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25 November 2025
Utah Businessman Sentenced to Prison for Defrauding the COVID-19 Paycheck Protection Program Out of $437,230Read the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Troy Campbell, 57, of Taylorsville, Utah, was sentenced today to 18 months’ imprisonment for wire fraud and money laundering after he engaged in a scheme to defraud the Paycheck Protection Program and the Small Business Administration by unlawfully submitting and obtaining $437,230 in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) Loan proceeds.
The COVID-19 PPP Loans were provided to small businesses for funding to meet specific obligations, including payroll and rent during the pandemic.
In addition to Campbell’s term of imprisonment, U.S. District Court Judge David Barlow ordered that he serve two years of supervised release and pay $437,230 in restitution to the victim.
According to court documents and statements made at Campbell’s change of plea and sentencing hearings, beginning in July 2020 and continuing until February 2023, Campbell, the registered agent and an owner of Salt IT Solutions LLC, a Utah business, fraudulently obtained $437,230 in PPP Loan proceeds. Campbell, who had control over SALT IT bank accounts, admitted that he submitted a PPP Loan application on behalf of SALT IT for $437,230 and received the proceeds via wire transfer after the fraudulent PPP Loan application was approved. Among other things, Campbell’s Salt IT PPP Loan Application falsely represented that SALT IT’s monthly payroll was $174,892.17 and that it had 22 employees. Campbell also submitted fake tax documents in support of the PPP Loan application that included grossly inflated wage information and, in fact, were never filed with the IRS.
Additionally, Campbell admitted he wire transferred $75,000 in PPP Loan proceeds to another participant in his scheme.
“Mr. Campbell’s crimes impacted all taxpaying citizens and small business owners that legitimately needed pandemic-related assistance during a challenging time,” said U.S. Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the District of Utah. “My office, along with our law enforcement partners are committed to bringing justice to those who exploited the pandemic for their personal gain.”
“This sentencing underscores SBA-OIG’s unwavering commitment to recovering stolen taxpayer dollars” said SBA OIG’s Western Region Acting Special Agent in Charge Tim Larson. “We are thankful for the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners for their continued dedication to ensuring justice is served.”
“Mr. Campbell enriched himself with money meant to keep Americans working during a national crisis,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert Bohls of the Salt Lake City FBI. “This sentence reflects the FBI’s commitment to uncovering fraud and ensuring that those who steal from the public are held accountable.”
The case was investigated jointly by the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office, and the U.S. Small Business Administration, Office of Inspector General (SBA OIG).
Assistant United States Attorneys Mark E. Woolf and Mark Y. Hirata of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case.
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division's prosecution of fraud schemes that exploit the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). Since the inception of the CARES Act, the Fraud Section has prosecuted over 150 defendants in more than 95 criminal cases and has seized over $75 million in cash proceeds derived from fraudulently obtained PPP funds, as well as numerous real estate properties and luxury items purchased with such proceeds. More information can be found at Justice.gov/OPA/pr/justice-department-takes-action-against-covid-19-fraud.
United States Attorney’s Office Persisted in Mission to Improve Public Safety in South Dakota Despite Government ShutdownRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that the dedicated men and women of the U.S. Attorney’s Office continued their efforts in the pursuit of justice during the recent federal government shutdown. Working unabated to keep our communities safe and uphold the rule of law, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and its law enforcement partners continued to prosecute drug trafficking, child exploitation, and violent assaults, among other federal crimes. In addition to securing convictions at trial, federal prosecutors recorded significant sentences for numerous individuals who committed federal crimes in South Dakota, many of which are highlighted below.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office secured sizable federal sentences for drug traffickers:
- Box Elder Woman Sentenced to 30 Years in Federal Prison for Conspiring to Distribute Methamphetamine in Western South Dakota
- Rapid City Man Sentenced to 27 Years in Federal Prison for Role in Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine in Rapid City Area
- Rapid City Man Sentenced to Over 24 Years in Federal Prison for Conspiring to Distribute Methamphetamine in Rapid City and within the Pine Ridge Reservation
- Minnesota Man Sentenced to Over 22 Years in Federal Prison for Conspiring to Distribute Methamphetamine within Lower Brule and Crow Creek Reservations
- California Man Sentenced to 21 Years in Federal Prison for Conspiring to Distribute Methamphetamine and Fentanyl in Sioux Falls Area
The U.S. Attorney’s Office helped bring to justice those who abuse and exploit children:
- Watertown Man Sentenced to 40 Years in Federal Prison for Sexually Assaulting a Child
- Nebraska Man Sentenced to 35 Years in Federal Prison for Sexual Exploitation of a South Dakota Minor
- Winner Man Sentenced to 25 Years in Federal Prison in Child Sex Trafficking Case
- Sioux Falls Teacher Sentenced to Over 24 Years in Federal Prison for Producing Child Pornography
- Rapid City Man Sentenced to Nearly 20 Years in Federal Prison for Attempted Enticement of a Minor Using the Internet and Child Pornography
And the U.S. Attorney’s Office made our streets and communities safer by pursuing serious sentences for the perpetrators of violent crime:
- Kyle Man Sentenced to 8 Years in Federal Prison for Assaulting Woman, Causing Serious Bodily Injury
- Rapid City Man Sentenced to 7 Years in Federal Prison for Brandishing Firearm During Crime of Violence
- Sioux Falls Man Sentenced to Nearly 6 Years in Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing a Firearm
- Rapid City Man Sentenced to Nearly 5 Years in Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing a Firearm
To review all press releases issued by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Dakota, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-sd/pr.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Highlights Drug Trafficking and Illegal Firearm Possession Sentencings During Lapse in Federal AppropriationsRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Throughout the 43-day lapse in government funding, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Kentucky continued to advance the Department of Justice’s mission in priority enforcement areas, including drug trafficking, violent crime, and illegal possession of firearms. Below are highlights of sentencings that the U.S. Attorney’s Office secured in connection with several drug and violent crime-related cases prosecuted during the recent lapse in federal appropriations.
Monday, October 6
A Lexington, Ky., man, Bryan Anicasio-Miranda, 24, was sentenced to 70 months in prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. According to his plea agreement, on March 30, 2021 Anicasio-Miranda was convicted of first degree fleeing or evading police in Fayette Circuit Court. On at least two occasions, December 18, 2022 and December 16, 2024, Miranda was found in possession of firearms that he was prohibited from possessing because of his previous felony conviction.
A Reynoldsburg, Ohio, man, Samuel Young, 44, was sentenced to 37 months for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. According to his plea agreement, on March 13, 2024, law enforcement conducted a stop on a vehicle driven by Young and recovered a firearm in his possession. Young admitted to being previously convicted of a felony and knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm.
A Lexington, Ky., man, Khmari Smith, 22, was sentenced to 324 months for conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl, and possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking offenses. In May 2023, law enforcement began investigating an individual distributing methamphetamine and fentanyl in Lexington and identified the vehicle being used to transport the drugs into the area. On July 10, 2023, law enforcement located the vehicle traveling from Detroit to Kentucky and observed the vehicle following another car and mirroring its movements, which led them to believe the vehicles were connected. Law enforcement conducted a traffic stop on both vehicles. Khmari Smith, and his brother and co-defendant, Khari Qunarll Smith, 24, were found in one vehicle, with no evidence of drugs. In the other vehicle, Smith’s co-defendant, Brianna Hanspard, 30, of Detroit, was found with 4.6 kilograms of methamphetamine and 199.7 grams of fentanyl. Hanspard admitted to entering into an agreement with Khmari Smith and others to transport drugs from Detroit to Lexington for payment.
Further investigation proved that Khari and Khmari Smith continued their drug distribution, from sources in Detroit. In August 2023, law enforcement searched their leased residences in Lexington. At the first residence they found 354.4 grams of fentanyl and 216.3 grams of methamphetamine; at the second, the found additional methamphetamine and fentanyl, as well as a drug processing room. Law enforcement also found 18 firearms at the first residence and 12 firearms at the second residence. Khmari Smith admitted that he received those firearms as payment for the drugs he distributed. Khari Smith was previously sentenced to 200 months and Hanspard was sentenced to 84 months.
Wednesday, October 8
A Corbin, Ky., man, Jonathan Blevins, 40, was sentenced to 110 months for conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. According to his plea agreement, beginning in April 2024 through June 2024, Blevins conspired with his co-defendants, Randy Lester, Jeffrey Gray, and Kathy Baird, to distribute methamphetamine in Laurel and Knox Counties. Blevins would obtain 1.5 pounds quantities of methamphetamine from his source of supply to distribute to several mid-and lower-level drug dealers and users. Blevins’ co-defendants were previously sentenced as followed: Baird received 27 months in prison; Gray received 53 months in prison; and Lester received 140 months in prison.
Friday, October 10
A Burlington, Ky., man, Gary Wayne Isaacs, 47, was sentenced to 186 months for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. According to his plea agreement, on June 6, 2024, law enforcement stopped Isaacs’ vehicle, and Isaacs gave a false name and social security number. Officers searched the vehicle and found 73.89 grams of methamphetamine that he admitted he possessed with the intent to distribute it to others.
Tuesday, October 14
A Lexington, Ky., man, Khalil Washington, 28, was sentenced to 240 months for possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. According to his plea agreement, on April 4, 2023, law enforcement arrested Washington following a traffic stop and seized 1,360 grams of methamphetamine, 28 grams of fentanyl, and a loaded firearm. Washington admitted to possessing the drugs with intent to distribute to others and that he possessed the firearm in furtherance of his drug trafficking.
A London, Ky., man, Jeffrey L. McDaniel, 56, was sentenced to 120 months for conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. According to his plea agreement, beginning in June 2024 through July 2024, McDaniel conspired with others to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine through Laurel, Knox, and Whitley Counties. As part of the conspiracy, McDaniel would obtain upwards of ounce quantities of meth from his source of supply and distribute it to mid-and lower-level drug dealers and users.
A Lexington, Ky., man, John Robert Eckler, 46, was sentenced to 70 months for possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. According to his plea agreement, in August 2022, a package was seized that contained 14 one-pound bags of methamphetamine. Law enforcement conducted a controlled delivery of the package, which was picked up by Eckler. Eckler later admitted to law enforcement that he possessed the methamphetamine, and he knew the package contained a controlled substance, and he intended to give the package to another individual.
Thursday, October 16
A Corbin, Ky., man, Matthew Martin, 43, was sentenced to 78 months for conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine. According to his plea agreement, from June 2023 through June 2024, Martin conspired with his co-defendants, Laura Huffman, 35, and Erica Mullis, 35, to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl to others in Whitley, Knox, and Laurel Counties. Both co-defendants were sentenced on October 15—Huffman received 57 months in prison and Mullis received 84 months in prison.
Friday, October 31
A London, Ky., man, Ronald Dugger, 64, was sentenced to 88 months for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. According to his plea agreement, on June 17, 2024, law enforcement responded to a residence where Dugger, who was on federal supervised release, was residing. Law enforcement obtained a search warrant for the residence and found $1,680 in cash and 38.076 grams of methamphetamine. Dugger admitted that he was obtaining methamphetamine from multiple suppliers, and he intended to distribute it to others.
Monday, November 3A United States Penitentiary inmate, Eric Watson, 34, was sentenced to 108 months for assaulting a federal officer. According to his plea agreement, on December 25, 2023, two inmates at USP McCreary began fighting. When instructed by staff to stop, Watson instead advanced towards staff, whose efforts to subdue him did not initially work. Watson then took an Officer to the ground and struck him multiple times with a closed fist until responding staff gained control.
A Lexington, Ky., man, Jacque Harmon Jones, 26, was sentenced to 150 months for possession with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of fluorofentanyl and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. According to his plea agreement, law enforcement searched Jones’ residence in February 2024 and discovered three bags of a fluorofentanyl and fentanyl mixture and $27,020 in drug proceeds inside a diaper bag. Additional fentanyl pills and a loaded firearm were found inside the master bedroom. Jones admitted that he possessed the firearm in furtherance of his drug trafficking activity.
