-Ruiz, 25, Francisco Antonio Hernandez-Mora, 27, Adrian David Guzman-Salas, 28, David Ramirez-Bautista, 21, Roberto Fabian Garza-Castaneda, 49, Jose Alberto Resendez-Hernandez, 27, and Jose Ramos-Lerma, 45, all of Mexico, also pleaded guilty and were previously sentenced Sept. 10 to terms ranging from 48-114 months.
All have been and will remain in custody.
The FBI and U.S. Marshals Service conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Laura Garcia and Avery Benitez 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.
Former Gastonia Police Officer Pleads Guilty to Straw Purchasing A FirearmRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – On October 8, 2025, Xana Dayanae Dove, 28, and a former Gastonia police officer, appeared in federal court and pleaded guilty to straw purchasing a firearm, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
James C. Barnacle, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in North Carolina, and Alicia Jones, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division, join U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making today’s announcement.
According to filed plea documents and the court hearing, on May 25, 2023, Dove purchased a Springfield Hellcat Pro, 9mm pistol from Shooters Express, a licensed firearms dealer located in Belmont, North Carolina. As Dove admitted in court, in completing the purchase, she made a false and fictitious written statement when she falsely stated on ATF’s Firearms Transaction Record Form 4473 that she was the actual transferee/buyer of the firearm when the defendant knew this statement was false and fictitious.
Dove was released on bond following the plea hearing. At sentencing, she faces up to 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing date for Dove has not been set.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson commended the FBI and ATF for their work on the investigation, and thanked Homeland Security Investigations, the North Carolina Department of Adult Correction’s Community Supervision, and the Gastonia Police Department for their assistance with Dove’s apprehension.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Dana Washington with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Florida Man Arrested on Federal Criminal Complaint Alleging He Maliciously Started What Became the Palisades FireRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A former Pacific Palisades resident now living in Florida has been arrested on a federal criminal complaint charging him with maliciously starting what eventually became the Palisades Fire of January 2025, one of the most destructive wildfires in Los Angeles history, the Justice Department announced today.
Jonathan Rinderknecht, 29, a.k.a. “Jonathan Rinder,” and “Jon Rinder,” of Melbourne, Florida, is charged with destruction of property by means of fire. He was arrested Tuesday and is expected to make his initial appearance today in United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida.
“The complaint alleges that a single person’s recklessness caused one of the worst fires Los Angeles has ever seen, resulting in death and widespread destruction in Pacific Palisades,” said Acting United States Attorney Bill Essayli. “While we cannot bring back what victims lost, we hope this criminal case brings some measure of justice to those affected by this horrific tragedy.”
“At the request of state and local authorities, ATF took the lead in this complex investigation utilizing techniques unique to our agency's capabilities,” said Special Agent in Charge Kenny Cooper of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Los Angeles Field Division. “The horrific loss of life and property was significantly felt by ATF members, and we are honored to utilize our expertise to provide answers to this community. We remain committed to serving with integrity and distinction.”
According to an affidavit filed with the complaint, law enforcement determined that the Palisades Fire was a “holdover” fire – a continuation of the Lachman Fire that began early in the morning on New Year’s Day 2025. Although firefighters quickly suppressed the Lachman Fire, unbeknownst to anyone the fire continued to smolder and burn underground within the root structure of dense vegetation.
On January 7, heavy winds caused the underground fire to surface and spread above ground in what became known as the Palisades Fire, which caused widespread damage in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles.
Law enforcement determined – using witness statements, video surveillance, cellphone data, and analysis of fire dynamics and patterns at the scene, among other things – that Rinderknecht maliciously set the Lachman Fire just after midnight on January 1 on land owned by the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority (MRCA), an organization that received federal funding. A week later, the same fire – then known as the Palisades Fire – burned federal property.
On the evening of December 31, 2024, Rinderknecht was working as an Uber driver. Two passengers that he drove on separate trips between 10:15 p.m. and 11:15 p.m. that night later told law enforcement they remembered that Rinderknecht appeared agitated and angry.
After dropping off a passenger in Pacific Palisades, Rinderknecht – who once lived in that neighborhood – drove towards Skull Rock Trailhead, parked his car, attempted to contact a former friend, and walked up the trail. He then used his iPhone to take videos at a nearby hilltop area and listened to a rap song – to which he had listened repeatedly in previous days – whose music video included things being lit on fire.
At 12:12 a.m. on January 1, 2025, environmental sensing platforms indicated the Lachman Fire had begun. During the next five minutes, Rinderknecht called 911 several times, but didn’t get through because his iPhone was out of cellphone range. When he finally connected with 911, he was at the bottom of the hiking trail and reported the fire. By that point, a nearby resident already had reported the fire to authorities.
Rinderknecht then fled in his car, passing fire engines driving in the opposite direction. He then turned around and followed the fire engines to the scene, driving at a high rate of speed. Rinderknecht walked up the same trail from earlier that night to watch the fire and the firefighters. At approximately 1:02 a.m., he used his iPhone to take more videos of the scene.
