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Wednesday 17 September 2025
Minnesota Fraudster Sentenced to 51 Months for Embezzling $2.7 MillionRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – Destiny McKayla Combs, 37, was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court to 51 months imprisonment followed by three years of supervised release for embezzlement, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson. Destiny Combs was the Accounting Manager for a surrogacy agency and affiliated law firm. Combs used her position of trust to embezzle more than $2.7 million from her employer. Combs gambled away most of the $2.7 million she stole.
“Combs treated her workplace like her own personal slot machine,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson. “Combs’s crime is part of a disturbing wave of fraud sweeping across Minnesota. From private companies to public programs, fraud has seeped into every corner of our state. We will continue to attack this fraud plague with everything we’ve got at the federal level.”
According to court documents, Destiny Combs was the Accounting Manager for a surrogacy agency and affiliated law firm for approximately nine years. In her position, Combs was solely responsible for managing both companies’ finances, including taxes and financial statements. Combs was such a trusted member of the management team that, in 2022, the company’s owner agreed to sell the surrogacy agency to Combs upon his retirement in 2023. As the sale date approached, however, Combs abruptly quit and moved to Florida.
A subsequent investigation revealed that between February 2019 and June 2023, Combs embezzled approximately $2.72 million from the businesses. Combs’s scheme was simple: she used personal credit cards to fund her gambling habit, then used company funds to pay her credit card bills. Combs stole the money to fuel her online gambling addiction. She made fraudulent entries in the companies’ books to disguise her credit card payments as business expenses, and exploited the trust and autonomy her company gave her to go undetected. Over 52 months, Combs made approximately 292 payments from the company accounts to her personal American Express credit card, totaling $2,723,025.
While this case was pending and Combs was under the supervision of pretrial services, she repeatedly lied to her probation officer and violated her terms of release. Among other things, without authorization or knowledge of her probation officer, she traveled to New York City, New York; Tucson, Arizona; Miami, Florida; Las Vegas, Nevada; and Seattle, Washington.
Combs was sentenced today before Judge John M. Gerrard in U.S. District Court. In handing down the sentence, Judge Gerrard noted Ms. Combs’s bad behavior while on pretrial-release, including her multiple trips to Las Vegas, Nevada, in flagrant violation of the travel restrictions imposed upon her by the Court.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the United States Secret Service and the Minnesota Commerce Fraud Bureau.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew C. Murphy prosecuted the case.
Mexican man pleads guilty to, sentenced for illegal re-entryRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. –U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Giovanni Bernal Guerrero, 39, a citizen and national of Mexican, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo to re-entry of a removed alien. He was sentenced to time served and turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Smith, who handled the case, stated in September 2017, Guerrero was physically removed from the United States to Mexico. On July 19, 2025, he defendant was found in Erie County, NY, by United States Customs and Border Protection officers and did not have any documents allowing him to be legally present in the United States.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The plea and sentencing are the result of an investigation by Customs and Border Protection, under the direction of Director of Field Operations Rose Brophy.
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Mexican National Sentenced for Illegal Reentry After Removal Following a Conviction for an Aggravated FelonyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Mexican national has been sentenced for illegally reentering the United States.
Marcos Martinez-Jimenez, 42, pleaded guilty to unlawful reentry after deportation for an aggravated felony and was sentenced to 25 months’ imprisonment by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays on September 17, 2025.
According to court documents, on February 11, 2025, Martinez-Jimenez was arrested in Kansas City, Missouri, by Immigration & Customs Enforcement, Enforcement & Removal Operations following a vehicle stop. Martinez-Jimenez was previously convicted of Aggravated Indecent Liberties with a Child Under 14 in Johnson County, Kansas in 2007. In that case, he was sentenced to a term of imprisonment of 61 months’ and upon completion of that sentence he was deported to Mexico in 2011.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brent Venneman. It was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), Chicago Field Office, Kansas City Sub-Office.
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. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Marshalltown Man Sentenced to 17 years in Federal Prison for Possessing Methamphetamine and a Loaded FirearmRead the Press Release
DES MOINES, Iowa – A Marshalltown man was sentenced on September 12, 2025, to 17 years in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.
According to public court documents, in October 2024, Matthew Allen Sumpter, 39, was found in possession of nearly a pound of methamphetamine, a scale, cash, and a loaded handgun. Based on the investigation, Sumpter was responsible for distributing multiple pounds of methamphetamine in the Marshalltown area. Sumpter has multiple prior felony convictions, including prohibited person in possession of a firearm, harassment, domestic abuse assault by strangulation, and multiple eluding convictions.
After completing his term of imprisonment, Sumpter will be required to serve a five-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Mid-Iowa Drug Task Force and the Marshall County Sheriff’s Office.
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.
Man from Ecuador arrested, charged with illegal re-entryRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. –U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Lucas Celas Saula, 39, a citizen and national of Ecuador, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with re-entry of a removed alien, which carries a maximum penalty of two years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Smith, who is handling the case, stated that on September 7, 2025, Saula was encountered by law enforcement at a retailer in Cheektowaga, NY. A records check of Saula’s vehicle determined that he was previously ordered removed from the United States in November 2014 and is a citizen and national of Ecuador. When questioned by officers, Saula did not have any documents that would allow him to be or remain in the United States lawfully.
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.
Saula made an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremiah J. McCarthy and is detained.
The complaint is the result of an investigation by U.S. Border Patrol, under the direction of Customs and Border Protection, under the direction of Director of Field Operations Rose Brophy.
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Man Sentenced to More than Six and a Half Years in Prison for ATM Card-Skimming FraudRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A man has been sentenced to more than six and a half years in federal prison for installing card-skimming devices on ATMs in Chicago and New Jersey to steal debit card numbers and PINs from unsuspecting victims.
FLORIN NICOLAE TARTA and two others installed the devices on numerous Bank of America ATMs. The devices consisted of a metallic plate on which a card reader, memory chip, and battery had been affixed. Once inserted into the ATM, the device could capture financial account information from users’ cards. Tarta and the co-schemers also placed a pinhole camera near the ATM’s keypad to record ATM users inputting their PINs.
Several days after the devices were installed, Tarta and the others removed them from the ATMs and used a computer to convert the captured data to magnetic strips on the back of gift cards. The defendants then used the counterfeit gift cards to withdraw cash at various banks. Losses from the unauthorized transactions totaled $177,280.
The defendants’ scheme came to end in March 2024 when law enforcement located the hidden camera on an ATM in Westfield, N.J. Tarta was arrested when he returned to the ATM.
A jury in U.S. District Court in Chicago earlier this year convicted Tarta, 40, of Satu Mare, Romania, on bank fraud, access device fraud, and aggravated identity theft charges. On Sept. 10, 2025, U.S. District Judge LaShonda A. Hunt sentenced Tarta to six years and 9 months in federal prison.
Two co-defendants pleaded guilty and were previously sentenced in the case. LEONID GRIGORE SMETANCA, 45, of Satu Mare, Romania, was sentenced to three and a half years in prison, while RADU FARCAS, 42, of London, England, was sentenced to two and a half years.
The sentences were announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. Valuable assistance was provided by the Westfield, N.J. Police Department.
“Defendant repeatedly engaged in criminal conduct that imposes an enormous toll on the U.S. economy,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Hayes argued in the government’s sentencing memorandum in Tarta’s case. “Card skimming is a widespread problem plaguing financial institutions and consumers.”
Lancaster Man Sentenced to Almost Nine Years in Prison for Robbing a Chester County Convenience Store at GunpointRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Micael Dilone Rojas Diaz, 25, of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 106 months in prison, three years’ supervised release, a $1,000 fine, and restitution in the amount of $518.61 by United States District Judge John M. Gallagher yesterday for the armed robbery of a Chester County convenience store in February 2024.
The defendant was charged by indictment in May of 2024 with one count of robbery which interferes with interstate commerce (Hobbs Act robbery) and one count of using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. He pleaded guilty to both charges in June of this year.
As detailed in court filings and admitted to by the defendant, in the early hours of February 10, 2024, Rojas and his co-defendant, Ashley Santos-Rodriguez, both wearing masks, entered the Turkey Hill convenience store on the 3000 block of Horseshoe Pike in Honey Brook, Pennsylvania. One person, a 59-year-old clerk, was in the store at the time.
Rojas pointed a loaded .40 caliber semiautomatic pistol at the clerk’s face and demanded money, as Santos started grabbing cigarettes from the racks. The robbers left the store with approximately $124 and some 40 packs of Newport cigarettes, fleeing the scene in a vehicle. Police apprehended them in a car stop approximately 20 minutes later and recovered the stolen cash and cigarettes.
This case was investigated by the Pennsylvania State Police and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Thomas M. Zaleski.
Lake Station Man Sentenced to 90 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
HAMMOND- Johnny A. Bangs, 46 years old, of Lake Station, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Gretchen S. Lund after pleading guilty to possessing with intent to distribute cocaine and possession of a firearm during a drug trafficking crime, announced Acting United States Attorney M. Scott Proctor.
Bangs was sentenced to 90 months in prison followed by 24 months of supervised release.
According to documents in the case, in the summer of 2023, Bangs sold cocaine on two separate occasions. On June 14, 2023, during the execution of a search warrant at his residence located in Lake Station, law enforcement recovered cocaine, drug proceeds, 43 long-barrel firearms (rifles and shotguns), 7 handguns, and ammunition.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Porter County Sheriff’s Office. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael J. Toth.
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.
Labor Union Agrees to Pay $2 Million to Resolve Allegations of PPP Loan FraudRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 103 (IBEW Local 103), a Dorchester-based union and 501(c)(5) nonprofit organization, has agreed to pay $2,033,205 to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by obtaining a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan for which it was not eligible.
As part of the settlement, IBEW Local 103 admitted that, in April 2020, it applied for and received a first-round loan before it became eligible. In March 2021, when Congress amended the PPP to allow unions to obtain PPP loans, the union applied for and received a second loan. On its application for the second loan, the union certified that it was eligible for the second loan under the PPP regulations in effect at the time of the application, and that it previously received a loan and used all the loan proceeds before applying for the second loan. Had IBEW Local 103 applied for the first-round loan when it became eligible in March 2021, it would not have spent the proceeds from that first loan before it applied for the second loan.