A Lexington, Ky., man, Quincy Taylor, 39, was sentenced to 360 months for possession with intent to distribute cocaine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, and possession of a firearm as a convicted felon. According to evidence at trial, on October 27, 2021, Taylor was involved in a single-vehicle collision on southbound I-75. After exiting his vehicle, Taylor attempted to provide a bystander with a bag containing 45 grams of cocaine and a firearm. After the bystander declined, Taylor hid the bag near brush along the exit ramp. Taylor then left the scene by hitchhiking with a second bystander to Richmond, Ky. Taylor had multiple prior convictions for felony drug trafficking. As a convicted felon, he was prohibited from possessing a firearm. Additionally, based on his significant prior criminal history, Taylor qualified as an Armed Career Criminal, which enhanced his sentence.
Tuesday, November 4
Two defendants, Jaloni Andrews, 35, of Richmond, Ky., and Bridgett Vance, 57, of Strunk, Ky., were sentenced to 144 months and 27 months, respectively, for drug distribution charges. Andrews was sentenced to distribution of 40 grams or more of fentanyl. According to his plea agreement, on March 4, 2024, a confidential informant met Andrews to obtain fentanyl and during the meeting Andrews sold the informant 521 blue round pills, which collectively weighed 54.83 grams. Event though the pills were marked with a “30” on one side and a “M” on the other side, like a real oxycodone pill, Andrews admitted that they were fake and contained fentanyl instead.
Vance previously pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute oxycodone. According to her plea agreement, Vance sold oxycodone pills in McCreary County by obtaining the pills from a local supplier, but then began traveling to Lexington, Ky., to obtain pills from suppliers there. On October 24, 2023, law enforcement tracked Vance traveling to her supplier in Lexington and they conducted a traffic stop on her vehicle. During a search, law enforcement located 293 oxycodone 30mg pills and $3,529 in cash. Vance admitted that she possessed these pills and intended to distribute them as she had done in the past.
Thursday, November 6
A Munford, Alabama, man, Floyd Jenkins, 46, was sentenced to 212 months for possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. According to his plea agreement, Jenkins worked with his co-defendants, Frederick Holt, Jr., 51, to import methamphetamine and fentanyl into the Johnson County area. Specifically, on December 4, 2024, law enforcement seized more than 300 grams of methamphetamine in Jenkins’ vehicle, which he admitted he possessed and intended to distribute. Holt was previously sentenced in August 2025 to 65 months for his role in the methamphetamine trafficking.
Wednesday, November 12A London, Ky., man, Shane Brock, was sentenced to 97 months for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. According to his plea agreement, between January 2021 to March 2022, Brock received pound quantities of methamphetamine from co-defendant Stacey Smith, who distributed to multiple mid-level dealers. Brock, in turn, sold the drugs to other methamphetamine traffickers and end users. Brock admitted to being responsible from between 500 grams and 1.5 kilograms of methamphetamine distribution.
The final defendant in large methamphetamine distribution conspiracy, Charles Phillip Dozier, of Baxter, Ky., was sentenced to 100 months for possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. According to Dozier’s plea agreement, on February 14, 2023, Dozier was found to be in possession of 140 grams of methamphetamine at a local motel where he was staying. Law enforcement also found a loaded handgun hidden in the ceiling tile in the room, near the methamphetamine. Dozier’s co-defendants were previously sentenced to the following: Jessica Nicole Creech received 64 months; Gregory Mills received 164 months; and David Hale received 180 months in prison.
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U.S. Attorney Tom Albus Appointed to Continue by CourtRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – Thomas C. Albus, serving as the U.S. Attorney for Eastern Missouri since August 1st, was appointed to continue in that office Monday by the U.S. District Court.
Chief U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Clark swore in Mr. Albus pursuant to 28 United States Code 546, meaning he will serve until the vacancy is filled. Mr. Albus’s nomination as U.S. Attorney by President Donald J. Trump is pending in the U.S. Senate, having been favorably reported out of the Judiciary committee on October 16th.
“I am grateful for the vote of the Court and honored to lead an office of outstanding professionals in the Eastern District of Missouri,” Mr. Albus said.
Two foreign-controlled companies agree to pay $1.75 million to resolve False Claims Act allegations related to receipt of Paycheck Protection Program loansRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. – U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Setterstix Inc. and MAE-EITEL Inc. have agreed to pay, collectively, $1,757,603.65 to resolve False Claims Act allegations that they obtained Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration for which they were not eligible.
In March of 2020 Congress created the PPP to provide emergency financial assistance to American small businesses suffering from the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. A PPP loan was both forgivable and guaranteed by the SBA. Among the requirements for eligibility to obtain a PPP loan and subsequent forgiveness, applicants were required to disclose and certify that the applicant, together with affiliates, did not exceed size thresholds.
In 2020, Setterstix obtained a PPP loan after certifying that it had fewer than 500 employees. The government alleges that, at the time it applied for its PPP loan, Setterstix had more than 500 employees when accounting for employees of its parent entity and affiliated companies. Similarly, in 2021, MAE obtained a PPP loan after certifying that it had fewer than 300 employees. The government alleges that, at the time it applied for its PPP loan, MAE had more than 300 employees after accounting for the employees of its parent entity and affiliated companies. Setterstix and MAE are both part of the GESCO Group, a German-based conglomerate that acquires and holds medium-sized industrial companies.
“PPP loans were meant to help small business weather the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, but too often large businesses obtained these funds through subsidiaries that failed to disclose their true size,” said U.S. Attorney DiGiacomo. “This office has been committed to recovering misspent money and, in 2025, more than $10 million has already been recovered from companies and entities that obtained PPP loans through false and fraudulent representations on PPP loan applications.”
The civil settlement includes the resolution of claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act. Under those provisions, a private party—known as a relator—can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. The qui tam case is captioned United States ex rel. Verity Investigations, LLC v. Setterstix Inc.; MAE-AMERIKA GmbH, 25-cv-418 (W.D.N.Y.). The relator will receive a share of the settlement.
This matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys David M. Coriell and Investigator Margaret McFarland, with assistance from the SBA’s Office of General Counsel.
Individuals with information about allegations of fraud involving COVID-19 are encouraged to report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only; there has been no determination of liability.
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Two Mexican Nationals Plead Guilty to Meth TraffickingRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Two Mexican nationals pleaded guilty in federal court yesterday for possessing more than 56 pounds of methamphetamine.
Pedro Alberto Quiroz Ayala, 22, and Pablo DeJesus Peralta Anguis, 26, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Roseann A. Ketchmark to one count of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute. Anguis also pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful reentry after removal.
On Sept. 3, 2024, a Missouri State Highway Patrol trooper pulled over a gray 2011 Acura MDX on Interstate 29, near the N.W. 112th Street exit in Kansas City, Mo. Ayala, who did not have a valid driver’s license, was driving the Acura, with a female juvenile in the front passenger seat and Anguis and Apolinar Gocovachi Pacheco in the back seat.
When the trooper searched the vehicle, he found a large duffle bag in the third-row seating area that contained approximately 55.6 pounds of methamphetamine. He also found a grocery bag that contained approximately one pound of methamphetamine on the floorboard where the female juvenile had been sitting, and a loaded firearm in the driver’s door pouch.
When the four occupants got out of the vehicle for the search, Ayala and Anguis fled on foot. A manhunt ensued and both were apprehended a short time later.
Ayala told investigators that he, Pacheco and Anguis drove to Omaha, Neb., to pick up drugs and that he was going to receive approximately $2,000 for his help in transporting the drugs.
Anguis told investigators that he was illegally in the United States from Mexico and that he had arrived in the United States two days before his arrest.
Officers with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) confirmed that Anguis and Pacheco had previously been found illegally in the United States by Border Patrol Agents near Nogales, Arizona on Aug. 22, 2024. Anguis and Pacheco were removed from the United States to Mexico that same day.
Co-defendant Apolinar Gocovachi Pacheco, 25, pleaded guilty to one count of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute and one count of unlawful reentry after removal, on Nov. 19, 2025.
Under federal statutes, Ayala, Anguis and Pacheco are each subject to a sentence of not less than five years and up to 40 years in federal prison without parole. 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. Attorney Brad K. Kavanaugh. It was investigated by the FBI, DEA, Jackson County Drug Task Force, Kansas City, Missouri Police Department, and the Missouri State Highway Patrol.
Operation Take Back America
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Tennessee Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Armed CarjackingRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A Tennessee man was sentenced today to 20 years in prison for a Memphis carjacking and using a firearm during the robbery. His co-defendant in the robbery was previously sentenced to over nine years in prison.
According to court documents, during the early morning hours of April 9, 2024, Jadakiss Johnson, 23, and his co-defendant Tyrone White participated in a carjacking of the victim’s 2023 Toyota Camry at gunpoint. Johnson was the driver of the vehicle and once they arrived, White approached the victim, who was sitting in the driver’s seat of the Camry, pointed a gun at her and ordered her to get out of the vehicle. Later, when confronted by police, Johnson fled in a different car and on foot. Upon a search of Johnson’s getaway car, police found multiple firearms and a machinegun-conversion device.
Johnson is prohibited from possessing firearms based upon prior felony violent convictions and is considered a career offender under the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines for numerous aggravated assault convictions.
On Aug. 25, Johnson pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting a carjacking and aiding and abetting the use of a firearm during the carjacking. White previously pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting a carjacking and aiding and abetting the use of a firearm during the carjacking and was sentenced on Oct. 30 to over nine years in prison.
At Johnson’s sentencing hearing, the United States presented evidence of the defendant’s violent behavior while in custody, including assaulting another inmate, as well as his repeated access to firearms before his arrest for this crime.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant for the Western District of Tennessee, and Special Agent in Charge Jamey VanVliet of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Nashville Division made the announcement.
The ATF and the Memphis Police Department investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Ashleigh Atasoy of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Regina Brittenum for the Western District of Tennessee prosecuted the case.
This case is part of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime Initiative in Memphis conducted in partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Western District of Tennessee and local, state, and federal law enforcement. This joint effort addresses violent crime by employing, where appropriate, federal laws to prosecute violent gang members and other violent criminals in Memphis.
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Tennessee Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Armed CarjackingRead the Press Release
A Tennessee man was sentenced today to 20 years in prison for a Memphis carjacking and using a firearm during the robbery. His co-defendant in the robbery was previously sentenced to over nine years in prison.
According to court documents, during the early morning hours of April 9, 2024, Jadakiss Johnson, 23, and his co-defendant Tyrone White participated in a carjacking of the victim’s 2023 Toyota Camry at gunpoint. Johnson was the driver of the vehicle and once they arrived, White approached the victim, who was sitting in the driver’s seat of the Camry, pointed a gun at her and ordered her to get out of the vehicle. Later, when confronted by police, Johnson fled in a different car and on foot. Upon a search of Johnson’s getaway car, police found multiple firearms and a machinegun-conversion device.
Johnson is prohibited from possessing firearms based upon prior felony violent convictions and is considered a career offender under the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines for numerous aggravated assault convictions.
On Aug. 25, Johnson pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting a carjacking and aiding and abetting the use of a firearm during the carjacking. White previously pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting a carjacking and aiding and abetting the use of a firearm during the carjacking and was sentenced on Oct. 30 to over nine years in prison.
At Johnson’s sentencing hearing, the United States presented evidence of the defendant’s violent behavior while in custody, including assaulting another inmate, as well as his repeated access to firearms before his arrest for this crime.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant for the Western District of Tennessee, and Special Agent in Charge Jamey VanVliet of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Nashville Division made the announcement.
The ATF and the Memphis Police Department investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Ashleigh Atasoy of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Regina Brittenum for the Western District of Tennessee prosecuted the case.
This case is part of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime Initiative in Memphis conducted in partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Western District of Tennessee and local, state and federal law enforcement. This joint effort addresses violent crime by employing, where appropriate, federal laws to prosecute violent gang members and other violent criminals in Memphis.
Taxi Driver from Lawrence Convicted of Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Lawrence man has been convicted following a four-day jury trial of drug trafficking conspiracy involving methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine.
Jose Dolores Batista, 65, was convicted on Nov. 20, 2025 of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine. The defendant will be sentenced before U.S. Senior District Court Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV at a later date. Batista was arrested and charged in June 2023.
Batista, a taxi driver, served as a courier for a drug trafficking organization (DTO) that distributed fentanyl, cocaine and methamphetamine in various quantities – including half and whole kilograms. In his role, Batista would deliver drugs, drive drug traffickers and collect drug money from various customers of the DTO on a daily basis.
