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24 November 2025
Two Sauk County Men Sentenced for Roles in Fentanyl Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Chadwick M. Elgersma, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that in separate sentencings, two men have been sentenced for their roles in a fentanyl pill trafficking group operating in Sauk County and surrounding areas.
Kenneth O. Phillips, 40, Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin, was sentenced on Friday, November 21, 2025, by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to six years in federal prison for conspiring to distribute fentanyl. The prison term will be followed by four years of supervised release. Phillips pleaded guilty to this charge on September 5, 2025.
Brandon S. Stevens, 44, Reedsburg, Wisconsin, was sentenced November 20 by Judge Peterson to one year and one day in federal prison for conspiring to distribute fentanyl. The prison term will be followed by three years of supervised release. Stevens pleaded guilty to this charge on September 4, 2025.
The investigation revealed that a co-defendant, Ames Basham, was mailing parcels containing fentanyl pills from California to Kenneth Phillips, another co-defendant Chrystal Mueller, and Brandon Stevens at various addresses in Wisconsin for local distribution. The pills were blue and marked “M30,” which should have been prescription Oxycodone pills. In fact, the pills contained fentanyl and other substances. Nineteen parcels of fentanyl pills were mailed from California to Wisconsin between January and April 2022. The USPIS intercepted parcels addressed to Phillips, Mueller, and Stevens in March and April and found they contained fentanyl pills.
Phillips was identified as the local leader of the group. He provided addresses to Basham, who in turn mailed the drug laden parcels to Wisconsin. Stevens worked for the United States Postal Service as a mail carrier and would pick up parcels mailed by Basham that were on his route and bring them to his partner, Mueller. He also identified an abandoned residence on his mail route where drug parcels could be mailed. Phillips and Mueller sold the fentanyl pills locally.
At the time of these offenses, Phillips was on state supervision for a battery conviction.
At Stevens’s sentencing, Judge Peterson noted that while Stevens was the least culpable of the group, he played a significant role in the drug trafficking and his conduct was a gross violation of the trust placed in him as a mail carrier.
At Phillips’s sentencing, Judge Peterson found that Phillips was in charge of the group and noted that the crime was very serious because of the dangers of introducing counterfeit OxyContin pills containing fentanyl into the community.
Two others were charged in connection with this drug trafficking conspiracy. Co-defendants Ames Basham and Chrystal Mueller have both pleaded guilty and will be sentenced in the coming months.
The charges against Stevens and Phillips are the result of an investigation conducted by the United States Postal Inspection Service, Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation, the Sauk County Sheriff’s Office, and the Wisconsin State Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven P. Anderson prosecuted this case.
Federal prosecutions by the U.S. Department of Justice involving drugs and guns are part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Operation Take Back America. Operation Take Back America is a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department 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.
Two Marshalltown Brothers Sentenced to Federal Prison for Conspiracy to Distribute HeroinRead the Press Release
DES MOINES, Iowa – Two Marshalltown brothers were sentenced on October 3, 2025, to federal prison for conspiracy to distribute heroin.
According to public court documents, Marcel Edmund Oden, 53, and his co-defendant brother, Jerry Juan Oden, 56, distributed more than 100 grams of heroin in the Marshalltown community for at least three years.
Marcel Oden had prior state convictions for assault-related conduct. At the time of the offense, Jerry Oden was on state parole for 2018 convictions for delivery of heroin and possession of marijuana with the intent to deliver, and 2014 convictions for possession of heroin with intent to deliver and prohibited person in possession of a firearm.
Marcel Oden was sentenced to 78 months in federal prison, followed by a five-year term of supervised release, and a $20,000 fine. Jerry Oden was sentenced to a 12 year prison term, followed by a four-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
United States Attorney David C. Waterman of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. These cases were prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jonathon Holscher and investigated by the Mid-Iowa Drug Task Force and Marshalltown Police Department.Title Company Owner and Real Estate Investor Admit Mortgage Fraud, COVID-19 Relief Program Fraud SchemesRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – Two New Jersey residents admitted participating in a multimillion dollar mortgage fraud scheme and one of the individuals also admitted fraudulently obtaining more than $1.8 million of federal Economic Injury Disaster Loans, Acting U.S. Attorney and Special Attorney Alina Habba announced.
Mendel Deutsch, 39, of Toms River, New Jersey, pleaded guilty on November 13, 2025, before U.S. District Judge Edward S. Kiel to one count of bank and wire fraud conspiracy and one count of wire fraud. Joshua Feldberger, 43, of Howell, New Jersey, pleaded guilty on October 22, 2025, before U.S. District Judge Edward S. Kiel to one count of bank fraud conspiracy.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
In June 2020, co-defendant Arthur Spitzer conspired with Deutsch and Feldberger to make it appear as if Spitzer owned three properties in Brooklyn, New York and agreed to sell them to Deutsch, who obtained a $4.5 million mortgage loan in connection with the transaction. Feldberger facilitated the fraudulent transaction as the owner of the settlement company that handled the transaction. The defendants created and sent letters stating that Deutsch had deposited significant funds into escrow toward the transaction, when in reality he had not; they created fake documentation purportedly transferring control of the properties to Spitzer; and they lied to the mortgage lender by stating that the settlement company had received more than $2 million from Deutsch at closing, which led the mortgage lender to fund the loan. The defendants then used the mortgage loan proceeds to fund Deutsch’s down payment, which he had supposedly already provided.
Further, in 2020 and 2021, Deutsch fraudulently obtained approximately $1.8 million of government loans that were intended for small businesses distressed by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act is a federal law enacted in March 2020 and was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans who are suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The CARES Act authorized the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) to provide Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs) of up to $2 million to eligible small businesses that were experiencing substantial financial disruption due to the COVID-19 pandemic. To obtain an EIDL loan, a qualifying small business was required to submit an application and provide information on its operations, including the number of employees and revenues or expenses. Deutsch obtained EIDL loans for businesses that had little or no operations by submitting loan applications that included false statements about the applicant companies’ number of employees, revenues, cost of goods sold, or lost rents.
The counts of bank fraud conspiracy and bank and wire fraud conspiracy are punishable by a maximum of 30 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense. The count of wire fraud is punishable by a maximum of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense.
Feldberger is scheduled to be sentenced on February 23, 2026, and Deutsch is scheduled to be sentenced on March 16, 2026.
Acting U.S. Attorney and Special Attorney Habba credited special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Atlantic City Resident Agency, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy in Newark; special agents of the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jenifer L. Piovesan in Newark; and special agents of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation – Office of the Inspector General, under the direction of Patricia Tarasca, Special Agent-in-Charge, New York Regional Office, with the investigation leading to these guilty pleas.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel A. Friedman and Elisa T. Wiygul of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Criminal Division in Camden.
The charges and allegations pending against Arthur Spitzer are merely accusations, and he is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Defense counsel:
Deutsch: Timothy Sini, Esq., New York
Feldberger: Zach Intrater, Esq., New York
Spitzer: Henry Mazurek, Esq., and Jason Ser, Esq., New York
spitzeretal.indictment.pdf feldberger.information.pdfThree Individuals Indicted on Federal Charges Related to 2020 Unsolved MurderRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Three individuals have been indicted on federal charges related to the murder of Zachariah Juwaun Shorty that occurred in Nenahnezad, New Mexico, on July 21, 2020.
Zachariah Shorty was found deceased on July 25, 2020, on a dirt pathway in a field in Nenahnezad, New Mexico, on the Navajo Nation. Mr. Shorty had sustained multiple gunshot wounds. The case remained unsolved for years before Special Agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation made a recent breakthrough.
According to court documents, Austin Begay, 31, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, used a semiautomatic pistol to shoot and kill Mr. Shorty, also an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, with malice aforethought and premeditation. Begay is charged with first-degree murder in Indian Country. Jaymes Fage, 38, another enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, is alleged to have aided and abetted the crime. Begay is also charged with knowingly using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, and discharging that firearm, thereby causing Mr. Shorty’s death.
Begay, Fage, and Joshua Watkins, 40, are additionally charged with crimes related to concealing the murder. All three are charged with misprision of a felony in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 4. That statute makes it a federal crime to have knowledge of a federal felony that has been committed but fail to report the crime to authorities as soon as possible. Fage and Begay are charged with making materially false statements to federal investigators on December 21, 2021, regarding the events that occurred on July 21, 2020. Fage is further charged with being an accessory after the fact. It is alleged that Fage attempted to help conceal the murder when he lied to investigators.
“The MMIP Regional Outreach Program was created to ensure that cases like Zachariah Shorty’s never fade into the background and to show the impact that focused federal attention can have,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison. “By strengthening coordination among federal, Tribal, and local partners, the program continues to enhance our ability to address unresolved violent crime in Indian Country.”
"Operation Not Forgotten deployed additional resources to New Mexico’s Indian Country, bolstering the dedicated agents and analysts striving each day to advance these cases toward resolution,” said Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Division. "Together with our local and tribal partners, we are committed to confronting crime and safeguarding the community.”
If convicted, Begay and Fage face a maximum of life in prison. Watkins faces up to three years in prison. Begay and Fage will remain in custody pending trial, which has not been scheduled.
Acting U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with the assistance of the Navajo Police Department, Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations and Farmington Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Eliot Neal and Aaron O. Jordan are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of the Department of Justice’s Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) Regional Outreach Program, which aims to aid in the prevention and response to missing or murdered Indigenous people through the resolution of MMIP cases and communication, coordination, and collaboration with federal, Tribal, state, and local partners. The Department views this work as a priority for its law enforcement components. Through the MMIP Regional Outreach Program, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify MMIP cases and issues in Tribal communities and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. This prosecution upholds the Department’s mission to the unwavering pursuit of justice on behalf of Indigenous victims and their families.
This case was brought forth through Operation Not Forgotten, an FBI established operation that focuses resources on seeking justice for Tribal community members who have been victims of unresolved crimes. The goal of Operation Not Forgotten is to move cases closer to resolution, provide services for victims, and to bring offenders to justice, who had so far escaped it. The FBI has partnered with the Bureau of Indian Affairs’ Missing and Murdered Unit to surge resources including FBI special agents, intelligence analysts, staff operations specialists, and victim specialists as well as BIA intelligence and investigative support.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law
Three Former Executives for Magellan Diagnostics Sentenced for False Statements and FDCA ViolationsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The former CEO, COO and Director of Quality Assurance and Regulatory Affairs for Magellan Diagnostics, Inc. (Magellan), a medical device company headquartered in Billerica, Mass., have been sentenced in federal court in Boston for concealing a device malfunction that produced inaccurately low lead test results for thousands of children and other patients.
Amy Winslow, 54, of Needham, Mass., was sentenced on Oct. 27, 2025 by U.S. Senior District Court Judge Patti B. Saris to one year of home detention. Winslow was also ordered to pay a $10,000 fine. In March 2025, Winslow pleaded guilty to one felony count of introduction of misbranded medical devices into interstate commerce.
Hossein Maleknia, 66, of Bonita Springs, Fla., was sentenced by Judge Saris on Oct. 30, 2025 to nine months of home detention. Maleknia was also ordered to pay a $20,000 fine. In March 2025, Maleknia pleaded guilty to two felony counts of introduction of misbranded medical devices into interstate commerce.
