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24 November 2025
Illegal alien arrested for smuggling 51 illegal aliens in refrigerated produce trailerRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – A 50-year-old Honduran national has been charged with smuggling more than four dozen people in a refrigerated tractor-trailer, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Greibein Alexis Pinot-Duarte is set to make his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Diana Song Quiroga Nov. 25 at 9:30 a.m.
On Nov. 22, Pinot-Duarte allegedly drove a refrigerated tractor-trailer to the Border Patrol checkpoint near Freer where authorities noticed his nervous behavior. The charges allege a K-9 alerted to the presence of humans or narcotics at the rear doors.
At secondary inspection, law enforcement discovered the temperature inside the trailer was 55 degrees and held numerous boxes of produce, according to the complaint. They also allegedly observed the silhouette of a person through a plywood compartment under the boxes.
The charges allege a subsequent search revealed 51 illegal aliens, including two juveniles, concealed in the cramped, hidden compartment. Many of the individuals did not have jackets or means to stay warm and complained of numbed or cramped limbs due to the tight space, according to the complaint.
The compartment was small and allegedly allowed only one person to exit at a time. Each produce box weighed approximately 30-40 pounds, preventing anyone from escaping, according to the complaint.
If convicted, Pinot-Duarte faces up to 10 years in federal prison as well as a $250,000 maximum fine.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of Border Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew P. Hakala-Finch is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Illegal Mexican National with Five Prior Removals Caught with 50,000 Fentanyl Pills Hidden in Child’s ToyRead the Press Release
MIAMI – A Mexican national made his initial appearance in federal court in Fort Lauderdale on Nov. 17 after law enforcement recovered more than 50,000 fentanyl pills concealed inside a child’s toy.
According to the complaint affidavit, officers approached a vehicle driven by Guillermo Higuera German, 37. During a consensual encounter, a certified narcotics K-9 conducted an open-air sniff and alerted to narcotics.
A search of the vehicle followed. Officers found several boxes and a Sesame Street-style school bus toy packed with thousands of fentanyl pills that weighed about five kilograms. The investigation also determined that Higuera German was illegally in the U.S. and had been deported five times.
Higuera German is again subject to removal.
U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida and Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Miami Field Division, made the announcement.
The DEA Miami Field Division and Fort Lauderdale Police Department are investigating, with assistance from U.S. Customs and Border Protection on potential immigration offenses.
About the Border and Immigration Crimes Enforcement (BICE) Section
This case is being prosecuted by the newly formed Border and Immigration Crimes Enforcement (BICE) Section. BICE was created by U.S. Attorney Reding Quiñones to strengthen South Florida’s border security posture, protect maritime and land points of entry, enforce federal immigration law, and dismantle transnational smuggling networks operating through the region. The Section brings together narcotics, immigration, fraud, and violent-crime expertise into a single coordinated unit focused on border-driven threats.
BICE Deputy Chief Jeremy Fugate is prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.sdfl.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.sdfl.uscourts.gov, under case number 25-mj-06666.
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Illegal Immigrant from Honduras Sentenced to Eight Months in Prison for Illegal Reentry into U.S.Read the Press Release
ROANOKE, Va. – Nelson Deras-Pineda, 43, an illegal immigrant from Honduras with a history of driving under the influence and fleeing the scenes of traffic accidents, as well as entering the United States without authorization, was sentenced today to eight months in federal prison for illegal reentry by a previously removed alien.
“The United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Virginia will work with our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to hold accountable those individuals who flout the immigration laws of the United States,” Acting United States Attorney Robert N. Tracci said today.
According to court documents, Deras-Pineda was arrested in June 2025 by the Roanoke City Police Department on felony DUI charges, his third DUI arrest in the last 10 years. Roanoke City officers contacted Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Washington to conduct an Immigration Alien Query. At that time, it was determined that Deras-Pineda was in the United States illegally having previously entered the country in January 2003 and May 2006. He was subsequently removed following each of those illegal entries.
Deras-Pineda again reentered the United States, illegally and without authorization, at an unknown date following his 2006 removal.
Deras-Pineda has prior state convictions for fleeing the scene of an accident, driving without a license, and three DUIs.
Robert N. Tracci, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Virginia made the announcement.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations, investigated the case for the United States.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Charlene R. Day prosecuted the case for the United States.
Illegal Immigrant Sentenced to Time Served in PrisonRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – A Honduran national was sentenced today to four months in prison for illegally reentering the United States after previously having been deported.
According to court documents, Rigoberto Rubi-Guevara, 38, was an occupant of a vehicle stopped by the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office on September 12, 2025, for a traffic violation. Mobile County deputies suspected that Rubi-Guevara was not a United States citizen, so they contacted law enforcement personnel with U.S. Border Patrol. A Border Patrol agent was able to determine that Rubi-Guevara had previously been removed from the United States in 2011.
At sentencing, Chief U.S. District Judge Jeffrey Beaverstock imposed a time-served sentence of incarceration and a one-year term of supervised release upon his future release. Upon his release from prison, Rubi-Guevara is to be referred to immigration officials for deportation proceedings. Rubi-Guevara was ordered to pay $100 in special assessments.
U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement.
The Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, Immigrations and Customs Enforcement, and the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney John P. Hutchins III prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Huntington Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Robert Craig Hatfield, also known as “Bobby,” 48, of Huntington, was sentenced today to five years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for carrying a firearm during and in relation to the distribution of fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on February 11, 2025, Hatfield sold a SCCY 9mm pistol and approximately 4.5 grams of heroin to a confidential informant in exchange for $340. Hatfield admitted to conducting the transaction, which occurred at his Huntington residence, and to arranging it beforehand.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Cabell County Sheriff's Office.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie Taylor 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-45.
Huntington Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Scott Burd, 59, of Huntington, pleaded guilty today to aiding and abetting the distribution of fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 6, 2025, Burd sold approximately 29 grams of fentanyl to a confidential informant in exchange for $1,000. As part of his guilty plea, Burd admitted that his co-defendant, Adrian Demetrius Ludaway, arranged the transaction beforehand and met with the confidential informant at Burd’s Huntington residence, where Burd distributed the fentanyl to the confidential informant.
Burd 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.
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 Huntington Violent Crime and Drug Task Force.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie Taylor is prosecuting the case.
Ludaway, also known as “A1,” 35, of Wayne, Michigan, pleaded guilty on August 19, 2025, to distribution of fentanyl and a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine and is scheduled to be sentenced on December 1, 2025.
This case was prosecuted as part of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (SOS), an enforcement surge that has sought to reduce the supply of deadly synthetic opioids in high impact areas.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:25-cr-103.
Habitual Domestic Violence Offender Sentenced to 30 Months in Prison for Assaulting His Intimate Partner on the Spokane ReservationRead the Press Release
Spokane, Washington – United States Attorney Pete Serrano announced that on November 6, 2025, United States District Judge Thomas O. Rice sentenced Idris Haith, age 47, of Wellpinit, Washington, to 30 months in prison for Domestic Assault by a Habitual Offender in Indian Country. Judge Rice also ordered that, following imprisonment, Haith must serve three years of supervised release.
According to court documents, on September 26, 2024, Haith’s intimate partner, a Native American woman with whom Haith shares several children in common, called 911 emergency response and reported that Haith struck her, choked her, and threatened to kill her at a residence on the Spokane Indian Reservation. The victim said she confronted Haith about cheating on her and they both became mad and aggressive. The victim said Haith hit her face then began to strangle her. Law enforcement officers on scene observed the victim had scratches on the left side of her neck and blood on the left side of her lips.
Haith’s conduct is part of a pattern of assaulting the same victim. Haith has been convicted twice before for assaulting the same victim. The prior convictions occurred in the Spokane Municipal Court in 2012 and 2014. A person is considered a “habitual offender” within the meaning of 18 U.S.C. § 117 if, like Haith, he or she has two prior, separate, and final convictions in other court proceedings for assaults against an intimate partner.
“The Spokane Tribal Police Department commends the outstanding work of our team and the strong collaboration we share with neighboring jurisdictions. The Spokane Tribe remains firmly committed to thoroughly investigating and effectively assisting in the prosecution of crimes committed by non-Natives in Indian Country. We take all allegations of domestic violence and other serious assaults against Native American women with the utmost seriousness.” Stated Clint G. Kieffer, Chief of Police for the Spokane Tribal Police Department. “The Spokane Tribal Police Department will continue to pursue every case to the fullest extent of the law to safeguard the safety and well-being of our community.”
“This significant sentence reflects the serious nature of the offender’s ongoing pattern of abuse. Domestic violence is rarely a single event – more often is arises as repeated violations of trust, safety, and basic human dignity, as happened here. When individuals continue to harm their partners or family members despite prior intervention, stronger judicial action becomes necessary. Domestic violence and intimate partner abuse will continue to be a priority for this Office and I am grateful for our tribal partners, the FBI, and the Stevens County Sheriff’s Office for their tireless pursuit of justice for victims of these offenses.”
“Mr. Haith not only has a history of domestic violence, but those assaults have repeatedly been directed at the same victim,” said W. Mike Herrington, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Seattle field office. “Even worse, that person is his partner and mother of his children. The FBI and our partners are committed to combatting violent crime in Washington state, including on tribal lands, to keep our families and communities safe.”
The case was investigated by the Spokane Tribal Police Department, the Stevens County Sheriff’s Office, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. This case was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Michael L. Vander Giessen and Assistant United States Attorney Michael J. Ellis.
2:24-cr-00179-TORGuatemalan Citizen with History of Domestic Abuse Assault to Federal Prison for Illegal Reentry and Illegal Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
Yoan Mateo-Cardona, 24, a citizen of Guatemala illegally residing in Sioux City, Iowa, was sentenced on November 20, 2025, to 15 months’ imprisonment in federal court in Sioux City.
At the plea hearing on July 14, 2025, Mateo-Cardona admitted he was a citizen of Guatemala and had been previously removed from the United States on one previous occasion in 2022. Mateo-Cardona further admitted that his status as an illegal alien and domestic violence abuser prohibited him from possessing firearms. Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings showed that on November 7, 2024, Sioux City Police officers were called to the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino parking lot after security observed an individual displaying a firearm. Security footage confirmed Mateo-Cardona was the individual with the gun, and he was arrested for public intoxication and possession of a firearm by a domestic abuse perpetrator. Mateo-Cardona had previously been convicted of being an alien present without admission or parole, operating while intoxicated, domestic abuse assault, and possession of a controlled substance.