During an interview with law enforcement on January 24, 2025, Rinderknecht lied about where he was when he first saw the Lachman Fire. He claimed he was near the bottom of a hiking trail when he first saw the fire and called 911, but geolocation data from his iPhone carrier showed that he was standing in a clearing 30 feet from the fire as it rapidly grew.
A complaint contains 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.
If convicted, Rinderknecht would face a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in federal prison and a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison.
ATF is investigating this matter, with substantial assistance from the Los Angeles Police Department and the United States Forest Service.
Assistant United States Attorneys Mark A. Williams, Matthew W. O’Brien, and Danbee C. Kim of the Environmental Crimes and Consumer Protection Section, and Assistant United States Attorney Laura A. Alexander of the Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section are prosecuting this case.
If you are a victim of the Palisades Fire, updates about this criminal case can be found on this website:
https://www.justice.gov/usao-cdca/united-states-v-jonathan-rinderknecht
Fleeing illegal alien accused of murdering woman in custody after manhunt, charged with federal weapons violationRead the Press Release
VICTORIA, Texas – A 41-year-old illegal alien from Cambodia has been charged with unlawfully possessing a weapon following the shooting death of a woman in Victoria, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Savin Seng aka “Two-Face” had illegally resided in Victoria and is now in federal custody pending a detention hearing set for Oct. 10 at 10 a.m. At his initial appearance, the court heard that he is an admitted gang member.
According to the criminal complaint, a shooting incident occurred at a residence in the Telferner community outside Victoria Oct. 3. Authorities had allegedly found a female victim deceased from a gunshot wound to the head. The charges allege the shooter had left his cell phone and fled the scene.
An image on the phone showed a man holding a Glock pistol with an extended magazine, according to the charges. The criminal complaint alleges the man was Seng, whom a witness had identified as the murder suspect.
Court documents allege Seng also had an active arrest warrant from 2022 for another homicide in Los Angeles, California.
Law enforcement allegedly located Seng less than a mile from the scene of the shooting and took him into custody. At the time of his arrest, he had a loaded Glock 17, 9mm pistol in his shorts along with a loaded 31-round extended magazine, according to the allegations.
The charges allege Seng had illegally entered the United States as a child and never held lawful immigration status in the country. Court documents allege he had been ordered removed as an aggravated felon in April 2016 but had not been physically removed. He has been in custody in California, Georgia and Louisiana, according to court records.
The criminal complaint further alleges Seng has had possession of several guns while remaining in the United States illegally.
“The presence of armed, illegal-alien gang members in our midst is a threat to public safety,” Ganjei said. “The Southern District of Texas is determined to remove each and every one of them from our streets.”
If convicted, Seng faces up to 10 years in federal prison as well as a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of Victoria County Sheriff’s Office and Los Angeles, California, Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Patti Hubert Booth is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations 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.
Eufaula Resident Sentenced for Second Degree Murder in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that William Clayton Brown, age 42, of Eufaula, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 300 months in prison for one count of Murder in Indian Country—Second Degree. The Court ordered the sentence to be served consecutive to a life sentence Brown is serving for one count of Murder in Indian Country—First Degree in a separate case.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Eufaula Police Department, the District 25 Violent Crime Task Force, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
On July 11, 2025, Brown pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on September 15, 2017, Brown fatally stabbed the victim in the head and back with a knife, then attempted to hide the body in a field.
The crime occurred in McIntosh County, within the boundaries of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The Honorable David C. Joseph, U.S. District Court Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Louisiana, sitting by assignment, presided over the hearing in Muskogee, Oklahoma. Brown will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant U.S. Attorney T. Cameron McEwen represented the United States.
Concord Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Role in Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine and FentanylRead the Press Release
Concord Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for
Role in Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine and Fentanyl
CONCORD – A Concord man was sentenced on October 8, 2025, for conspiring to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl, U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan announces.
Alton Ryan, 52, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Steven McAuliffe to 125 months in federal prison and 3 years of supervised release. On March 11, 2025, the defendant pleaded guilty to the charge.
“Despite prior drug trafficking convictions, Alton Ryan continued to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine, this time with weapons readily available,” said U.S. Attorney Creegan. “Repeat offenders who endanger our communities by pushing dangerous drugs while armed will face significant consequences for their crimes.”
According to court documents and statements made in court, between 2022 and 2023, the defendant distributed fentanyl and methamphetamine, culminating in a high-speed chase where the defendant possessed a distribution level quantity of cocaine, guns, and other weapons.
“Alton Ryan was a significant danger to the people of New Hampshire,” said Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Boston Division. “This career criminal demonstrated a blatant disregard for public safety – not only by distributing large amounts of methamphetamine and fentanyl in Granite State communities, but also by leading law enforcement on high-speed chase in a vehicle stashed with multiple firearms, a machete, and body armor as he attempted to evade officers during a traffic stop. The FBI remains committed to working with our state and local partners to remove violent criminals peddling lethal drugs from our streets.”
