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9 December 2025
Springfield Business Owner Pleads Guilty to Unlawfully Possessing Firearms and Filing False Tax ReturnRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Springfield, Mo., man pleaded guilty in federal court before U.S. Magistrate Judge David P. Rush to unlawfully possessing firearms and filing a false tax return.
Marco Lorimer Denis, 50, pleaded guilty to one count of unlawfully possessing a firearm, and one count of filing a false tax return.
At the time of the offenses, Denis was the owner of Springfield Property LLC, a company providing retail and commercial rental space, including at Plaza Towers in Springfield.
As part of his plea, Denis admitted to knowingly possessing firearms when he had previously been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence. Denis pleaded guilty in 2003 to misdemeanor domestic assault in the Greene County, Mo., Circuit Court. Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence to be in possession of a firearm.
In December 2012, Denis attempted to purchase a firearm from a federal firearm licensee. His purchase was immediately denied after a background check, resulting in the federal firearm licensee refusing to transfer the firearm to Denis.
On July 15 and 16, 2024, as part of a domestic violence investigation, officers with the Springfield Police Department executed search warrants at Denis’s residence and located 8 firearms in his residence and in the driver’s side door panel of his vehicle.
Denis also admitted to filing a false tax return for the calendar year 2023. Denis’s 2023 tax return, which was filed in March 2025, did not include $57,391.06 of income he received in the course of operating Springfield Property, LLC. The IRS tax loss associated with Denis’s unreported income is $24,749.
Under federal statutes, Denis is subject to a sentence of up to 15 years in federal prison without parole and a fine of up to $250,000 for unlawfully possessing firearms; and a sentence of up to 3 years in federal prison without parole and a fine of up to $250,000, and an order of restitution, for filing a false tax return. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephanie L. Wan and Casey Clark. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Springfield, Mo., Police Department, and IRS-Criminal Investigation.
Southern California Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl and Methamphetamine Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Devlin Hosner, 36, of Indio, pleaded guilty today to conspiring to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
According to court documents, between 2020 and 2022, Hosner and his co-conspirator Holly Adams, 35, of Palm Desert, operated vendor accounts on the dark web marketplaces known as ToRReZ and Dark0de. Hosner and Adams generated hundreds of thousands of dollars selling counterfeit oxycodone pills pressed with fentanyl, after which they laundered the proceeds using cryptocurrency mixers, wallets, and other online tools.
In September 2021, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at an address where Hosner and Adams resided. After the officers announced their presence, Hosner attempted to impede their entry while Adams destroyed pills by pouring them into a chemical solution. Adams and Hosner were arrested and subsequently released by state authorities and resumed selling fentanyl on the dark web a few months later while they were unknowingly under investigation by federal law enforcement agents.
In March 2022, federal agents executed a search warrant at a hotel room in Riverside County where Hosner and Adams were temporarily residing. Officers seized nearly a kilogram of fentanyl-pressed oxycodone pills and 60 grams of methamphetamine from this hotel room. Hosner and Adams were arrested on federal charges.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Northern California Illicit Digital Economy (NCIDE) Task Force, a previously existing task force that included agents from the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. The NCIDE Task Force was a federal task force focused on targeting all forms of illicit dark web and cryptocurrency activity in the Eastern District of California and beyond. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sam Stefanki is prosecuting the case.
Adams previously pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute fentanyl and to launder the resulting proceeds. In June 2025, the district court sentenced her to serve 12 years in prison.
Hosner is scheduled to be sentenced by Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez on March 24, 2026. Hosner faces a mandatory minimum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison, as well as a $1 million fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
South Carolina Woman Admits to Multi-Year Ski/Snowboard Pass Scam in UtahRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A South Carolina woman pleaded guilty in federal court today to conspiracy to commit wire fraud after she fraudulently sold “discounted” ski and snowboard passes, including Ikon, Epic, and other passes used at various Utah mountain resorts. In return, she received money through electronic payments, which she shared with her coconspirators.
Jamilla Greene, 34, of Fort Mill, South Carolina, was charged by felony information on December 1, 2025.
According to court documents, beginning in November 2020 and continuing through May 2024, Greene worked with others to obtain money by fraudulently selling “discounted” Ikon and Epic ski and snowboard passes, as well as individual resort passes. Ikon passes are offered through Alterra Mountain Company and allow access to winter resorts worldwide, including the following Utah locations: Deer Valley, Solitude Mountain, Brighton, Alta Ski Area, Snowbird, and Snowbasin. Epic passes, offered through Vail Resorts, Inc. likewise offer access to resorts throughout the world, including Park City. None of these resorts authorized Greene to sell “discounted” passes.
As part of the scheme, Greene and her coconspirators advertised “discounted” passes through targeted online postings in locations where ski resorts are located, including Utah. When individuals would respond to the advertisements, Greene communicated with them online and via text to gather necessary information, including names and addresses, for the purchase of ski passes. Once personal information was collected, Greene would use different bank card information to purchase ski passes at full price, knowing that bank card information was stolen and did not belong to the individuals to whom she was selling the “discounted” ski passes.
Upon purchase of the full price ski passes with the stolen cards, Greene would communicate again with the “discounted” ski pass purchasers to secure and direct payment through electronic platforms such as Venmo, PayPal, Zelle, and Apple Pay. Greene then took the money and deposited it directly into her and her coconspirators’ accounts.
Greene is scheduled to be sentenced February 24, 2026 at 10:30 a.m. before a U.S. District Court Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.
“This multi-year, multimillion-dollar scheme not only victimized Utah ski resorts, skiers and snowboarders, and individuals whose bank card information was stolen, but could impact the trust of snow enthusiasts who seek passes annually to visit our resorts,” said U.S. Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the District of Utah. “Fraud in any form will not be tolerated, and it is my priority to continue to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute the individuals involved and seek justice for the victims.”
“The U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s mission includes defending the nation’s mail system from illegal use. Postal Inspectors investigate those who utilize the U.S. Mail to carry out fraud schemes for their own financial gain. I thank the Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Office for their partnership in this case,” said Glen Henderson, Inspector in Charge of the Phoenix Division.
“The Salt Lake County Sheriff’s office is committed to working and partnering with our federal agencies to ensure cases of this magnitude are investigated and the accused are held accountable for the crimes they committed,” said Salt Lake County Sheriff Rosie Rivera. “This is the largest case of fraud that the Sheriff’s office has investigated since reinstating our Law Enforcement Bureau.”This case is being investigated jointly by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) and the Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant United States Attorneys Mark E. Woolf and Luisa Gough of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah are prosecuting the case.
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jamilla_greene_sap.pdfShiprock Woman Pleads Guilty to Voluntary ManslaughterRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Shiprock woman pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter killing her daughter.
According to court documents, on October 24, 2022, Maylene John, 35, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation at the time of the offense, stabbed her 7-year-old daughter in the heart with a knife, causing her death. John was under the influence of methamphetamine at the time of the incident.
John pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter. At sentencing, she faces up to 15 years in federal prison. Upon her release from prison, John will be subject to three years of supervised release.
Acting U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Police Department and Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Caitlin L. Dillon and Eliot Neal are prosecuting the case.
Savannah Man Sentenced to Statutory Maximum for Possession of Ammunition Following ShootingRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, GA: On December 3, 2025, a Savannah man was sentenced to Statutory Maximum for Possession of Ammunition following a shooting.
Charlie Sapp, 58, of Savannah, was sentenced to 120 months in prison by U.S. District Court Judge Randal Hall after being convicted at trial on the charge of Possession of Ammunition by a Prohibited Person said Margaret E. Heap, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia.
Sapp received the maximum sentenced allowed by law. Judge Randal Hall also ordered Sapp to serve three years of supervised release upon completion of his prison term, in addition to a $1,500 fine. There is no parole in the federal system.
“This prosecution should send a clear message to those that violate the law in the Southern District of Georgia,” said U.S. Attorney Margaret Heap. “This office will work tirelessly to ensure the community is protected from violent felons.”
According to trial documents, on October 8, 2021, Sapp retrieved a loaded firearm from a vehicle, confronted an individual in an apartment complex parking lot, pointed the firearm at that individual, and then fired three shots. The individual Sapp shot died on the scene. While the weapon used in the shooting was never recovered, officers with the Savannah Police Department recovered two shell casings on the scene. Those shell casings were enough to convict Sapp in the U.S. District Court. Sapp was prohibited from possessing ammunition because of previous felony convictions in the Superior Court of Chatham County.
At sentencing, Judge Hall agreed to the Government’s request to enhance Sapp’s sentence on the ammunition charge because his conduct constituted second-degree murder. Due to Sapp illegally possessing ammunition, a Savannah man lost their life.
Sapp was previously tried for this conduct in November 2022 by the Chatham County District Attorney’s Office. That trial did not result in a conviction.
“Every bullet represents a potential threat to public safety; we will continue to work diligently to prevent firearms from falling into the wrong hands,” said ATF Acting Assistant Special Agent in Charge Robert Davis.
The case was being investigated by the ATF, Savannah Police Department and prosecuted for the United States by Special Assistant United States Attorney Makeia R. Jonese and Assistant United States Attorney Ryan Bondura.
Romanian Man Sentenced to One Year in Prison for Access Device FraudRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that ANDREI FAGARAS (“FAGARAS”), age 35, a Romanian national, was sentenced on December 2, 2025 for access device fraud, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1029(a)(4). FAGARAS, who has been in custody since November 20, 2024, was sentenced to time served.
According to court documents, on November 13, 2024 and November 14, 2024, FAGARAS and two other individuals possessed device-making equipment, namely credit/debit card skimmers, at three retail locations in the Eastern District of Louisiana and installed those skimmers on point-of-sale machines.
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).
“We appreciate the collaboration with our federal and local law enforcement partners for their hard work on this investigation. Those who are involved in fraud regarding USDA taxpayer-funded programs will be investigated by our office to protect the integrity of those programs,” said USDA Office of Inspector General (USDA-OIG) Acting Special Agent in Charge Matthew Wilkins.
The case was investigated by Special Agents of the United States Department of Agriculture – Office of Inspector General; Special Agents of the United States Secret Service; Deputies with the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office; Deputies with the St. Bernard Parish Sheriff’s Office; Officers with the New Orleans Police Department; Officers with the Harahan Police Department; Officers with the Scott Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Christine M. Calogero of the General Crimes Unit is handling the prosecution.