On Nov. 21, 2025, Reba Daoust, 69, of Amesbury, Mass., was sentenced by Judge Saris to one year of probation, with the first six months to be served in home detention. Daoust was also ordered to pay a $600 fine. In March 2025, Daoust pleaded guilty to one felony count of making false statements.
Magellan’s LeadCare II and LeadCare Ultra devices detected lead levels and lead poisoning in the blood of children and adults using either venous (i.e. blood draws through the arm) or fingerstick samples. LeadCare II, which was predominantly used to test fingerstick samples, accounted for more than half of all blood lead tests conducted in the United States from 2013 through 2017. LeadCare Ultra was predominantly used to test venous samples.
Winslow, Maleknia and Daoust – Magellan’s former CEO, COO and Director of Quality Assurance and Regulatory Affairs, respectively – misled Magellan customers and the FDA about a serious malfunction that affected Magellan’s LeadCare devices when they were used to test venous blood samples. By hiding the malfunction and later misleading customers and the FDA about when they discovered the malfunction, the nature, extent and frequency of the malfunction, as well as the risks associated with the malfunction, the defendants caused an estimated thousands of children and other patients to receive inaccurately low lead test results.
“These defendants knowingly misled the FDA about a device malfunction that caused thousands of children and adults to receive inaccurate blood lead test results. They understood the risks: that patients could receive falsely low readings, when their actual blood lead levels met or exceeded CDC intervention thresholds. They knew this failure could delay critical care, allow continued lead exposure and endanger the health of vulnerable families. Yet they chose to conceal the truth, prioritizing corporate profits, job security, and personal gain over patient safety. Regardless of the sentences imposed, their actions jeopardized the wellbeing of thousands,” said United States Attorney Leah B. Foley. “We will continue to uncover and prosecute those who violate the public’s trust and put public health at risk.”
“Individuals and companies whose lead testing devices produce inaccurate results can put the health of all patients, especially vulnerable children, at significant risk,” said Fernando McMillian, Special Agent in Charge, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations, New York Field Office. “We will continue to pursue and bring to justice those who endanger public health and safety.”
“Misleading consumers and federal regulators about a significant flaw in a medical device to boost your company’s bottom line is reprehensible. These three executives did exactly that, and in the process ignored the well-being of thousands of children and other patients who received inaccurate test results of the lead levels in their blood,” said Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division. “Their egregious conduct victimized vulnerable patients and eroded their trust in our healthcare system. The FBI is gratified all involved are being held accountable.”
“These three former executives deliberately concealed a known defect in medical devices used to detect lead poisoning—a condition with potentially irreversible consequences,” said Roberto Coviello, Special Agent in Charge at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General. “The criminal sentences announced today mark an important step toward justice for the thousands of children and vulnerable patients who were put at risk by the corrupt actions of these defendants.”
The FDA ultimately found that the LeadCare devices could not accurately test venous samples, leading to a recall of all LeadCare devices using venous samples and a warning to the public not to use the devices for venous blood samples because of the malfunction.
According to court documents, as referenced by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there is no safe level of lead in the blood. Lead exposure may cause irreversible lifelong physical and mental health problems. Young children and pregnant women are most vulnerable to lead exposure, especially those from low-income households and those who live in housing built before 1978 because those homes are more likely to contain lead-based paint and have fixtures containing lead.
U.S. Attorney Foley, FDA-OCI SAC McMillan, FBI SAC Docks and HHS-OIG SAC Coviello made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Leslie Wright and Mackenzie A. Queenin of the Health Care Fraud Unit prosecuted the case.
Teen to Serve Less Than Four Months in Jail for CarjackingRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Mark Edwards, 18, of Washington D.C., was sentenced Friday in the Superior Court, stemming from a carjacking that occurred in May 2025 in Northeast Washington D.C., announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Edwards pleaded guilty on September 4, 2025, to one count of carjacking. At Edwards’ sentencing on November 21, 2025, the United States requested a sentence of seven years of incarceration, the top of his sentencing guidelines, to be followed by three years of supervised release. The Honorable Judith Pipe sentenced Edwards to 84 months of imprisonment, suspended as to all but time served, and one year of supervised probation. The Court’s sentence was entered pursuant to the Youth Rehabilitation Act, over the government’s objection, which permits a sentence beneath the mandatory minimum term of seven years of incarceration for carjacking. Edwards had been in custody since August 6, 2025, and had served approximately 108 days in jail. Edwards will not have to serve the remainder of the suspended sentence if he satisfactorily completes his year of probation.
According to the proffer of facts, on May 28, 2025, the defendant and a second suspect approached a double-parked car, told the driver to exit the vehicle, implied they had a weapon, and stole the vehicle. Edwards and a 14-year-old suspect subsequently were apprehended in Maryland following a vehicle pursuit.
Edwards also was a suspect and had been charged with robbery in connection with a May 22, 2025, attempted carjacking that also was resolved through his plea agreement. In that incident, two suspects approached a double-parked car, told the driver to exit the vehicle, demanded the driver’s keys, and stole his cell phone. The driver managed to get back into his car and escape the scene.
Joining in the announcement was Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Pirro and Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department.
Two Havana Brothers Plead Guilty to Possession of Firearms and Ammunition by Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Nicholas Wayne Finley, 37, and Jason Dean Atkinson, 43, both of Havana, Florida, pleaded guilty in federal court to possession of firearms and ammunition by a convicted felon. The pleas were announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Thanks to the close collaboration between our local and federal law enforcement partners, these repeat offenders have been stopped from continuing to menace our streets and now face substantial prison time. My office will aggressively pursue criminals, like these men, who threaten the safety of our communities.”
Court documents reflect that federal law enforcement executed a search warrant at the two brothers’ residence on July 10, 2025. Officers found nine firearms in Finley’s bedroom along with numerous types of ammunition. Atkinson was found with a round of .45 caliber ammunition in his pocket, and a .45 caliber 1911-style firearm with obliterated manufacturer’s markings and additional ammunition was found in Atkinson’s trailer.
Finley had multiple prior felony convictions from Iowa, while Atkinson had a prior federal conviction for conspiracy to manufacture and distribute methamphetamine and possession of firearms in furtherance of drug-trafficking, along with two Florida convictions for possession of methamphetamine.
Both men face up to 15 years in prison.
The case involved a joint investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from the Havana Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney James A. McCain.
Sentencing is scheduled for December 22, 2025, at 10:00 am at the United States Courthouse in Tallahassee before United States District Judge Robert L. Hinkle.
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.
As part of its PSN strategy, the United States Attorney’s Office is encouraging everyone to lock their car doors, particularly at night. Burglaries from unlocked automobiles are a significant source of guns for criminals in the Northern District of Florida. Please do your part and protect yourself by locking your car doors.
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.
Staten Island Sex Trafficker Sentenced to 15 Years for Coercion and Enticement of a Minor and Being a Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
Earlier today, at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn, Justin Dixon was sentenced by Judge William F. Kuntz, II, to 15 years in prison for coercion and enticement of a minor and being a felon in possession of a firearm. Dixon operated as a “pimp,” using violence and threats of violence to compel the commission of commercial sex acts, including by minors as young as 14 years old. Dixon pled guilty to the charges in November 2024.
Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; Christopher G. Raia, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI); and Jessica S. Tisch, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), announced the sentence.
“Today’s sentencing holds the defendant accountable for the violence and cruelty to women and children caused by his unthinkable actions,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “It is the hope of our Office that Dixon’s extensive prison sentence brings some measure of comfort to his victims.”
Mr. Nocella expressed his appreciation to the Richmond County District Attorney’s Office for their assistance during the investigation.
“Justin Dixon forced multiple women, including a 14-year-old minor, to engage in sexual acts for his own financial gain, wielding threats of violence to maintain control,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Raia. “Dixon repeatedly violated his victims’ autonomy through degrading and manipulative grooming techniques designed to entrap them into his servitude. May today’s sentencing emphasize the FBI’s commitment to continued collaboration with our law enforcement partners to hold accountable any sexual predator who targets and uses others for personal financial enrichment.”
“Today’s sentencing further affirms the NYPD’s unwavering commitment to protecting the survivors of sex trafficking,” stated NYPD Commissioner Tisch. “And the message is clear: Anyone who would seek to profit through the abuse and exploitation of other people – especially our youth – will be held fully accountable. I thank and commend our NYPD investigators, as well as our partners at the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District, for their tireless work in bringing this criminal to justice.”
As set forth in the government’s sentencing memorandum and other court documents, in January 2023, Dixon forced his victims to commit commercial sex acts and used violence and threats of violence to ensure compliance with his orders. Specifically, he compelled the commission of commercial sex acts by a 14-year-old minor victim (“Jane Doe”) for his financial benefit. Dixon transported the minor victim—as well as other women—to a small geographical area off of Pennsylvania Avenue in East New York, Brooklyn, which is known as the “Penn Track” or the “Blade.” Dixon then forced Jane Doe and other women to engage in prostitution and demanded that the proceeds of prostitution be turned over to him. Any resistance from the victims was met with violence.
Dixon used social media and other internet applications to recruit Jane Doe and other potential victims, groom them and manipulate them into working for him as prostitutes. In or about January 2023, law enforcement officers rescued Jane Doe from a house in Staten Island where she, along with other adult females, was being held against her will by Dixon. At the house on Staten Island, the defendant used force and threats of force against Jane Doe to maintain control over her. Dixon forced Jane Doe and the other adult females residing in the house to cook, clean and bathe him. The defendant would not allow the women to be clothed inside the house and would physically punish the women if they disobeyed any of these rules. Furthermore, despite being previously convicted of a felony, Dixon possessed firearms and brandished these firearms in front of Jane Doe and the other victims.
Dixon further abused Jane Doe, calling her “tiny” and overfeeding her to attempt to make her appear older than her age. He forced her to take unidentified pills to increase her appetite and stated he was arranging for Jane Doe to have plastic surgery to make her look older. At the Penn Track, Dixon directed when, where and with whom commercial sex acts would be performed. Dixon collected and kept to himself all payments for the commercial sex acts.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Human Trafficking and Civil Rights Section. Assistant United States Attorney Lorena Michelen is in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendant:
JUSTIN DIXON
Age: 34
Staten Island, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 23-CR-090 (WFK)
Southington Man Convicted of Firearm and Drug Offenses Stemming from 2020 Shooting in HartfordRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that on November 21, 2025, a federal jury in New Haven found ERIC D. COX, 42, of Southington, guilty of firearm and narcotics offenses stemming from a shooting in Hartford in 2020.
According to the evidence introduced during the trial, on September 4, 2020, Cox engaged in a violent altercation near Hartford Hospital in Hartford. During the altercation in which Cox was slashed with a knife, Cox pulled out a gun and fired multiple shots at the individual who slashed him and others in the vicinity, which resulted in a bystander being shot multiple times. Hartford Police responded to the incident and found several cartridge casings on Jefferson Street where the stabbing and shooting occurred, and a hospital employee found a discarded .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol outside the entrance of the hospital’s emergency department and notified law enforcement. Police searched Cox’s car after the incident and found a bag containing approximately 28 grams of cocaine. Subsequent analysis of the firearm revealed the presence of Cox’s DNA.
Cox’s criminal history includes a federal conviction in 2008 for a crack cocaine distribution offense for which he was sentenced to five years of imprisonment.
The jury found Cox guilty of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years, and possession of cocaine, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of two years.
Cox is released on a $100,000 bond pending sentencing, which is not scheduled.