The Federal Bureau of Investigation Major Offender Task Force in partnership with the New Hampshire State Police led the investigation. The Concord Police Department, Franklin Police Department, and New Hampton Police Department provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Cherniske prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Bryan County Resident Sentenced for Failure to Register as Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Dock Lee Shoemaker, age 61, of Calera, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 36 months in prison for one count of Failure to Register as Sex Offender.
The charge arose from an investigation by the U.S. Marshals Service.
On June 3, 2025, Shoemaker pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, Shoemaker was convicted of Sexual Battery in the State of Oklahoma on February 3, 2016, and was required to register as a sex offender. From August 2020 until April 16, 2025, Shoemaker failed to register and update his registration while entering, leaving, or residing in Indian country within the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Shoemaker will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Pippin represented the United States.
Tuesday 7 October 2025
Warm Springs Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Coercion and Enticement of a MinorRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—A Warm Springs, Oregon, man was sentenced to federal prison today for using online social media and messaging platforms to coerce and sexually exploit a 15-year-old minor victim.
Leonard Polk, 25, was sentenced to 135 months in federal prison and 10 years of supervised release.
According to court documents, in December 2024, Polk met the minor victim through Snapchat, an online messaging application. Using Snapchat and Facebook Messenger, Polk persuaded the minor victim to send sexually explicit images. Polk then picked up the minor victim and brought her to his house on the Warm Springs Indian Reservation, where he sexually abused her on multiple occasions.
Polk was arrested in Washington on January 21, 2025, and the minor victim was rescued, after the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) received information that Polk had brought the minor victim from Oregon to Washington.
“Protecting children remains our highest priority. This case serves as a stark reminder of the very real dangers that exist on social media and the predators who use these platforms to exploit our youth,” said Scott E. Bradford, U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon. “Let there be no doubt: if you target children in our community, we will use every resource at our disposal to protect them and ensure you are held fully accountable.”
On February 11, 2025, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a 2-count indictment charging Polk with sexual abuse of a minor and sexual abuse – incapable victim.
On July 14, 2025, Polk pleaded guilty to coercion and enticement of a minor.
This case was investigated by the FBI Portland’s Bend Resident Agency and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Charlotte Kelley.
Anyone who has information about the physical or online exploitation of children are encouraged to call the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov.
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 https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Three Mexican men arrested, charged with illegal reentryRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.–U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Erasmo Perez Luiz, 30, Luis Gerardo Perez Lopez, 28, and Ismael Ivan Perez Lopez, 27, all citizens and nationals of Mexico, were arrested and charged by criminal complaint with illegal reentry, which carries a maximum penalty of two years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Smith, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, on September 30, 2025, U.S. Border Patrol agents attempted to stop a vehicle that the defendants were riding in, in Amherst, NY. As agents approached the vehicle with emergency lights and sirens activated, the driver, Erasmo Perez Ruiz, fled at a high rate of speed, crossing a median, and nearly striking both agent and civilian vehicles in the process. After a brief chase, the vehicle pulled into a retail parking lot and the three defendants exited the vehicle and ran into a wooded area but were quickly apprehended. All three were illegally present in the United States.
Further investigation determined that Erasmo Perez Ruiz was physically removed from the United States two times in April 2014, Luis Gerardo Perez Lopez was physically removed in May 2018, and Ismael Ivan Perez Lopez was physically removed in May 2017.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The defendants 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.
# # # #
Three Lancaster County Men Sentenced for Tax Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Antonios Mountis, 81, and Alexandros Mountis, 52, both of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and Kostantinos Mountis, 50, of Lititz, Pa., were sentenced today by United States District Judge Joseph F. Leeson Jr. for tax offenses.
The defendants were charged by information in August of last year.
In October 2024, Antonios Mountis pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) and failure to pay employment taxes. He was sentenced by Judge Leeson to five years’ probation and $634,802.39 in restitution.
Sons Alexandros and Kostantinos Mountis pleaded guilty in October 2024 to conspiracy to defraud the IRS and tax evasion. Alexandros Mountis was sentenced by Judge Leeson to 12 months and one day in prison, three years of supervised release, and $711,847.19 in restitution, and Kostantinos Mountis to six months in prison, three years of supervised release, and $689,580.51 in restitution.
As detailed in court filings, Antonios Mountis was the president and sole owner of Mountis Enterprises, Inc. (“MEI”), doing business as the Conestoga Bar and Grill, and Antonios Mountis & Sons, Inc. (“AMSI”), doing business as the Neptune Diner, with both restaurants located in Lancaster, Pa.
Alexandros Mountis was the manager of the Conestoga Bar and Grill, and Kostantinos Mountis was the manager of the Neptune Diner. Other family members were also employed at the restaurants.