Sentencing was held before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Mateo-Cardona was sentenced to 15 months’ imprisonment and must serve a term of 1 year of supervised release following imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. Mateo-Cardona remains in custody of the United States Marshal until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was investigated by the Sioux City Police Department, Department of Homeland Security, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino security staff and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kraig R. Hamit.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-4088. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Group of Pennsylvania-Based Car Companies Settle Matter Alleging Receipt of Improper CARES Act LoansRead the Press Release
Newark, N.J. – Five companies based in Bucks County, Pennsylvania entered into a settlement agreement with the United States resolving allegations that they violated the False Claims Act by taking Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans to which they were not entitled, Acting U.S. Attorney and Special Attorney Alina Habba announced.
According to the allegations in the complaint and the contentions of the United States in the settlement agreement:
In April 2020, Fred Beans Holdings, Inc.; Auto Express Enterprises, Inc.; Autorent of Doylestown Inc.; McCafferty Autorent Inc.; and Noble Advertising, Inc. (together, “the Defendants”) each applied for and received approximately $973,395 in PPP loans. Under the eligibility rules in effect at the time, businesses with more than 500 employees, inclusive of their affiliates, were not eligible for PPP loans. In their respective loan applications, the Defendants certified that they were eligible for their loans. However, the Defendants were ineligible for their loans because, inclusive of their affiliates, they had more than 500 employees. After receiving their PPP loans, Defendants sought and received forgiveness of the total amount of the loans plus interest that had accrued.
Defendants fully cooperated in the investigation and resolution of this matter. In accordance with the terms of the settlement agreement, Defendants will pay the United States $1,427,869. The settlement resolves a lawsuit filed under the whistleblower provision of the False Claims Act, which permits private parties, called relators, to file suit on behalf of the United States for false claims and share in a portion of the government’s recovery. In this matter, the relator is receiving $142,786 as the share.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney David V. Simunovich of the Health Care Fraud and Opioids Enforcement Unit in Newark.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
The qui tam case is captioned United States ex rel. Forsyth v. Fred Beans Holdings, Inc., et al., 25-2324 (D.N.J.).
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Counsel for Ulma Form Works, Inc.: Denise Branch, Esq., Raleigh, NC
Counsel for Relator Aidan Forsyth: Eric Jaso, Esq., Montclair, NJ
fbp.agreement.pdfGeorgia Felon Pleads Guilty to Possession of Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Norcross, Georgia, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of violating a federal firearms law, First Assistant United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced.
Michael Allen Barnes, 42, pleaded guilty before United States District Judge William S. Stickman IV to a one-count Indictment charging Barnes with possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon.
In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, on April 11, 2024, law enforcement arrested Barnes in downtown Pittsburgh on an outstanding Georgia arrest warrant. From the waistband of the defendant’s pants, law enforcement recovered a chambered pistol which was loaded with approximately nine rounds of ammunition. Barnes was previously convicted of burglary in Gwinnett County, Georgia. Federal law prohibits possession of a firearm or ammunition by a convicted felon.
Judge Stickman scheduled Barnes’ sentencing for March 30, 2026. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 15 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Kelly M. Locher is prosecuting this case on behalf of the United States.
The Pittsburgh Bureau of Police’s Fugitive Apprehension Unit and United States Marshals Service conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Barnes.
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.
Four Individuals Plead Guilty to Conspiracies to Misappropriate Funds of Non-Profit Organization Serving the HomelessRead the Press Release
Earlier today, at the federal court in Brooklyn, Luis Camarena pleaded guilty to a conspiracy kickback scheme. Camarena received revenue from contracts to install surveillance cameras at homeless shelters run by a non-profit organization (the “Organization”). He conspired to pay a portion of that revenue to the employees of the Organization who authorized the payments to his business. The proceeding was held before United States District Judge Hector Gonzalez. When sentenced, Camarena faces up to five years’ imprisonment.
Camarena is the fourth and final defendant to plead guilty in this case. Earlier this month, Camarena’s co-defendants Gary DSilva, Jonathan Velazquez, and Pradeep Nigam each pleaded guilty to the same or similar charges. DSilva and Velazquez were employees of the Organization, who authorized payments to Camarena and to Nigam, whose businesses provided security cameras and information-technology services, respectively, to the Organization. DSilva, Velazquez, and Nigam each also face up to five years’ imprisonment at their respective sentencings. The defendants have also agreed as part of their pleas to pay a total of $1,025,647.78 in restitution to the Organization.
Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; Jocelyn E. Strauber, Commissioner of the New York City Department of Investigation (DOI); and Christopher G. Raia, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI) announced the guilty pleas.
“Camerena’s schemes enriched himself, DSilva, and Velazquez at the expense of the non-profit Organization, showing glaring disrespect towards the honest work of others,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “Our Office remains committed to seeking justice for all victims of bribery and kickback schemes and prosecuting those who perpetrate such offenses.”
“These four defendants enriched themselves at the expense of a City-funded nonprofit; two employees of the organization pocketed kickbacks in exchange for steering contracts worth millions to the businesses of two co-conspirators,” stated DOI Commissioner Strauber. “With today’s guilty plea, all four defendants have now acknowledged their involvement in a scheme to steal funds intended to support City programs. I thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York and the New York Office of the FBI for their continued partnership and commitment to protect public funds.”
As alleged in the superseding indictment and discussed in court proceedings and other documents, DSilva and Velazquez were employed in the Management Information Systems department of the Organization, which is based in Brooklyn. The Organization supplied a number of services to indigent New Yorkers, including administering multiple homeless shelters. DSilva and Velazquez, as part of their work for the Organization, were responsible for soliciting vendors to complete various projects involving information technology and approving payments to those vendors.
DSilva and Velazquez entered into two separate schemes to enrich themselves at the expense of the Organization. In the first scheme, they agreed to steer contracts for the installation of surveillance cameras at homeless shelters operated by the Organization to Camarena’s business in exchange for a share of the profits. Neither DSilva nor Velazquez ever disclosed their secret interest in Camarena’s business to the Organization. In the second, DSilva and Velazquez entered into a similar agreement with Nigam, in which DSilva and Velazquez received a share of the profits from Nigam’s business in exchange for authorizing payments from the Organization to that business. In one instance, DSilva, using a personal email account, sent to Nigam an invoice for Nigam’s business to submit to the Organization. As part of the conspiracy, Nigam regularly sent money to companies in the names of relatives of DSilva and Velazquez.
In total, DSilva and Velazquez authorized approximately $1.6 million in payments from the Organization to Camarena’s business and approximately $1.9 million from the Organization to Nigam’s business during the operation of the schemes. As part of the pleas, DSilva and Velazquez each agreed to forfeit approximately $714,000; Nigam agreed to forfeit approximately $413,000; and Camarena agreed to forfeit approximately $224,000. These figures correspond to the illicit proceeds received by the defendants from the schemes.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Public Integrity Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Turner Buford and Laura Zuckerwise are in charge of the prosecution with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Johnson Peow.
The Defendants:
GARY DSILVA (also known as “Pankaj Dsilva”)
Age: 47
Manalapan, NJJONATHAN VELAZQUEZ
Age: 55
Massapequa Park, NYLUIS A. CAMARENA
Age: 58
Bronx, NYPRADEEP NIGAM
Age: 63
Edison, NJE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 24-CR-471 (S-1) (HG)
Fort Dodge Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Conspiracy to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
A man who conspired to distribute methamphetamine was sentenced November 20, 2025, to 15 years in federal prison.
Loren Craig, age 52, from Fort Dodge, Iowa, received the prison term after a July 14, 2025, guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
At the plea and sentencing hearings, Craig admitted that from August to September 2023, he and others came to an agreement to distribute over 14 pounds of methamphetamine in the Fort Dodge area. Following an investigation, law enforcement became aware Craig was a distributor of methamphetamine. On September 29, 2023, law enforcement executed a search warrant at his residence and located methamphetamine, two firearms, and drug-distribution items.
Craig was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Craig was sentenced to 180 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Craig is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick Greenwood and was investigated by the Webster County Sheriff’s Office, the Fort Dodge Police Department and the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-CR-03004. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Former U.S. Postal Service Employee Sentenced to 30 Months for Possessing A Firearm as an Unlawful Drug UserRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Harvey E. Schlesinger has sentenced Bryan Byers (58, Jacksonville) to 30 months in federal prison for possession of a firearm by an unlawful drug user. Bryan Byers pleaded guilty on July 10, 2025.
According to court documents, a convicted felon was arrested with a Taurus 9mm pistol, which police learned had been purchased by Byers. The felon indicated that he got the firearm from Byers in exchange for crack cocaine, and that the sale was facilitated by a sex worker who would often set up deals where Byers would sell firearms to drug dealers in exchange for drugs. Law enforcement reviewed text messages between Byers and the sex worker, which demonstrated that Byers had been selling his prescription drugs, agreeing to sell firearms in exchange for drugs, and paying for sex work with money or drugs.
On April 2, 2025, federal agents executed a search warrant at Byers’ residence and seized multiple firearms, including a Marlin .22 caliber rifle; a Norinco 7.62 x 39mm rifle with a large capacity magazine; a Palmetto State Arms 9mm pistol; two firearm frame/receivers; multiple rounds of assorted ammunition; and used crack (cocaine) pipes. The day after agents executed the search warrant and seized the firearms, Byers went to a licensed firearms dealer in Jacksonville and attempted to purchase another firearm. However, agents arrested Byers before he was able to make the purchase.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kelli Swaney.
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.
Former Omro Alderman Enters Guilty Plea to Charge of Receiving Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Brad D. Schimel, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on November 21, 2025, Jason A. Reeves (age: 44) of Omro, Wisconsin, pled guilty to a charge of receipt of child pornography stemming from his online conduct in April of 2025, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2252A(a)(2)(A).
Reeves faces a mandatory 5 years’ imprisonment and up to 20 years of incarceration. He may also be fined up to $250,000 and would be required to register as a sexual offender under state and federal law. He will be sentenced before federal District Court Judge Byron B. Conway on February 20, 2026.
According to documents filed with the court, a CyberTip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (“NCMEC”) was sent to the Wisconsin Department of Justice. That tip was then forwarded to the Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office based on the IP address associated with the CyberTip. The tip alleged the distribution of child pornography on October 16, 2024. Law enforcement continued its investigation and on April 29, 2025, they executed a search warrant at Reeves’ residence, which resulted in the recovery of child pornography.
This case was investigated by the Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office and the Green Bay Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel R. Humble.