Evidence presented at trial established that on multiple dates, Batista travelled to pick up drugs and drug proceeds. Specifically, evidence showed that Batista travelled on one occasion to pick up $8,000 as a partial payment for a kilogram of fentanyl. On another occasion, Batista travelled to South Lawrence to pick up a kilogram of cocaine and then drove the cocaine to Boston where he exchanged it for $15,000. On another occasion, he drove to Lowell to pick up 350 grams of fentanyl.
The charge of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release and a fine of $1 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Jarod A. Forget, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration in New England; and Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Natick, Newton, Waltham and Brookline Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Charles Dell’Anno and J. Mackenzie Duane of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit are prosecuting the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (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 https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.Tallahassee Sexual Predator Pleads Guilty to Distribution and Receipt of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Richard Alan Spivey, a/k/a “Rick”, 62, of Tallahassee, pleaded guilty in federal court to distribution of child pornography and receipt of child pornography. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “I deeply appreciate the incredible work of our law enforcement partners to stop this sexual predator from continuing to victimize and exploit children. My office is committed to aggressively prosecuting these sick individuals to the fullest extent to keep our communities and our children safe.”
Court documents reflect that in July 2024, the Tallahassee Police Department received a Cybertip report from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) alleging that the defendant uploaded child pornography to a social media platform when sending it to another user as part of his chat messages. The investigation revealed that the defendant was a registered sexual predator based on his prior convictions for sex crimes. Law enforcement obtained search warrants for the defendant’s social media account and cell phone. A search of the defendant’s cell phone resulted in the discovery of online between the defendant and others during which he received and distributed child pornography videos.
Because of his prior convictions relating to sexual abuse or sexual conduct involving a minor, the defendant faces fifteen to forty years’ imprisonment, and lifetime supervision upon release.
The case involved a joint investigation by the Tallahassee Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Justin M. Keen.
Sentencing is scheduled for February 2, 2026, at 2:00 pm at the United States Courthouse in Tallahassee, Florida, before Chief United States District Judge Allen C. Winsor.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice and led by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Divisions Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), it marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit 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.
St. Louis Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison for Drug, Gun CrimesRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Clark on Tuesday sentenced a St. Louis man convicted of gun and drug crimes to 30 years in prison.
Christopher Glen Rhodes, 47, was found guilty at trial in June of one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance, two counts of distribution of a controlled substance, one count of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Evidence and testimony at trial showed that Rhodes was the supplier of methamphetamine that his co-defendant, Demetrius A. Ransom, sold to a confidential source working with the Drug Enforcement Administration. In late 2022, Ransom twice sold about a pound of meth to the confidential source, who told investigators that he’d previously purchased both meth and fentanyl from Ransom. He tried to sell a third pound but didn’t have enough, and offered to make up the difference in fentanyl, a sentencing memorandum says. That memo says Rhodes and Ransom have been selling drugs together for nearly 25 years.
After the drug sales by Ransom, investigators planned a court-approved search of Rhodes’ home in the 4900 block of West Florissant Avenue. On Dec. 19, 2022, they saw Rhodes leaving. They stopped Rhodes’ car, but when he was asked to get out of the car, he sped away. Investigators found a total of 2.7 kilograms of meth, 3.8 kilos of fentanyl, 981.8 grams of cocaine and 129.7 grams of cocaine base in his home, evidence and testimony showed. They also found $21,000 in cash, a loaded 9mm Ruger handgun and drug paraphernalia.
Rhodes is a felon and is thus barred from possessing a firearm. Rhodes’ 294-month prison sentence for possession with the intent to distribute cocaine base was commuted in 2016 to expire in 2018. He then sought early termination of his supervised release, saying he was older and wiser and wanted to advance at his job.
Ransom, 46, of St. Louis County, was sentenced Wednesday to 15 years in prison after pleading guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance.
The Drug Enforcement Administration investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Torrie J. Schneider and Don Boyce prosecuted the case.
St. Louis Felon Sentenced to 71 Months in Prison after ShootingRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autrey on Tuesday sentenced a convicted felon who shot and wounded another man to 71 months in prison.
Lamaar Pearson, 37, pleaded guilty in August in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of being a felon in possession of ammunition. He admitted that on March 29, 2024, he shot a man twice during a dispute, injuring the victim in the lower back and hip. After the shooting, St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department officers recovered a firearm magazine that Pearson had hidden and 10 spent cartridge casings.
The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Szczucinski prosecuted the case.
South Bend Woman Sentenced to 52 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
SOUTH BEND – Tonya R. Winston, 60 years old, of South Bend, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Cristal C. Brisco after being found guilty by a jury in August of one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, three counts of wire fraud, and one count of theft of government money, announced Acting United States Attorney M. Scott Proctor.
Winston was sentenced to 52 months of prison followed by 2 years of supervised release and ordered to pay $453,808.48 in restitution.
According to documents in the case, Winston devised a scheme to fraudulently obtain loans through the Paycheck Protection Program, which was a COVID-19 pandemic relief program intended to provide loans to small businesses. Winston obtained multiple loans for herself by submitting false loan applications, and she helped others to do the same. She also wrongfully obtained local housing benefits by misrepresenting her finances.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development-Office of Inspector General, and the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Luke N. Reilander and Joel Gabrielse.
Sky Lease I Inc. Agrees to Pay $1,030,000 to Settle False Claims Act Allegations for Falsely Reporting Delivery Times of U.S. Mail Carried InternationallyRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that Sky Lease I Inc. (Sky Lease) has paid $1,030,000 to resolve False Claims Act allegations that it falsely reported information about the transfer of U.S. mail to foreign posts or other intended recipients under contracts with the U.S. Postal Service (USPS). Sky Lease is an air cargo delivery company with headquarters in Miami, Florida.
“The Department of Justice is committed to ensuring that government contractors provide the services they have contracted to provide,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “When contractors knowingly fail to provide services for which they have been paid, the Department of Justice will pursue appropriate remedies to redress the violations and deter future ones.”
“The USPS contracts with commercial airlines for the safeguarding and timely delivery of U.S. mail to foreign posts,” said Executive Special Agent in Charge Ken Cleevely of the USPS, Office of Inspector General (OIG). “The OIG supports the Postal Service by aggressively investigating allegations of contractual non-compliance within the mail delivery process, including the falsification of delivery information. Our special agents worked hand-in-hand with the Department of Justice to help ensure a reasonable resolution and we applaud the exceptional work done by the investigative and legal teams.”
USPS contracted with Sky Lease to take possession of receptacles of U.S. mail at locations in the United States or at various Department of Defense and State Department locations abroad and then deliver that mail to numerous international and domestic destinations. To obtain payment under the contracts, Sky Lease was required to submit electronic scans of the mail receptacles to USPS reporting the time the mail was delivered at the identified destinations. The settlement resolves allegations that scans submitted by Sky Lease falsely reported the time that it transferred possession of the mail.
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, with substantial assistance from the USPS Office of the Inspector General and the USPS Office of General Counsel.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
Six Virginia nonprofit companies settle Paycheck Protection Program loan allegationsRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Southampton Recreation Association located in Richmond, the National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors located in Alexandria, the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference located in Norfolk, Cheers located in Richmond, the Metropolitan Business League located in Richmond, and the Employee Activity Association located in McLean, paid a combined $1,381,646 to settle civil fraud allegations that they were ineligible for Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans that they received during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The allegations were that each was a 501(c)(4) entity and not eligible to receive funding through the PPP.
The resolutions obtained in this matter were the result of a coordinated effort between the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Virginia and the U.S. Small Business Administration.
The settlement began with a lawsuit, United States ex rel. The Tarbell Group, LLC. v. Cheers et al., filed under the whistleblower provision of the False Claims Act, which permits private parties to file suit on behalf of the United States for false claims presented to the federal government and share in a portion of the government’s recovery. The whistleblower in this matter received a ten percent share of each settlement.
The matter was investigated by Assistant U.S. Attorney John Beerbower and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Gina Kim.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Case records may be found on PACER under case number 1:24-cv-849.
The civil claims settled are allegations only; there has been no determination of civil liability.
Saugus Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute Thousands of Pills Containing Meth and FentanylRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Saugus man pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to his role in a drug trafficking conspiracy involving thousands of counterfeit pills containing methamphetamine and fentanyl.
George Krabey, 47, pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, involving 500 grams or more of methamphetamine; three counts of distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine; one count of possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine; one count of possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine; and one count of distribution of methamphetamine and fentanyl. U.S. District Court Judge Angel Kelley scheduled sentencing for March 4, 2026. In July 2025, Krabey was indicted by a federal grand jury.
Between December 2024 and April 2025, Krabey repeatedly met with a cooperating source and sold the source thousands of counterfeit pills containing methamphetamine and fentanyl. On April 22, 2025, Krabey was a passenger in a vehicle stopped by law enforcement in Danvers. Krabey was enroute to Salisbury to sell the cooperating source 4,000 counterfeit pills containing methamphetamine. During a search of the vehicle, a shoebox was located in the back seat that contained 5,296 pills containing methamphetamine with a weight of approximately two kilograms.
The charges of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances involving 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, and possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, each provide for a sentence of at least 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $10 million. The charges of distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine each provide for a sentence of at least five years and up to 40 years in prison, at least four years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $5 million. The charge of distribution of methamphetamine and fentanyl provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of $1 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Jared A. Forget, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police and the Revere, Saugus and Peabody Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Samuel R. Feldman of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case.
Serial Fraudster Couple Sentenced to Federal Prison for Financial Scheme to DefraudRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Kurt L. Wall announced that U.S. Chief Judge Shelly D. Dick sentenced Haskell (Trey) Knight, age 61, and Emily (Ricciardelli) Knight, age 41, both of Franklin, Tennessee, were sentenced to terms of imprisonment for their roles in an investment and bankruptcy fraud scheme. Haskell Knight was sentenced to 48 months in federal prison and Emily Knight was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison. The Court further ordered both to serve two years of supervised release after completing their terms of imprisonment. In addition to their terms of imprisonment, the Court ordered the Knights to pay restitution to their victims.
According to admissions made as a part of their guilty pleas, the Knights defrauded four individuals out of $50,000 through false and fraudulent claims regarding a startup business, Udoxa. The victims were provided with false information to get them to invest. This included the existence of a rich investor, the availability of formation capital, and the strength of the start-up. After getting the victims’ money, the Knights used the majority of the funds to pay old business debts and for personal expenses. Based on promises made, the victims were expecting to be paid back with interest and to have the option to gain an ownership stake in a legitimate company. Neither of these happened. Instead, elaborate excuses were provided to the victims as to why they were not getting their money, including creating a fake employee and fake IRS liens, to claim that their funds were tied up.
Shortly thereafter, the Knights filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in the Middle District of Florida, and listed the Udoxa victims as unsecured creditors among others. In filing for bankruptcy, the Knights provided false information statement of income, assets and liabilities, as required by law and made numerous false statements under oath at the creditors’ meeting regarding this information. Specifically, they failed to disclose significant income from network marketing businesses as well as liabilities owed from prior business ventures and then gave false information under oath about their finances and more during the creditors’ meeting. The Knights both lied under oath at the creditors’ meeting claiming to be unemployed, despite being employed at the time.
These actions prevented the bankruptcy trustee from properly executing the bankruptcy proceeding, leaving the creditors, like the Udoxa victims, with less money than they should have received and allowing the Knights to walk away from approximately $578,147 in debts while keeping significant funds they were not entitled to keep.
U.S. Attorney Wall stated, “Fraudsters need to understand that this type of criminal conduct will not be tolerated. This sentence is evidence of that effort. We, along with our federal partners, are committed to continuing to bring financial predators, like this couple, to justice.”
“The day of reckoning has come for this duo who have left a trail of financial destruction going back decades,” said Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Tapp of the FBI New Orleans Field Office. “We especially thank the victims for their patience in this case. This is a strong example of the unshakeable commitment the FBI has to protecting the American people from criminals who seek to do them harm physically or financially.”
This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jessica M.P. Thornhill, who also serves as Deputy Chief of Economic Crimes Unit.