As further detailed in filings and admitted to by the defendants, from about January 2014 through January 2021, Antonios, Alexandros, and Kostantinos Mountis conspired to pay employees of the family’s restaurants a portion of their wages off the books, failed to withhold trust fund taxes from these wages, failed to properly report the employees’ wages to the IRS, and failed to pay over to the IRS the correct employment taxes for these employees.
The case was investigated by IRS Criminal Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Terri Marinari.
Note: the posting of this press release was delayed, due to the federal government shutdown from October 1, 2025, to November 12, 2025.
Social Media Provocateurs Charged with Threatening to Harm Federal Agent and His WifeRead the Press Release
ATLANTA – A federal grand jury has charged two out-of-state men with knowingly transmitting threats to injure a U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) deportation officer and his wife.
“Federal agents deserve to perform their duties free of harassment from keyboard warriors and other agitators,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “Threatening law enforcement officers and their families is not only illegal—it’s disgusting. My office will ensure that anyone who threatens a federal agent in North Georgia, or who hides behind a computer screen to intimidate that agent’s immediate family, is found, arrested, prosecuted, and held accountable.”
“Threats of violence against law enforcement officers and their families are not only reprehensible, but also a direct attack on the safety and integrity of our justice system,” said Paul Brown, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “These charges serve as a clear reminder that threats of this nature will not be tolerated and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: Frank Andrew Waszut allegedly posted a video on Instagram that identified and displayed photographs of an ICE deportation officer who resides and works in the Northern District of Georgia. With those images on the screen, Waszut said: “And he’s an ICE agent. This is him unmasked . . . . So, go ahead and make him famous. And if you see this [expletive] out in public give him the cell block one treatment. You know, catch him when he’s alone.” “Cell block one treatment” allegedly refers to subjecting a detainee to physical violence.
Similarly, Anthony Patrick Noto allegedly posted a comment on Instagram under the picture of the same deportation officer’s wife, with Noto saying: “Anybody wanna test the sites [sic] on their new A-R? There’s a pretty good target right there!” “A-R” refers to a semiautomatic rifle.
Noto, 63, of Ronkonkoma, New York, was taken into federal custody and arraigned on his federal indictment. Waszut, 41, of Knoxville, Tennessee, is currently in the custody of state law enforcement officials in Texas, where he has been charged for making separate terroristic threats against Republican lawmakers there. Both defendants were indicted by a federal grand jury on September 23, 2025.
Members of the public are reminded that the indictments only contain charges. The defendants are presumed innocent of the charges, and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendants’ guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brent Alan Gray and Eric White are prosecuting the case.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6185. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Portland Man Charged with Felony Assault of a Federal Law Enforcement Officer Near Local ICE OfficeRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—A Portland man made his first appearance in federal court today after assaulting a federal officer near a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) office in South Portland.
Alexander Jay Boyce, 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 5, 2025, Boyce was part of a group of individuals encroaching on the driveway of the ICE building in South Portland. Law enforcement officers gave multiple warnings to the group to stay off federal property and began to clear the driveway. Rather than comply as directed, Boyce spit on the officer’s helmet. Federal officers immediately arrested Boyce.
“Nobody spits on the brave men and women of federal law enforcement and gets away with it. If you spit on a federal law enforcement officer, you will be hit with federal charges,” said Scott E. Bradford, U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
Since June 13, 2025, the United States Attorney’s Office has charged 31 defendants with federal crimes for offenses committed at the ICE building, including assaulting federal officers, failure to comply, and depredation of government property.
Boyce made his first appearance in federal court today before a U.S. Magistrate Judge. He 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.
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 Kysime Brown, 21, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today to 120 months in prison, five 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 on March 12, 2024.
As detailed in court filings and admitted to by the defendant, in the early morning hours of July 11, 2023, Brown 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 Brown and his codefendants 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.
Brown’s co-defendants Emmanuel Sia and Leevah Mills also pleaded guilty to the charges against them. Mills was sentenced in September to over 11 years in prison and Sia is scheduled to be sentenced on October 16.
The case was investigated by the Philadelphia Police Department and the FBI and is being 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.
Okmulgee Resident Sentenced for Robbery, Transporting A Stolen Vehicle, and Felony AssaultRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced Vincent Jerome May, age 37, of Okmulgee, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 120 months in prison for one count of Robbery in Indian Country, 120 months in prison for one count of Interstate Transportation of Stolen Vehicle, and 60 months in prison for one count of Assault Resulting in Substantial Bodily Injury to a Spouse, Intimate Partner, and Dating Partner in Indian Country. The terms were ordered to be served concurrently.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Okmulgee Police Department, the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Lighthorse Police Department, and the Denver (Colorado) Police Department.
On March 20, 2025, May pleaded guilty to the charges. According to investigators, on March 4, 2023, May violently assaulted a woman while she held an infant child, threatened to burn down her home and kill her, and stole her phone and keys to her pickup truck. May drove the truck to Colorado and damaged it.
The crimes occurred in Okmulgee County, within the boundaries of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. May will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Gross represented the United States at the sentencing hearing.