The Hartford State’s Attorney’s Office prosecuted the other individual involved in the altercation.
This matter has been investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Hartford Police Department, with the assistance of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Connecticut Forensic Science Laboratory. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert S. Dearington and Mary G. Vitale.
Southern Colorado Hospital and Doctors Agree to Pay $650,000 to Resolve Allegations That They Unlawfully Prescribed Opioids and Other Controlled SubstancesRead the Press Release
DENVER—The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announced that Mt. San Rafael Hospital and Rural Health Clinic (“Mt. San Rafael Hospital”) in Trinidad, Colorado, and three physicians employed by the hospital—Dr. Sheryll Castro-Flores, Dr. Joseph Jimenez, and Dr. Douglas McFarland—have agreed to pay a combined $650,000 to resolve allegations that they violated the Controlled Substances Act by unlawfully dispensing controlled substances, including high doses of opioids and dangerous drug combinations, and violated the False Claims Act by seeking payment for many of those invalid prescriptions from Medicare and other federal health care programs.
The United States alleges that, between January 2016 and December 2023, Castro-Flores, Jimenez, and McFarland violated the Controlled Substances Act and the False Claims Act by repeatedly issuing invalid prescriptions for controlled substances, including opioids. According to the allegations, these prescriptions were not issued for a legitimate medical purpose or were outside the usual course of professional practice.
The United States further alleges that the physicians ignored numerous “red flags” indicating the prescriptions were improper or unsafe, including high daily opioid doses, dangerous drug combinations, signs of substance abuse, prolonged opioid use, cash payments despite insurance coverage, long-distance travel to obtain prescriptions, and repeated early refill requests.
These doctors were employed by Mt. San Rafael Hospital, which, the United States alleges, is also liable under the Controlled Substances Act for the illegal prescribing of its employees, and under the False Claims Act for causing claims for payment for these invalid prescriptions to be submitted to the government.
To resolve the allegations, the doctors and hospital have agreed to pay a combination of penalties under the Controlled Substances Act and damages under the False Claims Act as follows:
- Dr. Castro-Flores has agreed to pay $112,500;
- Dr. Jimenez has agreed to pay $112,500;
- Dr. MacFarland has agreed to pay $100,000; and
- Mt. San Rafael Hospital has agreed to pay $325,000.
The hospital has also issued new policies and implemented new protocols, applicable to all its employees, to disallow opioids prescribing for chronic pain management and to ensure that opioids prescribing for acute and sub-acute pain is done safely and meets state guidelines.
“Doctors and the hospitals who employ them must prescribe controlled substances carefully to protect patients and the community from the dangers of overprescribing,” said United States Attorney Peter McNeilly. “When doctors write prescriptions for opioids despite red flags signaling that the prescriptions may be invalid, they place the patient at risk of harm and they increase the likelihood of illegal diversion. And, when doctors cause illegitimate prescriptions to be submitted to Medicare and other federal healthcare plans, taxpayers pay for those illegitimate prescriptions. We will continue to hold doctors and hospitals accountable when they disregard these important obligations.”
“DEA will continue to relentlessly pursue hospitals and practitioners who engage in egregious prescribing practices jeopardizing the health and safety of patients and the community,” said DEA Rocky Mountain Field Division Diversion Program Manager George Taylor. “DEA, alongside federal and state partners, will not tolerate those that violate the trust of patients and will hold those parties accountable.”
“Physicians who recklessly, illegitimately distribute controlled substances undermine ongoing public health efforts to address the opioid crisis and betray their professional responsibility to serve the health and well-being of the public,” said Special Agent in Charge Linda T. Hanley of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “Working closely with our law enforcement partners, HHS-OIG will continue to investigate such allegations to safeguard our health care system’s integrity as well as patient safety.”
The claims against Dr. Castro-Flores, Dr. Jimenez, Dr. McFarland, and Mt. San Rafael are allegations, and in agreeing to settle this matter, they did not admit to any liability.
This matter was investigated by the DEA’s Rocky Mountain Division, and the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General. The United States was represented by Assistant United States Attorney Jacob Licht.
South African National Convicted of Passport Fraud and Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
MIAMI – A federal jury in Miami convicted a South African national on Oct. 15 of making a false statement on a passport application and committing aggravated identity theft.
According to the evidence presented at trial, Vasudevan Pillay, 68, first entered the United States in 1985 on a six-month tourist visa. Upon his arrival, Pillay stole the identity of a U.S. citizen who had died decades earlier as a toddler. Evidence introduced at trial showed that Pillay obtained the victim’s birth certificate and, using the stolen identity, secured a Social Security number and Florida driver license in the victim’s name.
On Nov. 28, 2023, Pillay fraudulently applied for a U.S. passport using the victim’s name.
“For nearly forty years, this defendant lived under a lie,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “He stole the identity of a deceased child, defrauded the government, and tried to pass himself off as an American citizen. This conviction restores accountability and reaffirms that the rule of law still matters.”
Pillay faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison for the false statement on a passport application count and a mandatory two-year prison term for aggravated identity theft, which must run consecutively to any other sentence imposed. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Pillay is subject to removal after he is sentenced.
U.S. Attorney Reding Quiñones and Acting Special Agent in Charge Ryan McSeveney of the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) Miami Field Office made the announcement.
The DSS Miami Field Office is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ilana Malkin and Tim Farina are prosecuting the case.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 25-cr-20260.
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Sioux Falls Man Sentenced to 11 Years in Federal Prison for Conspiring to Distribute Methamphetamine in the Sioux Falls AreaRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, has sentenced a Sioux Falls, South Dakota man convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. The sentencing took place on November 17, 2025.
Brett Berglund, 54, was sentenced to 11 years in federal prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, fine, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Berglund was indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance by a federal grand jury in November 2024. He pleaded guilty on August 18, 2025.
In 2024, Berglund operated as a sub-distributor for a California-based drug trafficking organization. Berglund purchased methamphetamine from the organization and re-sold it in the Sioux Falls area. Berglund plead guilty to distributing more than 500 grams of methamphetamine.
This case was investigated by the DEA. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Joyce prosecuted the case.
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.
Berglund was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Serhat Gumrukcu Sentenced to Life Imprisonment for Barnet, Vermont, Murder-for-HireRead the Press Release
Burlington, Vermont – The First Assistant United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that on November 24, 2025, Chief United States District Judge Christina Reiss sentenced Serhat Gumrukcu, 43, of Los Angeles, California, to life imprisonment for his role in the January 6, 2018, murder of Gregory Davis in Barnet, Vermont. Gumrukcu was convicted by a jury on April 18, 2025, of murder-for-hire and conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire. Gumrukcu was also convicted of conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
Gumrukcu’s co-conspirators were sentenced in September 2025. Chief Judge Reiss imposed the following sentences:• Berk Eratay: 110 months of imprisonment to be followed by 3 years of supervised release.
• Jerry Banks: 200 months of imprisonment to be followed by 5 years of supervised release.
• Aron Ethridge: 140 months of imprisonment to be followed by 5 years of supervised release.According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Gumrukcu solicited the murder of Gregory Davis due to Davis’s threats of legal action related to Gumrukcu’s role in a failed oil commodities transaction. Gumrukcu’s conviction for wire fraud stemmed from his fraudulent activities in relation to this failed oil deal. Gumrukcu was particularly motivated to silence Davis due to his negotiations of a multi-million-dollar biotech merger involving Gumrukcu’s alleged discovery of a cure for HIV. Gumrukcu relied on his close friend, Berk Eratay, to arrange through a second intermediary, Aron Ethridge, the hiring of a hitman to kill Davis. Ethridge recruited Jerry Banks for the hitman role, who on January 6, 2018, posed as a Deputy U.S. Marshal, and abducted Davis from his Danville, Vermont home. On January 7, 2018, Davis’s deceased body was located in a snowbank in Barnet, Vermont, a short distance from Davis’s home. Investigators quickly discovered emails and messaging indicating the tension between Gumrukcu and Davis over the failed oil deal, resulting in Gumrukcu being interviewed twice by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Gumrukcu made false statements during each interview. Cellphone location information, purchase records, banking documentation, emails, and messaging discovered during the investigation led to the identification of Gumrukcu, Ethridge, Eratay, and Banks who caused the kidnapping and death of Davis.
During today’s sentencing hearing, Melissa Davis, Gregg Davis’s widow, addressed the Court. She expressed appreciation: to the Vermont State Police, “for every call, every update, every reassurance that you were working tirelessly to find who murdered Gregg”; to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, for its “coordination across state lines,” “professionalism,” and its “relentless pursuit of truth [that] made all the difference”; and to the prosecution team, stating the prosecution’s “strength, commitment, and unwavering pursuit of justice over these many years will stay with me for the rest of my life. I watched the way you prosecuted this case during those five weeks with excellence, clarity, and conviction. There were moments I sat in that courtroom simply proud—knowing God had appointed each of you to pursue justice for Gregg.” Melissa Davis also expressed appreciation to her victim advocate, the United States Marshals Service, and to Chief Judge Reiss.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael P. Drescher commended the efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Vermont State Police for their collaborative investigation of Gumrukcu, Eratay, Banks, and Ethridge, and the crimes associated with Davis’s murder. Drescher also thanked the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and Homeland Security Investigations, as well as the numerous law enforcement entities across the country who worked to identify Banks as the hired hitman, Ethridge and Eratay as middlemen, and Gumrukcu as the financier and benefactor of the murder scheme.
At trial, Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paul J. Van de Graaf and Zachary Stendig represented the government, with support from Karen Arena-Leene and Erin Thompson-Moran. Serhat Gumrukcu was represented by Susan Marcus, Esq. and Ethan Balogh, Esq.
Sanford Cocaine Trafficker Convicted of Firearms and Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that a federal jury has found Terrence Denard Perkins (45, Sanford) guilty of possession with intent to distribute cocaine, possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Perkins faces a minimum penalty of 20 years, up to life, in federal prison. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for February 4, 2026. Perkins was indicted on January 8, 2025.
According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, on January 9, 2024, law enforcement executed a narcotics search warrant on a house in Sanford, Florida, occupied by Perkins’ elderly stepfather. Inside the house, agents found an electronic money counter, revolvers in the bedrooms, and a loaded AR-15 semiautomatic rifle concealed behind a sofa cushion.
AR-15 found in the sofa
Revolver in Perkins' bedroom
In a backyard carport, agents found bags of cocaine and a cocaine cutting, packaging, and distribution station. Next to the packaging station, on the hood of Perkins’ Corvette, was another loaded AR-15 and a MAC-10 handgun wrapped up in a t-shirt.
AR-15 and MAC-10 on the hood of the Corvette
Hidden inside two broken-down cars on the back yard lawn, agents found Perkins’ cocaine inventory—18 vacuum sealed kilogram bricks of cocaine—along with more AR-15s, handguns, an AK-47 rifle, a machinegun, and hundreds of rounds of ammunition.
Financial records, DNA results, videos saved on Perkins’ stash house surveillance system, and Perkins’s own social media posts proved at trial that the seized items were tools and inventory of Perkins’ prolific drug trade. The United States is forfeiting the firearms and ammunition involved in the offense.