Rochester man pleads guilty to his role in financial fraud scheme involving stolen checksRead the Press Release
ROCHESTER, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Sheldon Marquis Adams, 26, of Rochester, NY, pleaded guilty before Chief U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford to conspiracy to commit bank fraud, which carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Katelyn M. Hartford, who is handling the case, stated that between March and September 29, 2023, Adams conspired with others to obtain hundreds of checks that had been stolen from U.S. Postal Service mailboxes in the Rochester, NY, area. Adams and his co-conspirators would then forge or alter the checks with the intent to obtain money from the associated bank accounts. Adams used social media to recruit individuals to cash or deposit the checks into their own accounts and withdraw the money before the issuing bank detected the fraud. If the individuals successfully cashed the checks, they would give the money to the members of the conspiracy in return for a small payment. On September 29, 2023, in furtherance of the conspiracy, Adams was found in possession of 15 pages of blank check stock paper and approximately 335 checks that had been stolen between April and June 2023 from U.S. Postal Service blue collection boxes. Some of the checks had been altered by washing them with acetone.
The scheme involved approximately 227 individual victims and 36 business victims, in addition to the victim financial institutions, and stolen and altered checks totaling approximately $516,912.17.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, under the direction of Postal Inspector-in-Charge Ketty Larco-Ward, the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Kevin Sucher, and the Rochester Police Department, under the direction of Chief David Smith.
Sentencing is scheduled for March 25, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. before Judge Wolford.
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Repeat Sex Offender Sentenced to 35 Years in Prison for Attempted Online Enticement of a Minor and Child Pornography CrimesRead the Press Release
Spokane, Washington – United States Attorney Pete Serrano announced today that Jason Foster Frank, age 54, was sentenced for one count each of Attempted Online Enticement, Possession of Child Pornography, and Commission of a Felony Sex Offense by an Individual Required to Register as a Sex Offender. Frank pleaded guilty to the first two crimes on March 25, 2025, and was convicted after a trial on the third crime. United States District Judge Mary K. Dimke sentenced Frank to 35 years in prison, followed by a life term of supervised release. Judge Dimke also ordered $10,000 in restitution be paid to one of Frank’s victims.
According to court documents, Frank responded to an advertisement posted by undercover law enforcement in June 2023, in which two young girls were stated to be available for sex. Frank expressed sexual interest in the minors during various communications with an undercover officer posing as the mother of the girls. For a week, Frank engaged with undercover officers, arranged to meet for the purpose of sex with the two minor girls. Frank was ultimately arrested after he arrived at a prearranged meeting location in Stevens County.
In Frank’s vehicle, law enforcement agents found two phones. One phone Frank used to communicate with his probation officer; on the other, law enforcement agents observed child pornography images and videos of very young children.
Frank was previously convicted in 2008 in Virginia of two counts of Carnal Knowledge of a Child Between 13 and 15 Years of Age, one count of Attempted Carnal Knowledge of a Child Between 13 and 15 years of age, and three counts of Use of Communications Systems to Facilitate Certain Offenses Involving Children. As a result of these convictions, Frank was required to register as a sex offender under federal and state law.
Mr. Serrano expressed gratitude for the 35-year sentencing, stating, “Today’s sentence of 35 years of a 54-year-old man demonstrates the seriousness of Mr. Frank’s actions. It also shows our office’s efforts to ensure that Mr. Frank will not have a chance harm another child. We’re thankful to our partner agencies for their great investigation and to the Judge for sentencing Mr. Frank in a way that protects the children of our communities.”
“Cases such as this are a perfect example of what cooperation between local, State, and Federal partners can yield,” said Stevens County Sheriff Brad Manke. “Coming together as a team, we were able to take a potentially dangerous predator off the streets. The Stevens County Sheriff's Office values the relationship we have with all our law enforcement and prosecutorial partners.”
“Frank’s 35-year sentence ensures he can no longer act upon his disturbing sickness and harm children,” said HSI Seattle acting Special Agent in Charge April Miller. “This case proves our team of law enforcement professionals and partners will relentlessly pursue anyone who targets the innocent.”
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
This case was investigated jointly by Homeland Security Investigations and the Stevens County Sheriff’s Office, resulting in charges filed by the Stevens County Prosecutor’s Office as well as federal charges. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ann T. Wick.
2:24-cr-00051-MKDRepeat Sex Offender Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Child Pornography CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Robert M. Harvey, 49, a registered sex offender, was sentenced to the statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for possession of child pornography.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on June 29, 2022, Harvey was at Dismas Charities Inc., a residential reentry facility in St. Albans, when facility staff found Harvey in possession of a cell phone. Harvey was not allowed to possess a cell phone without the approval of his probation officer, and any cell phone he possessed was subject to search and seizure.
Law enforcement analyzed Harvey’s cell phone and found it contained images and videos of child pornography. As part of his guilty plea, Harvey admitted that these images and videos include depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
At the time of this offense, Harvey was on supervised release as a result of his conviction for receipt of child pornography in United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia on March 12, 2007. Harvey was sentenced to 17 years and six months in prison, to be followed by a lifetime of supervised release, for that offense. On August 17, 2022, Harvey was sentenced to three years in prison for violating the conditions of supervised release.
Harvey’s criminal history also includes a conviction for possession of child pornography in United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia on April 4, 2000.
“When you steal a child’s safety, you forfeit your freedom,” said United States Attorney Moore Capito. “My office fought for the maximum penalty in this case. Anyone who targets a child will face the full force of our justice system. I strongly believe we have a duty to protect our children and the public demands no less. I am committed to pursuing child predators with every tool the law allows – there is no refuge, no excuse, and no mercy for those who prey on our children.”
Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Rada Herrald prosecuted the case.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative of the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
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-69.
Recidivist Predator Sentenced to 40 Years in Prison for Sexual Exploitation of a Child, Receipt and Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Springfield, Mass. man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Springfield for possession and receipt of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and sexual exploitation of children. At the time of these offenses, the defendant was on state pre-trial release for aggravated rape and abuse of a child; posing or exhibiting a child in a state of nudity; disseminating CSAM; trafficking of a person for sexual servitude; extortion; larceny; assault and battery; and trafficking of a person under 18 years of age for sexual servitude. He was later convicted of the state charges in 2019 and sentenced to 10-12 years in prison.
Bairon Ubeda, 45, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Brian E. Murphy to 40 years in prison, to be followed by 10 years of supervised release. In August 2025, Ubeda was convicted by a federal jury of one count of possession of child pornography, one count of receipt of child pornography and one count of sexual exploitation of children. Ubeda was previously indicted in May 2023.“Ubeda is a vile predator who spent years exploiting fear, shame and manipulation to dominate his victims, including coercing the horrific sexual abuse of a defenseless three-year-old child. His conduct was calculated, deliberate and among the most disturbing crimes we see in federal court,” said United States Attorney Leah B. Foley. “This sentence ensures that he can never again terrorize women or children, and it reaffirms our office’s unwavering commitment to protecting the most vulnerable from those who prey on them.”
“Ubeda was the mastermind behind the calculated manipulation and coercion of women, using fear and shame to control them. He successfully manipulated one woman into sexually exploiting her own child at his direction – an unimaginable act.” said Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Krol for Homeland Security Investigations in New England. “With a forty-year federal prison sentence imposed for his horrific crimes, our commitment to bringing peace and justice to the victims of these predators has never been stronger.”
From at least 2015 to 2019, Ubeda sought to trick and coerce women using fraudulent social media persona and accounts while claiming to represent a fictitious adult modeling company. Ubeda would trick victims targeted by the scheme into providing explicit images as well as personal information and identification. Ubeda would then threaten to make the images and information public if the victims did not agree to engage in sexual acts with him.Ubeda coerced one woman to sexually abuse a three-year-old minor victim and document it for the purpose of producing CSAM for his gratification. If she did not comply, Ubeda threatened to send the CSAM and her identifying information to child protective services, so that she would lose custody of her children.
U.S. Attorney Foley; HSI SAC Krol; Hampden County Sheriff Nick Cocchi; and Superintendent Lawrence Akers of the Springfield Police Department made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Hampden County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren Maynard and Mark Grady of the Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.Panamanian Extradited from Colombia to United States for Alleged Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Homero Angel Cevallos Velasquez, a Panamanian national who was extradited to the United States on November 20, 2025, to face international money laundering charges, was ordered detained pending trial during a hearing in federal court today.
Federal prosecutors moved for Cevallos’ detention on the grounds that he posed a serious risk of flight from prosecution. Cevallos did not contest the United States’ motion and instead stipulated to being detained.
Cevallos is scheduled to appear before United States District Judge Janis L. Sammartino on December 19, 2025, for a motion hearing and trial setting. He faces a maximum of 20 years in prison.
To date, seven others have been charged or have admitted their roles in the scheme, including:
- Hector Alejandro Paez Garcia, a Mexico City-based attorney who assisted in laundering narcotics proceeds, pleaded guilty to being involved in the laundering of more than $52 million in May 2025.
- Miguel Angel Encinas Gomez of Mexicali, México, leader of the Mexicali-based cell of the money laundering organization (MLO), pleaded guilty to laundering $35 million in bulk cash narcotics proceeds in July 2023.
- Hugo Andres Velasquez Pantza, a Colombian national, allegedly assisted the MLO in the implementation of cryptocurrency into their operations. Velasquez was subsequently targeted in an undercover FBI operation and arrested in Rome, Italy, by Italian law enforcement at the request of the United States in January 2025. Velasquez was extradited to the United States in April 2025. His case is pending.
- James Harmon Yarbrough of Apopka, Florida, who worked in partnership with Cevallos to receive $326,000 in illicit proceeds in a scheme to convert the funds to cryptocurrency, pleaded guilty in July 2023.
- Victoria Johanna Lopez, Jose Jesus Lopez, Jose Mayorga Martinez, and Gerardo Vasquez Jr. allegedly worked as bulk cash couriers handling and depositing bulk cash for the MLO. Victoria Lopez, Jose Lopez and Mayorga have pleaded guilty. The case against Vasquez Jr. is still pending.
- Jhonatan Suarez Florez of Auburndale, Florida, who used accounts associated with his Florida-based construction and door manufacturing businesses to receive and transmit funds belonging to the criminal organization, pleaded guilty in December 2024.
- Alberto David Benguait Jimenez, an alleged leader of the MLO, remains a fugitive.. If anyone has information related to this individual, please contact your local FBI or DEA office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paul Benjamin and Robert Miller. Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Owen Roth contributed significantly to the case.
The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section’s Judicial Attaché Office in Bogotá, Colombia worked with the Government of Colombia to secure the arrest and extradition from Colombia of Cevallos Velasquez.
The FBI worked in close partnership with the Drug Enforcement Administration, Imperial County District Attorney’s Office, as well as Panamanian authorities, to seize the MLO’s assets and arrest multiple participants in the scheme.
DEFENDANT Case Number 24-cr-1745-JLS
Homero Angel Cevallos Velasquez Age:52 Panama
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
International Money Laundering Conspiracy – Title 18, U.S.C., Sections 1956(h), 1956(a)(1)(b)(i) and 1956(a)(2)(B)(i)
Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison and $500,000 fine
INVESTIGATING AGENCY
Federal Bureau of Investigation
*The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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 San Diego comprises agents and officers from FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, DEA, ATF, U.S. Marshals Service, Department of Defense, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Naval Criminal Investigative Service, IRS Criminal Investigation, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and INTERPOL, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California.
Palm Harbor Man Sentenced to 17 Years in Prison for Producing and Receiving Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge John L. Badalamenti has sentenced Alexander William Czech (34, Palm Harbor) to 17 years in federal prison, followed by 20 years of supervised release, for two counts of producing child sexual abuse material (CSAM), and one count of receiving CSAM. Czech was also ordered to pay $133,000 in restitution and will be required to register as a sex offender. Czech pleaded guilty on August 22, 2025.
According to court documents, the FBI obtained a federal search warrant to search Czech’s residence for evidence of CSAM and found thousands of videos and photos of CSAM in Czech’s computer and an external hard drive. In Czech’s cellphone, the FBI found chats with a 16-year-old girl whom Czech personally knew. The chats showed Czech directing the minor to take sexually explicit photos of herself to send to him via a mobile application. The investigation also revealed that, on several occasions, Czech engaged in sexual activity with the minor after picking her up from school.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Largo Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ross Roberts.