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Romanian Man Sentenced to One Year in Federal Prison for Installing Skimmers throughout Southern District of MississippiRead the Press Release
JACKSON, MS – Giovanni Iortoman, 21, was sentenced on December 8, 2025 to 12 months in federal prison for illegal possession, production, or trafficking in device-making equipment, also known as skimmers. His codefendant, Antonio Rafaila, 19, pleaded guilty to the same charge on August 6, 2025, and will be sentenced on December 18, 2025. Both defendants entered the United States illegally.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on the morning of March 31, 2025, employees of a grocery store in Laurel, Mississippi discovered a skimmer attached to a point-of-sale terminal in one of the store’s check-out lanes. A skimmer is capable of reading and recording account information including customer names, account numbers, and personal identification numbers from credit and debit cards. Store employees checked CCTV footage from the store and reported the matter to law enforcement immediately. CCTV footage revealed that two men, later identified as Antonio Rafaila and Giovanni Iortoman, had placed a skimmer device on the point-of-sale machine.
Rafaila and Iortoman used the same tactics at multiple grocery stores in Jones, Rankin, and Madison counties with the intent to steal the personal information of customers for profit. One of the men would purchase items at the grocery store and distract the checkout clerk while the other surreptitiously installed the skimmer. The Mississippi Attorney General’s Office Cyber Fraud Task Force alerted local stores about the two men and their descriptions. The sedan the subjects were seen driving in Laurel was later stopped by Madison County law enforcement almost immediately after the subjects emplaced another skimmer in Madison.
Iortoman presented a Romanian identification card to officers and Rafaila falsely identified himself as Aaron Lipani with a fraudulent Italian passport when questioned. A check of government databases determined that Iortoman and Rafaila were foreign nationals in the country without legal authority.
A criminal complaint was filed against Rafaila and Iortoman on April 2, 2025. A federal grand jury returned an indictment against them on April 8, 2025.
Rafaila is scheduled to be sentenced on December 18, 2025, and faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. As the defendants entered the United States illegally, they may be subject to deportation upon their release from prison.
U.S. Attorney Baxter Kruger of the Southern District of Mississippi, U.S. Secret Service Special Agent in Charge Patrick Davis, and Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch made the announcement.
The United States Secret Service and the Mississippi Attorney General’s Office investigated the case through their partnership in the Cyber Fraud Task Force with assistance from the United States Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kimberly T. Purdie and C. Brett Grantham are prosecuting the case.
The Cyber Fraud Task Force offered the following tips to keep your bank card data safe:
- Use terminals that offer tap to pay or chip read capabilities. Avoid swiping cards, if possible.
- Look at the terminal prior to inserting or using your card in relation to other terminals in the store. Do they look the same? Overlay skimmers will add to the overall dimensions of a terminal.
Ritchie County Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Charles Dana Johnson II, 37, of Cairo, was sentenced on October 2, 2025, to seven years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on November 17, 2024, a law enforcement officer conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle driven by Johnson in Parkersburg. Johnson admitted that he possessed a loaded SCCY model DVG-1 9mm pistol and a loaded Walther model P22 .22-caliber pistol that the officer found in Johnson’s waistband during the traffic stop.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Johnson knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony convictions for possession with intent to deliver heroin on October 2, 2016, and first-degree robbery on January 12, 2012, both in Wood County Circuit Court.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Wood County Sheriff's Office.
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Lesley C. Shamblin prosecuted the case.
This case is also part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-27.
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Repeat Offender Guilty of Illegally Possessing a Firearm in ColumbusRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ga. – A repeat offender who ran from deputies, scaling an airport fence during the chase, is facing a maximum of ten years in prison for illegally possessing a firearm.
Reginald Weeks-Lewis, 29, of Columbus, was found guilty of one count of illegal possession of a firearm by a convicted felon at the conclusion of a one-day trial on Dec. 8, before U.S. District Judge Clay Land. The defendant faces a maximum of fifteen years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 24, 2026. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Armed repeat felony offenders are seeing their cases make it to the federal prosecutor’s office, where they face steep penalties,” said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes. “It is illegal for a convicted felon to possess a firearm, and our office is working alongside our law enforcement partners to hold these individuals accountable for their crimes.”
“Our collaboration with local law enforcement and federal agencies is crucial in tackling the issue of gun violence,” said Acting ATF Assistant Special Agent in Charge Robert Davis. “We will continue to pursue those who violate the law, especially repeat offenders, with the full weight of federal penalties.’”
“The Muscogee County Sheriff’s Office remains committed to our federal partners in order to remove firearms from the hands of those who should not have them,” said Muscogee County Sheriff Greg Countryman. “We will continue to ensure that Muscogee County is a safer place to work and live for our citizens.”
According to court documents and statements referenced at trial, Weeks-Lewis was driving on Sidney Simons Boulevard in Columbus in the early hours of March 1, 2025, when Muscogee County Sheriff’s Office deputies on patrol observed a traffic violation and initiated a stop. At first, Weeks-Lewis slowed the vehicle down and began to pull off to the side of the road, but then abruptly made a U-turn and began traveling north on Armour Road. Weeks-Lewis lost control of the vehicle, and it traveled across four lanes of traffic, striking the left shoulder of the roadway and blowing out a tire. As deputies approached the car, Weeks-Lewis got out and ran. Deputies followed and loudly commanded him to stop; Weeks-Lewis repeatedly shouted to deputies that he had a firearm.
Weeks-Lewis ran toward the Columbus Municipal Airport and climbed its perimeter fence. A short time later, deputies found him lying face down on airport property in a brushy area. He was taken into custody; the defendant’s semiautomatic pistol with eleven rounds of ammunition in the magazine and one round in the chamber was found tucked between the driver's seat and the center console of his car. Weeks-Lewis has prior felony convictions in Muscogee County Superior Court for burglary, theft by taking, obstruction, vandalism to a place of worship and possession with intent to distribute marijuana.
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 case was investigated by the Muscogee County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) with assistance from the Muscogee County District Attorney’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Veronica Hansis is prosecuting the case for the Government.
Romanian National Sentenced for Bank Fraud and False Statement to a Federal Agency in ATM “Skimming” SchemeRead the Press Release
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Daniel Balan, 47, of Bacau, Romania, was sentenced to more than three years in prison after previously pleading guilty to five counts of bank fraud, five counts of aggravated identity theft, one count of possessing 15 or more access devices, and making a false statement to a federal agency in connection with an ATM “skimming” scheme. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “This offender exploited numerous innocent victims for his own financial gain, but thanks to the outstanding investigative work of our state and federal law enforcement partners he will enjoy an extended stay behind bars. My office will continue to aggressively prosecute these crimes to vindicate the victims exploited by these offenses and hold the fraudsters accountable to the fullest extent of the law.”
Court documents reflect that beginning on January 28, 2025, the defendant placed “skimming” devices and cameras on multiple ATMs in the Tallahassee, Florida area. The devices and cameras were used to capture customer account and access device information. Then, between February 8 and 9, 2025, the defendant used the stolen information to fraudulently obtain $56,340 in customer funds. At the time of arrest, law enforcement found 28 gift cards in the defendant’s pocket that had been encoded with stolen account information and labeled with a corresponding PIN.
“ATM skimming is not just a crime against individual account holders—it undermines public trust in our banking systems,” said Homeland Security Investigations Tallahassee Assistant Special Agent in Charge Nicholas Ingegno. “Victims suffer financial losses and stress, banks and businesses face increased costs, and law enforcement resources are diverted to investigate these schemes. This sentence demonstrates HSI’s commitment to work tirelessly alongside our law enforcement partners to protecting our community from these fraud schemes and ensuring that those responsible are held accountable.”
“The successful resolution of this case highlights the strength of our partnership with Homeland Security Investigations and federal prosecutors. Together, we were able to stop a sophisticated scheme that targeted innocent people across Leon County,” said Sheriff Walt McNeil, Leon County Sheriff’s Office.
The case involved a joint investigation by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and the Leon County Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Justin M. Keen and Eric W. Welch.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit theU.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Port Arthur man sentenced to over 10 years in federal prison for trafficking methamphetamineRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas –A Port Arthur man has been sentenced to over 10 years in federal prison for trafficking methamphetamine in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Cory Donelle Williams, 44, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and was sentenced to 125 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Michael J. Truncale on December 9, 2025.
According to information presented in court, in 2024, local law enforcement received information that Williams was distributing synthetic marijuana and methamphetamine in the Eastern District of Texas. The investigation led to the execution of a search warrant at Williams’ residence resulting in the discovery of 56.3 grams of methamphetamine.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Port Arthur Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Lee.
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Pike County Man Sentenced for the Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
ASHLAND, Ky. – A Raccoon, Ky., man, Lonnie James Maynard, 54, was sentenced by Chief U.S. District Judge David Bunning to 210 months in prison, for the production of child pornography.
According to his plea agreement, on January 17, 2025, Maynard engaged in the production of child pornography. Specifically, a search of Maynard’s phone revealed a Snapchat conversation in which he directed a minor child to send Maynard sexually explicit photos. At Maynard’s direction, the minor child sent Maynard a sexually explicit video of the minor child.
Under federal law, Maynard must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for 10 years.
Paul McCaffrey, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Olivia Olson, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office; and Phillip J. Burnett, Jr., Commissioner of the Kentucky State Police, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI and KSP. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Blankenship is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted this case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by 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.
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Panama City Felon Sentenced for Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine and Possession of FirearmRead the Press Release
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Marlow Allen, 45, of Panama City, Florida, has been sentenced to a five-year term of imprisonment for possession with intent to distribute cocaine and unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Keeping our communities safe and drug-free remains a top priority of our state and federal law enforcement partners, and my office will pursue aggressive prosecutions of crimes like this with the full force of the law. President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi promised to Take Back America from the violent criminals who have preyed upon our communities for far too long, and this successful prosecution delivers on that promise.”
Court documents reflect that in June 2022, as part of an ongoing drug investigation, law enforcement executed a search warrant at multiple residences connected to Allen in Panama City, Florida. During the search of the two residences, investigators located “crack” cocaine, powder cocaine, marijuana, two firearms, as well as other items indicative of drug distribution. Allen is a convicted felon, who has previously been convicted of numerous felony offenses, including Possession with Intent to Deliver Cocaine, Sale of Cocaine, Possession of Cocaine, Unlawful Firearms Possession, Unlawful Discharge of a Firearm, and Tampering with a Witness.
The case involved a joint investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Bay County Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Eric K Mountin.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Ohio Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Marquize Kuame Damon Scott, also known as “Q,” 27, of South Point, Ohio, pleaded guilty on October 14, 2025, to distribution of 50 grams or more of a methamphetamine mixture.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on June 14, 2024, Scott sold 83.9 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant in exchange for $700 in Huntington. As part of her guilty plea, Scott admitted to conducting the transaction and to arranging it beforehand.
Scott also admitted to additional criminal conduct. On June 10, 2024, Scott sold approximately 55 grams of methamphetamine and approximately 2.3 grams of cocaine to a confidential informant in exchange for $500 on Hal Greer Boulevard in Huntington.
Scott is scheduled to be sentenced on January 26, 2026, and faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 40 years in prison, at least four years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $5 million.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Cabell County Sheriff's Office.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Courtney L. Finney is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:25-cr-48.