Congress enacted the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) on March 29, 2020, to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans who were suffering the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The CARES Act authorized forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain approved expenses through the PPP. Under the program, if borrowers complied with the program’s rules, the SBA forgave their loans. The SBA administered the PPP in two rounds – the first began in April 2020 and the second began in February 2021. Certain nonprofit organizations, including 501(c)(5) organizations like IBEW Local 103, were not eligible to receive loans from either round until March 2021, when Congress amended the PPP. To be eligible for a second loan, an entity, among other things, had to receive a first-round loan and exhaust the funds from that loan prior to applying for a second loan.
The settlement credits IBEW Local 103 for cooperation under the Department of Justice’s Guidelines for Taking Voluntary Disclosure, Cooperation and Remediation into Account in False Claims Act Matters.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and the U.S. Small Business Administration made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian M. LaMacchia, Chief of the Affirmative Civil Enforcement Unit handled the matter.
Kentucky Man Found with More Than 10 Grams of Methamphetamine Sentenced to Five Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Hagåtña, Guam – SHAWN N. ANDERSON, United States Attorney for the Districts of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, announced that defendant Joshua Sharp, age 43, from Louisville, Kentucky, was sentenced in the District Court of Guam on September 10, 2025 to five years in federal prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine Hydrochloride, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1). The Court also ordered three years of supervised release and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee. In addition, defendants convicted of a federal drug offense may no longer qualify for certain federal benefits.
On February 6, 2023, Guam Superior Court deputy marshals arrested Sharp at a Dededo residence after he failed to appear for a Superior Court of Guam hearing. Sharp had extensive criminal history involving theft, drug possession, and drug trafficking crimes in Guam. When Sharp was being processed at the security holding area, he requested medical attention due to leg pain from a motorcycle accident. Before transporting Sharp to Guam Memorial Hospital, deputy marshals conducted a secondary full body strip search and found a sock near Sharp’s groin. The sock concealed 10 small zip lock bags containing 14.7 grams of 99% pure methamphetamine.
“Career criminal drug traffickers will attract the attention of federal law enforcement regardless of the quantities involved,” stated United States Attorney Anderson. “We will continue to target repeat offenders in an effort to keep our communities safe.”
“Every arrest, every drug removed from our communities makes an impact. Methamphetamine is a persistent scourge on our nation, devastating lives,” said Brian M. Clark, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration Los Angeles Field Division, which oversees Guam. “DEA, alongside our law enforcement partners, remain committed to safeguarding the safety and health of our island community.”
This investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Guam Superior Court Marshals.
First Assistant United States Attorney Marivic P. David prosecuted the case in the District of Guam.
Jefferson County Man Charged with Illegally Possessing a MachinegunRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A Jefferson Couty man has been charged with illegally possessing a machinegun, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona.
A one-count indictment filed in U.S. District Court charges De’Corlion Keshaun Robinson, 24, of Bessemer, Alabama, with possession of a machinegun. On August 13, 2025, Robinson illegally possessed a Glock 10mm pistol equipped with a machinegun conversion device.
The ATF investigated the case along with the Birmingham Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel S. McBrayer is prosecuting the case.
An indictment contains only charges. Defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Jacksonville Man Indicted for Attempting to Entice A 13-Year-Old Child to Engage in Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Orlin Eli Gonzalez (26, Jacksonville) has been arrested and indicted for using his cellphone and the internet to attempt to entice a 13-year-old child to engage in sexual activity. If convicted, Gonzalez faces a minimum penalty of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison and a potential lifetime term of supervised release. Gonzalez was arrested on September 4, 2025, and has been ordered detained pending the resolution of this case.
According to court documents, from August 28 through September 4, 2025, an FBI agent (UC) in Jacksonville was conducting an undercover operation on an online social media application to identify adults who were seeking to make online contact with and engage in sexual activity with children. The UC was posing as a 13-year-old child. The UC and app user “Orlean” exchanged several private online messages on the app as well as by text messaging. After the UC advised app user “Orlean” that the “child” was only 13 years old, he asked the “child” about “her” sexual experience and if “she” liked performing a particular sexual act. App user “Orlean” requested that the “child” send him nude photos, and texted, “I wanna see you naked” and asked the “child” if “she” wanted to have sex. Further investigation by the FBI identified app user “Orlean” as Gonzalez.
On September 4, 2025, Gonzalez and the “child” exchanged more text messages. Gonzalez confirmed that he intended to meet the “child” for sexual activity at “her” residence in Jacksonville and asked the “child” to provide “her” address. That same afternoon, Gonzalez was observed as he rode a bicycle toward the agreed-upon location. Upon his arrival, Gonzalez was arrested by FBI agents.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown.
It is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by 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, rescue, and seek justice for child victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Jacksonville Child Sex Offender Pleads Guilty to Using the Internet to Access Child Sexual Abuse MaterialsRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Matthew Eric Baumgardner (49, Jacksonville) has pleaded guilty to using the internet to access child sexual abuse materials (CSAM). Baumgardner faces a minimum penalty of 10 years, up to 20 years, in federal prison and a potential lifetime term of supervised release. Baumgardner is a registered child sex offender who was convicted in 2017 of possessing photographs depicting the sexual performance by a child, traveling to meet a minor for unlawful activity, and unlawful use of a two-way communication device. Baumgardner was arrested on this federal charge on July 28, 2025. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for December 12, 2025.
According to court documents, law enforcement received a notification from a company that owns a social messaging application that files containing CSAM were uploaded using the app between May 6 and June 5, 2024. Subsequent investigation revealed that these files were uploaded from an account that was associated with Baumgardner.
In April 2025, a warrant was issued for Baumgardner’s arrest based upon his violation of his sex offender probation. On that same day, a detective with the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office contacted Baumgardner. During an interview, Baumgardner admitted that the email address and phone number associated with the app uploads of CSAM were his and that he had used the app in the past. Baumgardner also admitted to accessing visual depictions of children being sexually abused, stating that none of the child victims were personally known by him.
Subsequent forensic examination of Baumgardner’s cellphone revealed at least 67 photos depicting young children being sexually abused, including sadistic sexual abuse and bondage.
This case was investigated by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown.
It is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by 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, rescue, and seek justice for child victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Illegal alien sex offender sentenced for unlawfully reentering the countryRead the Press Release
BROWNSVILLE, Texas – A 34-year-old man from Puebla, Mexico, has been ordered to federal prison for illegally reentering the United States after removal, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Fidel Ramirez-Mancilla pleaded guilty June 27.
U.S. District Judge Rolando Olvera has now ordered Ramirez-Mancilla to serve 15 months in federal prison. Not a U.S. citizen, he is expected to face removal proceedings following his imprisonment.
“Operation Take Back America means not only preventing criminals like Mr. Ramirez-Mancilla from ever entering our country, but also finding, arresting, and removing those predators that have slipped into our country in previous years,” said Ganjei. “Thanks to the efforts of our law enforcement partners, we now have one less dangerous sex offender walking American streets.”
According to court records, Ramirez-Mancilla has a conviction for the aggravated felony of assault with the intent to commit mayhem, rape, sodomy or oral copulation. He was previously removed from the United States in December 2011 with no permission to return. However, authorities encountered him again May 19 north of the Rio Grande.
He has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Customs and Border Protection conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Angel Castro prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.
Honduran National Pleads Guilty to Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Honduran national residing in Fall River, Mass., pleaded guilty today to unlawfully reentering the United States after deportation.
Denis Aguirre-Murillo, 40, pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien. U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin scheduled sentencing for Nov. 12, 2025. The defendant was indicted by a federal grand jury in July 2025.
Aguirre-Murillo has been deported from the United States to Honduras on three occasions, in July 2007, March 2016 and January 2021. Sometime after his January 2021 removal, Aguirre-Murillo unlawfully re-entered the United States at an unknown time and place. Immigration authorities became aware that Aguirre-Murillo was unlawfully present in the United States on May 4, 2024, when he was arrested under an alias in Fall River for charges that included intimidation and rape. The rape charge was later amended to an indecent assault and battery charge.
Immigration authorities lodged a detainer for Aguirre-Murillo. However, on Feb. 19, 2025, Aguirre-Murillo was released from local custody without notification. He was later located and taken into immigration custody on May 29, 2025.
The charge of unlawful reentry of a deported alien provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The defendant is subject to deportation upon completion of any sentence imposed. 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 Patricia H. Hyde, Field Office Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations in Boston made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mackenzie A. Queenin of the Criminal Division is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Havre man sentenced to 4 years in prison for illegal possession of multiple firearmsRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS – A Havre man who illegally possessed firearms was sentenced today to 48 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Emil Martin Lundstrom, 59, pleaded guilty in May 2025 to prohibited person in possession of a firearm.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.
The government alleged in court documents that on October 10, 2017, Emil Martin Lundstrom was sentenced to 20 years with 5 years suspended on eight counts of felony theft in the Montana Seventeenth Judicial District Court, Phillips County.
On September 6, 2024, law enforcement responded to a Havre business to remove Lundstrom from the property because his employment was being terminated due to theft from the business. Officers learned from the owners Lundstrom had previously been found with bullet shell casings in his work pickup and they knew he was not allowed to be in possession of firearms because he was on probation.
A probation search was executed on Lundstrom’s work pickup. A Ziploc bag with what appeared to be several rounds of 9mm full metal jacket cartridges was found in the pickup.
Law enforcement also searched Lundstrom’s residence and a camper on his property. In the residence, officers found several rifle barrels and rifle buttstocks in a back bedroom under bed sheets, and three firearms in the walk-in closet of Lundstrom’s bedroom, along with a safe containing cash.
In the camper, officers seized pistols, rifles, and shotguns in the living and kitchen areas and a .22 caliber pistol in a black case under the bed mattress.
When the officers asked Lundstrom if they had recovered all the firearms, he suggested they check a pile of items in the garage, which led to the discovery of another rifle in a gun case.
During an interview with law enforcement, Lundstrom admitted he knew he was prohibited because he was on probation. He also said he had acquired many of the firearms before he was placed on probation in 2017, but he purchased additional guns from individuals after being placed on probation. Lundstrom said he bought firearms through private parties after being placed on probation because he could not purchase them from an FFL. He also obtained hunting permits to hunt with firearms for several years after being placed on probation, which he knew would last for the next 20 years.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The investigation was conducted by the ATF, Hill County Sheriff’s Office, and Montana Probation and Parole.