This is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Pensacola Man Sentenced for Possessing Methamphetamine, Fentanyl, and CocaineRead the Press Release
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – David Blackman III, 39, of Pensacola, Florida was sentenced to 15 years in prison after previously pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, and a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl, cocaine, and cocaine base. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “In launching Operation Take Back America, President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi made a promise to devote the full resources of the Justice Department toward stopping the flood of deadly drugs plaguing our streets, and this successful prosecution is yet another step toward fulfilling that promise. Along with our dedicated state and federal law enforcement partners, my office stands ready to continue delivering on that promise until our streets are safe and our communities are drug-free.”
According to court records, the defendant sold narcotics from his residence in Pensacola, Florida. Law enforcement executed a search warrant in December of 2023 at the defendant’s residence. During the search, agents located over $8,500 in cash, more than 850 grams of methamphetamine, and other narcotics including, fentanyl, cocaine, and cocaine base.
“Removing this polydrug distributor from the streets is another step toward making our communities safer,” said DEA Miami Field Division Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter. “This joint investigation was the result of great work between our agents and law enforcement partners.”
The conviction and sentence were the result of a joint investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jessica Etherton.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The 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 for the Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Oregon Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Hate Crime ViolationRead the Press Release
EUGENE, Ore.—A Springfield, Oregon, man appeared before a U.S. District Court Judge today and pleaded guilty to a federal hate crime for assaulting a victim on the basis of their sexual orientation.
Daniel Andrew McGee, 26, pleaded guilty to one count of a Hate Crime Act Involving an Attempt to Kill.
According to court documents, on the evening of July 5, 2021, McGee met the victim at the victim’s apartment after communicating on the dating application Grindr, an application designed for, and primarily used by, gay men. McGee assaulted the victim over the course of several minutes, striking the victim on the head with a wooden tire thumper. The victim sustained life-threatening injuries during the assault, including serious head wounds.
The investigation revealed McGee had been researching and planning the attack for weeks. For at least one month prior to the attack, McGee searched the internet for homophobic and graphically violent anti-gay material. McGee planned for the attack by purchasing the weapon and other materials from Amazon and searching the internet for suggestions on how to get away with murder.
On November 18, 2021, a federal grand jury in Eugene, Oregon, returned a one-count indictment charging McGee with a Hate Crime Act Involving an Attempt to Kill.
McGee faces a maximum sentence of life in prison, a $250,000 fine, and five years of supervised release. He will be sentenced on March 3, 2026, before a U.S. District Court Judge.
As part of the plea agreement, McGee has agreed to pay restitution in full to his victim.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the Eugene Police Department. Joseph Huynh, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon and Tenette Smith, Trial Attorney for the Civil Rights Division Criminal Section, are prosecuting the case.
Operation Not Forgotten Surged 64 FBI Personnel to 10 FBI Field Offices to Support Investigations of Indian Country Violent CrimesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – The Justice Department yesterday announced results from its six-month surge of FBI assets across the country to address violent crime in Indian Country, including crimes relating to missing or murdered Indigenous persons.
The FBI sent 64 personnel, rotating in 30–90-day temporary duty assignments over a six-month period to support field offices in Albuquerque; Denver; Detroit; Jackson, Miss.; Minneapolis; Oklahoma City; Phoenix; Portland, Oreg.; Seattle; and Salt Lake City. The FBI worked in partnership with the Bureau of Indian Affairs and Tribal law enforcement agencies across jurisdictions. This operation was the longest and most intense national deployment of FBI resources to address Indian Country crime to date.
“These dedicated efforts by FBI agents, together with the BIA and our tribal law enforcement partners, have solved crimes, protected victims of violence, and brought much needed safety and security to communities in Indian country,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “We will never forget the crime victims whose cases remain unsolved, and we will continue our pursuit until justice is served.”
“One of the biggest problems tribal communities face is the vast amount of land to account for, requiring significant resources to crush violent crime,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “As FBI Director, I’m committed to surging personnel to these areas and working hand-in-hand with Tribal partners. Operation Not Forgotten is a major step forward in giving these communities the justice that they deserve.”
FBI personnel were assisted by 36 personnel from the Bureau of Indian Affairs Missing and Murdered Unit (BIA MMU). Combined, those personnel provided investigative and intelligence support by assisting in over 330 investigations. BIA MMU also provided technical support and expertise through ground-penetrating radar, underwater cameras, and sonar searches. Operation Not Forgotten contributed to the success of the FBI’s Indian Country program. In FY25 alone, the FBI’s Indian Country initiatives accomplished the following: 1260 individuals charged, 1123 arrests, 304 weapons recovered, and 458 child victims identified or located.
“The United States Attorney’s Office in Arizona continues to bring the most cases related to crimes affecting tribal members in the country” said United States Attorney Timothy Courchaine. “The national surge in resources brought much needed assets to tribal communities in a number of the twenty-two Indian reservations located throughout the state. Thanks to the continued work of our tribal, FBI, and BIA partners, Assistant United States Attorneys in our office will continue to bring justice for crime victims and their communities.”
“Agents assigned to Indian Country offices have significant caseloads and most of those cases include extremely violent crimes,” said FBI Phoenix Acting Special Agent in Charge Matt Schaeffer. “The surge of resources here in Arizona thanks to Operation Not Forgotten provided our agents some additional help to move cases along quicker and served as a force multiplier with the primary goal of helping victims and ensuring that justice is served.”
In a sustained commitment to justice and public safety in tribal communities, the Arizona United States Attorneys’ Office united with the FBI during the six-month surge in Operation Not Forgotten. During the operation in Arizona, FBI personnel were assigned temporary duties at field offices in some of the most remote tribal communities throughout the state. Together, FBI agents and federal prosecutors addressed urgent law enforcement challenges, particularly crimes against women and children, crimes committed by juveniles, and missing or murdered Indigenous people in Indian Country. Additionally, agents and prosecutors worked closely with tribal law enforcement, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and other community partners.
During the 2025 surge (from April 1st – September 30th), the United States Attorneys’ Office in the District of Arizona opened approximately 154 Indian Country-Violent Crime investigations, and obtained more than 73 indictments and complaints combined. Overall, Operation Not Forgotten contributed to removing violent criminals from tribal communities throughout Arizona.
Some of those defendants charged or convicted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Arizona include the following:
Kevin Ronnie Tungovia, 47, was arrested and charged with sexual abuse of a minor and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Tungovia is alleged to have provided methamphetamine to the minor during the timeframe he engaged in sexual acts with her. A federal search warrant was executed on Tungovia’s residence where agents located baggies, scales, and a pipe with residue. Tungovia and will remain in custody pending trial. (FBI Tucson/USAO District of Arizona)
Richard Alex Buitimea, 35, was sentenced to 10 years in prison following a conviction for one count of Possession of Child Pornography. According to evidence presented during trial, authorities were alerted by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) that a Google Drive account belonging to Buitimea contained possible child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Acting on this tip, agents with the FBI obtained a search warrant for Buitimea’s account and discovered over 1,000 images and 21 videos of CSAM. (FBI Tucson/USAO District of Arizona)
Indian Country faces persistent levels of violent crime and victimization. At the beginning of Fiscal Year 2025, FBI’s Indian Country program had approximately 4,300 open investigations, including over 900 death investigations, 1,000 child abuse investigations, and more than 500 domestic violence and adult sexual abuse investigations.
Operation Not Forgotten renews efforts begun during President Trump’s first term under E.O. 13898, Establishing the Task Force on Missing and Murdered American Indians and Alaska Natives. This is the third deployment under Operation Not Forgotten, which has provided investigative support to over 760 cases in the past three years. Combined, these operations resulted in 249 arrests, 235 subjects charged, 109 subjects convicted, and services were provided to nearly 2,000 victims and victim family members.
Operation Not Forgotten also expands upon the resources deployed in recent years to address cases of missing or murdered Indigenous people. The effort will be supported by the Department’s MMIP Regional Outreach Program, which places attorneys and community coordinators in U.S. Attorneys’ Offices across the United States to help prevent and respond to cases of missing or murdered Indigenous people.
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-168_Operation_Not_Forgotten
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Oklahoma City Man Lands in Federal Prison for Possessing Firearm While Subject to Protective OrderRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – RANDALL JOSEPH WILLIAMS, 56, of Oklahoma City, has been sentenced to serve 40 months in federal prison for being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
According to public record, on April 12, 2025, officers with the Oklahoma City Police Department (OCPD) responded to a home disturbance that involved a firearm. At the home, officers learned that Williams had threatened multiple people’s lives, including his family members, while he possessed a firearm. Williams spoke with officers and gave them permission to search his vehicle, where they found a firearm. Public record further reflects that Williams was subject to multiple protective orders, including an order in Oklahoma County District Court that stated that he represented a credible threat to the physical safety of a child and was prohibited from possessing a firearm.
On May 20, 2025, a federal Grand Jury charged Williams with being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm. He pleaded guilty on June 18, 2025, and admitted he possessed a firearm despite the protective order issued against him.
At the sentencing hearing on November 24, 2025, U.S. District Judge Patrick R. Wyrick sentenced Williams to serve 40 months in federal prison, followed by two years of supervised release. In announcing his sentence, Judge Wyrick noted the need to protect the public, promote respect for the law, and deter future criminal conduct by Williams.
This case is the result of an investigation by the Oklahoma City Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary E. Walters prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America (OTBA), 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 is also part of “Operation 922,” the Western District of Oklahoma’s implementation of OTBA, which prioritizes prosecution of federal crimes connected to domestic violence.
Reference is made to public filings for additional information.
Oklahoma City Duo Sentenced to More Than 12 Years Combined in Federal Prison Following Apartment ShootingRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – Today, LARRY DAVID WELCH, 30, and JACOB LEE MADISON, 24, both of Oklahoma City, were sentenced to serve 154 months in federal prison collectively for illegal possession of a firearm after a previous felony conviction, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
According to court records, on April 7, 2025, officers with the Oklahoma City Police Department (OCPD) responded to an apartment complex on reports of a shooting. Officers learned that two suspects, later identified as Welch and Madison, had fired weapons during a dispute with neighbors. The two fled the apartment after the shooting but were found hiding in a nearby residential backyard shed, where they did not have permission to be. The firearms used in the shooting were found by OCPD shortly thereafter. On May 6, 2025, a federal Grand Jury charged both Welch and Madison with being felons in possession of a firearm.
Welch and Madison both have prior felony convictions. Welch’s previous felony convictions include:
- injuring or burning a public building in Mayes County District Court case number CF-2015-228;
- possession of a firearm after former felony conviction in Cherokee County District Court case number CF-2015-629; and
- possession of a firearm after former felony conviction, endangering others while eluding/attempting to elude police officer, and unauthorized use of a vehicle in Mayes County District Court case number CF-2019-90.
- second degree burglary in Oklahoma County District Court case number CF-2020-1275;
- knowingly receiving or concealing stolen property in Canadian County District Court case number CF-2022-437; and
- possession of a firearm after former felony conviction, unlawful possession of a controlled drug with intent to distribute, and committing a felony with a firearm with a defaced ID number in McClain County District Court case number CF-2023-72.
Madison’s previous felony convictions include:
On July 16, 2025, both Welch and Madison pleaded guilty and admitted they possessed a firearm despite their prior felony convictions.
At sentencing hearings today, U.S. District Judge Bernard M. Jones II sentenced Welch to serve 96 months, and Madison to serve 58 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release for both. In announcing the sentences, Judge Jones noted the seriousness of the offenses and the need for deterrence.
This case is the result of an investigation by the Oklahoma City Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney (SAUSA) Laney Ellis prosecuted the case. SAUSA Ellis is an attorney with City of Oklahoma City whose position is funded by a federal Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) grant awarded to the City of Oklahoma City to enhance efforts to address and reduce violent crime. PSN is 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.
This case is part of “Operation Shots Fired,” the Western District of Oklahoma’s implementation of PSN, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Operation Shots Fired targets cases involving individuals who discharge firearms as part of their criminal activity, such as drive-by shootings or when shots are fired during robberies, domestic disputes, or other incidents.
Reference is made to public filings for additional information.