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New Orleans Man Guilty of Conspiracy to Commit ArsonRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA –Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that RICKY WILSON, age 31, a resident of New Orleans, pled guilty on November 18, 2025, before United States District Judge Brandon S. Long to Conspiracy to Commit Arson, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371. WILSON faces a maximum sentence of five (5) years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, up to three (3) years of supervised release, and a $100.00 mandatory special assessment fee. He may also be required to pay restitution to the victim business for any damage that he caused.
Court documents revealed that WILSON purchased a vehicle from a dealership but later placed three live Molotov cocktails next to vehicles located on the lot at the dealership causing damage to them. He also fired several shots into several vehicles and the structure housing the offices at the dealership. No one was injured as this offense occurred during early morning hours. WILSON is presently in custody in Jefferson Parish for unrelated charges.
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 case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Mark A. Miller is assigned the prosecution.
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New Jersey Man Pleads Guilty in Fraud Scheme to Swindle Victims in 5 StatesRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A New Jersey man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Portland to conspiring to commit wire fraud and making false statements to an FBI agent.
According to court records, Bharat Awasarmol, 49, conspired with others in a multi-state scheme to defraud seven victims in five states, including Maine. As part of the scheme, victims received telephone calls from individuals posing as government officials. These imposters fraudulently instructed victims to withdraw cash and purchase gold to turn over to the government for safekeeping. The callers then arranged for victims to meet fake government agents to hand over the cash and gold. Awasarmol was intercepted when FBI agents caught him accepting a package from a victim in Maine. The Maine victim had been instructed by an individual posing as an employee of the Federal Trade Commission to meet Awasarmol and provide him with gold bars. Awasarmol made false statements to an FBI agent regarding his role in the scheme.
As part of the conspiracy, Awasarmol also accepted cash and gold from six additional victims in New Hampshire, New York, New Jersey, and Virginia, all of whom had been deceived by individuals posing as government officials.
Awasarmol faces up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 on the wire fraud conspiracy charge. He also faces up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 on the false statement charge.
Awasarmol will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigative report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI investigated the case.
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Nevada Man Sentenced to Prison for 17 Years after Distributing Fentanyl, Resulting in Death of a Utah ResidentRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Bryan Walter McMahan, 41, of Las Vegas, Nevada was sentenced today to 204 months’ imprisonment after he distributed fentanyl by mailing a package of oxycodone pills containing fentanyl to a Utah woman, who died after ingesting the narcotic.
Following McMahan’s term of imprisonment, U.S. District Court Judge David Barlow imposed a term of three years’ supervised release and ordered him to pay $8,888.74 in restitution to the victim’s family.
According to court documents and statements made at McMahan’s change of plea and sentencing hearings, on October 7, 2023, McMahan went to a post office in Las Vegas and mailed an envelope addressed to the victim with at least four pills containing fentanyl. Over the next three days, McMahan and the victim exchanged multiple text messages as the victim awaited the arrival of the package. On October 10, 2023, the package arrived and on the following day, McMahan attempted to reach out to the victim multiple times. Ultimately, the victim was found deceased inside her room. The padded mailing envelope bearing McMahan’s name, return address and tracking number that he provided the victim were next to her body. Underneath the victim, law enforcement located three small blue pills later confirmed to contain fentanyl.
“A young woman lost her life as a result of reckless criminal conduct, and no amount of imprisonment can change the course of that tragic outcome,” said U.S. Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the District of Utah. It is important to remember that just one pill can kill. There is no way of knowing what controlled substances are contained in counterfeit pharmaceuticals for sale on the illicit market. My office will continue, along with our law enforcement partners, to vigorously prosecute those who are willing to distribute poison into our communities.”
“At DEA, our goal is a Fentanyl Free America. Every day, our men and women are confronting drug dealers and the Cartels they’re connected with,” said Miguel Chino, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Rocky Mountain Division - Utah Office. “Our sincere thanks to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Utah, for prosecuting this case and to our fellow law enforcement partners. We’ll continue to aggressively pursue those who are peddling this poison into our communities.”
“Any loss of life in our community is heartbreaking, and our thoughts remain with the victim’s family and loved ones. Our Detectives assigned to the DEA Fentanyl Overdose Death Task Force were committed to uncovering the truth behind this tragedy and identifying those responsible,” said Lieutenant Clint Bobrowski of the Layton City Police Department. “The Layton City Police Department values our partnership with Federal Law Enforcement and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and remain steadfast in our dedication to pursuing justice and holding individuals accountable when their actions contribute to these devastating outcomes.”
The case was investigated jointly by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Layton City Police Department.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case.
Nine Individuals Charged with Federal CrimesRead the Press Release
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – United States Attorney John P. Heekin announced today that nine individuals were indicted in the Pensacola division of the Northern District of Florida.
The following indictments were filed in the Pensacola division:
- Basilio Coxcahua-Arohua, a citizen of Mexico, indicted for illegal reentry after deportation or removal.
- Luis Manuel Moscoso-Vidal, a citizen of Guatemala, indicted for illegal reentry after deportation or removal.
- Marco Olavarrieta-Beranza, a citizen of Mexico, indicted for illegal reentry after deportation or removal.
- Roberto Rios-Narvaez, a citizen of Mexico, indicted for illegal reentry after deportation or removal.
- Melvin Roberto Saavedra-Vasquez, a citizen of Honduras, indicted for illegal reentry after deportation or removal.
- Edin Francisco Trinidad-Moradel, a citizen of Honduras, indicted for illegal reentry after deportation or removal.
- Yunior Joehl Vasquez-Garcia, a citizen of Honduras, indicted for illegal reentry after deportation or removal.
- Tyronzia Roquza Levine, of Pensacola, Florida, indicted for one count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance (more than five grams of methamphetamine, cocaine, fentanyl, and marijuana), one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime, and one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
- Isaiah Markeis Sims, of Pensacola, Florida, indicted for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Law enforcement agencies conducting the investigations included the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Brooke A. DiSalvo and Jessica S. Etherton.
An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
These cases are part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Multi-convicted Felon Sentenced to More Than 16 Years in Federal Prison for Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
A multi-convicted felon was sentenced today to more than 16 years in federal prison for a violent bank robbery, announced United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould.
Damon Johnson, 51, was indicted in December 2024 for robbing the PNC Bank on North Glenbrook Drive in Garland, Texas on November 14, 2024. He pled guilty in May 2025 to bank robbery. Today, U.S. District Judge Jane Boyle sentenced Johnson to 200 months in federal prison.
According to court documents, as a customer was conducting business at a teller station inside the bank, Johnson grabbed her from behind and held her hostage. Johnson then pointed a firearm at the teller and demanded money. After the teller gave him $3,900 from the register, Johnson fled on foot. He was arrested in December 2024 shortly after indictment.
Court records reflect that Johnson was previously convicted of possession with intent to distribute cocaine, for which he was sentenced to 130 months in federal prison. He had also served a 10-year federal imprisonment sentence for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. At the time he committed the bank robbery in November 2024, he was on federal supervised release for these two offenses. During the sentencing hearing, Judge Boyle pointed to Johnson’s lengthy criminal record, including his 1991 Michigan state conviction of assault with intent to do great bodily harm less than murder—which involved Johnson raping a woman and setting her on fire—as well as his other convictions for drug and firearm offenses, when imposing the 200-month sentence.
“The swift actions of FBI Dallas Violent Crime Task Force agents took this violent repeat offender off the streets,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould. “We will continue to pursue lengthy federal prison sentences for those like him to deter these types of crime sprees and restore safety in the Northern District of Texas.”
“The sentence received by the defendant is a result of the efforts of the Dallas Violent Crimes Task Force to hold accountable a felon with a violent criminal history,” said FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock. “The FBI will continue to work alongside our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to fight violent crime in our communities across North Texas.”
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation Dallas Violent Crimes Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Marissa Aulbaugh prosecuted the case.
Mother Convicted for Interstate Violation of Protective Order Regarding Her Estranged Teenage SonRead the Press Release
Following a 5-day jury trial, Shana Gaviola, 38, formerly of Clovis, was found guilty of interstate violation of a protection order for causing her estranged teenage son to be taken against his will and transported from California to Missouri, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
“Shana Gaviola paid individuals to kidnap her then-16-year-old son from an ice-skating rink in Fresno, California, drive him in handcuffs to Missouri, and forcibly restrain him there for a week—all in express violation of a state-court domestic violence restraining order and ostensibly in the exercise of Gaviola’s religious beliefs,” said U.S. Attorney Grant. “No parent—indeed, no person whatsoever—has the right to subject a child to kidnapping and terror for that reason or any other reason. This office will continue to vigorously prosecute anyone who violates the basic rights and safety of minors in our district, especially in violation of lawful court orders.”
“We are grateful for our strong partnership with the Fresno Police Department. Together, we uncovered the facts that ultimately led to today’s verdict. Shana Gaviola manipulated others to help force her will upon her son. We are very proud of his resolve throughout this investigation and trial. He will rest easier knowing that justice has been served,” said FBI Sacramento Acting Special Agent in Charge Duel Valentine.
According to court documents and testimony at trial, in 2020, Gaviola’s then-16-year-old son began living apart from Gaviola with another family. He petitioned for emancipation from Gaviola and obtained a domestic violence protection order against Gaviola from the Fresno County Superior Court. The order prohibited Gaviola from harassing, blocking the movements of, or contacting her son in any way, including directly or indirectly.
Despite the protection order, Gaviola made plans for her son to be forcibly transported from California to Missouri. On Aug. 21, 2021, individuals acting on behalf of Gaviola abducted the minor from an ice-skating rink in Fresno, handcuffed him, and forced him into a car. He remained in handcuffs for more than 24 hours while they drove to Stockton, Missouri. He was then held at a youth facility until his father was able to free him.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Fresno Police Department and the Clovis Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Veronica M.A. Alegría and Heiko P. Coppola are prosecuting the case. Assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Western District of Missouri and the Eastern District of Missouri.
Gaviola is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge John C. Coughenour on April 27, 2026. Gaviola faces a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
Morgantown Man Pleads Guilty to Violating the Federal Sex Offender Registration and Notification ActRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – James Mansfield Davis, 69, of Morgantown, pleaded guilty today to failure to register as a sex offender, as required by the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA).
According to court documents and statements made in court, Davis was living in South Charleston when he failed to register as a sex offender as required following his conviction for possession of child pornography in United States District Court for the Northern District of West Virginia on May 20, 2024.
On September 5, 2024, Davis was sentenced in United States District Court for the Northern District of West Virginia to six years and 10 months in prison for possession of child pornography. Davis failed to self-report to prison on October 4, 2024, as required. Law enforcement officers arrested Davis in Williamsburg, Virginia, on October 15, 2024. On August 20, 2025, Davis was sentenced to one year in prison for failing to surrender for a federal sentence, with the sentence to run consecutive to the sentence for possession of child pornography.