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 U.S. Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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For further information contact:
Public Affairs Officer Steve Caballero
(414) 297-1700
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Foreign National Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for Unlawfully Re-Entering United States After DeportationRead the Press Release
ROCKFORD — A foreign national residing in Illinois has been sentenced to two years in federal prison for unlawfully re-entering the United States after previously being deported.
SANTOS VASQUEZ-ORTIZ, a native of Guatemala, was unlawfully present in the United States when he was arrested in 2021 for aggravated criminal sexual assault in McHenry County, Ill. He was later convicted of the offense in state court. Vasquez-Ortiz had been deported from the United States in 2008 and did not receive authorization from the U.S. government to return.
Vasquez-Ortiz, 41, pleaded guilty earlier this year in federal court in Rockford to one count of unlawful re-entry after removal. U.S. District Judge Iain D. Johnston imposed the two-year federal prison sentence on Nov. 17, 2025.
The sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Matthew J. Scarpino, Special Agent-in-Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations in Chicago. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert S. Ladd.
Feeding Our Future Defendant Sentenced to 10 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – Today, United States District Judge Nancy E. Brasel sentenced Abdimajid Mohamed Nur, age 24, to 120 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release for his role in the $300 million Feeding Our Future case, the largest Covid-19 fraud scheme in the United States, announced U.S. Attorney Daniel N. Rosen. Nur was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $47,920,514.
As demonstrated at trial, Nur and his co-defendants stole more than $47 million in program funds by claiming to serve 18 million meals to kids at more than 30 food distribution sites. The scheme originated out of Empire Cuisine & Market, a small storefront halal market in Shakopee. Empire Cuisine enrolled in the Federal Child Nutrition Program in April 2020—during the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic and within weeks of registering the company with the Minnesota Secretary of State.
Nur and his co-conspirators immediately opened several federal child nutrition program sites and began claiming—falsely—to be serving meals to thousands of children per day. These claims were fraudulent. As the Court heard repeatedly at trial, no meals at all were served at many of the Empire Cuisine “sites.” Many of their purported food “sites” were nothing more than parking lots or vacant commercial spaces. Indeed, at some of the sites, it was instead the Shakopee Public Schools who were actually serving meals to kids on a daily basis.
Nur played a key role in the fraud scheme. He created and submitted the bulk of the fraudulent meal counts and invoices that he and his co-conspirators used to support their fraudulent claims. Nur also created and submitted fraudulent rosters purporting to list the names of children receiving meals at their fraudulent meal sites. But, as the Court saw, the rosters were fraudulent, filled with the names of fake children.
Nur and his co-conspirators engaged in a conspiracy to launder the proceeds of their fraud scheme using a series of shell companies both in the United States and Kenya. Nur helped distribute millions of dollars in fraudulent proceeds among their money laundering entities. Nur also set up his own shell company—Nur Consulting LLC—that he used to receive and launder his share of the fraud proceeds by disguising them as “consulting” and similar payments. In all, Nur used Nur Consulting to receive more than $900,000 in fraud proceeds.
Nur spent his fraud proceeds freely. Using the taxpayer money meant for needy kids, he purchased a 2021 Dodge Ram pickup truck for $64,000. Six weeks later, he purchased a 2021 Hyundai Santa Fe for $35,000. Nur used fraud proceeds to take a honeymoon to the Maldives, where he stayed in a private villa. He also spent $30,000 in fraud proceeds to purchase jewelry in Dubai.
Finally, as the jury heard at trial, Nur used some of his fraud proceeds to fraudulently obtain a college degree. In 2021, Nur enrolled in Herzing University, an online college with campuses in St. Louis Park and other locations around the country. Nur paid $12,000 to a company called PayMeToDoYourHomework.com to take his courses for him and complete all homework assignments and exams. They guaranteed him an A or B in each course.
Nur paid the company approximately $5,000 to take all his Fall 2021 courses for him. In January 2022, he paid another $6,000 to have the company take all his Spring 2022 semester courses. He made these payments via Nur Consulting, the shell company he created to receive and launder his fraud proceeds. Nur appears to have gotten his money’s worth. Nur received a bachelor’s degree in healthcare management from Herzing University in August 2022. Despite having graduated from Shakopee High School in 2019 with only a 1.75 GPA, Herzing University records show that Nur “earned” his bachelor’s degree in less than 3 years with a 3.42 GPA.
In June 2024, at the conclusion of his 7-week trial, Nur and others attempted to bribe a juror with $120,000 in cash in exchange for a not guilty verdict. Nur and four others were indicted in a separate federal case for the juror bribery scheme. Nur has pled guilty in the juror bribery case and is pending sentencing in that case before United States District Judge David S. Doty. Today’s sentence does not reflect Nur’s attempt to bribe a juror; he will face an additional sentence in that case at a later date.
In imposing the 10-year sentence, Judge Brasel told Nur, “It is so disappointing and so disheartening that where others saw a crisis and rushed to help, you saw money and rushed to steal.” She called that choice “mindboggling.” Judge Brasel explained that “this fraud conspiracy was both and at once elaborate and blatant,” and that Nur made the choice to steal again and again.
The case is the result of an investigation by the FBI, IRS – Criminal Investigations, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
Assistant United States Attorneys Joseph H. Thompson, Harry M. Jacobs, and Daniel W. Bobier prosecuted the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Craig Baune is handling the seizure and forfeiture of assets.
Federal Inmate at USP Canaan Convicted of Voluntary ManslaughterRead the Press Release
SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Bryant Wilson, a federal prisoner, was convicted on November 18, 2025, of voluntary manslaughter and possession of a prohibited weapon in prison following a two-day jury trial before Senior United States District Judge Malachy E. Mannion.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, Wilson was an inmate at the United States Penitentiary at Canaan in Waymart, Pennsylvania. On November 28, 2021, Wilson was walking in one of the housing units within the prison when another inmate started a fight with him. Wilson quickly grabbed a seven-inch shank out his pocket and began attacking the other inmate. Over the approximately one-minute fight, Wilson stabbed the other inmate at least 15 times about his upper body, causing severe damage to the inmate’s vital organs. The inmate died of sharp force injuries within minutes of the attack.
Wilson claimed he was acting in self-defense. The prison video of the fight, however, depicted Wilson chasing the other inmate with a shank and stabbing him several times as the other inmate repeatedly tried to get away from him.
The charges stem from an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Prisons, Special Investigative Services and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorneys Kyle A. Moreno and Gerard T. Donahue prosecuted the case.
Upon conviction, Wilson faces a maximum penalty of twenty years’ imprisonment. A sentence following the finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
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Fairbanks man charged with trafficking firearms, cocaine, and with possessing a machinegun during a drug trafficking crimeRead the Press Release
FAIRBANKS, Alaska – A federal grand jury in Alaska returned an indictment last week charging a Fairbanks man with illegally trafficking firearms, distributing cocaine, and with carrying a machinegun during a drug trafficking crime.
U.S. Attorney's Office, District of AlaskaAccording to court documents, from September 2024 to August 2025, Mason Lanon, 22, willfully engaged in the business of dealing firearms while not being a licensed firearms dealer.
The indictment also alleges that on Aug. 7, 2025, Lanon distributed cocaine and possessed a pistol with a Glock-type machinegun conversion device in furtherance of trafficking the cocaine.
Lanon is charged with one count of unlicensed dealing in firearms, one count of distribution of a controlled substance and one count of carrying a machinegun during a drug trafficking crime. Lanon is scheduled to make his initial court appearance Nov. 25, 2025, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Oravec of the U.S. District Court for the District of Alaska. If convicted, he faces 30 years to life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Michael J. Heyman of the District of Alaska, Acting Special Agent in Charge Eric Jackson of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Seattle Field Division, Alaska State Trooper Colonel Maurice Hughes and Chief Ron Dupee of the Fairbanks Police Department made the announcement.
The ATF Anchorage Field Office, Alaska State Troopers and Fairbanks Police Department are investigating the case, with assistance from the DEA Anchorage Field Office. If anyone has any information regarding Lanon’s alleged firearms dealing, please contact the ATF at (907) 921-6131.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Carly Vosacek is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Fort Walton Beach Felon Sentenced to More Than Twelve Years in Prison for Possessing a MacHine GunRead the Press Release
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Louis Terrell Jones, 42, of Fort Walton Beach, Florida, was sentenced to twelve and a half years in federal prison after previously pleading guilty to possessing a firearm as a convicted felon and possession of a machine gun. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Thanks to the outstanding investigative work by our state law enforcement partner, with support from the ATF, this violent felon has been taken off our streets. My office will continue to aggressively prosecute these crimes to keep our communities safe.”
In November 2024, an Escambia County Sherriff’s Office deputy initiated a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by the defendant. During the stop, the vehicle was searched, and the deputy found a Glock 9 millimeter pistol with a machine gun conversion device attached to it. The defendant is prohibited from possessing firearms because he was previously convicted of multiple felonies, including aggravated assault by threat with a firearm.
The case involved a joint investigation by the Escambia County Sherriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey Tharp.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Erie Resident Pleads Guilty to Possessing and Distributing MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. - A resident of Erie, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of violating federal narcotics laws, First Assistant United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
Shawn Geer, 49, pleaded guilty to Count One of the Indictment before United States District Judge Stephanie L. Haines.
In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, on or about July 2, 2023, in the Western District of Pennsylvania, Geer possessed with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture of methamphetamine.
Judge Haines scheduled sentencing for March 24, 2026. The law provides for a total maximum sentence of not less than five years and up to 40 years in prison, a fine of up to $5 million, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Maureen Sheehan-Balchon is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Pennsylvania State Police conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Geer.
Convicted Felon Who Shot at Vehicles on Highway Pleads Guilty to Gun OffenseRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. –Anil Dabydeen, 40, of Charlotte, appeared in federal court today and pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon for shooting at vehicles on I-485, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
Alicia Jones, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division, and Chief Estella Patterson of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD), join U.S. Attorney Ferguson in this announcement.
According to court documents and today’s court hearing, on January 8, 2025, at 3:49 p.m., CMPD officers were dispatched to I-485 at the South Tryon Street exit for a reported shooting. Court documents show that CMPD received several 911 calls describing a male operating a white Honda sedan on the highway who was shooting at passing vehicles. Law enforcement arrived on the scene and located two victims who had been struck by gunfire. The victims told the officers that they were traveling south on I-485 when their vehicle was struck by gunfire. While on the scene, the officers reviewed a video shot by a witness. The video showed a white sedan stopped on the side of the highway, and an individual, later identified as Dabydeen, walking around the vehicle brandishing a firearm and pointing it at passing vehicles.