Numerous Individuals Charged as Part of Operation BrightsideRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The United States Attorney announces multiple new indictments against individuals in mid-Missouri, returned by a grand jury in Jefferson City, Missouri on November 18, 2025.
The following individuals were each charged with being in possession of a firearm after a prior felony conviction:
- Thomas Adam Abbey, Jr., 38, of Columbia;
- Paul Stewart Arnall, 35, of Columbia;
- David Tyler Blair, 27, of Columbia;
- Frank Cortez Bonaparte, 44, of Columbia;
- Jordan Booker, 31, of Jefferson City;
- Jaimonte Tremelle Cooper, 34, of Columbia;
- James Elvaughn Hanton, 45, of Columbia;
- Malachi Allen Hughes, 21, of Columbia;
- Paul Allen Johnson, 58, of Columbia;
- Quinton Marquez Miller, 27, of Columbia;
- Leo Demarcus Roland, 34, of Columbia;
- Tyrone Sabb, 49, of Columbia;
- Justin Terrell Shelton, 31, of Columbia;
- Terrell Maurice Sims, 29, of Columbia;
- Damon Lashay Thompson, 25, of Columbia;
- Timmy Ray Whittle, 69, of Lohman, Mo.
If convicted, these individuals will face up to 15 years’ imprisonment.
Several other defendants were also indicted by the grand jury in Jefferson City, Missouri, on November 18, 2025, and charged with other crimes.
- Kenneth Ryan Williams, 41, and Asia Javone Shafer, 24, were both charged with conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, as well as separate counts of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute cocaine. Williams is also alleged to have possessed a firearm after a prior felony conviction.
- Dexter Terrell Mason, 45, of Jefferson City, was charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine base, and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
The charges contained in all these indictments are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
The cases will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Ashley S. Turner, Jim Lynn, Aaron M. Maness, Cecily L. Hicks, and Lauren E. Kummerer.
North Carolina Man Pleads Guilty to Enticing Okeechobee MinorRead the Press Release
MIAMI – A Charlotte, North Carolina man has pleaded guilty in Fort Pierce on Oct. 14 to enticing a minor to produce child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
According to court documents, Kaleb Harrison Childs, 26, began communicating in February 2025 with a minor from Okeechobee through a social media application. The minor told Childs that she was 13 years old, but she was actually 12. During their online exchanges, Childs offered to provide gift cards and video game credits in exchange for sexually explicit images and videos of the minor.
In May 2025, Childs was arrested as he reentered the U.S aboard a cruise ship. Following his arrest, law enforcement executed a search warrant at his residence and discovered hundreds of images of CSAM.
Childs pleaded guilty to one count of enticement of a minor and one count of producing material involving the sexual exploitation of minors. Childs faces a maximum sentence of life in prison for the enticement count and up to 30 years in prison for the production count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida, Acting Special Agent in Charge José R. Figueroa of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Miami Field Division, and Sheriff Noel E. Stephen of the Okeechobee County Sheriff’s Office made the announcement.
HSI Fort Pierce and the Okeechobee County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Hoover is prosecuting the case.
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 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.
You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 25-cr-14034.
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New York Man Sentenced to 10 Years’ Imprisonment on Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that on November 24, 2025, Senior United States District Judge Malachy E, Mannion sentenced Naquan Simmons, age 31, of Bronx, New York, to 120 months’ imprisonment for false statements in the acquisition of firearms.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, on September 22, 2022, Naquan Simmons travelled to a gun store in Wilkes-Barre Township, Luzerne County, with a woman suffering from opioid use disorder. The woman purchased two guns in her name on behalf of Simmons, who was legally prohibited from purchasing firearms. Simmons provided the woman with heroin in exchange for the two firearms. One of the firearms was later located in Bronx, New York. Thereafter, on August 15, 2023, Simmons entered a gun store in Plains Township, Luzerne County, with a man who Simmons was supplying with crack cocaine. The man attempted to purchase the firearm in his name on behalf of Simmons but never received the firearm due to law enforcement intervention. At the time of these offenses, Simmons was on federal supervised release in the Southern District of New York for conspiracy to commit racketeering and use of a firearm in relation to a crime of violence.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Luzerne County Drug Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jenny P. Roberts prosecuted the case.
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New York Man Sentenced for Sexually Assaulting and Threatening Child He Met on SnapchatRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that ZACHARY WILLIAMS, 38, of Brooklyn, New York, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Omar A. Williams in Hartford to 240 months of imprisonment for offenses related to his sexual assault of an 11-year-old girl he met on Snapchat.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in February 2021, Williams began communicating with an 11-year old girl on Snapchat. Williams groomed the girl and coerced her to send her sexually explicit images of herself. Once in possession of the images, Williams threatened to post them online for her family, friends, and others to see, and used these tactics to pressure the girl to meet him in person for a sexual encounter. Then, on two occasions in February 2021, Williams traveled to Connecticut, sexually abused the girl in her home while her family was asleep, and recorded the sexual acts on his iPhone. After these encounters, Williams used the sexual videos and images he recorded to threaten the girl further so she would not expose his conduct.
Williams has been detained since March 13, 2021, after he was charged in the District of New Jersey with similar child exploitation offenses. He was convicted after trial and sentenced on March 18, 2025, to life in prison.
On August 8, 2025, Williams pleaded guilty in the District of Connecticut to one count of production of child pornography and one count of coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in illegal sexual conduct.
Williams is also charged with child exploitation offenses in the Eastern District of New York where he is currently awaiting trial.
This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Galloway Township (N.J.) Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nancy V. Gifford, Daniel E. Cummings, and Alexis L. Beyerlein.
U.S. Attorney Sullivan thanked the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey for its cooperation in the investigation and prosecution of this case.
This prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com.
New Hampshire Woman and New York Man Sentenced for Role in Transporting Illegal AliensRead the Press Release
Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that on November 17, 2025, Jody Lynn McGuire, 52, of Manchester, New Hampshire, was sentenced by United States District Judge William K. Sessions III to a time-served term of approximately 2.5 months, to be followed by a 2-year term of supervised release. On October 20, 2025, Judge Sessions sentenced McGuire’s co-defendant, Tyler Kenneth George Leavine, 34, of Dannemora, New York, to a time-served sentence of approximately 7 months, to be followed by a 2-year term of supervised release. Leavine and McGuire previously pleaded guilty to transporting illegal aliens.
According to court records, on March 26, 2025, United States Border Patrol received a tip that there was going to be a human smuggling event in Alburgh, Vermont. Upon reporting to the area, Border Patrol found a white Ford Edge with New York plates. Video footage showed several people had run to, and entered, the Ford Edge. Border Patrol stopped the vehicle; the driver was McGuire and the front-seat passenger was Leavine. In the backseat of the vehicle there were three Indian citizens who did not legally enter the United States and had no documentation allowing them to remain in the United States. Leavine and McGuire later told law enforcement they had driven to Alburgh to pick people up and were expecting to be paid for their role in transporting these individuals.
First Assistant United States Attorney Michael P. Drescher commended the investigatory efforts of the United States Border Patrol.
The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine Flynn. McGuire was represented by Assistant Federal Public Defender Emily Kenyon. Leavine was represented by Kevin M. Henry, Esq.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
New Britain Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Trafficking FentanylRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that HENRY MENESES JR., 33, of New Britain, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Janet C. Hall in New Haven to 24 months of imprisonment and four years of supervised release, for trafficking fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, a Drug Enforcement Administration Hartford Task Force investigation revealed that Meneses was selling large quantities of fentanyl in the Hartford area. On January 6, 2025, Meneses distributed 6,000 dose bags of fentanyl to an individual who had driven from Vermont to pick up the drugs. On February 25, 2025, investigators made a controlled purchase of 1,200 dose bags of fentanyl from Meneses on Franklin Avenue in Hartford.
Meneses was arrested on March 25, 2025. On that date, searches of his residence and vehicle revealed two handguns, five gun magazines, ammunition, and more than $6,000 in cash.
On June 24, 2025, Meneses pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl. Released on a $100,000 bond, he is required to report to prison on January 7.
The DEA’s Hartford Task Force includes personnel from the DEA Hartford Resident Office, the Connecticut State Police, and the Bristol, Hartford, East Hartford, Enfield, Manchester, Middletown, New Britain, Rocky Hill, Wethersfield, and Windsor Locks Police Departments. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives assisted the investigation.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Reed Durham.
Nurse Sentenced for Tampering with Vials of FentanylRead the Press Release
DETROIT – A Grosse Pointe Park registered nurse, Travis Eskridge, was sentenced to two years in federal prison for tampering with a consumer product, specifically the Schedule II controlled substance fentanyl. The announcement was made by United States Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon Jr.
Gorgon was joined in the announcement by Special Agent in Charge Ronne Malham, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations Chicago Field Office.
Travis Eskridge, 54, of Grosse Pointe Park, Michigan, worked as a registered nurse in the emergency room at Ascension St. John Hospital until August of 2022. In his guilty plea Eskridge admitted that he tampered with vials containing fentanyl, a powerful narcotic pain reliever, which he knew were intended to be administered to patients in the hospital’s emergency room. Eskridge removed fentanyl from the vials, replaced fentanyl with another liquid, and returned the tampered vials to the locked drug storage system. Eskridge did this with reckless disregard for the dangerous risk to patients that resulted from such tampering. The defendant also admitted that he stole fentanyl vials as part of a pattern of thefts for his personal drug use from May of 2022 until August of 2022. Nurse Eskridge was immediately removed from his position at Ascension St. John Hospital in August of 2022 when the hospital discovered the tampering and thefts.
United States Attorney Gorgon stated, “When nurse Eskridge placed tampered vials back into the hospital’s medical supply, he exposed patients in desperate need of pain relief to continued suffering. This is a reprehensible crime. No medical professional should torture a patient. I credit the hospital and the FDA investigators for their work in exposing this crime.”
“Emergency room patients trust they will be administered the pain relief drugs that the doctor ordered,” said Special Agent in Ronne Malham, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations, Chicago Field Office. “We will continue to pursue and bring to justice healthcare professionals who violate their position of trust and jeopardize patients’ health and well-being by tampering with their pain medications.”
Travis Eskridge was sentenced by United States District Judge Susan K. DeClercq.
The case was investigated by special agents of the Food and Drug Administration.
Missouri Man Sentenced to Federal Prison Four Years After Fleeing State Following Drug Charge in 2020Read the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – JOSHUA KYLE COOK, 39, of Missouri, has been sentenced to serve 210 months in federal prison for possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
According to public record, on August 27, 2020, Cook was stopped by an Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs (OBN) agent while traveling on Interstate 40 in Canadian County and found to be in possession of approximately 3 kilograms of methamphetamine concealed inside his vehicle. On September 16, 2020, a federal Grand Jury charged Cook with possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. Following his initial arrest, Cook was placed on pretrial release, but later absconded and has been a fugitive since March 10, 2021. Recently uncovered information suggested that Cook was living in Theodosia, Missouri. On June 9, 2025, multiple law enforcement agencies located and surrounded Cook who was armed and barricaded inside a shed. An armed standoff ensued, lasting approximately two hours, during which time Cook threatened to shoot officers. Cook was eventually taken into custody peacefully.
Cook pleaded guilty to the 2020 drug charge on September 2, 2025, and admitted he possessed methamphetamine which he intended to distribute.
At the sentencing hearing on November 24, 2025, Cook was sentenced to serve 210 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release. In announcing the sentence, the Court considered the need for Cook’s sentence to provide just punishment, promote respect for the law, and afford adequate deterrence to criminal conduct. By engaging in an armed standoff with officers, the Court noted that Cook had endangered his own life and the lives of law enforcement.
This case is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, the United States Marshals Service, OBN, the Ozark County Sheriff’s Office, and Howell County SWAT. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Drew E. Davis and Jason Harley prosecuted the case.
Reference is made to public filings for additional information.
Mexican Citizen Charged with Human Smuggling and Improper EntryRead the Press Release
Burlington, Vermont – The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that on November 20, 2025, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Juan Pablo Espinoza-Morales, 51, of Sonora, Mexico, with knowingly bringing illegal aliens to the United States for private financial gain and improper entry into the United States. Espinoza-Morales was arraigned on November 24, 2025 before United States Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle.