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.
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Guatemalan National Illegally Residing in the United States Indicted on Fraud Charges Related to the Sponsorship of Unaccompanied Alien ChildRead the Press Release
An indictment unsealed today in the Middle District of Louisiana charges a Guatemalan national residing illegally in the United States with fraud related to the submission of an application to sponsor an unaccompanied alien child (UAC).
“As alleged, this defendant made fraudulent misstatements to the U.S. government to try to sponsor an unaccompanied child in the United States,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti, of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Defendants who lie to secure the care and custody of an unaccompanied child threaten the government’s ability to ensure that the child is placed in a safe environment with a proper caregiver. The Criminal Division is fully committed to protecting vulnerable children and delivering justice to those who violate the law.”
“I would like to thank our prosecutor and our partners for their tireless work on this matter,” said U.S. Attorney Ellison C. Travis for the Middle District of Louisiana. “We are committed to eliminating the exploitation of minors and their families by unscrupulous traffickers, and appreciate the resources which were brought to bear by federal authorities to bring this defendant to justice.”
“Deliberately attempting to defraud a government program designed to safeguard vulnerable children is a reprehensible act that demands accountability,” said Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Christian J. Schrank of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “In close coordination with our law enforcement partners, we will continue to rigorously pursue those who attempt to exploit the Unaccompanied Alien Children’s program and ensure they are held fully accountable under the law.”
According to court documents, Felix Coc Choc, 29, of Rogers, Arkansas submitted an application to the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) under penalty of perjury to sponsor and obtain custody of a UAC after the UAC entered the United States illegally.
As alleged in the indictment, after a 16-year-old Guatemalan UAC entered the United States illegally in January 2023, Coc Choc submitted an application to sponsor the UAC. Coc Choc allegedly falsely claimed to be the UAC’s brother and asserted that his own name was J.C.J. as listed on a Guatemala national identification card that he submitted in support of the sponsorship application. After initially denying that he was using another individual’s identity, Coc Choc admitted to the misrepresentation. Coc Choc then filed a sponsorship application in his true name. ORR denied this application as a result of the alleged fraud.
Coc Choc is charged with one count of making a false, fictitious, or fraudulent statement, and one count of aggravated identity theft. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison on the false statement count, and a mandatory consecutive penalty of two years in prison on the aggravated identity theft count.
These charges are the result of the coordinated efforts of Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA). JTFA, a partnership with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), has been elevated and expanded by the Attorney General with a mandate to target cartels and other transnational criminal organizations to eliminate human smuggling and trafficking networks operating in the Americas, including Canada, Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Panama, Colombia, and the Caribbean that impact public safety and the security of our borders. JTFA currently comprises detailees from U.S. Attorneys’ Offices along the southwest border, the Northern District of New York, the District of Vermont, and the Southern District of Florida. Dedicated support is provided by numerous components of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, led by the Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP) and supported by the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section (MLARS), the Office of Enforcement Operations (OEO), and the Office of International Affairs (OIA), among others. JTFA also relies on substantial law enforcement investment from DHS, FBI, DEA, and other partners. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 415 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of alien smuggling; more than 355 U.S. convictions; more than 305 significant jail sentences imposed; and forfeitures of substantial assets.
HHS-OIG is investigating the case. Homeland Security Investigations’ (HSI) Legal Attaché team in Guatemala, HSI’s Center for Countering Human Trafficking in Washington, D.C., and ORR provided valuable assistance.
JTFA Trial Attorneys Aaron Jennen and Nicole Lockhart, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen Craig for the Middle District of Louisiana are prosecuting the case, with substantial assistance from Samantha Usher of the Justice Department’s Health Care Fraud Unit. Valuable assistance was also provided by the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs.
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 other transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Project Safe Neighborhoods.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Guatemalan National Charged for Resisting Federal AgentsRead the Press Release
BOSTON– A Guatemalan national has been charged in federal court in Boston after allegedly resisting and assaulting federal officers during an immigration arrest.
Manolo Morales Lopez, 29, was charged with one count of forcibly assaulting, resisting, opposing, impeding, intimidating, or interfering with federal officers while they carried out official duties, prosecutors announced. The defendant appeared in federal court in Boston on Sept. 12, 2025 and was released on conditions.
The complaint alleges that on Sept. 12, 2025, Morales Lopez forcibly resisted and assaulted agents as they attempted to arrest a woman for a violation of the immigration laws in Woburn, Mass. As agents attempted to remove the woman from a car, Morales Lopez allegedly leaned toward the woman and began holding onto her arm, preventing her removal. After the agents warned Morales Lopez repeatedly that he could be subject to arrest himself for interfering with the arrest of the woman, the agents attempted to remove him from the vehicle. It is alleged that after the agents succeeded in getting Morales Lopez out of the car, he raised his arm up and over the head of one of the agents and grabbed him around the neck from behind. The agent ducked under Morales Lopez’s arm to avoid being put in a choke hold or headlock. Morales allegedly continued to struggle and resist the agents as they attempted the put him in handcuffs.
The charge of forcibly assaulting, resisting, opposing, impeding, intimidating, or interfering with federal officers engaged in the performance of official duties provides for a sentence of up to eight years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert E. Richardson of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Guam Man Sentenced for Flying Drone over Military InstallationRead the Press Release
Hagåtña, Guam – SHAWN N. ANDERSON, United States Attorney for the Districts of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, announced that defendant Billy Cao Cruz, age 54, was sentenced on September 11, 2025, in the District Court of Guam to two months home confinement for Violation of National Defense Airspace, in violation of 49 U.S.C. §§ 46307 and 40103. The Court also ordered two years of supervised release and a mandatory $25 special assessment fee.
On February 1, 2025, Billy Cao Cruz uploaded a video to his YouTube channel, "Planet Guam," which depicted sensitive footage of a military installation in Guam. The video garnered close to 12,000 views before being taken down. Cruz was previously warned by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) about photographing military installations.
On April 16, 2025, FBI agents met with Cruz at his residence. During this meeting, Cruz admitted to continuing to operate a specific drone, citing its fewer restrictions and the absence of notification requirements to local airports. In using this specific drone, Cruz stated, "You get away with a lot of things." Following a discussion about the national security concerns raised by the FBI and military, Cruz removed the video from YouTube and expressed understanding the potential threats posed by foreign adversaries, who might use the footage to target United States military installations.
“Nearly all of the airspace over Guam is subject to flight restrictions by aircraft operators,” stated United States Attorney Anderson. “These restrictions help ensure the safe operation of commercial, military, and private aircraft. As this case demonstrates, they also protect our national security, including the military personnel who keep our homeland safe. We encourage anyone with knowledge of this activity to contact the FBI at the earliest opportunity.”
“Defending the homeland is at the core of the FBI’s mission, and that includes safeguarding the security of our national defense installations,” said FBI Honolulu Special Agent in Charge David Porter. “This was not the first time Mr. Cruz had been warned about operating a drone over a military site, and this case demonstrates the consequences drone operators face when they choose to ignore the law in this manner. The FBI will continue to investigate and hold accountable anyone who compromises the national security of the United States and its citizens.”
This investigation was led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and collaboration with Homeland Security Investigations, Federal Aviation Administration, and Naval Criminal Investigative Service.
Assistant United States Attorney Stephen Leon Guerrero prosecuted this case in the District of Guam.
Franklin County Man Who Recorded Sexual Abuse of Toddler Sentenced to 40 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge John A. Ross on Wednesday sentenced a man who recorded pictures and videos of his sexual abuse of a one-year-old to 40 years in prison.
“This is one of the worst cases of sexual abuse that I’ve seen in 25 years as a judge,” Judge Ross told William Burns before sentencing him. Judge Ross also ordered Burns to pay $146,500 to the victims who appear in the child sexual abuse material he possessed.
Burns, 41, and Rachel Burns, 35, pleaded guilty in May to one count of conspiracy to produce child pornography and two counts of production of child pornography. William Burns also pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography and an additional count of production of child pornography.
The Burns were arrested on July 30, 2023, by the University City Police Department. The couple thought they were meeting an 11-year-old girl, and planned to bring her home and sexually abuse her. Rachel Burns told investigators that her husband had child sexual abuse material on multiple electronic devices, leading to a court-approved search by the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office. Deputies then found electronic devices, as well as whips, numerous sexual devices and a 3-foot-7-inch-tall silicone sex doll made to resemble a prepubescent female in their home, their plea agreements say.
Investigators also found a 2022 video showing the couple sexually abusing a one-year-old. They found other videos and images from 2022 and 2023 showing that victim, the couple admitted in their plea agreements. Investigators also found 13,954 image and video files depicting child sexual abuse material (CSAM) on a computer and digital storage devices. William Burns used a WhatsApp social media account to exchange CSAM with other WhatsApp users.
In an earlier hearing on September 3, a woman who met William Burns when she was 18 and he was 33 said he initially presented himself as a “man of God” before physically and sexually abusing her. He showed her a video of the rape of an infant. She said he told her that he wanted to have children with her and then have sex with their children.
Burns “has just left a trail of wreckage behind him in his life,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Hayes said in court Wednesday. “He was dedicated to the sexual abuse of children.”
Rachel Burns, 35, is scheduled to be sentenced on October 15. The U.S. Attorney’s office has agreed to recommend no more than 35 years in prison for her.
The University City Police Department, the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office and the St. Louis County Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Hayes is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Former Waterbury Resident Sentenced to 41 Months in Federal Prison for Multiple Fraud SchemesRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that MARLENIN VITO, 45, formerly of Waterbury, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Vernon D. Oliver in Hartford to 41 months of imprisonment and three years of supervised release for multiple fraud schemes.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Vito was employed as Medicaid Coordinator at an assisted living facility (“Company A”) located in Stamford. Vito’s responsibilities included assisting the residents in applying for nursing home level Medicaid reimbursements, monitoring the residents’ patient trust accounts, and ensuring compliance with Medicaid regulations. She was also responsible for keeping journal entries for the residents’ trust accounts and to credit their accounts when funds were received, and for debiting patient accounts when payments were made on behalf of the residents or when cash was given to residents for incidental expenses.