Court records show that, while the officers were investigating the incident, they observed a white Honda sedan traveling south at a high rate of speed. The officers recognized the vehicle as the one observed during the shooting and began to pursue the vehicle. After a brief pursuit, Dabydeen stopped the vehicle, and he was taken into custody. Officers recovered from Dabydeen a live round of 9mm ammunition, and a Taurus, Model G3c, 9mm pistol that had been reported stolen. Dabydeen has a prior felony conviction for 1st Degree Manslaughter in New York, and he is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition.
“The violent shootings in Charlotte have gotten out of hand,” said U.S. Attorney Ferguson. “Where we can, the federal government will step in and put the most violent offenders behind bars.”
Dabydeen remains in federal custody. A sentencing date has not been set.
The ATF and CMPD led the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alfredo De La Rosa of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte is prosecuting the case.
Convicted Felon Sentenced to over Nine Years in Prison for Possession of A FirearmRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Timothy J. Corrigan has sentenced Mar’keise Bates (31, Jacksonville) to nine years and two months in federal prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Bates pleaded guilty on August 20, 2025.
According to court documents, police were dispatched to the River City Inn on March 3, 2025, in response to a disturbance. A hotel employee reported she had asked Bates to leave the hotel. Despite that, Bates returned with what appeared to be a gun in his waistband. The employee then saw another individual running while saying that Bates had pulled a gun on him. Police obtained surveillance video, which showed Bates holding a gun and pointing it at another person before running off. After viewing the surveillance video, police apprehended Bates and recovered the firearm he possessed, a Beretta M9 9mm semi-automatic pistol, in one of the hotel rooms. Prior to this, Bates was convicted of multiple felonies, including felony battery, robbery, aggravated battery upon a pregnant female, and sale of cocaine.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kelli Swaney.
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.
Convicted Attempted Arsonist Sentenced to Federal Prison After Illegally Reentering the U.S.Read the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Adam B. Abelson sentenced Jairo Eliu Aguilar-Lopez, 54, of El Salvador, to 15 months in federal prison, followed by one year of supervised release, for illegally reentering the United States after he was deported on two separate occasions.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Acting Field Office Director Jeremy Bacon, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE-ERO) – Baltimore Field Office.
Aguilar-Lopez is an El Salvadorian national who first entered the United States in February 2019. According to immigration records, law enforcement removed him from the United States on May 9, 2019. But then on March 12, 2020, Aguilar-Lopez reentered the United States near Eagle Pass, Texas. Authorities removed him again on April 3, 2020.
Later, Aguilar-Lopez reentered the United States. Aguilar-Lopez had not obtained permission to reenter the U.S. Then, on August 16, 2024, Aguilar-Lopez pled guilty to first degree attempted arson in Baltimore, Maryland. Evidence presented during sentencing in the federal case included a video of Aguilar-Lopez dousing the victim’s home in gasoline. Additionally, the government presented records showing that he threatened to set the victim’s home on fire if she did not leave Baltimore.
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.
U.S. Attorney Hayes praised ICE-ERO for its work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Reema Sood who prosecuted the federal 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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Co-Founder of Paycheck Protection Program Lender Service Provider Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for $63M COVID-19 Relief Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
A co-founder of a lender service provider was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison on Friday, November 21, 2025, for participating in a scheme to fraudulently obtain over $63 million in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans guaranteed by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The defendant was also ordered to pay over $63 million in restitution.
According to evidence presented at trial, Stephanie Hockridge, also known as Stephanie Reis, 42, of Rio Grande, Puerto Rico, and previously of Arizona, co-founded Blueacorn in April 2020, purportedly to assist small businesses and individuals in obtaining PPP loans. To get larger loans for certain PPP applicants, Hockridge and her co-conspirators fabricated documents, including payroll records, tax documentation and bank statements. Hockridge and her co-conspirators charged borrowers kickbacks based on a percentage of the funds received.
As part of the scheme, Hockridge and others offered a personalized service to their clients called “VIPPP” to help potential borrowers complete PPP loan applications. Hockridge recruited co-conspirators to work as VIPPP referral agents and coach borrowers on how to submit false PPP loan applications. To get more kickbacks from borrowers and a higher percentage of lender fees from the SBA, Hockridge and her co-conspirators submitted PPP loan applications that they knew contained materially false information. In total, Hockridge and her coconspirators processed over $63 million in fraudulent PPP loans.
On June 20, a jury found Hockridge guilty of one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould for the Northern District of Texas; Acting Assistant Special Agent in Charge Don Daley of the Office of Inspector General for the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Western Region; Special Agent in Charge Christopher J. Altemus Jr. of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Dallas Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock of the Federal Bureau of Investigation – Dallas Field Office made the announcement.
“These defendants exploited a national crisis to enrich themselves in this multimillion-dollar, taxpayer-funded fraud scheme,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould. “This office and our law enforcement partners are committed to bringing to justice those individuals who steal taxpayer dollars and undermine our federal programs through fraud and deceit.”
“The defendant used deceptive practices to exploit a government program for her own personal gain. This program was meant to protect small businesses and promote economic stabilization in a critical time of need,” said FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock. “The public can rest assured that the FBI is committed to holding accountable those who attempt to defraud the United States government and steal opportunities from honest, hardworking business owners.”
IRS-CI, Special Inspector General for Pandemic Recovery, Federal Reserve Board-CFPB Office of Inspector General, SBA OIG, and FBI investigated the case.
Acting Assistant Chief Philip Trout of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section; Trial Attorneys Elizabeth Carr and Ryan McLaren of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section; and Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Weybrecht for the Northern District of Texas prosecuted the case.
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s prosecution of fraud schemes that exploit the PPP. Since the enactment of the CARES Act, the Fraud Section has prosecuted over 200 defendants in more than 130 criminal cases and has seized over $78 million in cash proceeds derived from fraudulently obtained PPP funds, as well as numerous real estate properties and luxury items purchased with such proceeds.
The Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section’s Bank Integrity Unit investigates and prosecutes banks and other financial institutions, including their officers, managers and employees whose actions threaten the integrity of the individual institution or the wider financial system.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Justice Department’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Chinese National Pleads Guilty to South Florida Gift Card Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
MIAMI – A Chinese national pleaded guilty on Sept. 23 in Fort Pierce federal court for participating in a fraud scheme targeting grocery stores across South Florida, including St. Lucie, Martin, Palm Beach, Broward, and Miami-Dade counties.
According to court records, between Jan. 14 and Dec. 17, 2024, Cao Yuan Liu, 22, and a co-conspirator traveled to grocery stores throughout Florida and tampered with gift cards. Investigators discovered cards in which the packaging had been carefully opened, serial numbers and PINs exposed or removed, and the packaging resealed to appear intact. Once unsuspecting customers purchased and activated the compromised cards, Liu and his co-conspirator illicitly accessed the funds for their own use.
“Gift card fraud schemes like this prey on unsuspecting consumers and erode trust in our everyday retail systems,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “Liu’s conviction sends a clear message: those who tamper with gift cards and steal from innocent consumers will be held accountable. Our Office is committed to protecting South Florida communities from these sophisticated fraud operations and ensuring justice for those affected.”
Surveillance footage captured Liu and his co-conspirator leaving multiple stores in a black Bentley SUV with a New York license plate. On Dec. 17, 2024, law enforcement located Liu and his co-conspirator, executed a search warrant at their shared Jensen Beach apartment, and recovered multiple tampered gift cards. Six days later, after seizing the Bentley SUV, law enforcement executed a search warrant of the vehicle and located additional gift cards linked to the scheme.
In total, investigators have identified approximately 42 grocery stores across Florida that were targeted.
Liu pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess 15 or more counterfeit or unauthorized access devices. He faces up to five years in federal prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Reding Quiñones and Acting Special Agent in Charge José R. Figueroa of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Miami made the announcement.
HSI Fort Pierce and Martin County Sheriff’s Office are investigating the case.
Managing Assistant U.S. Attorney Carmen M. Lineberger is prosecuting this 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 on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 25-cr-14043.
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Chicago Chiropractor Sentenced to Nearly Six Years in Prison for $2.1 Million Healthcare FraudRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A Chicago chiropractor has been sentenced to nearly six years in federal prison for billing a private insurer more than $2 million in nonexistent services.
CLARENCE W. BROWN III owned and operated Dr. CB3 Wellness, Inc. and Apex Integrated Medical Center, Ltd., both in Chicago. From 2016 to 2020, Brown submitted more than 6,000 fraudulent claims to Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois for purported health care services that Brown knew were not actually provided to patients. Some of the fraudulent claims were for services purportedly provided when Brown was on international vacations or while his medical license was suspended.
Brown’s fraud scheme defrauded BCBS out of nearly $2.1 million. Brown used the fraud proceeds to fund a lavish lifestyle, including a house, a $100,000 BMW X5 sport-utility vehicle, international vacations, and shopping at luxury stores such as Tiffany’s.
In 2024, a jury in U.S. District Court in Chicago convicted Brown, 49, of Chicago, on all nine healthcare fraud counts against him. Last week, on Nov. 19, 2025, U.S. District Judge John F. Kness sentenced Brown to five years and ten months in federal prison and ordered him to pay $2,088,884 in restitution to BCBS.
The sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI.
“Defendant was motivated by greed,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Andréa L. Campbell argued in the government’s sentencing memorandum. “Defendant made the calculated decision to engage in a three-and-half-year fraud that benefited him and his lofty aspirations.”
Canadian National Sentenced to Prison After Being Caught with 90 Pounds of MDMARead the Press Release
TOLEDO, Ohio – A Canadian citizen has been sentenced to prison after admitting to having possession of 90 pounds of methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), or ecstasy, a Schedule I controlled substance that is typically used as a party drug and intended for distribution.
Dontavius Forbes, 27, was sentenced to 36 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey J. Helmick after pleading guilty in June to possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance. Judge Helmick imposed the sentence Nov. 21. Forbes will be deported to Canada upon completion of his prison sentence.
According to court documents, on Aug. 7, 2024, a U.S. Border Patrol agent observed a compact sport utility vehicle with Canadian license plates parked in a service plaza parking lot near the interstate 80/90 Ohio turnpike in Sandusky County. After further investigation, the agent proceeded to have an encounter with Forbes who was the driver of the vehicle. During a consensual search of the SUV, agents observed what appeared to be modifications to a section of the cargo area. Agents discovered two hidden compartments packed with vacuum sealed packages of suspected illegal drugs. A field test of one of the packages tested positive for MDMA. Agents also seized nearly $3,000 in U.S. currency from the vehicle.