According to court records, on October 21, 2025, Espinoza-Morales was apprehended with a group of nine aliens who had unlawfully crossed the border from Canada into the United States. Espinoza-Morales attempted to flee from U.S. Border Patrol agents when they first encountered the group, and he was apprehended approximately one hour later. Investigators subsequently determined that Espinoza-Morales had lead the group across the border for pay.
The United States Attorney’s Office emphasizes that an indictment contains allegations only and that Espinoza-Morales is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. Espinoza-Morales faces a mandatory minimum of five years and a maximum sentence of up to fifteen years’ imprisonment, if convicted. The actual sentence, however, would be determined by the District Court with guidance from the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines and the statutory sentencing factors.
First Assistant United States Attorney Michael P. Drescher commended the investigatory efforts of the United States Border Patrol and Homeland Security Investigations.
The prosecutor is Assistant United States Attorney David Golubock. Espinoza-Morales is represented by Assistant Federal Public Defender Sam Ansell.
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.
Maryland Felon Sentenced in D.C. for Unlawful Possession of a Loaded Glock Pistol with an Extended MagazineRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Anthony Eugene Burns, 31, a previously convicted felon residing in Maryland, was sentenced November 24, 2025, in U.S. District Court to 55 months in prison in connection with his illegal possession of a loaded Glock 27 pistol, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
A federal jury found Burns guilty on September 10, 2025, on a charge unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. In addition to the 55-month prison term, Judge Jia M. Cobb ordered Burns to serve three years of supervised release.
Joining in the announcement were ATF Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
According to the evidence presented to the jury, on Feb. 25, 2024, officers from the MPD were on patrol in Southeast when they received a call about a disorderly group of people at an apartment building on the 2700 block of Wade Road Southeast. As officers walked to the building, they observed Burns quickly turn and sprint away.
As Burns ran, officers saw him make an overhead throwing motion, appearing to toss a dark-colored object over a fence and into a large vacant lot. Burns continued to run through an alley between Eaton Road Southeast and Sumner Road Southeast. Officers briefly lost sight of Burns in the alley; however, they soon found him hiding on the 1200 block of Sumer Road Southeast.
Officers returned to where they observed Burns throw an object and recovered a black Glock 27 pistol with 21 rounds in an extended magazine and one in the chamber.
Burns previously pleaded guilty to felony charges in 2017 in connection with a violent armed robbery spree, that included conspiracy to interfere with interstate commerce by robbery, interference with interstate commerce by robbery, and possessing a firearm during a crime of violence, for which he was sentenced to 84 months in prison. Burns was still on supervised release for those charges at the time of this offense.
This case was investigated by the MPD and ATF. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Emory V. Cole and Special Assistant United States Attorney Emily Reeder-Ricchetti, with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Tiffany Robinson.
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Man Sentenced to 35 Years in Federal Prison for Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
A man who produced child pornography was sentenced to 35 years in federal prison today, announced United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould.
Emmanuel Jacobo Reyes, a 27-year-old Mexican citizen, pled guilty in July 2025, to one count of production of child pornography and one count of receipt of child pornography. Today, he was sentenced to 420 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Terry Means.
According to court documents, the defendant admitted that he enticed a minor victim living in the North Texas area to engage in sexually explicit conduct, produce visual depictions of such conduct, and transmit the depictions to Reyes. At the time, Reyes resided in North Carolina. The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Fort Worth Field Office, working from information provided by the North Richland Hills Police Department, reviewed contents of the minor victim’s phone that included screenshots of video chats between Reyes and the victim. As Reyes’s face was visible in some of the screenshots, agents were able to find his social media profile, confirm his identity, and determine his location.
FBI’s Fort Worth Field Office, FBI-Raleigh, NC, North Richland Hills Police Department, and the Raleigh, NC Police Department conducted this investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Allyson Monte.
This case was part of the FBI’s national Operation Restore Justice, a coordinated enforcement effort to identify, track and arrest child sex predators. The operation resulted in the rescue of 115 children and the arrests of 205 child sexual abuse offenders in the nationwide crackdown. The coordinated effort was executed over the course of five days by all 55 FBI field offices, the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section in the Department’s Criminal Division, and United States Attorney’s Offices around the country. In many cases, parental vigilance and community outreach efforts played a critical role in bringing these offenders to justice.
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.
The Department urges the public to remain vigilant and report suspected exploitation of a child through the FBI’s tip line at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324), tips.fbi.gov, or by calling your local FBI field office.
Man Pleads Guilty to Discharging Machine Gun That Killed 69-Year-Old Bystander in East HarlemRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, and Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”), Ricky J. Patel, announced that FAISIL McCANTS pled guilty today before U.S. District Judge Jed S. Rakoff to possessing and brandishing a machine gun in connection with an August 27, 2025, daytime armed robbery and shooting in which McCANTS fired 15 rounds on a public street in East Harlem, striking and killing a 69-year-old woman. McCANTS is scheduled to be sentenced on March 31, 2026, at 3:00 p.m.
“Faisil McCants fired 15 bullets in a matter of seconds in the middle of the day, killing a 69-year-old innocent woman who was doing nothing more than standing by her walker on an East Harlem street,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “This type of senseless violence cannot and will not be tolerated. The people of this City expect and deserve to be able to walk our streets without fear. Thanks to the swift and tireless work of our partners at HSI and the NYPD, McCants will now face justice for his August 2025 crime. His plea today underscores our Office’s unwavering commitment to investigating and prosecuting those who use guns to destroy communities and lives.”
“Nearly three months ago, Robin Wright’s life was cut short in what can only be described as a senseless, avoidable, and absolutely unacceptable tragedy,” said HSI Special Agent in Charge Ricky J. Patel. “With today’s guilty plea, an admitted violent criminal will spend decades in prison with no choice but to relive the events—and the decisions—that landed him there, while an innocent woman’s grieving family prepares for their first holiday season without her. Protecting New Yorkers is non-negotiable, and HSI New York, alongside our law enforcement partners, will use every tool at our disposal in doing just that.”
As alleged in public court filings, statements in public court proceedings, and the charging documents in the case:
On or about August 27, 2025, shortly before 12:30 p.m., McCANTS and two co-conspirators (“CC-1” and “CC-2”) robbed a drug dealer (“Individual-1”) near East 109th Street and Madison Avenue in Manhattan, New York. During the robbery, McCANTS and his co-conspirators got into a physical altercation with Individual-1 before both McCANTS and CC-1 grabbed backpacks from Individual-1—which contained marijuana—and then fled north on Madison Avenue, turning onto East 110th Street.
McCANTS pulled a black firearm (equipped with a machine-gun conversion device) out of his right sweatshirt pocket and fired 15 shots in quick succession in the general direction of Individual-1. A photograph of McCants firing is below:
A 69-year-old woman (the “Victim”) standing with a walker on the northwest corner of East 110th Street and Madison Avenue—in the direction that McCANTS shot the firearm—was struck by gunfire. The Victim was transported to the hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
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McCANTS, 18, of New York, New York, pled guilty to one count of use, carrying, and possession of a machine gun, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 30 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison.
The minimum and maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding investigative work of Homeland Security Investigations and the New York City Police Department. He also thanked the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the U.S. Marshals Service, the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision, the New York State Board of Parole, the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, and the Special Agents of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Violent Organizations & Crime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alexandra S. Messiter, Kathryn Wheelock, and Brandon D. Harper are in charge of the prosecution.
Man and Woman Charged with Obstructing Use of Entrance of Federal Property and Related OffensesRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Two individuals have been charged with obstructing the use of entrances on federal property, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. William Stanley, 25, and Heather Morrow, 44, both of Charlotte, are also charged with impeding and disrupting the performance of official duties of government employees, failure to comply with the lawful direction of an authorized individual, and assaulting, resisting, opposing, impeding, intimidating, and interfering with persons performing official duties. Morrow was previously charged by a federal criminal complaint, which the Court dismissed at the government’s request upon the filing of the formal charges.
According to allegations in the criminal bill of information, on November 16, 2025, Morrow and Stanley, aiding and abetting one another, did willfully enter federal property, specifically, the grounds of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement/Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE/ERO) building in Charlotte. While there, Stanley and Morrow allegedly engaged in disorderly conduct and other actions that unreasonably obstructed the usual use of the building’s entrances and parking lots. It is further alleged that Stanley and Morrow’s conduct impeded and disrupted ERO Deportation Officers in the performance of their official duties. Stanley and Morrow also allegedly failed to comply with the lawful direction of ERO Deportation Officers and forcibly assaulted, resisted, opposed, impeded, and intimidated ERO Deportation Officers who were engaged in the performance of their official duties, with such acts constituting simple assault.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is joined in making today’s announcement by Homeland Security Investigations, ICE/ERO, and the FBI.
The charges in the bill of information are allegations only. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Milton Felon Pleads Guilty to Unlawfully Possessing Firearms and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Willie Curtis Slack Jr., 49, of Milton, Florida, pleaded guilty in federal court to two counts of possession of firearms and ammunition by a convicted felon. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Thanks to the excellent work of the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, supported by our federal law enforcement partners, this violent career criminal has been removed from our streets. My office stands ready to aggressively prosecute these repeat offenders to keep our communities safe.”
Court documents reflect that during a traffic stop in October 2023, law enforcement officers found and seized a loaded pistol and marijuana from the defendant’s waistband. Then, in December 2024, law enforcement seized two additional firearms and matching bulk ammunition that the defendant had knowingly possessed earlier that year. Prior to these incidents, the defendant had been convicted of numerous felonies, including batteries, resisting officer with violence, aggravated assault by threat, and multiple drug sale and trafficking convictions. As a result, under the Armed Career Criminal Act, the defendant faces a minimum mandatory term of 15 years in prison up to a maximum term of life on each count.
Sentencing is currently set for January 13, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. at the United States Courthouse in Pensacola before United States District Judge T. Kent Wetherell, II.
The plea was the result of investigations by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Alicia Forbes.
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.
Lowe’s Home Centers to Pay $12.5M Penalty for Lead Paint Violations During Home RenovationsRead the Press Release
The Justice Department and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today announced a proposed nationwide settlement with Lowe’s Home Centers LLC — a subsidiary of Lowe’s Companies Inc. — to resolve alleged violations of EPA’s Lead Renovation, Repair and Painting rule. The violations stem from renovation work performed by Lowe’s contractors at hundreds of homes across the country, primarily between 2019 and 2021. As part of the settlement, Lowe’s will pay a $12.5 million penalty and improve its compliance program for renovations in homes that may contain lead-based paint.
“Careless handling of lead paint endangers the health of children and other Americans. The stiff penalty Lowe’s will pay reflects the importance of using certified firms and contractors in older home renovations,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “Contractors hired for work that may disturb paint in homes built prior to 1978, when lead-based paint was in widespread use, must be certified. These contractors have the training to recognize and prevent the hazards that can be created when lead paint is disturbed.”
“Noncompliance with EPA regulations aimed at reducing or preventing health risks from lead paint exposure during renovations, repairs, and painting can endanger families, especially young children and infants,” said Acting Assistant Administrator Craig Pritzlaff of the EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance (OECA). “Through this enforcement action, Lowe’s will help protect their customers from the harmful effects of lead by ensuring that renovation work in homes built before 1978 is conducted by certified contractors using lead-safe practices.”
The settlement agreement requires Lowe’s to implement a comprehensive, corporate-wide program to ensure that the firms and installers it hires to perform work are qualified to use lead-safe work practices to avoid spreading lead dust and paint chips during home renovations. EPA found that Lowe’s failed to successfully implement the compliance terms of a 2014 settlement with the EPA, resulting in the alleged violations of the RRP rule.
EPA discovered some of the alleged violations after investigating problems disclosed by Lowe’s in periodic compliance reports required under the terms of a 2014 consent decree. The agency found additional alleged violations after responding to a tip from a member of the public concerning door replacements and other renovation work performed by a firm hired by Lowe’s to do work in southern and central California.
Residential lead-based paint use was banned in 1978 but remains in many older homes and apartments across the country. Lead dust hazards can occur when lead paint deteriorates or is disrupted during home renovation and remodeling activities. Lead exposure can cause a range of health problems, from behavioral disorders and learning disabilities to seizures and death, putting young children at the greatest risk because their nervous systems are still developing. A blood lead test is the only way to determine if a child has a high lead level. Parents who think their child has been in contact with lead dust should contact their child's health care provider.