Between approximately December 2019 and May 2021, Vito defrauded Company A and its residents by generating checks from Company A’s system, forging a fellow employee’s signature on the checks, negotiating the fraudulent checks purportedly to give the cash proceeds to certain residents, and keeping the cash for her own use. Vito then made false entries into Company A’s accounting ledger by debiting the fraudulently obtained cash from the residents’ respective trust accounts. Many of the residents were not healthy enough or mentally capable of tracking their own expenses or monitoring the balances of their own trust accounts.
In certain instances, Vito cancelled residents’ supplemental health insurance coverage, but continued to deduct funds from the trust accounts and took the funds for herself. Also, when certain residents’ trust accounts were credited with Economic Impact Payments (COVID-19 stimulus payments), Vito took the funds for herself and then debited the residents’ accounts at a rate of approximately $60 a day until the stimulus funds were depleted.
During the scheme, Vito fraudulently negotiated approximately 500 checks, stealing approximately $310,820. When she was confronted by family members of certain residents, Vito created and provided to those family members false account statements that misrepresented the balances in the residents’ trust accounts.
After she was terminated by Company A, Vito obtained employment as a bookkeeper and scheduler at an alarm company (“Company B”) located in White Plains, New York. Vito stole from the company by making false representations about overtime for herself and her daughter, and by using company funds to order more than $10,000 worth of products to be delivered to her Waterbury residence. Company B was defrauded of approximately $23,558 through these schemes.
After she was terminated by Company B, Vito was employed as a bookkeeper at a law firm in Hartford (“Company C”). Vito took fraudulently generated checks drawn on Company C’s bank account and issued as “Pay to the Order of ‘Petty Cash, ’” forged the signature of an authorized employee on the checks, cashed the checks, and kept the funds for herself. She then recorded the fraudulently negotiated checks in Company C’s books and records as “Petty Cash.” Vito stole approximately $27,179 from Company C.
Judge Oliver ordered Vito to pay full restitution.
On June 13, 2025, Vito pleaded guilty to wire fraud.
Vito, who is released on a $25,000 bond and residing in the Bronx, New York, is required to report to prison on October 17.
Vito has pending state cases in New York, where it is alleged that she embezzled approximately $100,000 from a small business in Brewster, New York, and in Connecticut, where she is alleged to stolen from an employer in Ridgefield.
This investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with the assistance of the Stamford Police Department, Hartford Police Department, Ridgefield Police Department, and the Putnam County (N.Y.) Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael S. McGarry and Nathan J. Guevremont.
Former Metropolitan Police Department Officer Pleads Guilty to Sex Trafficking a MinorRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Linwood Barnhill, 59, a registered sex offender residing in the District of Columbia, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to sex trafficking a minor, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
According to court documents, between April 2024 and April 2025, Barnhill, a former Metropolitan Police Department officer, recruited minor girls to engage in commercial sex acts. Barnhill collected over $10,000 in profits from one of the minor girls whom he exploited in commercial sex. Barnhill also used his victims to find additional minor girls to victimize, by forcing them to work in commercial sex.
Judge Jia M. Cobb scheduled sentencing for Dec. 12, 2025. Sex trafficking of a minor carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life.
This case was investigated by FBI’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Caroline Burrell.
This case was brought as part of the Department of Justice's Project Safe Childhood initiative. In February 2006, the Attorney General created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorney's Offices, 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 identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
25cr149
Former D.C. Corrections Employee Sentenced to Prison Time for Accepting Bribes to Smuggle ContrabandRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Herbert Baylor, 68, a former D.C. Department of Corrections caseworker who resides in the District, was sentenced today to six months in federal prison followed by a term of six months of home detention in connection with his role in a contraband smuggling scheme at a facility operated by the Department of Corrections (DOC), announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Pamela Porter, 56, also of the District, was sentenced to six months of home detention for her role in the scheme.
Baylor pleaded guilty April 16 to one count of bribery before U.S. District Court Judge Tanya Chutkan. In addition to the six-month prison term and six months of home detention, Judge Chutkan ordered Baylor to serve one year of supervised release and complete 60 hours of community service.
Porter pleaded guilty April 17 to one count of bribery. In addition to six months of home detention, Judge Chutkan ordered Porter to complete 60 hours of community service.
Joining in the announcement were FBI Special Agent in Charge Reid Davis of the Washington Field Office Criminal Division and D.C. Department of Corrections Director Thomas Faust.
According to court documents, Baylor was a case manager employed by DOC to assist and manage inmates housed at the Correctional Treatment Facility (CTF), a specialized medium security facility that houses inmates receiving specialized medical treatment or monitoring related to substance dependencies.
Beginning in October 2023, Baylor worked with Inmate-1 and others to smuggle contraband into CTF in exchange for money. Specifically, Inmate-1 directed his non-incarcerated associates, including Pamela Porter, to send CashApp payments to Baylor. Baylor then hid cigarettes or controlled substances on himself to clear security at CTF. Once through security, Baylor brought Inmate-1 to his office and provided him with the contraband. Inmate-1 then distributed the contraband to other inmates at CTF in exchange for money. As part of this scheme, Porter sent Baylor $1,200. In total, Baylor received $7,995, between Oct. 20, 2023, and June 21, 2024.
On Sept. 19, 2024, Inmate-1 asked Baylor if Inmate-1 could call his attorney to talk about an appeal. Baylor authorized the inmate’s request. But instead of calling an attorney, Inmate-1 called Individual-1 to set up the delivery of prohibited objects to be smuggled into CTF. Baylor agreed to smuggle Suboxone strips into the CTF facility for Inmate-1. Suboxone strips contain Buprenorphine—a Schedule III narcotic drug.
On Sept. 23, 2024, Baylor met Individual-1 in the parking lot of CTF. Baylor accepted $1,000 in cash from Individual-1 and received a cigarette carton Baylor believed to be filled with Suboxone strips. Following the meeting with Individual-1, Baylor placed the $1,000 in his personal vehicle. He put the cigarette carton inside his underwear. Baylor went through security at the entrance to CTF and entered the facility. At that time, he was arrested.
As a DOC employee, Baylor’s conduct was governed by the DOC’s Contraband Control policy which states that trafficking contraband of any kind to inmates is strictly prohibited. The policy describes any illegal drug or controlled substance and any tobacco product as major contraband. Additionally, federal law makes it a crime to provide “prohibited objects” to an inmate. Prohibited objects include any controlled substance or any object that threatens “the order, discipline, or security of a prison, or the life, health, or safety of any individual.”
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office and the D.C. Department of Corrections Office of Investigative Services. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Gold.
Baylor: 25cr87
Porter: 25cr59
Former Chief and Captain of Bethany Beach Police Department Receive Prison Sentences for Theft of Federal FundsRead the Press Release
Wilmington, Del. – Two men, the former Chief and Captain of the Bethany Beach Police Department, have been sentenced to terms of imprisonment for theft of federal funds, announced U.S. Attorney Julianne E. Murray. Michael Redmon, 58, of Selbyville, was sentenced to 13 months in prison, and ordered to pay restitution of $81,890 and a fine of $50,000. Darin Cathell, 50, of Frankford, was sentenced to two months in prison followed by six months of home detention and ordered to pay restitution of $67,790 and a fine of $25,000.
According to court documents, Redmon, the former Chief of the Department, and Cathell, the former Captain of the Department, spent years claiming to work overtime shifts that they did not, in fact, work. Redmon falsely claimed at least 174 overtime shifts, totaling at least 760 hours and at least $81,890. Cathell falsely claimed at least 185 overtime shifts, totaling at least 800 hours and at least $67,970. Some of the funds Redmon and Cathell received were federal grant funds.
U.S. Attorney Murray stated, “Michael Redmon and Darin Cathell were sworn to uphold the law. They instead broke it – over and over, for years and years – to the detriment of the Town of Bethany Beach, their fellow officers in the Bethany Beach Police Department, and indeed every citizen who puts their faith in law enforcement. These just sentences reflect the seriousness of the defendants’ crimes.”
“Not only did they fail to lead by example, Michael Redmon and Darin Cathell betrayed the Bethany Beach community and their police colleagues. Their greed fueled a lengthy overtime fraud scheme, overtaking the oath they swore. As these sentences show, no one is above the law and the FBI is committed to rooting out corruption on behalf of the hard-working officers who carry out their duties honestly and honorably," said FBI Baltimore Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno.
U.S. Attorney Murray made the announcement after sentencing by Chief U.S. District Judge Colm F. Connolly. The case was prosecuted by First Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin L. Wallace and investigated by the FBI and the Delaware Attorney General’s Office.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the District of Delaware or on PACER by searching for Case Nos. 25-CR-01-CFC and 25-CR-02-CFC.
Florida Man Convicted at Trial of Mail Fraud in Connection with Mass-Mailing ScamRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, announced today that, on September 15, 2025, ROBERT W. LEDERHILGER III was convicted of mail fraud in connection with a years-long, mass-mailing scam. The defendant was found guilty following a one-week jury trial before U.S. District Judge Andrew L. Carter.
“Robert W. Lederhilger III defrauded tens of thousands of small businesses over the course of more than seven years,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “Lederhilger mailed fake bills for webhosting services to businesses across the country and collected payments from victims without providing them with webhosting—or any other service. This federal criminal conviction demonstrates that New Yorkers will not tolerate fraud and want those who victimize the public through lies held accountable.”
According to the Indictment, statements made in public court proceedings and filings, and the evidence at trial:
Beginning in 2015, LEDERHILGER operated companies through which he purported to offer webhosting services. LEDERHILGER designed and executed a scheme in which he mailed, and caused others to mail, over three million mailers that looked like invoices for webhosting services. LEDERHILGER sent those mailers to, among others, small businesses that already had websites in order to make those businesses believe that LEDERHILGER was their current webhosting provider and that they needed to pay him. When victim businesses made payments to LEDERHILGER, they received no service in return. The only thing the victims received was a “renewal” bill a year later, asking for another payment. Between approximately 2015 and 2021, LEDERHILGER made at least approximately $2.99 million from this scheme.
* * *
LEDERHILGER, 44, of Bradenton, Florida, was convicted of one count of mail fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding investigative work of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
This case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Camille L. Fletcher, Getzel Berger, Kevin Grossinger, and Daniel G. Nessim are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Paralegal Specialists Christopher Harris and Alexandra LeBaron.