Davis is scheduled to be sentenced on March 30, 2026, for the current offense and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the United States Marshals Service (USMS).
United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan T. Storage is prosecuting the case.
SORNA is part of the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006 and provides a comprehensive set of minimum standards for sex offender registration and notification in the United States. SORNA seeks to strengthen the nationwide network of sex offender registration and notification programs, in part by requiring registered sex offenders to register and keep their registration current in each jurisdiction in which they reside, work, or go to school.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-189.
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Montgomery County man sentenced to federal prison for defrauding elderly victims of hundreds of thousands of dollarsRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – Ronald Scott Daley, 53, of Miamisburg, was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to 54 months in prison for wire fraud and tax evasion related to a scheme to defraud clients, including elderly victims.
According to court documents, Daley was employed by a life insurance brokerage firm in the Southern District of Ohio from 1995 through 2021 and advised several elderly clients with respect to life insurance and annuity products.
From at least 2012 until 2020, Daley fraudulently convinced client victims to withdraw certain assets from the insurance brokerage firm and to deposit the funds into their own personal accounts. Daley then influenced the victims to make payments to a bank account for an entity that Daley controlled.
For example, Daley defrauded three victims of more than $707,000 in total.
Furthermore, the defendant failed to file and pay taxes on the fraudulent income.
As part of his conviction, Daley will repay restitution in the amount of approximately $707,000 for fraud against the victims and nearly $212,000 to the IRS.
Daley was indicted in December 2024 and pleaded guilty in May 2025.
Dominick S. Gerace II, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Jason Cromartie, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; and Karen Wingerd, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Criminal Investigations; announced the sentence imposed today by U.S. District Judge Matthew W. McFarland. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy S. Mangan is representing the United States in this case.
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Monongalia County Man Admits to Firearms ChargeRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA –Ashley W. Grubb, 45, of Westover, West Virginia, has admitted to making a false statement in connection with the acquisition of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew L. Harvey.
According to court documents, Grubb made false statements at a firearms dealer in Morgantown, West Virginia, stating the firearm was for his personal use, but, in fact, he was buying the firearms for another defendant who is prohibited from possessing firearms because of drug use.
Grubb faces up to 10 years in federal prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Will Rhee is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.
Minnesota and New York Men Convicted for Providing Material Support to Separatist Fighters in CameroonRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY – A federal trial jury convicted two individuals for their roles in a conspiracy to provide material support or resources to kill, kidnap, and maim persons and use weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) in a foreign country. The defendants conspired to provide funds and equipment to separatist fighters in Cameroon to allow them to construct and use IEDs against various targets in the Northwest Region of Cameroon.
Francis Chenyi, Sr., 52, of Saint Paul, Mn., and Lah Nestor Langmi, 49, of Buffalo, Ny., both of whom are U.S. citizens of Cameroonian origin, were found guilty on Monday, Dec. 8, on multiple counts. Chenyi and Langmi were both found guilty of one count of a conspiracy to provide material support or resources intended it be used to carry out conspiracies to kill, kidnap, and maim persons in a foreign country and to use a WMD outside the United States. Chenyi and Langmi were also found guilty of one count of being involved in an international money laundering conspiracy that transferred funds from the United States to Cameroon to promote conspiracies to kill, kidnap, and maim and use WMDs abroad.
Additionally, Chenyi was found guilty of one count of conspiring to provide material support and resources to use a WMD abroad.
“As the verdict indicates whether you’re committing a crime locally or – as in this case – supporting illegal conduct half a world away – when you conspire to violate federal law, we will hold you accountable.” said United States Attorney R. Matthew Price.
“The guilty verdict brings to close a conspiracy by a group of U.S. Citizens of Cameroonian origin to support a plot that, among other acts, included kidnapping Cameroonian civilians and holding them for ransom. Their actions also included providing equipment, supplies, and weapons to a separatist movement for the purpose of carrying out attacks against the government of Cameroon and its personnel,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Stephen Cyrus, Kansas City Field Division. “We are grateful for the verdict, and it should send a strong message to anyone in the United States looking to provide support to these types of acts across the world.”
A third defendant, Claude Ngenevu Chi, 43, of Kansas City, Mo., pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to provide material support and resources to use a WMD abroad on Nov. 19, 2025.
The evidence presented at trial showed that on around Nov. 5, 2020, Langmi sent an audio message to separatist fighters requesting they kidnap a traditional leader in Cameroon. Langmi said he had been tracking the traditional leader’s movements prior to the kidnapping. Following a battle with Cameroonian forces, separatists took the traditional leader along with the Catholic Cardinal Christian Tumi, who was traveling with the traditional leader, from their vehicles.
Following the kidnapping, Chenyi, provided the interrogation questions to be asked of the traditional leader and the Cardinal and approved the transferring of funds through peer-to-peer transactions to the separatists fighters in Cameroon to further the kidnapping.
Chenyi was involved in ransom payments paid by individuals outside of Cameroon for the release of family members taken in Cameroon and communicated with Langmi about these payments.
Multiple instances occurred in which co-conspirators, including Langmi, requested funds to purchase IEDs or components of IEDs for construction and use in Cameroon that were approved and funded by Chenyi. Chenyi also coordinated with individuals in Cameroon to ensure separatist fighters he supported obtained training on IED use. The defendants corresponded with co-conspirators in Cameroon to coordinate development, payment for, and logistical support toward IED use upon targets in Cameroon.
Specifically, around Dec. 3, 2020, Chenyi was requested to provide funds for construction of multiple IEDs to be used in connection with efforts to enforce a lockdown of an area before an upcoming election. Chenyi, along with Chi, agreed to provide funds for the IEDs’ construction and Chenyi coordinated the transfer of funds from the United States through peer-to-peer transactions to the separatist fighters in Cameroon.
Langmi coordinated with, and provided funds to, an unindicted co-conspirator to develop IEDs and rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs) in Cameroon and kept Chenyi apprised of the IED and RPG development. Langmi also attempted to coordinate attacks near the 2021 African Cup of Nations soccer tournament hosted in Cameroon, as well as various cities throughout the Northwest Region throughout the spring of 2022.
Following the presentation of evidence, the jury in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo., deliberated for about two hours and 24 minutes before returning guilty verdicts yesterday to U.S. District Judge Roseann A. Ketchmark, ending a trial that began Monday, Dec. 1, 2025.
Under federal statutes, Chenyi and Langmi each are subject to a sentence of up to 15 years for conspiracy to provide material support or resources and up to 20 years for conspiracy to commit international money laundering. Chi also is subject to a penalty of up to 15 years for providing material support or resources. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing hearings will be scheduled after the completion of presentence investigations by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sean T. Foley and Joseph M. Marquez for the Western District of Missouri, with the assistance of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. The case was investigated by the FBI Kansas City Field Division.
Michigan Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Federal Drug Crimes in West Virginia and MontanaRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Jardan Donaldson, 37, of Mount Clemens, Michigan, was sentenced on Tuesday, December 9, 2025, to 10 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine and possession with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on February 4, 2024, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at a residence on the 1400 block of Quarrier Street in Charleston, West Virginia. Officers seized approximately 14.1 pounds of methamphetamine during the search. As part of his guilty plea, Donaldson admitted that he intended to assist in the distribution of the seized methamphetamine within the Southern District of West Virginia.
Donaldson further admitted that he assisted in preparing methamphetamine for distribution at the residence the day before officers executed the search warrant. Donaldson also admitted that he intended to assist in the distribution of additional quantities of fentanyl and metonitazene, a synthetic opioid, seized by law enforcement officers as a result of this investigation.
On July 24, 2024, a law enforcement officer in McCone County, Montana, conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle in which Donaldson was a passenger. The officer encountered Donaldson laying across the rear floorboard of the vehicle on top of multiple bags of methamphetamine. The officer arrested Donaldson after determining he was the subject of an arrest warrant issued in the Southern District of West Virginia. The officer also obtained a search warrant for the vehicle and seized approximately 6.9 pounds of methamphetamine. An investigation revealed that Donaldson distributed controlled substances at the Fort Peck Indian Reservation in Montana. As part of his plea agreement, Donaldson admitted to possessing the seized methamphetamine and consented to the disposition of the Montana offense in the Southern District of West Virginia.
Donaldson’s West Virginia co-defendant Justin Saunders, 28, of Charleston, pleaded guilty to distribution of 50 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine and is scheduled to be sentenced on January 21, 2026.
“This office, in conjunction with the United States Attorney’s Office in Montana, put a dangerous drug trafficker exactly where he belongs – behind bars,” said United States Attorney Moore Capito. “The sentence imposed reflects the seriousness of his crimes, and we will continue to pursue the harshest lawful penalties for anybody who seeks to inflict such damage on our communities. We are not backing down – this work continues.”
Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), the Montana Highway Patrol, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). MDENT is composed of the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the Nitro Police Department, the St. Albans Police Department and the South Charleston Police Department.
United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney JC MacCallum and former Assistant United States Samuel D. Marsh prosecuted the case in coordination with Assistant United States Attorney Kelsey A. Sabol of the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Montana.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-32 in the Southern District of West Virginia and 1:24-cr-153 in the District of Montana.
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Mexican national sentenced to federal prison for trafficking cocaineRead the Press Release
PLANO, Texas –A Mexican national illegally living in Dallas has been sentenced to federal prison for trafficking cocaine in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Tomas Perez-Guerrero, 44, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and was sentenced to 72 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Sean D. Jordan on December 8, 2025.
According to information presented in court, Perez-Guerrero was involved in a conspiracy to traffic cocaine in the Eastern District of Texas.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Johnson.
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Mexican national sentenced to 20 years in prison for assaulting ICE agentRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. – A Mexican national residing illegally in the United States was sentenced to 20 years in prison for violently attacking a federal law enforcement agent, the maximum punishment allowed under the statute.
According to court documents, Diego Barron-Esquivel, 23, pleaded guilty to one count of forcible assault of a federal officer.
On February 28, 2025, Barron-Esquivel intentionally assaulted and strangled an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Deportation officer who was in Wichita performing his official duties, causing bodily injury to the officer.
“Violence against law enforcement is completely unacceptable and will be dealt with very seriously,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser. “Our society would cease to function without brave officers enforcing the law. We owe these officers our thanks and our respect. This sentence shows how egregious the conduct was in this case.”
“This sentencing is a victory for justice and a clear warning to anyone who thinks they can assault law enforcement officers without consequences,” said HSI Kansas City Special Agent in Charge Mark Zito. “We are grateful to the Honorable Judge John Broomes for handing down a sentence that reflects the seriousness of this crime. HSI will continue to work tirelessly to ensure that those who threaten the safety of our officers and the rule of law are held accountable.”