Bricks of cocaine, firearms, and cocaine trafficking paraphernalia seized from Perkins' house
Perkins is a seven-time convicted felon, including convictions for conspiracy to traffic cocaine, possessing a firearm as a convicted felon, and aggravating fleeing and eluding. As such, he is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office’s City County Investigative Bureau (CCIB), with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Richard Varadan and Michael P. Felicetta. Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer M. Harrington is handling the forfeiture of firearms and ammunition.
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.
Sampson County Drug Boss Found Guilty of Selling Massive Amounts of Methamphetamine into Eastern NC CommunitiesRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – A federal jury convicted a Sampson County native on twelve counts of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and distribution of methamphetamine stemming from his leadership of a large-scale methamphetamine distribution operation in Eastern North Carolina.
“This verdict sends a strong message: if you flood our communities with deadly drugs, we will come after you,” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle. “This defendant chose to run a major cross country methamphetamine operation, and now he will face the consequences. Our office will continue to protect the people of North Carolina with unwavering resolve.”
“Through a collaborative effort, ATF and our law enforcement partners disrupted a dangerous drug dealing network that stretched from coast to coast,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Alicia Jones. “Bringing an end to this criminal operation will have a major impact on bettering public safety in our community.”
“I am truly grateful for the cooperation between my office, our federal partners, and the United States Attorney’s Office. These partnerships have allowed us to stop the flow of drugs before they even get to Sampson County preventing overdoses and other catastrophic effects,” said Sampson County Sheriff Jimmy Thornton.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Homer Allen Faison, III, age 47, led a drug trafficking organization that transported methamphetamine and other drugs from California into Eastern North Carolina for distribution. Evidence showed that Faison traveled to California to acquire pounds of pure methamphetamine, set up shipments of that methamphetamine into Sampson County, and managed the sale of that methamphetamine at homes and businesses in Clinton. The investigation revealed repeated large-quantity deliveries, organized communications, and continuous drug selling from 2020 until Faison’s arrest in May of 2023.
Faison faces a minimum penalty of 120 months and up to life in prison when sentenced in February 2026.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Caroline Webb and Charles Loeser are prosecuting the case. The Sampson County Sheriff’s Office, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Clinton Police Department, Drug Enforcement Administration, Internal Revenue Service, and North Carolina State Bureau of Investigations, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Tyler Lemons and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Brad Knott led this multi-year investigation.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to 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).
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.7:23-CR-00065-D-1.
Rochester man who lured minor to hotel for sex going to prisonRead the Press Release
ROCHESTER, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Jonathan Woody, 31, of Rochester, NY, who was convicted of coercion and enticement of a minor, was sentenced to 144 months in prison and 10 years supervised release by U.S. District Charles J. Siragusa.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle P. Rossi, who handled the case, stated that in January 2024, Woody engaged in sexually explicit online and text communications with a 13-year-old child that he met on social media. On January 2, 2024, Woody paid for an Uber to transport the child to a hotel in Greece, NY, where he rented a room. While at the hotel, Woody provided alcohol and marijuana and engaged in sexual acts with the child. After realizing that the child was missing from home, the child’s family called 911 to initiate a missing person investigation. The child returned home, at which time law enforcement learned of Woody’s interactions with the child. Subsequent investigation resulted in the identification and arrest of Woody.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Todd Baxter, the Greece Police Department, under the direction of Chief Michael Wood, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation Child Exploitation Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Philip Tejera.
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Red Oak Man Sentenced to 27 Years in Federal Prison for Sexual Exploitation of a Child and Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – A Red Oak man was sentenced on November 21, 2025, to 27 years in federal prison for sexual exploitation of a child and possession of child pornography.
According to public court documents, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children received CyberTips that an account, later determined to be associated with Tracy Brian Schooling, 51, uploaded files containing child sexual abuse material. Law enforcement seized electronic devices during a search of Schooling’s Red Oak residence. A forensic examination of the seized electronic devices showed that Schooling used the devices to possess images and videos and produce images containing child sexual abuse material. In total, Schooling possessed more than 300 videos and 300 images containing child sexual abuse material.
After completing his term of imprisonment, Schooling will be required to serve a five-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Schooling was also ordered to pay $27,000 in restitution.
United States Attorney David C. Waterman of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Iowa Department of Public Safety-Division of Criminal Investigation-Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and the Federal Bureau of Investigation-Child Exploitation Task Force, with assistance from the Red Oak Police Department.
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 more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.Raleigh County Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Quenin Owen Brown, 34, of Shady Spring, was sentenced today to eleven years and four months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on December 28, 2024, law enforcement officers encountered Brown at a gas station in Nitro. Officers arrested Brown on a warrant alleging a parole violation and found he possessed a loaded HS Produkt (Springfield) model Hellcat 9mm pistol in a belly holster. Officers searched his vehicle and found a loaded Glock model 43 9mm pistol and a loaded Taurus model G3 9mm pistol. Officers determined all three firearms were reported stolen.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Brown knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony convictions for unlawful wounding on February 6, 2012, and for fleeing with reckless indifference to the safety of others and possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine on November 13, 2018, all in Kanawha County Circuit Court.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Nitro Police Department.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney JC MacCallum 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.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:25-cr-84.
Portland Woman Charged with Assaulting a Federal OfficerRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—A Portland, Oregon, woman made her initial appearance today after allegedly assaulting an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer in Tigard, Oregon.
Summer Shepherd, 37, has been charged by criminal complaint with Assaulting a Federal Officer.
According to court documents, on November 23, 2025, ICE officers were in Tigard executing an arrest of an individual. Shepherd drove up to where the officers were making the arrest and pushed an officer in the chest, causing the officer to stumble back. The officer walked back to his vehicle and closed the door. Shepherd proceeded to strike the vehicle with her hands, denting the car. Shepherd yanked the door open and when the officer put his hand out to prevent Shepherd from coming inside, she slammed the door hitting the officer’s left arm. With the help of additional officers, Shepherd was apprehended.
Shepherd made her first appearance in federal court today before a U.S. Magistrate Judge. She was ordered released pending further court proceedings.
Homeland Security Investigations is investigating the case. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon is prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Portland Man Charged with Violent Threats Against Federal Law Enforcement OfficersRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—A Portland, Oregon, man made his initial appearance today after allegedly making violent threats at the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) building in South Portland.
John Paul Cupp, 45, has been charged by criminal complaint with Threats Made Against a Federal Law Enforcement Officer.
“Threats of violence against the brave members of law enforcement and their families will not be tolerated, said U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon Scott E. Bradford. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office remains committed to holding those accountable who threaten and intimidate those who protect our communities, and we will continue to prosecute criminal threats of violence to the fullest extent of the law.”
“Threats to law enforcement personnel have absolutely no place in our community,” said Acting Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Portland Special Agent in Charge Matt Torres. “Attempts to intimidate those sworn to protect the American people and uphold our Constitution degrade efforts to keep all of us safe. The FBI will use all investigative means available to us to seek out and arrest anyone using violent rhetoric to express themselves.”
According to court documents, on October 14, 2025, Cupp began yelling insults at law enforcement officers as they were approaching a crowd. Cupp threatened to kill law enforcement officers and sexually assault their wives.
On November 3, 2025, Cupp posted a video online reiterating the same threats to federal agents and their wives. On November 13, 2025, Cupp continued posting violent threats online to officers and their family.
Cupp is a prolific producer of online content and regularly posts aggressive rhetoric, calls for war against the United States, antisemitic threats, and threats of violence.
Since June 13, 2025, the United States Attorney’s Office has charged 40 defendants with federal crimes for offenses committed near ICE facilities, including assaulting federal officers, failure to comply, and depredation of government property.
Cupp made his first appearance in federal court today before a U.S. Magistrate Judge. He was ordered detained pending further court proceedings.
The FBI is investigating the case. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon is prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Overland Park men indicted for investment fraud schemeRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. – Two Kansas men made their initial appearances before a federal judge following indictments in connection with a $4 million retail sales investment scheme.
According to court documents, Baha Ibrahim, 21, and Jawad Albadawi, 21, both of Overland Park, were indicted on one count of wire fraud conspiracy, nine counts of wire fraud, one count of money laundering conspiracy, six counts of money laundering, and seven counts of transacting in criminal proceeds.
According to court documents, Ibrahim and Albadawi allegedly solicited money from investors by falsely claiming that their business would purchase merchandise wholesale and then sell the items online as individual retail sales, thereby yielding high returns. From March 2024 to August 2024, Ibrahim and Albadawi are accused of failing to purchase bulk items or sell them consistent with representations they made to investors. They are accused of misappropriating investors’ funds for their own personal benefit, including the purchase of luxury vehicles, cryptocurrency, and lavish trips to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, Greece, and Las Vegas.
Ibrahim and Albadawi made their initial court appearances on November 24, 2025, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Teresa J. James of the U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan J. Huschka is prosecuting the case.
OTHER INDICTMENTS
Andrew M. Amundsen, 33, of Leavenworth was indicted on one count of felon in possession of a firearm and one count of possession of a firearm by an unlawful user of a controlled substance. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Faiza Alhambra 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.
###Omaha Man Sentenced to 17 1/2 Years for Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled SubstancesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Javier O. Jasso, 42, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced on November 20, 2025, in federal court in Lincoln, Nebraska, for one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. United States District Judge Susan M. Bazis sentenced Jasso to a total of 210 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Jasso’s release from prison, he will begin a 5-year term of supervised release.
Between January 24, 2024, and continuing until on or about May 28, 2024, Bryan Hall, Javier Jasso, and Jeremy Eaves worked together to sell cocaine, methamphetamine, and fentanyl in and around the Lincoln and Omaha areas. The group is responsible for possessing and/or distributing at least two kilograms of cocaine, 600 grams of methamphetamine, and 500 grams of fentanyl throughout the conspiracy. Law enforcement also made multiple controlled buys from Jasso during this time.
A search warrant was executed at the residence of Eaves, Jasso, and Hall. In Eaves’s bedroom, investigators found a baggie of M30 pills, $1,985 in U.S. currency, a package that was delivered to another residence containing drugs, his identification card, bank receipts, and 330 grams of methamphetamine. In Jasso’s bedroom, officers seized $5,050 of U.S. currency and an additional $415 of U.S. currency from his wallet. Drugs were also found on the floor in the community room. In a closet, officers found 170 grams of methamphetamine, baggies of M30 pills, pink pills, suspected MDMA, LSD, Adderall, unknown liquids, unknown pills, bags of mushrooms, THC cartridges, THC syrup, ammunition, and a Marlin lever action .22 caliber rifle.
Co-defendant Jeremy Eaves was sentenced on September 25, 2025, to 224 months’ imprisonment and 5 years of supervised release.
Co-defendant Bryan Hall was sentenced on October 23, 2025, to 30 months’ imprisonment and 3 years of supervised release.
This case was investigated by the Lincoln Police Department.
New York Woman and Federal Inmate Charged with Contraband OffensesRead the Press Release
SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that an Indictment was returned by a grand jury charging Primativa Soto-Martinez, age 35, with providing contraband to an inmate and Forrest Gilmore, age 30, with possession of contraband by an inmate.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, the Indictment alleges that on or about July 6, 2025, at the Federal Correctional Institution-Schuylkill in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, Soto-Martinez, a New York resident, provided and attempted to provide Forrest Gilmore, a federal inmate, with two bundles containing buprenorphine, a Schedule III controlled substance.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Federal Bureau of Prisons Special Investigative Service. Assistant United States Attorney Tatum R. Wilson is prosecuting the case.