Okmulgee County Resident Pleads Guilty to Illegally Possessing AmmunitionRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Riccole Ladale Dixson, age 38, formerly residing in Dewar, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Felon in Possession of Ammunition.
The Indictment charged Dixson with knowingly possessing 30 rounds of ammunition on August 22, 2025, after having been previously convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year imprisonment.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and U.S. Probation Officers.
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.
Dixson will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacob R. Parker represented the United States.
Oklahoma Resident Pleads Guilty to Felony AssaultRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Drake Ryan Allen, age 21, an Oklahoma resident, entered a guilty plea to one count of Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury in Indian Country, punishable by up to ten years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The Indictment alleged that on January 15, 2025, Allen assaulted the victim, resulting in serious bodily injury. The crime occurred in Adair County, within the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Adair County Sheriff’s Office.
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.
Allen was remanded into the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Gross represented the United States.
Muskogee 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 Tyson Gene Williams, age 45, of Muskogee, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Felon in Possession of Firearm and Ammunition, punishable by up to 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The Indictment charged Williams with knowingly possessing two semi-automatic pistols and 27 rounds of ammunition on April 19, 2025, after having been previously convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year imprisonment.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Checotah Police Department.
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.
Williams will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan E. Soverly represented the United States.
Local Leader of New York Capital Region Chamber of Commerce Charged with Attempted Enticement of a MinorRead the Press Release
Peter Bardunias, 59, of Clifton Park, New York, was charged today with attempting to entice a minor to engage in prohibited sexual activity. Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement.
The criminal complaint filed today alleges that over the past two weeks, Bardunias, a Senior Vice President of Community Advancement for the Capital Region Chamber of Commerce, sent messages to an individual he believed to be a 15 year-year-old girl during which he discussed subjecting the would-be minor to violent and sadistic sexual activity.
As alleged in the complaint, Bardunias told the individual—who was in fact an undercover law enforcement official—that he wanted to, among other things, “strangle[]” and “tortur[e]” the purported child while raping them. On October 6, 2025, Bardunias traveled to Warren County, New York, to meet the would-be minor and brought them candy to make them feel more comfortable. Bardunias was taken into custody shortly thereafter. The complaint also alleges that a federal search warrant executed at Bardunias’ residence revealed a box of sex toys which included restraints and a knife consistent with the materials used for the “torture chamber” Bardunias told the would-be child he was going to prepare to rape and torture them within.
“Parents need to be hyper-aware of conversations their children are having via text or online — predators often lurk behind screens,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “This man’s alleged crimes are shocking, and our prosecutors will ensure he faces severe consequences for his evil conduct towards an innocent child.”
“As alleged in the federal criminal complaint filed today, Peter Bardunias attempted to engage in what can only be described as heinous, unspeakable, and violent actions against a minor,” Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III said. “I am thankful that the FBI intervened to ensure that he was unable to follow through in any of this horrific activity with a real minor, and our community is safer tonight because Bardunias is behind bars.”
FBI Special Agent in Charge Craig L. Tremaroli stated, “As detailed in the criminal complaint, the allegations against Mr. Bardunias are truly horrific. His intentions were beyond disturbing and have resulted in serious federal charges. The FBI commends the brave individual who contacted us with information that immediately launched this investigation and put an end to these disturbingly sinister plans. We will continue to use every resource available to find and hold accountable any predator looking to victimize our most vulnerable, and we encourage anyone with additional information on Mr. Bardunias to contact our office.”
The charge filed against Bardunias carries a maximum sentence of life in prison, a mandatory minimum of 10 years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of between five years and life. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is convicted of violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
Bardunias had an initial appearance today in Albany, New York, before United States Magistrate Judge Paul J. Evangelista, and was held in custody pending a detention hearing set for Friday, October 10, 2025.
The charges in the complaint are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the FBI and its Child Exploitation Task Force, which includes members of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, including the Colonie Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph S. Hartunian is prosecuting the case as part of Project Safe Childhood.
Project Safe Childhood is a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Local Leader of Chamber of Commerce Charged with Attempted Enticement of a MinorRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Peter Bardunias, age 59, of Clifton Park, New York, was charged today with attempting to entice a minor to engage in prohibited sexual activity. Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement.
The criminal complaint filed today alleges that over the past two weeks, Bardunias, a Senior Vice President of Community Advancement for the Capital Region Chamber of Commerce, sent messages to an individual he believed to be a 15 year-year-old girl during which he discussed subjecting the would-be minor to violent and sadistic sexual activity.
As alleged in the complaint, Bardunias told the individual—who was in fact an undercover law enforcement official—that he wanted to, among other things, “strangle[]” and “tortur[e]” the purported child while raping them. On October 6, 2025, Bardunias traveled to Warren County, New York, to meet the would-be minor and brought them candy to make them feel more comfortable. Bardunias was taken into custody shortly thereafter. The complaint also alleges that a federal search warrant executed at Bardunias’ residence revealed a box of sex toys which included restraints and a knife consistent with the materials used for the “torture chamber” Bardunias told the would-be child he was going to prepare to rape and torture them within.