Felon Charged with 7 Counts in Connection to Armed Robberies in AustinRead the Press Release
AUSTIN, Texas – A Kyle man made his initial appearance in federal court after being indicted for multiple alleged armed robberies that occurred in June and July.
According to court documents, Yael Williams Jr., 38, a convicted felon, allegedly used a firearm during robberies at a Subway restaurant and two 7-11 stores in Austin over the summer. An indictment alleges that, in the presence of store employees, Williams obtained U.S. currency and other property by means of actual and threatened force, violence, and fear of injury, by threatening the employees with a .22 caliber revolver.
Williams is charged with three Hobbs Act robberies, one count of discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, two counts of brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, and possession of a firearm by a felon. If Williams is convicted, a federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas made the announcement.
The Austin Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan Buie is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Former Contractors for the Florida Prepaid College Program Sentenced to Prison for Conspiracy, Fraud, and Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
Tallahassee, FLORIDA – Julie Michelle Shuler, 32, and Taylor Skiey Bradham, 26, both of Tallahassee, Florida, were sentenced to 36 months and seven months in federal prison, respectively, after previously pleading guilty in federal court to conspiracy to commit mail fraud and aggravated identity theft. Shuler was also sentenced to prison for four counts of mail fraud. The sentences were announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “These defendants sought to exploit Florida parents’ investments in their children’s futures for their own personal gain, but thanks to the diligent collaboration between my office, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, their profiteering scheme has been dismantled and a prison cell awaits them.”
Court documents reflect that Shuler and Bradham worked for the company contracted to provide customer service and records administration service for the Florida Prepaid College Program. According to court records, Shuler and Bradham used their positions to fraudulently access and view the personal identifying information (PII) of Florida Prepaid College Program account owners and beneficiaries. Records show that the women used and conspired to use such PII to fraudulently change ownership of existing Florida Prepaid College Program contracts and plans without the authorization or knowledge of the account owners or beneficiaries. Shuler and Bradham then fraudulently took over control, and conspired to take over control, of such accounts to request termination of those contracts. By canceling the contracts, Shuler and Bradham caused refund checks to be mailed by the Florida Prepaid College Program to addresses that they designated. Once the checks were delivered, Shuler and Bradham, and others working at their direction, cashed or deposited the checks into bank accounts. In doing so, Shuler and Bradham stole or attempted to steal approximately $86,000 in Florida Prepaid College Program funds.
“These defendants targeted students pursuing their education and, stole money intended to pay for college,” said Bladismir Rojo, Acting Inspector in Charge, Miami Division. “The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is relentless in pursuing anyone who exploits the financial system to steal money from unsuspecting victims.”
After their imprisonment, Shuler and Bradham will be required to serve three years of supervision upon their release. Both defendants were also ordered to pay restitution to the Florida Prepaid College Program and its insurance carrier.
The case involved a joint investigation by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the United States Postal Inspection Service. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Justin M. Keen.
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.
Drug Trafficker Sentenced to 33 Months in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Hagåtña, Guam – SHAWN N. ANDERSON, United States Attorney for the Districts of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, announced that defendant Ralph Daniel Clark Ricon, age 49, was sentenced on September 11, 2025, in the District Court of Guam to 33 months imprisonment for Possession of Methamphetamine Hydrochloride with Intent to Distribute, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1). The Court also ordered three years of supervised release, 50 hours community service, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee. In addition, defendants convicted of a federal drug offense may no longer qualify for certain federal benefits. Ricon is a lawful permanent resident who also faces deportation because of this conviction.
On the evening of April 5, 2024, Guam International Airport Police officers initiated a traffic stop of a vehicle driven by Ricon. During the stop, the defendant claimed to be Rodrigo Clark Ricon. He appeared to be nervous, heavily sweating, and having difficulty speaking. He was unable to provide a valid driver's license, or any documents related to the vehicle. Ricon verbally consented to a search of his vehicle. Officers seized several bags containing 80.6 grams of methamphetamine, digital scales, and drug packaging material. Following the search, DEA Task Force agents responded to the scene. After being advised of his rights, Ricon admitted to possessing the methamphetamine.
At the time of the traffic stop, there was an active arrest warrant for "Rodrigo Clark Ricon." The Department of Correction positively identified Ricon and determined he had two open Superior Court felony drug cases with warrants for failure to report and failure to appear.
“I applaud the relentless efforts of our local and federal law enforcement partners in combatting drug trafficking on island,” stated United States Attorney Anderson. “This successful prosecution resulted in another repeat offender going to federal prison.”
“Methamphetamine remains a top killer in our country. This deadly drug is extremely potent, unrelenting, devastating families and crushing dreams. Each time we take a drug dealer off the streets; we make a difference,” said Brian M. Clark, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Los Angeles Field Division, which oversees Guam. “Today’s sentencing should put drug distributors on notice. If you choose to push poison to line your pockets, you will be held accountable for your actions. DEA and law enforcement partners remain unwavering in our commitment to protect the health and safety of our island communities.”
This investigation was conducted the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Guam International Airport Authority Police.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Devarup Rastogi in the District of Guam
Dominican National Sentenced to a Decade in Prison for Fentanyl Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dominican national residing in the Bronx, N.Y., was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for his role in operating a fentanyl distribution hub in the Bronx that sent fentanyl laced with xylazine, a horse tranquilizer, throughout Massachusetts, Vermont and New York.
Jairo Collazo, 36, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns to 10 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. The defendant is subject to deportation upon completion of the imposed sentence. In May 2025, Collazo pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, involving 400 grams or more of fentanyl. Collazo was charged by criminal complaint in April 2024 and subsequently indicted by a federal grand jury in July 2024.
Collazo, and others, operated a fentanyl distribution hub out of a basement in the Bronx, from which he distributed fentanyl to destinations including Boston, Mass.; Fitchburg, Mass.; Springfield, Mass.; Syracuse, N.Y.; and the State of Vermont. Collazo and his coconspirators, whom he called “employees,” used the basement to package fentanyl into glassine wax paper bags for distribution. Collazo traveled to Massachusetts on two occasions, in December 2023 and January 2024, to distribute fentanyl to a witness working with law enforcement. On April 12, 2024, during a search of the Bronx basement, fentanyl packaged for distribution, materials used for cutting fentanyl with other substances and bottles of xylazine were recovered. Collazo used xylazine to cut the fentanyl and offered to sell it to the cooperating witness. More than two kilograms of fentanyl was seized from Collazo.
According to court records, in 2021, Collazo pleaded guilty in New York Supreme Criminal Court to criminal possession of a controlled substance in the first degree (heroin) and was sentenced to two years in state prison. Collazo was deported to the Dominican Republic and returned.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Jarod A. Forget, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Division made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Fitchburg Police Department and the Boston Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Samuel R. Feldman of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit prosecuted the case.
Davenport Man Sentenced to 180 Months in Federal Prison for Attempted Enticement of a Minor and Failure to Register as a Sex Offender While on Federal Supervised ReleaseRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, Iowa – A Davenport man was sentenced on September 15, 2025, to 180 months in federal prison for attempting to entice a minor and failure to register as a sex offender.
According to public court documents and evidence presented at sentencing, Gerald Brian Hoard, 52, was on federal supervised release due a 2022 conviction for attempting to transfer obscene material to a minor. In July 2024, Hoard sent pictures and arranged to meet up with a person who Hoard believed was a 14-year-old male. Hoard made plans to meet the minor at a Davenport movie theatre, and said he wanted to engage in sexual acts with the minor. After Hoard arrived at the movie theatre, law enforcement approached Hoard. Hoard admitted that he planned to meet a 14-year-old and that they had discussed sex acts. Hoard’s cell phones were examined, which revealed evidence of internet identifiers, including Facebook and Grindr accounts, which Hoard failed to register as required by the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act.
After completing his term of imprisonment, Hoard will be required to serve a ten-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
Hoard’s supervised release for his prior federal conviction was revoked and the Court sentenced Hoard to 12 months imprisonment, concurrent to the 180-month sentence.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Davenport Police Department and Scott County Sheriff’s Office.
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 the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the resources tab.
D.C. Man Arrested for the Murder of a 17-Year-Old ClassmateRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Carlton Simon, 20, of Washington, D.C., was arrested and charged with a homicide that occurred in the afternoon of May 29, 2025, in Northwest D.C., announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Simon made his initial appearance before Superior Court Magistrate Judge Heide L. Herrmann on September 16, 2025, where Judge Herrmann found probable cause that Simon committed the offense of second-degree murder while armed and ordered that Simon be held without bond pending trial.
According to court documents Simon, a classmate of the 17-year-old victim Angel Dominguez, approached Dominguez on Florida Avenue with a firearm in tow. As Dominguez walked away from him, Simon pointed a gun at Dominguez’s back, before putting him in a chokehold and ultimately shooting him in the chest. Dominguez died as a result of his injuries shortly thereafter.
Joining in the announcement was Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department.
This case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rashmika Nedungadi.
These charges are merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Convicted Honduran Sexual Predator Sentenced in Del Rio for Illegal Re-EntryRead the Press Release
DEL RIO, Texas – A Honduran national was sentenced in a federal court in Del Rio to 21 months in prison for illegal re-entry.
According to court documents, Neri Farid Ardon-Calix, 30, was found hiding in a railcar near Eagle Pass on Jan. 13. He had been previously deported from the U.S. in September 2023, following a conviction and two-year prison sentence for sexual assault of a child in Houston.
Ardon-Calix pleaded guilty on April 23. U.S. District Judge Ernest Gonzalez sentenced him on Sept. 11, remarking that Ardon-Calix was a danger to the community.
U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas made the announcement.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Daisy Gonzalez prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
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Convicted Felon Sentenced to More than Six Years in Prison for Illegally Possessing a Machinegun and a FirearmRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A convicted felon has been sentenced to illegally possessing two firearms, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona.
Chief U.S. District Judge R. David Proctor sentenced Kelvontae Rashad Wallace, 26, of Pell City, Alabama, to 79 months in prison. In June, Wallace pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and possession of a machinegun.