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Molly Gordon prosecuted the case.
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Man Sentenced to 60 Years in Federal Prison for Producing Child Sex Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
A man who produced child sexual abuse material was sentenced today to 60 years in federal prison, announced United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould.
Victor Torres, 33, of Dumas, Texas, pled guilty to two counts of production of child pornography in May 2025. He was sentenced today to 720 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Matthew J. Kacsmaryk.
“This defendant lured vulnerable youth into his despicable crimes and deservedly received a lengthy prison sentence,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould. “We will work unceasingly with our local and federal law enforcement partners to remove these types of dangerous predators from the streets of our communities.”According to court documents, in 2023, Victor Torres paid two different 13-to-14-year-old children to produce sexually explicit material to send to him online. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) discovered Torres’s criminal activity when they received a CyberTip from an online money exchange platform. From the CyberTip, they were able to locate multiple different accounts used by Torres to communicate with minors online. Torres was 30 years old at the time of the communications but frequently told minors that he was 17 years old. Torres told the minors that he would “pay for content” and described exactly what he wanted the minors to do in the sexually explicit photos and videos he requested, including how to pose and what objects to use.
Court records show that, in June 2024, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Torres’s residence and seized several electronic devices. Evidence located on Torres’s electronic devices revealed search terms for child pornography, communications with minors and bartering for the production of child pornography, and additional child sexual abuse material including material depicting the sexual abuse of toddlers, animals, and other prepubescent children.Homeland Security Investigations, Dallas Field Office (Amarillo Resident Agency) conducted the investigation along with HSI Harrisonburg, VA; HSI Buffalo, NY; HSI Columbia, SC; HSI Charleston, SC; the Moore County Sheriff’s Office, the Amarillo Police Department, the Pittsburg, OK Sheriff’s Department, and the Texas Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Callie Woolam prosecuted the case.
The Justice Department is committed to combating child sexual exploitation and brought this case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.justice.gov/psc. The Department partners with and oversees funding grants for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), which receives and shares tips about possible child sexual exploitation received through its 24/7 hotline at 1-800-THE-LOST and on missingkids.org
MS-13 Leader Wanted for Assassination of Four People in Honduras Arrested in Grand IslandRead the Press Release
UPDATED 12/10/2025 - United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Gerson Emir Cuadra Soto, of Grand Island, Nebraska, was charged with illegal entry of an unlawfully present alien in federal court in Lincoln, Nebraska.
An unsealed complaint affidavit underlying the arrest alleges that Cuadra Soto, a Honduran national, was a leader in MS-13 who was part of a professional assassination squad for the criminal organization. After being charged in Honduras in 2022 with firearms charges related to the quadruple homicide, Cuadra Soto and two co-defendants were allegedly able to bribe their way out of the Honduran jail.
Following the bribe, Cuadra Soto is alleged to have entered the United States illegally in 2022 by crossing into the State of Texas from the Country of Mexico. From there, the complaint alleges that Cuadra Soto obtained a California driver’s license in his true identity. Federal agents then tracked him to the District of Nebraska where Cuadra Soto established a residence in Grand Island. He was arrested without incident on December 8, 2025, in Grand Island.
Special Agent Eugene Kowel, leader of the Omaha Federal Bureau of Investigation field division stated, “Our capture of alleged MS-13 leader Gerson Emir Cuadra Soto in Grand Island, Nebraska, highlights the critical work undertaken daily to address threats posed by transnational gangs. Hiding in the heart of the heartland is not a good option for violent offenders; we will turn over every stone to find you. The apprehension of Cuadra Soto is a testament to the power of our partnerships; we are grateful to FBI Houston and Joint Task Force Vulcan, the TRIDENT Task Force, the Grand Island Police Department, and CBP’s BORTAC team.”
Special Agent in Charge of HSI Kansas City Mark Zito said, “Taking this criminal, illegal alien who is a suspected MS-13 leader and wanted for multiple homicides in Honduras off our streets demonstrates HSI’s unwavering commitment of Homeland Security Investigations to safeguarding our communities. This successful operation is a powerful example of why partnerships with local and state law enforcement are so critically important. By working together, we maximize our collective resources, share actionable intelligence, and ensure a coordinated approach to public safety.”
A complaint is a charging document that contains one or more individual counts that are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, TRIDENT Task Force, and the Grand Island Police Department.
Louisiana man sentenced to 25 years in federal prison for drug trafficking and firearms violationsRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas –A Shreveport, Louisiana man has been sentenced to 25 years in federal prison for drug trafficking and firearms violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Santana Deangelo Powell, 33, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and carrying a firearm during a drug trafficking crime and was sentenced to 300 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Michael J. Truncale on December 9, 2025.
According to information presented in court, in February 2024, Powell was stopped for a traffic violation on his way to Houston and found in possession of a large amount of cash. Powell told law enforcement he was planning to buy a vehicle with the money. A large, concealed compartment was discovered in the trunk of the vehicle. Although the compartment was empty, it was a compartment that law enforcement suspected could be used to conceal drug shipments. Later that same night, Powell was stopped for a traffic violation in Liberty County. A search of the vehicle revealed the hidden compartment now contained a large bag filled with 20,000 methamphetamine tablets and over 100 grams of cocaine. A firearm was also found in the vehicle.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the Liberty County Sheriff’s Office, and the Mt. Enterprise, Texas City Marshal’s Office and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew Quinn and Reynaldo P. Morin.
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Los Angeles-area Drug Trafficker Sentenced to 70 Months in Prison for Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine in SacramentoRead the Press Release
Julio Cesar Nevarez-Erunez, 24, of Salem, Oregon, formerly of Downey, California, was sentenced on Dec. 4, 2025, by U.S. District Judge Daniel J. Calabretta to five years and 10 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
According to court documents, Nevarez-Erunez conspired with his co-defendant, Juan Niebla-Osuna, 28, of Downey, to distribute methamphetamine in the Eastern District of California and elsewhere. On July 13, 2022, Nevarez-Erunez and Niebla Osuna sold 15 pounds of methamphetamine to a confidential source. On Oct. 6, 2022, Nevarez-Erunez was arrested and found in possession of 40 pounds of methamphetamine and 5,000 counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl. A search of the residence shared by the co-defendants in the Los Angeles area uncovered 7 more pounds of methamphetamine and 2.5 pounds of fentanyl powder.
Niebla-Osuna previously pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. On Aug. 28, 2025, Niebla-Osuna failed to appear for sentencing. A bench warrant has been issued for his arrest.
This case is the product of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Haddy Abouzeid is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Sacramento is composed of agents and officers from Homeland Security Investigations, Federal Bureau of Investigations, Drug Enforcement Administration, Northern California High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, Central Valley High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, and Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California.
Lincoln County Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Kevin James Murphy, 30, of West Hamlin, pleaded guilty on October 6, 2025, to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 11, 2025, Murphy was the front seat passenger in a vehicle pulled over by law enforcement officers in Huntington. During the traffic stop, officers asked Murphy to exit the vehicle and if he had any weapons. As part of his guilty plea, Murphy admitted that officers seized a Taurus Model G2C 9mm after he told them he had a firearm in his waistband. Murphy further admitted that the seized firearm was reported stolen, and that officers also seized approximately 29 grams of methamphetamine, digital scales, plastic bags, and 9mm ammunition from his backpack in the vehicle during the traffic stop. Murphy also admitted that he possessed and intended to distribute the seized methamphetamine and possessed the seized firearm in connection with that offense.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Murphy knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony convictions for attempt to commit a felony-possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance on March 29, 2016, and being a person prohibited from possessing firearms on June 29, 2019, both in Cabell County Circuit Court.
Murphy is scheduled to be sentenced on January 26, 2026, and faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Huntington Police Department, the Huntington Violent Crime and Drug Task Force. and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Courtney L. Finney is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:25-cr-99.
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Lafourche Parish Man Guilty of Violating Federal Controlled Substances ActRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LA – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that on November 18, 2025, JAMES WILLIAMS, (WILLIAMS), age 64, of Schriever, Louisiana, pled guilty before U.S. District Judge Brandon Long to conspiracy to distribute, and possess with intent to distribute, over 500 grams of cocaine, in violation of Title 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1), §§ 841(b)(1)(B), and 846. Judge Long scheduled sentencing for February 24, 2025, where WILLIAMS faces a minimum of 5 years and up to 40 years imprisonment, up to a $5,000,000 fine, at least 4 years of supervised release following imprisonment, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee.
According to the indictment, beginning at a time unknown but continuing until at least May 4, 2024, WILLIAMS conspired with others to distribute, and possess with intent to distribute, cocaine throughout the Lafourche Parish region of the Eastern District of Louisiana. The conspiracy involved obtaining narcotics from Houston, Texas and transporting the narcotics to Thibodaux, Louisiana. The conspiracy was carried out through wire and electronic communications.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at http://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Acting U.S. Attorney Michael Simpson praised the work of the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Louisiana State Police, the Thibodaux Police Department, the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office, and the Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Stuart Theriot of the Narcotics Unit.
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Ketchikan man sentenced to 5 years for possessing a firearm as a felon during a domestic violence assaultRead the Press Release
JUNEAU, Alaska – A Ketchikan man was sentenced today to five years in prison and will serve three years of court mandated supervision upon release from prison for possessing a firearm as a felon during a domestic violence assault.
According to court documents, on Oct. 27, 2024, the Ketchikan Police Department (KPD) received a 911 phone call and heard a male and female arguing. The female was crying and begging the man to let her leave the residence. The man later referenced a loaded firearm present in the room. KPD immediately sent officers to respond to a residence in Ketchikan.
Law enforcement identified Michael McLoone, 57, as the man in the room with the female victim. McLoone was agitated when officers contacted him. The female victim said she and McLoone were arguing, and she was afraid he was going to harm her. Officers arrested McLoone for felony assault, and a criminal history check revealed that McLoone had two previous felony convictions for assault, prohibiting him from possessing firearms for life.
Law enforcement recovered three firearms, magazines, ammunition and body armor from McLoone’s residence following his arrest.
On June 17, 2025, McLoone pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
“Mr. McLoone can only be categorized as a serial domestic violence offender, with multiple state assault convictions spanning 30 years. His lengthy record of violence against women poses a great risk to Alaskans,” said U.S. Attorney Michael J. Heyman for the District of Alaska. “This prison sentence will protect the Ketchikan community and its residents from Mr. McLoone for many years. My office will continue to prosecute and hold accountable offenders who illegally possess firearms and use them to inflict fear and harm.”
“Mr. McLoone’s utter disregard for the law coupled with his propensity for violence against women makes him a pressing and undeniable danger to society. ATF is proud to stand alongside our law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorney’s Office to shield our community members from the threat of domestic violence,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Eric Jackson of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Seattle Field Division.