The consent decree was lodged in U.S. District Court for the Central District of California and is subject to a 30-day public comment period and final court approval. The lodged consent decree and information on submitting public comment is available at www.justice.gov/enrd/consent-decrees.
More information is available on the 2025 Lowe’s RRP Rule Settlement Summary page: www.epa.gov/enforcement/lowes-home-centers-llc-rrp-2025-settlement-summary.
EPA investigated the case.
Attorneys with ENRD’s Environmental Enforcement Section are handling this matter.
Louisville Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Methamphetamine and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – Jonathan Ernspiker, 42, of Louisville, Kentucky, was sentenced yesterday to 15 years in prison, followed by 6 years of supervised release, for firearms trafficking, distribution of methamphetamine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, for conspiring to sell 18 firearms and approximately 58 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential law enforcement source on November 20, 2024.
U.S. Attorney Kyle G. Bumgarner of the Western District of Kentucky and Special Agent in Charge John Nokes of the ATF Louisville Field Division made the announcement.
United States Attorney Kyle Bumgarner stated, “Ernspiker’s 15-year sentence demonstrates that the United States Attorney’s Office and ATF have absolutely no tolerance for drug trafficking and illegal firearms trafficking. Drug trafficking and illegal firearms trafficking significantly contribute to the violence plaguing our community. Hopefully, Ernspiker’s sentence sends a strong deterrent message to others engaged in or contemplating engaging in similar conduct.”
ATF Special Agent in Charge John Nokes stated, “Firearms trafficking undermines the basic safeguards that are in place to keep weapons out of the hands of criminals. When combined with the distribution of dangerous narcotics such as methamphetamine, it creates an environment that threatens the safety and stability of communities throughout the Commonwealth. Jonathan Ernspiker’s significant prison sentence sends a clear message: the ATF, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and our local law-enforcement partners remain fully committed to aggressively pursuing and prioritizing investigations of this nature.”
Ernspiker was prohibited from possessing firearms due to the following prior felony convictions.
On March 26, 2017, in Bullitt County Circuit Court, Ernspiker was convicted of convicted felon in possession of a firearm and possession of a controlled substance in the first degree.
On November 4, 2013, in Bullitt County Circuit Court, Ernspiker was convicted of fleeing or evading police in the first degree and manufacturing methamphetamine in the first degree.
On May 3, 2013, in Bullitt County Circuit Court, Ernspiker was convicted of trafficking in a controlled substance in the first degree.
On October 1, 2008, in Bullitt County Circuit Court, Ernspiker was convicted of criminal mischief in the first degree.
There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was investigated by the ATF.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua R. Porter prosecuted the case with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Adela Alic.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
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London Man Sentenced for Money Laundering Conspiracy Involving COVID Relief LoansRead the Press Release
LONDON, Ky. – A London man, Joshua Pennington, 51, was sentenced on October 17 by U.S. District Judge Claria Horn Boom to 22 months, for conspiracy to commit money laundering of fraudulently obtained Economic Injury Disaster Loans and Paycheck Protection Program loans.
According to Joshua Pennington’s plea agreement, his co-defendant, Nicole Pennington, made materially false statements on applications for Small Business Administration (SBA) loans made available to qualified applicants in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Six of the loan applications were approved for a total of $1,090,398.35 in fraudulently obtained SBA loan proceeds. Between May 2020 and June 10, 2021, Joshua Pennington and his co-defendant knowingly laundered over $1,000,000 in criminally derived funds, via transactions over $10,000. They used the money to renovate their kitchen, pay for plastic surgery, purchase a Viking River Cruise trip, withdraw cash, purchase vehicles, and pay off loans and mortgages.
Joshua Pennington’s co-defendant, Nicole Pennington, is scheduled for sentencing on January 27, 2026.
Under federal law, Pennington 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 two years.
Paul McCaffrey, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Kelly K. Moening, Special Agent in Charge, Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, Great Lakes Field Division; and Karen Wingerd, Special Agent in Charge, IRS-Criminal Investigations, Cincinnati Field Division, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration and the IRS-CI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brittany Dunn-Pirio is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
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Kidnapper Sentenced to 4 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
EL PASO, Texas – An El Paso man was sentenced Monday in a federal court to 48 months in prison for kidnapping.
According to court documents, on Jan. 20, Leland Alexander Drumheller, 20, sent a text message to his ex-girlfriend asking her to return his sweatshirt. The two agreed to meet and did so inside Drumheller’s vehicle in front of the ex-girlfriend’s apartment. During the interaction, Drumheller became enraged and grabbed his ex-girlfriend, preventing her from exiting the vehicle as he drove away toward Chapparal, New Mexico.
At multiple traffic lights, the kidnapping victim tried to escape, but Drumheller prevented her from doing so by grabbing her hair and sweatshirt. At one point, the victim received a phone call from her current boyfriend. When the victim told her boyfriend to “call the cops,” Drumheller grabbed the phone and threw it outside the vehicle as he continued to drive the victim to a desert area in Chaparral.
In Chaparral, Drumheller ordered the victim to get out of the vehicle and demanded she get on her knees. He placed his cell phone to the back of her head, leading the victim to believe the object was a gun. Drumheller told her, “If you play me again, it’ll get worse.” He threatened to shoot her if she followed him and then got back in his vehicle and drove away, leaving the victim alone in the desert.
Drumheller was charged with one count kidnapping and arrested on Feb. 3. He pleaded guilty on Sept. 2. In addition to the four years in prison, U.S. District Judge Kathleen Cardone sentenced Drumheller to five years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas made the announcement.
The FBI and El Paso Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Valenzuela prosecuted the case.
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Justice Department Opens Investigation into SeaWorld Orlando, Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, and Aquatica Orlando for Disability DiscriminationRead the Press Release
Today, the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida announced that they have launched an investigation into United Parks & Resorts Inc. to determine whether it violates Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by discriminating against guests with disabilities. United Parks & Resorts is a global theme park and entertainment company that owns or licenses seven brands including SeaWorld Orlando, Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, and Aquatica Orlando.
The ADA prohibits discrimination based on disability by public accommodations, including theme parks.
The Department opened this investigation after receiving complaints from members of the public with disabilities who allege that three of its parks violate the ADA by banning guest use of certain walkers, known as “rollator walkers.” Complainants allege that they cannot access the parks without their rollators and the only alternative the parks offer would require them to use mobility aids that are inappropriate for their individual disabilities and to incur additional charges, among other allegations.
“The ADA protects every American from disability-based discrimination in places of public accommodation, including theme parks,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon for the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “We are committed to upholding our federal civil rights laws so that no guest is denied access or charged more because of a disability.”
“Every year, millions of people from around the world travel to Florida to visit our theme parks,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe for the Middle District of Florida. “No one should ever be denied equal access to public accommodations based on disability. Our office remains steadfast in our commitment to ensuring that all individuals with disabilities are guaranteed their rights under the ADA.”
Trial Attorney David K. Gardner from the Civil Rights Division’s Disability Rights Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexandra N. Karahalios from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida are handling this case.
If you believe you have been a victim of disability discrimination by United Parks & Resorts Inc., including parks such as SeaWorld Orlando, Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, and Aquatica Orlando, please file a complaint with the Civil Rights Division online at www.civilrights.justice.gov, or by calling the Department’s toll-free ADA Information Line at 1-800-514-0301 (1-833-610-1264 (TTY)). For more information on the ADA and the Civil Rights Division, please visit www.ada.gov or www.justice.gov/crt.
Justice Department Opens Investigation into SeaWorld Orlando, Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, and Aquatica Orlando for Disability DiscriminationRead the Press Release
Today, the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida announced that they have launched an investigation into United Parks & Resorts Inc. to determine whether it violates Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by discriminating against guests with disabilities. United Parks & Resorts is a global theme park and entertainment company that owns or licenses seven brands including SeaWorld Orlando, Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, and Aquatica Orlando.
The ADA prohibits discrimination based on disability by public accommodations, including theme parks.
The Department opened this investigation after receiving complaints from members of the public with disabilities who allege that three of its parks violate the ADA by banning guest use of certain walkers, known as “rollator walkers.” Complainants allege that they cannot access the parks without their rollators and the only alternative the parks offer would require them to use mobility aids that are inappropriate for their individual disabilities and to incur additional charges, among other allegations.
“The ADA protects every American from disability-based discrimination in places of public accommodation, including theme parks,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon for the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “We are committed to upholding our federal civil rights laws so that no guest is denied access or charged more because of a disability.”
“Every year, millions of people from around the world travel to Florida to visit our theme parks,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe for the Middle District of Florida. “No one should ever be denied equal access to public accommodations based on disability. Our office remains steadfast in our commitment to ensuring that all individuals with disabilities are guaranteed their rights under the ADA.”
Trial Attorney David K. Gardner from the Civil Rights Division’s Disability Rights Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexandra N. Karahalios from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida are handling this case.
If you believe you have been a victim of disability discrimination by United Parks & Resorts Inc., including parks such as SeaWorld Orlando, Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, and Aquatica Orlando, please file a complaint with the Civil Rights Division online at www.civilrights.justice.gov, or by calling the Department’s toll-free ADA Information Line at 1-800-514-0301 (1-833-610-1264 (TTY)). For more information on the ADA and the Civil Rights Division, please visit www.ada.gov or www.justice.gov/crt.
Jay Man Sentenced to Four Years in Prison for Distributing Narcotics and Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A Jay man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Bangor for distributing narcotics and illegally possessing a firearm.
U.S. District Judge Stacy D. Neumann sentenced Thomas Ray Cook, 46, to four years in prison and three years of supervised release.
According to court records, Cook sold $600 worth of cocaine to a Maine Drug Enforcement Agency (MDEA) confidential information source (CI) in February 2025 from Cook’s home in Jay. In March 2025, Cook sold the CI additional cocaine and seven firearms for $1,600, from a different residence in Farmington. Cook is prohibited from possessing firearms because of multiple prior Maine state felony convictions, including Aggravated Operating after Habitual Offender Revocation and Eluding an Officer.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and MDEA investigated the case.
Operation Take Back America: This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
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Individuals arraigned on murder chargesRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS - Two individuals accused of murdering a man on the Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation were arraigned yesterday, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Levi Terrance Olson, 29, and Brandon Lee Weaselboy, 30, both of Box Elder, pleaded not guilty to an indictment charging both defendants with conspiracy, attempted robbery, attempted aggravated burglary, second-degree murder, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. If convicted of the most serious charge contained in the indictment, the defendants face life imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and five years of supervised release.
U.S. Magistrate Judge John Johnston presided. Both defendants were detained pending further proceedings.
Count 1 of the indictment alleges that on July 29, 2024, near Box Elder, the defendants knowingly conspired, confederated, and agreed with each other to commit offenses against the United States of America—namely, robbery.
Count 2 of the indictment alleges that on July 29, 2024, near Box Elder, the defendants, by force and violence, and by intimidation, attempted to take from the person and presence of another something of value—that is, the defendants used firearms to threaten and assault multiple persons.
Count 3 of the indictment alleges that on July 29, 2024, near Box Elder, the defendants knowingly entered and remained unlawfully in an occupied structure on the Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation, and did so with the purpose to commit another offense therein—the robbery—and in the course of committing the offense were armed with weapons and did purposely and knowingly inflict bodily injury on another, and aided and abetted the same.
Count 4 of the indictment alleges that on July 29, 2024, near Box Elder, the defendants unlawfully and with malice aforethought, that is recklessly with extreme disregard for human life, killed John Doe, and aided and abetted the same.
Count 5 of the indictment alleges that on July 29, 2024, near Box Elder, the defendants knowingly possessed a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence that may be prosecuted in a court of the United States, namely second-degree murder, affecting commerce as charged in Count 4 of the indictment.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. The FBI and Chippewa Cree Law Enforcement Services conducted the investigation.
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. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
The charging documents are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
PACER case reference. 25-118.
The progress of cases may be monitored through the U.S. District Court Calendar and the PACER system. To establish a PACER account, which provides electronic access to review documents filed in a case, please visit http://www.pacer.gov/register.html. To access the District Court’s calendar, please visit https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl.
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