The maximum penalty under federal law for these offenses is five years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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New Orleans Man Guilty of Sending Obscene Videos to an Individual he Believed to be a Fifteen-Year-Old FemaleRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that MARK BROOKS (a/k/a “Baby Nu”), age 35, from New Orleans, pled guilty today before United States District Judge Barry W. Ashe to attempted transfer of obscene matter to a minor, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1470.
According to court documents, on or about May 1, 2025, BROOKS contacted an FBI online covert employee who was pretending to be a fifteen-year-old female named “Ava”. Subsequently, after “Ava” told BROOKS that she was only fifteen years old, BROOKS engaged in a sexually charged, text-based correspondence with her. During their correspondence, BROOKS sent multiple sexually explicit videos to “Ava,” including videos of BROOKS masturbating while at work and inside rooms in a residence. During their correspondence, BROOKS repeatedly discussed meeting “Ava” in person to engage in sexual acts. On May 13, 2025, BROOKS proposed to Ava that they meet at a restaurant near his residence and then return to BROOKS’s residence to engage in sexual contact. “Ava” agreed. Law enforcement authorities arrested BROOKS as he walked from his residence to the restaurant.
BROOKS faces a maximum term of imprisonment of ten (10) years, up to three (3) years of supervised release, up to a $250,000 fine and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. BROOKS may also be required to register as a sex offender. Sentencing before Judge Ashe has been scheduled for February 12, 2026.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Louisiana State Police in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Jordan Ginsberg, Chief of the Public Integrity Unit, is in charge of the prosecution.
New Jersey Resident and Business Owner Sentenced to 12 Months in Prison for Evading over $3.4 Million in TaxesRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A Gloucester County, New Jersey man was sentenced to 12 months in prison for willfully evading more than $3,400,000 of taxes, Acting U.S. Attorney and Special Attorney Alina Habba announced.
Jose Camilo Perez, Jr., 54, of Sewell, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty on November 20, 2025, before Chief U.S. District Judge Renée Marie Bumb to an Information charging him with one count of tax evasion.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Perez controlled a company that digitized medical records for hospitals and other healthcare entities. From 2016 through 2023, the business received more than $8,000,000 for the services it performed. Perez attempted to evade the assessment of federal income taxes by cashing checks payable to the business at a check cashing business rather than depositing those checks into the business’s bank account or his personal bank account, and then he used the cash for personal expenses and to pay payroll. From 2016 through 2023, Perez did not report any of the income he received from the business to the IRS. As a result, Perez evaded income taxes of more than $3,400,000.
Acting U.S. Attorney and Special Attorney Alina Habba credited special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jenifer L. Piovesan in Newark, with the investigation leading to this sentencing.
In addition to the prison term, Chief Judge Bumb sentenced Perez to 3 years of supervised release and ordered him to pay restitution in the amount of $3,434,066.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel A. Friedman and Josephine J. Park of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Criminal Division in Camden.
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Defense counsel:
Brian J. McMonagle Esq., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
New Jersey Pharmacy Owner Pleads Guilty to Health Care Fraud Scheme Involving Billing Medicare for Undispensed MedicationRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A New Jersey pharmacy owner pleaded guilty to health care fraud, Acting U.S. Attorney and Special Attorney Alina Habba announced.
Nestor E. Jaime, 37, of Pine Brook, New Jersey, pleaded guilty on November 19, 2025, to an Indictment charging him with one count of health care fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1347, before U.S. district Judge Katharine S. Hayden in Newark federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From December 2019 to December 2021, Jaime, through a pharmacy he owned located in Paterson, New Jersey, submitted hundreds of false claims to Medicare for a high reimbursement (i.e., more than $4,000 per prescription) medication called Dificid, which the pharmacy never actually purchased or dispensed. Jaime submitted false claims on behalf of dozens of Medicare beneficiaries who never were prescribed any Dificid. To make it appear as though the Medicare beneficiaries’ health care providers had prescribed the medication, Jaime falsely included the providers’ unique provider numbers on the fraudulent claims. As a result of the scheme, Medicare paid Jaime reimbursements for false claims for Dificid totaling at least approximately $2.5 million, which Jaime spent on luxury vehicles and other personal expenditures.
The charge of health care fraud carries a maximum potential penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greatest.
Acting U.S. Attorney and Special Attorney Habba credited special agents of the Health and Human Services Agency Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Naomi Gruchacz, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy in Newark, with the investigation leading to the charge.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jessica R. Ecker and Kruti Dharia of the Health Care Fraud and Opioids Enforcement Unit in Newark.
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Defense counsel: Anthony Iacullo, Esq.
jamie.indictment.pdfNew Jersey Man Charged with Using Fraudulent FDA Documents to Defraud Investors in Vaping BusinessRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A New Jersey man was charged with using counterfeit FDA documents purporting to authorize the marketing and sale of vaping products to defraud investors in a vaping company, Acting U.S. Attorney and Special Attorney Alina Habba announced.
Mohammad Abuhadba, 42, of Wayne, New Jersey, was charged by Indictment with two counts of wire fraud and three counts of use of counterfeit seal of federal agency. He appeared on November 19, 2025, for an arraignment before U.S. Magistrate Judge José R. Almonte and was released on $100,000 unsecured bond.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Abuhadba persuaded two individuals to invest in and co-own a vaping company by misrepresenting to them that Abuhadba had applied for and obtained authorization from the FDA to market and sell tobacco products, including e-cigarette and vaping products, in the United States. In reality, Abuhadba never applied for or received such FDA authorization, and he instead created doctored FDA authorization documents using counterfeit agency seals that he provided to those investors. After Abuhadba convinced the investors to begin investing in the vaping company, he repeatedly lied to them about the status of the company’s FDA authorization to induce them to invest more money. He also doctored a letter he received from the FDA to further disguise that he did not have any FDA authorization to market and sell tobacco products in the United States.
Each charge of wire fraud carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greatest. Each charge of use of a counterfeit seal of a federal agency carries a maximum potential penalty of 5 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greatest.
Acting U.S. Attorney and Special Attorney Habba credited special agents of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy in Newark, with the investigation leading to the charges.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jessica R. Ecker and Garrett J. Schuman of the Health Care Fraud and Opioids Enforcement Unit in Newark.
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Defense counsel: John Yauch, Esq.
abuhadba.indictment.pdfNew Haven Man Sentenced to 21 Years in Federal Prison for Distributing Methamphetamine Pills, Violating Supervised ReleaseRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that DONALD OGMAN, also known as “Mainey-O” and ”Manny O,” 44, of New Haven, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Vernon D. Oliver in Hartford to 252 months of imprisonment, followed by eight years of supervised release, for methamphetamine and cocaine distribution offenses and for violating the conditions of his supervised release that followed a prior federal conviction.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Ogman has been a leader of the Grape Street Crips (GSC), a violent New Haven gang. In 2012, the FBI arrested Ogman for offenses related to his role in GSC, including drug trafficking. He pleaded guilty to narcotics offenses and, on March 10, 2015, was sentenced to 188 months of imprisonment and five years of supervised release. In August 2022, a federal judge granted Ogman’s motion for compassionate release, reduced Ogman’s sentence to time served, and he was released from prison.
Ogman resumed his drug trafficking activity while on federal supervised release, distributing multi-colored pills containing methamphetamine marketed as ecstasy and crack cocaine in and around New Haven. The investigation included surveillance, trash pulls, and controlled purchases of methamphetamine pills and crack cocaine from Ogman from November 2023 through April 2024.
Ogman was arrested on May 9, 2024. On that date, searches of his person and residence revealed additional quantities of methamphetamine, as well as crack cocaine. A loaded firearm was also located at a stash location that was searched on the same date.
Ogman has been detained since his arrest. On April 16, 2025, he pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of, methamphetamine; three counts of possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of, 50 grams or more of methamphetamine; and one count of possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and a quantity of cocaine.
Judge Oliver sentenced Ogman to 228 months of imprisonment for the new offenses, and a consecutive 24 months of imprisonment for violating the conditions of his supervised release.
This matter was investigated by the DEA New Haven District Office (NHDO) Task Force, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the New Haven Police Department and the Hamden Police Department. The NHDO Task Force includes members from the DEA, U.S. Marshals Service, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division, Connecticut State Police and the New Haven, Waterbury, East Haven, Branford, West Haven, Ansonia, Meriden, Naugatuck, and Shelton Police Departments.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephanie T. Levick and Nathan J. Guevremont through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Program.
Missouri Home Health Care Company Agrees to Pay $534,475 False Claims Act SettlementRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A St. Louis area home health care company has agreed to pay more than half a million dollars to settle false claims allegations, U.S. Attorney Thomas C. Albus announced Monday.
As part of the agreement, Deer Valley Home Health Services LLC (DVHH) has agreed to repay $534,475 that the United States and the state of Missouri allege was falsely billed to Medicaid from Oct. 1, 2022, to May 31, 2023. DVHH submitted the claims on behalf of a person who began as a contractor and later became an employee. DVHH should have known that the person was falsely inflating his educational credentials and was claiming that more than 24 hours of service was provided in a single day, the government alleges. The employee/contractor claimed to have provided applied behavior analysis therapy including assessments and treatment plans for individuals with behavioral or developmental conditions. The government alleges he was not qualified to perform those services.
The employee left the company around May of 2023. DVHH disclosed issues related to his conduct in July of 2023 and cooperated with the investigation. DVHH denies knowing that the employee was submitting false claims.
“Today’s settlement underscores a commitment to holding providers accountable for submitting false information and fraudulent claims to the Medicaid program,” said Linda T. Hanley, Special Agent in Charge with the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG, alongside our law enforcement partners, will continue to protect taxpayer funds and ensure patients receive legitimate services from properly licensed individuals.”
HHS-OIG and the Missouri Attorney General’s Office Medicaid Fraud Control Unit investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Suzanne Moore handled the case.
Mission Man Sentenced to more than Two Years in Federal Prison for Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily InjuryRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced a man from Mission, South Dakota, convicted of Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury. The sentencing took place on November 12, 2025.
Tyler Waukechon, age 32, was sentenced to two years and six months in federal prison, followed by three of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Waukechon was indicted by a federal grand jury in February 2025. He pleaded guilty on August 7, 2025.
The conviction stems from an incident that occurred in October 2024, in the Rosebud Sioux Indian Reservation, when Waukechon confronted another adult male with a shovel at a residence in Mission. Waukechon struck the man in the face with the shovel, inflicting a deep laceration that required hospitalization. Waukechon was arrested later that day at a nearby residence.
This case was investigated by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Albertson prosecuted the case.
Waukechon was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Minocqua Man Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Chadwick M. Elgersma, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Corey Kromray, 40, Minocqua, Wisconsin, pleaded guilty on November 7, 2025, in federal district court in Madison to wire fraud and money laundering in connection to his long-term investment fraud scheme.
At the plea hearing, Kromray admitted that between September 2018 and March 2025, he used social media and other online communications to falsely portray himself as a successful trader in stocks, mutual funds, cryptocurrency, and the foreign currency exchange market (forex). Kromray also used social media to display wealth he allegedly acquired from trading, including images or references to expensive watches, a large home, tropical vacations, and exotic sports cars. During meetings with investors, Kromray told them that they could expect a monthly rate of return of approximately 4% to 8%, with the potential of earning up to 30% a month.