“Parents need to be hyper-aware of conversations their children are having via text or online — predators often lurk behind screens,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “This man’s alleged crimes are shocking, and our prosecutors will ensure he faces severe consequences for his evil conduct towards an innocent child.”
“As alleged in the federal criminal complaint filed today, Peter Bardunias attempted to engage in what can only be described as heinous, unspeakable, and violent actions against a minor,” Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III said. “I am thankful that the FBI intervened to ensure that he was unable to follow through in any of this horrific activity with a real minor, and our community is safer tonight because Bardunias is behind bars.”
FBI Special Agent in Charge Craig L. Tremaroli stated, “As detailed in the criminal complaint, the allegations against Mr. Bardunias are truly horrific. His intentions were beyond disturbing and have resulted in serious federal charges. The FBI commends the brave individual who contacted us with information that immediately launched this investigation and put an end to these disturbingly sinister plans. We will continue to use every resource available to find and hold accountable any predator looking to victimize our most vulnerable, and we encourage anyone with additional information on Mr. Bardunias to contact our office.”
The charge filed against Bardunias carries a maximum sentence of life in prison, a mandatory minimum of ten years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of between five years and life. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is convicted of violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
Bardunias had an initial appearance today in Albany, New York, before United States Magistrate Judge Paul J. Evangelista, and was held in custody pending a detention hearing set for Friday, October 10, 2025.
The charges in the complaint are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the FBI and its Child Exploitation Task Force, which includes members of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, including the Colonie Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph S. Hartunian is prosecuting the case as part of Project Safe Childhood.
Project Safe Childhood is a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Jury convicts truck driver of smuggling illegal aliensRead 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.CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 47-year-old Seagoville resident has been found guilty of smuggling illegal aliens into the country, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
The jury deliberated for approximately an hour before convicting Jose Eduardo Rocha following a less than two-day trial.
On Feb. 10, Rocha drove a tractor trailer to the Border Patrol checkpoint near Falfurrias. He appeared nervous, looked around and avoided eye contact.
The jury heard that authorities shined a flashlight into the cab from outside and saw what appeared to be the back of a person’s head sticking out from a blanket on the top bunk.
Law enforcement attempted to open the side sleeper door, but it was locked. Testimony revealed Rocha claimed the door was broken.
Upon further inspection, an x-ray scan revealed anomalies inside the cab. Authorities discovered four illegal aliens hiding on the top bunk, the main bed behind the driver, inside the closet and under the bed. They were from the countries of El Salvador and Guatemala.
Testimony revealed Rocha told the illegal aliens to be quiet and to hide.
The defense attempted to convince the jury that Rocha not fleeing from or fighting the authorities meant he did not know the aliens were hidden in his tractor cab. They were not convinced and found Rocha guilty as charged.
U.S. District Judge David S. Morales presided over the trial and set sentencing for Jan. 6, 2026. At that time, Rocha faces up to five years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
Rocha was permitted to remain on bond pending sentencing.
Customs and Border Protection conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ashley A. Pruitt and Young M. Burkett 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.
Hugo Resident Pleads Guilty to Illegally Possessing Machine GunRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that John Thomas Worthy, age 51, of Hugo, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Possession of a Machine Gun, punishable by up to ten years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The Indictment charged that on January 21, 2025, Worthy knowingly possessed a firearm that had been modified to shoot more than one round of ammunition by a single function of the trigger without manual reloading.
The charge arose from an investigation by 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.
Worthy will remain free on a personal recognizance bond pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan E. Soverly represented the United States.
Honduran man pleads guilty to, sentenced for resisting arrestRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.–U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Jerson Castillo-Umanzor, 19, a citizen and national of Honduras, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael J. Roemer to assaulting, resisting, or impeding a federal officer. He was then sentenced to time served and turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Smith, who is handling the case, stated that on June 24, 2025, Castillo-Umanzor U.S. Border Patrol agents in Amherst, NY. Agents attempted to arrest an illegal alien in a parking lot, who was present with Castillo-Umanzor. The alien and Castillo-Umanzor ran in opposite directions fleeing the agents. After an agent caught Castillo-Umanzor and attempted to handcuff him, Castillo-Umanzor resisted by pulling away and not complying with commands to place his hands behind his back.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The plea and sentencing are the result of an investigation by Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Philip Tejera.