The remaining packages recovered from the vehicle were submitted to a forensic laboratory for analysis which confirmed the accuracy of the field test indicating the presence of MDMA.
This investigation was conducted by the U.S. Border Patrol-Sandusky Bay Station and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Assistant United States Attorney Frank H. Spryszak prosecuted the case for the Northern District of Ohio.
California Man Sentenced to 33 Years in Federal Prison for Conspiring to Distribute Methamphetamine and Conspiracy to Commit Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a San Jacinto, California man convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance and Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering. The sentencing took place on November 3, 2025.
Darrel Devorce, 56, was sentenced to 33 years in federal prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release, fine, and ordered to pay a $200 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Devorce was indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance and Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering by a federal grand jury in May 2024. He pleaded guilty on July 28, 2025.
“Devorce is a longtime meth dealer responsible for shipping that poison into South Dakota since at least 2018,” said U.S. Attorney Parsons. “He will now be separated from the rest of society for most of the rest of his life.”
“IRS Criminal Investigation is proud to be part of a task force that is dedicated to dismantling criminal organizations that pose a threat to the safety of our local communities,” said Special Agent in Charge William Steenson. “Devorce’s 400-month prison sentence is a reflection of that dedication and our determination to use our financial expertise to help get dangerous people off our streets.”
Through an investigation conducted by Homeland Security Investigations, IRS Criminal Investigation, and the Sioux Falls Area Drug Task Force, investigators learned that Darrel Devorce was responsible for running a large methamphetamine trafficking organization for approximately five years. Devorce began sourcing methamphetamine to co-conspirators in Sioux Falls around 2018 and continued to do so into 2023. During Devorce’s involvement in the conspiracy, he arranged for methamphetamine from California to be delivered to co-conspirators in South Dakota. Devorce directed others to conduct financial transactions involving the proceeds from the methamphetamine conspiracy using CashApp, Western Union and Zelle. The money transfers were designed to conceal the source of the proceeds of the methamphetamine conspiracy and Devorce’s involvement in the conspiracy.
In addition to Devorce, multiple other individuals from California and South Dakota were involved in the conspiracy, and to date over ten of them have been charged and convicted in federal court. Devorce was the leader of the group responsible for souring the drugs and directing the movement of money.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, IRS Criminal Investigation, and the Sioux Falls Area Drug Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Hodges prosecuted the case.
Devorce was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Buffalo man going to prison on child pornography chargeRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Alexander J. Weidner, 35, of Buffalo, NY, who was convicted of possession of child pornography involving a prepubescent minor, was sentenced to serve five years in prison and 35 years supervised release by U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas A.C. Penrose, who handled the case, stated that on February 28, 2023, a federal search warrant was executed at Weidner’s residence as a result of child pornography uploaded to Snapchat and Instagram accounts, both associated with Weidner. Investigators seized two cellular telephones, which contained approximately 4,843 images and 371 videos of child pornography. Some of the images depicted minors under the age of 12 engaged in sexually explicit conduct. In addition, on two occasions, Weidner used the Session application to upload and share a video file containing child pornography with another Session user.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Philip Tejera, the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Amie Feroleto, and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
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Buffalo man going to prison for illegally possessing postal keysRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. –U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Fortino Pilier, 28, of Buffalo, NY, who was convicted of possession of a postal service key, was sentenced to serve 12 months in prison and three years’ supervised release by U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Franz M. Wright, who handled the case, stated that on October 23, 2024, Pilier was a passenger in a vehicle that was pulled over by Erie County Sheriff’s deputies. During the traffic stop, Pilier fled from the vehicle and deputies pursued and arrested him. After he was arrested, Pilier was searched, and two United States Postal arrow keys were found in his pocket. An arrow key can be used to open authorized mail receptacles owned by the Postal Service. Pilier admitted that he planned to use the arrow keys to unlawfully access mail receptacles.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the United States Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division, under the direction of Inspector-in-Charge Ketty Larco-Ward.
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Brooklyn Park Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Federal Prison for Multiple Counts of Online Sexual ExploitationRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Today, U.S. District Judge Deborah K. Chasanow sentenced Charles Anthony Forame, IV, 33, of Brooklyn Park, Maryland, to 20 years in federal prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release, for child sexual exploitation charges.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office; Jaymi Sterling, State’s Attorney for St. Mary’s County; Anthony Covington, State’s Attorney for Charles County; Robert H. Harvey, State’s Attorney for Calvert County; Anne Colt Leitess, State’s Attorney for Anne Arundel; Sheriff Steven A. Hall, St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office; Sheriff Troy D. Berry, Charles County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO); Sheriff Ricky Cox, Calvert County Sheriff’s Office; and Chief Amal E. Awad, Anne Arundel County Police (AACOPD).
According to the guilty plea, Forame used his Snapchat account to meet teenage girls online. Forame then coerced the victims to provide him with explicit images, or in some instances, sexual acts in person. Forame falsely told the girls he was 19 to get them to interact with him. He often promised to provide vapes or marijuana in exchange for explicit images or sex acts. If the victims attempted to end the arrangement, Forame threatened to expose their images. The victims, ages 13-16, were middle-school and high-school students. Forame admitted to engaging in this conduct with nine victims from September 2023, until his arrest in May 2024.
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 Kelly O. Hayes commended the FBI, AACOPD, CCSO, St. Mary’s County State’s Attorney’s Office, Charles County State’s Attorney’s Office, Calvert County State’s Attorney’s Office, Anne Arundel County State’s Attorney’s Office, St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office, and Calvert County Sheriff’s Office for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen Elizabeth McGuinn who is prosecuting the federal 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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Brooklyn Man Sentenced to 121 Months in Prison for Conspiracy to Commit Child Sex TraffickingRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Brooklyn, New York, was sentenced to 121 months in prison for his role in a conspiracy to commit child sex trafficking, Acting United States Attorney and Special Attorney Alina Habba announced.
Soauib Butcher, 31, of Brooklyn, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Michael E. Farbiarz in Newark federal court to one count of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of a minor. Judge Farbiarz imposed the sentence on November 7, 2025, in Newark federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
In August 2019, Butcher met the victim at a train station and brought her to Elizabeth, New Jersey, where, from August 2019 to January 2020, the victim stayed with Butcher and a co-conspirator in a series of motel rooms. The co-conspirator posted advertisements depicting the victim on escort websites and, together with Butcher, arranged for customers to come to the motels to have sex with the victim in exchange for money.
In addition to the prison terms, Judge Farbiarz sentenced Butcher to five years of supervised release.
“Soauib Butcher supported himself, for several months, on the daily sexual exploitation of a minor. This sentence sends a message that this Office is committed to protecting children from sexual predators.”
- Acting U.S. Attorney and Special Attorney Alina Habba
“Sexual exploitation is demeaning, damaging and puts already vulnerable minors in extremely unsafe circumstances,” Stefanie Roddy, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Newark, said. “Butcher profited off of the arrangement he had with this victim. The FBI and its partners work tirelessly so that these minors get the protection they deserve from predators."
Acting U.S. Attorney and Special Attorney Habba credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy, with the investigation.
This investigation was conducted as part of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey’s Human Trafficking Task Force, which was formed in 2025. The Task Force brings together federal and state agencies to collaborate and dedicate resources to combat human trafficking and prosecute human trafficking offenders who endanger the safety of the community. The Human Trafficking Task Force is composed of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Department of Labor, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, and the Internal Revenue Service.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Aaron L. Webman, Deputy Chief of the Economic Crimes Unit, and Katherine M. Romano, Chief of the General Crimes Unit.
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Defense counsel: Patrick Joyce, Esq., Maplewood, NJ
Bronx Man Pleads Guilty to Trafficking CocaineRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A former resident of the Bronx, New York, entered a guilty plea in federal court to cocaine trafficking, First Assistant United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
Jose Baez Cabrera, 34, pleaded guilty today before United States District Judge Cathy Bissoon to possessing with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine on August 16, 2023.
Judge Bissoon scheduled sentencing for March 19, 2026. The law provides for a maximum sentence of up to life in prison, a fine of up to $10 million, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Craig W. Haller is prosecuting this case on behalf of the United States.
The Pennsylvania State Police and Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of the defendant.
Bakersfield Man Pleads Guilty to Illegal Possession of Explosives and Manufacturing MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Matthew Henry Jacober, 44, of Bakersfield, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of explosives and manufacturing crystal methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
According to court documents, in July 2025, Jacober possessed 50 pounds of dynamite, which he had secreted in a cave approximately 10 to 15 feet from a travel trailer where Jacober was residing. In 2021, Jacober was convicted in Kern County Superior Court of making a destructive device without a permit, a felony. As a convicted felon, Jacober was prohibited from possessing explosives. In addition, Jacober was in the process of manufacturing crystal methamphetamine in his trailer, where he possessed both finished product and methamphetamine in the process of changing from liquid to a crystal form.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Kern County Sheriff’s Office Bomb Squad, and the Kern County Fire Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Escobar is prosecuting the case.
Jacober is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston on Feb. 17, 2026, Jacober faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the explosives charge and a mandatory minimum statutory penalty of five years, a maximum statutory penalty of 40 years in prison, and a $5 million fine for manufacturing methamphetamine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
Bahamian National Indicted for Illegal Voting, Passport Fraud, and False Claim of United States Citizenship to Obtain State BenefitsRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida –United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the unsealing of an indictment charging Rochelle Deborah Johnson (65, The Bahamas) with illegal voting, passport fraud, and false claim of United States citizenship to obtain state benefits. If convicted, Johnson faces a maximum penalty of 35 years in federal prison.
According to the indictment, Johnson was born in The Bahamas and is not a citizen of the United States. In 2016, Johnson used a passport that she secured by falsely claiming to be a United States citizen to take an international flight. Then in 2018, she attempted to renew her passport by, once again, falsely claiming to be a United States citizen. Johnson also unlawfully voted in the 2020 Presidential election and falsely claimed to be a United States citizen to renew and replace her Florida driver’s license.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the United States Department of State – Diplomatic Security Service. It is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Joseph Wheeler, III.
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.
Bahamian Man Charged with Passport FraudRead the Press Release
SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Victor Charles Gibson, age 79, of the Bahamas, was indicted on November 18, 2025, by a federal grand jury for passport fraud and making a false claim to United States citizenship.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, the indictment alleges that on or about March 29, 2025, in Carbon County, Pennsylvania, the defendant Victor Charles Gibson, a citizen of the Bahamas, did knowingly make a false statement in an application for a United States Passport and represented himself to be a citizen of the United States.