Instead of investing money as promised, Kromray often used investor money to pay his personal expenses. He also provided some investors with false information about the success of their investments, including sending fictitious account statements with inflated portfolio balances. Investors lost more than $800,000 as a result of Kromray’s conduct.
At the plea hearing, Kromray admitted that he laundered proceeds from his wire fraud scheme, including using $50,000 in investor funds to make a payment on a 2022 Lamborghini Urus.
The maximum penalty for wire fraud is 20 years in prison and the maximum penalty for money laundering is 10 years in prison. Kromray will also be ordered to pay restitution. Sentencing before the Honorable William M. Conley is scheduled for February 5, 2026, at 1:00 p.m.
The charges against Kromray were a result of an investigation led by IRS Criminal Investigation and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Wegner is handling the prosecution.
Michigan Pharmacist Sentenced to 46 Months in Prison for $4M Health Care Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
A former Michigan pharmacist was sentenced today to 46 months in prison for his role in a health care fraud scheme at a pharmacy he operated. He was also ordered to pay $4 million in restitution and to forfeit four real estate properties and $726,364.96.
According to court documents, from approximately 2011 to 2017, Nabil Fakih, 50, of Wayne County, billed Medicare for prescription medications that he did not dispense at the pharmacy he owned and operated in Dearborn Heights, Michigan. As part of the scheme, Fakih submitted fraudulent claims for reimbursement to Medicare for high-reimbursing prescription medications, such as blood thinners and lung disease inhalers that his pharmacy did not even have the inventory to dispense. He concealed his fraud by manipulating the inventory purchases at his pharmacy, as well as the receipt and transfer of the proceeds from the fraud, diverting the proceeds for his own personal use and benefit. As a result of his crime, Fakih caused a total of approximately $4 million of loss to Medicare.
In August 2024, Fakih pleaded guilty to one count of health care fraud before a federal judge in the Eastern District of Michigan.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Special Agent in Charge Jennifer Runyan of the FBI Detroit Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge Mario Pinto of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) made the announcement.
FBI and HHS-OIG investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Andres Q. Almendarez of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section prosecuted the case.
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of 9 strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,800 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $30 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with HHS-OIG, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
Massachusetts Man Charged and Detained in Ongoing Elder Fraud InvestigationRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A citizen of India currently residing in Dorchester, MA on a student visa has been ordered detained on a federal criminal complaint for his alleged role in a conspiracy targeting Rhode Island seniors, announced Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom.
Samyag Uday Doshi, 25, appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Amy E. Moses on November 17, 2025 for his initial appearance following his arrest. He has been charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud. It is alleged that he participated in a scheme that caused a Rhode Island resident to turn over $54,000 in cash, with an attempted loss amount totaling more than $385,000.
According to allegations in the criminal complaint, law enforcement received a call for service regarding a Newport resident who was suspected to be the victim of an elder abuse financial fraud scam. The individual received a voicemail on his cellular phone regarding a phony purchase and was instructed to call a telephone number provided to him to address the issue. When he called the number, scammers falsely told him that he was speaking with a federal official and was under investigation for a myriad of charges, including money laundering. The scammers represented that they could assist the individual through the investigation.
Over the course of approximately three weeks, scammers directed the individual to make multiple cash withdrawals of tens of thousands of dollars and to then mail the funds out of state or provide the funds to “couriers,” whom he met in person in Rhode Island. The individual also made multiple inquiries about purchasing hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of gold bars. These inquiries are believed to have been directed by members of the conspiracy.
On November 17, 2025, the scammers attempted to arrange for the victim to deliver an additional $45,000 in cash. The victim contacted law enforcement, who surveilled the delivery as it was made, as is alleged, to Doshi, who was arrested at the meet spot.
A federal criminal complaint is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S Attorney Taylor A. Dean.
The matter was investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI)-Providence and the Newport Police Department, with assistance from HSI-Chicago.
This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Rhode Island comprises agents and officers from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Drug Enforcement Administration, Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, U.S. Marshals Service, ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, Naval Criminal Investigative Service, U.S. Department of Labor-Office of Inspector General, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Intelligence & Analysis, and Rhode Island Police Departments in Warwick, Newport, Providence, East Providence, and Lincoln, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Rhode Island.
Maryland Woman and Federal Inmate Charged with Contraband OffensesRead the Press Release
SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that an Indictment was returned by a grand jury charging Alita Stewart, age 51, with providing contraband to an inmate and Hugh Berry, age 41, with possession of contraband by an inmate.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, the Indictment alleges that on or about August 17, 2025, at the Federal Correctional Institution-Schuylkill in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, Stewart, a Maryland residence, provided and attempted to provide Hugh Berry, a federal inmate, with a purple bundle containing a mixture or substance containing marijuana.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Federal Bureau of Prisons Special Investigative Service. Assistant United States Attorney Tatum R. Wilson is prosecuting the case.
The maximum penalty under federal law for these offenses is five years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Maryland Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Child Sex Abuse ChargesRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – Juan Carlos Puente, 47, of Clinton, Maryland, pled guilty to producing and possessing child sexual abuse material in federal court.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty plea with Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office.
As detailed in the plea agreement, between approximately October 1, 2021, and April 22, 2022, Puente enticed a minor victim, who resided in the Dominican Republic, to engage in unlawful sexual activity and produce child sexual abuse material. Specifically, through Facebook messages, Puente enticed the minor victim to perform sexual acts on herself and to send videos of her engaging in the requested sexually explicit conduct in exchange for money. The messages also show Puente sending money transfer ID numbers to the minor victim and saying he sent money to her on multiple occasions.
On January 9, 2024, the FBI executed a federal search warrant at Puente’s Clinton residence. Law enforcement seized electronic devices and other evidence from his residence pursuant to the search warrant. Forensic review of the devices uncovered visual depictions of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct.
As part of his plea agreement, Puente must register as a sex offender in places where he resides, is an employee, and is a student, under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act.
Puente is facing a mandatory minimum of 15 years and a statutory maximum of 50 years in federal prison. U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis scheduled sentencing for Monday, January 26, at 10 a.m.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit justice.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, visit justice.gov/psc and click on the “Resources” tab on the left of the page.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI for its work in the investigation, and the Prince George's County Police Department for its valuable assistance. Ms. Hayes thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan S. McKoy, and Trial Attorney Jessica L. Urban, Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, who are prosecuting the case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Man Sentenced to 11 Years in Federal Prison for String of Dollar General RobberiesRead the Press Release
NEW BERN, N.C. – A U.S. Federal Judge sentenced a Scotland Neck man, Achontay Malik Cotten, 22, to 11 years in federal prison for multiple armed robberies.
“Armed robbers terrorize employees and patrons alike, endangering the community,” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle. “Thanks to the quick and coordinated response, our local and federal law enforcement partners caught this criminal, so he faced the music. Our office remains committed to removing violent offenders from our communities and neighborhoods and keeping North Carolina families safe.”
“This 11-year federal prison sentence sends a clear message to anyone who thinks they can get away with committing a violent crime in North Carolina. You will be caught and held accountable. Thanks to the quick response of our partners at the Franklin County Sheriff's Office, this armed robbery spree ended without anyone being hurt. The FBI is committed to crushing violent crime and these powerful partnerships are achieving real results to protect our communities,” said James C. Barnacle Jr., the FBI Special Agent in Charge in North Carolina.
“We are grateful and thankful for our continued partnership with our U.S. Attorney’s Office to remove violent offenders from our communities,” said Edgecombe County Sheriff Clee Atkinson. “We will continue working with our citizens and our local, state, and community partners to make this area a safe place to live and play.”
“We value our partnership with the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in addressing violent crime in Franklin County. Our goal is focused on removing violent criminals from our communities and keeping our citizens safe,” said Franklin County Sheriff Kevin White.
According to court documents and other information presented in court, prior to October 11, 2023, Cotten and his gang robbed several Dollar General stores in Franklin County. The Franklin County Sheriff’s Office guarded different Dollar General locations throughout the evening. Around 9:50 p.m., deputies at the Dollar General on NC 561 Highway in Louisburg spotted three suspects robbing the store.
As deputies moved in, the suspects sped off in a nearby getaway car, leading deputies on a high-speed chase through multiple counties. During the pursuit, one of the vehicle’s passengers fired several shots at pursuing deputies. The car eventually stopped, and four suspects ran off into nearby woods. Law enforcement quickly located and apprehended Cotten, who later admitted to driving the getaway car.
Investigators also linked Cotten to other armed robberies of Dollar General stores in Franklin County, including on October 8 and October 10, 2023, when armed criminals held employees at gunpoint before fleeing with stolen proceeds.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jaren Kelly and Leonard Champaign prosecuted the case. The FBI Raleigh Durham Safe Streets Task Force, the Edgecombe County Sheriff’s Office, the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, the Halifax County Sheriff’s Office, and the Warren County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.
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. 5:24-CR-213-M-BM-1.
Man Pleads Guilty to Illegally Re-Entering the United States as a FelonRead the Press Release
A man who illegally re-entered the United States from Mexico pled guilty today in federal court in Sioux City.
Julio Cesar Moreno-Anaya, age 47, who was living in Omaha, Nebraska, was convicted of one count of illegal re-entry as a felon.
At the plea hearing, Moreno admitted illegally re-entering the United States without permission, and having a previous felony theft conviction from 2016 in Hidalgo County, Texas. On September 15, 2025, Moreno-Anaya was arrested in Britt, Iowa, for speeding and not having a valid driver’s license. While in custody, officials determined he was a citizen of Mexico and had previously been deported from the United States to Mexico on eight previous occasions.
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Moreno-Anaya remains in custody pending sentencing. Moreno faces a possible sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick T. Greenwood and was investigated by the Hancock County Sheriff’s Office and United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
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.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-CR-03047. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Maine Man Charged with Trafficking Multiple Kilos of Cocaine Delivered in Rhode IslandRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A Maine man who allegedly supplied multiple kilos of cocaine that were trafficked into Rhode Island appeared in federal court in Rhode Island on November 18, 2025, and was arraigned on an indictment issued by the Grand Jury. He was ordered detained, announced Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom.
Evert Delgado-Menjivar, 31, arrested at his Westbrook, ME, home on September 9, 2025, was indicted on charges of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine and distribution of cocaine, and two counts of distribution of cocaine 500 grams or more.
Court documents reflect that in July 2025, members of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) learned of a person looking to sell multi-kilogram quantities of cocaine. In August of 2025, a co-defendant is alleged to have distributed kilogram quantities of cocaine on Delgado-Menjivar’s behalf.
A federal criminal indictment is merely an accusation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The sentence imposed in this matter will be determined by a federal district judge after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stacey A. Erickson.
The matter was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration.
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.
Madison Man Sentenced to Six Years for Illegally Possessing FirearmRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Chadwick M. Elgersma, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Terrance Moore III, 28, Madison, Wisconsin, was sentenced on November 21, 2025, by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to six years in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. The prison term will be followed by three years of supervised release. Moore pled guilty to this charge on September 3, 2025.
On July 8, 2024, Madison police officers were monitoring an impromptu street party just off the Capitol Square in downtown Madison. Officers looked inside Moore’s parked car and saw an AR-style rifle sticking out from under the front passenger seat. Moore was arrested and during a search of the vehicle, officers also found a Smith & Wesson .40 caliber handgun, marijuana, and oxycodone pills in a backpack on the driver’s seat. Moore’s DNA was later identified on the handgun. At the time, Moore was on state probation for three prior illegal firearms possession cases. Moore is prohibited from legally possessing a firearm because of these, and other prior felony convictions.