According to the plea agreement, between December 2023 and January 2024, Wallace illegally possessed a firearm and a machinegun on two separate occasions:
On December 15, 2023, Talladega police officers responded to a call of a person shot at the Orange #1 gas station. Officers responded to the scene and found a victim lying on the ground that had been shot in the stomach, back, and both legs. Officers collected five .45 caliber spent shell casings from the scene and there were at least three bullet holes in the glass on the store windows and door. Surveillance video from the store showed Wallace drive up to the store, exit his vehicle, and shoot the victim with a Glock pistol that had been converted to a machinegun using a machinegun conversion device, commonly referred to as a “Glock switch.”
On January 2, 2024, the U.S. Marshals Service Gulf Coast Fugitive Task Force and Pell City police officers went to Wallace’s apartment to arrest him for warrants for Assault, First Degree and Shooting into an Occupied Building arising from the December incident in Talladega. When the officers arrived, Wallace attempted to flee out the back door of the apartment, but the officers were able to apprehend and arrest him. Officers recovered a Century Arms Micro VSKA 7.62x39mm pistol with a round chambered and a loaded magazine from Wallace’s apartment.
ATF investigated the case along with the U.S. Marshals Service Gulf Coast Fugitive Task Force, Pell City Police Department, Talladega Police Department, and Anniston Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristy M. Peoples prosecuted the case.
Charleston Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug Crime Involving Beckley-Area Drug Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – David Anthony Lacy, 52, of Charleston, was sentenced today to three years and 10 months in prison, to be followed by one year of supervised release, for use of a communication facility to facilitate a drug trafficking offense. Lacy admitted to an offense related to a drug trafficking organization (DTO) that distributed methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine base, also known as “crack,” in Beckley and elsewhere within the Southern District of West Virginia.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 24, 2024, Lacy called Tilford Joe Bradley Jr. to request that Bradley provide approximately 3.5 grams of cocaine base, also known as “crack,” and asked to discuss buying fentanyl from Bradley to redistribute to make more money. As part of his guilty plea, Lacy admitted to making the phone call. Lacy further admitted that he received crack from Bradley throughout the month of April 2024 and redistributed it in and around the Southern District of West Virginia.
Lacy has a criminal history that includes prior convictions for drug possession, criminal conspiracy, and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Lacy and Bradley are among 12 individuals indicted on charges alleging they participated in the DTO, which operated from in or about June 2023 to in or about May 2024. All 12 defendants pleaded guilty, with Lacy and another defendant pleading guilty to separate offenses in lieu of the offenses charged in the indictment. Bradley, 47, of Beckley, was sentenced on July 10, 2025, to 12 years and seven months in prison after pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit, which consists of officers from the West Virginia State Police, the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Department, and the Beckley Police Department.
Chief United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Timothy D. Boggess and Brian D. Parsons and former Assistant United States Attorney Andrew D. Isabell prosecuted the case.
The investigation was part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The program was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and is the keystone of the Department of Justice’s drug reduction strategy. OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:25-cr-1.
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Cedar Rapids Man Who Shot Another Person During a Failed Drug Deal Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
A man who shot another person during a failed drug deal was sentenced today to 18 years in federal prison.
Seth John Lee McGraw, age 25, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after an April 3, 2025 guilty plea to one count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and one count of possession of an unregistered firearm.
On August 24, 2024, McGraw met with an individual in Cedar Rapids to sell marijuana. The deal did not go according to plan, and McGraw ultimately pulled out a firearm and fired multiple shots at the individual, striking that individual twice. Law enforcement officers searched McGraw’s apartment later that same day and located multiple firearms and drugs. One of the firearms that officers located at McGraw’s apartment was a short-barreled rifle that was not properly registered to McGraw.
McGraw was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. McGraw was sentenced to 216 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
McGraw is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
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.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam J. Vander Stoep and was investigated by the Cedar Rapids Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-CR-7.
Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Carver Man Charged in Animal Crushing CaseRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – Bryan Wesley Edison, age 32, has been federally indicted with sixteen counts of Animal Crushing, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson. Edison created hundreds of videos showing animals being tortured, drowned, dismembered, disemboweled, attacked, and killed, which he published and sold on his pay-per-view YouTube channels. Edison made his initial appearance in federal court today.
“Animal crushing is not only sickening, it is a federal crime,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson. “When someone takes pleasure in the torture of defenseless animals, it signals a deeper danger to our community. Especially in these troubled times, we will not allow these warning signs to go unchecked.”
In 2019, President Trump overhauled and expanded the “Crush Video Statute” with the Preventing Animal Cruelty and Torture Act (“PACT Act”) to make it unlawful for any person to purposely engage in animal “crushing,” that is, purposely crushing, burning, drowning, suffocating, impaling, or otherwise subjecting to serious bodily injury living mammals, birds, reptiles, or amphibians. This act recognized that individuals who intentionally torture and kill animals pose a unique danger to others and to society as a whole.
Since 2022, Bryan Edison, of Carver, Minnesota, operated pay-per-view YouTube Channels that depicted animals being crushed and tortured for Edison and his viewers’ sadistic enjoyment. Edison posted nearly 350 animal crush videos on his YouTube channels. Edison created and then posted videos in which he purposefully placed live animals into artificial enclosures such as a playpen, a bathtub, and a shower. These animals included birds, hamsters, mice, guinea pigs, rabbits, lizards and other large live reptiles, dogs, and snapping turtles. Edison would sometimes costume the animals or set up a “scenario” in which the torture would occur. Edison would then create crush videos in which the animals suffered prolonged torture and death through impalement, crushing, drowning, suffocating, and being skinned and dismembered alive by the larger animals.
Edison allowed the public to freely access some videos. Other videos required a subscription by the user. Edison set up different “membership” levels offered for $0.99, $9.99, $44.99, or $99.99 per month, with the latter being granted access to “custom” videos commissioned by the member. Edison advertised that the videos with the most graphic torture were behind the membership paywalls.
Edison developed logos for his channels and advertised merchandise offered for sale bearing those logos. Edison attempted to drive viewers to his YouTube pages with “clickbait” that emphasized the torture aspects of the videos, using titles and descriptors such as “slow death,” “shred,” “cracks head open,” “screaming,” “tear apart,” “kills mouse brutally,” and “THAT REALLY HURTS.”
Edison narrated many of the videos he created. His commentary included, “Shredder, do your worst,” “the poor black bunny is losing air by the second,” “there’s nothing I can do to save you,” “the squeal of displeasure, now the panic sets in,” and “gurgling screams.”
Edison’s animal crush channels, including “Prince’s Pet Planet” and “Prince’s Chomp Squad,” were ultimately removed by YouTube for multiple and severe violations of YouTube’s policy on violence.
“Animal crushing is an appalling abuse of power over vulnerable creatures,” said Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston Sr. of FBI Minneapolis. “The exercise of violence over the defenseless is never acceptable. The FBI stands with our law enforcement partners to rigorously enforce the laws that prevent and punish such heinous acts of cruelty.”
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew D. Evans is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Carjacker Charged with Carjacking Spree that Killed Two Women Makes Initial Appearance in Federal Court, Ordered DetainedRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – Edward Tiki Arrington, 45, made his initial appearance in federal court today, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson. Arrington was charged by complaint on September 5, 2025, with one count of carjacking and one count of discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
On September 4, 2025, Arrington engaged in a carjacking and shooting crime spree, targeting at least eight victims. Arrington crashed his carjacked vehicle, killing two young women and seriously injuring a child. Arrington was hospitalized and has now been transferred into federal custody. He was ordered detained today pending a detention hearing on Monday, September 22, 2025.
“A little over two weeks ago, a career criminal took the lives of two women and severely injured a child,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson. “That is loss devastating and it is permanent. I wish we could do more, but the truth is we can never make it right. What we can and will do is ensure that Arrington is prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
According to the complaint, around 8 am on September 4, 2025, 911 calls began to come in about a man with a gun around 334 Lake Street East in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Edward Tiki Arrington, also known as Troy Mike Payton, was the gunman.
Arrington was driving erratically towards Lake Street that morning. He was speeding, swerving into oncoming traffic, and driving on the sidewalk. Arrington drove his red SUV through a red light and crashed into another car, a white Infiniti SUV.
Arrington got out of his SUV and ran towards the other car, pointing a gun at the driver. Arrington tried to open the door of the white Infiniti but the driver accelerated away and was able to get away from Arrington.
Arrington then ran towards another car, a black Volkswagen Passat. Again, Arrington brandished the firearm at the driver. Arrington carjacked the driver—he ordered the driver out of her car at gunpoint, got into the black Passat, and drove the car against traffic.
Arrington drove the black Passat back to his red SUV. Arrington tried to remove two dogs from his red SUV. He was eventually able to get the dogs into the carjacked Volkswagen Passat.
As this was happening, a black Jeep approached the intersection. Arrington pointed his gun at this third victim, the driver of the black Jeep. The driver ducked and she was able to accelerate away.
Arrington then ran up to a fourth victim, a woman walking on foot on Lake Street. Arrington ran up to the pedestrian and pointed his gun at her. The pedestrian put her hands up. Arrington grabbed her hands and demanded to know where her guns were. The pedestrian said she didn’t have a gun. Arrington released her and ran back to the stolen black Passat.
As Arrington began to drive away in the black Passat, he fired a shot out of the vehicle. He appeared to be shooting at a work van that was passing by the black Passat. Arrington left the intersection around 8:10 am and drove to North Minneapolis.
The Minneapolis Police Department sent out a city-wide notice on the black Volkswagen Passat used in a shots-fired call. MPD officers located Arrington driving the carjacked black Passat in North Minneapolis. Officers attempted to pull Arrington over but he fled, driving towards downtown Minneapolis. Recognizing the immediate threat to public safety and human life, officers followed.
Arrington fled through the intersection of Penn Avenue and Olson Memorial Boulevard. He sped through the intersection, running a red light without stopping. As he did so, Arrington crashed at full speed into a blue Ford Focus sedan, which was driving lawfully through the intersection. In crashing his carjacked vehicle into the blue sedan, Arrington killed two women in their 20s and seriously injured a six-year-old child in the back seat; the child suffered bilateral femur fractures and a traumatic brain injury. One of the women killed was the child’s mother.
Arrington has a long and extensive criminal history that includes state convictions for assault and firearms offenses and a 2009 federal conviction for possession with intent to distribute cocaine.