This matter was investigated by the U.S. Department of State. Assistant United States Attorney Tatum Wilson is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline) a nationwide initiate that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The maximum penalty under federal law for these offenses is thirteen 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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Avonmore Resident Pleads Guilty to Producing and Possessing Images of Minor Engaged in Sexually Explicit ConductRead the Press Release
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. - A resident of Avonmore, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of violating federal sex offense laws, First Assistant United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
Kenneth Bee, 54, pleaded guilty to Counts One through Four of the Indictment before United States District Judge Stephanie L. Haines.
In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, over a several year period, Bee produced images of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Further, in and around September 2022, Bee possessed images of prepubescent minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct.
Judge Haines scheduled sentencing for March 24, 2026. The law provides for a maximum sentence of not less than 15 years and up to 30 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Maureen Sheehan-Balchon is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
Homeland Security Investigations and the Pennsylvania State Police conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Bee. Other agencies involved include the Armstrong County District Attorney’s Office and the Indiana County District Attorney’s Office.
This case was brought as a part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Asian Boyz Gang Associate from Lowell Convicted of Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
BOSTON – An associate of the Asian Boyz gang was convicted on Friday following a five-day jury trial for his role in a distribution network of homemade methamphetamine pills, branded as “Adderall.”
Richard Nguyen, a/k/a “Cheese,” a/k/a “Cheeseburger,” 30, of Lowell, was convicted by a federal jury of two counts of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and one count of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. U.S. District Court Judge Brian E. Murphy scheduled sentencing for Feb. 26, 2026. Nguyen was arrested and charged in January 2025.
In 2021, an investigation began into the Asian Boyz gang to disrupt the manufacturing and distribution of substantial quantities of methamphetamine pills impacting the City of Lowell. Nguyen was part of the large drug distribution network that profited from the sale of thousands of these counterfeit Adderall pills containing methamphetamine. Between March 2022 and January 2025, Nguyen and other defendants sold counterfeit Adderall pills to undercover officers and cooperating witnesses working with law enforcement on 47 different occasions.
Evidence presented at trial established that Nguyen sold counterfeit Adderall pills to a cooperating witness at least three times between January 2024 and April 2024. Each time, Nguyen directed the cooperating witness to meet him at his home to conduct the deal, on a back porch covered with a tarp and accessible only from a narrow alleyway. Nguyen negotiated the deals with the cooperating witness using an Instagram account, “Cheese.” He gave the cooperating witness a price of $0.80 per pill, explaining that he could only get the pills for $0.70 per pill, and that he had to “make [his] dollar.” During the first deal on his back porch, Nguyen sold the cooperating witness approximately 1,000 pills. During the next two deals, Nguyen sold the cooperating witness twice as much – approximately 2,000 pills each time.
The charge of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine provides for a sentence of at least 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $10 million. The charge of possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine provides for a sentence of at least five years and up to 40 years in prison, at least four years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $5 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Superintendent Greg C. Hudon of the Lowell Police Department made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police and the Billerica, Haverhill, Methuen, North Andover and Salem Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Fred M. Wyshak, III and Brendan D. O’Shea of the Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit https://www.justice.gov/PSN.
The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. For more information about Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF.
Arizona Man Sentenced to More than Seven Years for Defrauding 54 Victims in Investment Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Anthonie Ruinard, Jr., 40, of Chandler, was sentenced on November 17, 2025, by United States District Judge Susan M. Brnovich to 87 months in custody followed by three years of supervised release. Ruinard previously pleaded guilty to Wire Fraud. Ruinard was also ordered to pay $4,508,057 in restitution to the victims in this case.
“Fraudsters actively prey on communities to steal hard earned money by using trust and false promises for their own greed and benefit” said U.S. Attorney Timothy Courchaine. “This sentence demonstrates that not only will scammers be held accountable financially, they will also face significant time in jail. The United States Attorney’s Office will continue to prosecute these crimes in order to protect the honest work of those who build their lives here in Arizona.”
Anthonie Ruinard scammed 54 victims out of more than $5.6 million through an investment fraud scheme under the guise of a business called Legacy Investors Group Inc. Ruinard falsely portrayed himself as a successful investor and promised victim-investors guaranteed rates of return through investments in venture capital, private equity, and real estate. While some of the early victim-investors received some initial payments to perpetuate the fraud, others lost their entire investment. Throughout the scheme, Ruinard and his associates made excuses as to why the victim-investors were not receiving their payments, including “wire problems,” an unprecedented market, and the war in Ukraine. He also sent an email to victim-investors with a screen shot falsely representing that he controlled an account with a balance of over $470 million.
Ruinard largely spent the victims’ money himself, including on luxury vehicles (for example, the purchase of an armored vehicle for $344,000), general living expenses, casino gambling, credit card payments, and rental expenses.
“This sentencing sends a clear and unmistakable message: individuals who engage in financial fraud for personal gain will be held accountable,” said FBI Phoenix Special Agent in Charge, Heith Janke. “The FBI, together with our law enforcements partners, will continue to identify, investigate and pursue those who orchestrate criminal schemes for their own profit. We remain committed to protecting the public and safeguarding the integrity of our financial system.”
The Federal Bureau of Investigation – Phoenix Division conducted the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-24-01904-PHX-SMB
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-167_Ruinard# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Alden man arrested, charged with receipt and possession of child pornographyRead the Press Release
ROCHESTER, N.Y. –U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Tracy Przepiora, 58, of Alden, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with receipt and possession of child pornography, which carry a minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum of 20 years, and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas M. Testani, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, in March and April 2025, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) received two child pornography CyberTips from MediaLab/Kik, a messaging app that that allows users to send messages, photos, videos and live stream. The tips reported that 21 files of suspected child pornography were uploaded by a user later identified as Przepiora. On June 12, 2025, the New York State Police executed a search warrant at his residence in Victor, NY, where he lived at the time, seizing three Apple iPhones and one Apple iPod touch. An analysis of the phones recovered 22 image files of suspected child pornography.
Przepiora made an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Colleen D. Holland and was released on conditions.
The complaint is the culmination of an investigation by the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Kevin Sucher, Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Erin Keegan, and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Activity in the U.S. Attorney's OfficeRead the Press Release
Drug Trafficking
Shaleen Ungricht, 47, from Rock Springs, Wyoming, was sentenced to 140 months’ imprisonment with four years of supervised release to follow for distribution of methamphetamine. According to court documents, the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) identified Ungricht as a multi-pound distributor of methamphetamine in Southwest Wyoming. Beginning in March 2024, agents made six controlled buys from the defendant, totaling 614.6 grams. At the time of her arrest in January 2025, agents found 44.3 grams on her person and another 241.6 grams in her residence. Wyoming DCI and the Drug Enforcement Administration investigated the crime. Assistant U.S. Attorney Z. Seth Griswold prosecuted the case. Ungricht was indicted on May 21 and pleaded guilty on July 29. U.S. District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl imposed the sentence on Nov. 19 in Cheyenne. Case No. 25-CR-00083
Stalking
Jose Bradley Isaacson, 22, of Smithfield, Utah, was sentenced to 36 months’ imprisonment with three years of supervised release for interstate stalking. According to court documents, the victim had recently ended a relationship with the defendant. The victim was working in Yellowstone National Park when the incident occurred. The defendant made numerous attempts to contact the victim and made threats against her. On June 21, he drove to Old Faithful Village in Yellowstone to confront the victim. He physically grabbed her in an effort to get her to go with him. When she refused to leave with him, he ran from the area. The victim reported the incident to Park Rangers, who found his car and impounded it. The next day, the defendant stole a rental car and fled towards Grand Teton National Park. Rangers used a tire deflation device to stop the vehicle, and the defendant fled on foot. He was captured a short time later by Grand Teton Park Rangers. National Park Rangers investigated the crime and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kerry Jacobson prosecuted the case. Issacson was arrested on June 22 and pleaded guilty on Sept 2. U.S. District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson imposed the sentence on Nov. 21 in Cheyenne. Case No. 25-CR-00122
Drug and Firearm Offenses
Corey Thacker, 37, with no permanent residence, was sentenced to 70 months’ imprisonment with three years of supervised release to follow for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and use of a firearm in relation to a drug trafficking crime. According to court documents, on February 3, 2025, Cheyenne Police Department detectives conducted a traffic stop on the defendant and found approximately 31.52 grams of suspected fentanyl pills and 13.47 grams of suspected methamphetamine inside his backpack. Detectives also found a digital scale, plastic packaging materials, and $2,200.00. Officers discovered a Ruger .380 semi-automatic handgun on the defendant’s hip holster to which he acknowledged needing for protection as a drug dealer. The Cheyenne Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration investigated the crime. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paige Hammer prosecuted the case. Thacker was arrested on March 6 and pleaded guilty on July 15. Chief U.S. District Court Judge Kelly H. Rankin imposed the sentence on Nov. 7 in Cheyenne. Case No. 25-CR-00099
Illegal Re-Entry of a Previously Deported Alien
Mario Cisneros-Tenorio, 40, of Serrano, Guanajuato, Mexico was sentenced to time served - plus up to ten (10) days to allow for deportation proceedings - for illegal reentry into the U.S. after previously being deported. According to court documents, on Aug. 24, the defendant was encountered at the Sweetwater County jail after being arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol and other driving related offenses. The defendant initially provided the officer a Mexico driver’s license. Agents with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) determined that Cisneros-Tenorio had not applied for permission to reenter the U.S. after being formally removed in April 2016. ICE investigated the crime, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy W. Gist prosecuted the case. Chief U.S. District Court Judge Kelly H. Rankin imposed the sentence on Nov. 24 in Cheyenne. Case No. 25-CR-00126
About the United States Attorney's Office
The United States Attorney’s Office is responsible for representing the federal government in virtually all litigation involving the United States in the District of Wyoming, including all criminal prosecutions for violations of federal law, civil lawsuits brought by or against the government, and actions to collect judgments and restitution on behalf of victims and taxpayers. The Office is involved in several programs designed to make our communities safer. They include: Project Safe Childhood
Project Safe Childhood (PSC) is a DOJ initiative that combats the proliferation of technology-facilitated sexual exploitation crimes against children. The threat of sexual predators soliciting children for sexual contact is well-known and serious.