At Moore’s sentencing, Judge Conley expressed serious concern that this was Moore’s fourth time in front of a court for possessing a firearm as a felon. Judge Conley found that a significant sentence was necessary given Moore’s prior criminal history.
The charge against Moore was the result of an investigation conducted by the Madison Police Department. The ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force also assisted with the case. The ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force consists of federal agents from ATF and Task Force Officers from state and local agencies throughout the Western District of Wisconsin. Assistant U.S. Attorney William M. Levins prosecuted the case.
Federal criminal cases involving firearms are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Mother and Son Sentenced for Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine from Arizona to FloridaRead the Press Release
GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA – Kanethia Tremeka Steele, 51, of Tampa, Florida, was sentenced to 11 years and three months in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Her son and codefendant, Kenneth Steele, 30, of Phoenix, Arizona, was sentenced to seven years and six months in federal prison for the same charge. The sentences were announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “I applaud the excellent investigative work by our state and federal law enforcement partners to dismantle this drug trafficking enterprise that had flooded our communities with deadly drugs. This is yet another successful prosecution by my office in fulfillment of the promise made by President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi to Take Back America from the drug traffickers who have peddled poison on our streets for far too long. Substantial prison time awaits these offenders and any others who try to traffic drugs in the Northern District of Florida.”
Court documents reflect that over a three-year period Kanethia Steele obtained kilogram quantities of methamphetamine and cocaine from Arizona-based drug suppliers on behalf of drug traffickers operating in the counties of Alachua, Dixie, Gilchrist, and Levy. In addition to her packaging the methamphetamine, Steele enlisted the assistance of her son, Kenneth, to transport multi-kilogram shipments of methamphetamine secreted in luggage on commercial flights from Phoenix, Arizona to Orlando, Florida. At the direction of his mother, Kenneth Steele made three flights, transporting over 40 pounds of methamphetamine that was distributed in North Florida.
“Putting this mother and son enterprise out of business will make communities safer,” said DEA Miami Field Division Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter. “These illicit substances—particularly methamphetamine—have the ability to destroy families.”
The convictions were the result of a joint investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Gilchrist County Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Former Assistant United States Attorney Corey Smith and Assistant United States Attorney Jason Coody.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Mississippi Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Child Exploitation CrimesRead the Press Release
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Ladarrius Rasheed Martin, 38, of Ridgeland, Mississippi, pleaded guilty to distribution and receipt of child pornography, and interstate travel with intent to engage in a sexual act with a minor. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Our state and federal law enforcement partners work tirelessly to identify and intercept predators like this defendant who seek to exploit and victimize our children, and I deeply appreciate their efforts that led to this successful prosecution. My office will continue to prosecute such offenders to the fullest extent of the law to keep our children safe.”
Court records reflect that the defendant frequently travelled from Mississippi to Pensacola, Florida, to engage in sexual activity with a minor from September 2023 to June 2024. During the investigation, law enforcement obtained social media records of messages exchanged between the defendant and the minor victim. The records confirmed the exchange of child pornography as well as communications demonstrating the defendant’s regular travel from Mississippi to Pensacola to engage in sexual acts with a minor.
Sentencing is scheduled for January 13, 2026, at 1:00 pm at the United States Courthouse in Pensacola before United States District Judge M. Casey Rodgers.
Martin faces up to 70 years imprisonment, a lifetime supervised release, and up to a $750,000 fine, and restitution.
The plea was the result of an investigation by the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey M. Tharp.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice and led by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Divisions Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), it marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit theU.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Mexican National Pleads Guilty to Passport Fraud and Identity TheftRead the Press Release
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Carlos Dominguez Lopez, 36, a Mexican national residing in Pensacola, Florida, pleaded guilty in federal court to false statement in application and use of passport and aggravated identity theft. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “This defendant tried to lie, cheat, and steal his way into unlawfully remaining in our country, but thanks to the outstanding work by our federal law enforcement partners he will face justice before being swiftly deported. My office remains committed to aggressively enforcing our immigration laws with as many successful prosecutions as it takes to ensure our border is secure and our communities are safe from criminal aliens.”
Court documents reflect that in July of 2022, the defendant purported to be another individual and executed a United States passport application at the Escambia County Clerk of Court Office. The defendant provided a birth certificate and identification card in the other individual’s name, without that person’s permission. After the false statements were made, a United States passport was issued to the defendant.
Lopez faces up to ten years of imprisonment and two years’ imprisonment as a minimum mandatory sentence consecutive.
The case involved an investigation by the United States Department of State. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jessica S. Etherton.
Sentencing is scheduled for February 10, 2026, at 11:00am at the United States Courthouse in Pensacola, Florida before United States District Judge M. Casey Rodgers.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Marianna Man Pleads Guilty to Introducing Marijuana into Tallahassee Federal Detention CenterRead the Press Release
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Bertram Williams, 50, of Marianna, Florida pleaded guilty in federal court to introducing contraband into the Federal Detention Center (FDC) at Tallahassee. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “I want to commend the outstanding work by our federal law enforcement partners to stop this offender before he could bring illegal contraband into the federal prison where he was already serving a criminal sentence. Thanks to this successful prosecution by my office, he will now have an extended stay behind bars.”
According to court records, the defendant is currently incarcerated at FDC Tallahassee. On April 13, 2025, after the defendant had a visitation session, Bureau of Prison (BOP) staff searched him. While searching the defendant’s left boot, BOP staff discovered two, cylinder shaped, plastic tubs that were in the cut fingertips of a latex glove. Inside one cylinder, staff discovered marijuana. In the second cylinder, staff discovered a rolled-up piece of paper saturated in a substance, which field tested positive for synthetic marijuana. The substances were also tested at the Florida Department of Law Enforcement laboratory, which confirmed the substance contained marijuana.
Williams faces up to five years’ imprisonment and one year of supervised release when he is sentenced.
The case involved a joint investigation by the Federal Bureau of Prisons, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jessica Etherton and Eric W. Welch.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit theU.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Luzerne County Clothing Store Owner Sentenced to over 20 Years of Imprisonment for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that on November 21, 2025, United States District Judge Robert D. Mariani sentenced James Rodriguez, Jr. a/k/a “Mack Mulla,” age 33, of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, to 242 months’ imprisonment for drug trafficking.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, on June 24, 2025, a jury convicted Rodriguz on nine counts of a superseding indictment charging conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 1.3 kilograms of fentanyl and 8.5 kilograms of marijuana between January 2021 and January 2022. During the conspiracy, Rodriguez operated Mulla Fashion, a clothing store, which included a recording studio, located on Scott Street in Wilkes-Barre. Rodriguez used the store as a front to sell fentanyl and marijuana to users and other street level drug dealers. In January 2021, Rodriguez travelled to Mexico to meet with MS-13 gang members, who supplied him with kilograms of fentanyl for distribution. Rodriguez also kept a stash house in Wilkes-Barre Township for storage of drugs. On January 20, 2022, a search warrant was executed at this stash house and law enforcement seized 159 grams of fentanyl, 400 grams of marijuana, two handguns and a shotgun. Law enforcement also seized 800 grams of marijuana, 37 grams of fentanyl, a ballistics vest, and a handgun from Mulla Fashion.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Kingston Police Department and the Luzerne County Drug Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jenny P. Roberts and Kyle Moreno prosecuted the case.
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Kentucky Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Kody D. Harless, 27, of Tomahawk, Kentucky, pleaded guilty today to possession with intent to distribute a quantity of fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on August 15, 2023, Harless received approximately 4.75 grams of fentanyl from an individual in Huntington. A law enforcement officer conducted a traffic stop of the vehicle in which Harless was traveling following the transaction and located and seized the fentanyl. As part of his guilty plea, Harless admitted that he obtained the seized fentanyl after arranging to purchase it beforehand, and that he intended to distribute some of it.
Harless also admitted to additional criminal conduct. Harless participated in a conspiracy to receive fentanyl and methamphetamine in the Southern District of West Virginia for distribution. Harless admitted that he took part in the conspiracy from at least July 2023 to in and around November 2023, received methamphetamine and fentanyl on a regular basis from others in the Huntington area, and transported the controlled substances to Kentucky where he distributed them.
Harless is scheduled to be sentenced on March 2, 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.
Harless is among 27 individuals indicted on charges alleging they participated in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) responsible for distributing large quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl in the Huntington area. Harless and another co-defendant pleaded guilty to separate charges in lieu of the offenses alleged in the indictment. Twenty-three defendants pleaded guilty in the main indictment. Charges against the remaining defendants are pending. An indictment is merely an allegation, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Cabell County Sheriff’s Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), the West Virginia State Police, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. MDENT is composed of the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the Nitro Police Department, the St. Albans Police Department and the South Charleston Police Department.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorneys Joseph F. Adams and Stephanie Taylor are prosecuting 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. 3:24-cr-7.
Justice Department Surge to Indian Country to Investigate Unresolved Violent Crimes Yields ResultsRead the Press Release
The Justice Department today announced results from its six-month surge of FBI assets across the country to address violent crime in Indian Country, including crimes relating to missing or murdered Indigenous persons.
The FBI sent 64 personnel, rotating in 30–90-day temporary duty assignments over a six-month period to support field offices in Albuquerque; Denver; Detroit; Jackson, Miss.; Minneapolis; Oklahoma City; Phoenix; Portland, Oreg.; Seattle; and Salt Lake City. The FBI worked in partnership with the Bureau of Indian Affairs and Tribal law enforcement agencies across jurisdictions. This operation was the longest and most intense national deployment of FBI resources to address Indian Country crime to date.
“These dedicated efforts by FBI agents, together with the BIA and our tribal law enforcement partners, have solved crimes, protected victims of violence, and brought much needed safety and security to communities in Indian country,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “We will never forget the crime victims whose cases remain unsolved, and we will continue our pursuit until justice is served.”
“One of the biggest problems tribal communities face is the vast amount of land to account for, requiring significant resources to crush violent crime,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “As FBI Director, I’m committed to surging personnel to these areas and working hand-in-hand with Tribal partners. Operation Not Forgotten is a major step forward in giving these communities the justice that they deserve.”
FBI personnel were assisted by 36 personnel from the Bureau of Indian Affairs Missing and Murdered Unit (BIA MMU). Combined, those personnel provided investigative and intelligence support by assisting in over 330 investigations. BIA MMU also provided technical support and expertise through ground-penetrating radar, underwater cameras, and sonar searches. Operation Not Forgotten contributed to the success of the FBI’s Indian Country program. In FY25 alone, the FBI’s Indian Country initiatives accomplished the following: 1260 individuals charged, 1123 arrests, 304 weapons recovered, and 458 child victims identified or located.