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Georgia man pleads guilty to his role in fraud conspiracyRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Montez White, 39, of Atlanta, Georgia, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo to conspiracy to commit bank fraud, which carries a maximum of 30 years, and a $1,000,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paul E. Bonanno and Sasha Mascarenhas, who are handling the case, stated that between January and September 2022, White, along with co-conspirators Lorenzo Jones, Quentavious Price, and Ameer Clark, and others, conspired to defraud financial institutions. Members of the conspiracy would travel from Atlanta, Georgia, to the Western District of New York, and steal genuine checks from businesses. Using those checks, they would create fraudulent checks drawn on the bank accounts of the businesses. Members of the conspiracy then recruited individuals to cash the fraudulent checks, buy clothes for the individuals to make them appear to be construction workers or laborers, and then drive them to area financial institutions and direct them to cash the fraudulent checks. If the checks were successfully cashed, the individuals received a small payment. Specifically:
- in January 2022, Price, Jones, and two others flew from Atlanta to Buffalo and drove an individual to various KeyBank branches to cash or attempt to cash fraudulent checks drawn on the KeyBank accounts of a business based in Elma, NY, and a second business based in Tonawanda, NY.
- in March 2022, Price and two others came to Buffalo from Atlanta and drove three individuals to M&T Bank branches, Bank on Buffalo branches, and Evans Bank branches to cash, or attempt to cash, fraudulent checks drawn on the bank accounts of businesses based in Tonawanda, Clarence, NY, and Sanborn, NY.
- in September 2022, White, Clark, Price, and Jones flew from Atlanta to Rochester, NY, and drove six individuals to M&T Bank branches, KeyBank branches, Northwest Bank branches, Bank on Buffalo branches, and Evans Bank branches, to cash or attempt to cash, fraudulent checks drawn on the bank accounts of two businesses based in Rochester, and one based in Alden, NY.
The total loss amount, including actual loss and intended loss, Is $64,979.67.
Co-conspirators Lorenzo Jones, Quentavious Price, and Ameer Clark were previously convicted and are awaiting sentencing.
The plea is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special-Agent-in-Charge Erin Keegan, and the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Amie P. Feroleto.
Sentencing is scheduled for February 13, 2026, before Judge Vilardo.
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Convicted Bank Robber Charged with Murder for Killing Cherokee County Detention Officer Francisco Paul Flattes IIRead the Press Release
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Kelvin Wayne Simmons, 49, is facing a federal charge of first-degree murder of an officer for killing Cherokee County Detention Officer Francisco Paul Flattes II, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. A grand jury sitting in Asheville returned the indictment on October 7, 2025, also charging Simmons with attempted carjacking resulting in death; escape; attempted carjacking; carjacking; use of a firearm in connection with a crime of violence; assaulting, resisting and impeding an officer; and possession of a firearm by a felon.
James C. Barnacle, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Charlotte Division, and R.E “Chip” Hawley, Director of the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) join U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making today’s announcement.
The criminal bill of indictment alleges that, on June 30, 2025, Simmons did unlawfully kill Cherokee County Detention Officer Flattes while the officer engaged in the performance of his official duties and did so during the perpetration and attempted perpetration of an escape. The indictment also alleges that Simmons attempted to carjack a motor vehicle resulting in the death of Detention Officer Flattes. The indictment further alleges that Simmons, who was in federal custody awaiting sentencing for a federal bank robbery and attempted carjacking conviction, escaped from custody, and following his escape, Simmons then attempted to carjack an individual unsuccessfully. Simmons then allegedly carjacked another individual and used a firearm to commit the carjacking.
Simmons is in federal custody. The penalty for first degree murder is life in prison or death; the penalty for attempted carjacking resulting in death is any number of years up to life imprisonment, or death. The indictment includes a Notice of Special Sentencing Factors which could permit the United States to seek the death penalty. The Justice Department has not yet announced whether it will seek the death penalty. The remaining charges in the indictment carry maximum punishments ranging from five years to life imprisonment.
The charges against Simmons are merely allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
In making the announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson thanked the FBI and SBI for their investigation.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Citizen of Ghana pleads guilty to extortion chargeRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Cross Abu Cole, 21, a citizen of Ghana, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo to interstate communications with intent to extort, which carries a maximum penalty of two years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron J. Mango, who is handling the case, stated that on October 30, 2022, Cole improperly accessed an individual’s (Victim) Snapchat account and obtained nude photographs that the Victim had stored in his Snapchat account. Cole sent a text message to the Victim, utilizing a Google Voice telephone number, demanding payment of $200. If payment was not made, Cole threatened to damage the reputation of the Victim by releasing the nude photographs to family and friends of the Victim. An initial payment of $200 via CashApp was made by the Victim as instructed but then he cancelled the payment. Subsequently, the Victim learned that some of his Snapchat contacts had received the nude photographs.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Philip Tejera.
Sentencing is scheduled for February 12, 2026, at 9:30 a.m. before Judge Vilardo.
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Choctaw County Resident Sentenced for Illegally Possessing Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Jimmy Dale Kelley, a/k/a Jimmy Dale Kelly, a/k/a Jimmy Dale Robinson, age 38, of Grant, Oklahoma, was sentenced to time served for one count of Felon in Possession of Firearm and Ammunition.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Choctaw County Sheriff’s Office.