Operation Take Back America
Operation Take Back America is 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. It also streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Victim Witness Program
The Victim Witness Coordinator for the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Wyoming is dedicated to ensuring victims of federal crimes and their family members are treated with compassion, fairness, and respect.To report a federal crime, go to: https://www.justice.gov/actioncenter/report-crime
Accountability in Action: Federal Immigration Enforcement NumbersRead the Press Release
SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF INDIANA- Six illegal immigrants, five of whom are convicted felons, have been sentenced to federal prison after pleading guilty to illegal reentry in the Southern District of Indiana. The prosecutions, which involved defendants from Monroe, Dubois, Marion, and Perry counties, stemmed from separate investigations. Each case was handled independently.
DefendantSentencePrior RemovalsPrior ConvictionsTeodulo Gonzalez-Parral, 51, of Mexico3 years, 10 monthsNovember 2010 (twice) & April 2012Operating a Motor Vehicle While Intoxicated (x3); Criminal Mischief (3rd & 2nd degree), 2nd Degree AssaultRaymundo Antonio Galdamez-Lobo, 44, of El Salvador3 years, 1 monthDecember 2008, June 2009, September 2011, August 2012, June 2019, August 2022Criminal Trespass; Driving while intoxicated (x3); Prostitution; Reckless Driving; Resisting Arrest; Providing False Information (x3); Burglary (x3); Evading arrest; Illegal Reentry
Jorge A. Esparza-Reyna, 32, of Mexico7 monthsNovember 2015, January 2018, June 2021Driving Under the Influence (x2)Noe Hernandez-Cocullo, 37, of MexicoTime ServedJanuary 2009 & April 2023Recklessly Endangering Safety of a ChildAmin Derli Reynosa-Diaz, 29, of MexicoTime servedOctober 2019Domestic BatteryMartin Cortez-Lopez, 36, of MexicoTime servedFebruary 2011Possession of a controlled substance; Resisting an Officer with Violence; Disorderly Intoxication in PublicAt the time the defendants entered their guilty pleas, they acknowledged that upon completion of their sentence, they will be subject to removal from the United States. Conditions of supervision require the defendants to surrender to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement upon release from federal custody.
“Violent criminal aliens who repeatedly violate our immigration laws and endanger our communities must face real consequences,” said Tom Wheeler, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Through Operation Take Back America, we are unleashing the full force of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal aliens and ensure that those who threaten our security face swift and decisive justice.”
The Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations investigated these cases. The sentences were imposed by U.S. District Judges Richard L. Young, Matthew P. Brookman, Tanya Walton Pratt, and James P. Hanlon.
U.S. Attorney Wheeler thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Todd Shellenbarger, Matthew Miller, Meredith Wood, Carolyn Haney, and Lauren Wheatley, who prosecuted these cases.
These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN)
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78th Defendant Charged in Feeding Our Future Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL – Abdirashid Bixi Dool, age 36, was charged in a seven-count indictment with wire fraud and money laundering for his participation in the Feeding Our Future fraud scheme, announced U.S. Attorney Daniel N. Rosen. Dool made his initial appearance this afternoon in federal court. Dool is the 78th defendant charged in the largest Covid-19 fraud scheme in the country.
Dool co-operated and served on the boards of two Minnesota non-profits, Bilaal Mosque Inc. and Multicultural Resource Center Inc (MRC). Dool also served as the President of MRC. Through those companies, Dool and a second person identified in the indictment as “Conspirator A” participated in the Federal Child Nutrition Program under the sponsorship of Feeding Our Future. Dool and Conspirator A purported to operate two food sites—the Bilaal food site in Pelican Rapids, Minnesota, and the MRC food site in Moorhead, Minnesota.
As set forth in the indictment, at those sites, Dool falsely claimed to be serving over 40,000 meals to children every week. Through the Bilaal site alone, Dool claimed to serve 6,000 meals to children every day, seven days a week. That daily figure is more than double the entire population—children and adults—of the outstate town that is home is Bilaal. In support of his false claims, Dool submitted fraudulent invoices, purporting to detail the food purchased by Bilaal and MRC to feed hungry children. In reality, Dool purchased very little food. Dool also submitted phony rosters purporting to list the names of the hungry children who he fed at his meal sites. These rosters were also fake.
Between March 2021 and February 2022, Bilaal and MRC received about $1.1 million in Federal Child Nutrition Program funds from Feeding Our Future. However, little of this money was used by Dool to purchase food. Instead, Dool and Conspirator A laundered most of the taxpayer dollars to their families and to themselves. Dool used his cut of the fraud proceeds to travel and to buy real estate in Minnesota.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph H. Thompson, Harry M. Jacobs, and Daniel W. Bobier are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
21 November 2025
White-Collar Executive Incarcerated for Fixing Nurse Wages and FraudRead the Press Release
A federal district court in Nevada sentenced Eduardo “Eddie” Lopez of Las Vegas to 40 months in custody and $550,000 in criminal fines. In addition, Lopez must pay $2,496,101 in criminal restitution to the defrauded purchaser of his home healthcare company. Lopez was also ordered to forfeit $10,459,000 from the fraudulent sale of his home healthcare company.
Today’s sentence follows Lopez’s conviction in April for leading a conspiracy to fix the wages of home healthcare nurses in the Las Vegas area between March 2016 and May 2019 and for five counts of fraud for concealing the government’s antitrust investigation from the buyer during the sale of his home healthcare staffing company for over $10 million.
“American workers are the bedrock of President Trump’s administration,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “We will continue to tirelessly fight for the innocent, like the hardworking nurses harmed in this case.”
“Wage-fixing is a brazen crime rightly punished by a lengthy period of incarceration. The dignity of work in return for a fair wage is core to our free-market enterprise system. The Defendant — a convicted antitrust criminal — profited at the expense of his employees and the unwitting buyer of his home healthcare company.” said Assistant Attorney General Abigail A. Slater of the Antitrust Division. “Far from being a mere “technical violation,” wage-fixing is a real crime that harms innocent people — in this case nurses — and today’s sentence — the Justice Department’s first ever wage-fixing conviction — reflects that such conduct will not be resolved with a fine.”
“This case demonstrates the consequences of violating antitrust laws. By conspiring to fix wages, the defendant deprived hardworking nurses the right to earn a fair wage,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to working with the Antitrust Division and FBI to protect workers and we will prosecute those who seek to exploit others for personal gain.”
“A free and fair market are principles of the United States, and the FBI is committed to investigating those who seek to disrupt that and scam hardworking Americans,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “The victims here are the hardworking nurses, who suffered loss of wages while they tirelessly cared for and helped Americans. The FBI will continue the fight against corruption and fraud across the country and globe.”
The Antitrust Division’s San Francisco Office and the FBI’s International Corruption Unit investigated the case, with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada. Senior Litigation Counsel Jeffrey Cramer and Mikal Condon, Assistant Chief Andrew Mast, and Trial Attorneys Paradi Javandel and Conor Bradley, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Anthony Lopez for the District of Nevada are prosecuting the case.
Anyone with information in connection with this investigation, or other antitrust and competition crimes, should contact the Antitrust Division’s Complaint Center by visiting www.justice.gov/atr/report-violations. Whistleblowers who voluntarily report original information about antitrust and related offenses that result in criminal fines or other recoveries of at least $1 million may be eligible to receive a whistleblower reward. For more information on the Antitrust Whistleblower Rewards Program, visit www.justice.gov/atr/whistleblower-rewards.
White-Collar Executive Incarcerated for Fixing Nurse Wages and FraudRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS — A federal district court in Nevada sentenced Eduardo “Eddie” Lopez of Las Vegas to 40 months in custody and $550,000 in criminal fines. In addition, Lopez must pay $2,496,101 in criminal restitution to the defrauded purchaser of his home healthcare company. Lopez was also ordered to forfeit $10,459,000 from the fraudulent sale of his home healthcare company.
Today’s sentence follows Lopez’s conviction in April for leading a conspiracy to fix the wages of home healthcare nurses in the Las Vegas area between March 2016 and May 2019 and for five counts of fraud for concealing the government’s antitrust investigation from the buyer during the sale of his home healthcare staffing company for over $10 million.
“American workers are the bedrock of President Trump’s administration,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “We will continue to tirelessly fight for the innocent, like the hardworking nurses harmed in this case.”
“Wage-fixing is a brazen crime rightly punished by a lengthy period of incarceration. The dignity of work in return for a fair wage is core to our free-market enterprise system. The Defendant — a convicted antitrust criminal — profited at the expense of his employees and the unwitting buyer of his home healthcare company.” said Assistant Attorney General Abigail A. Slater of the Antitrust Division. “Far from being a mere “technical violation,” wage-fixing is a real crime that harms innocent people — in this case nurses — and today’s sentence — the Justice Department’s first ever wage-fixing conviction — reflects that such conduct will not be resolved with a fine.”
“This case demonstrates the consequences of violating antitrust laws. By conspiring to fix wages, the defendant deprived hardworking nurses the right to earn a fair wage,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to working with the Antitrust Division and FBI to protect workers and we will prosecute those who seek to exploit others for personal gain.”
“A free and fair market are principles of the United States, and the FBI is committed to investigating those who seek to disrupt that and scam hardworking Americans,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “The victims here are the hardworking nurses, who suffered loss of wages while they tirelessly cared for and helped Americans. The FBI will continue the fight against corruption and fraud across the country and globe.”
The Antitrust Division’s San Francisco Office and the FBI’s International Corruption Unit investigated the case, with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada. Senior Litigation Counsel Jeffrey Cramer and Mikal Condon, Assistant Chief Andrew Mast, and Trial Attorneys Paradi Javandel and Conor Bradley, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Anthony Lopez for the District of Nevada are prosecuting the case.
Anyone with information in connection with this investigation, or other antitrust and competition crimes, should contact the Antitrust Division’s Complaint Center by visiting www.justice.gov/atr/report-violations.
Whistleblowers who voluntarily report original information about antitrust and related offenses that result in criminal fines or other recoveries of at least $1 million may be eligible to receive a whistleblower reward. For more information on the Antitrust Whistleblower Rewards Program, visit www.justice.gov/atr/whistleblower-rewards.
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Westwego Woman Sentenced for Conspiracy to Commit Mail Fraud by Defrauding State Offices of Unemployment InsuranceRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced today that on November 19, 2025 REHA JANEE ARVIE, (“ARVIE”), age 35, of Westwego, LA, was sentenced for Conspiracy to Commit Mail Fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1349.