“This violent suspect had an extensive criminal history and showed a complete disregard for the value of human life,” said Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara. “His reckless and violent actions claimed the lives of innocent people and put countless others at risk. We are grateful for the partnership with the United States Attorney’s Office as we all work to ensure that he is held fully accountable and that justice is pursued for the victims and their families to the fullest extent of the law.”
“Two innocent young women died yesterday, and a young child was hospitalized, due to the reckless and senseless actions of Edward Tiki Arrington, aka Troy Mike Payton,” said FBI Minneapolis Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston, Sr. “Violent carjackings have permeated Minneapolis for far too long; these federal charges represent the commitment by the FBI, our law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorney’s Office to reduce violent crime in Minnesota. The FBI will bring every resource available to ensure a safe community where its residents can thrive. Our thoughts are with the victims and their families.”
These cases result from an investigation conducted by the Minneapolis Police Department, the Minnesota State Patrol and the FBI.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office extends its profound sympathies to the families of the decedents in this case, and to all the victims. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is grateful for the cooperation with its federal, state, and local partners, and thanks the Minneapolis Police Department, the Minnesota State Patrol, and the FBI for their hard work in this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney David Green is prosecuting the case.
A complaint is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Canadian national sentenced to federal prison for Texas firearms violationRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas –An Ontario, Canada woman has been sentenced to federal prison for a firearms violation in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Jahtaya O’Dayjah Hamilton, 24, pleaded guilty to possession of an unregistered firearm and was sentenced to 63 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone on September 16, 2025.
According to information presented in court, on November 6, 2024, Hamilton traveled from Ontario, Canada to Houston, where she obtained 22 firearms, including four stolen firearms and a short-barrel rifle, from an unknown firearms trafficker. Hamilton then hired a rideshare driver to transport her from Houston to Little Rock, Arkansas. Hamilton initially attempted to hire the driver to transport her to New York state. The vehicle Hamilton hired was stopped in Angelina County for a traffic violation. During the stop, the deputy could smell the odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle and a search was conducted. The search resulted in the discovery of the firearms and Hamilton was arrested.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
This case was investigated by the Angelina County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Donald S. Carter.
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Callaway man who allegedly paid for “live child sexual abuse videos” of minors in the Philippines Charged with Child Exploitation OffensesRead the Press Release
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A Callaway County, Mo., man was charged with nine counts of attempted production of child pornography.
David Lee Maddox, 59, was charged by indictment with nine counts of attempted production of child pornography on Aug. 5, 2025. The charges were made public today following the arrest and first appearance in court by Maddox.
The investigation began on Aug. 8, 2023, when the St. Louis Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) office received a referral from HSI Portland, Me pertaining to the defendant’s apparent communication via Microsoft Skype with known traffickers/sellers of live and recorded child sexual abuse videos operating in the Philippines. The investigation showed defendant used Skype to receive “shows” from minor victims in the Philippines and paid for the shows by sending money via money transmittal services. From on or about Sept. 20, 2021, through Dec. 23, 2023, the defendant received “shows” depicting underage females on approximately 20 occasions.
The charges contained in the indictment 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.
Under federal statutes, if convicted, Maddox faces a federal prison sentence of up to 30 years on each count to be served without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is provided 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 was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley Turner. It was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), with assistance from Holts Summit, MO Police department and Missouri State Technical Assistance Team (STAT).
Project Safe Childhood
This case was 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.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
Burlington Man Sentenced to 24 Years in Federal Prison for Possessing a Distribution Quantity of Methamphetamine and a Loaded FirearmRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, Iowa – A Burlington man was sentenced on September 16, 2025, to 288 months (24 years) in federal prison for possessing a distribution quantity of methamphetamine and a loaded firearm as a prohibited person.
According to public court documents, Chad Jacob Runnells, 49, sold and received methamphetamine during several controlled purchases to law enforcement. In September 2024, law enforcement officers executed search warrants at Runnells’ residence and adjacent stash house and found about 3.5 pounds of methamphetamine, a loaded firearm, and more than $10,000. Based on evidence obtained during the investigation, Runnells was responsible for distributing more than 65 pounds of methamphetamine. Runnells was prohibited from possessing firearms, including based on a 2021 conviction for possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver as a habitual offender in the Iowa District Court for Des Moines County, and a 2013 conviction for domestic abuse assault impeding airflow in the Iowa District Court for Warren County.
After completing his term of imprisonment, Runnells will be required to serve a five-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Southeast Iowa Narcotics Task Force, Burlington Police Department, West Burlington Police Department, Des Moines County Sheriff's Office, Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Henry County Sheriff's Office, and the Federal Bureau of 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.
Brentwood Man Sentenced to More Than Eight Years in Prison for Receipt of Child Sexual Abuse Materials, Possession of Unregistered FirearmRead the Press Release
OAKLAND – Michael Lee Patterson was sentenced today to 103 months in federal prison for receipt of child pornography and possession of an unregistered short-barreled rifle. U.S. District Judge Haywood S. Gilliam, Jr. handed down the sentence.
Patterson, 44, of Brentwood, was indicted by a federal grand jury on April 18, 2024, and pleaded guilty on May 21, 2025, to both counts. According to the plea agreement, Patterson attempted to meet an individual whom he believed to be a 13-year-old girl to perform sexual acts on her. After his arrest, Patterson was found to be in possession of over 600 videos and 1,000 images containing depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Law enforcement also found Patterson in possession of a short-barreled rifle, which he had not registered with the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record, as required by law.
United States Attorney Craig H. Missakian, U.S. Secret Service (USSS) San Francisco Field Office Special Agent in Charge Shawn Bradstreet, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Acting Special Agent in Charge Robert Topper made the announcement.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Gilliam also sentenced Patterson to a 10-year period of supervised release and ordered him to pay restitution. The defendant was immediately remanded into custody to begin serving his sentence.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonah P. Ross is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Claudia Hyslop. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the USSS, ATF, Silicon Valley Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, the Brentwood, Concord, and Walnut Creek Police Departments, and the Contra Costa Sheriff’s Office.
Boston Man Charged with Loan and Check FraudRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Boston man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for allegedly defrauding the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and stealing a U.S. Treasury tax refund check as well as a check from a New York law firm.
Lonnie Smith-Matthews, 33, was indicted on two counts of wire fraud; one count of theft of government funds; two counts of bank fraud; and two counts of money laundering. In June 2025, Smith-Matthews was arrested and charged by criminal complaint as part of a federal crackdown on stolen U.S. Treasury checks. He will be arraigned in federal court in Boston at a later date.
According to the indictment, in 2021, Smith-Matthews fraudulently obtained two PPP loans by falsely claiming business income of $128,000, when he actually made less than half that amount and did not actually have a business. Additionally, in 2024, Smith-Matthews allegedly obtained and deposited a U.S. Treasury tax refund check for $150,000 that had been altered and forged to be payable to a defunct clothing company that Smith-Matthews owned. In fact, the U.S. Treasury check had been issued to a married couple in North Carolina as a refund on their 2023 income taxes. After depositing the check, Smith-Matthews allegedly laundered the proceeds using cashier’s checks made payable to a purported roofing company. It is further alleged that later in 2024, Smith-Matthews obtained and deposited a $232,000 check stolen from a New York firm. Like the U.S. Treasury check, the law firm check had allegedly been altered and forged to be payable to Smith-Matthews’ defunct company.
The charge of theft of government funds provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of bank fraud provides for a sentence of up to 30 years in prison, five of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. The charge of money laundering provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three of supervised release and a fine of $500,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley; Thomas Demeo, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Boston Field Office; Michael Carpenter, Special Agent in charge of the U.S. Dept. of Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, Northeast Field Division; and Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Boston Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kriss Basil, Deputy Chief of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.
Beckley Woman Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Leann Marie Keyes, 42, of Beckley, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, between October 2024 and January 2025, Keyes conspired with another individual sell drugs in and around the Southern District of West Virginia. As part of her guilty plea, Keyes admitted that she and her co-conspirator sold a total of 12.34 grams of fentanyl on four occasions during the time period, each time to a confidential informant. Keyes further admitted she communicated with the confidential informant about each sale beforehand and that her co-conspirator conducted the hand-to-hand sales at the Beckley residence where she and her co-conspirator lived.
Keyes is scheduled to be sentenced on January 9, 2026, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $1 million.
Keyes’ co-conspirator and husband, Justin Scott Keyes, 36, of Beckley, pleaded guilty on Tuesday, September 16, 2025, to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and is scheduled to be sentenced on January 9, 2026.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit, which consists of officers from the West Virginia State Police, the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Office, and the Beckley Police Department.
United States Magistrate Judge Omar J. Aboulhosn presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Lesley C. Shamblin is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:25-cr-73.
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Beaufort County Felons to Spend Decades in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – Bobby Lee Moore, Jr., age 45, and Andre Trell Hamilton, age 43, were sentenced for conspiring to distribute and aiding and abetting one another to distribute methamphetamine, fentanyl and heroin. Moore pleaded guilty on March 20, 2025, and was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison. Hamilton pleaded guilty on March 26, 2025, and was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison.
“These two sold a lot of drugs flooding our families and communities with poison,” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle. “We will continue to work with the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office and the DEA to go after these big shark bad boys and hold them accountable in federal court. The streets of Beaufort County will be safer for the next two decades while they think about who they hurt.”
According to court records and evidence presented at their sentencings, from February 2021 to July 2023, the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO) utilized a confidential source to arrange controlled purchases of methamphetamine, heroin and fentanyl from Moore. On each occasion, Moore communicated directly with the source to set up the drug deals. On May 31, 2023, Hamilton sold drugs after Moore set the meeting location. Hamilton sold 56.77 grams of pure methamphetamine in exchange for $1,000 in U.S. currency.
Hamilton’s criminal history spans two decades. Courts previously convicted him of multiple assaults, domestic violence, breaking and entering, burglary and several larcenies. In Beaufort County, courts convicted him of habitual misdemeanor assault in both 2012 and 2013.
Moore’s criminal history dates back to September 2001. The state convicted him of drug distribution and crimes of violence, with five prior drug-related convictions.
Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judges. Agencies involved in the investigation include the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office and the Drug Enforcement Agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Dixon prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on our website. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:24-CR-00073-D-RJ.