On May 27, 2025, Kelley pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on August 9, 2024, deputies responding to a reported shooting discovered Kelley in possession of a .357 Magnum revolver and spent rounds of ammunition. At the time of the incident, Kelley had been convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year in prison.
The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacob R. Parker represented the United States.
Cherokee Man Indicted for Murder in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – On October 7, 2025, a grand jury in Asheville returned a criminal indictment charging Derrick Alan Cucumber, 45, of Cherokee, N.C., with first degree murder in Indian country and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence for killing Mario Sanchez Nino, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
James C. Barnacle, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Charlotte Division, and Chief Carla Neadeau of the Cherokee Indian Police Department (CIPD) join U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making today’s announcement.
According to allegations in filed charging documents, on November 9, 2024, at approximately 6:30 p.m., Cucumber drove to a relative’s residence in Indian Country within the Western District of North Carolina. It is alleged that, upon arriving at the residence, Cucumber, who is an enrolled member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, approached the victim and another man as they sat near a firepit on the property. Cucumber pointed a gun at the victim and said, “I told you I was going to kill you.” Cucumber then allegedly shot Mario Sanchez Nino once in the face, killing him instantly. After shooting the victim, Cucumber left the scene. Court documents allege that Cherokee Indian Police Department officers responded to Cucumber’s residence and arrested him after a standoff that lasted approximately two hours.
Cucumber is currently in federal custody. If convicted, Cucumber faces a statutory sentence of life in prison for the first degree murder offense, and a minimum sentence of 10 years in prison for the firearm offense. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The charges against the Cucumber are merely allegations and he is presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
In making the announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson thanked the FBI and CIPD for their work on the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alex M. Scott with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville is prosecuting the case.
Brockport woman going to prison for fraud and making false statementsRead the Press Release
ROCHESTER, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Patricia Hutchins, 53, of Brockport, NY, who was convicted of fraud and making a false statement, was sentenced to serve 16 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Frank P. Geraci, Jr. Hutchins was also ordered to pay approximately $65,000 in restitution.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan K. McGuire, who handled the case, stated that in July 2021, U.S. Postal Inspectors executed a search warrant at Hutchins’ Greece residence and seized documents, cash, and electronic devices that were either used in or derived from various wire fraud schemes, including Unemployment Insurance fraud, Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan fraud, and elder fraud. In October 2022, Hutchins was arrested on charges of mail fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering. On May 1, 2024, she pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and awaiting sentencing on that charge. As part of her plea agreement, Hutchins was required to pay restitution to two victims: $20,052.00 to reimburse a financial institution for a fraudulent PPP loan disbursement and $25,100.00 to an elderly individual who had been duped into “paying off a debt for a friend” by sending that money to Hutchins. Hutchins was in a position to make those restitution payment because she was about to gain a substantial sum from the sale of her home.
On October 16, 2024, Hutchins appeared in federal court for sentencing. At that time, she stated that she had invested the entire proceeds of her home sale in a retirement account and did not have any money for restitution. As a result, her sentencing was delayed, and she was ordered to withdraw the funds from the retirement account and use them to pay restitution to her victims. On December 4, 2024, Hutchins appeared once again for sentencing. This time, she advised the court that she used all her money to buy gift cards for an individual she claimed was Kenny Chesney. However, Hutchins had used that excuse with law enforcement two previous times when she was actually stealing money from victims and the government.
A review of Hutchins’ financial records confirmed that the proceeds from the sale of her residence—approximately $47,000—were deposited into her bank account one month before her scheduled sentencing on October 16, 2024. In the month leading up to the sentencing, she pulled approximately $15,000.00 out of the account by purchasing 80 $250.00 gift cards at merchants such as Walgreens, Tops, Wegman’s, Lowe’s, and Home Depot. After the original sentencing was adjourned, and she was directed by the Court to gather funds to pay restitution, Hutchins purchased another 40 gift cards totaling approximately $8,500.00. As of November 29, 2024, there was only approximately $1,000 left in her account and her victims had yet to receive any restitution.
While investigating Hutchins’ disbursement of the restitution funds, law enforcement discovered that she had engaged in even more credit card fraud than was originally discovered. For example, she had used a victim’s bank account to make 17 payments on her personal credit card totaling over $14,000. As a result, Hutchins was charged with making false statements related to her sentencing and wire fraud. She pleaded guilty to the charge and was required to pay restitution to the additional wire fraud victim, bringing her total restitution owed to approximately $65,000.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, under the direction of Inspector in Charge Ketty Larco-Ward, Boston Division, and the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Jonathan Mellone, Northeast Region.
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Monday 6 October 2025
Texas Resident Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug ChargeRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Ronald James Yates, age 60, of Tyler, Texas, entered a guilty plea to one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, punishable by 10 years to life in prison and a $10,000,000.00 fine.
The Indictment alleged that on February 24, 2025, Yates knowingly and intentionally possessed 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance, intending to distribute it.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Hugo Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Texas Department of Public Safety.
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.
Yates will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Olivia Staubus represented the United States.