According to the indictment, beginning in or around July 2020, ARVIE defrauded, and attempted to defraud, various state offices of Unemployment Insurance (“UI”) through the submission of approximately 100 fraudulent UI applications. ARVIE recruited friends and family, via Facebook, to file these fraudulent UI applications. Additionally, ARVIE filed fraudulent UI applications for herself and others, in various states including Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Indiana, Missouri, Nevada, Pennsylvania, Utah, Texas, and the territory of Guam. ARVIE charged those for whom she filed fraudulent UI claims fees, ranging from $1,200.00 to $1,500.00. For example, ARVIE obtained $267,612.00 in UI benefits from California’s Employment Development Department. Moreover, during the investigation, ARVIE lied to federal agents during an interview.
United States District Judge Sarah S. Vance sentenced Arvie to fifty-two (52) months imprisonment followed by three (3) years of supervised release and payment of a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus. The Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of the Inspector General, is an active member of the PRAC Fraud Task Force.
“The PRAC was established to promote transparency and facilitate coordinated oversight of the federal government’s COVID-19 pandemic response. The PRAC’s 20 member Inspectors General identify major risks that cross program and agency boundaries to detect fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement in the more than $5 trillion in COVID-19 spending, including spending via the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program. This case was also supported by the PRAC’s Pandemic Analytics Center of Excellence, which applies the latest advances in analytic and forensic technologies to help OIGs and law enforcement pursue data-driven pandemic relief fraud investigations.”
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
The United States Attorney’s Office would also like to acknowledge the assistance of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General; the Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General; the National Unemployment Insurance Fraud Task Force; The Pandemic Response Accountability Committee; the United States Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General COVID Fraud Unit; and the California Employment Development Department with this matter. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Brian M. Klebba, Chief of the Financial Crimes Unit.
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Western District of Texas U.S. Attorney’s Office Files over 230 New Immigration Cases This WeekRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO – United States Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas announced today that federal prosecutors in the district filed 233 new immigration and immigration-related criminal cases from Nov. 14 to Nov. 20. Charges were brought against individuals with multiple prior removals, DWI convictions, kidnapping convictions, and at least two with prior convictions for sex crimes, including child sex crimes.
Salvadoran national Elmer Alexander Ramirez Cerna was charged with illegal re-entry in Austin. Ramirez Cerna was found in the Williamson County Jail on Nov. 4. He was convicted of sexual assault of a child in 2017 and removed from the U.S. to El Salvador in April 2019.
In Del Rio, USBP agents arrested Honduran national Noel Jose Funez-Antunez. Funez-Antunez was previously deported twice, most recently in June 2024 after he was convicted of sexual assault in Houston and sentenced to two years of confinement. Funez-Antunez was also convicted in 2010 for kidnapping.
Honduran nationals Marcos Joel Contreras-Max and Edwin Javier Chinchilla-Lopez were arrested during a multi-agency operation conducted in San Antonio on Nov. 16. Databases revealed that both individuals were in the United States illegally and had previously been removed from the U.S. to Honduras. The two defendants are each charged with one count of illegal re-entry. If convicted, they face up to two years in prison and up to a $250,000 fine.
In El Paso, Mexican national Miriam Lizeth Gutierrez-Montanez was arrested and charged with human smuggling after she allegedly attempted to enter the Paso Del Norte Port of Entry with two minors in her vehicle. A criminal complaint alleges that the Customs and Border Protection officer received a system-generated alert that Gutierrez-Montanez was a possible child smuggler. Further inspection allegedly revealed that the minors were found to be Mexican citizens and not in possession of any legal documents to enter or be present in the U.S.
A U.S. citizen was also arrested and charged with human smuggling in El Paso. U.S. Border Patrol agents allegedly tracked Luis Ramon Carmona to the Cielo Vista Mall after he had picked up seven illegal aliens near the U.S./Mexico border. All eight individuals were placed under arrest and transported to the Clint Border Patrol Station for further processing. A criminal complaint alleges that Carmona was being paid $500 per illegal alien and that he had participated in the same smuggling scheme once before.
Mexican national Agustin Cano-Quintero was charged with illegal re-entry after he was found in the Travis County Jail. Cano-Quintero has been convicted three times for driving while intoxicated and has also been previously convicted for improper entry by an alien as well as illegal re-entry.
On Tuesday, USBP agents arrested Mexican national Amado Tovar-Tovar, who has three DWI convictions and, in August 2024, was removed from the U.S. to Mexico for the fourth time.
Pablo Orozco-Vasquez, also a Mexican national, was arrested near Webb after being previously deported for the fifth time in April. Orozco-Vasquez has been convicted of two DWI charges, along with reckless driving, improper entry and illegal re-entry.
These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including ICE, U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the FBI, the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas comprises 68 counties located in the central and western areas of Texas, encompasses nearly 93,000 square miles and an estimated population of 7.6 million people. The district includes three of the five largest cities in Texas—San Antonio, Austin and El Paso—and shares 660 miles of common border with the Republic of Mexico.
These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Waterloo Woman Sentenced to Federal Prison for Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
A woman who possessed nearly a kilogram of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute it was sentenced November 20, 2025, to two years in federal prison.
Sylvia Rubio-Rincon, age 21, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after a June 9, 2025, guilty plea to possession of a controlled substance with the intent to distribute.
Evidence at the sentencing hearing showed that undercover agents communicated with a suspected methamphetamine source of supply residing in Mexico. Agents arranged for the delivery of nearly a kilogram of methamphetamine. As Rubio-Rincon drove to meet with an undercover officer, officers stopped and searched her car. Officers found over 900 grams of methamphetamine. Rubio-Rincon said she was paid to deliver the methamphetamine by a family member who lived in Mexico.
Rubio-Rincon was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Rubio-Rincon was sentenced to 24 months’ imprisonment. She must also serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Rubio-Rincon is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until she can be transported to a federal prison.
This prosecution 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 Iowa is headquartered in Des Moines, Iowa, with a satellite office in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and is comprised of agents and officers from Department of Homeland Security Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations, The Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Agency, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service, the United States Marshals Service, and the United States Postal Inspection Service. This HSTF case was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Michael S.A. Hudson and investigated by HSTF Iowa, with the assistance of the Tri-County Drug Enforcement Task Force consisting of the Waterloo Police Department, Cedar Falls Police Department, Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Department, Evansdale Police Department, Waverly Police Department, Hudson Police Department, La Porte City Police Department, and the Bremer County Sheriff’s Department; and the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement;.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-CR-2046.
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Wall Resident Pleads Guilty to Sexual Exploitation of MinorsRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Wall, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of violating federal laws regarding the sexual exploitation of minors, First Assistant United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
Dylan Weyandt, 34, pleaded guilty to two counts before United States District Judge William S. Stickman IV on November 17, 2025.
In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, from February 2022 through February 2023, Weyandt induced two minors living in jurisdictions outside of the Western District of Pennsylvania to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing and sending to Weyandt visual depictions of such conduct. Weyandt, who met his minor victims on a social media application, would alternate between complimenting and threatening his victims to induce the victims to send him sexually explicit images and videos of themselves.
Judge Stickman scheduled sentencing for March 23, 2026. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not less than 15 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Weyandt remains detained pending sentencing.
Assistant United States Attorney Heidi M. Grogan is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation-Pittsburgh’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, including the Allegheny County Police Department, and the Selma (California) Police Department conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Weyandt.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Vohra Wound Physicians and its Owner Agree to Pay $45M to Settle Fraud Allegations of Overbilling for Wound Care ServicesRead the Press Release
MIAMI – Dr. Ameet Vohra and his companies, including Vohra Wound Physicians Management LLC (Vohra), have agreed to pay $45 million to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act by knowingly causing the submission of claims to Medicare for medically unnecessary surgical procedures, for more lucrative surgical procedures when only routine non-surgical wound management had been done, and for evaluation and management services that were not billable under Medicare coverage and coding rules.
Vohra is one of the nation’s largest providers of bedside specialty wound care for patients in nursing homes and skilled nursing facilities. In April 2025, the United States filed a lawsuit alleging that Vohra engaged in a nationwide scheme to bill Medicare for surgical excisional debridement procedures that were either not medically necessary or had not been performed. In its complaint, the United States alleged that Vohra pressured, trained, and provided financial incentives for Vohra physicians to perform debridement procedures during as many patient visits as possible regardless of the patients’ needs. Furthermore, it did not matter which kind of debridement a Vohra physician performed because Vohra allegedly programmed its electronic health record and billing software to ensure that Medicare was always billed for the higher-reimbursed surgical excisional procedure and to create false medical record documentation to support the scheme. Finally, the United States alleged that this widespread scheme was orchestrated by Dr. Vohra and implemented by his senior management team.
“Providers that manipulate electronic health records systems to drive inappropriate utilization or billing of Medicare services undermine the integrity of the Medicare program and waste taxpayer dollars,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The Justice Department will hold accountable providers who prioritize their own enrichment over the medical needs of their patients.”
“When corporations design systems to inflate profits at taxpayer expense, they are stealing from the American people,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “We will not tolerate fraud in our healthcare system and will hold those accountable who manipulate public programs for personal gain. Our Office will protect taxpayer dollars and defend the integrity of programs that serve America’s seniors.”
“When medical providers submit inflated claims, they contribute to rising healthcare costs for all consumers,” said U.S. Attorney Margaret E. Heap for the Southern District of Georgia. “My office will continue to combat fraudulent billing by unravelling these schemes.”
“Billing Medicare for medically unnecessary procedures and manipulating documentation to maximize profits not only defrauds taxpayers — it puts vulnerable patients at risk,” said Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Christian J. Schrank at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “This settlement sends a clear message: those who exploit federal healthcare programs for personal gain will face serious consequences. The Corporate Integrity Agreement ensures continued oversight and serves as a powerful deterrent against future misconduct.”
Under the settlement, Vohra will enter into a five-year Corporate Integrity Agreement (CIA) with the Office of Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services. Under the CIA, Vohra must develop and maintain a compliance program, implement a risk assessment process and hire an independent review organization (IRO) to review its claims and health information technology systems. The CIA requires monitoring of Vohra’s operations and obligates company executives and owners to certify compliance annually with the terms of the CIA.
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Southern District of Florida and the Southern District of Georgia, and the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General.
The investigation and resolution of 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 matter was handled by Fraud Section Attorneys Kirsten Mayer, David Finkelstein, Samuel Robins, Yifan Wang, and William Olson, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rosaline Chan and Matthew Feeley for the Southern District of Florida and Bradford Patrick for the Southern District of Georgia.
The claims resolved by the United States in the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
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