“Based on the evidence gathered throughout this investigation, Michael McLoone has demonstrated a long pattern of violent behavior and repeated abuse. His conduct has escalated over time, creating an increasingly dangerous environment for his domestic partners. It is fortunate that those who have been involved with Mr. McLoone survived these incidents,” said Deputy Chief Derek McGarrigan of KPD. “The Ketchikan Police Department remains committed to working closely with our local, state, and federal partners to hold violent offenders accountable and to protect the safety of our community.”
The ATF Anchorage Field Office and KPD investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jack Schmidt prosecuted the case.
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Kanawha County Woman Pleads Guilty to Role in Kanawha County Drug Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Ashley Dawn Smith, 32, of St. Albans, pleaded guilty on October 20, 2025, to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Smith admitted to her role in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) responsible for distributing quantities of fentanyl and methamphetamine in the Charleston area between January and May 2025.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Smith was distributing fentanyl to customers that she was obtaining from two out-of-town sources. One of her co-conspirators would re-distribute the fentanyl that he obtained from Smith.
Smith is scheduled to be sentenced on January 22, 2026, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $1 million.
Smith is among 16 individuals indicted as the result of a federal investigation on charges alleging they participated in the distribution of fentanyl and methamphetamine in the Charleston area between June 2024 and May 2025. Five defendants in the main indictment pleaded guilty, including Smith. Four defendants pleaded guilty in separate cases that resulted from the investigation. The indictment against the remaining defendants is pending. An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), which is composed of the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the Nitro Police Department, the St. Albans Police Department and the South Charleston Police Department.
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-78.
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Kanawha County Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Tracy Don Jackson Jr., 22, of St. Albans, pleaded guilty on October 7, 2025, to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on June 15, 2023, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at a Charleston residence where they encountered Jackson sleeping on a couch in the living room. Officers found a quantity of a heroin-fentanyl mix and a Glock model G48 9mm pistol between the arm of the couch and the couch cushion underneath Jackson. As part of his guilty plea, Jackson admitted that he possessed the drugs and intended to distribute them within the Southern District of West Virginia.
Jackson is scheduled to be sentenced on January 14, 2026, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $1 million.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Charleston Police Department.
Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Lesley C. Shamblin is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-98.
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Justice Department Marks Texas’ Successful Completion of Reforms at Thirteen State-Operated Facilities for People with Intellectual DisabilitiesRead the Press Release
Today, the Justice Department joined with the State of Texas in asking a federal district court to dismiss a long-running case that saw the State reform thirteen State-operated facilities for people with intellectual or developmental disabilities (IDD). The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division brought to completion years of work that now requires Texas to protect the rights of Americans who are in its care at these centers. Through a court order called a consent decree, Texas implemented reforms to protect residents from harm, provide clinical care and education, and provide services for people with IDD in integrated settings.
“We commend Texas for its tremendous progress in implementing this decree and its commitment to upholding the federal rights of people with intellectual disabilities living in state care,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “We recognize and appreciate the dedication of the staff and leaders of the Texas Health and Human Services Commission who have transformed the state centers to protect the rights of all Americans — even some of the most vulnerable.”
This case began with an investigation of Lubbock State School (since renamed the Lubbock SSLC) in 2005, followed by investigations of the remaining 12 state-run centers in 2008 and 2009. In June 2009, the United States and Texas entered the decree, and the court approved it. With the court’s approval, the parties modified the decree in September 2021. The State worked collaboratively with the Civil Rights Division to implement the decree’s requirements for the last several years. Today’s joint filing details the State’s extensive improvements of the facilities in compliance with the decree, as verified by an Independent Reviewer.
Justice Department Announces Actions to Combat Two Russian State-Sponsored Cyber Criminal Hacking GroupsRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced two indictments in the Central District of California charging Ukrainian national Victoria Eduardovna Dubranova, 33, also known as Vika, Tory, and SovaSonya, for her role in conducting cyberattacks and computer intrusions against critical infrastructure and other victims around the world, in support of Russia’s geopolitical interests. Dubranova was extradited to the United States earlier this year on an indictment charging her for her actions supporting CyberArmyofRussia_Reborn (CARR). Today, Dubranova was arraigned on a second indictment charging her for her actions supporting NoName057(16) (NoName). Dubranova pleaded not guilty in both cases, and is scheduled to begin trial in the NoName matter on Feb. 3, 2026 and in the CARR matter on April 7, 2026.
As described in the indictments, the Russian government backed CARR and NoName by providing, among other things, financial support. CARR used this financial support to access various cybercriminal services, including subscriptions to distributed denial of service-for-hire services. NoName was a state-sanctioned project administered in part by an information technology organization established by order of the President of Russia in October 2018 that developed, along with other co-conspirators, NoName’s proprietary distributed denial of service (DDoS) program.
“Today’s actions demonstrate the Department’s commitment to disrupting malicious Russian cyber activity — whether conducted directly by state actors or their criminal proxies — aimed at furthering Russia’s geopolitical interests,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “We remain steadfast in defending essential services, including food and water systems Americans rely on each day, and holding accountable those who seek to undermine them.”
“Politically motivated hacktivist groups, whether state-sponsored like CARR or state-sanctioned like NoName, pose a serious threat to our national security, particularly when foreign intelligence services use civilians to obfuscate their malicious cyber activity targeting American critical infrastructure as well as attacking proponents of NATO and U.S. interests abroad,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli for the Central District of California. “The charges announced today demonstrate our commitment to eradicating global threats to cybersecurity and pursuing malicious cyber actors working on behalf of adversarial foreign interests.”
“When pro-Russia hacktivist groups target our infrastructure, the FBI will use all available tools to expose their activity and hold them accountable,” said Assistant Director Brett Leatherman of the FBI Cyber Division. “Today’s announcement demonstrates the FBI’s commitment to disrupt Russian state-sponsored cyber threats, including reckless criminal groups supported by the GRU. The FBI doesn’t just track cyber adversaries – we work with global partners to bring them to justice.”
“The defendant’s illegal actions to tamper with the nation’s public water systems put communities and the nation’s drinking water resources at risk,” said EPA Acting Assistant Administrator Craig Pritzlaff. “These criminal charges serve as an unequivocal warning to malicious cyber actors in the U.S. and abroad: EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division and our law enforcement partners will not tolerate threats to our nation’s water infrastructure and will pursue justice against those who endanger the American public. EPA is unwavering in its commitment to clean, safe water for all Americans.”
Cyber Army of Russia Reborn
According to the indictment, CARR, also known as Z-Pentest, was founded, funded, and directed by the Main Directorate of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation (GRU). CARR claimed credit for hundreds of cyberattacks against victims worldwide, including attacks against critical infrastructure in the United States, in support of Russia’s geopolitical interests. CARR regularly posted on Telegram claiming credit for its attacks and published photos and videos depicting its attacks. CARR primarily hacked industrial control facilities and conducted DDoS attacks. CARR’s victims included public drinking water systems across several states in the U.S., resulting in damage to controls and the spilling of hundreds of thousands of gallons of drinking water. CARR also attacked a meat processing facility in Los Angeles in November 2024, spoiling thousands of pounds of meat and triggering an ammonia leak in the facility. CARR has attacked U.S. election infrastructure during U.S. elections, and websites for U.S. nuclear regulatory entities, among other sensitive targets.
An individual operating as “Cyber_1ce_Killer,” a moniker associated with at least one GRU officer instructed CARR leadership on what kinds of victims CARR should target, and his organization financed CARR’s access to various cybercriminal services, including subscriptions to DDoS-for-hire services. At times, CARR had more than 100 members, including juveniles, and more than 75,000 followers on Telegram.
The CARR indictment charges Dubranova with one count of conspiracy to damage protected computers and tamper with public water systems, one count of damaging protected computers, one count of access device fraud, and one count of aggravated identity theft. If convicted of these charges, Dubranova would face a statutory maximum penalty of 27 years in federal prison.
NoName057(16)
NoName was covert project whose membership included multiple employees of The Center for the Study and Network Monitoring of the Youth Environment (CISM), among other cyber actors. CISM was an information technology organization established by order of the President of Russia in October 2018 that purported to, among other things, monitor the safety of the internet for Russian youth.
According to the indictment, NoName claimed credit for hundreds of cyberattacks against victims worldwide in support of Russia’s geopolitical interests. NoName regularly posted on Telegram claiming credit for its attacks and published proof of victim websites being taken offline. The group primarily conducted DDoS cyberattacks using their own proprietary DDoS tool, DDoSia, which relied on network infrastructure around the world created by employees of CISM.
NoName’s victims included government agencies, financial institutions, and critical infrastructure, such as public railways and ports. NoName recruited volunteers from around the world to download DDoSia and used their computers to launch DDoS attacks on the victims that NoName leaders selected. NoName also published a daily leaderboard of volunteers who launched the most DDoS attacks on its Telegram channel and paid top-ranking volunteers in cryptocurrency for their attacks.
The NoName indictment charges Dubranova with one count of conspiracy to damage protected computers. If convicted of this charge, Dubranova would face a statutory maximum penalty of five years in federal prison.
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Concurrent with today’s actions, the U.S. Department of State has offered potential rewards for up to $2 million for information on individuals associated with CARR and up to $10 million for information on individuals associated with NoName. Additionally, today the FBI, CISA, NSA, DOE, EPA, and DC3 issued a Joint Cybersecurity Advisory assessing that pro-Russia hacktivist groups, like CARR and NoName, target minimally secured, internet-facing virtual network computing connections to infiltrate (or gain access to) operational technology control devices within critical infrastructure systems to execute attacks against critical infrastructure, resulting in varying degrees of impact, including physical damage.
On July 19, 2024, U.S. Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced sanctions targeting two CARR members, Yuliya Vladimirovna Pankratova and Denis Olegovich Degtyarenko, for their roles in cyber operations against U.S. critical infrastructure. These two individuals were the group’s leader and a primary hacker, respectively.
The FBI Los Angeles Field Office investigated the CARR and NoName cases as part of FBI’s Operation Red Circus, an ongoing operation to disrupt Russian state-sponsored cyberthreats to U.S. critical infrastructure and interests abroad.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Angela Makabali and Alexander Gorin for the Central District of California and Trial Attorney Greg Nicosia of the National Security Division’s National Security Cyber Section are prosecuting these cases. Assistant U.S. Attorney James E. Dochterman for the Central District of California is handling the forfeiture cases. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance for both investigations.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Justice Department Announces Actions to Combat Two Russian State-Sponsored Cyber Criminal Hacking GroupsRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A Ukrainian national has been federally charged with participating in dozens of cyberattacks and computer intrusions against critical infrastructure and other victims around the world, in support of Russia’s geopolitical interests, the Justice Department announced today.