Baltimore Woman Pleads Guilty to Accepting Bribes and Defrauding Maryland Unemployment Insurance ProgramRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Natonia Johnson, 52, of Baltimore, Maryland, pled guilty today, to one count of wire fraud in connection with a bribery scheme that she conducted as a Maryland Department of Labor (MD-DOL) contractor to issue fraudulent unemployment insurance funds.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty plea with Special Agent in Charge Troy W. Springer, National Capital Region, U.S. Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG), and Acting Special Agent in Charge Evan Campanella, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) – Baltimore.
Unemployment insurance (UI) is a joint state and federal program that provided monetary benefits to eligible beneficiaries. UI payments are intended to provide temporary financial assistance to lawful workers who became unemployed through no fault of their own. Beginning in or around March 2020, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, several federal programs expanded UI eligibility and increased UI benefits. This included the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance Program, Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation, and Lost Wages Assistance Program.
In Maryland, residents seeking UI benefits submit online applications. In the application, applicants must answer specific questions to establish eligibility to receive UI benefits, including their name, Social Security Number (SSN), and mailing address, among other things. Additionally, the State requires applicants to self-certify that they are unemployed, partially employed, or unable to work for a COVID-19-related reason. The MD-DOL relies upon the information from the application to determine UI benefits eligibility.
According to the guilty plea, between June 2020 until about November 2021, Johnson executed a scheme to defraud the MD-DOL and United States. Johnson assisted friends, family members, and strangers with fraudulently filing and obtaining UI benefits they were not eligible to receive in exchange for bribes and kickback payments.
Initially, Johnson assisted individuals with uploading fraudulent documents in support of UI claims. She then falsely asserted that these individuals were self-employed. Later, through her employment as a contractor at Company #1, Johnson staffed MD-DOL’s UI call center and gained access to MD-DOL’s internal UI database. Then Johnson used this access to remove flags and holds on various co-conspirators’ UI accounts that established these individuals were ineligible to receive UI benefits. Additionally, Johnson backdated claims, removed fraud holds, and caused MD-DOL to issue additional UI benefits that these co-conspirators were ineligible to receive. In exchange, Johnson received between $200 and $500 from each co-conspirator whose claims she assisted with. Through the scheme, Johnson defrauded the MD-DOL of more than $250,000 in UI claims.
Johnson faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing is scheduled for January 6, 2026, at 11 a.m.
The District of Maryland Strike Force is one of five strike forces established throughout the United States by the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute COVID-19 fraud, including fraud relating to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The CARES Act was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The strike forces focus on large-scale, multi-state pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors. The strike forces are interagency law enforcement efforts, using prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams designed to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds.
For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, visit 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: justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the DOL-OIG and HSI for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph L. Wenner who is prosecuting the federal case. She also recognized the Maryland COVID-19 Strike Force and Paralegal Specialist Joanna B.N. Huber for their valuable assistance.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Antitrust Division Contributes to Historic Efforts to Unleash Prosperity Through DeregulationRead the Press Release
Note: A previous version of this release stated "over 170". This has been corrected below to "over 125
Today, the Antitrust Division of the Department of Justice announces its collaboration with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to identify over 125 anticompetitive regulations in response to the President’s Executive Order on Reducing Anti-Competitive Regulatory Barriers. Under the leadership of President Trump, the Antitrust Division, in close coordination with the FTC and federal agencies, conducted a comprehensive, government-wide effort to identify and reform anticompetitive regulations that distort markets and stifle competition.
“In America we believe in free markets, not central planning by government regulators or powerful monopolists,” said Assistant Attorney General Abigail Slater of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “Lowering barriers to entry by removing anticompetitive regulations will free America’s innovators and entrepreneurs to do what they do best: drive America’s future success.”
The Executive Order recognized that federal regulations should not predetermine economic winners and losers, yet some regulations “operate to exclude new market entrants.” It tasked the Chairman of the FTC and the Attorney General to consult with the heads of agencies and to develop a consolidated list of regulations that warrant rescission or modification in light of their anti-competitive effects. The FTC and DOJ worked closely and effectively on this review, and today Chairman Ferguson submitted an extensive list of anti-competitive regulations to the Director of the Office of Management and Budget.
Tuesday 16 September 2025
Westbrook Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Westbrook man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for distributing cocaine and cocaine base.
U.S. District Judge Nancy Torresen sentenced Francis Mezan, 35, to 27 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. Mezan pleaded guilty on April 8, 2025.
According to court records, a cooperating source working with law enforcement purchased cocaine and cocaine base from Mezan on three separate occasions, spanning from July 18, 2024, through September 5, 2024. These purchases were recorded and monitored by investigators.
The FBI investigated this case, with assistance from the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency and the Portland Police Department.
Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces: This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
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West Valley City Man Indicted Following Alleged Credit Union RobberyRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah –A federal complaint was unsealed following a federal grand jury in Salt Lake City indicting a Utah man with a violent crime after he allegedly robbed a Cyprus Credit Union in the District of Utah.
Joseph Troy Ortega, 57, of West Valley City, Utah, was charged by complaint on August 29, 2025.
According to court documents, on August 28, 2025, officers with the West Valley City Police Department and members of the FBI’s Violent Crime Task Force responded to a robbery at the Cyprus Credit Union in West Valley City. As alleged, the suspect, later identified as Ortega, entered the credit union, approached the teller and demanded money. The teller provided the suspect with $3,690 in cash and Ortega then fled the credit union in a black Toyota Rav 4 with an obscured plate. Using facial recognition technology by the Statewide Information Analysis Center, a hit for Ortega was returned, and a 2011 Rav 4 was registered in his name. On the same day, a Toyota Rav 4 was observed on 5600 West and 3500 South. The vehicle was stopped and Ortega, the driver and sole occupant, was taken into custody. During an executed search of the vehicle, law enforcement seized a wallet with a large amount of U.S. currency, an envelope that contained $2,690, narcotics, and narcotic paraphernalia.
Ortega is charged with one count of credit union robbery. His initial appearance on the indictment was September 15, 2025. His three-day jury trial is scheduled for November 24, 2025, before a U.S. District Court Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.
Acting United States Attorney Felice John Viti for the District of Utah made the announcement.
The case is being investigated jointly by the FBI’s Violent Crime Task Force and West Valley City Police Department.
Assistant United States Attorney Carlos A. Esqueda of the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Warm Springs Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Assault and Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—A Warm Springs, Oregon, man was sentenced to federal prison yesterday for assault resulting in serious bodily injury and prohibited possession of a firearm.
Antoine Scott, 28, was sentenced to 28 months in federal prison and 3 years of supervised release.
According to court documents, in June 2023, Scott approached a truck on the Warm Springs reservation and began punching the passenger through the window. The passenger suffered a head injury as well as a hand injury requiring stitches.
After being released from custody, Scott absconded from pretrial supervision. When arrested in June 2024, police recovered two firearms from Scott’s residence. Jefferson County deputies also recovered methamphetamine from Scott’s sock.
On May 21, 2025, Scott pleaded guilty to assault resulting in serious bodily injury and prohibited possession of a firearm.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Warm Springs Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Pam Paaso.
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.
Venezuelan Man Sex-Trafficked Illegal Aliens, Sentenced to Decade in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO – A Venezuelan national was sentenced in federal court today to 10 years in prison for two human trafficking charges and being an alien in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents, Edson Jose Contreras-Torrealba, 34, conspired with codefendant Eyleen Aular-Marin from February 2024 to Aug. 19, 2024, to recruit, entice, harbor, provide and transport multiple adult women, to provide sexual services for a fee in San Antonio. The victims were not free to leave Contreras-Torrealba’s apartment or the designated hotel rooms without permission from the co-conspirators, and they were required to work every day at all times of day and night. Additionally, Contreras-Torrealba always carried a 9mm pistol and was in possession of the handgun when he was arrested at a hotel in San Antonio on Aug. 19, 2024.
Contreras-Torrealba recruited one of the victims, an undocumented Venezuelan, over Facebook when she was living in Colombia. He provided money for the woman to travel from Colombia across the Mexico-U.S. border and once she was out of ICE detention in April 2024, Contreras-Torrealba harbored her in an apartment and told her she owed $30,000 for her travel debt. He instructed her to pay off the debt with proceeds from commercial sex. The victim facilitated up to 20 appointments per day for sexual intercourse for a fee, none of which went to the victim herself. Contreras-Torrealba charged the victim $50 per day to reside in the apartment as well as $50 for every prostitution appointment that required transportation. The victim was arrested twice in 2024, and Contreras-Torrealba added the cost of her bond to the debt she owed him.
A second victim, also an undocumented Venezuelan woman, lived in Dallas and was recruited over social media. Similar to the first victim, she was restricted to a hotel room and facilitated up to 25 appointments per day for sexual intercourse with no days off. Unlike the first victim, she split proceeds from sexual services with Contreras-Torrealba, keeping 30 percent.
“We cannot be a society that tolerates the commoditization of humans for the purposes of sex,” said Justin R. Simmons, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas. “If you intend to profit off of the sexual commoditization of humans, do not come to San Antonio, or anywhere else in the Western District of Texas because our law enforcement partners at the local, state and federal levels, are dedicated to ending the proliferation of human trafficking in San Antonio and throughout the District.”
“This sentencing of this international predator underscores our unwavering commitment to protecting those most vulnerable and combatting transnational criminal organizations,” said ICE HSI San Antonio Special Agent in Charge Craig Larrabee. “This case highlights the critical importance of collaboration between our local partners to dismantle criminal networks that affect San Antonio and beyond. HSI will continue to prioritize the fight against human trafficking and gang to ensure justice is served. We thank our law enforcement partners and prosecutors for their dedication to this case.”
“This sentencing sends a clear message that human trafficking and organized criminal activity have no place in San Antonio,” said San Antonio Police Chief William McManus. “We will pursue justice relentlessly and continue our commitment to safeguarding victims, alongside our federal partners. The courage of those who came forward and the dedication of our investigators show what is possible when our community stands together against exploitation.”
Aular-Marin was sentenced on Sept. 3 to 70 months in prison. Another co-defendant, Ronayde Salazar-Garcia, who, for two weeks, served as a driver for the victims in the human trafficking scheme and helped ensure the victims did not leave their confined locations, is scheduled to be sentenced Oct. 21..
ICE and the San Antonio Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alicia McNab prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
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