Some of those defendants charged by U.S. Attorney’s Offices include the following:
Three people were indicted on federal charges after a previously unsolved murder in New Mexico in 2020. Austin Begay, 31, was charged with first-degree murder in the shooting death of Zachariah Shorty, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation. Two more suspects, Jaymes Fage, 38, and Joshua Watkins, 40, were also charged with crimes related to concealing the murder. (FBI Albuquerque/USAO District of New Mexico)
Renaldo Descheny, 43, is charged with assault with a dangerous weapon and using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence for his allegedly strangling and striking Jane Doe in the face with a firearm. He will remain in custody pending trial. (FBI Albuquerque/USAO District of New Mexico)
Armondo Paul, 25, was arrested after officers from the Navajo Nation Police Department responded to a stabbing at a Shiprock residence. Upon arrival, officers found the victim deceased with a neck wound believed to be from a bladed weapon. Paul is charged with second-degree murder and will remain in custody pending trial. (FBI Albuquerque/USAO District of New Mexico)
Keanu Lee, 33, was arrested after being charged with three counts of aggravated sexual abuse, one count of sexual abuse, one count of kidnapping, and one count of assault resulting in serious bodily injury. (FBI-Albuquerque/District of New Mexico)
Additionally, the following are some examples of defendants convicted in relation to crimes investigated during this operation:
Marvin Albert Wauneka, 40, was sentenced to 40 months in prison for causing a high-speed drunk driving crash on the Navajo Nation that killed two passengers and seriously injured another. (FBI Albuquerque/USAO District of New Mexico)
Antoine Scott, 28, was sentenced to 28 months in federal prison and 3 years of supervised release. 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. Scott pleaded guilty to assault resulting in serious bodily injury and prohibited possession of a firearm. (FBI Portland/USAO District of Oregon)
Indian Country faces persistent levels of violent crime and victimization. At the beginning of Fiscal Year 2025, FBI’s Indian Country program had approximately 4,300 open investigations, including over 900 death investigations, 1,000 child abuse investigations, and more than 500 domestic violence and adult sexual abuse investigations.
Operation Not Forgotten renews efforts begun during President Trump’s first term under E.O. 13898, Establishing the Task Force on Missing and Murdered American Indians and Alaska Natives. This is the third deployment under Operation Not Forgotten, which has provided investigative support to over 760 cases in the past three years. Combined, these operations resulted in 249 arrests, 235 subjects charged, 109 subjects convicted, and services were provided to nearly 2,000 victims and victim family members.
Operation Not Forgotten also expands upon the resources deployed in recent years to address cases of missing or murdered Indigenous people. The effort will be supported by the Department’s MMIP Regional Outreach Program, which places attorneys and community coordinators in U.S. Attorneys’ Offices across the United States to help prevent and respond to cases of missing or murdered Indigenous people.
Justice Department Requires RealPage to End the Sharing of Competitively Sensitive Information and Alignment of Pricing Among CompetitorsRead the Press Release
The Justice Department’s Antitrust Division filed a proposed settlement today to resolve the United States’ claims against RealPage Inc. as part of its ongoing enforcement against algorithmic coordination, information sharing, and other anticompetitive practices in rental housing markets across the country. The proposed settlement would help restore free market competition in rental markets for millions of American renters.
“Competing companies must make independent pricing decisions, and with the rise of algorithmic and artificial intelligence tools, we will remain at the forefront of vigorous antitrust enforcement,” said Assistant Attorney General Abigail Slater of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division.
RealPage is a provider of commercial revenue management software and services for the conventional multifamily rental housing industry. As alleged in Plaintiffs’ complaint, RealPage’s revenue management software has relied on nonpublic, competitively sensitive information shared by landlords to set rental prices. RealPage’s software has also included features designed to limit rental price decreases and otherwise align pricing among competitors. In addition, RealPage has hosted meetings attended by competing property management companies where competitively sensitive information was shared.
If approved by the court, the proposed consent judgment would require RealPage to:
- Cease having its software use competitors’ nonpublic, competitively sensitive information to determine rental prices in runtime operation;
- Cease using active lease data for purposes of training the models underlying the software, limiting model training to historic or backward-looking nonpublic data that has been aged for at least 12 months;
- Not use models that determine geographic effects narrower than at a state level, which is broader than the markets alleged in the complaint;
- Remove or redesign features that limited price decreases or aligned pricing between competing users of the software;
- Cease conducting market surveys to collect competitively sensitive information;
- Refrain from discussing market analyses or trends based on nonpublic data, or pricing strategies, in RealPage meetings relating to revenue management software;
- Accept a court-appointed monitor to ensure compliance with the terms of the consent judgment; and
- Cooperate in the United States’ lawsuit against property management companies that have used its software.
As required by the Tunney Act, the proposed settlement, along with a competitive impact statement, will be published in the Federal Register. Any interested person should submit written comments concerning the proposed settlement within 60 days following the publication to Danielle Hauck, Acting Chief, Technology and Digital Platforms Section, Antitrust Division, U.S. Department of Justice, 450 Fifth Street NW, Suite 7050, Washington, DC 20530. At the conclusion of the public comment period, the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina may enter the final judgment upon finding it is in the public interest.
RealPage is a provider of revenue management software and services headquartered in Richardson, Texas.
Jury Finds Man Guilty of Second-Degree Murder for Shooting, Stabbing, and Beating Man in Capitol HillRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – On November 21, 2025, a Superior Court jury returned guilty verdicts for Julius Worthy, 42, on charges of second-degree murder, assault with intent to kill, and related offenses stemming from the homicide of Orlando Galloway and the attack of Shaquia Lewis on April 2, 2023, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
The Honorable Jason Park scheduled sentencing for January 30, 2026. Worthy faces a maximum sentence of 95 years in prison for the crimes.
In April of 2023, Worthy lived with Galloway in a one-bedroom apartment in the Capitol Hill area. The evening of the homicide, Worthy returned home and began arguing with Galloway over $20. As Galloway pleaded with Worthy that he would pay him the money, Worthy pulled out a firearm and shot eight times into the apartment, six of which struck Galloway. Worthy then grabbed a kitchen knife from the dishrack and stabbed Galloway five times in the neck. Worthy beat Galloway in the face repeatedly with the firearm, causing a piece of the frame to break off. Worthy then turned to Lewis and stabbed her multiple times while strangling her, causing her to lose consciousness.
Worthy remained in the apartment for over an hour with Galloway’s body and Lewis, calling multiple people on his phone to ask for help “cleaning up this mess,” adding that he was “killing two people.” When Lewis tried to escape through the front door, Worthy attacked her again, stabbing her with a pair of scissors. A neighbor across the street heard Lewis screaming, saw Worthy attacking Lewis, and called 911. Officers arrived shortly thereafter, and Worthy fled out the back door. During the investigation, law enforcement discovered that Worthy texted multiple individuals in the hours after the homicide, including stating, “I killed two people.”
Law enforcement arrested Worthy the following day, April 3, 2023, and he remained in custody since.
Joining in the announcement was Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department.
The Metropolitan Police Department’s Homicide Branch investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys William Lawrence and Molly Smith prosecuted the case.
Inmate at Wyatt Detention Facility Indicted on Multiple Drug Trafficking ChargesRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – An inmate housed at the Donald W. Wyatt Detention Facility in Central Falls, Rhode Island was indicted by a federal grand jury on November 19, 2025, on charges alleging that, while incarcerated, he possessed contraband and multiple controlled substances with the intent to distribute, announced Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom.
Brian Slutzkin “aka” Lello Brian Bongiorno, age 41, is charged with possessing contraband in prison (controlled substances) and with possession of those controlled substances with the intent to distribute them to others.
According to charging documents, a search of Slutzkin allegedly revealed that he had a sock hidden on his person that contained seven balloons crafted out of latex gloves. Examination of the contents of the balloons showed that they contained distributable quantities of a powder containing fentanyl, pills containing oxycodone hydrochloride and acetaminophen, strips containing buprenorphine and naloxone, and marijuana.
A federal criminal indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ronald R. Gendron.
The matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and investigators at the Donald W. Wyatt Detention Facility.
Indiana Laboratory Company Agrees to Pay More Than $9 Million to Settle Alleged False Claims Act ViolationsRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS- Patients Choice Laboratories (“PCL”), a diagnostic laboratory headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, has agreed to pay the United States $9,620,000 to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act and the Anti-Kickback Statute (“AKS”). The government alleges that PCL knowingly submitted claims to Medicare for respiratory pathogen panels (“RPPs”) that were either medically unnecessary or obtained through kickbacks. PCL also paid commissions to independent sales representatives and marketing firms (“1099 representatives”) based on the volume or value of referrals.
Specifically, the United States alleges that on November 20, 2020, PCL entered into a Marketing Services Agreement (“MSA”) with a purported infection prevention company (“the Company”), agreeing to pay $5,000 per month in exchange for “marketing and management services” in long-term care facilities. In reality, according to the United States, the MSA served as a pretext for paying the company for laboratory test referrals, which PCL then billed to Medicare.
The United States further alleges that PCL paid the Company to perform services in long-term care facilities, including specimen collection for infectious disease testing. The Company swabbed residents for COVID-19, and PCL used the same specimens to conduct and bill Medicare for medically unnecessary RPPs. In some cases, PCL billed for RPPs without performing any COVID-19 tests at all.
Between December 1, 2020, and May 11, 2022, PCL paid the Company approximately $1.86 million in exchange for RPP referrals. During that time, PCL billed Medicare for thousands of RPPs conducted at 43 long-term care facilities nationwide, receiving over $6 million in reimbursement.
Additionally, from January 1 to March 31, 2021, PCL contracted with 1099 representatives to promote its laboratory tests to health care providers. The United States alleges that these individuals were not bona fide employees. PCL paid them a percentage of the revenue generated from testing they facilitated. The representatives helped arrange referrals and orders for tests billed to Medicare in violation of the AKS. PCL’s commission payments to these representatives totaled at least $372,000.
“Kickback arrangements that drive unnecessary testing waste taxpayer dollars and undermine the integrity of our healthcare system,” said Tom Wheeler, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “This settlement reflects our commitment to holding accountable those who seek to profit at the expense of federal healthcare programs and the patients they serve.”
“Providing impermissible compensation to induce patient referrals that then lead to medically unnecessary diagnostic tests is simply unacceptable,” said Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland. “We’re committed to taking the necessary actions to protect patients and taxpayer-funded government health programs.”
“Wasteful spending fueled by kickback arrangements undermines the public’s confidence in our health care system and depletes valuable resources that should be used to improve patient care,” said Mario M. Pinto, Special Agent in Charge of the HHS-OIG Chicago Regional Office. “Working together with our law enforcement partners, HHS-OIG will continue to identify and investigate alleged violations of federal law.”
“Entities who submit false Medicare claims destroy public trust in federal health care programs and divert taxpayer-funded resources away from vulnerable citizens who truly need them,” said Maureen Dixon, Special Agent in Charge of the HHS-OIG. “We are unwavering in our dedication to safeguarding the integrity of the Medicare trust fund and the services provided to enrollees.”
“Companies that submit false claims undermine public trust and divert critical resources away from legitimate care,” said Timothy J. O’Malley, special agent in charge of the FBI Indianapolis Field Office. “The FBI will continue to work with our law enforcement and government partners to hold accountable those who seek to profit through fraud or deception.”
The matter was handled by Trial Attorneys Kelly McAuliffe and Asha Natarajan of the Civil Division’s Fraud Section, Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tarra DeShields, District of Maryland, and Adriana Figueroa, Southern District of Indiana, who jointly handled this case. The litigation team received investigative support from the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The United States’ settlement in this matter illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating healthcare fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement, can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services, at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).
The claims resolved by this settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
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