The two indictments against Victoria Eduardovna Dubranova, 33, a.k.a. “Vika,” a.k.a. “Tory,” a.k.a. “SovaSonya,” were unsealed today in United States District Court in Los Angeles. Dubranova was extradited to the United States earlier this year on an indictment charging her for her actions supporting CyberArmyofRussia_Reborn (CARR).
Dubranova was arraigned today on a second indictment charging her for her actions supporting NoName057(16) (NoName). Dubranova has pleaded not guilty in both cases. Dubranova pleaded not guilty today at her arraignment and a February 3, 2026 trial date was scheduled in that case.
As described in the indictments, the Russian government backed CARR and NoName by providing, among other things, financial support. CARR used this financial support to access various cybercriminal services, including subscriptions to distributed denial of service-for-hire services. NoName was a state-sanctioned project administered in part by an information technology organization established by order of the President of Russia in October 2018 that developed, along with other co-conspirators, NoName’s proprietary distributed denial of service (DDoS) program.
“Politically motivated hacktivist groups, whether state-sponsored like CARR or state-sanctioned like NoName, pose a serious threat to our national security, particularly when foreign intelligence services use civilians to obfuscate their malicious cyber activity targeting American critical infrastructure as well as attacking proponents of NATO and U.S. interests abroad,” said First Assistant United States Attorney Bill Essayli. “The charges announced today demonstrate our commitment to eradicating global threats to cybersecurity and pursuing malicious cyber actors working on behalf of adversarial foreign interests.”
“Today’s actions demonstrate the Department’s commitment to disrupting malicious Russian cyber activity — whether conducted directly by state actors or their criminal proxies — aimed at furthering Russia’s geopolitical interests,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “We remain steadfast in defending essential services, including food and water systems Americans rely on each day, and holding accountable those who seek to undermine them.”
“When pro-Russia hacktivist groups target our infrastructure, the FBI will use all available tools to expose their activity and hold them accountable,” said Assistant Director Brett Leatherman of FBI’s Cyber Division. “Today’s announcement demonstrates the FBI’s commitment to disrupt Russian state-sponsored cyber threats, including reckless criminal groups supported by the GRU. The FBI doesn’t just track cyber adversaries—we work with global partners to bring them to justice.”
“The defendant’s illegal actions to tamper with the nation’s public water systems put communities and the nation’s drinking water resources at risk,” said U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Acting Assistant Administrator for Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Craig Pritzlaff. “These criminal charges serve as an unequivocal warning to malicious cyber actors in the U.S. and abroad: EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division and our law enforcement partners will not tolerate threats to our nation’s water infrastructure and will pursue justice against those who endanger the American public. EPA is unwavering in its commitment to clean, safe water for all Americans.”
“The FBI continues to relentlessly pursue cybercriminal groups,” said Akil Davis, the Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office. “Pro-Russia cybercriminal groups such as CARR and NoName057(16) have been emboldened to target the critical infrastructure of the United States and NATO allies, including U.S. elections, public water systems, and other government and financial institutions. Today’s announcement underscores the FBI’s priorities and capabilities in countering cyber threats and demonstrates the FBI’s dedication to working with foreign partners to protect victims worldwide.”
Cyber Army of Russia Reborn
According to the indictment, CARR, also known as Z-Pentest, was founded, funded, and directed by the Main Directorate of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation (GRU). CARR claimed credit for hundreds of cyberattacks against victims worldwide, including attacks against critical infrastructure in the United States, in support of Russia’s geopolitical interests.
CARR regularly posted on Telegram claiming credit for its attacks and published photos and videos depicting its attacks. CARR primarily hacked industrial control facilities and conducted DDoS attacks. CARR’s victims included public drinking water systems across several states in the U.S., resulting in damage to controls and the spilling of hundreds of thousands of gallons of drinking water.
CARR also attacked a meat processing facility in Los Angeles in November 2024, spoiling thousands of pounds of meat and triggering an ammonia leak in the facility. CARR has attacked U.S. election infrastructure during U.S. elections, and websites for U.S. nuclear regulatory entities, among other sensitive targets.
An individual operating as “Cyber_1ce_Killer,” a moniker associated with at least one GRU officer instructed CARR leadership on what kinds of victims CARR should target, and his organization financed CARR’s access to various cybercriminal services, including subscriptions to DDoS-for-hire services. At times, CARR had more than 100 members, including juveniles, and more than 75,000 followers on Telegram.
The CARR indictment charges Dubranova with one count of conspiracy to damage protected computers and tamper with public water systems, one count of damaging protected computers, one count of access device fraud, and one count of aggravated identity theft. If convicted of these charges, Dubranova would face a statutory maximum sentence of 27 years in federal prison. She is scheduled to go to trial on April 7, 2026 in this case.
NoName057(16)
NoName was covert project whose membership included multiple employees of The Center for the Study and Network Monitoring of the Youth Environment (CISM), among other cyber actors. CISM was an information technology organization established by order of the President of Russia in October 2018 that purported to, among other things, monitor the safety of the internet for Russian youth.
According to the indictment, NoName claimed credit for hundreds of cyberattacks against victims worldwide in support of Russia’s geopolitical interests. NoName regularly posted on Telegram claiming credit for its attacks and published proof of victim websites being taken offline. The group primarily conducted DDoS cyberattacks using their own proprietary DDoS tool, DDoSia, which relied on network infrastructure around the world created by employees of CISM.
NoName’s victims included government agencies, financial institutions, and critical infrastructure, such as public railways and ports. NoName recruited volunteers from around the world to download DDoSia and used their computers to launch DDoS attacks on the victims that NoName leaders selected. NoName also published a daily leaderboard of volunteers who launched the most DDoS attacks on its Telegram channel and paid top-ranking volunteers in cryptocurrency for their attacks.
The indictment charges Dubranova with one count of conspiracy to damage protected computers. If convicted of this charge, Dubranova would face a statutory maximum sentence of five years in federal prison.
The law enforcement takedown against NoName is part of Operation Red Circus, and has been executed in coordination with a Europol operation, Operation Eastwood, which is aimed at disrupting NoName. As part of these ongoing operations, law enforcement in 19 countries, including Germany’s Bundeskriminalamt (BKA), the Netherlands National Police, the Spanish National Police, the Swiss Federal Police, the Swedish Polismyndigheten, and the French Gendarmerie Nationale, alongside the FBI, disrupted more than 100 servers around the world, including virtual servers hosted in the United States, in July 2025. Resulting from their own independent investigations, foreign law enforcement also publicly announced charges against five NoName actors, arrested two NoName actors outside of Russia, and executed searches of 22 NoName members and 2 service providers worldwide. The FBI also suspended NoName’s main X account, which played a key role in the group’s public messaging campaign.
Concurrent with today’s actions, the U.S. Department of State has offered potential rewards for up to $2 million for information on individuals associated with CARR and up to $10 million for information on individuals associated with NoName. Additionally, today the FBI, CISA, NSA, DOE, EPA, and DC3 issued a Joint Cybersecurity Advisory assessing that pro-Russia hacktivist groups, like CARR and NoName, target minimally secured, internet-facing virtual network computing connections to infiltrate (or gain access to) operational technology control devices within critical infrastructure systems to execute attacks against critical infrastructure, resulting in varying degrees of impact, including physical damage.
On July 19, 2024, U.S. Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced sanctions targeting two CARR members, Yuliya Vladimirovna Pankratova and Denis Olegovich Degtyarenko, for their roles in cyber operations against U.S. critical infrastructure. These two individuals were the group’s leader and a primary hacker, respectively.
The FBI Los Angeles Field Office investigated the CARR and NoName cases as part of FBI’s Operation Red Circus, an ongoing operation to disrupt Russian state-sponsored cyberthreats to U.S. critical infrastructure and interests abroad.
Assistant United States Attorneys Angela Makabali and Alexander Gorin of the National Security Division, and Trial Attorney Greg Nicosia of the Justice Department’s National Security Cyber Section are prosecuting these cases. Assistant United States Attorney James E. Dochterman of the Asset Forfeiture and Recovery Section is handling the forfeiture cases.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Jackson Man Pleads Guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute FentanylRead the Press Release
Jackson, MS – A Jackson man pleaded guilty on Wednesday, December 3rd in federal court to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, law enforcement identified Roman Walker, 35, as a distributor of narcotics from Hinds County, Mississippi. Court filings reflect that Walker was distributing a “menu” of narcotics, business hours, and prices for different drugs he was selling. On or about January 24, 2023, while executing a search warrant of Walker’s residence, law enforcement discovered large quantities of narcotics including more than 11,000 fentanyl pills and fentanyl powder packaged for distribution into the metro Jackson area.
Roman Walker is scheduled to be sentenced on March 3, 2026, and faces a maximum penalty of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Baxter Kruger of the Southern District of Mississippi and DEA Special Agent in Charge Anessa Daniels-McCaw made the announcement.
The United States Drug Enforcement Agency is investigating the case with assistance from the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics.
Assistant U.S. Attorney C. Brett Grantham is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline) 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).
Indiana Couple Charged in an Indictment Filed in D.C. with Securities Fraud for Insider TradingRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Fan Yang, 39, and Jing Tian, 37, both of Indianapolis, were arrested and charged in an indictment unsealed today for conspiring to commit securities fraud for allegedly using insider information to profit from a $3.7 billion corporate acquisition, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Yang, aka “Jocelyn Yang,” and Tian are charged in U.S. District Court in Washington D.C. with two counts of conspiracy to commit securities fraud.
Yang was a finance executive at an Indiana manufacturing company for which her husband, Tian, also worked.
According to the charging document, in 2021, their company began to hold internal discussions about acquiring a Michigan-based firm that made automobile components. On Feb. 22, 2022, their company announced an agreement to acquire the targeted firm at a price of $36.50 per share, for a total value of $3.7 billion. The targeted firm’s stock price rose to $35.55 before markets opened, an increase of about 44% from the prior day’s closing price.
The indictment alleges that Yang began to collect material non-public information (MNPI) about the impending deal in October 2021 and with Tian began discussing and executing security purchases of the target company in November 2021. Communicating in Chinese on messaging apps, they allegedly shared MNPI with a group that grew to include at least five other people, including two graduate students at Georgetown University in Washington D.C. and a trader who was in China at the time.
Members of the group used this inside information to purchase stock and options contracts in the target company based on information they knew was non-public and confidential. On November 22, 2021, Yang allegedly sent a WeChat message to her husband Tian discussing their securities purchases, stating, “We have over 100,000 in there. If the acquisition is completed with 3.5b, we can get a Tesla. Trade in and don’t need a loan haha.”
In a series of additional messages, Yang told another trader that she knew the target company stock would rise because her company was acquiring it, information that was not publicly known at the time.
When the news of the corporate acquisition was made public, the group generated hundreds of thousands of dollars in profit.
This case is being investigated by the Washington Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Rosenberg, Co-Chief of the Fraud, Public Corruption, and Civil Rights Section and Special Assistant United States Attorney Rami Sibay.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Illegal Alien Charged with Assaulting and Impeding ICE OfficersRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – An illegal alien was arrested and charged with forcibly assaulting and impeding agents of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) by allegedly ramming his vehicle into agents’ vehicles and narrowly missing an ICE agent.
“Assaulting a federal officer is an attack on the rule of law itself,” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle. “When someone allegedly drives a vehicle to threaten or endanger ICE agents, we treat it with the utmost seriousness. We have zero tolerance for conduct that puts our officers or the public at risk, and this office will take every lawful step to protect our families, officers, and communities.”
“When a federal agent is attempting to make a lawful arrest, there is no excuse to respond with violence. The FBI will continue to work alongside our law enforcement partners to support illegal immigrant enforcement operations,” said James C. Barnacle Jr., the FBI Special Agent in Charge in North Carolina.
According to allegations in the criminal complaint, Milton Ermilo Arreaga Roblero, 23, was taken into custody in Morrisville, after ICE agents attempted to stop his vehicle during an enforcement operation. Initially, Roblero allegedly came to a complete stop before he suddenly backed into one agent’s vehicle and then drove into four different ICE vehicles. The complaint further alleges that he forced one of the agents on scene to jump out of the way narrowly avoiding Roblero crashing into him. Roblero was taken into custody after he allegedly drove over the curb, through a garden bed and then collided with a civilian’s vehicle.
Roblero is charged with assaulting, resisting, or impeding officers and faces maximum penalty of twenty years in prison if convicted. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley Foxx is prosecuting the case, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation is investigating the case. A criminal complaint is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
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.
Related court documents and information are located on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:25-MJ-02535-JG.
Illegal Alien Charged with Assaulting Officer During Lawful Removal EnforcementRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, S.C. — An illegal alien residing in the United States has been charged with assaulting a federal officer during a lawful removal enforcement operation. Alexander Garcia Vargas, 24, is charged with assaulting, resisting, or impeding a federal officer. He was illegally residing in North Charleston.
On Dec. 6, agents with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Officers were supporting an immigration enforcement operation being led by ICE – ERO in North Charleston.
During the operation, officers encountered Garcia Vargas driving a vehicle registered in Garcia Vargas’ name. According to ICE records, Garcia Vargas is residing in the United States illegally and has a court order for his removal.
During a traffic stop, Garcia Vargas refused to roll down his window but produced an ID confirming his identity as Garcia Vargas. When an officer attempted to remove Garcia Vargas from the vehicle, he began intentionally driving his vehicle, hitting two police vehicles and injuring the officer.
After Garcia Vargas fled the scene of the vehicle stop, Garcia Vargas lost control of his vehicle and struck a third vehicle, which was occupied by two CBP Officers. ERO and CBP officers were then able to remove Garcia Vargas from his wrecked vehicle and place him under arrest.
Garcia Vargas made an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mary Gordon Baker on Dec. 8 and will have a detention hearing and preliminary hearing on Dec. 10.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cole Shannon is prosecuting the case.
All charges in the complaint are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Huntington Man Sentenced to Prison for Fentanyl CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Edward Kent Stephens, also known as “Squirrel,” 36, of Huntington, was sentenced on October 20, 2025, to five years in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, from at least May 2024 to in and around June 2024, Stephens conspired with another individual to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl in Huntington. As part of his guilty plea, Stephens admitted to conducting distributions of fentanyl in the Huntington area on the individual’s behalf. Stephens further admitted that customers would sometimes contact the other individual, who would direct them to Stephens to arrange and conduct the transaction, and on other occasions customers would contact Stephens directly.
Stephens also admitted to relevant criminal conduct as part of this guilty plea. On three occasions between May 24 and June 27, 2024, Stephens distributed a total of approximately 61 grams of fentanyl. Each transaction was with a confidential informant.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Cabell County Sheriff's Office.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Joseph F. Adams and Courtney L. Finney prosecuted the case.
This case was prosecuted as part of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (SOS), an enforcement surge that has sought to reduce the supply of deadly synthetic opioids in high impact areas.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:25-cr-46.
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Huntington Man Sentenced to Prison for Fentanyl CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Robert Curtis Denham, also known as “Reala Deala” and “RD,” 37, of Huntington, was sentenced on October 20, 2025, to five years and 10 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for distribution of fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on October 30, 2024, Denham sold a quantity of fentanyl to a confidential informant at a Huntington apartment. As part of his guilty plea, Denham admitted to conducting the transaction and to arranging it beforehand. Denham further admitted that additional quantities of fentanyl are attributable to him as relevant criminal conduct.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Huntington Violent Crime and Drug Task Force and the Huntington Police Department.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie Taylor prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:25-cr-47.
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Huntington Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Deangelo Lamont Tell, also known as “Lil D,” 37, of Huntington, was sentenced on October 6, 2025, to five years and five months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for distribution of a quantity of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on January 31, 2023, Tell sold approximately 27.34 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant near the 1800 block of Marshall Avenue in Huntington. As part of his guilty plea, Tell admitted to the transaction and to arranging it beforehand.
Tell further admitted to selling approximately 48.85 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant on February 3, 2023, and to arranging for another individual to sell approximately 55.75 grams of methamphetamine to the confidential informant on February 6, 2023. Both transactions occurred in Huntington.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Cabell County Sheriff's Office.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Courtney L. Finney prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:25-cr-16.
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Huntington Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Troy Alan Glover, 32, of Huntington, pleaded guilty on October 20, 2025, to distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and a quantity of fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 17, 2025, Glover sold 111 grams of methamphetamine and 9.7 grams of fentanyl to a confidential informant while in the informant’s vehicle in Huntington. As part of his guilty plea, Glover admitted to conducting the transaction and to arranging it beforehand.
Glover also admitted to additional criminal conduct. Glover sold approximately 111 grams of methamphetamine and 9.9 grams of fentanyl on March 14, 2025, and approximately 19.9 grams of fentanyl on March 26, 2025, each time to a confidential informant in Huntington in exchange for $940. Glover admitted to those transactions and to selling approximately 18.5 grams of fentanyl to the confidential informant on April 28, 2025, in Huntington in exchange for $900.
Glover is scheduled to be sentenced on February 2, 2026, and faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $10 million.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Cabell County Sheriff's Office.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Courtney L. Finney is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:25-cr-139.
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Honduras Citizen Sentenced to Prison for Fourth Illegal Reentry into the U.S., Social Security Fraud, and Identity TheftRead the Press Release
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – A Honduras citizen has been sentenced in federal court to 39 months in prison, to be followed by deportation, on his convictions of illegal reentry of a removed alien, fraudulent use of a Social Security number, and aggravated identity theft, First Assistant United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
United States District Judge Stephanie L. Haines imposed the sentence on Jose Mejia-Sarmiento, 67.
According to information presented to the Court, Mejia-Sarmiento was found in the Western District of Pennsylvania after having been deported and removed from the United States three times prior between 1996 and 2016, including after a felony conviction on the latter occasion. Further, Mejia-Sarmiento made false statements to the Social Security Administration on four different occasions between May 2024 and February 2025 in the Western District of Pennsylvania, by possessing and using the identification of another person. Following the completion of his sentence, Mejia-Sarmiento will be immediately deported to Honduras.
Assistant United States Attorney Maureen Sheehan-Balchon prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
First Assistant United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General, Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, and U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General for the investigation that led to the successful prosecution of Mejia-Sarmiento.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, combat illegal immigration, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Honduran National Sentenced for Reentry of an Illegal AlienRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that MARLON SANTOS (“SANTOS”), age 36, a native of Honduras, was sentenced on November 19, 2025, for reentry of removed alien, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a).
According to court documents, SANTOS was found in Orleans Parish on April 21, 2025. He had previously been removed to Honduras on December 21, 2018.
United States District Judge Lance M. Africk sentenced SANTOS to two years of imprisonment to be followed by one year of supervised release.
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).
Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Spiro G. Latsis of the General Crimes Unit oversees the prosecution.
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HSI San Juan Arrests Two Men on Child Exploitation ChargesRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – Two men were arrested by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) on criminal charges related to child exploitation conduct.
On Thursday, December 4, 2025, the Puerto Rico Crimes Against Children Taskforce (PRCACTF) led by HSI, arrested José Antonio Maestre-Rivera, a 27-year-old man from Carolina, PR.
A federal grand jury indicted Maestre-Rivera on December 3, 2025, with five counts of sexual exploitation of children, coercion and enticement of a minor, transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity, receipt of child exploitation material, and transfer of obscene material to a minor.
According to court documents, from April through October 2025, defendant Maestre-Rivera used electronic devices and internet social media applications to persuade and entice a 14-year-old female minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct. During the same period, Maestre-Rivera produced, received, and transmitted child exploitation material. He also knowingly transported said minor with the intent to engage in sexual activity.
If convicted, the defendant faces a minimum sentence of 15 years and a maximum sentence of up to life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
In a separate case, Gilberto Fontanez Alvarado, a 67-year-old man from Bayamón, was arrested on December 4, 2025, by HSI agents. A federal grand jury indicted Fontanez Alvarado with two counts of transportation of child exploitation material and possession of child exploitation material.
According to the indictment, from August 2012 through November 2025, the defendant knowingly used electronic devices, for the possession and access with intent to view of images of child exploitation material, including of a prepubescent minor or a minor who had not attained 12 years of age.
If convicted, Fontanez Alvarado faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years and a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
AUSA Emelina M. Agrait-Barreto of the Child Exploitation and Immigration Unit is prosecuting both cases.
“We are committed to bringing child predators, including those charged in these cases, to justice and protecting our children,” said W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. “I would like to thank the federal agents, prosecutors and our state and local partners who are relentless in their efforts to identify and prosecute those who seek to exploit children.”
“These charges highlight a deeply troubling and escalating threat in child exploitation cases: predators who collect and trade images of child sexual abuse material are aggressively using social media platforms to target and groom minors,” said HSI San Juan Acting Special Agent in Charge Yariel Ramos. “In one case, the suspect deliberately initiated contact with a minor through public social media profiles, then swiftly shifted to private direct messages to facilitate their criminal acts. In the other case, our investigation uncovered disturbing evidence of a collection of illicit images demonstrating the long-term and calculated nature of this predatory behavior. These cases serve as a stark warning of the relentless danger posed by online predators. HSI remains unwavering in our commitment to identifying, arresting, and prosecuting these offenders. We urge parents, guardians, and communities to remain alert and proactive in protecting children. HSI will continue to work with our federal and local partners to ensure these criminals are brought to justice.”
For more information about HSI’s efforts to protect children from sexual predators, visit iGuardians™: Combating Child Predators and to denounce suspicious activities call 787-729-6969.
For more information about HSI’s efforts to protect children from online sexual abuse, visit https://www.ice.gov/topics/iGuardians.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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